Wells – With electrical means – Indicating
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-28
2003-12-02
Bagnell, David (Department: 3672)
Wells
With electrical means
Indicating
C166S242100, C166S113000, C175S048000, C175S040000, C073S152550, C073S152510
Reexamination Certificate
active
06655452
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a carrier apparatus for connection with a pipe string for use in transporting or conveying at least one gauge downhole through a borehole.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
In both the drilling and production of boreholes, it is often necessary to insert or introduce gauges or test instruments into the borehole in order to obtain information regarding borehole parameters or other downhole conditions such as temperature, pressure or flow rate. In this regard, carrier tools or apparatuses, commonly referred to as bundle carriers, are used for transporting or conveying the gauges or instrument bundles downhole in the borehole. Generally, the carrier apparatus is comprised of an elongate tubular section having a bore therethrough and which is threaded at its upper and lower ends for connection into the pipe string, such as a drill string or production string. As a result, fluids such as drilling or productions fluids flow through the pipe string by passing through the bore of the carrier apparatus.
One form of carrier apparatus is comprised of one or more elongate slots or voids extending longitudinally within the wall of the carrier apparatus spaced circumferentially about the bore of the apparatus to provide an unobstructed central flow path. The gauges are positioned or suspended within the slots. Thus, the gauges are located internally within the wall of the carrier apparatus such that they are completely housed within the apparatus. Typically, the bore of the carrier apparatus is centrally located such that a wall thickness between the bore of the apparatus and the outer circumference or perimeter of the apparatus is relatively uniform around the circumference. However, where necessary to accommodate the slots or voids within the wall thickness, the bore of the apparatus may be eccentrically located to provide a thicker wall portion and a thinner wall portion, wherein the slot or void is located within the thicker wall portion.
Examples of this form of carrier apparatus are provided by the Instream Gauge Carriers manufactured by Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,123 issued Dec. 8, 1987 to Christensen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,225,830 issued Dec. 28, 1965 to Livingston, U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,169 issued Jun. 14, 1994 to Delatorre, PCT Publication No. WO87/02095 published Apr. 9, 1987 by Wierzba and U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,705 issued Feb. 24, 1976 to Glotin et. al.
As discussed above, a “full bore” string and an unobstructed flow path through the carrier apparatus are preferred in most operations to allow the running of various downhole tools and equipment into and out of the borehole, as well as permit the unobstructed flow of fluid therethrough. Thus, the minimum circumference of the bore of the carrier apparatus is dependent upon the need to accommodate the passage of such downhole tools and equipment therethrough and to provide a “full bore” pipe string. Further, to facilitate the transport of the carrier apparatus through the borehole, the outer diameter or circumference of the carrier apparatus will be limited by the size of the borehole. Accordingly, preferably, the outer circumference of the carrier apparatus does not exceed the outer diameter or circumference of the pipe string.
The difference between the outer circumference of the apparatus and the circumference of the bore of the apparatus provides a limited wall thickness of the carrier apparatus. For some gauges or instruments, this limited wall thickness may be insufficient for forming the longitudinally extending slots or voids therein as discussed above, whether the bore is concentrically or eccentrically positioned, while still providing adequate structural strength to withstand the pressures and axial loads encountered in the downhole operations. Specifically, the carrier apparatus must have adequate mechanical strength to withstand the pressures, torque and stretch that can be exerted on the pipe string during normal drilling or production operations.
Thus, in a further form of carrier apparatus, the carrier apparatus is comprised of one or more slots extending longitudinally along the outside of the apparatus wall for receiving the gauges. The gauges or instruments are then secured within the slots. Thus, the gauges are secured externally to the wall of the carrier apparatus and are not completely housed within the apparatus. Rather, the gauges and the slots are accessible externally of the apparatus. Once again, in order to provide a necessary wall thickness to accommodate the formation of an external slot therein, the bore of the carrier apparatus may be either centrally or eccentrically located within the apparatus.
Examples of this form of carrier apparatus are provided by the BC-100 Memory Gauge Bundle Carrier manufactured by Micro-Smart Systems, Inc., the Gauge Carrier manufactured by The Expro Group, U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,304 issued May 31, 1988 to King, U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,771 issued Jun. 10, 1986 to Comeau, U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,995 issued Dec. 16, 1986 to Young et. al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,481 issued Feb. 18, 1986 to McLaurin.
Referring to The Expro Group Carrier Gauge the pressure or temperature gauge is secured within an external slot in the carrier body by a gauge clamp. King provides a pivoting measuring instrument which is connected into an externally formed elongate slot by pivotal instrument support means. When pivoted into the slot, a locking mechanism, such as a locking ring, secures the measuring instrument therein. Similarly, McLaurin provides an elongate arcuate or semi-circular slot machined in the outer surface of the carrier body for receipt of a cylindrical instrument bundle therein. The instrument bundle is connected into the slot and retained in place by pressure port adapters, a jig and a retaining ring. Comeau mounts a gauge externally in a groove milled out of a gauge carrier. Straps or clamps are provided to secure the gauge in the groove.
Young et. al. provides one more pressure gauges mounted externally on a gauge carrier. Specifically, the body of the carrier is machined longitudinally to provide three flat surfaces arranged in a triangular configuration about the bore of the carrier body. A lengthwise extending semi-rectangular groove is formed in each of the three flat surfaces for receiving the outer cylindrically shaped housing of the pressure gauges. At various locations along the length of each pressure gauge housing, clamp members are provided to frictionally affix the gauge housing to the carrier body. The clamp members have interior curved surfaces to conform to the outer cylindrical surface of the gauge housing. The clamping members provide a frictional clamping force which permits the gauge housing to longitudinally shift therein.
However, again, the wall thickness may be insufficient for forming the longitudinally extending slots along the outside of the apparatus wall, while still providing adequate structural strength or integrity to the apparatus. Specifically, the wall thickness may be insufficient to effectively constrain the carrier apparatus from expanding radially under the influence of pressure from within the bore of the apparatus or forces tending to deform the carrier apparatus.
Thus, there remains a need for a gauge or measuring instrument carrier apparatus for connection with a pipe string such that the gauges may be transported through a borehole as part of the pipe string, where the pipe string, and thus the carrier apparatus, is relatively small in diameter or otherwise is relatively thin walled. Particularly, there is a need for a carrier apparatus having adequate structural strength or integrity where the carrier apparatus is relatively small in diameter or is relatively thin walled.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a carrier apparatus for connection with a pipe string for use in transporting at least one gauge downhole through a borehole. The present invention is particularly suited for circumstances where the pipe string and the carrier apparatus are relatively small in diam
Bagnell David
Bomar Shane
Kuhaschuk Terrence N.
Rodman & Rodman
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