Patent Application
20180266201
During the drilling, work over, or plug and abandonment of oil and gas producing wells, a variety of down hole tools or components may be attached to a pipe or coiled tubing string and utilized to perform various functions within the wellbore. One such downhole component is a venturi jet basket that can be used to retrieve debris from the wellbore. Venturi jet baskets operate using the venturi effect to siphon up debris. In such a device, a high velocity jet of fluid is directed through an opening to create a pressure drop. The pressure differential between the high velocity jet of fluid and the surrounding fluid creates a siphoning effect which pulls materials into the bore of the venturi jet basket where they can be contained within debris screens or other devices and removed from the wellbore.
Embodiments described herein are directed to a venturi jet basket assembly adapted to be coupled to a tubing that extends into a wellbore. The venturi jet basket assembly includes a body and a jet nozzle subassembly. The body includes a wall that defines a passageway that extends longitudinally through the body. The body also includes an opening extending through the wall and into the passageway. The wall also includes a flute formed in an outer surface of the wall of the body. The flute is in fluid communication with the opening. The jet nozzle subassembly is disposed within the passageway and includes a jet nozzle. The jet nozzle is arranged to direct fluid received through the tubing through the opening and into the flute such that the fluid is guided into the wellbore by the flute.
Embodiments described herein are also directed to a venturi jet basket assembly adapted to be coupled to a tubing that extends into a wellbore. The venturi jet basket assembly includes a body and a jet nozzle subassembly. The body includes a wall that defines a passageway that extends longitudinally through the body. The body also includes an opening extending through the wall and into the passageway. The wall also includes a flute formed in an outer surface of the wall of the body. The flute is in fluid communication with the opening and extends helically about the body. The flute varies in depth along its length such that the flute is deeper at a first end that is adjacent to the opening than at an opposite second end. The jet nozzle subassembly is disposed within the passageway and includes a jet nozzle. The jet nozzle is arranged to direct fluid received through the tubing through the opening and into the flute such that the fluid is guided into the wellbore by the flute.
Embodiments described herein are also directed to a method of collecting debris in a wellbore. The method includes inserting a venturi jet basket assembly connected to a length of tubing into the wellbore. The venturi jet basket assembly includes a body and a jet nozzle subassembly. The body includes a wall that defines a passageway that extends longitudinally through the body. The body also includes an opening extending through the wall and into the passageway. The body also includes a flute formed in an outer surface of the wall of the body, the flute in fluid communication with the opening. The jet nozzle subassembly is disposed within the passageway and includes a jet nozzle. The method also includes directing fluid received by the jet nozzle from the tubing out through the opening and into the flute. The method also includes entrapping debris in a debris chamber of the venturi jet basket assembly.
The features of the embodiments described herein will be more fully disclosed in the following detailed description, which is to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts and further wherein:
This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. In the description, relative terms such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing figure under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and normally are not intended to require a particular orientation. Terms including “inwardly” versus “outwardly,” “longitudinal” versus “lateral” and the like are to be interpreted relative to one another or relative to an axis of elongation, or an axis or center of rotation, as appropriate. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. The term “operatively connected” is such an attachment, coupling or connection that allows the pertinent structures to operate as intended by virtue of that relationship.
Embodiments described herein are directed to a venturi jet basket assembly for use in a wellbore. As described herein, the venturi jet basket assemblies include one or more flutes on an outer surface of a body of the jet basket assembly. These flutes direct fluid discharged from the venturi jet basket assembly into a wellbore to create a vortex and, thereby, cause debris and particles in the wellbore to be dislodged and swept into the jet basket assembly for removal from the wellbore.
According to one embodiment, as shown in
The venturi jet basket assembly 10 can be coupled to a length of tubing (e.g., coil tubing) such that the venturi jet basket assembly 10 can be lowered into a wellbore. In one embodiment, the second body 14 includes internal threads 14c (shown in
In at least one embodiment, one of the first body 12 or the second body 14 includes at least one opening extending through the wall of the body. For example, as shown best in
In at least one embodiment, one of first body 12 or second body 14 includes flutes on an outer surface of the body. For example, as shown in
The first body 12 can have any number of flutes 22 and corresponding openings 20. In one embodiment, the first body 12 has between one and five flutes 22 and openings 20. In another embodiment, the first body 12 has between two and four flutes 22 and openings 20. In one embodiment, the first body 12 has three flutes 22 and openings 20. In another embodiment, the first body 12 has four flutes 22 and openings 20. In another embodiment, the first body 12 has five flutes 22 and openings 20.
In one embodiment, each of the flutes 22 extend helically about the first body 12. In such an embodiment, the fluid is guided along the exterior of the first body 12 by the helically arranged flutes 22 to create a vortex in the wellbore. This vortex can help to agitate the debris in the wellbore, thereby allowing the debris to be more readily swept into the passageway of the venturi jet basket 10. In addition, during operation, the venturi jet basket assembly 10 can be rotated about its longitudinal axis ‘A’ (shown in
In at least one embodiment, the flutes 22 vary along their length such that each flute 22 is deeper at a first end 22a that is adjacent to the opening 20 than at an opposite second end 22b. This variation in depth controls the flow of the fluid as it enters the wellbore.
The flutes 22 can be any appropriate cross-section. For example, at least a portion of the flutes 22 can have a semi-circular cross-section. Additionally, or alternatively, the at least a portion of the flutes 22 can have vertical sidewalls. In one embodiment, the bottom portion 22c of the flutes 22 has a radius that is consistent throughout the length of the flutes 22. In one embodiment, the radius is less than the depth of the flutes 22 at the first end 22a. Hence, as shown best in
In at least one embodiment, the jet nozzle subassembly 16 is coupled to a stem 26 that maintains and positions the jet nozzle subassembly 16 within the passageway 12b of the first body 12. As shown in
As noted above, the venturi jet basket assembly 10 can include a debris screen 24 disposed within the passageway 12b of the first body 12. The debris screen 24 is configured to prevent the debris swept into the passageway 12b during operation from passing into the openings 20 and back out into the wellbore. In one embodiment, the debris screen 24 is magnetic to entrap metallic debris within the wellbore. Additionally, a shoe 34 can be positioned at the distal end of the venturi jet basket 10 to interface with the wellbore. The first body 12 can include threads 12d (shown in
The venturi jet basket assembly 10 can be coupled to coil tubing that is deployed in the wellbore. In use, when fluid is pumped through the coil tubing to the venturi jet basket assembly 10, the one or more jet nozzles 18 direct the fluid through a corresponding opening 20. When a high velocity, high pressure stream of fluid is directed through the jet nozzles 18, an area of low pressure is created in the opening 20. The pressure differential between this area of low pressure and higher pressures existing in the passageway 12b causes fluid to travel from the passageway 12b into the opening 20 and along the flutes 22. Additional wellbore fluid is drawn into the passageway 12b by virtue of this process. Debris within the fluid is entrapped in the debris chamber 40 between the catcher assemblies 36, 38 and the debris screen 24. In this way, debris can be removed from within the wellbore.
In at least one embodiment, the debris chamber 40 spans multiple joints of tubing or pipe (not shown). In other words, the body 12 can be connected to one or more joints of tubing or pipe, with the debris screen 24 disposed within the body 12 and the catcher assemblies 36, 38 disposed in one of the connected joints of tubing or pipe. Hence, the debris chamber 40 is formed within the body 12 as well as the joints of tubing or pipe that are connected to the body 12.
After collection of debris by the venturi jet basket 10, it can be withdrawn from the wellbore, along with the length of tubing. The debris remains entrapped within the debris chamber 40 during withdrawal.
In another embodiment, a method of collecting debris in a wellbore is provided. The method includes deploying a venturi jet basket assembly 10 in the wellbore. The method also includes directing fluid received by the jet nozzles 18 from the tubing out through the openings 20 and into the flutes 22. The method also includes entrapping debris in the debris chamber 40 of the venturi jet basket assembly 10. The method also includes removing the venturi jet basket assembly 10 from the wellbore. In one embodiment, the method further includes rotating the venturi jet basket assembly 10 about its longitudinal axis.
Although the devices, kits, systems, and methods have been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, they are not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodiments of the devices, kits, systems, and methods, which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the devices, kits, systems, and methods.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/473,934, filed Mar. 20, 2017, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62473934 | Mar 2017 | US |
