RU2755981C2 - Circulation sub - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: oil and gas industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the oil and gas industry, in particular to switching flow of drilling fluid in a drill string. A device contains a case with a spool sleeve with a seat and a guide ring in the input part located in it, and a spring pressing the spool sleeve to the guide ring. In the case, there are two circulation ports with flow holes, a sleeve with side holes and a spool sleeve located in it, the sleeve has a collar in the output part. To the case, a threaded case of the device for catching balls is fastened, in which a filter pipe is located with slits in its wall and an input sleeve and an output flange connected to it. The guide ring is made with thread on the outer surface, the thrust collar is formed by a flange fixed on the end of the sleeve, the flange has protrusions that enter grooves of a shank of the spool sleeve. The filter pipe is connected by welding to the input sleeve and the output flange in one removable sub assembly suspended on the inner conical surface of the case of the device for catching balls in its upper part. In the lower part, the assembly is centered - it is freely located inside the output sleeve. The guide ring is located above the seat, which is installed in a detachable way in a socket of the spool sleeve, and which rests on a socket ledge, a pair of radial holes is made in the spool sleeve.

EFFECT: installation and dismantling works are simplified, the reliability of the sub operation is increased.

2 cl, 4 dwg

Description

The invention relates to a device for switching the flow of drilling fluid from the cavity of the drill string to the annulus. The device contains a circulation valve and a circulation sub in the connected form - a circulation sub. The invention is intended for use in drilling equipment.

Circulation subs and circulation valves are known from patent documentation (RU 2599120, 10.10.2016. RU 2599119, 10.10.2016. RU 181350 U1, 11.07.2018. RU 2658851, 25.06.2018. US 2018306000 A1, 25.11.2018. US 2018179844 A1 , 28.06.2018. CN 108678694 A, 19.10.2018. CA 29995271 A1. 15.08.2018. CA 3007461 A1. 09.06.2016. NO 20180345 A1. 09.03.2018).

Of the known, the closest to the technical solution presented in this description is a circulation valve described in patent RU 2599120 C1, which contains a tubular body, a spool sleeve located inside the body, a saddle located in the central channel of the spool sleeve, a guide ring located in the inlet part of the body ... A spring is installed inside the housing, which presses the spool sleeve against the guide ring. Through the inner cavity of the body, the cavity of the guide ring, the cavity of the seat and the cavity of the spool sleeve, the pumping supply of the fluid is carried out. The housing contains two circulation ports and one with flow holes. The circulation ports are closed with a spool sleeve in an inactive mode of operation, in which a pumping supply of fluid is carried out through the drill string. The circulation ports are open in an active mode, in which they provide communication with the interior of the drill string. The prototype contains a releasable activation ball configured to deform and pass through the seat as the fluid moves along the drill string. The valve also contains two closing balls, discharged one after the other, interacting with circulation ports to block the flow of fluid through said circulation ports. The prototype also contains a threaded tubular body fastened to the body with a device located inside it for capturing balls that have passed with a fluid flow through the seat. The prototype contains a sleeve located inside the tubular body, the spool sleeve is solid, placed with the possibility of longitudinal movement inside the sleeve and is equipped with its own outer seals in contact with the inner surface of the sleeve. In the inactive mode, in which the circulation ports are closed with a spool sleeve and fluid is pumped through the drill string, these circulation ports are located downstream of the seat. The spool sleeve's own outer seals are located on opposite sides of the circulation ports. In active mode, in which the circulation ports are open and provide communication with the interior of the drill string, the upstream edge of the spool sleeve is located downstream of the circulation ports. The sleeve is made with through side holes. Each circulation port is made with an edge protruding inwardly from the inner surface of the housing. The sleeve is fixed by each side through hole relative to the edge of the inwardly directed circulation port. The inner profile of the inlet part of the flow opening of each circulation port is converging towards the outer surface of the tubular body (RU 2599120 C1, 10.10.2016 - prototype).

In the prototype, the outlet part of the sleeve is made with a thrust shoulder contacting in an active mode, in which the circulation ports are open, with the end of the spool sleeve, with the possibility of communication in an inactive mode, in which the circulation ports are closed by the spool sleeve. The valve has cavities formed by the inner diameter of the sleeve and the outer diameter of the stem of the spool sleeve; a spring is placed in the cavities. The cavities are formed by their own outer seal of the spool sleeve, the thrust shoulder of the outlet part of the sleeve, and the inner cavity of the tubular body. The inner profile of the guide ring is converging towards the inlet part of the spool sleeve, while in inactive mode, in which the circulation ports are closed by the spool sleeve, forming the converging surface of the guide ring is located above the inner surface of the inlet part of the spool sleeve. The inner profile of the outlet part of the tubular body is made diffuser in the direction of the device for capturing the balls that have passed with the fluid flow through the seat of the spool sleeve.

In the prototype, the spool sleeve may not fully open the port openings, since it is pressed by a spring, the compression level of which depends on the pressure drop across the circulation ports. In this case, the balls will not be able to completely close the port openings and block the flow of drilling fluid through the circulation ports, nor will they be able to switch the valve operation mode. In the prototype, the balls are pressed by the pressure of the drilling fluid against the port holes. With a large differential pressure, the spring force is not sufficient to push them away from the circulation ports and complete the switching cycle.

The design of the known circulating valve also serves as a sub, and at the same time it is relatively complex in terms of ease of assembly and disassembly, which negatively affects the reliability of its operation.

The technical result of the circulating sub, presented in this description, is to simplify assembly and dismantling works and increase the reliability of the sub.

The technical result is achieved by a circulation sub containing a body with a spool sleeve with a seat, a guide ring in the inlet part of the body, a spring in the body, pressing the spool sleeve to the guide ring, the body has two circulation ports with flow holes, a sleeve with side holes and a spool sleeve located in it with the possibility of its movement in a sleeve having a collar in the outlet part, each circulation port is made with a port edge protruding into the body, the sleeve is fixed by each port edge located in a side hole, a threaded body of the device for catching balls is attached to the body, and it contains a filter pipe with slots in its wall and an inlet sleeve and an outlet flange connected to it, and the guide ring is threaded on the outer surface screwed into the thread of the inlet part of the housing, the thrust collar is formed by a flange fixed to the end of the sleeve, the flange has t protrusions entering the grooves of the stem of the spool sleeve, the filter pipe is welded to the inlet sleeve and the outlet flange into one removable sub assembly suspended on the inner tapered surface of the body of the device for catching balls in its upper part, and in the lower part of this body, the specified assembly is centered - it is freely located inside the outlet sleeve, and the guide ring is located above the seat, which is detachably installed in the seat of the spool sleeve and rests on the shoulder of the seat; a pair of radial holes is made in the spool sleeve, which are arranged so that they can be aligned with the port holes.

On the outer end of the guide ring there are hooks for the assembly key.

FIG. 1 shows the circulation sub in longitudinal section and cross-section along AA.

FIG. 2 - circulation sub in the process of bypassing the drilling fluid into the annulus.

FIG. 3 - circulation sub with balls located in it in working positions.

FIG. 4 - circulating sub with balls located in it in falling positions.

The circulating sub contains a tubular body 1, a spool sleeve 2 located inside the body 1, a seat 3, which is located in the central channel 4 of the spool sleeve 2, a guide ring 5 located in the inlet part of the body. A spring 6 is installed inside the body, pressing the spool sleeve 2 to the guide ring-nut 5. Through the inner cavity 7 of the body, the cavity of the guide ring, the cavity 8 of the seat 3 and the central channel 4 of the spool sleeve 2, a pumping supply of fluid drilling mud 9 is carried out (conventionally shown by a set of points ).

Two circulation ports 10 and 11 with flow holes 12 and 13 are fixed in the body 1. The circulation ports are closed by the spool sleeve 2 in the inactive mode of the sub operation, in which the drilling fluid is pumped through the drill string. The circulation ports are open in an active mode, which provides a connection between the annular space and the inner space of the drill string.

The sub, in the course of its operation, contains an activation ball 14 (shown by a dotted line) that is dropped into it, made with the possibility of its deformation when passing through the saddle 3 when the drilling fluid moves along the drill string, as well as two locking balls 15 and 16 (shown by a dotted line). Balls 15 and 16, when dropped one after another, interact with circulation ports 10 and 11 and block the flow of drilling fluid through the circulation ports.

The sub contains a threaded tubular body 17 fastened to the body 1 with a device located inside it for capturing balls 14, 15 and 16 that have passed with a fluid flow through the seat 3.

The sleeve 18 is installed in the body 1, in which the spool sleeve 2 is movably located with the possibility of its longitudinal movement inside the sleeve 18. The sleeve 2 is equipped with its own outer seals 19 in contact with the inner surface of the sleeve 18. In an inactive mode, in which the circulation ports are closed by the spool sleeve and the pumping of the drilling fluid through the drill string is carried out. Moreover, in this position, these circulation ports 10 and 11 are located below the seat 3 in the direction of the flow of the drilling fluid.

The outer seals 19 of the spool sleeve 2 are located on opposite sides of the circulation ports 10 and 11. In the active mode, in which the circulation ports are open and provide communication with the inner space of the drill string, the upper edge of the spool sleeve 2 is located above the circulation ports 10 and 11 in the direction of movement drilling fluid flow.

The sleeve 18 is made with through side holes 20 and 21, each circulation port is made with an edge 22 protruding inward from the inner surface of the housing. The sleeve 18 is fixed by each through side hole 21 relative to the edge 22 of the inwardly directed circulation port. The inner profile of the inlet part of each flow port of the circulation port is converging towards the outer surface of the tubular body.

The outlet part of the sleeve 18 is made with a thrust collar 23 in active mode (in which the circulation ports are open) with the end face 24 of the spool sleeve 2 to enable communication between the working cavities of the sub. The sub has cavities 25 and 26 formed by the inner diameter of the sleeve and the outer diameter of the stem of the spool sleeve, while the spring 6 is located in the cavities 25 and 26. The cavities are bounded by their own outer seal 19 of the spool sleeve, the thrust shoulder 23 of the outlet part of the sleeve and the inner cavity of the tubular body 1 ...

The inner profile 27 of the guide ring 5 is converging towards the inlet part of the spool sleeve 2, while in the inactive mode, in which the circulation ports are closed by the spool sleeve, the inner profile 27 of the guide ring 5 is located above the inner surface of the inlet part of the spool sleeve.

The inner profile 28 of the outlet part of the tubular body 1 is made diffuser in the direction of the device 29 for capturing the balls that have passed with the fluid flow through the seat 3 of the spool sleeve. The thrust shoulder 23 is formed by a flange 30 fixed to the end of the sleeve 18, and the flange has two protrusions that go into two grooves of the stem of the spool sleeve 31.

The device 29 for catching balls is made in the form of a filter pipe 32 with slots 33 in its wall, the end parts of the filter pipe 32 are rigidly welded, respectively, to the inlet sleeve 34 and the outlet flange 37. The filter pipe 32, its sleeves 34 and flange 37 are located in the cavity of the housing 17 of the device 29 for catching balls. The inlet sleeve 34 has an outer tapered surface, with which it abuts against the inner tapered surface of the body 17, while the pipe 32 is freely suspended inside the body 17. In the lower part of the body 17 there is an outlet sleeve 35 with stiffening ribs 36, into which the outlet flange 37 freely fits and centered inside the housing bore 17.

The guide ring nut 5 is located above the seat 3, which is detachably mounted in the seat of the spool sleeve 2 and rests on the shoulder of the seat. To align the holes 38 of the spool sleeve 2 with the holes 12 in ports 10 and 11, to fix them in this position, there is a shank 31 in the lower part of the spool sleeve, which has two grooves, into which two protrusions on the flange 30 of the sleeve 18 enter.

The threaded tubular body 17 with a device for catching balls 15 and 16 located inside it has an external turning, which reduces the diameter of the body 17 in its middle part 39, which reduces the rigidity of the body 17, which serves as a more flexible sub. This flexibility facilitates passage of the BHA through deviated portions of the wellbore, reduces bending forces on the body 17 threads, and increases the reliability of the sub.

The circulating sub works as follows. In the passive mode of the sub operation, the flow of drilling fluid freely passes through the inner center channel of the sub. To activate the sub, an activation ball 14 is dropped into the pipe cavity (Fig. 2), which settles in the seat 3 and overlaps the cavity 8 of the seat 3 and channel 4 of the spool sleeve 2. In this case, the seat 3, together with the spool sleeve 2, is displaced downward and compresses the spring 6 The holes 38 in the spool sleeve 2 are aligned with the flow holes 12 of the circulation ports 10 and 11. The flow of drilling fluid from the inner space of the pipes is directed into the annulus (the flow is shaded with dots).

To deactivate the sub, two balls 15, 16 are dropped inward (Fig. 3), which are pushed by the flow of drilling fluid and close the holes in the spool sleeve, while the pressure of the drilling fluid increases and the activation ball 14 is pushed through the seat 3 of the spool sleeve. The spring pushes the spool sleeve upward and closes the circulation ports. The balls of deactivation are washed off by the drilling fluid and accumulate in the ball trap (Fig. 4).

In contrast to the prototype, in the upper part of the spool sleeve of the presented circulation sub there are two holes 38, which, when the sub is active, are aligned with the holes 12 of the circulation ports. In comparison with the prototype, this feature of the presented circulation sub is essential, ensuring the reliability of the sub.

Also, in the presented circulation sub, if the holes in the spool sleeve do not fully open the circulation ports, the balls are guaranteed to completely overlap the holes in the spool sleeve and switch the operating mode of the sub, regardless of the solution pressure drop across the circulation ports. After pushing the activation ball 14 through the seat, under the action of the spring, the spool sleeve 2, together with the balls 15, 16, is pushed upward, the circulation holes are closed, the solution pressure drop does not act on the balls, and they are freely washed off by the solution.

In comparison with the prototype, the simplification of assembly and disassembly work and an increase in the reliability of the sub operation is achieved by the fact that a guide ring 5 with an external thread is introduced into the sub design, which allows the spring to be compressed when assembling the sub without using additional devices for spring compression. The use of a spool sleeve 2 with two radial holes 38 increases the reliability of switching the operating modes of the sub, regardless of the pressure drop across the circulation ports. Spring 6 in the inactive mode of operation, when the pumping supply of drilling fluid is carried out through the internal cavity of the sub (during the main operating time) is in the closed cavities 25, 26 and is not subject to erosion by the flow of drilling fluid.

The body 17 of the ball trap has an external turning, which reduces the diameter of the body in its middle part, which reduces the rigidity of the body, which functions as a "flexible" sub. This flexibility facilitates the passage of the BHA through deviated sections of the borehole, reduces bending forces on the threads, and increases the reliability of the sub.

Since the sub assemblies indicated in the description are removable, the assembly and dismantling works associated with both the manufacture of the sub and its maintenance and repair during operation are greatly simplified.

The technical result is obtained by a circulating sub, characterized by a set of its design features, which consists in the fact that the circulating sub (Fig. 1) contains a tubular body 1, located inside the body 1, a slide sleeve 2 with a seat 3, a guide ring 5 located in the inlet part of the body, a spring 6 inside the body, pressing the spool sleeve 2 to the guide ring 5, while in the body 1 there are two circulation ports 10 and 11 with flow holes 12 and 13, while the sub contains a threaded tubular body 17 fastened to the body 1 with a device located inside it for capturing the balls that have passed with the fluid flow through the seat 3, while in the body 1 there is a sleeve 18 with side holes 20 and 21, in which a spool sleeve 2 is installed with the possibility of its longitudinal movement inside the sleeve 18, with each circulation port being made with the edge 22 of the port protruding into the housing, sleeve 18 behind is fixed by each through side hole 21 relative to the edge 22 of the port, the outlet part of the sleeve 18 has a shoulder 23, while the sub has a device 29 for catching balls, made in the form of a filter pipe 32 with slots 33 in its wall, the end parts of the filter pipe 32 are rigidly welded , respectively with the inlet sleeve 34 and the outlet flange 37, while the filter pipe 32 and its sleeves 34 and the flange 37 are located in the cavity of the body 17 of the device 29 for catching balls, while the inlet sleeve 34 has an outer conical surface, with which it abuts against the inner conical surface of the body 17 and the pipe 32 freely suspended inside the body 17. In the lower part of the body 17 there is an outlet sleeve 35 with stiffening ribs 36 into which the outlet flange 37 freely fits and is centered inside the opening of the body 17, and the circulation sub is characterized in that the guide ring is threaded on the outer surface screwed into the thread of the inlet part of the body and why on the outer end of the guide ring there are hooks for the mounting key, while the guide ring is made integral with the hooks and is a guide ring-nut, the thrust shoulder 23 is formed by a flange 30 fixed to the end of the sleeve 18, and the flange 30 has a spring located inside 6 guide 31 for moving the lower part of the spool sleeve 2 along it, the inlet sleeve 34 is welded to the filter pipe 32 flush with the end of this pipe 32, the outlet sleeve 35 has a through channel with ribs 36 in the channel, above the ribs there is a flange 37, rigidly connected with the end of the filter pipe 32, while the inlet sleeve 34, the filter pipe 32 and the outlet flange 37 are rigidly connected to each other by welding and in the connected position represent a removable sub assembly, the guide ring nut 5 is located above the seat 3, which is detachably mounted in the seat of the spool sleeve 2 and rests on the shoulder of the socket, and in the spool sleeve there is a pa radial holes located with the possibility of alignment with holes 12 of ports 10 and 11.

Claims (2)

1. A circulating sub containing a body and a spool sleeve with a seat located in it, a guide ring in the inlet part of the body, a spring in the body that presses the spool sleeve to the guide ring, the body has two circulation ports with flow holes, a sleeve with side holes and in it by a spool sleeve with the possibility of its movement in a sleeve having a stop shoulder in the outlet part, each circulation port is made with a port edge protruding into the body, the sleeve is fixed by each port edge located in the side hole of the sleeve, a threaded body of the device for catching balls is fastened to the body and it contains a filter pipe with slots in its wall and an inlet sleeve and an outlet flange connected to it, characterized in that the guide ring is threaded on the outer surface screwed into the thread of the inlet part of the housing, the thrust collar is formed by a flange fixed to the end of the sleeve , the flange is high blunts entering the grooves of the stem of the spool sleeve, the filter pipe is welded to the inlet sleeve and the outlet flange into one removable sub assembly suspended on the inner conical surface of the body of the device for catching balls in its upper part, and in the lower part of this body, the specified assembly is centered - it is freely located inside the outlet sleeve, and the guide ring is located above the seat, which is detachably mounted in the seat of the spool sleeve and rests on the shoulder of the seat; a pair of radial holes is made in the spool sleeve, which are arranged so that they can be aligned with the port holes. 2. The circulating sub according to claim 1, characterized in that on the outer end of the guide ring there are hooks for the assembly key.

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