DK2126277T3

DK2126277T3 - A device for a kickover tool

Info

Publication number: DK2126277T3
Application number: DK08741701.0T
Authority: DK
Inventors: Arne Motland; Espen Osaland
Original assignee: Altus Intervention As
Priority date: 2007-03-26
Filing date: 2008-03-17
Publication date: 2019-01-07
Also published as: EP2126277B1; WO2008118022A1; EP2126277A4; NO328403B1; NO20071563L; EP2126277A1

Description

DESCRIPTION

[0001] This invention relates to a kickover tool. More particularly, it concerns a kickover tool of the type being used for the setting and pulling of a valve spindle of a gas lift valve located in a side pocket. The kickover tool comprises a sideways open tool body with a spindle holder which, via at least one intermediate arm, is connected in an articulated manner to the tool body, the spindle holder being arranged so as to be able to be moved between a passive position where the spindle holder is located within the valve body, and an active position where the spindle holder is swung out from the valve body and corresponds with the gas lift valve. At least a part of an actuator, which is arranged so as to be able to displace the spindle holder between its passive position and its active position, is located between the tool body and the spindle holder.

[0002] During petroleum production, it is necessary to pump in gas in some reservoirs in order to achieve a so-called gas lift. The gas is pumped down into the borehole and flows, via one or more gas lift valves, into the production tubing. It is common to place the gas lift valve in a side pocket so as to be able to shift the valve spindle in the gas lift valve by means of a kickover tool and simultaneously leaving a free passage for other tools past the gas lift valve.

[0003] Oftentimes, a prior art kickover tool is formed as a cable tool. When a valve spindle is to be set, the valve spindle is connected to the spindle holder of the kickover tool. By means of an intermediate arm, the spindle holder is rotatably connected to the tool body ofthe kickover tool.

[0004] During displacement ofthe kickover tool down into the well, the spindle holder, including its attached valve spindle, is in its passive position within the tool body. The kickover tool is displaced a little past the side pocket within which the particular gas lift valve is located. Then, the kickover tool is carefully pulled back so as to be rotated, by means of an orientation device, about its longitudinal axis into the correct direction and to be locked in the desired axial position.

[0005] By increasing the tensile force in the cable, the intermediate arm is released and is rotated, by means of a spring force, together with the spindle holder and the valve spindle outwards from the tool body. The valve spindle comes into abutment against the side pocket wall and thus causes the spindle holder to be rotated, in a spindle link, relative to the intermediate arm.

[0006] Thereby, the spindle holder and the valve spindle assume an active position parallel to the tool body and mainly coaxial with the gas lift valve. By displacing the kickover tool inwards into the production tubing, the valve spindle is displaced into the gas lift valve.

[0007] Then, the valve spindle is released from the kickover tool, which is pulled out from the production tubing.

[0008] It has been proven, however, that the spindle holder, subsequent to the release of the intermediate arm, does not assume the desired active position but remains in an intermediate position. Thereby, the direction of the valve spindle does not correspond with the direction of the gas lift valve, whereby the setting of the valve spindle fails. It is assumed that the cause oftentimes may be that of an unsuitable design of the spring arranged to rotate the intermediate arm outwards. The problem is considerably greater in deviated wells within which the direction of the gas lift valve is not vertical.

[0009] Patent documents GB 2393468, US 3788397, US 3827490 and US 4976314 all describe kickover tools where the spindle holder is displaced to its final active position in two steps. During the initial first step the spindle holder is biased relative to the axial direction of the tool, and in the second step the spindle holder is coaxially aligned with the gas lift valve. GB 2393468 discloses that the kickover of the spindle holder is achieved by a tension loaded spring that exerts a force in the axial direction of the tool body. The three other documents disclose that the kickover of the spindle holder is achieved by a spring that exerts a force in the radial direction of the tool body.

[0010] The object of the invention is to remedy or reduce at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0011] The object is achieved in accordance with the invention and by virtue of the features disclosed in the following description and in the subsequent claims.

[0012] A kickover tool in accordance with the invention and of the type being used for the setting and pulling of a valve spindle of a gas lift valve located in a side pocket comprises a sideways open tool body with a spindle holder which, via at least one intermediate arm, is connected in an articulated manner to the tool body by means of a rotatable intermediate link, the spindle holder being arranged so as to be able to be moved between a passive position where the spindle holder is located within the valve body, and an active position where the spindle holder is swung out from the valve body and corresponds with the gas lift valve, wherein the kickover tool according to the invention further comprises: • an actuator housing within which a guide slot is arranged and extends in a longitudinal direction of the tool body; • a displaceable guide block fitting complementary into the guide slot; • an actuator bar having an end portion connected in an articulated manner to the guide block and having an opposite end portion connected in an articulated manner to the intermediate arm; and • a preloaded spring located in a bore of the actuator housing and in a bore of the guide block, the openings of said bores facing each other, said spring arranged to bias the guide block in the longitudinal direction of the tool body away from the actuator housing bore, such that, when the spring displaces the guide block and with it the actuator bar, the intermediate arm is caused to rotate about the intermediate link, whereby the spindle holder is displaced from its passive position to its active position, and whereby the spindle holder in its active position is coaxially aligned with the gas lift valve.

The actuating bar may have a sideways abutment when the spindle holder assumes its passive position. In this position, the actuating bar typically abuts against the tool body. Thus, the intermediate arm is prevented from assuming a self-locking position, for example by being unintentionally rotated past the centre.

The actuator may be controllable, insofar as it may be formed with necessary components for electrical or hydraulic control.

Advantageously, the actuator housing of the actuator may be fixedly connected to the tool body, but an articulated coupling may be appropriate in some cases.

There is very limited space in a kickover tool. The device according to the invention presents a relatively simple and operationally safe solution for displacement of the tool holder allowing for the actuator to be incorporated within available spaces in the kickover tool.

In the following, an example of a preferred embodiment is described and is illustrated in the enclosed drawings, where:

Fig. 1 schematically shows an axial section through a production tubing within which a kickover tool is disposed;

Fig. 2 schematically shows, in larger scale, a cut-out segment of the kickover tool of fig. 1, the spindle holder of the kickover tool being in its passive position;

Fig. 3 schematically shows a section ll-ll of fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 schematically shows the kickover tool, but where the spindle holder is rotated into its active position.

[0013] In the drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a production tubing provided with a side pocket 2 within which a gas lift valve 4 is disposed. The object of the gas lift 4 valve 4 is to regulate the gas flow between the outside and the inside of the production tubing 1.

[0014] By means of a cable 8, a kickover tool 6 is displaced into the production tubing 1 and is located by the side pocket 2, insofar as the kickover tool 6 of fig. 1 is shown in a position within which the kickover tool 6 is prepared for displacing a valve spindle 10 into the gas lift valve 4.

[0015] The kickover tool 6 comprises a tool body 12 of a type known per se having the necessary components (not shown) for controlling and for localizing the kickover tool 6 in the production tubing 1.

[0016] At its mid portion 14, the tool body 12 is sideways open. An intermediate arm 16, at one end portion thereof, is rotatably connected to the tool body 12 by means of a rotatable intermediate link 18, and is connected, at the opposite end portion thereof, to a spindle holder 20 by means of a spindle link 22.

[0017] At the end portion facing away from the spindle link 22, the spindle holder 20 is releasably connected to the valve spindle 10.

[0018] An actuator 24, mainly located between the tool body 12 and the spindle holder 20, is connected between the tool body 12 and the intermediate arm 16. The actuator 24 comprises an actuator housing 26 within which a guide slot 28 is arranged and extends in the longitudinal direction of the tool body 12. A displaceable guide block 30, which fits in a complementary manner into the guide slot 28, is connected in an articulated manner to an actuator bar 32 having an opposite end portion connected in an articulated manner to the intermediate arm 16.

[0019] The actuator bar 32 is formed so as to come into sideways abutment when the kickover tool 6 is in its inactive, swung-in position. In this preferred embodiment, the actuator bar 32 thus abuts against the tool body 12, see fig. 2.

[0020] The actuator housing 26 and the guide block 30 are provided with a first bore 34 and a second bore 36, respectively, the openings ofthe bores 34, 36 facing each other.

[0021] Aspring 38, which is located in the bores 34, 36, is arranged to bias the guide block 30 in a direction outwards from the actuator housing 26.

[0022] During displacement of the kickover tool 6 in the production tubing 1, the spindle holder 20 is in its swung-in, passive position. When the kickover tool 6 is positioned by the side pocket 2, the intermediate arm 16 is released in the manner explained in the introduction of the description.

[0023] The spring 38 displaces the guide block 30 and the actuator bar 32 in a direction away from the actuator housing 26, whereby the intermediate arm 16 is caused to rotate about the intermediate arm link 18.

[0024] Simultaneously, the spindle holder 20 rotates about the spindle link 22 until an abutment surface 40 abuts against the intermediate arm 16, see fig. 4.

[0025] In this active position, the spindle holder 20 assumes a direction as shown in fig. 1, in which the spindle holder 20 and the valve spindle 10 connected to the spindle holder 20, assume mainly a coaxial direction with the gas lift valve 4.

[0026] When the kickover tool 6 is to be pulled out of the production tubing 1, the force exerted by the compression spring 38 is overcome by virtue of the intermediate arm 16, upon abutment against the side pocket 2, is displaced inwardly into the tool body 12.

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description • US3788397A [0008] • US3827490A [00091 • US4978314A [00091

Claims

DEVICE FOR A KICKOVER TOOL

Kickover tool (6) of the type used for adjusting and pulling a gas lift valve (4) valve stem (10) located in a side pocket (2), the kickover tool (6) comprising a tool body (6) opened in the side 12) with a spindle holder (20) which, via at least one intermediate arm (16), is articulated to the tool body (12) by means of a rotatable intermediate articulation (18), the spindle holder (20) being arranged so that it can is moved between a passive position where the spindle holder (20) is located inside the tool body (12) and an active position where the spindle holder (20) is pivoted out of the tool body (12) and corresponds to the gas lift valve (4), where the kickover tool further comprising: - an actuator housing (26), in which a guide slot (28) is located and extends in the longitudinal direction (12) of the tool body; a slidable guide block (30) that fits complementary in the guide slot (28); - an actuator rod (32) having one end portion articulated to the guide block (30) and having an opposite end portion articulated to the intermediate arm (16); and - a biased spring (38) located in a bore (34) of the actuator housing (26) in a bore (36) of the guide block (30), the openings of the bores (34, 36) facing each other, which spring (38) is arranged to bias the guide block (30) in the longitudinal direction of the tool body (12) away from the actuator housing bore (34), so that when the spring (38) displaces the guide block (30) and with that actuator rod (32), the intermediate arm (16) is brought to to rotate about the intermediate link (18), whereby the spindle holder (20) is displaced from its passive position to its active position, and whereby the spindle holder (20) in its active position aligns coaxially with the gas lift valve (4).

Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the actuator rod (32) has an abutment on the side when the spindle holder (20) assumes its passive position.

Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the actuator rod (32) abuts against the tool body (12).

Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the actuator (24) can be controlled by means of electrical or hydraulic energy.