Patent Application
20160084025
Hydrocarbon fluids such as oil and natural gas are obtained from a subterranean geologic formation, referred to as a reservoir, by drilling a well that penetrates the hydrocarbon-bearing formation. Once a wellbore is drilled, various forms of well completion components may be installed in order to control and enhance the efficiency of producing the various fluids from the reservoir. One piece of equipment which may be installed is a packer to provide mechanical support to other downhole components by engaging walls of the well or a casing in the well. Packers use slips to physically engage the interior surface of the well.
The present disclosure is directed to a slip assembly for a packer, including one or more slip segments arranged around a mandrel. Individual sip segments have a first end and a second end. The first end has an interlocking feature which permits the slip segments to expand radially outwardly from the mandrel when actuated and which restricts axial movement of the slip segments when actuated. The slip assembly also includes an actuator configured to actuate the slip assembly by moving the slip segments radially outwardly.
The slip segments can be alternatingly inverted. The interlocking features permit the slip segments to move radially relative to the mandrel and inhibit the first and second slip segments from moving relative to one another axially. In other embodiments the interlocking feature comprises an H-shaped feature configured to restrict axial movement of the slip segment in two opposite axial directions.
Other embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a packer including a mandrel and an actuator coupled to the mandrel and configured to actuate in response to a signal to set the packer, and slip segments having an interlocking feature at a first end and a setting surface at a second end opposite the first end. Adjacent slip segments are inverted such that the interlocking feature of each slip segment engages the interlocking features of two adjacent, inverted slip segments. The interlocking features restrict axial movement and permit radial movement, and the actuator causes the slip segments to move radially relative to one another to set the packer.
In still further embodiments the present disclosure is directed to a method of actuating a packer, including running the packer to a desired location in a downhole well, and actuating a setting mechanism to expand a slip assembly. The slip assembly includes a plurality of slip segments that move radially outwardly to engage a surface of the well and to restrict axial movement of the slip segments.
Embodiments of packers and slip assemblies are described with reference to the following figures. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. It is emphasized that, in accordance with standard practice in the industry, various features are not necessarily drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.
It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
The slip segments 106 are curved and together make up a substantially complete circumference of the packer assembly 100. The sides of the slip segments 106 are generally flat and radially aligned to approximate a continuous slip barrel, and the outer and inner faces are curved to match the shape of the mandrel 102 and the casing or well (not shown) against which the packer is set. This construction allows the packer assembly 100 to set and expand without deforming the slips, therefore actuation requires comparatively less energy than other designs which rely on flexible slips or slips with flexible portions. In addition, the packer assembly 100 is more easily retrieved because the slips do not deform. In other words, the process of setting the packer assembly 100 is more easily reversed than with previous designs.
Eliminating the need for deformable slips allows the slip segments 106 to be made from a broader range of materials not limited to those with high ductility, and permits a broader range of hardening processes not limited to those that may compromise the ductility. Furthermore, the individual slips segments 106 are comparatively less expensive to manufacture due to their small size relative to the packer assembly 100 as a whole, and can be made using less expensive manufacturing techniques such as casting. For example slip segments 106 may be carburized to improve durability and reliability.
As used herein, the terms “connect,” “connection,” “connected,” “in connection with,” and “connecting” are used to mean “in direct connection with” or “in connection with via one or more elements”; and the term “set” is used to mean “one element” or “more than one element”. Further, the terms “couple,” “coupling,” “coupled,” “coupled together,” and “coupled with” are used to mean “directly coupled together” or “coupled together via one or more elements”. As used herein, the terms “up” and “down”; “upper” and “lower”; “top” and “bottom”; and other like terms indicating relative positions to a given point or element are utilized to more clearly describe some elements. Commonly, these terms relate to a reference point as the surface from which drilling operations are initiated as being the top point and the total depth being the lowest point, wherein the well (e.g., wellbore, borehole) is vertical, horizontal or slanted relative to the surface.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2014/056441 | Sep 2014 | US | national |
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US2014/056441 entitled, “ INTERLOCKING, FULL-CIRCUMFERENCE PACKER SLIP,” which was filed on Sep. 19, 2014, and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
