Patent Application
20210340829
The invention relates to a tool for performing downhole operations, and in particular to a setting tool for setting downhole tools.
A conventional setting tool for setting downhole tools, such as bridge plugs, frac plugs, packers, composite plugs, cement retainers, etc., uses an explosive power charge within the setting tool to create pressure that is then converted into the mechanical force required to set the downhole tool. The conventional setting tool also uses hydraulic oil located between a first piston disposed in a first cylinder and a second piston disposed in a second cylinder. The first piston in the first cylinder is pushed directly by power charge gases resulting from the ignition and explosion of the power charge and in turn pushes the hydraulic oil, which then pushes the second piston in the second cylinder. The second piston is then typically connected by a rod and linkage to a setting sleeve for pushing against and setting the downhole tool in the wellbore casing.
The downhole tool typically has a central mandrel that is attached to a fixed portion of the setting tool and is stationary relative to the fixed portion of the setting tool. The setting sleeve usually extends around the outer circumference of the downhole tool central mandrel and the setting tool operates to stroke the setting sleeve downward relative to the fixed portion and the central mandrel against an uppermost sleeve of the downhole tool. The uppermost sleeve then moves downward relative to the central mandrel toward a lower end of the mandrel and sets the downhole tool by, for example, pushing anchor slips over conical elements and pressing an elastomeric seal element between the mandrel and the casing. During setting of the downhole tool, a shear pin is sheared to release the setting tool from the downhole tool so that the setting tool may be retrieved from the well and be redressed for repeated later use.
The conventional setting tool has seven sets of seals that protect the inner workings of the tool from the well environment. Also, the hydraulic oil is placed in an oil chamber which must be filled properly depending on the temperature in the well. Leakage of any of the seals and/or improper filling of the hydraulic oil in the oil chamber can negatively impact the setting tool's performance and the entire completion operation. For example, if the seals in the oil chamber fail, the hydrostatic pressure will work against the second piston to pre-stroke the setting tool. In a further example, if there is too much hydraulic oil in the oil chamber, temperature in the well can cause the hydraulic oil to expand, which exerts an unwanted force on the piston and prematurely stroking the setting tool. Still further, too little hydraulic oil may limit the required stroke, thereby possibly keeping the setting tool from fully setting the downhole tool. Further, leakage of any seal may lead to wetting of the power charge, which may prevent the power charge from igniting as intended.
To reuse the conventional setting tool, the setting tool needs to be redressed in between runs. There are risks and labour costs associated with redressing the setting tool. If the setting tool is not rebuilt properly, the setting tool may set prematurely or not at all, as described above. Further, to dispose of the conventional setting tool, the setting tool is usually taken apart to retrieve the hydraulic fluids prior to the disposal of the other components thereof.
The present disclosure thus aims to address the above-mentioned shortcomings of the conventional setting tool.
According to a broad aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a setting tool for use with a downhole tool, the setting tool having a run-in position and a set position, the setting tool comprising: a housing having a housing upper end, a housing lower end, a housing wall having a housing inner surface defining an axially extending housing inner bore; a setting mandrel having a mandrel upper end, a mandrel lower end, a mandrel wall having a mandrel outer surface and a mandrel inner surface, the mandrel inner surface defining an axially extending mandrel inner bore, the mandrel upper end being connected to the housing lower end; a piston comprising an upper open end and a lower closed end, at least a portion of the piston being disposed in the housing inner bore, and the at least a portion of the piston comprising a piston head in sealing engagement with the inner surface of the housing wall, the piston having defined therein a power charge chamber extending between the upper open end and the lower closed end, the power charge chamber being in fluid communication with the housing inner bore via the upper open end, the piston configured to be slidably movable axially relative to the housing and the setting mandrel; a power charge, at least a portion of the power charge being disposed in the power charge chamber; and a crosslink sleeve supported about the mandrel outer surface, wherein the setting tool is actuated upon ignition of the power charge to transition from the run-in position to the set position; in the run-in position, the crosslink sleeve is secured to the setting mandrel such that the crosslink sleeve is stationary relative to the setting mandrel; and in the set position, the piston is moved axially relative to the housing towards the mandrel lower end, and the crosslink sleeve is shifted axially, by the axial movement of the piston, relative to the setting mandrel towards the mandrel lower end.
In some embodiments, the piston head comprises an upper piston face and a lower piston face, and the piston comprises a piston rod extending axially from the lower piston face to the lower closed end, at least a portion of the piston rod configured to be slidably movable axially in the mandrel inner bore.
In some embodiments, an upper pressure chamber and a lower pressure chamber are defined in the housing inner bore, the upper pressure chamber being adjacent to the upper piston face and the lower pressure chamber being adjacent to the lower piston face, and the volume of the upper pressure chamber in the set position is greater than that in the run-position, and the volume of the lower pressure chamber in the set position is less than that in the run-position.
In some embodiments, the housing wall has defined therethrough a vent port to allow fluid communication between the housing inner bore and the exterior of the housing, and in the run-in position, the vent port is in fluid communication with the lower pressure chamber.
In some embodiments, in the set position, the vent port is in fluid communication with the upper pressure chamber.
In some embodiments, upon the ignition of the power charge, a gas in the power charge chamber is released into the upper pressure chamber via the upper open end.
In some embodiments, in the run-in position, the setting tool comprises a breakable seal disposed in the vent port to block fluid flow through the vent port, and in the set position, the breakable seal is broken to permit fluid flow through the vent port.
In some embodiments, the setting tool comprises an annular plug sealingly attached to the housing inner surface below the vent port, the annular plug having a central aperture through which a portion of the piston rod is sealingly received.
In some embodiments, the setting tool comprises a crosslink key coupled to the crosslink sleeve, and the mandrel wall has defined therethrough an axially extending slot in which a portion of the crosslink key is received, the portion of the crosslink key being slidably movable along the length of the axially extending slot, and the piston is configured to directly engage the crosslink key.
In some embodiments, the setting tool comprises a retainer for securing the crosslink key to the crosslink sleeve and the portion of the crosslink key in the axially extending slot.
In some embodiments, the setting tool comprises a shear screw, and wherein in the run-in position, the crosslink sleeve is secured to the setting mandrel by the shear screw, and in the set-position, the shear screw is broken to permit axial movement of the crosslink sleeve relative to the setting mandrel.
In some embodiments, one or both of: the setting mandrel is configured to connect to a mandrel of the downhole tool; and the crosslink sleeve is configured to connect to a setting sleeve of the downhole tool.
In some embodiments, one or both of: the setting mandrel is a mandrel of the downhole tool; and the crosslink sleeve is a setting sleeve of the downhole tool.
In some embodiments, the setting tool is free of hydraulic fluid.
In some embodiments, in the run-in position, the lower pressure chamber contains a liquid.
In some embodiments, the piston rod comprises a piston rod wall, and the housing wall has a thickness in the range of 0.5″ and 0.9″ and the piston rod wall has a thickness in the range of 0.2″ and 0.5″.
According to another broad aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for setting a downhole tool in a wellbore, the downhole tool being attached to a setting tool, the method comprising: igniting a power charge disposed in a power charge chamber defined in a piston disposed in a housing of the setting tool, to release a gas from an upper open end of the power charge chamber; increasing, by the gas, a first pressure in an upper pressure chamber in the housing above the piston to provide an increased first pressure in the upper pressure chamber, the upper pressure chamber being in fluid communication with the upper open end of the power charge chamber; exerting an axial force on the piston by the increased first pressure in the upper pressure chamber; engaging, by the piston, a crosslink key coupled to a crosslink sleeve supported on an outer surface of a setting mandrel connected a lower end of the housing, the crosslink sleeve being axially locked to the setting mandrel; releasing, by the axial force, the crosslink sleeve from the setting mandrel; shifting, by the axial force, the piston axially in a downhole direction relative to the housing; pushing, by the piston, the crosslink key axially in the downhole direction relative to the setting mandrel to shift the crosslink sleeve downward relative to the housing; and shifting, by the crosslink sleeve, a setting sleeve of the downhole tool.
In some embodiments, the method comprises, while shifting the piston, releasing a second pressure in a lower pressure chamber in the housing through a vent port in a wall of the housing, the lower pressure chamber being below the upper pressure chamber.
In some embodiments, the method comprises, after shifting the setting sleeve of the downhole tool, releasing at least some of the increased first pressure through the vent port.
In some embodiments, a portion of the crosslink key is received in an axially extending slot defined through a wall of the setting mandrel, and pushing the crosslink key comprises pushing the crosslink key downward along a length of the axially extending slot.
In some embodiments, the method comprises one or both of: while releasing the crosslink sleeve, absorbing shock by a plug secured to an inner surface of the housing; and absorbing shock by the plug when the piston reaches the end of a downward stroke, wherein a portion of the piston is received through the plug.
In some embodiments, the method comprises retrieving the setting tool from the wellbore by wireline.
The invention will now be described by way of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying simplified, diagrammatic, not-to-scale drawings. Any dimensions provided in the drawings are provided only for illustrative purposes, and do not limit the invention as defined by the claims. In the drawings:
When describing the present invention, all terms not defined herein have their common art-recognized meanings. To the extent that the following description is of a specific embodiment or a particular use of the invention, it is intended to be illustrative only, and not limiting of the claimed invention. The following description is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents that are included in the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.
In some embodiments, the setting tool of the present disclosure is configured to: have fewer seals than the conventional setting tool; be dry fired, without the use of hydraulic oil; and be disposable after one use, if desired.
With reference to
In some embodiments, the housing 22 is a generally tubular member having a wall with an inner surface defining an inner axial bore 34 extending from a first end 36 to a second end 38 of housing 22. In some embodiments, the housing 22 may be generally cylindrical in shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the first end 36 of housing 22 coincides with the first end 40 of the setting tool 20. In some embodiments, the first end 36 and/or the first end 40 is a pin end configured to receive a setting tool firing head (not shown) and may be externally threaded for threaded connection with the firing head. The second end 38 of housing 22 is opposite the first end 36 and is closer to second end 42 of the tool 20 than the first end 36. In some embodiments, the second end 38 is a box end for receiving a first end 72 of the setting mandrel 28. The box end 38 may be internally threaded for threaded connection with the first end 72 of the setting mandrel 28. In some embodiments, the interface between the housing 22 and setting mandrel 28 may be fluidly sealed when the housing 22 is connected to the mandrel 28.
In the illustrated embodiment, the piston 24 comprises a piston head 46 having a first piston face 47 and a second piston face opposite the first piston face 47. The piston 24 also comprises a piston rod 48 extending laterally from and substantially orthogonal to the second piston face of the piston head 46. The piston rod 48 has a first end that is affixed to the second piston face of the piston head 46 and a free end 68 opposite the first end. In the illustrated embodiment, the piston rod 48 has a substantially uniform outer diameter along its length and the piston rod's outer diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the piston head 46. The piston rod 48 may be generally cylindrical in shape.
The piston 24 is configured to be slidably movable axially in inner bore 34, along axis x, relative to housing 22. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the piston 24 is disposed in housing 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the piston head 46 and at least a portion of the piston rod 48 are disposed in inner bore 34 of the housing 22, with the piston head 46 being closer to the first end 40 than the piston rod 48. In some embodiments, the piston rod 48 extends axially in inner bore 34, from the second piston face to and through the second end 38 of the housing 22.
In some embodiments, the setting tool 20 comprises an annular plug 54 positioned in the inner bore 34. In some embodiments, the plug 54 is fixedly coupled to the inner surface of housing 22 so that the plug 54 is stationary relative to the housing 22. Plug 54 may be coupled to the housing 22 by interference fit, threaded connection, or other methods known to those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, the plug 54 is sealingly coupled to the inner surface of housing 22. The plug 54 has a central aperture for slidably receiving an axial portion of the piston rod 48 therethrough. When the piston 24 is disposed in the housing 22, piston rod 48 extends through the central aperture of the plug 54 and the free end 68 of the piston rod 48 may extend into an inner bore 70 of the setting mandrel 28 via the first end 72 of the mandrel 28. The piston rod 48 and the inner bore 70 are sized such that the piston rod 48 is slidably movable axially along axis x, through plug 54, in inner bore 70 relative to the setting mandrel 28. In some embodiments, the plug 54 is configured to support the piston rod 48, to help keep the piston rod 48 concentrically situated relative to the housing 22 and/or the setting mandrel 28. In some embodiments, the outer surface of piston rod 48 is in sealing engagement with the plug 54 while the piston rod 48 moves through the central aperture of the plug 54.
The outer diameter of the piston head 46 is larger than the diameters of the central aperture of plug 54 such that the piston head 46 cannot fit through plug 54. The plug 54 acts as a stop to limit the axial movement of the piston head 46 within housing 22 towards the second end 42, to help maintain the piston head 46 within housing 22. In some embodiments, the inner surface of the housing 22 has an inwardly radially extending shoulder 66 near the first end 36. The shoulder 66 is configured to limit the axial movement of the piston 24 towards the first end 36. The shoulder 66 reduces the diameter of a portion of inner bore 34, near first end 36, such that the outer diameter of the piston head 46 is greater than the reduced diameter, thus preventing the piston head 46 from moving past first end 36.
The piston 24 functions to fluidly separate the inner bore 34 into a first pressure chamber 50 and a second pressure chamber 52. The first pressure chamber 50 is defined adjacent the first end 40, between the inner surface of the housing 22 and the first piston face 47. The first pressure chamber 50 provides a space for receiving a power charge ignitor (not shown). The second pressure chamber 52 is defined between the second piston face of the piston head 46, the inner surface of housing 22, the outer surface of the piston rod 48, and the annular plug 54. In some embodiments, to fluidly separate the pressure chambers 50, 52, the piston head 46 is configured to sealingly engage an axial portion of the inner surface of the housing 22. In some embodiments, the piston head 46 has a groove defined on its outer surface and a seal 62 is received in the groove to sealingly engage the inner surface of the housing 22. The seal 62 may be an annular seal, such as an O-ring.
When the setting tool 20 is in the set position shown in
The housing 22 has a vent port 56 extending through its wall to allow fluid communication between the inner bore 34 and the exterior of the housing 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the vent port 56 is positioned axially between the first end 36 of housing 22 and the annular plug 54. In some embodiments, the vent port 56 may be covered by a breakable seal such as a burst disc or blowout plug, when the setting tool 20 is in the run-in position, to block fluid flow through the vent port. The vent port 56 is unsealed after the setting tool 20 is actuated to allow fluid flow through the vent port during the transition between the run-in position to the set position (the “setting process”).
When the tool 20 is in the run-in position, as shown in
The piston 24 has a first open end 59 at or adjacent to the first piston face 47 and a second closed end 61 which may be adjacent to or coincide with the free end 68 of the piston rod 48. The piston 24 has define therein a power charge chamber 58, extending from the first open end 59 to the second closed end 61. The power charge chamber 58 is in fluid communication with the first pressure chamber 50 via the first open end 59. In the illustrated embodiment, the chamber 58 is fully enclosed along the length of the piston rod 48 and the second end 61 is also fully enclosed such that the chamber 58 is not in fluid communication with the second pressure chamber 52, i.e., fluid communication is restricted between the chamber 58 and the exterior of the piston 24 below the second piston face or at or near the second closed end 61. Accordingly, fluid communication between the chamber 58 and the exterior of the piston 24 is only permitted through the first open end 59. In some embodiments, the power charge chamber 58 has an inner diameter that is about 40% or less of the outer diameter of the piston rod 48. If the interior of the power charge chamber 58 is not round, then a ratio of effective cross-sectional areas calculated from the cross-sectional areas of the power charge chamber 58 or the piston rod 48 can be used to determine that the size of the power charge chamber 58 as compared to the exterior of the piston rod 48.
At least a portion of the power charge 26 is disposed in power charge chamber 58. A portion of the power charge 26 may extend axially outwardly beyond the first open end 59 of the power charge chamber 58. In some embodiments, the power charge 26 extends substantially the full length of the power charge chamber 58. In some embodiments, the power charge 26 extends about 90% or more of the length of the power charge chamber 58. In some embodiments, the power charge 26 has an outer diameter which is about 75% or more of the inner diameter of the power charge chamber 58. If the power charge chamber 58 or the power charge 26 are of a shape that is not generally cylindrical, then the effective diameter of the power charge 26 can be compared to the effective diameter of the power charge chamber 58, with the effective diameters determined by calculation from the cross-sectional areas of the power charge chamber 58 and the power charge 26. In other embodiments, which are not shown, the power charge 26 maybe disposed outside piston 24, for example, in the first pressure chamber 50 adjacent the first piston face 47 of the piston head 46. In some embodiments, the power charge 26 is selected such that the power charge burns at a rate that results in the combustion of the power charge in about 15 seconds to about 60 seconds. The power charge 26 may be a pyrotechnic explosive power source or a non-explosive gas-generating power source, known to those skilled in the art.
In some embodiments, the setting mandrel 28 is a tubular member having a wall with an inner surface that defines the inner bore 70. In some embodiments, the setting mandrel 28 may be generally cylindrical in shape. Inner bore 70 extends from the first end 72 to a second end 73 of the mandrel 28. In the illustrated embodiment, the second end 73 of the mandrel 28 coincides with the second end 42 of the setting tool 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the mandrel 28 is shown as a separate component from the housing 22. In other embodiments, which are not shown herein, the mandrel 28 and the housing 22 may be integrally formed such that they are one and the same.
In some embodiments, the setting mandrel 28 has an annular protrusion 44 that extends radially outwardly from the outer surface of the setting mandrel 28. In some embodiments, the annular protrusion 44 is positioned closer to the first end 72 than to the second end 73 of the mandrel 28. In some embodiments, when the first end 72 of mandrel 28 is received in the box end 38, the second end of the housing 22 abuts against the annular protrusion 44.
In some embodiments, the wall of the setting mandrel 28 has at least one axially extending slot 74 defined therein, for receiving a portion of the crosslink key 32. The slot 74 has a first end (not shown) and a second end 80, the second end 80 being closer to the second end 42 of the setting tool and the second end 73 of the mandrel 28 than the first end of the slot 74, and the first end of the slot 74 being closer to the first end 40 than the second end 80. In the illustrated embodiment, the setting mandrel 28 has two slots 74 extending through its wall and the two slots are substantially parallel to one another (and/or to the central longitudinal axis x) and are azimuthally separated about axis x by about 180°. In some embodiments, the axial location of at least a portion of one of the slots 74 is the same as the axial location of at least a portion of the other slot 74, so that at least a portion of each slot 74 overlaps axially with the other slot.
In the illustrated embodiment, the crosslink sleeve 30 is supported about the outer surface of the setting mandrel 28 and is configured to be slidably movable axially relative to the setting mandrel 28. In other embodiments, which are not shown herein, at least a portion of the crosslink sleeve 30 may be supported about the outer surface of the housing 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the length of the setting mandrel 28 is greater than that of the crosslink sleeve 30. When the setting tool 20 is in the run-in position, as shown in
When the setting tool 20 is actuated, as described in more detail below, the intact shear screw 60 is broken to release the crosslink sleeve 30 to allow the sleeve 30 move axially relative to the setting mandrel 28 in the direction of the second end 42 of the setting tool 20. In a sample embodiment, the force required to break the shear screw 60 ranges from about 2000 lbs to about 10000 lbs. Once the shear screw 60 is broken, the setting tool 20 can transition to the set position as shown in
In some embodiments, the crosslink key 32 extends from at least the inner surface of the crosslink sleeve 30 into at least one slot 74 of the setting mandrel 28. The crosslink key 32 is configured to be slidably movable in slot(s) 74, along the axial length of the slot(s) 74. In some embodiments, the crosslink key 32 may be integral with the crosslink sleeve 30 such that the crosslink key 32 and the crosslink sleeve 30 are formed as a single component. In other embodiments, as shown for example in
Each aperture 76 in crosslink sleeve 30 is aligned with a respective slot 74 and a portion of the crosslink key 32 is received in both the aperture 76 and the slot 74. The length of aperture 76 is less than that of the slot 74. In some embodiments, the crosslink sleeve 30 has two apertures 76, each aligned with a respective slot 74, such that the crosslink key 32, with each end received in a respective aperture 76, extends laterally through both slots 74 across inner bore 70 of the mandrel 28. In some embodiments, the crosslink key 32, when extended through both slots 74, is centrally positioned such that the crosslink key 32 (orthogonally) intersects the central longitudinal axis x. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the inner surface of the crosslink sleeve 30 abuts against the outer surface of the setting mandrel 28, as shown in the illustrated embodiment. In other embodiments, the length of the crosslink key 32, the inner diameter of the crosslink sleeve 30, and/or the outer diameter of the setting mandrel 28 may be selected such that the inner surface of the crosslink sleeve 30 is spaced apart from the outer surface of the mandrel 28. In such embodiments where the crosslink sleeve 30 is spaced apart from the mandrel 28, the crosslink sleeve 30 may or may not be concentric with the mandrel 28.
In some embodiments, the setting tool 20 comprises a retainer 78 for keeping the crosslink key 32 in apertures 76 and slots 74, thereby coupling the crosslink key 32 to the crosslink sleeve 30 via apertures 76, without restricting the crosslink key's ability to slide axially along the slots 74. For example, as illustrated in
When the setting tool 20 is in the run-in position shown in
The crosslink sleeve 30 may be securely coupled to a setting sleeve (not shown) of the downhole tool to be set, for example by threaded connection. For example, a second end 33 of the crosslink sleeve 30 may be an externally threaded pin end for connection to a box end of the setting sleeve of the downhole tool to be set. Alternatively, the crosslink sleeve 30 is the setting sleeve of the downhole tool. The second end 73 of the setting mandrel 28 may be securely coupled to a mandrel of the downhole tool to be set, for example by threaded connection. Alternatively, the setting mandrel 28 is the mandrel of the downhole tool to be set.
Various components of the setting tool 20 may be formed of steel and/or composite materials. In some embodiments, one or more components of the setting tool 20 are made of lower cost steel, which may reduce the overall cost of the setting tool 20. In some embodiments, one or more components of the setting tool 20 are made of AISI 4140.
In some embodiments, the setting tool 20 is initially assembled in the run-in position shown for example in
In some embodiments, as described above, a breakable seal may be added to the setting tool 20 to block the vent port 56 in the run-in position. In some embodiments, prior to installing the breakable seal into vent port 56, a fluid may be injected into the second pressure chamber 52 via the vent port 56.
In some embodiments, the setting mandrel 28 is inserted, second end 73 first, through the crosslink sleeve 30 so that the crosslink sleeve 30 is supported about the outer surface of the mandrel 28. The crosslink sleeve 30 is then rotated about the axis x until each aperture 76 is aligned with one of the slots 74. The crosslink key 32 is inserted laterally across the crosslink sleeve 30 and the setting mandrel 28, through apertures 76 and slots 74, respectively. The retainer 78 is then placed on to the sleeve 30 to keep the crosslink key 32 in the apertures 76 and slots 74. The crosslink sleeve 30 is then moved to its run-in location on the mandrel 28 and one or more shear screws 60 are inserted to hold the crosslink sleeve 30 in place (i.e., to axially lock the crosslink sleeve 30 to the mandrel 28).
The setting mandrel 28 is threadedly connected at its first end 72 to the box end 38 of the housing 22. In some embodiments, the remaining portion of the piston 24 is slidably inserted into inner bore 70 of the setting mandrel 28 as the mandrel 28 is being connected to the housing 22. When the mandrel 28 is coupled to the housing 22, the free end 68 of the piston 24 is close to or abuts against the crosslink key 32. In the run-in position, the crosslink key 32 is held in place at the run-in location by the shear screw 60 via the sleeve 30, which helps maintain the piston 24 in the run-in position by restricting the piston's axial movement towards the second end 73 of the mandrel 28. The shear screw 60 thus prevents premature actuation of the setting tool 20, i.e., premature shifting of the piston 24 and/or the crosslink sleeve 30 towards the second end 42 of the setting tool. In embodiments where the second pressure chamber 52 is filled with a fluid and the vent port is blocked by the breakable seal in the run-in position, the fluid in the second pressure chamber 52 may also help prevent premature setting of the setting tool 20 by restricting axial movement of the piston 24 relative to the housing 22 and the setting mandrel 28.
Thus configured, the setting tool 20 has fewer parts and seals; is free of hydraulic oil; and is easier to assemble than the conventional setting tool. The setting tool 20 may be pre-assembled in a controlled environment, such as a factory, or assembled onsite.
In operation, the downhole tool to be set is attached to the setting tool 20 before run in. In some embodiments, the setting sleeve of the downhole tool is connected to the crosslink sleeve 30. Alternatively, the setting sleeve of the downhole tool is the crosslink sleeve 30. The mandrel of the downhole tool is connected to the setting mandrel 28. Alternatively, the mandrel of the downhole tool is the setting mandrel 28. The setting tool 20 is initially in the run-in position as shown in
The setting tool 20 in its initial run-in position, along with the downhole tool attached thereto, is run into the wellbore, with the downhole tool entering the wellbore first such that the setting tool 20 is uphole from the downhole tool. In this description, the terms “downhole”, “downward”, “down”, “lower”, and the like refer to the direction in the wellbore away from the surface opening of the wellbore. The downhole direction is denoted by arrow “D” in
When the downhole tool reaches a desired location in the wellbore, the setting tool 20 can be actuated. In some embodiments, to actuate the setting tool 20 to transition the tool 20 from the run-in position to the set position, the power charge 26 is ignited to generate high pressure gas. The power charge 26 may be ignited by an ignitor (not shown) or by any technique known to those skilled in the art. Since the power charge chamber 58 is fully enclosed along the length of the piston rod 48 and at the lower closed end 61, the high pressure gas in the chamber 58 is released into the upper pressure chamber 50 via the upper open end 59. As the power charge 26 combusts, the pressure in the upper pressure chamber 50 increases. The increase in pressure in the upper pressure chamber 50 exerts an axial force on the upper piston face 47 of the piston head 46 in the direction of the lower end 42 (i.e., the downhole direction D), or on the housing 22 in the direction of the upper end 40. If, in the run-in position, the free end 68 of piston rod 48 abuts against the crosslink key 32, then the force exerted on the piston 24 is transferred to the crosslink key 32. If, in the run-in position, the free-end 68 does not abut against the crosslink key 32, then the force exerted on the piston head 46 causes the piston 24 to shift downwards relative to the setting mandrel 28 towards the crosslink key 32 until the free-end 68 abuts against the crosslink key 32 and transfers the force exerted thereon to the crosslink key 32. The downward force exerted on the crosslink key 32 is in turn transferred to the crosslink sleeve 30 via aperture(s) 76. In alternative embodiments, the upward force on the housing 22 is translated to the setting mandrel 28 and crosslink sleeve 30, thus pulling the crosslink key 32 to meet the free-end 68 if the crosslink key 32 is not already abutting the free-end 68 in the run-in position. The engagement of the free-end 68 with the crosslink key 32 exerts a downward force N on the crosslink sleeve 30 via aperture(s) 76.
Once the downward force on the crosslink sleeve 30 is sufficient to break the shear screw 60, the shear screw 60 is broken (shown in
The downward movement of the piston 24 relative to the housing 22 and mandrel 28 pushes the crosslink key 32 downwards along slot(s) 74 relative to the setting mandrel 28. Because the crosslink key 32 is coupled to the crosslink sleeve 30 and the aperture(s) 76 is shorter than slot(s) 74, the downward movement of the crosslink key 32 also moves crosslink sleeve 30 downwards relative to the setting mandrel 28. The configuration of the setting tool 20 allows direct physical contact between piston 24 and the crosslink key 32 during the transition of the setting tool, so that the piston 24 to can directly exert a downward force on the crosslink key 32, without using any intermediary components or hydraulic fluids. In some embodiments, during the transition from the run-in position to the set position, the piston 24 and crosslink sleeve 30 shift downwards in direction D relative to the housing 22 and mandrel 28 (or the housing 22 and setting mandrel 28 shift upwards opposite direction D relative to the piston 24 and crosslink sleeve 30). The extent to which piston head 46 can move axially in the downhole direction D relative to the housing 22 and setting mandrel 28 is restricted by the plug 54. As a result, the piston stroke of piston 24 is limited by the plug 54 and the maximum piston stroke length depends on the initial uphole position of the piston head 46 in the run-in position and the position of the plug 54 in housing 22. Plug 54 may be configured to absorb shock when the shear screw 60 is broken and the piston head 46 bottoms out on the upper face of the plug 54.
The extent to which the crosslink key 32 (and the crosslink sleeve 30) can move axially in the downhole direction D relative to the setting mandrel 28 is limited by the length of the slot(s) 74. When the crosslink key 32 reaches the lower end 80 of the slot(s) 74, the crosslink sleeve 30 cannot move further down relative to the mandrel 28. Further, the stroke length of the piston 24 may be less than the maximum piston stroke length if the distance between the crosslink key 32 and the lower end 80 of the slot 74 is less than the distance between the lower piston face of the piston head 46 and the plug 54.
In some embodiments, the piston head 46 sealingly engages the inner surface of housing 22 for substantially the entire stroke of the piston 24. The setting tool 20 is placed in the set position, as shown in
In the illustrated embodiment shown in
After the downhole tool is set, the setting tool 20 or components thereof may be retrieved from the wellbore and brought to surface by wireline. In some embodiments, at least the housing 22 and the piston 24 are configured to be disposable after a single run of the setting tool 20. In some embodiments, some or all of the components of the setting tool 20 are disposable after a single use, which may reduce errors during subsequent setting operations related to material fatigue.
In some embodiments, at actuation, the setting tool 20 is configured to provide a pressure differential between the upper pressure chamber 50 and the lower pressure chamber 52 in the range of about 10,000 psi and 40,000 psi. In one embodiment, the setting tool 20 provides a pressure differential of about 20,000 psi. In some embodiments, at least some components of the setting tool 20, such as the housing 22 and the piston 24, are selected and configured to withstand such high pressure differentials with little or no damage thereto, for at least the time period of the power charge combustion (e.g., about 20 seconds,) such that these components can be reused after the setting tool is retrieved from the wellbore, for example, for the subsequent setting of another downhole tool.
In some embodiments, the housing 22 may have an outer diameter of about 3.8″, with an overall wall thickness in the range of about 0.5″ and about 0.9″. In one embodiment, the overall thickness of the housing wall is about 0.8″. In some embodiments, where the pressure differential is about 20,000 psi, the housing 22 is configured to withstand a minimum hoop stress of about 38 ksi at its outer surface. For example, the housing 22 may be made of a material having a yield strength of about 100 ksi and a hardness of about 28 Rc or greater. In some embodiments, the piston rod 48 may have an outer diameter of the about 1.5″, with an overall wall thickness in the range of about 0.2″ and 0.5″. In one embodiment, the overall thickness of the piston rod wall is about 0.5″. In some embodiments, the piston 24 is configured to withstand a minimum hoop stress of about 25 ksi. For example, the piston 24 may be made of a material having a yield strength of about 110 ksi and a hardness greater than about 28 Rc or greater. In embodiments where the lower pressure chamber 52 is filled with a liquid in the run-in position, the wall thickness of the housing 22 and/or the piston rod 48 may be selected to be thicker than that of embodiments where the lower pressure chamber 52 is filled with a gas, so that the housing and piston may better withstand the pressures in the upper pressure chamber 50 while the power charge combusts.
The setting tool 20 described herein is gas operated and dry fired, using only a power charge, in the absence of any hydraulic fluid, such as hydraulic oil. Since the setting tool 20 is dry fired, the setting tool may be disposed of when desired, without the need to tear down the setting tool to retrieve hydraulic fluids. The setting tool 20 also eliminates the need to redress the setting tool for subsequent use, thereby reducing the risks associated with improper rebuilding of the setting tool and eliminating the labour costs of redressing the setting tool in between runs. Further, in the absence of hydraulic oil, damage to the parts of the setting tool 20 may be reduced during setting, which may render some parts of the setting tool reusable thereafter.
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the “comprise”, “comprising”, and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense, as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”; “connected”, “coupled”, or any variant thereof, means any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more elements; the coupling or connection between the elements can be physical, logical, or a combination thereof; “herein”, “above”, “below”, and words of similar import, when used to describe this specification, shall refer to this specification as a whole, and not to any particular portions of this specification; “or”, in reference to a list of two or more items, covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list; the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” also include the meaning of any appropriate plural forms.
Where a component is referred to above, unless otherwise indicated, reference to that component should be interpreted as including as equivalents of that component any component which performs the function of the described component (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), including components which are not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the illustrated exemplary embodiments.
The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to those embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions, omissions, and sub-combinations as may reasonably be inferred. The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/017,471, filed Apr. 29, 2020, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63017471 | Apr 2020 | US |
