I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wellbore cleaning tools, and more particularly, to a jet-biased wellbore cleaning tool which biases downhole the brushes and/or scrapers of the tool toward the casing wall with fluid jets.
II. General Background
Cleaning tools using brushes and scrapers are well known. While casing sizes are standard, during brushing, the bristles of the brushes bend and distort, as the tool engages debris adhering to the casing. Hence, during the cleaning action, the ability of the brush or scraper to apply a force of abrasion diminishes over time. Thus, the tool must be removed from the wellbore and the brushes or scrapers removed. Then, the tool is reinserted downhole which completes a roundtrip.
Removing the cleaning tool to replace brushes or scrapers is time consuming and costs the oil field industry revenue. Thus, limiting the downhole roundtrips by the cleaning tool and maintaining the tools ability to clean is highly desirable. Sometimes, different sized cleaning tools are needed as the diameter of the wellbore varies.
Known cleaning tools do not control the abrasion force applied to the debris on the casing wall or the casing wall. Instead, a brush or scraper when engaging debris causes the cleaning tool to reciprocate in the casing. Thus, the total force of abrasion can be reduced by the amount the cleaning tool moves away from the casing wall or debris as debris is encountered.
In view of the foregoing, there is a continuing need for a cleaning tool with casing abrasion cleaning members and fluid jets wherein the fluid jets are arranged to provide a force of fluid to carry debris to the top of the wellhead and, simultaneously and automatically, bias the casing abrasion cleaning members in the direction of the casing wall.
There is a continuing need for a cleaning tool which can rapidly remove and replace the casing abrasion cleaning members during operations.
There is a continuing need for a cleaning tool which is constructed and arranged to automatically force the casing abrasion cleaning members to make direct contact with debris on the casing wall or the casing wall and minimize reciprocation by the cleaning tool.
There is a need for a cleaning tool which enhances the force of abrasion applied to the debris on the casing wall and extends the force of abrasion on the casing wall for longer periods of time than existing cleaning tools.
In view of the aforementioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a jet-biased wellbore cleaning tool which automatically biases downhole brushes and/or scrapers of the tool toward the casing wall.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a jet-biased wellbore cleaning tool with casing abrasion cleaning members and fluid jets wherein the fluid jets are arranged to provide a force of fluid to carry debris to the top of the wellhead and, simultaneously and automatically, bias the casing abrasion cleaning members in the direction of the casing wall.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a jet-biased wellbore cleaning tool which can rapidly remove and replace the casing abrasion cleaning members during operations.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a jet-biased wellbore cleaning tool which is constructed and arranged to automatically force the casing abrasion cleaning members to make direct contact with debris on the casing wall or the casing wall and minimize reciprocation by the cleaning tool.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a jet-biased wellbore cleaning tool which enhances the force of abrasion applied to the debris on the casing wall and extends the force of abrasion on the cleaning wall for longer periods of time than existing cleaning tools.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a jet-biased wellbore cleaning tool which can turn off the biasing force such as when the tool is being moved between sections of the wellbore with different diameters or as otherwise needed.
In view of the above objects, the present invention contemplates a jet-biased wellbore cleaning tool having a tool body assembly with a first side and a second side. The first side has attached thereto the plurality of casing abrasion cleaning members which radiate from the first side. The second side has attached thereto the fluid jets. The first side and the second side are opposite sides or diametrically opposing.
In view of the above objects, the present invention contemplates a jet-biased wellbore cleaning tool with fluid jets which provide a resilient jet-biasing effect on the tool body assembly to force the plurality of casing abrasion cleaning members toward the casing wall as the tool body is rotated.
The resilient jet-biasing effect automatically biases the plurality of casing abrasion cleaning members toward the casing wall of varying diameters.
Furthermore, the resilient jet-biasing effect is adapted to be selectively turned on and off downhole in the wellbore.
The present invention further contemplates a method of cleaning a wellbore casing wall comprising the steps of: applying a force of abrasion to the casing wall by a cleaning tool; and, jetting fluid from the cleaning tool in the wellbore casing wall to create fluid jets to carry debris uphole and simultaneously applying a resilient jet-biasing force via the fluid jets to bias the force of abrasion to one side of the casing wall.
The method also includes the steps of: rotating the cleaning tool and the force of abrasion; and, simultaneously rotating the resilient jet-biasing force and the fluid jets.
The method further comprising the method steps of: turning off the jet-biasing force downhole; and simultaneously with the turning off step, orienting cleaning tool in a center of the casing wall.
An advantage of the present invention is that the resilient properties of the resilient jet-biasing effect created by the fluid jets allows the cleaning tool to automatically adapt to varying diameters of the casing wall without the need to change the size of the brushes or scrapers.
An additional advantage of the present invention is that the resilient properties of the fluid jet allows the resilient jet-biasing effect to act in a manner similar to a spring with added control of the force exerted by the resilient jet-biasing effect.
The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the drawings, the description given herein, and the appended claims
For a further understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are given like reference numerals and, wherein:
Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to
In the exemplary embodiment, the first circumferential section 14A and the second circumferential section 14B are generally ½ (half) portions of the circumference of the tool body assembly 11 divided by the phantom line L1 shown in
The tool body assembly 11 further includes a bottom threaded nut end 15, to keep the tool body assembly 11 together. A set screw 15a is used to prevent the nut from loosening. A clamping washer 16 is used between the bottom threaded nut end 15 and clamping sleeves 19 of the central body section 13 and an optional plastic guide 17 for moving the tool 10 through changing diameters. At the top end of the central body section 13 of the tool body assembly 11, a threaded connection 18 is attached to connect the tool 10 to a source of fluid and rotation.
The plastic guide 17 can be used as a No-Go to protect nipple seal surfaces and to limit the amount of contact the bristles 44 (
In the exemplary embodiment, the plurality of casing abrasion cleaning members 40A and 40B are arranged in pairs along the first circumferential section 14A. Each pair of casing abrasion cleaning members 40A and 40B forms an obtuse angle (e.g. approximately) 120° therebetween, as best seen in
The exemplary embodiment illustrates two casing abrasion cleaning members 40A and 40B. Nevertheless, the first circumferential section 14A may be constructed to accommodate two or more casing abrasion cleaning members 40A and 40B. Thus, the angle between the casing abrasion cleaning members would be less than 120° and may be angularly displaced by an acute angle in lieu of an obtuse angle. Moreover, the 120° may be varied and is limited to the size of the first circumferential section 14A. In generally, the distance between a pair of casing abrasion cleaning members 40A and 40B is generally less than 180° such as when the first and second circumferential sections 14A and 14B are each 180°.
In the exemplary embodiment, the casing abrasion cleaning members 40A and 40B are brushes. Nevertheless, other devices or implements, such as without limitation scrapers or blades, which can apply a force of abrasion to the casing wall 1 for cleaning debris may be substituted. For illustrative purposes, the brushes are shown in
With reference to both
The bristles 44 may alternately be made of fiber or other rigid or durable material. The stiffness and shape may vary depending on application. The stiffness of the bristles 44 may be suitable for abrasion. Nevertheless, the bristles 44 may be constructed and arranged for sweeping or wiping.
Referring now to
In the exemplary embodiment, each of the seating channels 32A and 32B are generally elliptically shaped. Nevertheless, shape of the seating channels 32A and 32B will depend on the means of attaching the brushes or other implements to apply the force of abrasion.
With reference also to
CNC machine tools allow building stacking rings, locating holes and slots with precision. The clamping sleeve 19 described herein is for illustrative purposes. Many other means of attaching the casing abrasion cleaning members 40A and 40B into a tool body assembly 11 known in the art can be used.
In general, the mated half holes 20A and 20B (concaved recesses) of a clamping sleeve 19 mates with the mated half holes 22A and 22B (convex recesses) of an adjacent clamping sleeve 19 to form complete holes, openings or circles which have a circumference which is smaller than the circumference of the wrapping ring or base 42. Thereby, the casing abrasion cleaning members 40A and 40B are locked in their seats. To remove the casing abrasion cleaning members 40A and 40B or add new casing abrasion cleaning members 40A and 40B, the series of clamping sleeves 19 are loosened or separated so that the casing abrasion cleaning members 40A and 40B can be removed from their seating channels 32A and 32B.
The number of seating channels 32A and 32B and the casing abrasion cleaning members 40A and 40B depend on the size of the tool 10 and the application.
Each fluid jet 25 includes a plug 50 secured in an orifice 38. For example, the plug 50 may be threaded and screwed in the orifice 38. Nevertheless, other fastening or attaching means may be substituted. The orifice 38 is in fluid communication with hollow core 36 and has a top diameter (closer to the exterior side) which is larger than the bottom diameter. The reduction in the size of the channel defined by orifice 38 provides a seat for the plug 50. The center of the plug 50 is hollow or drilled to form the fluid jet 25. Interchanging the plug 50 allows the jet size to be varied. Each clamping sleeve 19 has a corresponding half (semi-circular) hole 26 (convex recess). Hence, when two adjacent clamping sleeves 19 are juxtaposed, the two half holes 26 form a complete hole, opening or circle, around the plug 50.
Referring now to
More specifically, the fluid jets 25 serve as a controllable spring-biasing force (hereinafter, referred to as a “jet-biasing effect”). The jet-biasing effect is resilient by virtue of the fluidity of the fluid jet stream jetting from the fluid jets 25. This resiliency also allows the tool 10 to readily adapt to varying diameters of the casing wall 1. The jet-biasing effect when removed, allows the tool 10 to automatically retract to the central position in the wellbore.
In use, the tool 10 is preferably rotated in the wellbore by a fluid motor above the tool 10. Hence, the jet-biasing effect rotates as the tool 10 rotates so that the plurality of casing abrasion cleaning members 40A and 40B are biased to contact the casing wall 1. The jet-biasing effect is controlled by the number and size of the fluid jets 25, fluid volume and pressure.
Referring again to
The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and their equivalents.
This invention claims priority benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/895,097 filed on Mar. 15, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full below.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3310113 | Maness | Mar 1967 | A |
7017593 | Honda | Mar 2006 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60895097 | Mar 2007 | US |