U.S. patent application number 10/995857 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-02 for setting method for coiled tubing run, through tubing bridge plug.
This patent application is currently assigned to Baker Hughes Incorporated. Invention is credited to Arnold, George S., Kelbie, Graeme M., MacKenzie, Gordon R..
Application Number | 20050115720 10/995857 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34710044 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050115720 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MacKenzie, Gordon R. ; et
al. |
June 2, 2005 |
Setting method for coiled tubing run, through tubing bridge
plug
Abstract
A through tubing downhole tool, such as a bridge plug is
delivered on coiled tubing. The setting process entails an initial
pressurization to anchor the tool and compress its sealing element.
The remainder of the needed force for setting the tool can come
from an upward pull on the coiled tubing. Should more force than
can be delivered from a pull on the coiled tubing be required to
finish the setting and releasing process from the downhole tool, a
jar or impact tool can be incorporated to boost the applied uphole
force that is delivered from the pull on the coiled tubing at the
surface. Alternatively, a pressure amplifier can be fitted to the
coiled tubing so that a smaller pressure applied to the coiled
tubing at the surface can deliver the required force to set and
release from the downhole tool.
Inventors: |
MacKenzie, Gordon R.;
(Cypress, TX) ; Arnold, George S.; (Houston,
TX) ; Kelbie, Graeme M.; (Cypress, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DUANE, MORRIS, LLP
3200 SOUTHWEST FREEWAY
SUITE 3150
HOUSTON
TX
77027
US
|
Assignee: |
Baker Hughes Incorporated
|
Family ID: |
34710044 |
Appl. No.: |
10/995857 |
Filed: |
November 23, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60526214 |
Dec 2, 2003 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
166/387 ;
166/135; 166/384 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 33/134 20130101;
E21B 23/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/387 ;
166/384; 166/135 |
International
Class: |
E21B 023/00 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A method of actuating a tool delivered on delivery tubing,
comprising: connecting the tool to the delivery tubing; delivering
the tool on said delivery tubing initiating actuation of said tool
with applied pressure in said delivery tubing: completing the
actuation of said tool with an applied force.
2. The method of claim 1, comprising: using coiled tubing for said
delivery tubing; delivering said tool on said coiled tubing through
existing well tubing into a portion of the well having a larger
diameter than said well tubing; providing said applied force by
movement of said delivery tubing.
3. The method of claim 2, comprising: providing a force enhancing
device on said delivery tubing.
4. The method of claim 3, comprising: using a jar tool for said
force enhancing.
5. The method of claim 4, comprising: using a high expansion packer
or bridge plug for said tool.
6. The method of claim 2, comprising: using a high expansion packer
or bridge plug for said tool.
7. The method of claim 6, comprising: setting an anchor on said
packer or bridge plug with said applied pressure in said delivery
tubing.
8. The method of claim 7, comprising: increasing the diameter of a
sealing element of said packer or bridge plug with said applied
pressure in said delivery tubing.
9. The method of claim 8, comprising: completing movement of an
actuating rod and releasing from the packer or bridge plug with
said applied force.
10. The method of claim 9, comprising: enhancing said applied force
with a tool mounted to said delivery tubing.
11. The method of claim 10, comprising: using a jar tool to enhance
said applied force.
12. The method of claim 1, comprising: using coiled tubing for said
delivery tubing; delivering said tool on said coiled tubing through
existing well tubing into a portion of the well having a larger
diameter than said well tubing; using fluid pressure to complete
the actuation of said tool.
13. The method of claim 12, comprising: providing a fluid pressure
multiplier in said delivery tubing to limit applied pressure near
the surface in said delivery tubing while having sufficient
pressure at said tool to fully actuate it.
14. The method of claim 13, comprising: using a high expansion
packer or bridge plug for said tool.
15. The method of claim 14, comprising: setting an anchor on said
packer or bridge plug with said applied pressure in said delivery
tubing.
16. The method of claim 15, comprising: increasing the diameter of
a sealing element of said packer or bridge plug with said applied
pressure in said delivery tubing.
17. The method of claim 16, comprising: completing movement of an
actuating rod and releasing from the packer or bridge plug with
said applied pressure.
Description
PRIORITY INFORMATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/526,214 filed Dec. 2, 2003.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The field of the invention is high expansion bridge plugs
and more particularly those that are run through tubing on coiled
tubing and set below the tubing in much larger casing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Many times during the life of a well certain perforations
need to be closed off for a variety of reasons, one of which is
that the formation begins to produce water or other contaminants in
large quantities. A convenient way to do this is to use a bridge
plug. Bridge plugs that are small enough to run through existing
tubing and then get set in casing below the tubing can be used to
avoid the time and expense of removal of the production tubing from
the wellbore. There are several ways to get the bridge plug to the
desired position. The faster ways include coiled tubing and
electric line. Additionally, rigid tubing stands can be threaded
together to deliver the bridge plug. Rigid tubing is a slower
process, normally requires the well to be killed and therefore is
less economical.
[0004] Electric line used in combination with a locally set
explosive charge can provide the needed force on a small piston
area that is necessitated by a through tubing application to get
the required amount of setting force to set the bridge plug and
release from the setting tool. Such electric line set setting tools
can also achieve the very long stroke required to effectively set a
through tubing bridge plug in far larger casing. These stroke
requirements can reach as long as about 2 meters. However,
depending on well depth and trajectory, it may not be possible to
advance the bridge plug through the tubing with electric line. In
such situations, the coiled tubing alternative is the alternative
with the shortest run in time.
[0005] Another issue with electric line run through tubing bridge
plugs is that frequently after the bridge plug is run through
tubing and set in casing, cement is delivered on top of the set
bridge plug to aid in sealing off the perforations in question. The
normal way this cement is delivered is using multiple trips with a
slender carrier that is run down to the set bridge plug, where the
cement is released. Sometimes 6 or 7 round trips may be required to
deliver the requisite volume of cement on top of the bridge plug.
This process not only takes time but also introduces other pitfalls
in getting the proper cement placement.
[0006] Coiled tubing also has limitations in an application of a
through tubing bridge plug. The pressure that needs to be developed
in the coiled tubing at the surface to get the required force to
set the packer and release from it could be in the order of
11-15,000 pounds per square inch (PSI). Ordinary coiled tubing is
generally limited to about 5,000 PSI maximum working pressure.
Special order coiled tubing to take higher pressure can be located
in some markets, but its availability is so limited and its cost so
prohibitively high so as to make running the bridge plug through
tubing not economically worth while. In deviated wellbores, coiled
tubing can be effective at delivery of a through tubing bridge plug
to the desired location, where an electric line is not workable.
The problem is how to get the required setting force with the
pressure limitations on generally available types of coiled
tubing.
[0007] The present invention seeks to overcome these shortcomings
of coiled tubing for delivery and set of through tubing bridge
plugs and other downhole tools that require high forces to set. One
solution offered by the present invention is to place a pressure
amplifier adjacent the through tubing bridge plug so that lower
pressures at the surface can set the tool downhole. While this
solution has possibilities, it also brings about additional issues
of having to configure amplifiers for particular applications and,
as a result, requires technicians with greater skills than may be
available at a well site when the bridge plug is run. Additionally,
incorporating a pressure booster also ads cost in a situation where
the additional cost may make running the through tubing bridge plug
not economically feasible. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment
of the present invention a multi-step setting process is
envisioned. It begins with hydraulic pressure applied through the
tubing to initiate the set and is followed by a pulling force to
continue the process. Where pulling alone will not result in a
sufficient setting force, tools such as jars or impact hammers can
be tripped with the pulling force applied to the coiled tubing to
enhance the setting force. Those skilled in the art will more
readily appreciate these and other aspects of the present invention
by a review of the description of the preferred embodiment, the
drawings and the claims, which appear below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A through tubing downhole tool, such as a bridge plug is
delivered on coiled tubing. The setting process entails an initial
pressurization to anchor the tool and compress its sealing element.
The remainder of the needed force for setting the tool can come
from an upward pull on the coiled tubing. Should more force than
can be delivered from a pull on the coiled tubing be required to
finish the setting and releasing process from the downhole tool, a
jar or impact tool can be incorporated to boost the applied uphole
force that is delivered from the pull on the coiled tubing at the
surface. Alternatively, a pressure amplifier can be fitted to the
coiled tubing so that a smaller pressure applied to the coiled
tubing at the surface can deliver the required force to set and
release from the downhole tool.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a part section view of a bridge plug during the
run in and after it has exited the tubing in the wellbore;
[0010] FIG. 2 is the view of FIG. 1 in the set position;
[0011] FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 1 except an impact device is added
to increase the setting force that results from an upward pull on
the coiled tubing; and
[0012] FIG. 4 is the view of FIG. 3 in the set position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] Referring to FIG. 1 the bridge plug 10 is in the run in
position. Anchor linkage 12 is in the collapsed position and
element 14 is at its smallest diameter. An actuating rod 16 extends
through element 14 and anchor linkage 12 to a hydraulically
operated setting tool 18. The setting tool 18 is operated by
pressure applied to coiled tubing 20. Such applied pressure
provides an uphole force to move rod 16 in the uphole direction. As
shown in FIG. 2, this initial pressure applied through coiled
tubing 20 causes the anchor linkage to get shorter in length and
larger in diameter until it makes contact with the casing or
wellbore (not shown). In the FIG. 2 position with the anchor
linkage 12 providing resistance, further upward movement of rod 16
responsive to applied pressure in coiled tubing 20 will compress
the element 14 as well as the petal type backup rings 22 and 24.
However, the pressure in coiled tubing 20 is not sufficient to
complete the setting process and break the link 26 on rod 16 to
allow removal of the settling tool 18. To fully set the tool 10,
surface personnel can apply a pulling force within the limits of
the coiled tubing 20 to set the bridge plug 10 and break the link
26.
[0014] In some applications the combination of pressure, in the
order of about 500-1000 PSI, combined with pulling of the coiled
tubing will not be enough force to set the bridge plug 10 and break
the link 26. In that case, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 another device
responsive to the pull force on coiled tubing 20 or responsive to a
combination of pull force and fluid flow from pumping can be
mounted to the coiled tubing 20, so as to enhance the
uphole-applied force to the bridge plug 10 to allow it to fully
set. This device 28 can be an impact hammer tool or any one of a
variety of known jar tools some of which are used in fishing
operations.
[0015] An alternative way to set the bridge plug 10 is to insert a
pressure amplifier in the location where the tool 28 is shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4 and to apply pressure into the coiled tubing 20 to a
pressure within its normal working pressure and boost that pressure
with the amplifier sufficiently to get the needed force on setting
rod 16.
[0016] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a variety of
downhole tools, apart from bridge plugs, can be set using the
techniques described above. In situations where well conditions do
not permit electric line delivery and where through tubing is the
preferred technique, the methods of the present invention allow for
delivery of required setting and release forces applied to a
running tool while making use of the tensile capabilities of the
coiled tubing. The incorporation of force enhancing devices to the
coiled tubing further broadens the spectrum of applications where a
greater setting force could be required. Alternatively, pressure
amplifiers can be used with coiled tubing to deliver a setting
pressure at the running tool that is well in excess of the
capabilities of the surface equipment and the coiled tubing itself.
While rigid tubing can be used, coiled tubing is preferred because
it is much more economical to run in a through tubing application.
The present invention is not limited to through tubing
applications, but the greatest economies can be achieved by using
the methods of the present invention in such applications.
[0017] The above description is illustrative of the preferred
embodiment and many modifications may be made by those skilled in
the art without departing from the invention whose scope is to be
determined from the literal and equivalent scope of the claims
below:
* * * * *