DOWNHOLE TOOL

Abstract

The present invention relates to a downhole tool (23), for removing sections of metal tubing, comprising: at least one conductive element (1) being arranged to corrode a section of metal tubing using an electrolytic process, said conductive element (1) being a tube or a pipe which is made of electric conductive material, an apparatus (4) to establish a connection to the metal tubing (2), and a milling apparatus with cutting or abrasive elements (3) arranged to remove byproducts from the electrolytic process. The invention also relates to a modular downhole tool (45), comprising an elongated main shaft (8) with several modules for insertion in a wellbore.

Claims

1.-28. (canceled)

29. A downhole tool for removing sections of a metal tubing, the tool comprising: at least one conductive element for corroding a section of the metal tubing using an electrolytic process, said conductive element being one of, a tube, pipe or plate made of electric conductive material, the conductive material being one of, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, titanium or graphite, and an apparatus to establish a connection to the metal tubing, wherein the one of, tube or pipe of said conductive element being shaped to control the acceleration of corrosion at different positions of the metal tubing with patterns to optimize a ratio between the metal tubing and conductive element areas.

30. The downhole tool according to claim 29, wherein the one of, tube or pipe comprises at least one of, longitudinal grooves or helical grooves.

31. The downhole tool according to claim 29, wherein the tool further comprises a milling apparatus with one of, cutting or abrasive elements for removing byproducts from the electrolytic process.

32. The downhole tool according to claim 29, wherein at least one main conductive element is centrally placed in the tool.

33. The downhole tool according to claim 29, wherein several conductive elements are attached to an electrical power source and expandable rails, to allow the conductive elements to be adjusted to an optimal separation from metal tubing of different size.

34. The downhole tool according to claim 33, wherein said conductive elements are shaped with one of, patterns or grooves to optimize the ratio between the metal tubing and the conductive element areas, and to drive circulation of fluid around the tool and provide optimal scape paths for byproducts from the electrolytic process.

35. The downhole tool according to claim 31, wherein the milling apparatus grinds, mills or cuts the metal tubing, and comprises expandable rails to hold one of, abrasive, milling, or cutting elements to remove one of, metal tubing, particles or byproducts from the electrolytic process from one of, said metal tubing, cement or formation, and wherein said rails extending in a longitudinal direction of the tool are one of, straight or spiraling around the conductive element.

36. The downhole tool according to claim 29, comprising components to drive a circulation of the fluid around the conductive elements, and said components are configured to be one of, stand alone or part of the expandable rails.

37. The downhole tool according to claim 36, wherein said components to drive the circulation of the fluid are part of the grinding mechanism, and are made of abrasive material and used as abrasive or milling elements, said abrasive elements having a shape to drive the circulation of fluid.

38. The downhole tool according to claim 29, wherein the tool further comprises at least one electrical motor for rotation of equipment on the tool, at least one high power AC/DC source, at least one module for transferring power and movement of the tool, at least one coupling system for connection to other equipment or strings in the wellbore, and at least one apparatus to provide vibration to the conductive element.

39. The downhole tool according to claim 29, including at least one clamping module comprising one of, mechanical, hydraulic, or electromagnetic device to anchor and centralize top and bottom parts of a main body to the metal tubing.

40. A modular downhole tool, comprising an elongated main shaft with several modules for insertion in a wellbore, said tool comprising: at least one electrolytic milling module with at least one conductive element for corroding a section of metal tubing using an electrolytic process, said at least conductive element being one of, a tube, pipe or plate which is made of electric conductive material, the conductive material comprising one of, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, titanium or graphite, wherein the one of, tube or pipe is shaped to control the acceleration of corrosion at different positions of the metal tubing with patterns to optimize the ratio between the metal tubing and the conductive element areas, an apparatus to establish a connection to the metal tubing, a milling apparatus with cutting or abrasive elements for removing byproducts from the electrolytic process, and at least one electromechanical milling module with an expandable arm equipped with one of, a drill bit or saw blade.

41. The modular downhole tool according to claim 40, wherein the one of, drill bit or saw blade on the expandable arm of the electromechanical milling module mills one of, metal tubing residues, cement, and formation as well as control completion cables.

42. The modular downhole tool according to claim 40, wherein said expandable arm is expandable perpendicular to the direction of the main shaft.

43. The modular downhole tool according to claim 40, wherein the tool further comprises a logging module containing sensors to log properties from one of, the formation, cement, metal tubing, and the environment around the tool.

44. The modular downhole tool according to claim 40, wherein the tool further comprises a communication unit which provides attachment to a wire and connects the tool to one of, a subsea installation or surface.

45. The modular downhole tool according to claim 40, wherein the tool further comprises a residues catcher with a basket and a magnet to recover solid metallic residues.

46. The modular downhole tool according to claim 40 wherein the one of, tube or pipe of the electrolytic milling module comprises at least one of, longitudinal grooves or helical grooves.

47. The modular downhole tool according to claim 40 wherein the tool comprises at least one clamping module to anchor and centralize the main shaft or its modules to the metal tubing of the wellbore.

48. The modular downhole tool according to claim 40, wherein at least one main conductive element of the electrolytic milling module is centrally placed on a main shaft of the tool.

49. The modular downhole tool according to claim 40, wherein several conductive elements of the electrolytic milling module are attached to the electrical power source and the expandable rails, to allow the conductive elements to be adjusted to an optimal separation from the different size metal tubing.

50. The modular downhole tool according to claim 49, wherein said conductive elements are shaped with patterns or grooves to optimize the ratio between the metal tubing and the conductive element areas, and to drive the circulation of fluid around the tool and provide optimal scape paths for byproducts from the electrolytic process.

51. The modular downhole tool according to claim 40, wherein the milling apparatus in the electrolytic milling module grinds, mills or cuts the metal tubing, and comprises expandable rails to hold abrasive, milling, or cutting elements to remove metal tubing, particles or byproducts from the electrolytic process from said metal tubing, cement or formation, and wherein said rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the tool are one of, straight or spiraling around the conductive element.

52. The modular downhole tool according to claim 40, wherein the milling apparatus in the electrolytic milling module comprises components to drive a circulation of the fluid around the conductive elements, and said components can be stand alone or be part of the expandable rails.

53. The modular downhole tool according to claim 52, wherein said components to drive the circulation of the fluid are part of the grinding mechanism, and are made of abrasive material and used as abrasive or milling elements, said abrasive elements having optimal shape to drive the circulation of fluid.

54. The modular downhole tool according to claim 40, wherein the milling apparatus in the electrolytic milling module further comprises at least one electrical motor for rotation of equipment on the tool, at least one high power AC/DC source, at least one module for transferring of power and movement of the tool, at least one coupling system for connection to other equipment or strings in the wellbore, and at least one apparatus to provide vibration to the conductive element.

55. The downhole tool according to claim 35, comprising components to drive a circulation of the fluid around the conductive elements, and said components are configured to be stand alone or part of the expandable rails.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DIAGRAMS

[0040] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein:

[0041] FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a milling tool according to the invention.

[0042] FIG. 1a shows another embodiment of a milling tool according to the invention

[0043] FIG. 2 shows the milling tool according to the invention, equipped with couplings to other tools.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a modular downhole tool according to the invention, including the milling tool.

[0045] FIGS. 4 and 5 show different embodiments of the modular downhole tool inserted in a wellbore.

[0046] FIGS. 6 to 13 show different shapes of conductive elements included in the milling tool.

[0047] FIGS. 14 and 15 show further shaped grooves of conductive elements included in the milling tool.

[0048] FIG. 16 shows alternative conductive elements attached to rails of the milling tool.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0049] A downhole tool, such as a milling tool, according to the invention will be described first. As seen in FIG. 1, the milling tool 23 comprises several components. The tool is shown inserted in a metal tubing 2 of a wellbore. The tool 23 comprises a connection 7 to the surface, for instance a wire. Clamping elements 5, preferable packers and anchors at the top and at the bottom of the tool, in where the clamping elements 5 in a known way are equipped with expandable parts that can apply a force on the inside of the metal tubing to engage with the tubing 2.

[0050] The tool further comprises an apparatus such as an expandable connector 4 for creating a connection to the metal tubing 2, and at least one conductive element such as a cathode 1, said parts being used to corrode the metal tubing using an electrolytic process.

[0051] Also included in the milling tool 23 is abrasive or milling elements 3 that can rotate around the cathode 1 while an electrical current is applied. The milling elements 3 are preferable mounted on expandable rails 15, said rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the tool. The rails can be straight as shown in FIG. 1, or can be spiraling around the cathode 1 as shown in FIG. 1a. The rails can also be connected to the source of electrical current and work as cathodes, by including additional cathodes 53. The abrasive or milling elements 3 can as mentioned rotate around or with the cathode 1, but the elements 3 can also be moved up and down, or rotate around their own axis.

[0052] To rotate the milling elements 3 and the conductive elements 1, the tool may comprise electrical motors 40.

[0053] There can be components 6 that drive the circulation of the fluid around the tool. These components can for instance be standalone propellers or be attached to the expandable rails 15. Other methods to recirculate the fluid around tool may include pumping new electrolytes from the surface.

[0054] Further details and operation of the milling tool shall now be explained.

[0055] When operated as standalone the milling tool 23 may consist of the following components:

[0056] Packers and anchors: The tool contains mechanical, hydraulic, or electromagnetic clamping elements 5 that can anchor and centralize the top and bottom parts of the main tool or its modules to the metal tubing. It could also contain a packer in order to separate the fluid below the tool. This packer can also be placed independently from the tool and at different depths.

[0057] Electrically conductive elements or cathodes 1, 53: The function of the conductive elements or cathodes 1 and 53 is to corrode the metal tubing 2 in the wellbore using an electrolytic process. The tool 23 can contain one or several shaped conductive elements 1 and 53 as well as the connection apparatus 4 to establish the connection to the metal tubing 2. The main cathode 1 is positioned in the center of the well, and can be of many conductive materials like, but not limited to, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, copper or graphite. The cathode can also have different shapes similar, but not limited to, the conductive elements shown in FIGS. 6 to 13, with the purpose of controlling the acceleration of corrosion at different positions of the metal tubing 2 by modifying the surface area of the cathode. Several conductive elements 53 can be attached to the tool frame through the expandable arms or rails 15 and to the source of electrical power allowing the conductive elements to be adjusted to the optimal separation from the different size metal tubing 2.

[0058] The conductive elements can be tubes, pipes or plates with for instance lengths of a few centimeters to several meters, and be made of electric conductive material including but not limited to steel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, copper or graphite.

[0059] Said conductive elements 1 or 53 can be combined with an apparatus that grinds, mill or cut the metal tubing 2. The apparatus uses the expandable rails 15 to hold abrasive, milling, or cutting elements 3 to remove particles from said metal tubing. The rails 15 can as mentioned also contain cathodic elements and be electrically connected to the main cathode 1 or other sources of electrical power.

[0060] The abrasive or milling elements 3 can for instance rotate around or with the cathode 1 while an electrical current is applied. The process can also be performed by alternating grinding and then applying an electrical current.

[0061] The rails holding the milling elements 3 and the rails holding some of the cathodic elements may or may not be the same rails, but are for ease of understanding of the drawings given same reference number 15.

[0062] Said rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the tool can be straight as in FIG. 1 or can be spiraling around the cathode 1 as shown in FIG. 1a.

[0063] The pattern in the tubing after the grinding element has removed particles can be a smooth surface or contain sharp grooves, with different patterns with the purpose of modifying the surface area of the anode.

[0064] The removal of particles can be performed maintaining the same internal diameter throughout all the section of tubing or it can be performed removing more or less material in different sections of the tubing.

[0065] The tool can contain the components 6 that drive the circulation of the fluid around the tool. These components can as mentioned be standalone propellers, or be part of the grinding mechanism. If said components are part of the grinding mechanism, they can also be made of abrasive material and be used as abrasive or milling elements 3. In this case, the abrasive elements will have the optimal shape to drive the circulation of fluid. The circulation can also be achieved by shaping the cathodic elements 53 on the rails 15. Other methods to recirculate the fluid around tool may include pumping new electrolytes from the surface.

[0066] The clamping modules 5 of the tool are used to immobilize and centralize the tool in the tubing.

Milling Tool Standalone Operation:

[0067] The tool 23 is lowered in to the well as a conventional wireline tool. It is positioned at the desired depth and the anchors 5 are activated.

[0068] The anchors 5 of the milling tool 23 are activated and lock the module in to the desired position. The conductive elements 1 are provided with optimal electrical current and the accelerated corrosion of the metal tubing starts. The conductive elements 1 can also be provided with vibration at an optimal frequency to allow the gas bubbles forming in the cathode 1 to escape more quickly. The grinding apparatus with expandable rails 15 and milling elements 3, opens and positions itself in the optimal separation to the metal tubing 2. The apparatus starts rotating with optimal RPM and force against the metal tubing 2. The angle of the rails 15 relative to the metal tubing 2 can be such that the lower part of said metal tubing 2 will be grinded faster than the upper part of the metal tubing 2. This can also be accomplished by using grinding elements with different thinness or positions relative to the center of the tool along the rails. The expandable rails 15 can also be fitted with conductive elements 53 that will be positioned at an optimal distance from the anode in order to reduce the voltage drop across the electrolyte.

[0069] By monitoring the electrical current provided to the cathodes, as well as the torque generated by the grinding apparatus, the operator or the tool itself, decides if the metal tubing has been fully corroded. Once the current levels have dropped to the simulated desired level, the tool can be moved to a new zone where there is metal tubing to start the process again.

[0070] As previously described, the milling tool can also be operated as part of a modular downhole tool. The milling tool may also be a module part of other downhole tools.

[0071] The milling tool may therefore also comprise, as seen in FIG. 2, an upper connector 42 for transferring of power and for movement of the module in the wellbore. A lower connector 43 for the same purpose can be installed in a lower part of the tool. In addition, the tool may comprise a coupling system 44 for connections to other modules or tools.

[0072] A modular downhole tool 45 shall now be described, as seen in FIG. 3.

[0073] The modular downhole tool can consist of several main components:

[0074] Control: The control unit (not shown) provides the necessary power and instrumentation to control the tool. The control unit also can allow the tool to function automatically and unmanned. The unit is placed in a subsea installation or at the surface. It can also be attached to a network to be monitored and controlled remotely.

[0075] Communication: A communication unit 20 provides the attachment to a wire 7 and connects the tool to the subsea installation or surface. The tool can be powered and controlled through a wire. Through this unit, the tool can also be attached to a tractor device in order to be pushed to the desired zone in deviated wells or run with coil tubing or drill pipe.

[0076] Packers and anchors: The tool contains mechanical, hydraulic, or electromagnetic device 24 that can anchor and centralize the top and bottom parts of the main tool or its modules to the metal tubing 2. It could also contain a packer in order to separate the fluid below the tool. This packer can also be placed independently from the tool.

[0077] Electrolytic milling module: The function of the module 9 is to corrode the metal tubing using an electrolytic process, as explained in relation to the downhole tool of FIGS. 1-2. The module 9 contains at least one main cathode 1, and maybe also several cathodic elements 53, as well as a component 4 to establish the connection to the metal tubing 2. The conductive elements 53 can be attached to the module frame through expandable arms or rails 15 that can allow the conductive elements to be adjusted to the optimal separation from the different size metal tubing 2. The module can rotate following the circumference of the well and travel along the main axis or shaft 8 of the tool 45.

[0078] Said conductive elements can be combined with an apparatus that grinds, mill or cut the metal tubing 2. The apparatus uses expandable rails 15 to hold abrasive, milling, or cutting elements 3 to remove particles from said metal tubing.

[0079] The abrasive or milling elements 3 can rotate around or together with the cathode 1 while an electrical current is applied. The process can also be performed by alternating grinding and then applying an electrical current.

[0080] The rails holding the milling elements 3 and the rails holding the cathodic elements 53 may or may not be the same rails, but are for ease of understanding of the drawings given same reference number 15.

[0081] Said rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the tool can be straight as in FIG. 1 or can be spiraling around the cathode 1 as shown in FIG. 1a.

[0082] The pattern in the tubing after the grinding elements 3 has removed particles can be a smooth surface or contain sharp grooves.

[0083] The removal of particles can be performed maintaining the same internal diameter throughout all the section of tubing 2 or it can be performed removing more or less material in different sections of the tubing 2.

[0084] The tool can contain components 6 that drive the circulation of the fluid around the tool. These components can be standalone propellers or be part of the grinding mechanism. If said components are part of the grinding mechanism, they can also be made of abrasive material and be used as abrasive or milling elements 3. In this case, the abrasive elements will have the optimal shape to drive the circulation of fluid. The circulation can also be achieved by shaping the cathodic elements 53 on the rails 15. Other methods to recirculate the fluid around tool may include pumping new electrolytes from the surface.

[0085] The tool 45 can contain clamping modules 5, 24 that can immobilize and centralize the tool or its modules in the tubing.

[0086] Electromechanical milling module: This module 10 may consist of an expandable arm 11 attached to a drill bit 12 or saw blade. The expandable arm allows the bit or saw blade to drill/cut perpendicular to the direction of the well. The function of the electromechanical milling module is primarily to mill metal tubing residues, cement, and formation as well as control completion cables 17. The module 10 can rotate following the circumference of the well and travel along the main axis or shaft 8 of the tool 45. The bit or saw blade 12 can contain PDC cutters, tungsten carbide inserts or other hard facing material such as diamond inserts. It also uses methods to anchor and centralize itself to the metal tubing.

[0087] Another method to cut or drill in a perpendicular direction to the well is by using a standalone apparatus with expandable rails 15 with abrasive or cutting elements 3 such as the apparatus used in the electrolytic milling module 9.

[0088] Logging module: This module 16 contains sensors 13 to log properties from the formation, metal tubing and the environment around the tool 45. Some of the measurements could be caliper, torque, temperature, gamma ray, formation pressure, laterolog or electromagnetic resistivity, to mention a few. These sensors can be placed in expandable arms to get them closer to the formation. The integrity of the cement behind the tubing 2 can be measured with this sensor module. It may also use methods to anchor and centralize itself to the metal tubing 2.

[0089] Residues catcher: This component consist on a basket 14 and a magnet to recover solid metallic residues.

Modular Downhole Tool Operation:

[0090] The tool 45 is lowered in to the well as a conventional wireline tool. It is positioned at the desired depth and the anchors 24 are activated. The tool can be placed in the desired position by using the measured depth from the wireline unit or the formation evaluation sensors included in the logging module 16.

[0091] With the tool 45 locked in position, the packers can be activated. The fluid above the packers can be exchanged with an electrolytic solution. This step might not be necessary if the well has been through a kill well operation previously and an electrolytic solution is already in place.

[0092] The anchors 5 of the electrolytic milling module 9 are activated and lock the module to the desired position. The conductive elements are provided with optimal electrical current and the accelerated corrosion of the metal tubing 2 starts. The conductive elements 1 can also be provided with vibration at an optimal frequency to allow the gas bubbles forming in the cathode to escape more quickly. The grinding apparatus with expandable rails 15 and milling elements 3, opens and positions itself in the optimal separation to the metal tubing 2. The apparatus starts rotating with optimal RPM and force against the metal tubing 2. The angle of the rails 15 relative to the metal tubing 2 can be such that the lower part of said metal tubing 2 will be grinded faster than the upper part of the metal tubing 2.

[0093] By monitoring the electrical current provided to the cathode 1 as well as the torque generated by the grinding apparatus, the operator or the tool itself, decides if the metal tubing 2 has been fully corroded. Once the currents level have dropped to the simulated desired level, the electrolytic milling module 9 travels along the main shaft 8 to a new zone where there is metal tubing to start the process again.

[0094] When the metal tubing 2 is corroded and the electrolytic milling module 9 is moved to a new place along the main shaft 8 of the tool 45, the electromechanical milling module 10 moves to the newly open zone where there is none or little metal tubing left.

[0095] The drill bit or saw blade 12 of the electromechanical milling module 10, which is pointing perpendicular to the direction of the well, starts rotating, powered by a motor. The telescopic shaft 11, where the bit/saw blade 12 is attached, moves the bit towards the wall or control completion cables to start the milling/cutting. The depth of milling/cutting can be controlled by using electrical power/torque measurements in order to guarantee that the electrical motor does not stall. With the bit-face or blade now in contact and milling material, the electromechanical milling module 10 rotates following the circumference of the well. Once the bit has milled the entire circumference, the module 10 moves along the shaft 8 of the tool 45 to where there is new material to be milled and the operation starts again. This process continues automatically until a new metal tubing 2 or formation is reached. As the position of the bit is known at all times by using sensors in the expandable arm 11 and the module itself, the bit/saw blade can be safely stopped just before reaching the new layer. The bit 12 can also drill into the formation in order to guarantee that the permanent plug is set in new formation. This process can also be done milling along the axis of the tool 45 first and later rotating the module 10. Alternatively, the process to remove the cement could be done with ultrasonic milling.

[0096] The tool 45 will perform the electrolytic and the electromechanical milling until the desired window is opened. If needed, this window could be as long as 50 m as described in current Plug & Abandonment procedures.

[0097] The sensor module 13 is activated to take desired measurements such as a scan of the cement behind the next metal tubing string in order to log the integrity of the cement and/or metal tubing.

[0098] The residues catcher module 14 collects the debris and other residues from operation.

[0099] The anchors in the clamping modules 24 are deactivated and the tool 45 is now ready to be moved to another zone of interest or pulled out of the hole.

[0100] FIGS. 4 and 5 shows the modular downhole tool 45 inserted in a wellbore, in where additional reference numbers denote control completion cables 17, cement 18 and formation 19 in a wellbore. FIG. 4 depicts the modular downhole tool 45 described above. FIG. 5 shows the same, but with additional equipment that can be mounted to the tool, such as clamping and driving units 51, 52 for a drill bit 50 to be used if there is need to remove obstacles inside the tubing 2.

[0101] The conductive elements 1 can as mentioned have several different shapes, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 13, and be shaped to control the acceleration of corrosion at different positions of the metal tubing 2 with patterns to optimize ratio between the metal tubing 2 and the conductive elements 1.

[0102] In FIGS. 6 and 7 the cathode 1 is shown for instance with grooves with a shape similar to a gear shaft, but with different shaped grooves or number of teeth 26, 27. In FIG. 8 the cathode 1 has a conical shape with corresponding grooves 28. Such a conical shape as shown in FIG. 8 allows the different part of the cathode to be adjusted to the optimal separation from the different size metal tubing 2. The conical and cylindrical shaped conductive elements can also be without grooves. FIG. 9 shows a cathode 1 as a combination of the conductive elements shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0103] The conductive elements may also have helical shaped grooves as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. FIG. 10 shows coarse grooves 30, while FIG. 11 shows fine grooves 31. FIG. 12 shows a combination of the conductive elements in FIGS. 10 and 11.

[0104] In FIG. 13 the cathode is shown with a sinusoidal shape 56. The conductive elements can also be as a combination of different sinusoidal shapes.

[0105] The rails 15 can as mention have conductive elements attached, as shown in FIG. 16, to optimize the distance between the cathode and the anode and reduce the voltage drop across the electrolyte.

[0106] The conductive elements 53 attached to the rails 15 can have different shapes grooves 54, 55 as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. These shapes are to optimize the ratio between the metal tubing 2 and the conductive element 53 areas; drive the circulation of fluid around the tool and provide optimal scape paths for byproducts from the electrolytic process.