The invention relates to cutting tools and more specifically to waterjet cutting tools for use in cutting wellbore casings and components used in or associated to wellbore casings.
Oilfield wellheads and spools have various attachments, referred to herein and encompassed by the expression wellbore casings and associated components, that require adjustment, replacement, or removal from time to time through normal operation of the well, or in the process of abandonment of the well. These components can be difficult to remove when corroded or otherwise worn or seized in place.
Conventional hand tools may not be effective in removing these components and “hot methods” such as torch cutting, heating, drilling and machining for removal are often not acceptable because of the explosive nature of the well and its environment.
To use conventional methods requires that the well be isolated through different processes that are time consuming and expensive. Conventional methods can also cause damage to the wellhead, casings or related or associated components.
Safer and/or more convenient methods are desired to eliminate or reduce the risk of explosion and/or to provide faster or more convenient setup, adjustment and/or cutting and/or to carry out less costly component removal for repairs or abandonment.
A waterjet cutting tool that connects to a wellbore casing or suitable associated component thereof is provided. The waterjet cutting tool uses a cutting solution, typically comprising water and an abrasive, that may be used to cut various components of a well including for example a wellbore casing, flanges, connectors, liners, valves, piping, etc. The waterjet cutting tool includes both a radial adjustment capability and an annular adjustment capability allowing for movement of the cutting nozzle about at least a portion of the wellbore casing. In this way, various components of the well may be cut and removed as necessary to carry out maintenance, replacement of components, additional of components and/or abandonment of the well as desired.
In one embodiment, the present invention provides for a waterjet cutting tool for radial connection to a wellbore casing for cutting the wellbore casing or suitable components thereof, the waterjet cutting tool comprising:
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the tool further comprises a carriage assembly in communication with the radial adjustment unit and the annular adjustment assembly, onto which the waterjet nozzle is directly or indirectly mounted.
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the waterjet cutting tool further comprises a connection device for associating the waterjet cutting tool to the wellbore casing or suitable component thereof.
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the connection device comprises:
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the radial adjustment unit is radially adjustable relative a vertical axis of the wellbore by means of a radially adjusting assembly.
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the radially adjusting assembly comprises a adjustment member for radial orientation relative the wellbore and an adjustment control operationally associated with the adjustment member for controlling the radial distance of the waterjet nozzle from the wellbore casing or suitable component.
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the carriage assembly and radial guide track each comprise a guide element adapted for interaction therebetween for guiding the carriage assembly along the radial guide track.
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the radial adjusting assembly is integrated into the carriage assembly.
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the adjustment member is a threaded member and the adjustment control is a hand wheel or powered wheel.
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the annular adjustment assembly comprises an annular sector gear track for interaction with a carriage pinion gear mounted on the carriage assembly for guiding the carriage assembly along the sector gear track thereby adjusting the annular position of the nozzle when the carriage pinion gear is activated.
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the annular sector gear track has an annular curve such that movement along the annular sector gear track by the carriage assembly maintains a substantially consistent distance of the carriage assembly from the vertical axis of the wellbore when the cutter tool is connected to the wellbore casing.
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the tool further comprises a drive motor for driving the carriage assembly along the annular sector gear track.
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the drive motor is a carriage drive motor and the carriage pinion gear is a drive gear and the carriage drive motor is in connection with the carriage pinion drive gear for driving the carriage assembly along the annular sector gear track.
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the annular adjustment assembly further comprises a waterjet nozzle position adjustment assembly for vertically and/or horizontally adjusting the position of the waterjet nozzle.
In a further embodiment of the waterjet cutting tool or tools as outlined above, the waterjet nozzle position adjustment assembly allows for 3-dimensional adjustment and orientation of the waterjet nozzle.
In yet a further embodiment, the present invention provides for a waterjet cutting tool for radial connection to a wellbore casing for cutting the wellbore casing or suitable components thereof, the waterjet cutting tool comprising:
Described herein are embodiments of waterjet cutting tools and methods of making and using same that are intended to be illustrative of the inventive concept and are not intended to be limiting in any way. Various modifications, adjustments, revisions, substitutions and/or alterations to the tools, methods and uses described herein may be carried out without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention and are intended to be within the scope of the invention.
It will be appreciated that reference to a wellbore casing or casing herein is intended to also encompass any suitable components associated to a wellbore casing that a waterjet cutting tool may be used to cut, mount thereto, or brace thereagainst, including but not limited to, a wellbore head and/or wellhead, casings, casing hangers, flanges, connectors and components thereof including studs, dog bolts, etc., piping, valves, liners, strings, production well casings and components thereof, steam injection wells and components thereof, etc.
Further, it will be appreciated that reference to a wellbore casing or casing when used in connection with the attachment or association of the waterjet cutting tool encompasses but is not limited to the attachment of the waterjet cutting tool to a wellbore casing, casing head, suitable flange, wellhead or any suitable generally round or cylindrical component of the well onto which the cutting tool may be connected or associated. Attachment of the waterjet cutting tool to a central component of the well, such as the tubing hanger via a spigot adapter that threads into the tubing hanger, that is at the center of the wellhead is ideal. Attachment to central component allows for ease of set up, manipulation of the cutter about the casing and ease of adjustment between cuts as the waterjet cutting tool is connected to a centralized position and is therefore more easily centered itself and more easily manoeuvered about a central position for making cuts.
In various embodiments, the present invention provides for a waterjet cutting tool that may be connected to a wellbore casing, or suitable associated or related components thereof as referred to above such as a casing head or mating flange, for cutting the wellbore casing or suitable components thereof using a suitably high pressure cutting solution.
In certain embodiments of the waterjet cutting tool, a waterjet nozzle may annularly rotate about the wellbore casing or a vertical axis thereof for at least a portion of the circumference of the wellbore casing allowing for cutting of the wellbore casing. The waterjet cutting tool may also be adapted such that it maintains the waterjet nozzle at a substantially consistent radial distance from the wellbore casing as it is rotated about the casing.
In this way, various components of the well may be cut and removed as necessary to carry out maintenance, replacement of components, additional of components and/or abandonment of the well as desired.
One embodiment of a waterjet cutting tool is shown with reference to
In
In the embodiments shown in
As outlined above, the tool may alternatively be attached to the spigot adapter threaded into the tubing hanger. This centers the tool about a centralized position thereby maintaining the tool a consistent radial distance during annular rotation of the tool. The spigot adapter may be installed first into the tubing hanger as well as the shaft. The cutting tool can then be installed on the shaft with a bearing and the height of the tool can be adjusted to orient the nozzle in a desired location.
In addition, to help reduce flexing of the tool when pressurized or during changes in pressurization, one or more stabilizer arms may be employed to brace the tool, for example, against the wellhead, casing, or suitable components thereof.
The radial adjustment assembly also comprises a radial adjustment unit 105 for allowing adjustment of the radial distance of the nozzle 120 laterally from the well casing 200. This may include for example a threaded rod or component that may be rotated by a hand wheel 135, or machine driven mechanism causing radial movement of the nozzle 120. It will be appreciated that any suitable device or setup may be used that allows for radial adjustment such as a scissor mechanism, and the invention is not limited to threaded adjustment and encompasses both hand and mechanised operation of the adjustment assembly.
Attached to the radial adjustment assembly is the annular adjustment assembly. In the embodiments shown in
By controlling the radial adjustment unit 105 to adjust the radial distance between the carriage assembly 170 and the casing 200, a proper radial distance may be selected that allows for a substantially consistent distance between the carriage assembly 170 and attached nozzle 120 and the casing or the vertical axis thereof during travel of the carriage assembly 170 along the sector gear track 110.
It will be appreciated that the sector gear track 110 and the carriage pinion gear 155 are simply illustrative of one potential setup for allowing annular movement of the carriage assembly about the casing or vertical axis thereof. Any suitable setup may be used, for example a track with ball bearings, a track with wheels, a tongue and grove, etc. for guiding the carriage assembly 170 annularly about the casing.
As shown in
The bracket 310 is rotatable about the spigot shaft 315 and mounts to the sector gear track 110 and can replace the radial guide track 145 shown in
The height of the tool 100 on the spigot shaft 315 can be adjusted to orient the nozzle (not shown in
It will be appreciated that spigot adapters 335 of various different sizes and diameters may be used to accommodate different tubing hangers.
In addition, to help reduce flexing of the cutting tool 100 when pressurized or during changes in pressurization, one or more stabilizer arms may be employed to brace the tool, for example, against the wellhead, casing, or suitable components thereof. The stabilizer arms may be bolted, clamped or even welded in place to aid in further bracing the cutting tool 100.
The carriage assembly 170 may then be radially adjusted to control the radial distance of the cutting nozzle from the casing 200 or suitable component.
The waterjet nozzle 120 is mounted to the annular adjustment assembly and, in the embodiments shown, the carriage assembly 170, with a nozzle position adjustment assembly 140 that can allow for various adjustment and orientation of the nozzle 120. This may include vertical, lateral and/or horizontal adjustment of the nozzle 120 allowing for limited or full 3-dimensional adjustment of the nozzle 120. This allows for suitable alignment and/or orientation of the nozzle 120 relative the surface or component to be cut. For example, as shown in
The nozzle position adjustment assembly 140 may include various clamps, rods and hinges, ball joints or shoulder joints for example as needed to allow for greater adjustment ability. The person of skill in the art will be aware of the various components needed to allow for greater flexibility of the movement and orientation of the nozzle 120.
The person of skill in the art will be aware of suitable cutting pressures and ratios of water to sand or other suitable abrasives. In one example, a suitable cutting pressure may be between 10,000 to 50,000 psi. Pressure may also be regulated during cutting if, for example, the radial distance between the surface to be cut and the nozzle 120 fluctuates.
Any suitable waterjet cutting nozzle 120 may be used for cutting well casings and components associated thereto. The cutting nozzle 120 shown in
A carriage drive motor 130 may be used to drive the carriage along the radial guide track about the vertical axis of the casing. In the embodiments shown, the carriage drive motor 130 drives the carriage pinion gear 155 as the carriage pinion gear 155 is a pinion drive gear. It will be appreciated that any suitable drive motor may be used or may optionally by driven by hand or other suitable power sources.
The nozzle 120 is typically placed in a generally perpendicular orientation relative the surface to be cut and the nozzle position adjustment assembly 140 may be used to obtain proper or desirable orientation of the nozzle 120 relative the surface. One orientation for cutting a flange connection stud 220 is shown with reference to
The tool 100 may also be used to cut internal components of the casing and casing assembly a sleeve 240 or retaining bolts 230 as shown with reference to
It will be appreciated that the present invention has been described with reference to various embodiments and examples, all of which are intended for illustrative and non-limiting purposes. Various modifications, alterations, adjustments, substitutions and revisions may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/521,800, filed Jun. 19, 2017, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62521800 | Jun 2017 | US |