Patent Application
20240183228
This disclosure relates to tubular connections.
Wellbore strings such as production strings and drill strings direct fluid between a surface of a wellbore and a downhole location of the wellbore. During drilling, production, wellbore stimulation, or other wellbore operations, a wellbore string can leak fluid through one or more of its connections. Mechanical issues can lead to leakage of fluid out of or into the wellbore string, which can lead to damage and other problems that are costly to fix.
Implementations of the present disclosure include a pipe assembly that includes a first pipe, a second pipe, and a collar. The first pipe has a first external thread and a first annular lip that resides between the first external thread and a rim of the first pipe. The first annular lip has a first external seal surface and a first internal annular beveled surface. The second pipe has a second external thread and a second annular lip that resides between the second external thread and a rim of the second pipe. The second annular lip includes a second external seal surface and a second internal annular beveled surface. The collar is disposed between and threadedly coupled to the first pipe and the second pipe to form a coupling connection. The collar has a first internal thread threadedly coupled to the first external thread and a second internal thread threadedly coupled to the second internal thread. The collar has a bore residing between the first internal thread and the second internal thread to contact, with the coupling connection formed, the first external seal surface and the second external seal surface to form a metal-to-metal seal that is energized under fluid pressure at the first and second internal annular beveled surfaces.
In some implementations, the collar further includes a third annular lip residing between the first internal thread and a first rim of the collar pipe. The third annular lip has a first internal seal surface and a first external annular beveled surface. The collar further includes a fourth annular lip residing between the second internal thread and a second rim of the collar pipe. The fourth annular lip includes a second internal seal surface and a second external annular beveled surface. The first and second internal seal surfaces contact, with the coupling connection formed, respective external walls of the first and second pipes form a metal-to-metal seal that is energized under fluid pressure at the first and second external annular beveled surfaces to prevent fluid from flowing across the coupling connection.
In some implementations, the first pipe and second pipe are disposed within a wellbore and flow production fluid or injection fluid. The first pipe and the second pipe have an external diameter of less than 7 inches.
In some implementations, the first external thread includes a first tapered thread, a second tapered thread, and a shoulder residing between the first tapered thread and the second tapered thread. The first tapered thread includes a first square thread with a first flank slanted with respect to a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the first pipe and the second tapered thread includes a second square thread with a second flank slanted with respect to the plane. The first internal thread has two corresponding tapered threads spaced by a shoulder. The two corresponding tapered threads are threadedly coupled to the first and second tapered threads.
In some implementations, the first internal thread includes a load flank and the first external thread includes a stab flank. The load flank is slanted at an angle of between negative 2° and negative 8° with respect to the plane. The stabbing flank has a positive angle of between 7° and 15° with respect to the plane.
In some implementations, the shoulder of the first external thread bears, with the coupling connection formed, against the shoulder of the first internal thread, increasing a torsional capacity of the coupling connection absent a shoulder.
In some implementations, the first tapered thread is less coarse than the second tapered thread.
In some implementations, the pipe assembly also has a sealing ring disposed at one of the shoulders to form, with the other one of the shoulders, a seal.
In some implementations, the first and second external threads include a concave root to form, with the coupling connection formed, a dope pocket defined between the concave root and a crest of the first and second internal threads. The dope pocket increases a galling resistance of the threads with respect to a threaded connection with a flat root and crest.
In some implementations, the first pipe includes an internal upset including a section converging from a first bore of the first pipe to a second bore of the first pipe. The second bore spans the length of the first threaded end and defines an internal diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the first bore.
In some implementations, the section is slanted at an angle of between 1° and 30° with respect to a longitudinal axis of the first pipe.
In some implementations, the first thread includes a crest tapered inwardly in a direction extending from a start of the thread to the rim and with respect to the longitudinal axis.
In some implementations, the collar has an annular groove between a transition between the bore and the first internal thread. The annular groove forms a dope pocket configured to retain lubricant to release stress from the first internal thread during make up.
Implementations of the present disclosure also include a method that includes connecting a first pipe to a collar. The first pipe has a first external thread and a first annular lip residing at an end of the first pipe. The collar has a first internal thread and a second internal thread with a bore residing between the first and second internal threads. Connecting the first pipe to the collar includes threadedly coupling the first external thread to the first internal thread of the collar such that a seal surface of the first annular lip contacts the bore of the collar to form a first metal-to-metal seal. The method also includes connecting a second pipe to the collar. The second pipe has a second external thread and a second annular lip that resides at an end of the second pipe. Connecting the second pipe to the collar includes threadedly coupling the second external thread to the second internal thread of the collar such that a seal surface of the second annular lip contacts the bore of the collar to form a second metal-to-metal seal. The method also includes pressurizing the first pipe and the second pipe to apply fluid pressure to the first and second annular lips. The method also includes energizing the first and second metal-to-metal seals and increasing the contact pressure of the first and second metal-to-metal seals.
In some implementations, the first pipe has an intermediate shoulder, and connecting the first pipe to the collar includes threadedly connecting the first pipe until the shoulder bears against an intermediate shoulder of the collar.
The present disclosure describes a pipe assembly that has a threaded and coupled type connection. Specifically, the pipe assembly has a double taper threaded and coupled connection formed with a coupling attached to an upper pipe and a lower pipe. The coupling contacts an outer surface of the pipes and the pipes contact an inner surface of the coupling to form a seal that is energized under pressure to prevent fluid from flowing across the connection. The pipe assembly also has tapered threads, dope pockets, and internal upsets to increase the reliability of the connection.
Particular implementations of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented so as to realize one or more of the following advantages. For example, the pipe assembly of the present disclosure can increase the connection sealability during moderate to high-pressure procedures post-installation and during production, which can reduce the risk of loss of connection sealability and reduce the need to perform work over operations. Additionally, the pipe assembly can prevent horizontal scratches or dents from causing loss of connection sealability because the seal can be energized to increase the contact force of the seal. Additionally, the pipe assembly has tapered crest/root threads that can increase the galling resistance of the connection by reducing the contact force between the crest and the root of the threads during connection makeup.
The first external thread 108 can be straight or tapered. For example, the first external thread 108 can have a first tapered thread 118, a second tapered thread 120, and a shoulder 121 between the first tapered thread 118 and the second tapered thread 120. As further described in detail below with respect to
Furthermore, the stress-bearing thread 118 can be less coarse than the leading thread 120. This can help reduce the risk of cross threading as well as improving operational efficiency of the make-up process. In addition, the double taper profile enables deep stabbing while reducing the risk of cross-threading to as low as practicable using best practice procedure for spin-in and make up process.
The second pipe 104 is the same as the first pipe 102. For example, the second pipe has a second external thread and a second annular lip residing between the second external thread and a rim of the second pipe. The second annular lip has a second external seal surface and a second internal annular beveled surface.
When the coupling connection 105 is formed, the collar 106 resides between (and is threadedly coupled to) the two pipes 102, 104. The collar 106 has an internal thread 128 that corresponds with the external thread 108 of the first pipe 102. The internal thread 128 has a first internal thread 138 that threadedly couples to the first external tapered thread 118 and a second internal thread 140 that threadedly couples to the second external tapered thread 120.
The collar 106 also has a bore 150 that resides between the first threads of the two pipes 102, 104. The bore 150 contacts, with the coupling connection 105 formed, the first external seal surface 114 and the second external seal surface 115 of the second pipe 104 to form respective metal-to-metal seals that are energized under fluid pressure. For example, internal fluid pressure applied at the first annular beveled surface 116 and second annular beveled surface increase the contact force between the lips 110 and the bore 150 to increase the reliability of the seal and prevent fluid from flowing across the connection 105. In other words, the seal formed between the lips 110 and the bore 150 prevents fluid from flowing between the interior of the pipes and the annulus 101.
The collar pipe 106 also has an annular lip 160 that resides between the internal thread 128 of the collar 106 and a rim 162 of the collar 106. The annular lip 160 has an internal seal surface 164 and an external annular beveled surface 166. The internal seal surface 164 contacts, with the coupling connection formed, the external wall 170 or external surface of the first pipe 102 to form a metal-to-metal seal that is energized under fluid pressure at the annulus 101 to prevent fluid from flowing across the coupling connection 105. The collar 106 has an annular lip 180 on the opposite end of the collar 106. The annular lip 180 is the same as the annular lip 160 and forms a metal-to metal seal with the outer surface of the second pipe 104 that is also energized under fluid pressure at the annulus 101.
In some implementations, the pipes 102, 104 are part of a wellbore pipe (e.g., a production pipe) or completion that forms a relatively large annular clearance with the wellbore 103. For example, the pipes 102, 104 can have an external diameter that is between 2 and 7 inches (e.g., 3.5 or 4.5 inches) or larger and the wellbore can have an internal diameter larger than 8 inches (e.g., a production casing with an external diameter of 9.625 inches). Completions with a large annular clearance can lead to helical buckling during production operations with associated high dogleg severity (DLS), which can exceed the connection sealability limit. The connection 105 described herein can help the piping maintain sealability without the need of reducing the annular clearance or utilizing more robust pipes or threaded connections that have high sealability limits.
Referring now to
In some implementations, the first pipe 102 and second pipe 104 have a sealing ring 202 at or near the mid shoulder 121. The sealing ring 202 forms a seal that prevents fluid from flowing across the threaded connection in case fluid leaks through the metal-to-metal seals 200. Additionally, the intermediate shoulder 121 can promote self-alignment of the connection during stabbing.
Additionally, the shoulder 121 can reduce, in combination with the double taper profile, the risk of cross threading. For example, the shoulder 121 of the first pipe 102 bears against the shoulder of the coupling 106 to increase the torsional capacity of the coupling connection with comparison to connections that do not have two contacting shoulders.
The bore of the first and second pipes 102, 104 has an internal upset 122 that increases the thickness of the pin (e.g., the threaded end) of the pipes 102, 104. The increased cross-sectional area following the upset 122 can increase the torsional capacity of the pipes 102, 104. The upset 122 includes a section that converges from a first bore section 208 of the pipe 102 to a second bore 210 of the pipe 102. The second bore section 210 spans the length of the first threaded end and has an internal diameter that is smaller than the internal diameter of the first bore section 208.
The angle “b” of the internal upset is, for example, between 1° and 60° (with respect to the central axis “A” of the pipes), and preferably between 1° and 30° (within a tolerance of −2° to +0°). For example, if the pipes 102, 104 have an outer diameter that is less than 7 inches, the angle “b” can be between 1° and 10° (e.g., 5°). If the pipes 102, 104 have an outer diameter that is greater than 7 inches (e.g., greater than 9.625 inches), the internal upset chamfer angle “b” can range between 15° to 30°. Additionally, both edges of the internal upset 122 can be rounded off with a radius of, for example, between 5 and 30 millimeters (e.g., 15-millimeter radius). The upset 122 can be disposed at, before, or after the beginning of the thread 108. For example, the upset 122 can be disposed before the threads 108 (to the left of the threads 108 in
Moreover, the thread 126 of the first pipe 102 has a concave root 216 and the thread 128 of the coupling 106 has a crest 218 (e.g., a flat or straight crest) to form, with the coupling connection formed, a dope pocket 220. The dope pocket 220 is defined between the concave root 216 and the crest 218. The crest 218 can be straight or concave (or slightly convex) to form a space between the crest 218 and the root 216. The dope pocket 220 increases a galling resistance of the threads 126, 128 and of the threaded connection in comparison to a threaded connection with a flat root and crest (e.g., a threaded connection without a dope pocket between the root and crest). The dope pocket 220 makes room for a lubricant to keep the threads 126, 128 lubricated, which can increase the galling resistance of the threads 126, 128.
Additionally, the crest 222 of the first pipe 102 has a crest tapered inwardly to form an angle “c” with respect to the longitudinal axis (and in some cases with respect to the root) of the pipe 102. The angle “c” can be, for example, between 1° and 30° (e.g., 10° or 15°)
Moreover, the collar 106 (or the first pipe 102) has an annular groove 226 at the transition between the bore surface 150 and the first internal thread 228. The annular groove 226 forms a dope pocket 230 that releases stress (e.g., by allowing lubricant to reside at the dope pocket 230) during make up.
The second pipe 104 has the same characteristics as the first pipe 102 and therefore the features of the first pipe 102 and its connection with the coupling 106 as described above are the same for the second pipe 102.
The pipes 102, 104 and collar 106 can be made of metal (e.g., steel) or a similar material. The pipes can be part of a production string or an injection string. In some cases, the pipes can be part of a different assembly such as a drill string or a piping system outside of a wellbore.
Although the following detailed description contains many specific details for purposes of illustration, it is understood that one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many examples, variations and alterations to the following details are within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary implementations described in the present disclosure and provided in the appended figures are set forth without any loss of generality, and without imposing limitations on the claimed implementations.
Although the present implementations have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made hereupon without departing from the principle and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure should be determined by the following claims and their appropriate legal equivalents.
The singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
As used in the present disclosure and in the appended claims, the words “comprise,” “has,” and “include” and all grammatical variations thereof are each intended to have an open, non-limiting meaning that does not exclude additional elements or steps.
As used in the present disclosure, terms such as “first” and “second” are arbitrarily assigned and are merely intended to differentiate between two or more components of an apparatus. It is to be understood that the words “first” and “second” serve no other purpose and are not part of the name or description of the component, nor do they necessarily define a relative location or position of the component. Furthermore, it is to be understood that that the mere use of the term “first” and “second” does not require that there be any “third” component, although that possibility is contemplated under the scope of the present disclosure.
