US20100175891A1 - Dart launcher for well cementing operations - Google Patents

Dart launcher for well cementing operations Download PDF

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Publication number
US20100175891A1
US20100175891A1 US12/638,353 US63835309A US2010175891A1 US 20100175891 A1 US20100175891 A1 US 20100175891A1 US 63835309 A US63835309 A US 63835309A US 2010175891 A1 US2010175891 A1 US 2010175891A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
dart
sleeve
launcher
receiver
valve element
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.)
Abandoned
Application number
US12/638,353
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English (en)
Inventor
Joel Rondeau
Philippe Gambier
Andre Salvaire
Greg Giem
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Schlumberger Technology Corp
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Schlumberger Technology Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Schlumberger Technology Corp filed Critical Schlumberger Technology Corp
Assigned to SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION reassignment SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: SALVAIRE, ANDRE, GIEM, GREG, RONDEAU, JOEL, GAMBIER, PHILIPPE
Publication of US20100175891A1 publication Critical patent/US20100175891A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
    • E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
    • E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
    • E21B33/04—Casing heads; Suspending casings or tubings in well heads
    • E21B33/05—Cementing-heads, e.g. having provision for introducing cementing plugs
    • 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
    • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
    • E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
    • E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
    • E21B33/068—Well heads; Setting-up thereof having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells
    • E21B33/076—Well heads; Setting-up thereof having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells specially adapted for underwater installations
    • 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
    • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
    • E21B33/10—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells in the borehole
    • E21B33/13—Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
    • E21B33/14—Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like for cementing casings into boreholes
    • E21B33/16—Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like for cementing casings into boreholes using plugs for isolating cement charge; Plugs therefor
    • E21B33/165—Cementing plugs specially adapted for being released down-hole

Definitions

  • This invention relates to systems for launching darts in well cementing operations which can be used to activate the launch of wiper plugs downhole to prevent contamination between different fluids during the operation.
  • the invention finds particular application in the cementing of oil and gas wells or the like.
  • plugs In the construction of oil and gas wells, it is occasionally necessary to cement a liner or casing in the well to provide stability and zonal isolation. In such processes, it is common to use plugs to separate different fluids pumped along the tubing or casing. Such plugs are usually installed in a basket located in cementing equipment lowered into the well. The plugs are launched from the basket by means of darts pumped from the surface.
  • FIG. 1 A known dart launching tool is shown in FIG. 1 (see also U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,537) and comprises a dart launcher 90 including a generally tubular body 91 whose upper end is connected to a lifting sub 92 by which the body is suspended from the elevators of the rig.
  • a swivel housing 93 that is rotatably mounted on the body 91 has several fluid inlets 94 that communicate with the bore of the body via radial ports 95 .
  • Upper and lower tubular receivers 96 , 97 which temporarily house the darts 100 , 101 are mounting in the body 91 above upper and lower rotatable plug valve elements 102 , 103 , respectively.
  • the darts 100 , 101 are each standard devices having several upwardly facing, elastomer swab cups that hold pressure from above.
  • Each valve element 102 , 103 has a passageway 104 that is large enough to pass a dart 100 , 101 when the passageway is longitudinally aligned with the bore of a receiver.
  • Suitable actuators 107 , 108 are provided to selectively rotate the plug valve elements 102 , 103 .
  • the plug valve elements 102 , 103 each have kidney-shaped external recesses on opposite sides of the passageways 104 which allow fluids to bypass outside the receivers 96 , 97 when the passageways are at right angles to the receivers. This allows fluids to be pumped under pressure into the running string 22 with the darts 100 , 101 caged. However when the bypass passages 104 are closed by rotating a valve element until its bore is in alignment with a receiver, pump pressure through inlets 94 forces a dart 100 or 101 out of its receiver, through a valve element and into the running string 22 where it travels down into the well to engage the plug launching tool (not shown).
  • the present invention aims to overcome these problems by providing an apparatus in a modular form that can easily be assembled on site.
  • the darts can be pre-loaded into sleeves for installation into the modules
  • a first aspect provides a dart launcher for use in well cementing operations, including: a body having a bore which can be arranged to communicate with the well; a valve element located in the body and operable to open or close the bore; a dart receiver positioned in the body above the valve element for housing a dart that can be launched through the valve element into the well; the dart receiver being dimensioned to receive a dart sleeve, into which the dart is pre-loaded, the sleeve comprising formations on its outer surface which engage in corresponding formations in the inner surface of the receiver to prevent the sleeve from passing through the valve element when the dart is launched wherein the dart comprises an elongate core with a series of flexible fins projecting therefrom, and a head section for engaging a plug launching tool, the head section being connected to the shaft by means of a resilient damping system.
  • the body, valve element and dart receiver form a launcher module, the launcher comprising several modules connected together one above the other such that the part of the body through which the dart is launched is connected to the top of the dart receiver of the module below.
  • Each module can also comprise a sleeve loaded with a dart.
  • a ball dropper can be positioned below the lowermost module.
  • a second aspect provides a dart sleeve for use in a dart launcher according to the first aspect of the invention, comprising a sleeve for housing a dart in a compressed form, wherein formations are provided on the outer surface of the sleeve which can engage in corresponding formations in the inner surface of the dart receiver to hold the sleeve in place as the dart is launched.
  • the dart sleeve preferably further comprises a dart in compressed form housed inside the sleeve.
  • a third aspect provides a dart for use with a dart sleeve according to the second aspect of the invention, comprising an elongate core with a series of flexible fins projecting therefrom, and a head section for engaging a plug launching tool, the head section being connected to the shaft by means of a resilient damping system to reduce the shock of impact in use.
  • the resilient damping system typically comprises a spring.
  • a fourth aspect of the invention provides a method of providing a dart launching assembly on a well in a cementing operation, including: installing a number of darts in compressed form, each in an associated sleeve; installing the sleeves in respective dart receivers of dart launchers as according to the first aspect of the invention; connecting the dart launchers together in an end to end fashion to form an assembly; an connecting the assembly to the top of the well to be cemented.
  • FIG. 1 shows a prior art dart launching system
  • FIG. 2 shows a dart launching system according to a first embodiment of the invention
  • FIG. 3 shows a dart being loaded into a basket for use in the embodiment of FIG. 2 ;
  • FIG. 4 shows a pre-loaded basket
  • FIG. 5 shows the embodiment of FIG. 2 loaded with a pre-loaded dart prior to launch
  • FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the invention comprising two modules corresponding to FIG. 5 .
  • FIG. 2 shows a dart launcher according to a first embodiment of the invention.
  • the launcher comprises a body 10 defining a central bore 12 though which a dart can pass and which can be placed in communication with a well to be cemented.
  • a valve section 14 is positioned part way down the body 10 and comprises a rotary valve element 16 with a bore 18 , and an actuator 20 .
  • the valve element 16 can be rotated between an open position in which the bore 18 is aligned with the central bore 12 to provide a through passage, and a closed position in which the bore is at right angles to the central bore 12 .
  • the upper part 24 of the body 10 is formed with slots 26 (only one shown) for anchoring a dart sleeve or basket as will be described below.
  • Upper and lower connections 28 , 30 are provided on the body, allowing it to be connected to another such body, to a ball dropper module (described below) or to a drill pipe (not shown) for communication with the well.
  • FIG. 3 shows the dart 32 and basket 34 .
  • the dart 32 comprises a solid core 36 with a series of flexible rubber fins 38 .
  • a head portion 40 is provided to engage downhole equipment when the dart is pumped through the well.
  • the head 40 is connected to the core 36 by means of a damping system 42 to minimise impact force when the dart reaches the downhole equipment.
  • the damping system 42 can comprise a spring, a resilient rubber body or the like.
  • the basket 34 defines a sleeve that is dimensioned to fit into the upper section 24 of the body 10 , lugs 44 being provided around the upper part of the basket for engagement into the slots 26 .
  • the dart 32 can be forced into the basket 34 by compressing the fins 38 so that the whole dart is held in a compressed state inside the basket as is shown in FIG. 4 .
  • the basket with the pre-loaded dart can be easily installed in the upper part 24 of the launching system (see FIG. 5 ). This avoids the need to overcome the resistance of the fins 38 when loading the dart into the body 10 as is encountered in previous systems.
  • This arrangement also has the advantage that darts can be pre-loaded into baskets away from the rig site, the pre-loaded baskets being provided at the rig site when the system is assembled. In use, the system operates in a similar way to previous systems: the valve element 16 is rotated to the open position and the dart pumped through the bore by fluid pressure.
  • FIG. 5 essentially provides a dart launcher module. Such modules can be connected together easily to provide a system for launching multiple darts.
  • FIG. 6 shows one such system.
  • FIG. 6 shows a system for launching two darts.
  • first and second modules 46 , 48 each essentially comprising a module as shown in FIG. 5 , are connected together in an end to end arrangement.
  • a ball dropper module is connected below the lower module 48 above the connection to the drill pipe (not shown).
  • the darts can be pumped sequentially in the usual manner and the ball dropped at the end of the operation.
  • the various modules can be removed from the rig site disassembled, reconditioned and reassembled. Thus the amount of rig time needed for system assembly can be reduced.

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Portable Nailing Machines And Staplers (AREA)
  • Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
US12/638,353 2008-12-22 2009-12-15 Dart launcher for well cementing operations Abandoned US20100175891A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP08172646.5 2008-12-22
EP08172646A EP2199536A1 (fr) 2008-12-22 2008-12-22 Système de libération de lanceurs ("darts") pour opérations de cimentation de puits

Publications (1)

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US20100175891A1 true US20100175891A1 (en) 2010-07-15

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US12/638,353 Abandoned US20100175891A1 (en) 2008-12-22 2009-12-15 Dart launcher for well cementing operations

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EP (1) EP2199536A1 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2013119814A1 (fr) * 2012-02-07 2013-08-15 Pivotal Downhole Oil Tools, L.L.C. Outil de cimentage amélioré
US8689891B2 (en) 2011-04-29 2014-04-08 Vetco Gray Inc. Ball and dart launcher with parallel axis release
US10900323B2 (en) 2017-11-06 2021-01-26 Entech Solutions AS Method and stimulation sleeve for well completion in a subterranean wellbore
US11078752B2 (en) 2019-12-16 2021-08-03 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Smart cementing wiper plug

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USRE32085E (en) * 1979-03-30 1986-02-25 Haggard I. D. Wiper, Inc. Tubular member interior wiper
US5890537A (en) * 1996-08-13 1999-04-06 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Wiper plug launching system for cementing casing and liners
US20050103504A1 (en) * 2003-11-14 2005-05-19 Szarka David D. Compressible darts and methods for using these darts in subterranean wells
US20050211431A1 (en) * 2001-08-03 2005-09-29 Smith International, Inc. Cementing manifold assembly

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2672934A1 (fr) * 1991-02-18 1992-08-21 Schlumberger Cie Dowell Systeme de liberation de lanceurs pour tete de cimentation ou outil de fond sous-marin, pour puits petroliers.
US5960881A (en) * 1997-04-22 1999-10-05 Jerry P. Allamon Downhole surge pressure reduction system and method of use
US7055611B2 (en) * 2002-01-31 2006-06-06 Weatherford / Lamb, Inc. Plug-dropping container for releasing a plug into a wellbore

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USRE32085E (en) * 1979-03-30 1986-02-25 Haggard I. D. Wiper, Inc. Tubular member interior wiper
US5890537A (en) * 1996-08-13 1999-04-06 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Wiper plug launching system for cementing casing and liners
US20050211431A1 (en) * 2001-08-03 2005-09-29 Smith International, Inc. Cementing manifold assembly
US20050103504A1 (en) * 2003-11-14 2005-05-19 Szarka David D. Compressible darts and methods for using these darts in subterranean wells

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8689891B2 (en) 2011-04-29 2014-04-08 Vetco Gray Inc. Ball and dart launcher with parallel axis release
WO2013119814A1 (fr) * 2012-02-07 2013-08-15 Pivotal Downhole Oil Tools, L.L.C. Outil de cimentage amélioré
US10060219B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2018-08-28 Premiere, Inc. Cementing tool
US10900323B2 (en) 2017-11-06 2021-01-26 Entech Solutions AS Method and stimulation sleeve for well completion in a subterranean wellbore
US11078752B2 (en) 2019-12-16 2021-08-03 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Smart cementing wiper plug

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2199536A1 (fr) 2010-06-23

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AS Assignment

Owner name: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, TEXAS

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:RONDEAU, JOEL;GAMBIER, PHILIPPE;SALVAIRE, ANDRE;AND OTHERS;SIGNING DATES FROM 20100128 TO 20100222;REEL/FRAME:024159/0970

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION