Wells – With electrical means – Magnetic
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-12
2001-05-15
Suchfield, George (Department: 3672)
Wells
With electrical means
Magnetic
C166S212000, C166S241600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230796
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to a technique for optimizing the installation, use and operation down hole of auxiliary equipment employed during the production of fluids from subsurface reservoirs.
2. Summary of Prior Art
It is a common practice in the oil and gas industry to optimize the use of auxiliary equipment in well bores using metallic pipes. These devices are inserted into the pipes and used to provide energy, register and/or acquire data or manipulate and activate equipment and systems in the well bores. It is also known that these devices have limited mechanical resistance therefore, the weight of these devices, acting on their cross-sectional area, creates stresses that are higher than their inherent mechanical resistance. It is therefore necessary to distribute their total weight in limited sections. The partial weight of these sections must be loaded onto an internal section of the metallic pipe and throughout the required length.
The operation of inserting the total length of these devices into the metallic pipe is carried out by extending its length onto a surface and then inserting the auxiliary equipment and devices. The devices are inserted from one side of the metallic pipe by the use of cables or tubes that are pulled from the other side. In order to overcome the mechanical limitations imposed by the limited mechanical strength of the devices, a mechanism that takes the weight of the devices when in the vertical position in the well bore is attached.
When the installation of the devices through its entire length in the internals of the metallic pipe is completed, including the load bearing mechanisms attached to the devices, the metallic pipe is then spooled onto a reel of large diameter for eventual utilization in the well bores. The problem to be resolved is unloading the weight of the devices to the internal walls of the metallic pipe for each particular section and through the entire length of the metallic pipe. This is achieved at the end of the inserting process when all the suspending mechanisms are placed into the pipe; they must be activated simultaneously.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,351 discloses anchoring mechanisms that are activated by mechanical forces and by chemical action provided by purpose made fluids introduced into the metallic pipe. The use of chemicals is problematic because in most cases they are of a corrosive nature. The actuation and release of each anchoring mechanism that is gripping the internal walls of the metallic pipe is also very complex and difficult to achieve. Additionally, this gripping action creates damaging indentations and deformation onto the walls of the metallic pipe that can lead to a failure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved system or apparatus for optimizing the use of auxiliary equipment in down hole operations in wells.
According to the present invention, an apparatus for optimizing the use of auxiliary equipment in down hole operations in wells is provided, which comprises a housing for introduction inside a metallic pipe, the housing having an outer surface spaced from the inner wall of the pipe, a plurality of retractable elements mounted on the outer surface of the housing, and a plurality of permanent magnets also mounted on the outer surface of the housing, the retractable elements being movable between an extended position for engagement with the inner wall of the pipe to space the magnets from the pipe, and a retracted position allowing the permanent magnets to move the housing closer to the pipe.
When fluid is present in the pipe, fluid pressure will urge the retractable elements into the retracted position, allowing the permanent magnets to get closer to the inner wall of the pipe. The increased magnetic attraction between the magnets and pipe will limit axial movement of the housing. A reduction or removal of fluid pressure will allow the retractable elements to move outwardly, spacing the magnets away from the inner wall of the pipe and facilitating retrieval of devices mounted in the housing from the pipe. The retractable elements may be biased outwardly by any suitable means, and may be of resiliently compressible material, for example, or may be biased outwardly by springs or the like.
The solution offered by the present invention resolves the problems described previously in a safe, effective and economic manner. It also allows more flexibility during installation of the devices into the metallic pipe.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 30988 (1982-07-01), Crickmer
patent: 2153787 (1939-04-01), Anderson
patent: 2830663 (1958-04-01), Kirby, II
patent: 3086589 (1963-04-01), McGowen, Jr.
patent: 3637033 (1972-01-01), Mayall
patent: 4113611 (1978-09-01), Gohm
patent: 4438810 (1984-03-01), Wilkinson
patent: 4687054 (1987-08-01), Russell et al.
patent: 5024271 (1991-06-01), Meihua
patent: 5435351 (1995-07-01), Head
patent: 6012521 (2000-01-01), Zunkel et al.
Brown Martin Haller & McClain LLP
Suchfield George
LandOfFree
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