GB2538358A

GB2538358A - Deploying a downhole device in a wellbore

Info

Publication number: GB2538358A
Application number: GB1604526.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Crawford Robert; Neal Marsh Brent
Original assignee: Downhole Tools Int Ltd
Current assignee: Downhole Tools Int Ltd
Priority date: 2015-03-20
Filing date: 2016-03-17
Publication date: 2016-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 2036-03-17
Also published as: GB201604526D0; GB201504745D0; GB2538358B

Abstract

A running tool 30 has a latching connection to a downhole device on its lower end 32 and, on its upper end 52, an attachment to a wireline extending down a wellbore. The downhole device has a fishneck 34 on its upper end. The running tool has an electrically operable release mechanism 40, 42, 43, 44 that releases the latching connection. A control means 46 operates the release mechanism when a sensor 48 detects a parameter of a predetermined value in the wellbore at a selected location, such as pressure, acceleration, temperature or time. The control means may also operate the release mechanism when an activation signal is received via the wireline. The latching connection may comprise a clamp 36 engaged by a cam surface 38. There may be a plurality of sensors. An electrical battery or electrical power source may be connected to the release mechanism.

Description

Deploying a Downhole Device in a Wellbore This invention concerns the deployment of a downhole device in a wellbore.

It is common practice in wellbore operations to provide a downhole device with a connection including a fishneck, whereby it may be attached to a wireline and lowered down the wellbore to a selected location. Fishnecks come in a range of sizes (e.g. with working diameters of 1.06 inch (26.92 millimetre), 1.38 inch (35.05 millimetre), 1.81 inch (45.97 millimetre), 2.31 inch (58.67 millimetre), 2.62 inch (66.55 millimetre), 3.12 inch (79.25 millimetre), 4.00 inch (101.60 millimetre), 4.75 inch (120.65 millimetre) and 5.38 inch (136.65 millimetre) but are of substantially common form. In heretofore conventional practice tie downhole device is released from the wireline by a manipulation process, in which mechanical or hydraulic jarring is applied with a view to causing a pin or pins (the shear pins) in the connection to shear.

There are at least three problems with this manipulation. On the one hand, the jarring force necessary to shear the shear pins may be greater than the safe working load of the wireline. On the other hand it may be difficult to apply a jarring force sufficient to shear the shear pins, especially if the wellbore deviates or is inclined. Thirdly, if the jarring force is both sufficient to shear the shear pins and below the safe working load of the wireline, it may nevertheless cause damage to gauges or other components of the downhole device.

It is an object of the present invention to enable a downhole device to be deployed in a wellbore without manipulation (jarring).

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for deploying a downhole device at a selected location in a wellbore, which apparatus comprises: a fishneck on the upper end in use of the downhole device; a running tool having on its lower end in use a latching connection to the downhole device and on its upper end in use an attachment to a wireline extending down the wellbore; a sensor responsive to a parameter in the wellbore at the selected location; an electrically operable release mechanism operative to release the latching connection between the running tool and the downhole device; and control means operative on the release mechanism; wherein the control means is operatively associated with the sensor and operates the release mechanism when the sensor detects that said parameter is of a predetermined value.

For the avoidance of doubt it should be understood that the device being deployed may be part of a string of tools, and the term "attachment" as used above and elsewhere herein, along with the term "attaching", should be deemed to include attachment by way of other tools connected to the wireline as well as direct attachment to the wireline.

The latching connection may comprise a clamp engaged by a cam surface in the running tool having a first position in which the clamp is expanded within the fishneck to grip it and a second position in which the clamp is contracted from the fishneck to be free thereof. The cam surface (which may be formed on a sleeve slidable in the running tool) may be moved by the release mechanism from its first position to its second position to release the latching connection between the running tool and the downhole device.

The sensor may be responsive to acceleration or pressure or time or temperature, and there may be a plurality of said sensors respectively responsive to different said parameters with the release mechanism being operated when one or more of said parameters is of a predetermined value. The running tool may carry an electrical battery operatively connected to the release mechanism by way of the control means. Otherwise there may be an electrical power source (e.g. at the top of the wellbore) operatively connectable to the release mechanism by way of the wireline and the control means.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of deploying a downhole device in a wellbore, which method comprises: providing a fishneck on the upper end in use of the downhole device; latching the upper end in use of the downhole device to the lower end in use of a running tool by means of the fishneck; attaching an upper end of the running tool to a wireline; lowering the running tool with the attached downhole device down the wellbore by means of the wireline; sensing a parameter in the wellbore at the location of the downhole device; providing in the running tool a release mechanism controllably operable to unlatch the downhole device from the running tool without jarring; and operating the release mechanism in response to the detection by the sensor of a said parameter of a predetermined value.

It will be noted that, in addition to the avoidance of jarring, the invention enables the downhole device to be deployed at a selected location defined by the value of a parameter sensed in the wellbore (or a combination of parameters such as acceleration, pressure temperature, time or a signal from the surface) rather than simply by measuring the length of wireline paid out from the surface.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, which is made by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which: Figure 1 shows, in half-section, a previously known tool for latching to a downhole device from which it can be unlatched by downwards jarring; Figure 2 is an enlarged isometric view of the latching end (i.e. the lower end in use) of the tool of Figure 1 formed for engagement with an internal type of fishneck on the upper end of the downhole device; Figure 3 shows in cross-section apparatus for deploying a downhole device in a wellbore according to the invention, in running mode; Figure 4 is a cross-section view corresponding to Figure 3 and showing the deployment apparatus after powered release of the downhole device; and Figure 5 is a cross-section view corresponding to Figure 3 and showing the deployment apparatus after shear release of the downhole device.

Before the invention is described in detail, two points should be noted to for the avoidance of uncertainty. Firstly, whilst the deployment of a downhole device according to the invention is described herein as by means of a wireline, the term "wireline" as used herein should be deemed to include slickline, braided line, coiled tubing, hydraulic hose (mini-coiled tubing), carbon fibre rod or other rigless intervention means, whether incorporating an electical core or otherwise. Secondly, the term "tool" as used herein should be deemed to include a tool string.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, these figures show a previously known pulling tool 10 configured and arranged to be passed down a wellbore (not shown). As disposed for entry into the wellbore, the upper end 12 of the pulling tool 10 is formed for attachment to a wireline -commonly by way of a toolstring (not detailed) and its lower end is formed for latching connection to a female fishneck 16 at the upper end of a downhole device (not otherwise detailed) in the wellbore. Thus the male lower end 14 of the pulling tool 10 has a circularly disposed array 18 (see Figure 2) of lugs 20 which, when the lower end of the pulling tool is received in the female fishneck 16 are forced outwards by a cam surface 20 on a cap 22 and into gripping engagement with the fishneck 16. To release the connection, the cap 22 is jarred downwards, allowing the array 18 of lugs to contract inwards, free of the fishneck 16. The pulling tool 10 is particularly suited to retrieving downhole devices such as lock mandrels that are firmly located in a well bore.

Referring to Figure 3, this shows apparatus embodying the present invention and comprising a running tool 30 with its lower end 32 within and connected to a female fishneck 34 at the upper end of a downhole device (not otherwise detailed). Running tool 30 is in use attached at its upper end 52 to a wireline (not shown) by means that will be well understood by those skilled in the art of wellbore operations. The connection between the running tool 30 and the fishneck 34 is similar to the latching connection described above in relation to Figures 1 and 2. Outwardly directed lugs 36 are urged outwardly within the fishneck 34 and into gripping engagement therewith by means of a cam surface 38 on a sleeve 40 mounted for sliding movement in the running tool 30. However the means of releasing the latching connection is different from that of the arrangement of Figures 1 and 2, and it does not require jarring, as will now be described.

The running tool 30 carries an electrical release mechanism in the form of an electric motor 42 coupled by way of a gearbox 43 to a shaft 44 threadedly engaged with the sleeve 40 so that when the motor 42 is operated the drive shaft 44 retracts the sleeve 40 within the running tool 30, as shown in Figure 4. Thus the sleeve 40 is moved axially upwards relative to the body of the pulling tool, from its first position (Figure 3) in which the lugs are cammed into gripping engagement with the fishneck 34 to a second position (Figure 4) in which the lugs 36 drop down off the cam surface 38, away from the inside of the fishneck 34, and allow the fishneck 34 to unlatch. It will be noted that the arrangement of Figures 3 and 4 allows the unlatching process to be performed without jarring, unlike the previously known arrangement of Figures 1 and 2.

The motor 42 is powered by an electrical battery 45 under the control of control means 46 operatively associated with a sensor 48, all of which components are carried by the running tool 30. The sensor 48 is responsive to a parameter in the wellbore, such as pressure. It may be responsive to another parameter such as acceleration, temperature, or time. When the sensor 48 detects that the parameter it senses is of a particular value it causes the control means 46 to actuate the motor 42, powered by the battery 44, and thereby release the fishneck 34. Thus the downhole device having the fishneck 34 at its upper end is deployed in the wellbore, at a selected location where the sensed parameter has a predetermined value.

It will be understood that there may be a plurality of sensors on the running tool 30, respectively responsive to different parameters, so that the downhole device is released at a selected location defined by the sensed value of a combination of parameters.

In an embodiment, release of the downhole device may also be achieved by conveying an activation signal from the surface to the control means 46. As will be known by those skilled in the art of wellbore operations, wirelines typically contain electrical and/or data cables and thus such an activation signal may be conveyed over a cable 50 from the surface to the control means 46. In this way, the downhole device may be released under manual control from the surface, whereby the control means 46, upon receipt of the activation signal, actuates the motor 42 and thereby releases the fishneck 34.

In case the release mechanism described above should fail, or the downhole device become stuck in the wellbore, the fishneck 34 and thereby the downhole device can be unlatched from the running tool 30 in another way, as will now be described.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the running tool 30 has its upper end 52 secured to a casing 54 by means of shear pins 56. If necessary these shear pins 56 can be sheared by tension T on the wireline. This allows the upper end 52 of the running tool 30 to move upwards relative to the casing 54, lifting the sleeve 40 to its second (unlatching) position and thereby allowing the lugs 36 to drop down from the cam surface 38, as shown in Figure 5. This frees the fishneck 34.

To summarise the above: Figure 3 shows the running tool 30 latched to the fishneck 34 of a downhole device being deployed in a wellbore, the latching lugs 36 being urged into gripping engagement with and within the fishneck 34 by the cam surface 38 of the sleeve 40; Figure 4 shows the running tool 30 in the released mode, obtained by the electric motor 42 rotating the drive shaft 44 to move the sleeve 40 upwards in the running tool 30 so that the lugs 36 are unsupported by the sleeve 40 and drop down to release the running tool 30 from the fishneck 34; and Figure 5 shows a standby shear release mechanism whereby if for any reason the running tool 30 fails to release an upwards force on the wireline will shear the shear pins to release the running tool from the fish neck.

Claims

Claims What we claim is: 1. Apparatus for deploying a downhole device at a selected location in a wellbore, which apparatus comprises: a fishneck on the upper end in use of the downhole device; a running tool having on its lower end in use a latching connection to the downhole device and on its upper end in use an attachment to a wireline extending down the wellbore; a sensor responsive to a parameter in the wellbore at the selected location; an electrically operable release mechanism operative to release the latching connection between the running tool and the downhole device; and control means operative on the release mechanism; wherein the control means is operatively associated with the sensor and operates the release mechanism when the sensor detects that said parameter is of a predetermined value.
2. Apparatus for deploying a downhole device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said latching connection comprises a clamp engaged by a cam surface in the running tool having a first position in which the clamp is expanded within the fishneck to grip it and a second position in which the clamp is contracted from the fishneck to be free thereof.
3. Apparatus for deploying a downhole device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cam surface is formed is moved by the release mechanism from its first position to its second position to release the latching connection between the running tool and the downhole device.
4. Apparatus for deploying a downhole device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sensor is responsive to acceleration or pressure or time or temperature.
5. Apparatus for deploying a downhole device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein there is a plurality of said sensors respectively responsive to different said parameters and the release mechanism is operated when one or more of said parameters is of a predetermined value.
6. Apparatus for deploying a downhole device, wherein the control means is further configured to operate the release mechanism upon receipt of a signal conveyed via said wireline.
7. Apparatus for deploying a downhole device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the running tool carries an electrical battery operatively connected to the release mechanism by way of the control means.
8. Apparatus for deploying a downhole device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said apparatus comprises an electrical power source operatively connectable to the release mechanism by way of the wireline and the control means.
9. Apparatus for deploying a downhole device at a selected location in a wellbore, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying Figures 3 to 5.
10. A method of deploying a downhole device in a wellbore, which method comprises: providing a fishneck on the upper end in use of the downhole device; latching the upper end in use of the downhole device to the lower end in use of a running tool by means of the fishneck; attaching an upper end of the running tool to a wireline; lowering the running tool with the attached downhole device down the wellbore by means of the wireline; sensing a parameter in the wellbore at the location of the downhole device; providing in the running tool a release mechanism controllably operable to unlatch the downhole device from the running tool without jarring; and operating the release mechanism in response to the detection by the sensor of a said parameter of a predetermined value.
11. A method of deploying a downhole device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the detection by the sensor of a said parameter of a predetermined value defines a selected location for the downhole device in the wellbore.
12. A method of deploying a downhole device as claimed in claim or claim 11, wherein the sensor is responsive to acceleration or pressure or time or temperature or a signal conveyed to the running tool along the wireline.
13. A method of deploying a downhole device as claimed in any of claims 10 to 12, in which there is a plurality of said sensors respectively responsive to different said parameters and the release mechanism is operated when one or more of said parameters is of a predetermined value.
14. A method of deploying a downhole device in a wellbore, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying Figures 3 to 5.