Patent Grant
11814921
Subsea hydrocarbon production systems typically include a wellhead positioned at the upper end of a well bore. The wellhead has a central bore within which a number of casing hangers are landed. Each casing hanger is connected to the top of a corresponding one of a number of concentric, successively smaller casing strings which extend into the well bore, with the uppermost casing hanger being connected to the innermost casing string. After the innermost casing string is installed, a tubing string is run into the well bore. The top of the tubing string is connected to a tubing hanger having a downward facing circumferential load shoulder which lands on a seat formed at the top of the uppermost casing hanger. In certain tubing hangers, the load shoulder is formed on a load nut which is threadedly connected to the tubing hanger body.
The tubing hanger is usually secured to the wellhead using a lockdown mechanism, such as a lock ring or a number of locking dogs. In order to ensure that the tubing hanger is properly locked to the wellhead, the vertical distance between the load shoulder and the locking dogs is substantially the same as the vertical distance between the seat and the locking profile, which is commonly referred to as the wellhead space-out, wherein the vertical distance between the seat and the locking profile is such that the locking ridges can fully engage their corresponding locking grooves. In tubing hangers in which the load shoulder is formed on a load nut that is threadedly connected to the tubing hanger body, the vertical distance between the load shoulder and the locking dogs can be adjusted by rotating the load nut relative to the tubing hanger body. Thus, once the wellhead space-out is determined, the load nut can be rotated until the vertical distance between the load shoulder and the locking dogs is the same as the wellhead space-out.
A lead impression tool is sometimes used to measure the wellhead space-out. In subsea wellheads, the lead impression tool is lowered on a drill string and landed on the seat. The lead impression tool is then hydraulically actuated to press circumferentially spaced lead impression pads into the locking profile. After the impressions are obtained, the lead impression tool is retrieved to the surface and mounted on a storage/test stand, which is then manually adjusted to match the wellhead space out, as measured by the lead impression tool. The tubing hanger is then mounted on the storage/test stand and the load nut is adjusted until the vertical distance between the load shoulder and the locking dogs is the same as the wellhead space-out.
In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a lead impression system that includes a downhole tool, an outer sleeve assembled radially around the downhole tool and having at least one window formed there through, and a lead impression assembly assembled radially between the downhole tool and the outer sleeve, where the lead impression assembly has at least one accumulator, a pressure relief device, at least one piston having a piston head disposed within a bore of a piston chamber, at least one lead impression module, and a plurality of conduits and valves in fluid communication between the at least one accumulator, the pressure relief device, the at least one piston, and the at least one lead impression module.
In another aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to lead impression assemblies that include at least one accumulator charged to a pre-set pressure, a pressure relief device, at least one piston having a piston head disposed within a bore of a piston chamber, wherein one side of the piston head is in a fluid communication with a port to the at least one accumulator and the other side in fluid communication with the environment, at least one lead impression module. A lead impression module may include a lead pad aligned with the at least one window in the outer sleeve, a piston module, and springs configured to apply a pressure from the piston module to the lead pad and from the lead pad to the module. The lead impression assembly may further include a plurality of conduits and valves in fluid communication between the at least one accumulator, the pressure relief device, the at least one piston, and the at least one lead impression module.
In yet another aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods of taking a lead impression downhole that include sending an actuatable assembly to a downhole location, changing an external pressure downhole around the actuatable assembly at the downhole location, and using the changing external pressure downhole to initiate taking a lead impression with the actuatable assembly.
Other aspects and advantages of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to a lead impression assembly, which may be interchangeably mounted to downhole tools, for obtaining lead impressions downhole. Lead impressions may be obtained by pressing a lead pad from the lead impression assembly into a downhole surface (e.g., an inner surface of a casing or tubular), such that the topology of the downhole surface is impressed into the lead pad, thereby forming a negative of the downhole surface geometry. The lead impression may be analyzed to interpret what was contacted, thereby indicating where the lead impression was taken at the downhole location (e.g., depth from surface).
Embodiments herein may provide technical advantages in eliminating a dedicated lead impression tool trip by combining a lead impression function during a single trip with a downhole tool to identify wellhead space out of a host casing which has previously been installed or is in the process of being installed during the current trip downhole.
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a lead impression system may include a downhole tool, an outer sleeve, and a lead impression assembly. The assembly may be radially assembled around the downhole tool within the outer sleeve (where the lead impression assembly may be radially between the downhole tool and the outer sleeve). The assembly may include at least one accumulator that is charged to a pre-set pressure, a pressure relief device, at least one piston, at least one lead impression module, and a plurality of conduits and valves that are in fluid communication between the components within the assembly.
The at least one piston in some embodiments may include a piston head disposed within a bore of a piston chamber, where a first side of the piston head is in a fluid communication with a port to the at least one accumulator. A pressure relief device may vent the internal pressure of the assembly once a pressure differential between the internal and the external pressure is reached at a burst pressure.
The lead impression module in the lead impression assembly includes a lead pad that may protrude radially outward through a window on the outer sleeve according to the pressure differential between an external pressure and an internal pressure of the assembly when the lead impression module is assembled adjacent to and aligned with the window in the outer sleeve. Springs may be arranged between the lead pad and a piston module to apply a pressure from the piston module to the lead pad and from the lead pad to the piston module.
A method of obtaining a lead impression downhole according to embodiments of the present invention may begin with sending the lead impression system to a downhole location. Once the system sets and lands on or interfaces with the installed host casing hanger, an operator may increase the external pressure for an annulus seal assembly setting. The increased external pressure may increase the internal pressure of an actuatable assembly (e.g., by pushing on a piston in the actuatable assembly). The operator may then bleed down the external pressure upon the completion of the annulus seal assembly setting. This creates the pressure differential between the external and the internal pressure of the assembly, which pushes at least one lead pad radially outward through a window on the outer sleeve to obtain a lead impression on the inner profile of the wellhead housing.
Once the pressure differential reaches the burst pressure of the pressure relief device, the assembly is vented, and the at least one protruded pad may retract to its pre-set position.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a lead impression assembly may be mounted to different types of downhole tools, such as completion tools, where the lead impression assembly may be removed and/or reused on different types of downhole tools without any modification to the downhole tool for a mounting configuration prior to a downhole operation. For example, a lead impression assembly may be assembled around a single trip completion tool, and the lead impression assembly and single trip completion tool may be sent to a downhole location to take lead impressions of a downhole casing and/or tubular in order to locate where the single trip completion tool landed on a host casing. Lead impression assemblies according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be compatible with currently available downhole tool models, such as High Capacity Wellhead System series (UWD-HC) from TechnipFMC plc.
Further, an outer sleeve may be positioned around a lead impression assembly, such that the lead impression assembly is assembled radially between a downhole tool and the outer sleeve. In some embodiments, a lead impression assembly may be assembled within and attached to an outer sleeve prior to mounting the lead impression assembly and outer sleeve to a downhole tool. In some embodiments, a lead impression assembly may be attached to the downhole tool prior to mounting an outer sleeve around the lead impression assembly. In some embodiments, an available downhole tool may have a shoulder, formed around an outer surface of the downhole tool, on which a lead impression assembly and outer sleeve may be mounted.
A non-limiting example of a currently available downhole tool without a lead impression assembly is shown in
For example,
The top bumper 130 may be fitted on a top side of the outer sleeve 120. The top bumper 130 may provide support for the outer sleeve 120, for example, to minimize movement of the outer sleeve 120 around the downhole tool 100. Further, the top bumper 130 may cover and seal an annular opening formed between the top side of the outer sleeve 120 and the downhole tool 100, or the top bumper 130 may have one or more openings to allow access to the annular space between the outer sleeve 120 and downhole tool 100. A top bumper 130 may be attached to the outer sleeve 120 or integrally formed with the outer sleeve 120. In some embodiments, a lead impression system 101 may be provided without a top bumper 130.
According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the lead impression assembly 110 may be directly attached to the outer sleeve 120 through socket head cap screws, mounting brackets, welding, or other attachment mechanisms. The outer sleeve 120 with the lead impression assembly 110 secured thereto may be assembled onto a shoulder or other mounting interface of the downhole tool 100. For example, a tool sleeve 106 (shown in
In some embodiments, an available downhole tool 100 may include a shoulder or protrusion formed around an exterior surface of the downhole tool 100, which may act as a mounting interface for a sleeve. An outer sleeve 120 may include a wall having an inner diameter less than an outer diameter of a shoulder formed around the downhole tool 100, such that the shoulder of the downhole tool 100 may prevent axial movement of the outer sleeve 120 in a direction along the downhole tool 100.
In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown, the support plate 431 is annularly shaped to conform with and support the components of the lead impression assembly 410 as shown in
In the embodiment shown, the accumulator 411 is a gas accumulator. However, different accumulator types may be used, such as spring loaded accumulators, weight loaded accumulators, membrane accumulators, piston accumulators, or bladder accumulators. The accumulator 411 in the lead impression assembly 410 may include a cylindrical tank that is in a fluid communication with the fluid communication system of the lead impression assembly 400. The pressure of the accumulator 411 can be set, or pre-charged, to a pre-set pressure prior to sending the assembled lead impression assembly 410 on the downhole tool 400 downhole. As discussed in more detail below, the pre-charged accumulator 411 may be used to effect internal pressure changes within the lead impression assembly 410 in response to changes in external pressure downhole.
The fluid communication system (including the conduits 416 and valves 418) shown in
A piston 412 in the lead impression assembly 410 may include a piston head disposed within a bore of a piston chamber, wherein a first side of the piston head is in fluid communication with a port to a check valve 418b along a conduit 416 in the fluid communication system. In other embodiments, a lead impression assembly may include more than one piston and check valve pair. A second side of the piston head, opposite the first side of the piston head, may be exposed (either directly exposed or through an intermediary) to pressure external to the lead impression assembly 410, such as downhole external pressure. When external pressure increases relative to internal pressure within the lead impression assembly 410 (e.g., fluid pressure in the fluid communication system), the external pressure may push the piston head, which in turn may push fluid through the check valve 418b, thereby letting the hydraulic fluid in the piston 412 flow into the remaining fluid communication system of the lead impression assembly 410. The piston 412 may transfer fluid through the check valve 418b when the external pressure acting on the piston 412 is greater than the internal pressure on the other side of the check valve 418b. When the external pressure acting on the piston 412 is less than the internal pressure of the lead impression assembly 410, however, the check valve 418b may block backward flow of the hydraulic fluid into the piston 412. In this manner, the check valve 418b may maintain a unidirectional flow in a conduit 416 from the piston 412 to the remaining fluid communication system in the lead impression assembly 410.
The lead impression assembly 410 may further include a piston indicator 432 disposed on the second side of the piston to show where the piston head is displaced along the piston 412. More specifically, the piston indicator 432 shows how much fluid is within the piston 412 by showing how far the piston indicator 432 moved up or down along the piston.
The external pressure acting on the piston is determined by the external pressure around the lead impression assembly 410. When the lead impression assembly is sent downhole on a downhole tool, an operator may increase and bleed down the external pressure downhole in order to perform a downhole operation, which may also act to concurrently take a lead impression with the attached lead impression assembly. For example, a lead impression assembly may be sent downhole on a single trip downhole tool to set an annulus seal assembly, which isolates the pressure of the production line from the annulus between the production line and the host casing. When the external pressure downhole is increased to set the annulus seal assembly, one or more pistons in the lead impression assembly 413 mounted around the single trip tool may push hydraulic fluid through one or more check-valves and into other components of the lead impression assembly 413, which increases the internal pressure of the lead impression assembly 413. The lead impression module(s) within the lead impression assembly 413 may experience the increased internal pressure from the hydraulic fluid that exerts higher force on a lead pad in the lead impression assembly 413.
After a downhole tool operation, such as setting an annulus seal assembly, the external pressure may be bled down and a pressure differential is created between the external and the internal pressure of the assembly. When the external pressure is bled down, the lead pad in a lead impression assembly 413 protrudes radially outward to take a lead impression, and when the pressure differential increases to a designed burst pressure, the pressure relief device 415 may activate and relieve the internal pressure, which serves to bring the internal and external pressures into equilibrium, allowing the springs in the lead impression assembly 413 to retract the protruded lead pad. Other embodiments may have different types of pressure relief mechanisms. For example, the pressure relief device 415 in the embodiment shown is a pressure relief valve or a burst valve
Multiple screws 402 or other attachment mechanisms, which may be used to attach the lead impression module 413 to an outer sleeve (such as shown in
The lead pad 450 in
A piston module 405 shown in
Lead impression modules may have varying arrangements of components to protract a lead pad with relatively higher internal pressure in the lead impression assembly and retract the lead pad with relatively lower internal pressure in the lead impression assembly during changes in the external pressure. For example,
The body 520 of the lead impression module 513 may have at least one conduit 522 formed therethrough, where the conduit(s) 522 is in fluid communication with one or more load interfaces 506 of the base 504. The conduit(s) 522 formed through the lead impression module body 520 may also be in fluid communication with the fluid communication system of a lead impression assembly, such that changes in the internal pressure of the fluid communication system may exert varying forces on the load interface(s) 506 of the base 504. In the embodiment shown, the load interface 506 is a surface of the base 504 that is exposed to the flow path formed by the conduit 522 (and thus exposed to internal pressures in the conduit 522). Further, the load interface 506 is formed at an end of a protrusion 507 protruding from the base 504. The protrusion 507 may act like a piston that may slide through a channel in response to forces acting on either end.
In the embodiment shown, the springs 510 are also retained to the base 504 at areas of the base 504 that are separate from the portion of the base 504 to which the lead pad 500 is attached. In this manner, the springs 510 are connected to the lead pad 500 through the base 504, which may act as a mechanical connection for transfer of loads acting on the lead pad 500, the springs 510 and the load interfaces 506 of the base 504. For example, fluid through the conduit 522 may apply a load to one or more load interfaces 506 of the base 504, and the springs 510 may apply a counter force to the base 504. According to one or more embodiments, springs 510 may be arranged with respect to a lead pad 500 to provide an inward bias to counter any outward force on the lead pad 500 that may be present due to the pre-set pressure of the accumulator as well as to provide a retraction force for the lead pad 500. The springs 510 shown in
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, an accumulator of a lead impression assembly is set at a certain pressure prior to sending the system downhole. This pre-set pressure applies a force onto the base 504 and attached lead pad 500 through a load interface 506 in a protrusion 507. Springs 510 may provide an inward bias to the lead pad 500 to keep the lead pad 500 in a retracted position. In other words, the springs 510 may provide a force that keeps the lead pad 500 in a radially inward, retracted position (relative to an outer sleeve or other protective wall) until operational loading forces overcome the bias from the springs 510 and push the lead pad 500 to a radially outward, projected position. Further, frictional forces from a seal between the base 504 and the body 520 of the lead impression module 513, which may seal fluid in the fluid communication system from escaping through the lead impression module 513, may contribute to forces holding the lead pad 500 in an initial retracted position. For example, frictional force from a seal between the piston module 531 and the body 520 of the lead impression module 513 may apply a force ranging from, for example, 40 lbf to 200 lbf (e.g., 60 lbf to 150 lbf, 80 lbf to 100 lbf, or other sub-ranges).
The springs 510 may be preloaded (e.g., under a load ranging from, for example, about 400 to 600 pounds-force) to oppose pressure from the pre-charge of a fluidly connected accumulator in the lead impression assembly, and hold the lead pad 500 in a retracted position. The springs 510 may be fully loaded under a load, for example, ranging from about 800 lbf to about 1200 lbf (including any sub-ranges thereof), which may expand the lead pad 500 into a protracted position.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the lead pad 500 may be radially and axially aligned with a window, such as shown in
In the retracted position, the springs 510 may be pre-loaded to be compressed between the oppositely projecting sides of the base 504 and a wall 530 (e.g., a wall of an outer sleeve). The pre-load may be applied, for example, by compressing the springs between the base 504 and wall 530 under enough force to counter pressure applied to the base protrusion 507 through conduit 522, where the pressure applied through conduit 522 may be a pre-set pressure generated from at least one accumulator in fluid communication with the fluid communication system (including conduit 522) of the lead impression assembly. In the retracted position, the springs 510 may extend a length 512.
When the internal pressure in the fluid communication system (including conduit 522) is increased and the external pressure is bled down, fluid pressure from conduit 522 may apply a force to the load interface 506 formed at an end of the protrusion 507. The force may push the protrusion 507, and thus base 504 and attached lead pad 500, radially outward to a protracted position. The force from the increased internal pressure further compresses the springs 510 between the wall 530 to a length 514, where the length 514 of the springs 510 when the lead pad 500 is in protracted position is less than the length 512 of the springs 510 when the lead pad 500 is in retracted position.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a lead impression assembly may be assembled by fluidly connecting at least one accumulator to a fluid communication system in the lead impression assembly, where the accumulator is pre-charged to a pre-set pressure, and where the internal pressure within the fluid communication system is equalized with the pre-set pressure. The pre-set pressure applies a force on at least one lead pad (e.g., indirectly via the base on which the lead pad is attached, as shown in
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, lead impression modules 213 can be positioned at different axial and circumferential locations around an outer sleeve 220 to take one or more lead impressions at different axial and circumferential locations downhole. As a non-limiting example, a pair of the lead impression modules 213 may be located at a first axial position and another pair of the lead impression modules 213 may be located at a second axial position, as shown in
Methods of taking lead impressions according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include sending an actuatable assembly to a downhole location, changing an external pressure downhole around the actuatable assembly at the downhole location, and using the changing external pressure downhole to initiate taking a lead impression with the actuatable assembly. An external pressure around an actuatable assembly refers to the pressure adjacent to and surrounding the actuatable assembly, such that the external pressure is in direct or indirect contact with one or more pistons in the actuatable assembly.
When the external pressure around an actuatable assembly is increased, the internal pressure of the actuatable assembly may also increase (e.g., whereby external pressure may apply pressure to one or more pistons in the actuatable assembly, which in turn may proportionally increase the internal pressure of the other side of the piston(s)). When the external pressure around the actuatable assembly decreases relative to the internal pressure of the actuatable assembly (and a pressure differential is formed between the internal pressure of the actuatable assembly and the external pressure), one or more radially expandable elements, such as a slip or lead pad, in the actuatable assembly may protrude radially outward in a protracted position. For example, the actuatable assembly may be a lead impression assembly 210 such as shown in
For example, an actuatable assembly according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be assembled around a downhole tool and within an outer sleeve, such that one or more lead pads of the actuatable assembly may be aligned with window(s) formed in the outer sleeve. The lead impression system may be sent downhole to perform an annulus seal assembly setting (or other downhole operation). When the external pressure around the lead impression system is increased to perform the seal setting or other downhole operation, the increased external pressure may also increase the internal pressure within the actuatable assembly. An operator may bleed down the external pressure once the annulus seal assembly setting (or other downhole job) is complete. When the external pressure is bled down, lead pad(s) in the actuatable assembly may protrude radially exterior to an outer surface of the outer sleeve window(s) such that the lead pad extends outwardly from the window. When the lead pad extends outwardly from the window, the lead pad may contact an interior surface of a downhole or well component, such as a well casing, in order to take an impression of a surface of the component. For example, the lead pad may take an impression of the surface of a host casing by imprinting the surface features of the hanging areas of a host casing.
A detailed description of an example of a process for taking a lead impression according to embodiments of the present disclosure is provided below with reference to the schematics shown in
One or more valves (e.g., 950, 960, 970 and 980) may further be positioned along the conduits 940 to control fluid flow through the fluid communication system. For example, a three-way valve 970 (e.g., a 3-way switching ball valve) may be positioned at a junction between conduits 940 connecting the lead impression modules 930 to the manifold 945. The three-way valve may be used to selectively direct fluid to one or more of the lead impression modules 930 while preventing fluid flow to one or more other of the lead impression modules 930.
A check valve 980 may be positioned along a conduit 940 branching from the manifold 945 to the piston 910. The check valve 980 may be oriented to allow fluid flow in a direction from the piston 910 into the manifold 945 and prevent back flow of fluid in a direction from the manifold 945 to the piston 910.
The actuatable assembly 900 may further include at least one pressure relief device 950, which may be selected/designed to have a selected burst pressure, at which pressure the pressure relief device 950 activates and relieves internal pressure within the actuatable assembly 900. In some embodiments, the pressure relief device 950 may include a burst disc that is ruptured when a pressure differential between the external pressure and the internal pressure of the actuatable assembly 900 exceeds the burst pressure. At least one vent/fill valve 960 may be positioned at an opening to one or more conduits 940 to fill and/or vent fluid from the actuatable assembly. In the embodiment shown, a vent/fill valve 960 may be positioned upstream of the check valve 980, such that fluid may be filled into the fluid communication system between the piston 910 and the check valve 980.
The piston 910 includes a piston head 912 disposed within a bore of a piston chamber 914. A first side 911 of the piston head 912 is exposed to the external environment (e.g., a downhole environment) of the actuatable assembly 900, and thus may have an external pressure, Pe, of the external environment applied thereto. A second side 913 of the piston head 912 (opposite the first side 911) is in fluid communication with the fluid communication system, and thus also in fluid communication with the other components of the actuatable assembly 900, such as the accumulator 920 and the lead impression modules 930.
As shown in
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the external pressure Pe around the actuatable assembly 900 may be increased in the course of performing another downhole operation (e.g., while sealing around a downhole tool on which the actuatable assembly is attached, the external pressure may be increased above the tool when setting and/or testing the seal), or alternatively, may be increased for the sole purpose of taking a lead impression. As the external pressure Pe is increased, the external pressure Pe, internal pressure Ps, and accumulator pressure Pc may equalize. Thus, in the first step shown in
From the pressure differential generation, the lead pads in the lead impression modules 930a, 930b begin to expand (or radially protrude) as the force exerted by the internal pressure Ps increases past the spring and seal friction forces Fsf. Further, as the pressure differential increases between the system internal pressure Ps and the environmental external pressure Pe, and as the lead pads 931 begin to move, the accumulator charge, e.g., a gas volume charged in the accumulator 920, begins to expand. In other words, as the external pressure Pe is reduced, the accumulator pressure Pc trapped from the previous charging acts on the fluid communication system. The resulting accumulator pressure Pc and internal pressure Ps decrease at a rate based on the size of the accumulator 920 and the volume displaced by the expansion of the lead pads 931. Thus, in the second step shown in
The three-way valve 970 shown in
Further, one skilled in the art may appreciate that a similar procedure described above with respect to
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, lead impression modules may be positioned axi-symmetrically around the downhole tool at certain axial positions. This may allow the actuatable assembly to take lead impressions at different circumferential positions around the downhole tool, e.g., on at least two different hanging areas on an interior circumference of the host casing. Alternatively, or additionally, multiple lead impression modules may be positioned at different axial positions along the downhole tool, e.g., as shown as the first position and the second position of the lead impression modules in FIG. 4A. This may allow the actuatable assembly to take lead impressions on at least two different hanging areas along the axis of the host casing. The surface features of the hanging area may be different depending on their axial positions.
For example, referring now to
Obtaining lead impressions according to the present disclosure may begin with assembling the actuatable assembly 320 to the outer sleeve 330 and positioning the actuatable assembly 320 and outer sleeve 330 radially around the downhole tool 310, wherein the actuatable assembly 320 may be directly mounted to the outer sleeve 330 through one of many mounting mechanisms such as socket head screws. The lead impression system 300 may then be sent downhole where a casing hanger 340 lands on a hanging area. An annulus seal assembly 350 setting or testing may be performed around the hanging area to isolate a pressure of the production line from the annulus. The annulus seal assembly 350 may be set or tested with an increase in an external pressure above the downhole tool 310, which can be manipulated by an operator.
As the external pressure above the downhole tool 310 increases, a piston within the actuatable assembly 320 may displace hydraulic fluid across a check valve an into a fluid communication system, as discussed above with respect to
After the annulus seal assembly 350 is set or tested, the pressure above the downhole tool 310 is bled down, which creates a pressure differential across the lead impression module 325 and the pressure relief device within the actuatable assembly 320. At least one lead pad begins to expand as the force exerted by the internal pressure of the actuatable assembly exceeds the impeding forces from the springs and the seal friction holding the lead pad in the retracted position. The lead pad may then expand and come in contact with an interior surface of the hanging area of the casing hanger 340, where the lead pad obtains a lead impression of the surface features 306, 308 of the hanging area in order to indicate a current axial position of the casing hanger 340.
When the pressure in the actuatable assembly 320 decreases, the force exerted by the internal pressure in the actuatable assembly 320 on the lead pad decreases, thereby allowing the springs to retract the lead pad. Ultimately the pressure in the actuatable assembly 320 and the external pressure are equalized and the lead pad is fully retracted. When the lead pad is in retracted position, the lead impression system 300 may be pulled back up to the surface to analyze the lead impression taken.
The axial position can be determined by analyzing the surface features 306, 308 of the hanging area that are different with the axial position. In other words, the downhole location of the downhole tool 310 may be known when an operator sends the downhole tool 310 (and attached actuatable assembly 320) downhole. Thus, the downhole location of the impression taken may also be known. From the known location of the impression, the location of any surface features impressed may be determined.
The example shown in
While the disclosure includes a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments may be devised which do not depart from the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the scope should be limited only by the attached claims.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3049752 | Jorda et al. | Aug 1962 | A |
| 8403056 | Gette et al. | Mar 2013 | B2 |
| 20120261132 | Wilson | Oct 2012 | A1 |
| 20150252640 | Mailand | Sep 2015 | A1 |
| 20160084064 | Clemens | Mar 2016 | A1 |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in International Application No. PCT/US2021/039142 dated Dec. 13, 2022 (9 pages). |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20220106850 A1 | Apr 2022 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16913892 | Jun 2020 | US |
| Child | 17644490 | US |
