Patent Application
20210032952
Casing is run and cemented in a wellbore to line the borehole. The casing can extend from a casing hanger landed in a casing head of a wellhead. In some completions, casing in the form of a liner may also be installed in the wellbore and hung from a liner hanger in an existing casing string. The liner can be cemented in the wellbore, and operations may then install a tieback string of casing that extends from the wellhead downward into engagement with the liner hanger.
During cementing operations, cement is pumped down the bore of the hanger and the extending tubing string. While the cement is pumped, it is desirable to ensure that the cement is pushed to the annulus without creating voids or pockets of trapped air. Historically, the hanger and tubing string have been reciprocated up and down during cementing with a running tool to help avoid creating voids or pockets. Unfortunately, rotation of the tubing string by the running tool may not be performed or may be limited in application during cementing. In particular, rotation of the tubing string to the right may apply too much torque to the threaded connection of the running tool to the hanger. Rotation of the running string to the left may back-off or unthread the connection.
The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.
As disclosed herein, a tool is used for running a hanger and a tubing string in a wellbore. The hanger has upper and lower ends and defines a first bore therethrough. The lower end is connected to the tubing string, while the upper end has first thread disposed thereabout. The hanger defines at least one first slot. The tool comprises a tool body, at least one lug, at least one trigger, and at least one biasing element.
The tool body has first and second ends and defines a second bore therethrough. The second bore defines second thread thereabout, which is configured to thread onto the first thread in a first direction.
The at least one lug is disposed on the tool body and has a catch. The at least one trigger disposed in the tool body is movable between first and second conditions. The at least one trigger in the first condition is engaged with the catch and is engageable with the hanger. The at least one trigger in the second condition releases the catch. The at least one biasing element biases the at least one lug released from the catch toward an extended condition. The at least one lug in the extended condition is engageable with the at least one slot in the hanger.
The at least one lug can comprise a first shoulder and a second shoulder, the first shoulder being engageable in the first direction with a first side of the at least one slot, the second shoulder being ratchetable along the second side of the at least one slot.
The second thread of the body can thread in the first direction onto the first thread of the hanger and can unthread in a second, opposite direction from the first thread.
The at least one lug can comprise a distal end. In the extended condition, the distal end can extend beyond the second end of the hanger and can be engageable with the at least one slot in a flange disposed externally about the casing hanger.
The at least one trigger can comprise a first portion and a second portion. The first portion can be exposed internally to the second bore through a port in a side of the body, and the first portion can be engageable with the hanger. The second portion can be engageable with the catch and can be releasable therefrom in response to the engagement of the first portion with the hanger.
The catch can comprise a first surface disposed on the at least one lug. The second portion of the at least one trigger can therefore comprise a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first surface with the at least one trigger in the first condition disposed can be in opposed relation to the second surface. Meanwhile, the first surface with the at least one trigger disposed in the second condition can be in unopposed relation to the second surface.
The at least one trigger can comprise: a button having the first and second portions and disposed in a pocket of the body; and a spring disposed between the button and the body and biasing the first portion toward the second bore through the port in the side of the body.
The first portion of the button can comprise a pin disposed in the port in the side of the body.
The at least one biasing element can comprise a compression spring disposed between a shoulder of the body and a proximal end of the at least one lug.
The tool body can define at least one pocket outside the tool body, where the at least one pocket has the at least one lug recessed therein.
The at least one lug can define a channel along the at least one lug. For its part, the tool body can comprise a retainer disposed in the channel and retaining the at least one lug in the at least one pocket.
The tool body can comprise a first material, whereas the at least one lug can comprise a second material different from the first material.
According to the present disclosure, an apparatus is run on a running string for cementing a tubing string in a wellbore. The apparatus comprises a hanger and a running tool. The hanger has upper and lower ends and define a first bore therethrough. The lower end is connected to the tubing string. The upper end has first thread disposed thereabout, and the hanger defines at least one first slot. The running tool can be comparable to that described above.
A method according to the present disclosure is directed to running a tubing string and a hanger in a wellbore. The method comprises: threading a second thread on the running tool in a first direction on first thread of the hanger; engaging, during the threading, at least one trigger in the running tool on a portion of the hanger; releasing at least one catch in response to the engagement of the at least one trigger; shifting at least one lug from a retracted condition to an extended condition on the running tool in response to the release of the at least one catch; and engaging the at least one shifted lug in the first direction in at least one slot on the hanger.
The method can further comprise: unthreading the second thread in a second, opposite direction off of the first thread of the hanger; and ratcheting, during the unthreading, the at least one lug out of the at least one slot on the second hanger.
The method can further comprise: moving the tubing string axially in the wellbore with the running tool; and rotating the tubing string radially in the first direction in the wellbore with the running tool.
To engage, during the threading, the at least one trigger in the running tool on the hanger, the method can comprise engaging an internal portion of the at least one trigger exposed in a bore of the running tool on the hanger.
To release the at least one catch in response to the engagement of the at least one trigger, the method can comprise shifting a second portion of the at least one trigger away from the catch in response to the engagement with the internal portion.
To shift the at least one lug from the retracted condition to the extended condition on the running tool in response to the release of the at least one catch, the method can comprise biasing the at least one lug to the extended condition with a distal end of the at least one lug extending beyond an edge of the running tool.
To engage the at least one shifted lug in the first direction in the at least one slot on the hanger, the method can comprise stopping a second edge of the at least one shifted lug against a first edge of the at least one slot.
The foregoing summary is not intended to summarize each potential embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure.
A cementing operation can then cement the tubing string 60 in the wellbore 10. To help distribute the cement during the operation, the running tool 100 and string 70 can move the hanger 50 and the tubing string 60 axially by raising and lowering them together. Additionally, the running tool 100 and string 70 can turn the hanger 50 and string 60 rotationally (i.e., clockwise) by rotating them together at the same time without over-torqueing the running threads.
For example, the tubing string 60 may be casing that extends from a mandrel-style casing hanger 50 for landing in a casing head 20 of a wellhead. The casing string 60 can be run into the wellbore 10 and cemented in place. To facilitate the cementing operation, the running tool 100 can raise, lower, and rotate the casing string 60. After cementing, the running tool 100 can then be removed, and additional components, pack-offs, etc. can be installed at the wellhead.
In particular, the casing string 60 may be run into the wellbore 10 with a cement shoe 65 having a check valve attached to the downhole end of the casing string 60. The casing hanger 50 may already be connected to the casing string 60, or the running tool 100 connected with the hanger 50 may be made up onto the casing string 60. The running tool 100, the casing head 50, and the casing string 60 are then run through the wellhead with the running string 70 to land the hanger 50 on a landing shoulder in the casing head 20 or other well component in a conventional manner so the hanger 50 can support the casing string 60 suspended in the wellbore 10.
To cement the casing string 60 in place in the wellbore 10, a bottom plug (not shown) is launched down the casing string 60 followed by a cement slurry pumped down the casing string 60. The cement slurry is followed by a top wiper plug (not shown). The bottom plug reaches a landing collar in the cement shoe 65, and a rupture disk is breached so the cement slurry can pass through the bottom plug and into the annulus of the wellbore 10. The top wiper plug is pumped down the tubing string 60 with a displacement fluid, and the cement slurry flows out of the cement shoe 65 and up the annular space around the casing string 60. The cement shoe 65 prevents backflow of cement back into the casing string 60.
At the conclusion of the operation, the operator can then release the running tool 100 from the casing hanger 50 and can retrieve the running string 70 and the tool 100 for additional completion operations to be performed.
In another example, the tubing string 60 may be a liner that extends from a liner hanger 50 for landing in a tubing head 20 on existing casing string. The liner 60 can be cemented in the wellbore 10 in much the same way discussed above. In particular, the liner 60 may have a cement shoe 65 with a check valve attached to the downhole end of the liner 60. When the liner 60 is run downhole to the desired depth, a liner top packer (not shown) is incorporated with a mandrel-style liner hanger 50 on the uphole end of the liner 60. The running tool 100 is attached to the liner hanger 50. The operator then runs the liner 60 into the wellbore 10 on the running string 70 attached to the running tool 100. The operator sets the liner hanger 50 and pumps cement through the running string 70, down the liner 60, and back up the annulus surrounding the liner 60.
A wiper plug (not shown) following the cement is run down the running string 70 to wipe cement from the interior of the liner 60 at the conclusion of the cement pumping. The operator then sets the liner top packer, if used, releases the running tool 100 from the liner hanger 50, and retrieves the running string 70 and tool 100. The operator may then install a tieback string (not shown) of casing that extends from the wellhead downward into engagement with the liner hanger 50.
To help distribute the cement slurry uniformly and avoid creating voids or pockets in the cement during the cementing operations, such as described above, the tubing string 60 is reciprocated and rotated during the cementing operation. As will be appreciated, various mechanisms, such as a top drive 75, may be used to reciprocate and rotate the hanger 50 and the casing string 60 in the wellbore 10. To transfer the motion of the running string 70 to the hanger 50 and its connected tubing string 60, the running tool 100 threads onto the hanger 50 for the axial connection and has lugs 120 that engage the hanger 50 to prevent over-torqueing the threads during the rotation.
For the running tool 100 to thread onto the hanger 50, the lugs 120 are initially kept retracted until sufficient make up is made between the running tool 100 and the hanger 50. Triggers in the form of latching pin assemblies positioned on the running tool 100 engage portion of the mandrel hanger 50 and release the lugs 120 during make up. The lugs 120 then extend and engage in slots or flutes 58 of the mandrel hanger 50. When the lugs 120 are received within these slots 58, rotation of the running tool 100 causes the lugs 120 to push against sides of the slots 58 to drive rotation of the casing hanger 50. In this way, the lugs 120 transfer rotation of the running string 70 to the hanger 50 and its connected tubing string 60 without over-torqueing the running threads between the tool 100 and the hanger 50.
Turning now to details of the running tool 100, reference is made to
The tubing hanger 50 has upper and lower ends 51a-b and defines a first bore 52 therethrough. The lower end 51b is connected to a tubing string (60) that is run in the wellbore to be landed and cemented in place. For example, the lower end 51b can include a box end (53,
A flange 56 is disposed externally about the tubing hanger 50. The hanger 50 includes at least one slot 58 in its landing flange 56. In at least some instances, the at least one slot 58 can be defined fully through the flange 56 to form a flute to facilitate the flow of fluid (e.g., drilling mud) past the exterior of the hanger 50 when installed.
Such flutes 58 can be customary for tubing hangers 50. Should flutes 58 not be necessary for fluid communication on a flange 56 of the hanger 50, then slots, pockets, partial cutaways, or the like 58 can be formed and used on the flange 56. Preferably, the flange 56 has two or more of the flutes or slots 58, and the number of lugs 120 on the running tool 100 can match the number of flutes 58. As noted previously, the slots 58 on the hanger 50 receive extended lugs 120 of the running tool 100 so that the engaged slots 58 and lugs 120 cooperate to transmit torque between the running tool 100 and the hanger 50 when the running tool 100 is coupled to the hanger 50 as shown in
The running tool 100 and has upper and lower ends 101a-b and has a tool body 110 with a second bore 112 defined therethrough. The upper end 101a is connected to a running string (70). For example, the tool body 110 has a box end (113,
The running tool 100 can connect to the hanger 50 in any suitable manner. For example, the second bore 112 defines a receiver 114 with second (internal) thread 115 thereabout configured to thread onto the hanger's external thread 55. The second thread 115 of the body 110 threads in a first direction onto the first thread 55 of the casing hanger 110 and unthreads in a second, opposite direction from the first thread 55. In this example, the threads 55, 115 are right-handed threads for clockwise threading. However, the threads 55, 115 can instead be left-handed threads in other arrangements, in which case certain features of the lugs 120 would be reversed.
As noted briefly above, the tool 100 has at least one of the lugs 120 and has at least one of the triggers 125 controlling extension of the at least one lug 120. Preferably, two or more of the lugs 120 are used to match the slots 58 in the hanger's flange 56. Should any given lug 120 fail to be released by the trigger 125, then any redundant lug 120 that has been released will provide the desired stop of the threading. The tool body 110 may also have flutes 111 in its outer surface for passage of fluid and the like.
As shown, the lugs 120 can be disposed externally on the tool body 110. As shown in
The tool body 110 is composed of a first material, such as a suitable steel material or alloy. However, the lugs 120 can be composed of a different material, such as a friction reducing material used for bearings to facilitate the movement of the lugs 120 in the pockets 117 of the body 110. The pin 160 of the trigger 125 can also be composed of this different, friction reducing material, to facilitate its engagement with the hanger 50. Moreover, an O-rings or other seals can be used between the pins 160 and the ports 116 to seal off any fluid communication.
Each of the lugs 120 has a catch 128. Each of the lugs 120 also includes one of the triggers 125 disposed in the body 110. Each trigger 125 is movable between first and second conditions to control the extension of the respective lug 120. In general, the trigger 125 in the first condition is engaged with the catch 128 of the respective lug 120 and is engageable with the hanger 50. As described below, the trigger 125 is moved to the second condition by the engagement, thereby releasing the catch 128.
Each of the lugs 120 includes a biasing element or compression spring 130 biasing the respective lug 120 released from the catch 128 toward an extended condition. To hold the lugs 120 to the tool body 110, each of the lugs 120 defines a longitudinal channel 124 along the lug 120. A retainer or screw 126 is disposed in the channel 124 and retains the lug 120 to the body 110.
As shown in
As shown in
For example, the tubing string 60 can be rotated to the right, or clockwise when viewed from the top of the running tool 100, while running the hanger 50 and after landing as desired. The clock edges 123 of the lugs 120 engage with the clock edges of the slots 58 of the hanger's flange 56 and transmit the torque directly from the lugs 120 to the hanger 50. This helps prevent over torqueing the threaded connection between the threads 55, 115 of the hanger 50 and running tool 100.
By contrast, the running tool 100 may be rotated to the left, or counter-clockwise when viewed from the top of tool 100, thus unscrewing the running tool 100 from the casing hanger 50. The chamfered edge 122 of the lugs 120 slide upwardly and over the counter edges of the flutes 58 in the hanger's flange 56.
As can be seen in
To run the tubing string 60 in a wellbore, the running tool 100 is connected to the hanger 50 by threading the internal thread 115 on the running tool 100 in a first (clockwise) direction on external thread 55 of the hanger 50. This can be done at surface, or as explained below, threading can be achieved downhole under some circumstances. To attach the running tool 100 to the hanger 50, the lugs 120 are initially retracted up in the pockets 117 of running tool 100 and held in place with the triggers 125 and catches 128. The running tool 100 is then screwed onto the hanger 50.
While threading the components together, the triggers 125 in the running tool 100 engage on a portion of the hanger 50. The engagement is not necessarily timed to the thread 55, 115, but is rather more related to the distance or amount of threading reached. In the present example, the trigger 125 is positioned to engage the distal edge of the hanger's upper end 51a so that most of the threading of the internal and external threads 55, 115 is achieved before the triggering. In response to the engagement of the triggers 125, the trigger 125 releases from the catch 128 of the lugs 120, and the lugs 120 shift from the retracted condition to the extended condition on the running tool 100 by the bias of the springs 130. The distal ends of lugs 120 can then engage the slots 58 on the hanger's flange 50 as the tool 100 is rotated an additional amount once the triggers 125 have been triggered.
Instead of having to manually align the lugs 120 of the running tool 100 to a custom matching feature on a load shoulder of a hanger, this running tool 100 automatically deploys the lugs 120 to engage the slots or flutes 58 on the load shoulder 56 of the hanger 50 as the running threads 55, 115 of the tool 100 and hanger 50 are being made up together.
This is done by timing the position of triggers 125 in the inner bore of the running tool 100 to the length of the neck 54 of the mandrel hanger 50. When the neck 54 of the hanger 50 pushes the pins 160 of the triggers 125 out of the way, a latching mechanism of the trigger 125 releases the spring-loaded tapered lugs 120 to allow them to extend. Once they extend, the shifted lugs 120 insert themselves into the slots 58 of the hanger's shoulder 56 within a quarter of a turn or less. The tapered ends 122 of the lugs 120 permit them to retract when they strike the sides of the slots 58 when the tool 100 is rotated in the disengagement direction automatically releasing the hanger 50 from the tool 100.
The shifted lugs 120 engage in the slots 58 with clock edges 123 of the lugs 120 stopping against the clock edges of the slots 58. This prevents further rotation of the running tool 100 on the casing hanger 50 so that tightening of the threading ceases.
The running tool 100 can now move the tubing string (60) axially in the wellbore (10) and can rotate the tubing string (60) radially in the first (clockwise) direction in the wellbore (10). This allows the running tool 100 to manipulate the hanger 50 and connected tubing string (60) during running and cementing operations. As noted previously, the ability to rotate the tubing string (60) in addition to movement up and down can help distribute the cement uniformly.
Once operations are complete, the running tool 100 can be unconnected from the hanger 50 by unthreading the internal thread 115 in a second, opposite direction on the external thread 55 of the hanger 50. A clean disengagement can be made from the hanger 50 because the running threads 55, 115 have not been over-torqued. During the rotation, the lugs 120 ratchet out of the slots 58 on the hanger 50 by the chamfered or tapered edge 122 riding along the counter edge of the slots 58. Eventually, the unthreading is complete, and the running tool 100 can be retrieved.
In some operations, the running tool 100 may be used to run the liner 60 and head 50 downhole, but the running tool 100 may be retrieved and rerun downhole. The tool 100 can be unthreaded as noted. If reconnection is then needed, the running tool 100 can be reset at surface (i.e., the triggers 125 and catches 128 can be reset to hold the lugs 120 in the retracted condition) and run back downhole. Threading can then be made by rotating the running tool 100 in the first direction until the lugs 120 are released and engage the hanger's slots 58.
Details of the trigger 125 and catch 128 are diagrammatically shown in
The catch 128 has a first surface 129 (i.e., downward facing shoulder) disposed on the lug 120. The button 150 of the trigger 125 includes a second surface 159 (i.e., upward facing shoulder) opposite to the first surface. When the trigger 125 is in the first condition holding the lug 120 retracted as shown in
The button 150 is disposed in the pocket (117 of the body 110. As shown, a spring 154 is disposed between button 150 and the body 110 and biases the pin 160 toward the bore (114) through the port (116) in the side of the body (110). For example, a plate 140 can affix externally to the body 110 to hold the button 150 and the spring 154 in the pocket (117). The compression spring 130 is disposed between a shoulder of the plate 140 and a proximal end of the lug 120.
During the threading as shown in
Although disclosed in relation to rotating a casing string during cementing operations, it will be appreciated that the teachings of the present disclosure can apply equally well to rotating any suitable tubular string.
To conserve space and motion, the lugs 120 preferably extend from the end 101b of the tool 100 to engage the slots 58 of the hanger 50, but other arrangements can be used. For example, the lugs 120 can be biased to extend inwardly in the bore 112 of the running tool 100 and can engage radial slots (not shown) in the side of the hanger's neck 54.
The foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the Applicants. It will be appreciated with the benefit of the present disclosure that features described above in accordance with any embodiment or aspect of the disclosed subject matter can be utilized, either alone or in combination, with any other described feature, in any other embodiment or aspect of the disclosed subject matter.
In exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein, the Applicants desire all patent rights afforded by the appended claims. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come within the scope of the following claims or the equivalents thereof.
