Oil field operations often include the delivery of devices to the downhole environment from initial completions through reentry long after completions are installed and at all times in between. Entries to the downhole environment often need to be oriented and positively located to ensure the purpose of the entry can be properly carried out. Measurement while drilling, casing collar locators, seismic devices, selective profiles for dogs or collets and orientation profiles have all been employed to assist in positive location but in each case several tools and potentially additional runs have been necessary to achieve the desired result.
Disclosed herein is a self orienting selectable collet having at least one deflectable finger, an orientation key positioned at the deflectable finger and a collet profile disposed at an outside dimension of the collet.
Further disclosed herein is a system for downhole selective orientation of a collet. An orientation profile is provided which is installable in a downhole environment. The orientation profile includes a matchable profile therein. A collet, which can be used in the orientation profile in the orientation profile has at least one deflectable finger and an orientation key positioned at the deflectable finger. A collet profile is disposed at an outside dimension of the collet, the profile being selectively matchable to the matchable profile of the orientation profile.
Still further disclosed herein is a wellbore configured for self orienting and selective locating of collets. The wellbore includes a liner or tubing string having at least two orientation profiles therein, each having a distinct matchable profile. A collet is runnable in the borehole, which collet has a collet profile complementary to one of the matchable profile in the at least two orientation profiles.
Also disclosed herein is a method for promoting self orientation and selective location of collets in a wellbore. The method includes installing in a liner, at least two orientation profiles having selective matching profiles, running a collet having a deflectable orientation key and a collet profile thereon complementary to one of the at least two orientation profile matching profiles and orienting the collet by driving the key against said orientation profile and engaging the matching profile where complementary to the collet profile.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures:
Referring to
Running collet 30 in a specific orientation profile where the matchable profile is complementary causes the collet to orient and then engage the matchable profile. The engagement may be load bearing if desired. Where the collet profile and matchable profile are not complementary, the key causes the collet to orient and when the profiles do not engage the key 34 is deflected and the collet 30 passes through the orientation profile.
Referring now to
Moving to
In the embodiment illustrated, matchable profile 16 comprises two radially larger sections 80, 82. As illustrated, these sections are of different lengths. Separating section 80, 82 is ring 84 which includes a reverse cut 86 (an optional feature). Location and self-orientation will occur without benefit of the reverse cut. In this case, reverse cut 86 is positioned on an uphole end of ring 84 and is configured to hold a load in a downhole direction. In one embodiment, the reverse cut will be about 80 degrees to a longitudinal aspect of section 80.
Orientation profile 12 is located on a lateral liner or on the tubing string as illustrated and is delivered downhole. The ability to selectively install the matchable profile provides the ability to selectively locate the collet that will be run subsequently by simply selecting a collet having a collet profile that is complementary to the matchable profile put in place in the liner or the tubing in the downhole environment. Because of the helical edge surface 14 coupled with the slot base 20, all collets will be oriented to all orientation profiles but are not shouldered there and if the profiles do not match, will pass through the profile 12 to the next profile 12 to be reoriented and perhaps be complementary to that matchable profile. This will continue until a matchable profile is reached or all orientation profiles 12 are exhausted (in which case an operator error is likely since matching a profile is intended). Opposite reverse cut 86 is an inclined snap-out surface 87 whose angle is dictated by desired snap-out force which is relevant to retrieval of the collet. In the illustrated embodiment, the angle is 60°. Clearly, more or less angle can be used depending upon application. Upon snap-out the collet may be retrieved.
Referring now to
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that multiple orientation profiles may be placed in a well and may be configured as one on each lateral liner. A substantial benefit of the disclosed system is that the inner dimension of each is the same. That is, distinct orientation profiles need not have progressively smaller inside diameters as is the case in the prior art. This allows for the wellbore to have orientation profiles while maintaining the inside diameter throughout. The reverse cut 86 provides a no-go configuration which negates the need to have a different inner dimension otherwise needed for a positive no-go condition.
While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.
This application claims the benefit of an earlier filing date from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/443,434 filed Jan. 28, 2003, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2901045 | Schramm | Aug 1959 | A |
3888306 | Wetzek | Jun 1975 | A |
3934648 | Amancharla et al. | Jan 1976 | A |
4077472 | Gano | Mar 1978 | A |
4236734 | Ahangarzadeh | Dec 1980 | A |
4840229 | Proctor et al. | Jun 1989 | A |
5092402 | Perricone et al. | Mar 1992 | A |
6003599 | Huber et al. | Dec 1999 | A |
6012527 | Nitis et al. | Jan 2000 | A |
6082453 | Bakke | Jul 2000 | A |
6142225 | McCorry et al. | Nov 2000 | A |
6209635 | Gotlib et al. | Apr 2001 | B1 |
6510898 | Buytaert | Jan 2003 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
956 191 | Apr 1964 | GB |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20040149452 A1 | Aug 2004 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60443434 | Jan 2003 | US |