Milling tool

Abstract

The present invention provides a milling tool (1) for a wellbore, comprising a milling section (2) and a metal cuttings removal section (3), the milling section (2) comprises radially arranged milling elements (4); and the metal cuttings removal section (3) has a first end (5) and a second end (6) and comprises a cylinder-shaped magnetic element (7), a rotation generating device (8) and a helix-shaped longitudinal guide element (9), wherein the first end (5) is connected to the milling section; the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element (9) is arranged around the cylinder-shaped magnetic element (7); the rotation generating device (8) is operably connected to the cylinder-shaped magnetic element (7) or the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element (9); wherein the cylinder-shaped magnetic element and the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element (9) are rotatable relative to each other around a common centreline (C), and configured such that metal cuttings accumulating on the cylinder-shaped magnetic element during use is guided by the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element towards the second end (6) of the metal cuttings removal section when the rotation generating device is operated.

Claims

1. A milling tool for a wellbore, the milling tool comprising a milling section and a metal cuttings removal section, the milling section comprising radially arranged milling elements; and the metal cuttings removal section having a first end and a second end and comprising a cylinder-shaped magnetic element, a rotation generating device, and a helix-shaped longitudinal guide element, wherein: the first end is coupled to the milling section; the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element is arranged around the cylinder-shaped magnetic element; and the rotation generating device is operably coupled to the cylinder-shaped magnetic element or the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element; and wherein the one of the cylinder-shaped magnetic element and the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element is rotatable relative to the other around a common centreline, and configured such that metal cuttings accumulating on the cylinder-shaped magnetic element during use are guided by the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element towards the second end of the metal cuttings removal section when the rotation generating device is operated.

2. The A milling tool according to claim 1, wherein the metal cuttings removal section is configured such that metal cuttings accumulating on the cylinder-shaped magnetic element, during use, are pushed away from the milling tool.

3. The milling tool according to claim 1, wherein the milling section comprises multiple nozzles for drilling mud, the outlets of the nozzles are arranged such that metal cuttings are guided towards the metal cuttings removal section during use.

4. The milling tool according to claim 1, wherein an end section of the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element, the end section being distal to the milling section, is arranged around a cylinder-shaped non-magnetic element.

5. The milling tool according to claim 1, wherein the radially arranged milling elements are multiple radially arranged cutters.

6. The milling tool according to claim 1, wherein the rotation generating device is a hydraulic motor, preferably a drilling mud operated motor, or a centralizing anti-torque element.

7. The milling tool according to claim 1, wherein the rotation generating device is a drilling mud operated motor arranged at the second end of the metal cuttings removal section and connected to rotate the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element relative to the magnetic element.

8. The milling tool according to claim 1, wherein the milling section or the cuttings removal section comprises a connecting end distal to the cuttings removal section or the milling section, respectively, the connecting end being suitable for connecting the milling tool to a wireline, a power cable, an umbilical, a well string, a drill pipe or a coiled tubing.

9. A method of plugging and abandoning a well bore, the method comprising the steps of: lowering a milling tool into the well-bore, the milling tool comprising a milling section and a metal cuttings removal section, the milling section comprising radially arranged milling elements; and the metal cuttings removal section having a first end and a second end and comprising a cylinder-shaped magnetic element, a rotation generating device, and a helix-shaped longitudinal guide element, wherein: the first end is coupled to the milling section; the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element is arranged around the cylinder-shaped magnetic element; and the rotation generating device is operably coupled to the cylinder-shaped magnetic element or the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element; and wherein the one of the cylinder-shaped magnetic element and the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element is rotatable relative to the other around a common centreline, and configured such that metal cuttings accumulating on the cylinder-shaped magnetic element during use are guided by the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element towards the second end of the metal cuttings removal section when the rotation generating device is operated; and milling a radial section through all the casing strings present in the well bore during movement of the milling tool, while simultaneously pushing metal cuttings from the milling away from the milling tool and further down into the well-bore.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of: retrieving the milling tool topside; and performing the required operations to cement a plug at the milled radial section.

11. A metal cuttings removal section having first and second ends and being configured to be coupled via the first end to a milling section of a milling tool for a wellbore, the metal cuttings removal section comprising: a cylinder-shaped magnetic element, a rotation generating device, and a helix-shaped longitudinal guide element, wherein: the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element is arranged around the cylinder-shaped magnetic element; and the rotation generating device is operably connected to the cylinder-shaped magnetic element or the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element; and wherein the one of the cylinder-shaped magnetic element and the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element is rotatable relative to the other around a common centreline, and are configured such that metal cuttings accumulating on the cylinder-shaped magnetic element during use are guided by the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element towards the second end of the metal cuttings removal section when the rotation generating device is operated.

12. The metal cuttings removal section according to claim 11, being configured such that the metal cuttings accumulating on the cylinder-shaped magnetic element, during use, are pushed away from the milling tool.

13. The metal cuttings removal section according to claim 12, wherein an end section of the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element is arranged around a cylinder-shaped non-magnetic element, the end section being distal to the milling section when the metal cuttings removal section is coupled to the milling section in use.

14. The metal cuttings removal section according to claim 11, wherein an end section of the helix-shaped longitudinal guide element is arranged around a cylinder-shaped non-magnetic element, the end section being distal to the milling section when the metal cuttings removal section is coupled to the milling section in use.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention is described in detail by reference to the following drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a milling tool according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the milling tool in FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 is an expanded cross-sectional view of the milling section of the milling tool in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(5) FIG. 4 is an expanded cross-sectional view of the rotation generating device of the milling tool in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(6) FIG. 5 is an expanded view of the rotation generating device of a second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) A first embodiment of a milling tool according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-4.

(8) The inventive milling tool is particularly suitable for section milling in plug and abandonment operations (P&A). As opposed to the prior art milling tools, the milling tool according to the invention is able to perform milling while at the same time pushing/guiding produced metal cutting further down in the well bore. Further, the present milling tool avoids or alleviates the interference of produced metal cuttings with the milling itself, i.e. the metal cuttings are prevented from nesting/clogging the cutters.

(9) The milling tool comprises a milling section 2 and a metal cuttings removal section 3. The milling section features four radially arranged cutters 4 (i.e. milling elements) suitable for milling a wellbore casing. The cutters may move between a passive and an active position. In the passive position, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, the cutters are retracted into the milling section. The cutters are pretensioned into the passive position by a spring 11, and upon activation by drilling mud pressure via the passage 12, a piston assembly 18 will push the cutters radially outwards into an active position, in which the cutters are in contact with a wellbore casing to be cut and milled. Various solutions for designing milling sections with retractable cutters, as well as the design of the cutters themselves, are well known to the skilled person and described in for instance WO 95/03473, U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,675A, US 2015/0129195 A1 and WO 2016/108837 A1.

(10) The metal cuttings removal section 3 has a first end 5 and a second end 6 and comprises a cylinder-shaped magnetic element 7, a roller vane motor 8 (i.e. a rotation generating device) and a scraper 9 formed as a helix (i.e. a helix-shaped longitudinal guide element). The first end 5 is connected to the milling section. The scraper 9 is coaxially arranged around the cylinder-shaped magnetic element 7 and is operably connected to the roller vane motor 8. The roller vane motor 8 is driven by drilling mud entering the motor via the central longitudinal mud passage 12 and the mud inlets 13. Various roller vane motors suitable for use in a milling tool according to the invention are known and described in for instance WO 93/08374, WO 94/16198 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,666 B1. In addition to roller vane motors, any suitable type of hydraulic or electric motor may be used to rotate the scrape relative the magnetic element.

(11) The magnetic element 7 and the scraper 9 are rotatable relative to each other around a common centreline C, and configured such that metal cuttings accumulating on the magnetic element during use are guided by the scraper towards the second end 6 of the metal cuttings removal section 3 when the roller vane motor 8 is operated. A part 17 of the scrape 9 being proximal the second end 6 is arranged around a cylinder-shaped non-magnetic element 16 of the metal cuttings removal section. The scraper 9 is preferably made in non-magnetic stainless steel, e.g. a suitable type of austenitic stainless steel.

(12) The inner surface of the scrape (i.e. the surface turned towards the circumferential surface of the magnetic element) is slightly spaced (0.1-0.5 mm) from the circumferential surface. Further details, function and features of a suitable helix-shaped scrape and a corresponding magnetic element is disclosed in WO 2016/155852 A1.

(13) The milling section 2 features a connecting end 14 distal from the metal cuttings removal section 3. The connecting end of the present embodiment is suitable for connecting the milling tool to a drill pipe (not shown). The drill pipe will provide the required rotation of the milling section 2, while at the same time providing mud to the roller vane motor 8 for rotating the scraper 9 relative the magnetic element 7, as well as a required hydraulic pressure for activation of the cutters 4. To aid in guiding the metal cuttings toward the magnetic element, the milling section features multiple mud nozzles 10. The outlets of the nozzles are arranged in a direction such that the produced metal cuttings are moved towards the metal cuttings removal section during use. The mud exiting the nozzles are also advantageous in that it contributes to a more effective milling by guiding the metal cutting away from the cutters.

(14) An exploded view of the metal cuttings removal section 3 of a second embodiment of a milling tool according to the invention is shown in FIG. 5. The second embodiment differs from the milling tool in FIGS. 1-4 in that the roller vane motor 8 is replaced by a centralizing anti-torque element 15 or anchor (i.e. an alternative rotation generating device) connected to the scraper 9. During milling, the anti-torque element 15 is radially extended to provide an adequate frictional contact with the inner surface of the wellbore/casing, such that the scraper 9 obtains a rotational movement relative to the magnetic element 7. The anti-torque element is only shown schematically, however detailed designs of suitable anti-torque elements would be obvious to the skilled person based on the present disclosure and the prior art. The anti-torque element 15 may for instance be similar to the anti-torque anchor devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,328 B2 or the gripper mechanism disclosed in WO 2015/112353 A1. The centralizing anti-torque element 15 may for instance comprise radially extendable sections which are hydraulically activated by drilling mud via the central longitudinal mud passage 12.

(15) The milling tool according to the present invention is described in detail by reference to embodiments particularly suitable for section milling in connection with P&A operations, wherein the cuttings removal section is arranged to guide/push the produced metal cuttings further down into the wellbore. However, the main features of the inventive milling tool, i.e. the combination of the milling section 2 and the metal cuttings removal section 3 will provide an advantageous effect in a number of different milling tools having different types of milling elements (including both retractable cutters and fixed cutters/blades), such as top mills, taper mills, junk mills etc. since the produced metal cuttings, and any other metal debris, are efficiently guided away from the milling section. This effect contributes to avoid clogging of metal debris at the site of milling and also to lower the wear of the milling elements. The advantageous effect is further increased by the feature of having nozzles 10 providing a drilling mud flow guiding the metal cuttings/debris away from the milling elements and towards the metal cuttings removal section.