A conventional downhole lock assembly is used to locate and retain various downhole tools in a wellbore. A running tool is removably attached to a top distal end of the lock assembly to run the assembly into the wellbore and a tool is attached to a bottom distal end. Commonly used tools include flow control and safety tools. During trip in, the lock assembly and tool are landed in a conventional landing nipple disposed downhole. Upon reaching the setting depth, the running tool is jarred downward to shear a plurality of setting pins that lock the assembly in the landing nipple in the wellbore. The running tool may then be removed and the lock assembly and tool may provide the flow control or safety function.
According to one aspect of one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly includes a mandrel with a plurality of external collet finger detents disposed about an exterior surface and an unobstructed inner diameter configured for flow, an external collet with a plurality of collet fingers disposed about an interior surface, and a dog housing with a plurality of extendable retaining dogs. When transitioning to a set configuration, a portion of the mandrel travels within the external collet, the plurality of collet fingers come to rest in one or more of the external collet finger detents, and the plurality of extendable retaining dogs are extended.
Other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims.
One or more embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. For consistency, like elements in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals. In the following detailed description of the present invention, specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. In other instances, well-known features to one of ordinary skill in the art are not described to avoid obscuring the description of the present invention.
Conventional downhole lock assemblies are primarily used in production applications (flow from the bottom of the wellbore up) such as, for example, to hold back trapped pressure originating from the bottom of the wellbore. In production applications, flow interfaces primarily with the tool disposed at a bottom distal end of the lock assembly and the obstructed inner diameter of the lock assembly is less relevant since there is little to no flow therethrough. However, in injection applications (flow from the surface of the wellbore down), conventional downhole lock assemblies are less effective because of the obstructed inner diameter of the lock assembly. The internal profile of the inner diameter of a conventional downhole lock assembly is not uniform or smooth and includes obstructions that cause erosional turbulence within the lock. The turbulence is caused by the abrupt diametric changes within the inner diameter because at least portions of the locking mechanism are located within the internal profile of the inner diameter of the lock assembly. The non-uniform and obstructed internal profile of the inner diameter of the lock assembly gives rise to erosional turbulence, poor flow characteristics, and lower injection efficiencies. In addition, reliability and operational life is substantially reduced. As such, conventional downhole lock assemblies are not suitable for high flow rate injection applications.
Another drawback of conventional downhole lock assemblies is that, because portions of the locking mechanism are disposed within the inner diameter of the lock assembly, when the shear pins or setting screws used to set the lock assembly in a landing nipple are sheared, sheared portions may fall within the inner diameter of the lock assembly, cause damage to the inner diameter of the lock assembly due to turbulence, and ultimately foul the flow control or safety tool, also requiring the removal and replacement of the lock assembly and tool.
Accordingly, in one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly provides all setting components outside the lock assembly such that the inner diameter of the assembly is larger, unobstructed, smooth, and free from encumbrance. Once set, the unobstructed inner diameter allows for higher injection rates, reduced turbulence, improved flow characteristics, reduced erosion, lower internal velocities, lower differential pressures, and lower installed reaction forces than conventional lock assemblies. Advantageously, the high flow downhole lock assembly may be used in both production and injection operations, including high flow rate injection operations.
External collet 230 may include a first distal interface portion 232 having a first inner diameter configured to receive a first inner mandrel portion 216 of mandrel 210, a collet portion 234 having a second inner diameter configured to receive a second inner mandrel portion 218 of mandrel 210, and a second distal interface portion 242 having the first inner diameter configured to connect to a first distal end of dog housing 250. External collet 230 may include a plurality of collet fingers 236 disposed about an interior surface of the second inner diameter of collet portion 234. Second distal interface portion 242 may include a plurality of collet set screw receivers 240 configured to receive collet set screws 238 that secure the second distal interface portion 242 of external collet 230 to a first distal end of dog housing 250. A garter spring 244 sits on top of the recovery shear pins 256 and drives them down into the recovery shear pin groove 226 once the lock assembly 200 is set in a landing nipple (not shown).
Dog housing 250 may include a first dog housing portion 259 having a first outer diameter configured to connect with the first inner diameter of the second distal interface portion 242 of external collet 230, a second dog housing portion 261 having a second outer diameter larger than the first outer diameter of first dog housing portion 259, and a third dog housing portion 263 having a third outer diameter smaller than the second outer diameter of the second dog housing portion 261 that is configured to connect to a nose piece attachment 279. First dog housing portion 259 may include a plurality of retention pin holes 266 configured to receive a plurality of retention pins 254 that may be disposed within the plurality of retention pin slots 222 of mandrel 210. The retention pins 254 allow the mandrel 210 to translate within the dog housing 250 during setting of the lock assembly 200. First dog housing portion 259 may also include a plurality of shear screws 252 to be disposed within a plurality of threaded shear screw holes 253 that interface with the shear screw spotface 224 of mandrel 210. The shear screws 252 provide resistance to the movement of the mandrel 210 during the setting of lock assembly 200 in a landing nipple (not shown). First dog housing portion 259 may also include a plurality of recovery shear pins 256 that are held in place by garter spring 244. The recovery shear pins 256 ride on the second inner mandrel portion 218 in the running configuration and fall into the recovery shear pin groove 226 of the mandrel 210 in the set configuration. Second dog housing portion 261 may include a plurality of retaining dog ports 260 disposed about a circumference of second dog housing portion 261. A plurality of extendable retaining dogs 258 may be disposed in the plurality of retaining dog ports 260. The plurality of extendable retaining dogs 258 may be interchangeable to mate with a particular type of landing nipple (not shown). Third dog housing portion 263 may include a threaded nose interface 264 for securing a nose piece 280.
A nose piece attachment 279 may include a seal stack 270, a first o-ring 272, an insert 274, a second o-ring 276, a nose piece 280, and a plurality of nose set screws 282. Seal stack 270 may slide over a portion of third dog housing portion 263. First o-ring 272 may then slide over a portion of third dog housing portion 263, placed on the seal stack 270 side of threaded nose interface 264. Insert 274 may be inserted with second o-ring 276 into nose piece 280. Nose piece 280, with insert 274 and second o-ring 276 disposed therein, may be connected to threaded nose interface 264. The plurality of nose set screws 282 may be threaded through a plurality of nose set screw receivers 284 of nose piece 280 to further secure nose piece 280 to the third dog housing portion 263. Nose piece attachment 279 may be a production safety valve, an injection safety valve, an anti-surge valve, a fixed orifice valve, an injection orifice, a storm choke, an isolation plug, a gauge, a cement retainer, or a combination thereof.
In certain embodiments, mandrel 210, external collet 230, dog housing 250, and nose piece attachment 279 may be composed of steel. In other embodiments, they may be composed of steel alloys. In still other embodiments, they may be composed of corrosion resistant alloys. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that any other suitable material may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. In certain embodiments, seal stack 270, first o-ring 272, and second o-ring 276 may be composed of elastomers. In other embodiments, they may be composed of non-elastomers. In still other embodiments, they may be composed of a combination of elastomers and non-elastomers. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that any other suitable material may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. In certain embodiments, screws and pins meant to shear, such as, for example, shear screws 252 and recovery shear pins 256 may be composed of brass.
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Advantages of one or more embodiments of the present invention may include one or more of the following:
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly provides all setting components outside the lock assembly such that the inner diameter of the assembly is unobstructed and free from encumbrance. Once set, the unobstructed inner diameter allows for higher injection rates, reduced turbulence, and reduced erosion during production or injection operations.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly has an unobstructed and smooth inner diameter free from encumbrance that allows for high flow rates with improved flow characteristics.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly has all setting components used to secure the assembly in a landing nipple disposed outside of the unobstructed inner diameter.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly may be configured to land in a variety of commercially available landing nipples. Because the extendable retaining dogs are interchangeable, an appropriate type and shape of extendable retaining dog may be used to secure the lock assembly in a particular type of landing nipple.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly has reduced turbulence within the inner diameter because the inner diameter is unobstructed, smooth, and free from encumbrance.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly provides for lower internal velocities than a conventional lock assembly.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly provides for improved flow characteristics than a conventional lock assembly.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly has lower differential flowing pressures within the inner diameter because the inner diameter is unobstructed, smooth, and free from encumbrance.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly has lower installed reaction forces which tends to make the lock assembly more secure when set in a landing nipple than a conventional lock assembly.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly allows for higher injection rates than a conventional lock assembly.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly has a larger inner diameter than a conventional lock assembly.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly provides higher reliability than a conventional lock assembly. There is no potential for a recovery shear pin or set screw from entering the unobstructed inner diameter and fouling the nose piece attachment during installation or operation.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly has a longer operational life than a conventional lock assembly. The inner diameter of the lock assembly may be coated with a protective coating to extend the operational life of the assembly.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a high flow downhole lock assembly may be used for both injection and production applications whereas conventional lock assemblies are only suitable for production applications where flow is from the bottom of the well to the top.
While the present invention has been described with respect to the above-noted embodiments, those skilled in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, will recognize that other embodiments may be devised that are within the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the appended claims.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20180195356 A1 | Jul 2018 | US |