CA2310236C - Tubing cleanout spool - Google Patents

Tubing cleanout spool Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2310236C
CA2310236C CA 2310236 CA2310236A CA2310236C CA 2310236 C CA2310236 C CA 2310236C CA 2310236 CA2310236 CA 2310236 CA 2310236 A CA2310236 A CA 2310236A CA 2310236 C CA2310236 C CA 2310236C
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CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
tubing
spool
cleanout
string
piece
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
CA 2310236
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2310236A1 (en
Inventor
Stephen Michael Komistek
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Titus Tools Inc
Original Assignee
Corlac Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Corlac Inc filed Critical Corlac Inc
Priority to CA 2310236 priority Critical patent/CA2310236C/en
Publication of CA2310236A1 publication Critical patent/CA2310236A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2310236C publication Critical patent/CA2310236C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21BEARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B33/00Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
    • E21B33/02Surface sealing or packing
    • E21B33/03Well heads; Setting-up thereof
    • E21B33/068Well heads; Setting-up thereof having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21BEARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B37/00Methods or apparatus for cleaning boreholes or wells

Abstract

In accordance with a method of accessing fluids from an oil or gas bearing formation penetrated by a well there is provided including a tubing spool that sits above the tubing hanger and which has a side entry port that allows entry into the annulus between the tubing and rod string. The side entry port allows a small diameter tubing unit to run its tubing string in the annulus space between the production tubing string and the rod string.

Description

TUBING CLEANOUT SPOOL
FIELD OF INVENTION
1o The present invention relates to a tubing clean out spool and a method of servicing a well and, in particular, cleaning sand from inside the production string.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The prior art and present invention will now be described in relation to the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a cross-section of a PRIOR ART conventional well configuration with all the equipment required to pump fluid to a surface flowline.
Figure 2 is a PRIOR ART side elevation view, partly in section, of a casing spool installed on a well.
Figure 3 is cross-section of a tubing cleanout spool in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In oil wells there is often a production of large volumes of sand. The sand is normally 3o pumped up the tubing string and into the flow line. For various reasons a large amount of sand can get deposited above the pump inside the tubing. The sand above the pump causes the rod string to torque up and the pumping system can no longer pump fluids to surface. When this happens a flush-by unit is brought in to lift the rods and unseat the rotor from the stator. Fluid is then circulated from surface through the pump in order to flush the sand from the tubulars. The presence of sand in the well is a problem.
A cross-section of a PRIOR ART conventional well configuration with all the 1o equipment required to pump fluid to the surface flowline is described with reference to Figure 1. A pump 1 is required to lift the fluids to surface in a wellbore 2 that produces oil. The pump stator 3 is connected to a tubing string 4 which provides a direct route for the downhole fluids to get to surface. The tubing is hung in the casing bowl 5 by utilizing a tubing hanger 6. The tubing terminates in the casing bowl.
Above the casing bowl is a flow tee 7 which directs the flow from the tubing through a port 10 to a flow line. Sometimes above the flow tee a rod Blowout Preventer (BOP) is installed, however most often a stuffing box 11 is installed above the flow tee and a BOP is not used. The stuffing box has a sealing mechanism 12 which provides a positive seal around the rod string 8 so that all fluids can be contained.
Above the 2o stuffing box 11 is a wellhead drive (not shown in Fig. 1) which rotates the rod string 8. The rod string 8 is rotated at the surface and the rotational forces are transferred to the rotor 9, the rotor 9 together with the stator 3 pumps the wellbore 2 fluids to the surface.
When there is too much sand above the pump 1, the rotor 9 cannot be unseated from the stator 3 and a flushby cannot be accomplished. In this case the wellhead drive, and the stuffing box 11 have to be removed from the wellhead (not shown). A
special adapter is then put on the wellhead so that a positive seal can still be kept around the rod string 8. This adapter then has an opening for a small diameter tubing string 4 to access the annular space between the rod string 8 and the production tubing string 4.
The disadvantage of this procedure is that it takes a lot of time and results in lost oil production.
Canadian patent application number 2,268,223 of Jack and Moen, addresses a method of cleaning a well casing that is contaminated by accumulation of sand. This patent application describes, as shown in Figure 2, a cleanout port 44 built into the wellhead casing, which allows access by a small diameter tubing string 36 to the annulus space 22 between the production casing and the tubing string. In particular, a wellhead assembly 50 is used for continuous extraction of fluids from a well 52.
Wellhead assembly 50 includes a casing spool 16 attached to well casing 42. Fluids extraction equipment 54 to withdraw fluids up tubing string 43 is permanently mounted on casing spool 16. Fluids extraction equipment 54 has a flange 56 that is rigidly 1o attached by means of bolts 58 to first attachment flange 24 of casing spool 16 and the casing spool is connected at flanges 26, 40 to casing 42. The cleanout port 44 in casing spool 16 provides access for cleaning sand out of the casing so that a stuck tubing string can be freed from the sand or to remove the sand from the wellbore without getting a service rig.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a tubing cleanout spool. The present invention also provides a method for servicing a well. The invention provides an alternative to 2o tearing apart and reconfiguring equipment above the tubing hanger in the event that the rotor and rods cannot be raised to accommodate a flushby.
Therefore, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tubing cleanout spool including a piece of piping between a sealing mechanism of a stuffing box and a tubing hanger of a wellhead casing, the piece of piping including a wall and an inner bore for accommodating passage therethrough of a rod string and a side enty port opening through the wall to provide access to the inner bore.
The piece of piping can include a stuffing box, a flow tee or any spool piece.
In one 3o embodiment, the side entry port can be adapted into a stuffing box just below a rod sealing mechanism.
If the well sands off and the rod string can not be lifted to accommodate a flushby, a small diameter tubing string can access the production tubing string through the side entry port, which is positioned between the sealing mechanism of the stuffing box and the tubing hanger of a wellhead casing.
The piece of piping including the side entry port can be offset such that the rod string does not pass through the center of the spool. Offsetting the rod string away from the port can allow more room for a smaller diameter tubing to enter into the annulus 1o between the production tubing and the rod string.
The present invention provides a tubing cleanout spool which provides access into an annulus between a tubing and a rod string at all times without having to dismantle all the equipment above the tubing hanger. The tubing cleanout spool can allow oil 15 companies to easily, cost effectively, and quickly get their wells back into production.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for servicing a well including a production tubing string, a rod string and an annulus therebetween, the method comprising providing a tubing cleanout spool including a 2o piece of piping between a sealing mechanism of a stuffing box and a tubing hanger of a wellhead casing, the piece of piping including a wall and an inner bore for accommodating passage therethrough of the rod string, the inner bore being open to the annulus between the production tubing string and the rod string and a side enty port opening through the wall to provide access to the inner bore; and accessing the 25 annulus through the side entry port.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
Referring to Figure 3, a pump lifts the fluid to surface in a wellbore that produces oil.
30 The pump stator (Figure 1 ) is connected to a tubing string 4, which provides a direct route for the downhole fluids to get to surface. The tubing is hung in the casing bowl by utilizing a tubing hanger 6 of the wellhead casing. The tubing terminates in the casing bowl. Above the casing bowl is a flow tee 7 which directs the flow from the tubing to a flow line. Sometimes above the flow tee, a rod Blowout Preventer (BOP) 35 is installed. However, most often, a stuffing box l la is installed above the flow tee without a BOP. The stuffing box has a sealing mechanism 12, which provides a positive seal around the rod string so that all fluids can be contained in the tubing string to flow through the T-port. The rod string 8 extends from wellhead drive 54 down through the stuffing box l la and flow tee 7 into the production tubing 4. The rod string is rotated at surface and the rotational forces are transferred to the rotor (Figure 1). The rotor, together with the stator, pumps the wellbore fluids to surface. It is believed that the foregoing arrangement of parts and operation is known from the prior art.
According to the present invention, however, a tubing spool above the wellhead includes a side entry port for access to the annulus between the piping and the rod. In the illustrated embodiment, the stuffing box 11 a includes a wall 13 with a side entry port 15 opening therethrough. Stuffing box l la with port 15 provides access into annulus 17 between production tubing 4 and rod string 8 without having to dismantle the equipment above the tubing hanger 6. The port can accommodate a small diameter 2o tubing string inserted to access the production tubing. It is to be understood that while the port is shown as a part of the stuffing box, it can be adapted to fit into any piping located between the sealing mechanism of the stuffing box and the tubing hanger of the well head casing.
In the illustrated embodiment, side entry port 15 is adapted into the stuffing box below rod sealing mechanism 12.
Although not illustrated, the spool that accommodates the cleanout port may be offset such that rod string does not pass through the center of the spool. Offsetting a rod 3o string further away from the cleanout port will allow more room for a smaller diameter tubing to enter into the annulus between a production tubing and a rod string.
In use the side entry port of the stuffing box can provide access to the well, for example for cleanout purposes. For example, if the well sands off and the rod string cannot be lifted to accommodate a flushby, then a small diameter tubing string can access production tubing string 4 by port 15 which can be positioned between the sealing mechanism of a stuffing box and a tubing hanger of the wellhead casing. The side entry port allows a small diameter tubing unit to run its tubing string in the annulus space between the production tubing string and the rod string to clean out 1o sand from inside the production tubing string.

Claims (12)

1. A tubing cleanout spool comprising:
a piece of piping between a sealing mechanism of a stuffing box and a tubing hanger of a wellhead casing, the piece of piping including a wall and an inner bore for accommodating passage therethrough of a rod string; and a side entry port opening through the wall to provide access to the inner bore.
2. The cleanout spool of claim 1 wherein the piece of piping is a stuffing box.
3. The cleanout spool of claim 1 wherein the piece of piping is a flow tree.
4. The cleanout spool of claim 1 wherein the piece of piping is a spool piece.
5. The cleanout spool of claim 2 wherein the side entry port is positioned on the stuffing box just below the rod sealing mechanism.
6. The cleanout spool of claim 1 wherein the piece of piping is selected such that the rod string passes through the center thereof.
7. The cleanout spool of claim 1 wherein the piece of piping is selected such that the rod string is offset from the center thereof.
8. The cleanout spool of claim 1 wherein the side entry ports permits passage therethrough of a small diameter tubing string.
9. A method for servicing a well including a production tubing string, a rod string and an annulus therebetween, the method comprising:
providing a tubing cleanout spool including a piece of piping between a sealing mechanism of a stuffing box and a tubing hanger of a wellhead casing, the piece of piping including a wall and an inner bore for accommodating passage therethrough of the rod string, the inner bore being open to the annulus between the production tubing string and the rod string and a side enty port opening through the wall to provide access to the inner bore; and accessing the annulus through the side entry port.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the accessing is accomplished without having to dismantle the equipment above the tubing hanger.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of accessing includes inserting a small diameter tubing string through the side entry port.
12. The method of claim 9 used when the rod string cannot be lifted to accommodate a flushby
CA 2310236 2000-06-09 2000-06-09 Tubing cleanout spool Expired - Lifetime CA2310236C (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2310236 CA2310236C (en) 2000-06-09 2000-06-09 Tubing cleanout spool

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2310236 CA2310236C (en) 2000-06-09 2000-06-09 Tubing cleanout spool

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2310236A1 CA2310236A1 (en) 2001-12-09
CA2310236C true CA2310236C (en) 2005-05-10

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ID=4166331

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2310236 Expired - Lifetime CA2310236C (en) 2000-06-09 2000-06-09 Tubing cleanout spool

Country Status (1)

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CA (1) CA2310236C (en)

Families Citing this family (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6851478B2 (en) 2003-02-07 2005-02-08 Stream-Flo Industries, Ltd. Y-body Christmas tree for use with coil tubing
MX2007004072A (en) 2004-10-07 2007-08-23 Bj Services Co Downhole safety valve apparatus and method.
US8167046B2 (en) 2004-12-22 2012-05-01 Baker Hughes Incorporated Method and apparatus to hydraulically bypass a well tool
US7699099B2 (en) 2006-08-02 2010-04-20 B.J. Services Company, U.S.A. Modified Christmas tree components and associated methods for using coiled tubing in a well
EP2102446B1 (en) 2007-01-12 2018-10-03 BJ Services Company Wellhead assembly and method for an injection tubing string
US7913754B2 (en) 2007-01-12 2011-03-29 Bj Services Company, U.S.A. Wellhead assembly and method for an injection tubing string
CA2660219C (en) 2008-04-10 2012-08-28 Bj Services Company System and method for thru tubing deepening of gas lift
US8100181B2 (en) 2008-05-29 2012-01-24 Weatherford/Lamb, Inc. Surface controlled subsurface safety valve having integral pack-off
CA2738500C (en) * 2010-04-30 2017-11-07 Oil Lift Technology Inc. A continuous rod pump drive system
US8479828B2 (en) 2010-05-13 2013-07-09 Weatherford/Lamb, Inc. Wellhead control line deployment
US8631875B2 (en) 2011-06-07 2014-01-21 Baker Hughes Incorporated Insert gas lift injection assembly for retrofitting string for alternative injection location

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Publication number Publication date
CA2310236A1 (en) 2001-12-09

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Effective date: 20200609