U.S. patent application number 10/366936 was filed with the patent office on 2003-11-20 for tubular goods and liners.
Invention is credited to Davis, Robert H..
Application Number | 20030213596 10/366936 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29549879 |
Filed Date | 2003-11-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030213596 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Davis, Robert H. |
November 20, 2003 |
Tubular goods and liners
Abstract
Disclosed herein are tubular goods and tubular good liners which
decrease or eliminate friction and mechanical wear and decrease or
eliminate chemical corrosion to the walls of the tubular good. The
liners may include a diffusion barrier, an adhesive, and a friction
and wear resistant layer.
Inventors: |
Davis, Robert H.; (Katy,
TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CONLEY ROSE, P.C.
P. O. BOX 3267
HOUSTON
TX
77253-3267
US
|
Family ID: |
29549879 |
Appl. No.: |
10/366936 |
Filed: |
February 14, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60367132 |
May 16, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
166/369 ;
166/242.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16L 15/001 20130101;
E21B 17/00 20130101; E21B 17/1007 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/369 ;
166/242.4 |
International
Class: |
E21B 017/00 |
Claims
1. A tubular good comprising: an outer pipe layer; and an inner
layer, wherein the inner layer comprises a diffusion barrier and a
friction reducing layer, and wherein the diffusion barrier is
disposed radially outward of the friction reducing layer.
2. The tubular good of claim 1 further comprising an adhesive layer
disposed between the diffusion barrier and the friction reducing
layer.
3. The tubular good of claim 1 wherein the tubular good is an oil
country tubular good.
4. The tubular good of claim 1 wherein the tubular good is a
flowline tubular good.
5. The tubular good of claim 1 wherein the diffusion barrier
comprises a vinyl alcohol.
6. The tubular good of claim 1 wherein the friction reducing layer
comprises a polyolefin.
7. The tubular good of claim 1 wherein the compound represented by
the following formula: 2is used as an additive to bond the
diffusion barrier and the friction reducing layer.
8. The tubular good of claim 1 wherein the friction reducing layer
comprises polyethylene.
9. The tubing good of claim 1 wherein the friction reducing layer
comprises a homopolymer.
10. The tubing good of claim 1 wherein the friction reducing layer
comprises a copolymer.
11. The tubing good of claim 1 wherein the friction reducing layer
comprises polypropylene.
12. The tubing good of claim 1 further comprising a third layer
radially outward from the diffusion barrier and radially inward
from the outer pipe layer.
13. A method of preparing a tubular good, the method comprising:
providing an outer tubular layer; providing an inner tubular layer;
wherein the inner tubular layer comprises a chemical barrier and a
wear reducing layer; wherein the chemical barrier is disposed
radially outward from the wear reducing layer; inserting the inner
tubular layer into the outer tubular layer.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising bonding the chemical
barrier to the wear reducing layer.
15. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing an adhesive
layer disposed between the chemical barrier and the wear reducing
layer, wherein the adhesive layer bonds the chemical barrier to the
wear reducing layer.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the compound represented by the
following formula: 3is used as an additive to bond the diffusion
barrier and the friction reducing layer.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein the wear reducing layer
comprises a polyolefin.
18. The method of claim 13 wherein the wear reducing layer
comprises polyethylene.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein the diffusion barrier comprises
a vinyl alcohol.
20. The method of claim 13 wherein the wear reducing layer
comprises a copolymer.
21. The method of claim 13 wherein the wear reducing layer
comprises polypropylene.
22. The method of claim 13 wherein the wear reducing layer
comprises a homopolymer.
23. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing a third
layer wherein the third layer is disposed radially outward from the
diffusion barrier and radially inward from the outer tubular
layer.
24. A tubular good liner comprising: a wear barrier; and a
diffusion barrier; wherein the diffusion barrier is disposed
radially outside of the wear barrier; and wherein the diffusion
barrier is bonded to the wear barrier.
25. The tubular good of claim 24 further comprising an adhesive
layer bonding the wear barrier to the diffusion barrier.
26. The tubular good liner of claim 24 wherein the compound
represented by the following formula: 4is used as an additive to
bond the diffusion barrier and the friction reducing layer.
27. The tubular good liner of claim 24 wherein the wear barrier
comprises polyethylene.
28. The tubular good liner of claim 24 wherein the wear barrier
comprises polypropylene.
29. The tubular good liner of claim 24 wherein the diffusion
barrier comprises a vinyl alcohol.
30. The tubular good liner of claim 24 wherein the wear barrier
comprises a homopolymer.
31. The tubular good liner of claim 24 wherein the wear barrier
comprises a copolymer.
32. The tubular liner of claim 24 further comprising a third layer
disposed radially outward from the diffusion barrier.
33. A tubular good liner comprising: a means for reducing friction;
a means for preventing diffusion of a compound; and a means for
bonding the means for reducing to the means for preventing; wherein
the means for preventing is disposed radially outward from the
means for reducing.
34. A tubular good liner comprising polypropylene.
35. The tubular good liner of claim 34 wherein the tubular good is
an oil country tubular good.
36. The tubular good liner of claim 34 wherein the tubular good is
a flowline tubular good.
37. The tubular good liner of claim 34 wherein the tubular good is
a slurry transport line.
38. The tubular good liner of claim 34 wherein the tubular good is
a solution mining tubular good.
39. The tubular good liner of claim 34 wherein the tubular good
houses a reciprocating member.
40. The tubular good liner of claim 34 wherein the tubular good
contains a rotating member.
41. The tubular good liner of claim 34 wherein the tubular good
transports abrasive material.
42. A method for producing well fluids: providing a rod pumping
system comprising at least one sucker rod disposed within a string
of tubing which extends into said well, the string of tubing
comprising at least one tubing section having a bore and an inside
diameter; a down hole pump operably connected to the at least one
sucker rod; and means for reciprocating the at least one sucker
rod; wherein a liner comprising polypropylene is disposed within
the bore of the tubing to eliminate or reduce contact between the
at least one sucker rod and the tubing string.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Serial No. 60/367,132, filed May 16, 2002, incorporated
herein by reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND
[0003] Tubular goods, such as oil country tubular goods ("OCTG's")
(e.g., well casing, tubing, drillpipe, drill collars, and line
pipe) and flowline tubular goods, are often used for transportation
of gases, liquids, and mechanical equipment, including various
applications related to extraction of petroleum and natural gas
from underground reservoirs, transportation of petroleum, natural
gas, and other materials, such as solution mining and slurry
transport lines in the mining industry. OCTG's may be used to
transport the product from the underground reservoir, and also to
house mechanical equipment (e.g., artificial lift devices, rod
couplings, plungers, reciprocating rod pumping units, rotating
progressive cavity pumps, and plunger lift units), electrical
equipment (e.g., well monitoring equipment), and/or transport gases
or liquids for disposal operations or secondary removal operations.
These gases and liquids may contain corrosive materials such as, by
way of example only, salt water, dissolved oxygen, CO.sub.2, or
H.sub.2S. In addition, flowline tubular goods may be used to
transport petroleum, petroleum products, natural gas, or other
gases or liquids from one point to another. The gases and liquids
which flow within flowlines may, comprise corrosive and/or abrasive
components. In addition, flowline tubular goods may also
occasionally require the use of mechanical equipment, such as pigs,
to clean or service the tubular good.
[0004] With respect to moving mechanical equipment and abrasive
fluids, such as reciprocating or rotating rods or pumps or drilling
or mining slurries (e.g., drilling mud), friction and abrasion may
cause wear, fatigue, and even failure of the pipe and/or the
equipment. In addition, this wear, fatigue, or failure may be
accelerated due to the presence of corrosive or abrasive materials,
such as, for example CO.sub.2, or by deviations in the direction of
the well bore. One method of combatting this wear in oil well
production equipment is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. RE36,362 to
Jackson, incorporated herein by reference.
[0005] In addition to the possible acceleration of mechanical wear,
fatigue, and failure, the presence of corrosive material, in and of
itself, may cause chemical damage to the OCTG's and flowline
tubular goods. By way of example only, the presence of CO.sub.2,
when contacted with metal or other materials may cause corrosion,
dusting, rusting, or pitting, which may lead to failure of the
material. In addition, the presence of microbiological active
agents, such as bacteria, may produce chemicals which influence or
accelerate corrosion.
[0006] It would therefore be desirable to create tubular goods
which decrease or eliminate the mechanical and/or chemical wear,
fatigue, or failure caused by the conditions surrounding the
extraction of materials such as petroleum or natural gas and
transportation of materials, thereby potentially increasing the
life and productivity of the tubular good.
SUMMARY
[0007] Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for reducing or
eliminating the mechanical and/or chemical wear, fatigue, and
failure on tubular goods. The methods comprise disposing a liner
along at least a portion of the tubular good. The liner may
decrease friction, thereby decreasing mechanical wear as well as
reducing the amount of energy necessary to operate the mechanical
tool or pump the abrasive fluid. In addition, the liner may also
comprise a material which is resistant to particular chemicals or a
barrier to particular chemicals, thereby decreasing or eliminating
contact between the chemicals and the tubular good and decreasing
or eliminating the wear or corrosion caused by those chemicals.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a tubular good in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a cross section of a tubular good in accordance
with embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown metal tubing 30,
coupling 36, and liner 40. Two joints of metal tubing 30, having an
inner diameter 32 and outer diameter 34, are connected together by
coupling 36. Disposed within each tubing joint 30 adjacent to its
inner surface 38 is a liner 40 (an embodiment of which is shown in
detail in FIG. 2). Liner 40 may be a multilayer system comprising
both a wear resistant material and a diffusion barrier. In some
embodiments, where gas diffusion is of minimal or no concern, liner
40 may comprise a layer comprising only a wear barrier such as
polypropylene with no diffusion barrier being present.
[0011] The liner 40 may be disposed within the tubing 30 by any one
of several methods known in the art. One method of disposing the
liner within the tubing bore is to provide a polymer liner having
an outside diameter which is slightly greater than or equal to the
inner diameter of the tubing section pipe having an outside
diameter larger than the internal diameter of the tubing. Reduce
the outside of the liner and insert the reduced diameter liner
within the tubing. After the liner is in place, it will attempt to
substantially return to its original shape and will become secured
within the tubing section via process called plastic deformation.
There may be numerous methods of reducing the outside diameter of
the liner for insertion into a tubing section are available. For
example, rollers may be used to mechanically reduce the outside
diameter of the liner by the desired amount and to push the liner
into the tubing joint. Other methods include pulling the liner
through a sizing sleeve or orifice and pushing the reduced diameter
liner into place in the tubing.
[0012] One method of disposing the polymer liners within the tubing
sections includes providing a liner having an initial outside
diameter similar to or larger than the inner diameter of the
tubing, reducing the outer diameter of the liner by mechanical
means and inserting the liner into the tubing bore. The ends of the
polymer liner may then be softened using a heat source and formed
around the end of the external pipe thread on the metal pipe. In
some cases, the ends may be reinforced for additional structural
integrity. The ends may then be joined onto a coupling (with or
without an internal coating or corrosion resistant insert) used to
join each stick of lined pipe. The process ultimately provides a
one-piece seamless liner in each joint that is mechanically bonded
to the metal pipe ID. The wall thickness of the claimed liners is
preferably between about 2 and 10 millimeters. The diameter of the
claimed liners may be between about 20 and 700 millimeters or
greater. In the embodiments shown in FIG. 1, the thickness "t" of
the liner 40 is about 4 millimeters.
[0013] Referring now to FIG. 2 (not to scale), there is shown lined
tubular good 100 comprising outer layer 110, diffusion barrier 120,
adhesive layers 130 and 160 (optional), and friction and wear
reducing layers 140 and 150 outer layer 110 may be a metal tubular
good such as an OCTG, a flowline tubular good, or a solution mining
or slurry transport line. The tubular good liner is preferably
comprised of elements 120, 130, 140, 150, and 160. Friction and
wear reducing layers 140 and 150 may comprise, by way of example
only, polyethylene or polypropylene. Layers 140 and 150 may or may
not consist of the same material. Diffusion reducing layer may
comprise, by way of example only, a vinyl alcohol such as polyvinyl
alcohol. Layer 140 may be bonded to diffusion barrier 120 by any
method as would be appreciated by one of skill in the art. By way
of example only, layers 120 and 140 may be bonded by adhesive layer
130 and layers 150 and 120 may be bonded by adhesive layer 160.
Adhesive layers 130 and 160 may be, but are not necessarily, the
same adhesive. Adhesive layers 130 and 160 may comprise, any
acceptable polymer adhesive as is known in the art, such as
copolymers.
[0014] In addition, layers 120 and 140 may be bonded by the
addition of additives to the layers, by way of example only,
2,5-furandione, the chemical structure of which is set forth as
Formula 1 below: 1
[0015] when added to the layers may cause the layers to become
bonded together without the need for additional adhesives.
[0016] The layers are typically coextruded through a specially
designed extrusion die head using multiple extruders. The melted
polymer layers are then cooled into one continuous seemless
tube.
[0017] While embodiments of the invention have been described
herein, it will be recognized and understood that various
modifications may be made and the appended claims are intended to
cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and
scope of the invention. By way of example only, the friction and
wear reducing layer may comprise nucleated polypropylene;
polyolefins containing nanocomposites or other additives to control
diffusion rates; impact copolymer grade polypropylene; homopolymer
grade polypropylene; heterophasic copolymers; fractional melt grade
polypropylene; other thermoplastics coextruded with polypropylene;
reactor made thermoplastic polyolefins; metallocene catalyzed
polypropylenes; random copolymer polypropylenes; blends, alloys,
filled or reinforced polypropylene or polyethylene containing other
polyolefins and structural reinforcement. In addition, additives
may be included in the polymer to increase the lubricity of the
liner material and decrease the coefficient of friction of the
product.
[0018] The gas diffusion barrier may comprise other polymers,
organic or inorganic materials, or metals. In some embodiments,
this barrier is chosen to reduce or eliminate the permeation of
carbon dioxide through liners utilized in CO.sub.2 floods and WAG
(water-alternating-gas) injection systems for oil production
enhanced recovery operations.
[0019] In embodiments in which the friction wear reducing layer and
the diffusion barrier are chemically bonded 2,5-furandione or other
similar additives may be used. The layers may also be bound by any
acceptable adhesive as is known in the art. For example, an
acceptable adhesive may comprise a copolymer. It is also envisioned
that the friction wear reducing layer and the diffusion barrier
need not be directly bonded together. There may be intermediate
layers between the two. Additionally, there may be layers radially
outward or inward of the diffusion barrier. By way of example only,
the diffusion barrier may be sandwiched between the friction and
wear reducing layer and a third layer. The third layer may be of
the same or different material as the friction and wear reducing
layer.
* * * * *