Wells – Processes – Assembling well part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-22
2002-10-01
Neuder, William (Department: 3672)
Wells
Processes
Assembling well part
C166S055800, C166S207000, C072S119000, C072S393000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06457532
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to procedures and equipment for profiling and jointing of pipes, and relates more particularly but not exclusively to methods and apparatus for the shaping and/or expansion and/or conjoining of tubular casings in wells.
In the hydrocarbon exploration and production industry there is a requirement to deploy tubular casings in relatively narrow-bore wells, and to expand the deployed casing in situ. The casing may require to be expanded throughout its length in order to line a bore drilled through geological material; the casing may additionally or alternatively require to be expanded at one end where it overlaps and lies concentrically within another length of previously deployed casing in order to form a swaged joint between the two lengths of casing. Proposals have been made that a slotted metal tube be expanded by mechanically pulling a mandrel through the tube, and that a solid-walled steel tube be expanded by hydraulically pushing a part-conical ceramic plunger through the tube. In both of these proposals, very high longitudinal forces would be exerted throughout the length of the tubing, which accordingly would require to be anchored at one end. Where mechanical pulling is to be employed, the pulling force would require to be exerted through a drillstring (in relatively large diameter wells) or through coiled tubing (in relatively small diameter wells). The necessary force would become harder to apply as the well became more deviated (i.e. more non-vertical), and in any event, coiled tubing may not tolerate high longitudinal forces. Where hydraulic pushing is to be employed, the required pressure may be hazardously high, and in any event the downhole system would require to be pressure-tight and substantially leak-free. (This would preclude the use of a hydraulically pushed mandrel for the expansion of slotted tubes). The use of a fixed-diameter mandrel or plug would make it impracticable or impossible to control or to vary post-deformation diameter after the start of the expansion procedure.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide new and improved procedures and equipment for the profiling or jointing of pipes or other hollow tubular articles, which obviate or mitigate at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art.
In the following specification and claims, references to a “pipe” are to be taken as references to a hollow tubular pipe and to other forms of hollow tubular article, and references to “profiling” are to be taken as comprising alteration of shape and/or dimension(s) which alteration preferably takes place substantially without removal of material.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a profiling method for profiling a pipe or other hollow tubular article, the profiling method comprising the steps of applying a roller means to a part of the pipe bore selected to be profiled, translating the roller means across the bore in a direction including a circumferential component while applying a force to the roller means in a radially outwards direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, and continuing such translation and force application until the pipe is plastically deformed substantially into the intended profile.
The deformation of the pipe may be accomplished by radial compression of the pipe wall or by circumferential stretching of the pipe wall, or by a combination of such radial compression and circumferential stretching.
Said direction may be purely circumferential, or said direction may partly circumferential and partly, longitudinal.
Said roller means is preferably peripherally profiled to be complementary to the profile into which the selected part of the pipe bore is intended to be formed.
The selected part of the pipe bore may be remote from an open end of the pipe, and the profiling method then comprises the further steps of inserting the roller means into the open end of the pipe (if the roller means is not already in the pipe), and transferring the roller means along the pipe to the selected location. Transfer of the roller means is preferably accomplished by the step of actuating traction means coupled to or forming part of the roller means and effective to apply along-pipe traction forces to the roller means by reaction against parts of the pipe bore adjacent the roller means.
The profiling method according to the first aspect of the present invention can be applied to the profiling of casings and liners deployed in a well (e.g. a hydrocarbon exploration or production well), and the profile created by use of the method may be a liner hanger, or a landing nipple, or another such downhole profile of the type which previously had to be provided by inserting an annular article or mechanism into the well, lowering it the required depth, and there anchoring it (which required either a larger diameter of well for a given through diameter, or a restricted through diameter for a given well diameter, together with the costs and inconvenience of manufacturing and installing the article or mechanism). Additionally or alternatively, the profiling method according to the first aspect of the present invention can be applied to increasing the diameter of a complete length of pipe; for example, where a well has been cased to a certain depth (the casing having a substantially constant diameter), the casing can be extended downwardly by lowering a further length of pipe (of lesser diameter such that it freely passes down the previously installed casing) to a depth where the top of the further length lies a short way into the lower end of the previously installed casing and there expanding the upper end of the further length to form a joint with the lower end of the previously installed casing (e.g. by using the method according to the second aspect of the present invention), followed by circumferential expansion of the remainder of the further length to match the bore of the previously installed casing.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a conjoining method for conjoining two pipes or other hollow tubular articles, said conjoining method comprising the steps of locating one of the two pipes within and longitudinally overlapping one of the other of the two pipes, applying roller means to a part of the bore of the inner of the two pipes at a location where it is intended that the two pipes be conjoined, translating the roller means across the bore in a direction including a circumferential component while applying a radially outwardly directed force to the roller means, and continuing such translation and force application until the inner pipe is plastically deformed into permanent contact with the outer pipe and is thereby conjoined thereto.
Said deformation may be accomplished by radial compression of the pipe wall or by circumferential stretching of the pipe wall, or by a combination of such radial compression and circumferential stretching.
Said direction may be purely circumferential, or said direction may be partly circumferential and partly longitudinal.
The location where the pipes are intended to be conjoined may be remote from an accessible end of the bore, and the conjoining method then comprises the further steps of inserting the roller means into the accessible end of the bore (if the roller means is not already in the bore), and transferring the roller means to the intended location. Transfer of the roller means is preferably accomplished by the step of actuating traction means coupled to or forming part of the roller means and effective to apply along-bore traction forces to the roller means by reaction against parts of the pipe bore adjacent the roller means.
The conjoining method according to the second aspect of the present invention can be applied to the mutual joining of successive lengths of casing or liner deployed in a well (e.g., a hydrocarbon exploration or production well), such that conventional screw-threaded connectors are not required.
According to third
Moser, Patterson & Sheridan L.L.P.
Neuder William
Weatherford / Lamb, Inc.
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