Patent Application
20230193715
The present disclosure relates generally to wellbore retrieval operations, and more particularly, to the use of a specialized fishing tool comprising a shroud and camera in order to visualize the fish and ensure coupling before and during retrieval of the fish.
In the drilling, completion, and operation of a well, wellbore components may be inserted and removed from the wellbore. Some examples of these components are packers, motors, pumps, sensors, sliding sleeves, liners, whipstocks, valves, cement shoe assemblies, drill bits, stuck pieces of tubing string, and the like. Fishing tools are used to retrieve these and other wellbore components, which may be referred to as a fish, by attaching to the fish securely when downhole and pulling the fish to the surface. In some fishing operations it may be difficult to attach the fishing tool to the fish and to also confirm that the fish is securely attached to the fishing tool. These complications may be due to the nature of the fishing operation being remotely downhole and in the dark and narrow wellbore. In other fishing operations, multiple trips may be made in order to visualize the fish and then retrieve it once it is located and its orientation can be determined.
Provided are improvements to wellbore retrieval operations, through the use of a specialized fishing tool comprising a shroud and camera in order to visualize the fish and ensure coupling before and during retrieval of the fish.
Illustrative examples of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, which are incorporated by reference herein, and wherein:
The illustrated figures are only exemplary and are not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the environment, architecture, design, or process in which different examples may be implemented.
The present disclosure relates generally to wellbore retrieval operations, and more particularly, to the use of a specialized fishing tool comprising a shroud and camera in order to visualize the fish and ensure coupling before and during retrieval of the fish.
In the following detailed description of several illustrative examples, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration, examples that may be practiced. These examples are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice them, and it is to be understood that other examples may be utilized, and that logical structural, mechanical, electrical, and chemical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosed examples. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the examples described herein, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the illustrative examples is defined only by the appended claims.
Unless otherwise specified, any use of any form of the terms “connect,” “engage,” “couple,” “attach,” or any other term describing an interaction between elements is not meant to limit the interaction to direct interaction between the elements and may also include indirect interaction between the elements described. Further, any use of any form of the terms “connect,” “engage,” “couple,” “attach,” or any other term describing an interaction between elements includes items integrally formed together without the aid of extraneous fasteners or joining devices. In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to.” Unless otherwise indicated, as used throughout this document, “or” does not require mutual exclusivity.
The terms uphole and downhole may be used to refer to the location of various components relative to the bottom or end of a well. For example, a first component described as uphole from a second component may be further away from the end of the well than the second component. Similarly, a first component described as being downhole from a second component may be located closer to the end of the well than the second component.
The examples described herein relate to the use of a specialized fishing tool comprising a shroud and camera in order to visualize the fish and ensure coupling before and during retrieval of the fish. The fishing tool may reduce the difficulty of the retrieval operation by allowing real-time visualization of the fish so that the fishing tool may be manipulated to couple to the fish successfully. Another advantage is that the camera allows for continuous confirmation during the retrieval operation that the fish has remained coupled to the fishing tool as the fishing tool is pulled uphole. As a further advantage, the fishing tool comprises a shroud which shields the camera, couples the fishing tool to the shroud, and allows for the flow of a fluid downhole. The fluid may be used to clean the camera, to clean the fish, and to ensure a clear field of vision for the camera as it is conveyed downhole. An additional advantage is that the camera comprises lights (e.g., light-emitting diodes) to provide clear visualization of the fish in the wellbore. A further advantage is that the internal structure of the fishing tool may be covered with a non-reflective material to ensure that the lights do not reflect off the fishing tool surface and impair visualization of the fish. An additionally advantage is that the fishing tool is able to retrieve the fish in one trip downhole as it can visualize the fish, couple to the fish, and ensure that the coupled arrangement is maintained as the fishing tool is conveyed uphole.
With continued reference to
The fish 55 may be any wellbore tool or component of the same including packers, motors, pumps, sensors, sliding sleeves, liners, whipstocks, valves, cement shoe assemblies, drill bits, and the like. Alternatively, the fish 55 may comprise stuck pieces of tubing string, casing, wellbore conduits, dislodged pieces of the wellbore that form blockages, etc.
With reference to
There is no need for a separate visualization operation prior to insertion of the specialized fishing tool 45 and a camera 5 may not be sent downhole to visualize the fish 55 in a separate operation prior to insertion of the specialized fishing tool 45. This single-trip process reduces overall operation time. Moreover, should the fish 55 uncouple from the specialized fishing tool 45 during capture, there is no need to remove the specialized fishing tool 45 to perform a separate visualization operation as the camera 5 is already present and may visualize the decoupled fish 55 to recouple it in the same single-trip operation.
It is to be understood that the specialized fishing tool 45 and its components as depicted in
It is to be recognized that the specialized fishing tool may also directly or indirectly affect the various downhole equipment and tools that may contact the specialized fishing tool disclosed herein. Such equipment and tools may include, but are not limited to, wellbore casing, wellbore liner, completion string, insert strings, drill string, coiled tubing, slickline, wireline, drill pipe, drill collars, mud motors, downhole motors and/or pumps, surface-mounted motors and/or pumps, centralizers, turbolizers, scratchers, floats (e.g., shoes, collars, valves, etc.), logging tools and related telemetry equipment, actuators (e.g., electromechanical devices, hydromechanical devices, etc.), sliding sleeves, production sleeves, plugs, screens, filters, flow control devices (e.g., inflow control devices, autonomous inflow control devices, outflow control devices, etc.), couplings (e.g., electro-hydraulic wet connect, dry connect, inductive coupler, etc.), control lines (e.g., electrical, fiber optic, hydraulic, etc.), surveillance lines, drill bits and reamers, sensors or distributed sensors, downhole heat exchangers, valves and corresponding actuation devices, tool seals, packers, cement plugs, bridge plugs, and other wellbore isolation devices, or components, and the like. Any of these components may be included in the apparatus, methods, and systems generally described above and depicted in
Provided are methods for retrieving a fish from a wellbore. An example method comprises introducing a specialized fishing tool into the wellbore, the specialized fishing tool comprises a fishing subassembly comprising a nonreflective interior, a shroud coupled to the fishing subassembly, and a camera disposed at least partially within the shroud and configured to view the interior of the fishing subassembly. The method further comprises conveying the specialized fishing tool downhole in the wellbore to a location of the fish, visualizing the fish with the camera, coupling the fish to the fishing subassembly, and retrieving the fish from the wellbore.
Additionally or alternatively, the method may include one or more of the following features individually or in combination. The fish may be contacted with a fluid ejected from the specialized fishing tool prior to coupling the fish to the fishing subassembly. The fish may be visualized by the camera as it is being retrieved from the wellbore. There may be no prior operation to send a camera to visualize the fish prior to the introducing the specialized fishing tool into the wellbore. The specialized fishing tool may further comprise at least one light. The light's brightness may be controlled via a control signal conveyed from an operator. The camera may be controlled via a control signal conveyed from an operator. There may be an annular space between the shroud and the camera configured to allow fluid flow therethrough. The camera may be selected from the group consisting of a camera with down view capability, a camera with flowthrough capability, a camera without flowthrough capability, and any combination thereof. The shroud may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of steel, stainless steel, a nickel-chromium alloy, plastic, aluminum, nickel, carbon fiber, fiberglass, alloys thereof, and any combination thereof. The fishing subassembly may comprise a fishing mechanism selected from the group consisting of an overshot tool, a flow-activated overshot tool, a mechanical overshot tool, a centralizer tool, a pulling tool, a jar tool, a hammer tool, a running tool, and any combination thereof. The nonreflective interior of the fishing subassembly may comprise a nonreflective paint.
Provided is a specialized fishing tool. An example specialized fishing tool comprises a fishing subassembly comprising a nonreflective interior, a shroud coupled to the fishing subassembly, and a camera disposed at least partially within the shroud and configured to view the interior of the fishing subassembly.
Additionally or alternatively, the specialized fishing tool may include one or more of the following features individually or in combination. The specialized fishing tool may further comprise at least one light. The light's brightness may be controlled via a control signal conveyed from an operator. The specialized fishing tool may further comprise an annular space between the shroud and the camera configured to allow fluid flow therethrough. The camera may be selected from the group consisting of a camera with down view capability, a camera with flowthrough capability, a camera without flowthrough capability, and any combination thereof. The camera may be controlled via a control signal conveyed from an operator. The shroud may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of steel, stainless steel, a nickel-chromium alloy, plastic, aluminum, nickel, carbon fiber, fiberglass, alloys thereof, and any combination thereof. The fishing subassembly may comprise a fishing mechanism selected from the group consisting of an overshot tool, a flow-activated overshot tool, a mechanical overshot tool, a centralizer tool, a pulling tool, a jar tool, a hammer tool, a running tool, and any combination thereof. The nonreflective interior of the fishing subassembly may comprise a nonreflective paint.
Provided are systems for retrieving a fish from a wellbore. An example system comprises a specialized fishing tool comprising: a fishing subassembly comprising a nonreflective interior, a shroud coupled to the fishing subassembly, and a camera disposed at least partially within the shroud and configured to view the interior of the fishing subassembly. The system further comprises a top tool assembly coupled to the shroud.
Additionally or alternatively, the system may include one or more of the following features individually or in combination. The specialized fishing tool may further comprise at least one light. The light's brightness may be controlled via a control signal conveyed from an operator. The specialized fishing tool may further comprise an annular space between the shroud and the camera configured to allow fluid flow therethrough. The camera may be selected from the group consisting of a camera with down view capability, a camera with flowthrough capability, a camera without flowthrough capability, and any combination thereof. The camera may be controlled via a control signal conveyed from an operator. The shroud may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of steel, stainless steel, a nickel-chromium alloy, plastic, aluminum, nickel, carbon fiber, fiberglass, alloys thereof, and any combination thereof. The fishing subassembly may comprise a fishing mechanism selected from the group consisting of an overshot tool, a flow-activated overshot tool, a mechanical overshot tool, a centralizer tool, a pulling tool, a jar tool, a hammer tool, a running tool, and any combination thereof. The nonreflective interior of the fishing subassembly may comprise a nonreflective paint. The system may further comprise a wireline coupled to the top tool assembly.
The preceding description provides various examples of the systems and methods of use disclosed herein which may contain different method steps and alternative combinations of components. It should be understood that, although individual examples may be discussed herein, the present disclosure covers all combinations of the disclosed examples, including, without limitation, the different component combinations, method step combinations, and properties of the system. It should be understood that the compositions and methods are described in terms of “comprising,” “containing,” or “including” various components or steps. The systems and methods can also “consist essentially of” or “consist of the various components and steps.” Moreover, the indefinite articles “a” or “an,” as used in the claims, are defined herein to mean one or more than one of the element that it introduces.
For the sake of brevity, only certain ranges are explicitly disclosed herein. However, ranges from any lower limit may be combined with any upper limit to recite a range not explicitly recited, as well as ranges from any lower limit may be combined with any other lower limit to recite a range not explicitly recited. In the same way, ranges from any upper limit may be combined with any other upper limit to recite a range not explicitly recited. Additionally, whenever a numerical range with a lower limit and an upper limit is disclosed, any number and any included range falling within the range are specifically disclosed. In particular, every range of values (of the form, “from about a to about b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a to b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a-b”) disclosed herein is to be understood to set forth every number and range encompassed within the broader range of values even if not explicitly recited. Thus, every point or individual value may serve as its own lower or upper limit combined with any other point or individual value or any other lower or upper limit, to recite a range not explicitly recited.
One or more illustrative examples incorporating the examples disclosed herein are presented. Not all features of a physical implementation are described or shown in this application for the sake of clarity. Therefore, the disclosed systems and methods are well adapted to attain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those that are inherent therein. The particular examples disclosed above are illustrative only, as the teachings of the present disclosure may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular illustrative examples disclosed above may be altered, combined, or modified, and all such variations are considered within the scope of the present disclosure. The systems and methods illustratively disclosed herein may suitably be practiced in the absence of any element that is not specifically disclosed herein and/or any optional element disclosed herein.
Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims.
