EP2669464A1 - A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore and a method for cleaning out a well bore using such a clean-out tool - Google Patents
A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore and a method for cleaning out a well bore using such a clean-out tool Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2669464A1 EP2669464A1 EP13178757.4A EP13178757A EP2669464A1 EP 2669464 A1 EP2669464 A1 EP 2669464A1 EP 13178757 A EP13178757 A EP 13178757A EP 2669464 A1 EP2669464 A1 EP 2669464A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- tubular barrel
- clean
- well bore
- helical
- out tool
- 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.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 34
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 11
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 52
- 230000003068 static effect Effects 0.000 claims description 12
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000003213 activating effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 6
- 238000005755 formation reaction Methods 0.000 description 6
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229910052770 Uranium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 2
- JFALSRSLKYAFGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N uranium(0) Chemical compound [U] JFALSRSLKYAFGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000006260 foam Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B27/00—Containers for collecting or depositing substances in boreholes or wells, e.g. bailers, baskets or buckets for collecting mud or sand; Drill bits with means for collecting substances, e.g. valve drill bits
- E21B27/04—Containers for collecting or depositing substances in boreholes or wells, e.g. bailers, baskets or buckets for collecting mud or sand; Drill bits with means for collecting substances, e.g. valve drill bits where the collecting or depositing means include helical conveying means
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B10/00—Drill bits
- E21B10/44—Bits with helical conveying portion, e.g. screw type bits; Augers with leading portion or with detachable parts
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B37/00—Methods or apparatus for cleaning boreholes or wells
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B7/00—Special methods or apparatus for drilling
- E21B7/003—Drilling with mechanical conveying means
- E21B7/005—Drilling with mechanical conveying means with helical conveying means
- E21B7/006—Drilling with mechanical conveying means with helical conveying means combined with a bucket-type container
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a well clean-out tool and, in particular, to a well clean-out tool for removing debris or other material from well bores with sub-hydrostatic reservoir pressure, well bores where sufficient lifting velocity cannot be achieved or wellbores filled with high density debris or other material which cannot be circulated to the surface.
- an object of the invention to alleviate the above-discussed shortcomings and to provide a clean-out tool and method for efficiently cleaning out oil, gas and uranium well bores in general, in particular well bores with lost circulation or formations with sub-hydrostatic pressure, where low reservoir pressure prevents debris or other material being circulated to the surface, where settling velocity of the particles exceeds the lifting velocity due to the ratio between well inside diameters and achievable fluid and/or gas pump rates or where the density of the debris or other material prevents such debris or other material being circulated to the surface.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide such a clean-out tool and method with which a well bore can be cleaned-out effectively without having a negative effect on the producing formation and without adding any fluid to the well bore.
- a clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore comprising:
- the scoop openings are provided in the conical or bottom part so that - in use - debris or other material can be effectively removed from the well bore.
- the helical blade flight extends to within the hollow bit, preferably up to the second bearing, for efficiently conveying debris or other material from the scoop openings into the tubular barrel and further displacing the debris into the tubular barrel.
- the hollow bit is removably connected to the tubular barrel. In this manner, maintenance and repair can be performed in a simple manner while it is also possible to remove debris or other material contained within the tubular barrel by removing the hollow bit from the tubular barrel.
- the clean-out tool comprises a first bearing and connection subassembly, said first bearing and connection subassembly comprising the first bearing and being connectable to the drive mechanism.
- the drive mechanism comprises a down-hole motor comprising a static or hollow shaft, said static shaft being coupled to the central shaft of the helical displacing member in a rotationally fixed manner or the central shaft of the helical displacing member is extended through the hollow shaft of the down hole motor and rotationally fixed in the work string above the down hole motor.
- the first bearing and connection subassembly is removably connected to the tubular barrel.
- the clean-out tool comprises an anchor extending in longitudinal direction from the hollow bit, said anchor comprising an anchor shaft extending through the hollow bit, said anchor shaft being coupled to the central shaft of the helical displacing member in a rotationally fixed manner.
- the helical displacing member can be held stationary by the anchor, which - in use - is pressed in the debris or other material.
- Such an anchor can be used in addition to or as an alternative to a down-hole motor comprising a static shaft coupled to the central shaft of the helical displacing member.
- the tubular barrel comprises at least one slot for passing fluids, gas or air within the tubular barrel to outside the tubular barrel.
- Such slots enable fluids, gas or air present in the debris or other material to be squeezed out of the tubular barrel through the slots to prevent pressure built up inside the tubular barrel.
- the dimensions, i.e. length and width, of the slots are preferably chosen in dependence of the size and kind of the debris or other material.
- the helical displacing member comprises an upper part in which the central shaft is free from helical blade flight which can provide more compacting of the debris.
- the slots are provided in an upper part of the tubular barrel, which upper part of the tubular barrel surrounds the upper part of the helical displacing member which is free from helical blade flight compacting can be performed very efficiently, as a result of which more debris or other material can be contained within the tubular barrel.
- a predefined working clearance between a cylindrical volume occupied by said helical displacing member and an inner surface of said tubular barrel is such that, in use, a stable layer of material is formed against said inner surface of said tubular barrel, said stable layer urging a mass of material within said tubular barrel along a helical path by frictional engagement between said stable layer and said mass of material.
- Such a clearance can provide an efficient fill of the tubular barrel and prevents wear of the inner wall of the tubular barrel through metal-on-metal contact and lock up of the tubular barrel against the helical displacing member in the tubular barrel.
- the material Due to the contact frictional engagement between the material and the inner wall of the tubular barrel the material is caused to rotate inside the tubular barrel where it encounters the static helical displacing member.
- the rotating tubular barrel pushes the debris or other material along the helical blade flight inward the tubular barrel and the tubular barrel can become completely filled with debris or other material.
- it is then in particular advantageous that the material inside the rotating tubular barrel will only move by the same amount of debris or other material as is additional taken in via the scoop openings of the hollow bit.
- the clean-out tool can be sized and extended with various diameters and lengths of screw and tube sections to accommodate the well bore and/or the well bore surface lubricator configurations.
- the present invention further relates to a method for cleaning out a well bore using a clean-out tool according to the invention, comprising the steps of:
- the step of removing debris or other material out of the tubular barrel comprises the step of removing at least one of the hollow bit and the first bearing and connection subassembly from the tubular barrel.
- said method comprises the steps of:
- the clean-out tool 1 comprises a tubular barrel 2 surrounding a helical displacing member 3 comprising a central shaft 4 with a helical blade flight 5 extending about the circumference of central shaft 4.
- the shaft 4 is fixedly mounted (in a rotational manner) to a static shaft 6 of a down-hole motor 7 which forms the drive mechanism for the clean-out tool 1 .
- FIG. 1A the positioning of the clean-out tool 1 is shown - in use - in which the helical displacing member is supported, with a longitudinal axis 8 in a substantially upright position.
- the helical displacing member need not be placed substantially upright but operates as well when positioned horizontally or under an angle to the horizontal plane.
- the helical displacing member 3 is thus secured against rotation about the longitudinal axis 8.
- the tubular barrel 2 surrounds the helical displacing member 3 and is rotatably journalled in a first bearing 9 and a second bearing 10, spaced from the first bearing 9.
- the first bearing 10 is included in a first bearing and connection subassembly 11, which in the shown embodiment is removably connectable to the drive mechanism 7 (schematically shown) and the tubular barrel 2.
- the tubular barrel 2 further comprises a hollow bit 12 at a free end of the tubular barrel 2.
- the second bearing 10 is provided within the hollow bit 12.
- the hollow bit 12 comprises a cylindrical part 12A with substantially uniform diameter and a conical part 12B with reducing diameter. Please note that although the conical part 12B is shown as being pointed, it is in other - not shown - embodiments possible that the conical part is more flattened.
- Scoop openings 13 are provided in the conical part 12B for enabling debris to enter into the tubular barrel 2. In the shown embodiment there are two, almost triangular shaped scoop openings 13 in the conical part 12B.
- the helical blade flight 5 extends to within the hollow bit 12, preferably up to the second bearing 10, and thus has a reducing diameter in a direction toward the second bearing 10.
- the hollow bit 12 is removably connected to the tubular barrel 2, e.g. by a threaded connection as indicated in FIG. 1B .
- FIG. 2A and 2B the clean-out tool 1 of FIG. 1 is shown in two positions during cleaning out debris D from a well bore WB which is pre-formed in a formation F (partly shown) .
- the clean-out tool is lowered into the pre-formed well bore WB until the hollow bit 12 of said clean-out tool 1 engages debris D within said pre-formed well bore WB.
- the drive mechanism 7 is activated causing the tubular barrel 2 surrounding the helical displacing member 3 to rotate (indicated by the arrow) about the longitudinal axis 8 while the helical displacing member 3 is kept stationary by the static shaft 6 of the down-hole motor 7 to convey debris D into the tubular barrel 2 via the scoop openings 13 and further into the tubular barrel 2 as indicated in Figure 2B .
- the clean-out tool 1 is efficiently drilled into to debris D. Due to the first bearing 9 and the second bearing 10 the helical displacing member 3 will substantially not deform leading to a reproducible and constant operation of the clean-out tool 1 .
- the clean-out tool 1 is pulled from the well bore WB.
- the debris D can then be removed out of the tubular barrel 2 by e.g. disassembling the hollow bit 13 and the first bearing and connection subassembly 11.
- the rotation direction is indicated as an example only and that it will be clear for a person skilled in the art that the rotation direction for displacing debris or other material into the tubular barrel depends on whether the helical blade flight 5 has a right hand or a left hand wound screw. Of course the down hole motor needs to be modified accordingly.
- FIG. 3A schematically a cross-sectional side elevation of an alternative embodiment of a clean-out tool 1 according to the invention is shown which comprises an anchor 14, which is shown in FIG. 3B as seen from the free end of the tubular barrel 2.
- the anchor 14 extends in longitudinal direction from the hollow bit 13 and comprises an anchor shaft 15 extending through the hollow bit 12.
- the anchor shaft 15 is coupled to the central shaft 4 of the helical displacing member 3 in a rotationally fixed manner and holds the helical displacing member static.
- the drive mechanism 7' (schematically shown) does not need to have a static shaft connected to the central shaft 4 but can be formed by any other known drive mechanism able to rotate the tubular barrel 2.
- FIGs. 4A and 4B show the clean-out tool 1 of FIG. 3 in two positions during cleaning out debris D from a well bore WB which is pre-formed in a formation F (partly shown).
- the clean-out tool is lowered into the pre-formed well bore WB until the anchor 14 of the hollow bit 12 of said clean-out tool 1 engages debris D within said pre-formed well bore WB.
- the drive mechanism 7' is activated causing the tubular barrel 2 surrounding the helical displacing member 3 to rotate (indicated by the arrow) about the longitudinal axis 8 while the helical displacing member 3 is kept stationary by the anchor 14 to convey debris D into the tubular barrel 2 via the scoop openings 13 and further into the tubular barrel 2 as indicated in Figure 4B .
- the clean-out tool 1 is efficiently drilled into to debris D. Due to the first bearing 9 and the second bearing 10 the helical displacing member 3 will substantially not deform leading to a reproducible and constant operation of the clean-out tool 1 . After the tubular barrel 2 is sufficiently filled the clean-out tool 1 is pulled from the well bore WB.
- the debris D can then be removed out of the tubular barrel 2 by e.g. disassembling the hollow bit 13 and the first bearing and connection subassembly 11. Please note that in this embodiment it is not necessary to use a drive mechanism having a static shaft but any other available drive mechanism can be used.
- FIG. 5 shows yet another embodiment of a clean-out tool 1 according to the invention comprising slots in the tubular barrel 2.
- FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of a clean-out tool 1 according to the invention in which an upper end 3A of the helical displacing member 3 is free from a helical blade flight 5.
- the slots 16 are only provided in an upper part 2A of the tubular barrel, which upper part 2A of the tubular barrel surrounds the upper part 3A of the helical displacing member which is free from helical blade flight 5.
- a predefined working clearance C between a cylindrical volume occupied by said helical displacing member 3 and an inner surface 20 of said tubular barrel 2 is such that, in use, a stable layer of material is formed against said inner surface 20 of said tubular barrel 2.
- the stable layer urges - in use a mass of material within said tubular barrel 2 along the helical path by frictional engagement between said stable layer and said mass of material.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
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Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a well clean-out tool and, in particular, to a well clean-out tool for removing debris or other material from well bores with sub-hydrostatic reservoir pressure, well bores where sufficient lifting velocity cannot be achieved or wellbores filled with high density debris or other material which cannot be circulated to the surface.
- From time to time it can become necessary to remove sand, scale and other types of debris or material from a well bore in order to maintain or increase the productivity and/or life of the well.
- Conventional well clean-out operations, such as the circulating type, require that the well bore be filled with liquid or at least contain a substantial liquid column. In many instances, however, the formation cannot sustain a substantial column of liquid for a conventional clean-out operation. In addition removing such debris or material from such a well with for example a wire line bailer can take substantial time as the volume of such bailer is limited and fill efficiency unpredictable. Other known methods involve the use of foam which may have negative effect on the producing formation or can pose problems in handling returns at the surface. Consequently, those wells cannot be efficiently cleaned out at an economic price.
- It is, therefore, an object of the invention to alleviate the above-discussed shortcomings and to provide a clean-out tool and method for efficiently cleaning out oil, gas and uranium well bores in general, in particular well bores with lost circulation or formations with sub-hydrostatic pressure, where low reservoir pressure prevents debris or other material being circulated to the surface, where settling velocity of the particles exceeds the lifting velocity due to the ratio between well inside diameters and achievable fluid and/or gas pump rates or where the density of the debris or other material prevents such debris or other material being circulated to the surface. Another object of the present invention is to provide such a clean-out tool and method with which a well bore can be cleaned-out effectively without having a negative effect on the producing formation and without adding any fluid to the well bore.
- Those and other objects are achieved by the present invention by providing a clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore, said clean-out tool comprising:
- a helical displacing member comprising a central shaft and a helical blade flight with a longitudinal axis, said displacing member being secured against rotation about said longitudinal axis;
- a tubular barrel surrounding said displacing member, said tubular barrel being rotatably journalled in a first bearing and a second bearing spaced from the first bearing;
- a drive mechanism for rotatably driving said tubular barrel; and
- said tubular barrel comprising a hollow bit at a free end of the tubular barrel, said second bearing being provided within the hollow bit, and wherein said hollow bit is provided with scoop openings. The drive mechanism can be a down hole motor. Such a down hole motor can be driven hydraulically, by means of a compressed gas or air or a combination thereof. Further drive mechanism can be an electric drive (e.g. an electric motor with power supplied from down hole batteries or a surface source via a conductor cable) or a rotating drill string or tubing rotating the tubular barrel. Preferably, the hollow bit comprises a cylindrical part with substantially uniform diameter and a conical part with reducing diameter or a flat bottom. Please note, that the invention is not restricted to remove
- In an embodiment of a clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to the invention the scoop openings are provided in the conical or bottom part so that - in use - debris or other material can be effectively removed from the well bore.
- In a further embodiment of a clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to the invention the helical blade flight extends to within the hollow bit, preferably up to the second bearing, for efficiently conveying debris or other material from the scoop openings into the tubular barrel and further displacing the debris into the tubular barrel.
- In an advantageous embodiment of a clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to the invention the hollow bit is removably connected to the tubular barrel. In this manner, maintenance and repair can be performed in a simple manner while it is also possible to remove debris or other material contained within the tubular barrel by removing the hollow bit from the tubular barrel.
- Preferably, the clean-out tool comprises a first bearing and connection subassembly, said first bearing and connection subassembly comprising the first bearing and being connectable to the drive mechanism. It is then in particular advantageous when the drive mechanism comprises a down-hole motor comprising a static or hollow shaft, said static shaft being coupled to the central shaft of the helical displacing member in a rotationally fixed manner or the central shaft of the helical displacing member is extended through the hollow shaft of the down hole motor and rotationally fixed in the work string above the down hole motor. For facilitating maintenance and repair and allowing debris or other material contained within the tubular barrel to be removed from the tubular barrel it is preferred that the first bearing and connection subassembly is removably connected to the tubular barrel.
- In a further embodiment of a clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to the invention the clean-out tool comprises an anchor extending in longitudinal direction from the hollow bit, said anchor comprising an anchor shaft extending through the hollow bit, said anchor shaft being coupled to the central shaft of the helical displacing member in a rotationally fixed manner. In this manner the helical displacing member can be held stationary by the anchor, which - in use - is pressed in the debris or other material. Such an anchor can be used in addition to or as an alternative to a down-hole motor comprising a static shaft coupled to the central shaft of the helical displacing member.
- In a still further embodiment of a clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to the invention the tubular barrel comprises at least one slot for passing fluids, gas or air within the tubular barrel to outside the tubular barrel. Such slots enable fluids, gas or air present in the debris or other material to be squeezed out of the tubular barrel through the slots to prevent pressure built up inside the tubular barrel. The dimensions, i.e. length and width, of the slots are preferably chosen in dependence of the size and kind of the debris or other material.
- Preferably, in a still further embodiment the helical displacing member comprises an upper part in which the central shaft is free from helical blade flight which can provide more compacting of the debris. In particular when the slots are provided in an upper part of the tubular barrel, which upper part of the tubular barrel surrounds the upper part of the helical displacing member which is free from helical blade flight compacting can be performed very efficiently, as a result of which more debris or other material can be contained within the tubular barrel.
- In a particular advantageous embodiment of a clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to the invention a predefined working clearance between a cylindrical volume occupied by said helical displacing member and an inner surface of said tubular barrel is such that, in use, a stable layer of material is formed against said inner surface of said tubular barrel, said stable layer urging a mass of material within said tubular barrel along a helical path by frictional engagement between said stable layer and said mass of material. Such a clearance can provide an efficient fill of the tubular barrel and prevents wear of the inner wall of the tubular barrel through metal-on-metal contact and lock up of the tubular barrel against the helical displacing member in the tubular barrel. Due to the contact frictional engagement between the material and the inner wall of the tubular barrel the material is caused to rotate inside the tubular barrel where it encounters the static helical displacing member. The rotating tubular barrel pushes the debris or other material along the helical blade flight inward the tubular barrel and the tubular barrel can become completely filled with debris or other material. In addition because of said clearance between the rotating tubular barrel, it is then in particular advantageous that the material inside the rotating tubular barrel will only move by the same amount of debris or other material as is additional taken in via the scoop openings of the hollow bit.
- For a person skilled in the art it is clear that the clean-out tool can be sized and extended with various diameters and lengths of screw and tube sections to accommodate the well bore and/or the well bore surface lubricator configurations.
- The present invention further relates to a method for cleaning out a well bore using a clean-out tool according to the invention, comprising the steps of:
- lowering said clean-out tool completely into a pre-formed well bore, such as by means of for example coiled tubing, jointed pipes, wire line or conductor line, until the hollow bit of said clean-out tool engages debris or other material within said pre-formed well bore;
- activating the drive mechanism, causing the tubular barrel surrounding the helical displacing member to rotate about the longitudinal axis while the helical displacing member is kept stationary to convey debris or other material into the tubular barrel via the scoop openings and further into the tubular barrel;
- pulling said clean-out tool from said well bore, such as by means of for example coiled tubing, jointed pipes, wire line or conductor line; and removing debris or other material out of the tubular barrel.
- Preferably, the step of removing debris or other material out of the tubular barrel comprises the step of removing at least one of the hollow bit and the first bearing and connection subassembly from the tubular barrel. By disassembling the clean-out tool it is ensured that the components of the clean-out tool are damaged as less as possible when removing debris or other material from the tubular barrel, although it requires a relatively small amount of additional time. Thus the debris or other material can be cleaned out of the well bore through production tubing, casing or a combination of both. The inventive method can be used for cleaning out cased well bores as well as so called open hole well bores.
- In a particularly advantageous embodiment of a method cleaning out a well bore according to the invention, said method comprises the steps of:
- rotating said tubular barrel at a speed sufficient to urge debris or other material towards an inner wall of said tubular barrel;
- providing a predefined working clearance between said helical displacing member and said inner wall of said tubular barrel, the predefined working clearance being such that, in use, a stable layer of debris or other material is formed against said inner wall of said tubular barrel;
- urging a mass of debris or other material within said tubular barrel along a helical path by frictional engagement between said mass of debris or other material and said stable layer;
- wherein preferably said working clearance between a cylindrical volume occupied by said helical displacing member and said inner wall of said tubular barrel is greater than a mean particle diameter of packable debris or other material. Preferably the tubular barrel is rotated at a speed sufficient to form a static layer of debris or other material in a clearance space between a cylindrical volume occupied by said helical displacing member and said inner wall of said tubular barrel. Furthermore, rotation of material inside the tubular barrel will automatically tend to centre the helical displacement member which is particular advantageous for extended cleanout tools.
- In order that the invention may be more fully understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:
-
FIG. 1A shows schematically a cross-sectional side elevation of an embodiment of a clean-out tool according to the invention; -
FIG. 1B shows schematically a hollow bit of the clean-out tool in side elevation ofFigure 1A ; -
FIG. 1C shows schematically the hollow bit ofFIG. 1B seen from the free end of the tubular barrel; -
FIGs. 2A and 2B show the clean-out tool ofFIG. 1 in two positions during cleaning out debris from a well bore; -
FIG. 3A shows schematically a cross-sectional side elevation of an alternative embodiment of a clean-out tool according to the invention comprising an anchor; -
FIG. 3B shows schematically the clean-out tool ofFIG. 3A seen from the free end of the tubular barrel; -
FIGs. 4A and 4B show the clean-out tool ofFIG. 3 in two positions during cleaning out debris from a well bore; -
FIG. 5 shows yet another embodiment of a clean-out tool according to the invention comprising slots in the tubular barrel; and -
FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of a clean-out tool according to the invention in which an upper end of the helical displacing member is free from a helical blade flight. - In
FIG. 1A , the clean-outtool 1 comprises atubular barrel 2 surrounding ahelical displacing member 3 comprising acentral shaft 4 with ahelical blade flight 5 extending about the circumference ofcentral shaft 4. - The
shaft 4 is fixedly mounted (in a rotational manner) to astatic shaft 6 of a down-hole motor 7 which forms the drive mechanism for the clean-outtool 1. - In
FIG. 1A the positioning of the clean-outtool 1 is shown - in use - in which the helical displacing member is supported, with alongitudinal axis 8 in a substantially upright position. Please note, that the helical displacing member need not be placed substantially upright but operates as well when positioned horizontally or under an angle to the horizontal plane. Thehelical displacing member 3 is thus secured against rotation about thelongitudinal axis 8. - The
tubular barrel 2 surrounds the helical displacingmember 3 and is rotatably journalled in afirst bearing 9 and asecond bearing 10, spaced from thefirst bearing 9. Thefirst bearing 10 is included in a first bearing andconnection subassembly 11, which in the shown embodiment is removably connectable to the drive mechanism 7 (schematically shown) and thetubular barrel 2. - The
tubular barrel 2 further comprises ahollow bit 12 at a free end of thetubular barrel 2. Thesecond bearing 10 is provided within thehollow bit 12. Thehollow bit 12 comprises acylindrical part 12A with substantially uniform diameter and aconical part 12B with reducing diameter. Please note that although theconical part 12B is shown as being pointed, it is in other - not shown - embodiments possible that the conical part is more flattened.Scoop openings 13 are provided in theconical part 12B for enabling debris to enter into thetubular barrel 2. In the shown embodiment there are two, almost triangular shapedscoop openings 13 in theconical part 12B. - As can be seen in
FIG. 1A thehelical blade flight 5 extends to within thehollow bit 12, preferably up to thesecond bearing 10, and thus has a reducing diameter in a direction toward thesecond bearing 10. In the shown embodiment thehollow bit 12 is removably connected to thetubular barrel 2, e.g. by a threaded connection as indicated inFIG. 1B . - In
Figures 2A and 2B the clean-outtool 1 ofFIG. 1 is shown in two positions during cleaning out debris D from a well bore WB which is pre-formed in a formation F (partly shown) . InFigure 2A the clean-out tool is lowered into the pre-formed well bore WB until thehollow bit 12 of said clean-outtool 1 engages debris D within said pre-formed well bore WB. Thereafter thedrive mechanism 7 is activated causing thetubular barrel 2 surrounding the helical displacingmember 3 to rotate (indicated by the arrow) about thelongitudinal axis 8 while the helical displacingmember 3 is kept stationary by thestatic shaft 6 of the down-hole motor 7 to convey debris D into thetubular barrel 2 via thescoop openings 13 and further into thetubular barrel 2 as indicated inFigure 2B . As a result of thehollow bit 12 the clean-outtool 1 is efficiently drilled into to debris D. Due to thefirst bearing 9 and thesecond bearing 10 the helical displacingmember 3 will substantially not deform leading to a reproducible and constant operation of the clean-outtool 1. After thetubular barrel 2 is sufficiently filled the clean-outtool 1 is pulled from the well bore WB. The debris D can then be removed out of thetubular barrel 2 by e.g. disassembling thehollow bit 13 and the first bearing andconnection subassembly 11. Please note, that the rotation direction is indicated as an example only and that it will be clear for a person skilled in the art that the rotation direction for displacing debris or other material into the tubular barrel depends on whether thehelical blade flight 5 has a right hand or a left hand wound screw. Of course the down hole motor needs to be modified accordingly. - In
FIG. 3A schematically a cross-sectional side elevation of an alternative embodiment of a clean-outtool 1 according to the invention is shown which comprises ananchor 14, which is shown inFIG. 3B as seen from the free end of thetubular barrel 2. Theanchor 14 extends in longitudinal direction from thehollow bit 13 and comprises an anchor shaft 15 extending through thehollow bit 12. The anchor shaft 15 is coupled to thecentral shaft 4 of the helical displacingmember 3 in a rotationally fixed manner and holds the helical displacing member static. In this embodiment the drive mechanism 7' (schematically shown) does not need to have a static shaft connected to thecentral shaft 4 but can be formed by any other known drive mechanism able to rotate thetubular barrel 2. -
FIGs. 4A and 4B show the clean-outtool 1 ofFIG. 3 in two positions during cleaning out debris D from a well bore WB which is pre-formed in a formation F (partly shown). InFigure 4A the clean-out tool is lowered into the pre-formed well bore WB until theanchor 14 of thehollow bit 12 of said clean-outtool 1 engages debris D within said pre-formed well bore WB. Thereafter the drive mechanism 7' is activated causing thetubular barrel 2 surrounding the helical displacingmember 3 to rotate (indicated by the arrow) about thelongitudinal axis 8 while the helical displacingmember 3 is kept stationary by theanchor 14 to convey debris D into thetubular barrel 2 via thescoop openings 13 and further into thetubular barrel 2 as indicated inFigure 4B . As a result of thehollow bit 12 the clean-outtool 1 is efficiently drilled into to debris D. Due to thefirst bearing 9 and thesecond bearing 10 the helical displacingmember 3 will substantially not deform leading to a reproducible and constant operation of the clean-outtool 1. After thetubular barrel 2 is sufficiently filled the clean-outtool 1 is pulled from the well bore WB. The debris D can then be removed out of thetubular barrel 2 by e.g. disassembling thehollow bit 13 and the first bearing andconnection subassembly 11. Please note that in this embodiment it is not necessary to use a drive mechanism having a static shaft but any other available drive mechanism can be used. -
FIG. 5 shows yet another embodiment of a clean-outtool 1 according to the invention comprising slots in thetubular barrel 2. -
FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of a clean-outtool 1 according to the invention in which anupper end 3A of the helical displacingmember 3 is free from ahelical blade flight 5. Please note, that in this embodiment theslots 16 are only provided in anupper part 2A of the tubular barrel, whichupper part 2A of the tubular barrel surrounds theupper part 3A of the helical displacing member which is free fromhelical blade flight 5. - In the embodiments shown a predefined working clearance C between a cylindrical volume occupied by said helical displacing
member 3 and aninner surface 20 of saidtubular barrel 2 is such that, in use, a stable layer of material is formed against saidinner surface 20 of saidtubular barrel 2. The stable layer urges - in use a mass of material within saidtubular barrel 2 along the helical path by frictional engagement between said stable layer and said mass of material.
Claims (15)
- A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore, said clean-out tool comprising:- a helical displacing member comprising a central shaft and a helical blade flight with a longitudinal axis, said displacing member being secured against rotation about said longitudinal axis;- a tubular barrel surrounding said helical displacing member, said tubular barrel being rotatably journalled in a first bearing and a second bearing spaced from the first bearing;- a drive mechanism for rotatably driving said tubular barrel; and- said tubular barrel comprising a hollow bit at a free end of the tubular barrel, said second bearing being provided within the hollow bit, and wherein said hollow bit is provided with scoop openings.
- A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to claim 1, wherein the hollow bit comprises a cylindrical part with substantially uniform diameter and a conical part with reducing diameter.
- A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to claim 2, wherein the scoop openings are provided in the conical part.
- A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the helical blade flight extends to within the hollow bit, preferably up to the second bearing.
- A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hollow bit is removably connected to the tubular barrel.
- A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clean-out tool comprises a first bearing and connection subassembly, said first bearing and connection subassembly comprising the first bearing and being connectable to the drive mechanism.
- A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to claim 6, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a down-hole motor comprising a static shaft, said static shaft being coupled to the central shaft of the helical displacing member in a rotationally fixed manner.
- A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the first bearing and connection subassembly is removably connected to the tubular barrel.
- A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clean-out tool comprises an anchor extending in longitudinal direction from the hollow bit, said anchor comprising an anchor shaft extending through the hollow bit, said anchor shaft being coupled to the central shaft of the helical displacing member in a rotationally fixed manner.
- A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tubular barrel comprises at least one slot for passing fluids within the tubular barrel to outside the tubular barrel.
- A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the helical displacing member comprises an upper part in which the central shaft is free from helical blade flight.
- A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to claims 10 and 11, wherein the slots are provided in an upper part of the tubular barrel, which upper part of the tubular barrel surrounds the upper part of the helical displacing member which is free from helical blade flight.
- A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a predefined working clearance between a cylindrical volume occupied by said helical displacing member and an inner surface of said tubular barrel is such that, in use, a stable layer of material is formed against said inner surface of said tubular barrel, said stable layer urging a mass of material within said tubular barrel along a helical path by frictional engagement between said stable layer and said mass of material.
- A method for cleaning out a well bore using a clean-out tool according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of:lowering said clean-out tool completely into a pre-formed well bore until the hollow bit of said clean-out tool engages material within said pre-formed well bore;activating the drive mechanism, causing the tubular barrel surrounding the helical displacing member to rotate about the longitudinal axis while the helical displacing member is kept stationary to convey material into the tubular barrel via the scoop openings and further into the tubular barrel;pulling said clean-out tool from said well bore; andremoving material out of the tubular barrel.
- A method for cleaning out a well bore according to claim 14, using a clean-out tool according to claim 5 or claim 8 or according to claims 5 and 8, wherein the step of removing material out of the tubular barrel comprises the step of removing at least one of the hollow bit and the first bearing and connection subassembly from the tubular barrel.
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP13178757.4A EP2669464A1 (en) | 2013-07-31 | 2013-07-31 | A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore and a method for cleaning out a well bore using such a clean-out tool |
PCT/NL2014/050536 WO2015016714A2 (en) | 2013-07-31 | 2014-07-31 | A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore and a method for cleaning out a well bore using such a clean-out tool |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP13178757.4A EP2669464A1 (en) | 2013-07-31 | 2013-07-31 | A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore and a method for cleaning out a well bore using such a clean-out tool |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP2669464A1 true EP2669464A1 (en) | 2013-12-04 |
Family
ID=48906140
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP13178757.4A Withdrawn EP2669464A1 (en) | 2013-07-31 | 2013-07-31 | A clean-out tool for cleaning out a well bore and a method for cleaning out a well bore using such a clean-out tool |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
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EP (1) | EP2669464A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2015016714A2 (en) |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20150000896A1 (en) * | 2010-09-13 | 2015-01-01 | Baker Hughes Incorporated | Debris Chamber with Helical Flow Path for Enhanced Subterranean Debris Removal |
US9809390B2 (en) * | 2016-07-16 | 2017-11-07 | Otis Walton | Granular material scoop and near-vertical lifting feeder/conveyor |
US9963301B2 (en) * | 2016-07-16 | 2018-05-08 | Otis Raymond Walton | Dry granular material feeder/conveyor for near-vertical lifting |
Families Citing this family (4)
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CN110566149B (en) * | 2019-10-15 | 2024-07-05 | 北京三叶西蒙科技有限公司 | Cover milling integrated sand bailing device and use method thereof |
CN112144529B (en) * | 2020-09-23 | 2022-04-01 | 浙江泛华工程咨询有限公司 | Cleaning method for sediment at bottom of drilled pile |
CN114737900B (en) * | 2021-12-27 | 2024-09-10 | 核工业北京化工冶金研究院 | Static rotational flow well washing device and method for cleaning in-situ immersed drilling holes |
CN115655030A (en) * | 2022-10-28 | 2023-01-31 | 甘肃久联爆破工程有限公司 | Underground broken rock horizontal blast hole cleaning device and application thereof in underground blasting |
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US2915288A (en) * | 1954-10-26 | 1959-12-01 | Crapez Leon Edmond | Methods of and apparatus for boring wells, drifts and the like |
DE2425404A1 (en) * | 1974-05-25 | 1975-12-04 | Stihl Maschf Andreas | Boring tool for making bore holes in soil - has screw auger, with container for extracted material and external sheathing pipe |
GB2114185A (en) * | 1982-01-25 | 1983-08-17 | Matsuzawa Kiko Kk | Method for boring vertical hole and machine therefor |
WO2000058602A1 (en) * | 1999-03-30 | 2000-10-05 | French Oilfield Services Limited | Method and apparatus for cleaning boreholes |
JP2005200841A (en) * | 2004-01-13 | 2005-07-28 | Ohbayashi Corp | Drilling method by auger with casing and mud removing bucket |
NL1036834C2 (en) * | 2008-04-16 | 2009-10-19 | Noterman Putboringen | Pile driving method, involves sinking bush having a helical blade and spiral drill bit at different rotary speeds and then filling borehole with concrete as bush and bit are lifted out of ground |
-
2013
- 2013-07-31 EP EP13178757.4A patent/EP2669464A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2014
- 2014-07-31 WO PCT/NL2014/050536 patent/WO2015016714A2/en active Application Filing
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US2915288A (en) * | 1954-10-26 | 1959-12-01 | Crapez Leon Edmond | Methods of and apparatus for boring wells, drifts and the like |
DE2425404A1 (en) * | 1974-05-25 | 1975-12-04 | Stihl Maschf Andreas | Boring tool for making bore holes in soil - has screw auger, with container for extracted material and external sheathing pipe |
GB2114185A (en) * | 1982-01-25 | 1983-08-17 | Matsuzawa Kiko Kk | Method for boring vertical hole and machine therefor |
WO2000058602A1 (en) * | 1999-03-30 | 2000-10-05 | French Oilfield Services Limited | Method and apparatus for cleaning boreholes |
JP2005200841A (en) * | 2004-01-13 | 2005-07-28 | Ohbayashi Corp | Drilling method by auger with casing and mud removing bucket |
NL1036834C2 (en) * | 2008-04-16 | 2009-10-19 | Noterman Putboringen | Pile driving method, involves sinking bush having a helical blade and spiral drill bit at different rotary speeds and then filling borehole with concrete as bush and bit are lifted out of ground |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20150000896A1 (en) * | 2010-09-13 | 2015-01-01 | Baker Hughes Incorporated | Debris Chamber with Helical Flow Path for Enhanced Subterranean Debris Removal |
US9353590B2 (en) * | 2010-09-13 | 2016-05-31 | Baker Hughes Incorporated | Debris chamber with helical flow path for enhanced subterranean debris removal |
US9809390B2 (en) * | 2016-07-16 | 2017-11-07 | Otis Walton | Granular material scoop and near-vertical lifting feeder/conveyor |
US9963301B2 (en) * | 2016-07-16 | 2018-05-08 | Otis Raymond Walton | Dry granular material feeder/conveyor for near-vertical lifting |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2015016714A2 (en) | 2015-02-05 |
WO2015016714A3 (en) | 2015-11-12 |
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