DEVICES AND METHODS FOR RETRIEVING ELEMENTS FROM WELLS.
The present invention relates to a device and a method for retrieving ("fishing") elements which have become wedged in wells, as will appeared from the preamble of the following claim 1.
Previously there is known technology for fishing for damaged equipment of metal parts, such as metal chips and broken slip units, by using magnetic forces down in wells, or for fetching equipment which has been lost down in the well. A tool comprising a device providing magnetic properties is lowered down into the well to the area of the well in which the parts are stuck. Then the magnetic device is activated and one hopes that the broken section (the fish) loosens and will stick to the magnetic device. When using such magnetic devices there are however frequently problems in retrieving small magnetic parts. This due to several circumstances. The part or parts are somewhat stuck down in the well. Or they are wedged or are fastening/stuck to a finally divided remains, such as mud down in the well, or they are in small pieces. Thus the magnetic forces are not strong enough to loosen these stuck parts fasten them to the magnetic parts of the fishing tool. Further the pipes into which the tool is conducted downward, may also be magnetic, leading to a strong disturbance of the magnetic fields.
Therefore it is not sufficient to only use magnetic tools to retrieve such broken and damaged remains.
It is also well known to use vibrators in certain stages of the oil drilling or well service, such as to loosen wedged well tools, and in this connection reference is made to what is known from US-patent specification 6.502.638 and US-6.009.748. However, it is not known used in the present context, namely for retrieving tools.
It is an object of the invention to provide a new solution which is able to eliminate the problems of retrieving which the two abovementioned methods are encumbered with.
Further it is an aim of the invention to prove a new solution where the use of vibration forces and magnetic forces may be combined.
The device according to the invention is characterized by features which appear as a characteristic of claim 1. The preferred embodiment appears from the independent claims .
The methods according to the invention is characterized by features appearing from the characterised of method claim 10. A preferred embodiment appears from the independent claims .
More precisely the invention relates to a combined use of a vibrator and a magnet in order to loosen slips which are stuck in a well by shaking or shivering. The vibrational force which is exposed by the vibrator implies that the slips are loosen from the well wall, and the magnetic elements insure that the steel elements which are stuck in the well wall are pulled out and fasten to the magnet.
Trials have shown that the combined property of the vibrator and the magnet give incredibly good results.
The invention will be more closely explained with reference to the following figures 1-4 relating to retrieval of elements with steel elements such as slips from a well. On figure 5 and 6 there is shown a more general apparatus using a combination of vibrational and magnetic forces for a general retrieval of metal parts from the well. Figure 6 indicate the apparatus placed in the well and some metal pieces 90 are fastened to the apparatus while others 92 lay freely in the well, ready to fasten by means of an initial vibration followed by magnetic forces.
Figures 1-4.
Figure 1 shows a fish 10 on flaps (a cushion plate) 12 in a simplified illustration. The slips 16 of such tools fall out due to their own weight and lay close to the wall 18 in order to obtain a stabilizing of the instrument/tool. If they are stuck, the device or the tool according to the invention may be used to fish these up again.
As shown in figure 2 the tool/device 20 according to the invention is lowered down to the well 11. The device 20 includes a vibrator-40 and magnetic structure 30, and a house section 35 for guiding of the magnet and vibration devices 30, 40. Further the device includes a spear 60 for entering and centring the retrieval tool by means of a locking device 50.As the device 20 is lowered and spear 60 is in position in the hollow section 22 of the plug element 10 in the lower mandrill 70 (a hollow core 70) the locking element 50 is activated to create a wedge coupling which can expand in the hole/recess 22 in the lower mandrill. The lock includes an extendable body which may be extended in order to lock the spear and thus also the device to the plug body 10. If it is not possible to loosen the plug body, it is possible to provide for an emergency disconnection of the device in the form of a share pin so that the device 20 may be retrieved again.
The vibrator 40 and magnet 30 are activated simultaneously and is driven in cycles, as the device 20 is
correctly positioned in the plug body 10, see figure 3. The vibrator may be driven with different vibrational speeds in order to find the frequency which is suitable to loosen the stuck or slow slips. As they are loosened the magnets will lift the slips upwardly and on to the fish as appearing on figure 4. A winch is used to carefully lift the device, and the vibrator is stopped.
We have pointed out that the vibrator and magnet may be activated simultaneously or in sequences. Further they may be activated in cycles. The vibrator may be of any type, such as an electrical vibrator or other suitable kind. Further the magnet can be of any type, such as for example a permanent magnet or an electromagnet.
The present invention may also be carried out by use of an apparatus which more generally may retrieve upwardly most metal parts of different sizes (metal ships, metal bolts and metal pins) , and which in one- way or another are stuck down in a well. Such a retrieving apparatus is shown in figure 5 with reference numeral 80.
The apparatus 80 is formed by a longitudinal housing of sleeve or pipe shape and is via a wire 82 (and a connected current cable) connected to a not shown winch on the platform or the plant at the surface. The apparatus may be driven electrically by means of a current supply from the surface. The upper portion 35 comprises a tool housing with guiding means for the operation of the vibrator and magnet units. Further down on the body, the housing part 40 including the vibrato elements is positioned, and also the housing portion 40 including the magnet providing means. The magnet means may comprise a first magnet section 30A including magnet elements on the side of the housing, and a second foremost magnet section 30B which may constitute the main magnet element of the apparatus.
This apparatus may be used and operated in a similar manner as the apparatus according to figures 1-4, with regard to the operation of the vibration and magnet elements.
According to an embodiment the metal elements which are stuck in the first step, may be loosened by means of vibration and then in turn being fastened ("snaps on") to the apparatus surface by means of the magnet forces.
The vibrator and magnet may be activated simultaneously, or in sequences. Further the two may be activated in cycles. The vibrator may be of any kind, such as an electrical vibrator or another suitable type which gives sufficient vibration pulses. Further the magnet may be of any kind, such as for example a permanent magnet or an electromagnet.
By using an electromagnet the magnet forces may be turned on and off in given sequences by supplying current via the cable 82. The housing 35 may comprise a programmable computer unit so that the sequences for the operation of the vibrator and the magnet may be controlled and thereby changed from the plant on the surface.