Patent Application
20250137332
This application claims the priority date of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 16/594,079, filed Oct. 30, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.
Not applicable.
A gas lift mandrel is a tubing string or a conduit inserted into a wellbore to facilitate the injection of gas into the production tubing. It is used to enhance the flow of hydrocarbons (oil and gas) from the reservoir to the surface. Gas lift is a common artificial lift technique used when the natural reservoir pressure is insufficient to bring hydrocarbons to the surface.
Gas lift mandrels incorporate a lug to accommodate interconnection of gas lift checks and valves to the mandrel. These lugs and associated guards are housed on the external section of small tubular mandrels. The resulting configuration shifts the center of axis resulting in an eccentric position of the mandrel compared to the tubular string.
The eccentric position of the gas mandrel has made downhole connections to tools and other tubular goods challenging due to the lack of alignment. Previous solutions include guards housed over external valves to protect the equipment from contact with casing due to brute force of aligning gas lift mandrel deflection when connecting to other downhole tools.
In the context of a gas lift mandrel, a centralizer is a mechanical device designed to aid in torsional rotation and alignment to tools or the string below while additionally assisting the mandrel to be better centralized in the wellbore.
This present invention incorporates the ability to centralize gas lift mandrels resulting in an alignment of center of axis between the gas lift mandrels and other downhole tubular goods. The present invention incorporates a ring designed to centralize the gas lift mandrel by reducing the offset caused by conventional designs. A centralizer ring is attached to the mandrel and does not impede the functionality of the gas lift mandrel. The ring also incorporates guides that run lengthwise to the mandrels to reduce collar interactions from casing. The centralizer ring is integrated into the mandrel to reduce offset without substantially increasing overall gas lift mandrel outer diameter.
A gas lift mandrel 20 has a first ring 21, first ring guide 23, a second ring 25, and a second ring guide 24. The flow path runs from an external inlet 26 through to an internal outlet 27.
The gas lift mandrel 20 is tubular with central axis. The gas lift mandrel is placed downhole, typically within a case or a tubing. The downhole casing and/or tubing have central axes. The first centralizer ring 21 and second centralizer ring 25 act to centralize the mandrel in a casing by reducing the offset relative the central axis of the gas mandrel's environment, e.g., the central axis of a casing.
The first centralizer ring 21 has a guide 23 running lengthwise to the mandrel connected to the centralizer ring 21 and the mandrel body 27. The guide 23 may be hollow to allow a tool or other equipment, such as a portion of a valve, to fit inside the guide 23.
The second centralizer ring 25 has a guide 24 running lengthwise to the mandrel connected to the second centralizer ring 25 and the mandrel body 27. The second ring guide 24 comprises two angular shafts, or flanges. A volume 28 is formed between the two angular shafts of the second ring guide 24. The second guide 24 volume 28 can function as a valve housing.
A person of ordinary skill in the art further understands that the mandrel 20 comprises suitable connections and components to facilitate installation and operation of the gas lift mandrel with known gas lift components, such as a gas lift valve and tubular, sufficient for liquid and gas flow path.
The centralizer rings 21 and 25 ensures centralized placement of the mandrel within the wellbore. The gas lift mandrel with centralizer design considers factors like overall outside diameter and material selection. The design uses corrosion-resistant alloy materials such as Inconel or stainless steel. The manufacturing process involves precision machining and welding. The mandrel is installed in the wellbore. During installation, the centralizer will aid the mandrel in rotating closer along the center axis of the wellbore, resulting in increased operational efficiency when engaging tubing or other tools below the mandrel.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63594079 | Oct 2023 | US |
