DEVICE FOR CENTRING AND/OR PULLING A TOOL IN A PIPELINE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for centring and pulling a tool in a pipeline, the device comprising expanding arms, with each expanding arm comprises a wheel suitable for making contact with an inside wall of a pipeline, wherein each wheel comprises at least one magnetic element.

Claims

1. A device for centring and pulling a tool in a pipeline, the device comprising: expanding arms, with each expanding arm comprising a wheel suitable for making contact with an inside wall of a pipeline, wherein each wheel comprises at least one magnetic element.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic element of each wheel is suitable for removing an oil film at the contact of the wheel with the inside wall of the pipeline.

3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one set of said expanding arms.

4. The device according to claim 3, further comprising: four sets of said expanding arms.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein two sets of said expanding arms are positioned ahead of the tool and two sets of said expanding arms are positioned after the tool.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein each set of said at least one set of said expanding arms comprises four expanding arms.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein each expanding arm comprises an elastic element.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the elastic element is of the spring type.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein each expanding arm comprises two elastic elements.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the two elastic elements are joined at a central point of the expanding arm.

11. Device The device according to claim 10, wherein the wheel is positioned at the central point.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein each expanding arm further comprises a support for the wheel.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the two elastic elements of each expanding arm are fixed to the support of the respective expanding arm.

14. The device according to claim 7, wherein each elastic element comprises a spring element with a double kink and straight middle.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the wheels are positioned inclined relative to a movement axis of the tool.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the wheels are configured to cause bi-helicoidal movement of the tool inside a pipeline.

17. The device according to claim 1, further comprising: a motor to generate rotational movement of the wheels.

18. A method of moving a tool within a pipeline, comprising: providing a device comprising a tool within a pipeline, wherein the device is provided with wheels; and moving the device through said pipeline on said wheels, wherein each wheel comprises one or more magnetic elements.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the one or more magnetic elements of each wheel is suitable for removing an oil film at the contact of the wheel with an inside wall of the pipeline.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the device further comprises at least one set of expanding arms.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0045] The detailed description presented hereunder refers to the appended figures and their respective reference numbers.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows an optional configuration of the device for centring and pulling a tool in a pipeline.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows an isolated view of an expanding arm according to an optional configuration.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows an isolated view of a wheel according to an optional configuration.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows a schematic end-view of a different configuration of a device for centring and pulling a tool in a pipeline.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0050] Firstly, it is emphasized that the following description is based on a preferred embodiment of the invention. As will be apparent to a person skilled in the art, however, the invention is not limited to this particular embodiment.

[0051] FIG. 1 shows an optional configuration of the device for centring and pulling a tool 5, or other tools connected to its ends, in a pipeline.

[0052] The device comprises expanding arms 1. As explained in more detail below, the arms 1 are expanding in the sense that, when the device is in use in a pipeline, the arms 1 are biased outwards. However, the arms 1 may be pushed inwards. In other words, the arms 1 can adjust (i.e. expand or compress) the overall diameter of the device according to the size of the pipeline around the device. This can be achieved by having a spring-like arm 1 and/or providing a suitable mechanism at the end of the arm 1.

[0053] Each expanding arm 1 comprises at least one sliding wheel 2. As such, the adjustability of the arms ensures the wheels 2 are in contact with the pipeline. Sliding wheels 2 are suitable for making contact with the inside wall of the pipeline. In addition, each sliding wheel 2 comprises at least one magnetic element 12 (an example of which is shown in FIG. 3). The provision of the at least one magnetic element 12 is for removing the oil film at the contact between the wheel and the inside wall of the pipeline. Optionally, the sliding wheel 2 itself is made of a magnetic material. That is, the wheel 2 can form the magnetic element 12.

[0054] Sliding wheels 2 are sliding in the sense that they provide the contact point between the device and the pipeline, and thus enable the relative movement or sliding of the device within the pipeline. However, as discussed above, and below in more detail, it is desirable for the wheels 2 to be in good contact with the surrounding pipeline and thus not to skid or slip.

[0055] The wheels 2 may be driven by one or more motors 13, which may be positioned with the tool 5 example (this is indicated schematically in FIG. 1). In that scenario, power may be transmitted to the wheels 2 with drive shafts (such a flexible speedometer wire) and suitable gearing, which is not shown in the drawings for clarity. Alternatively, motors 13 may be provided at the location of the wheels 2. One motor may be used to power all the wheels 2.

[0056] Optionally, the device comprises at least one set 10 of expanding arms 1. In some configurations, each set 10 comprises four expanding arms 1. In other configurations, each set 10 comprises three expanding arms 1 as shown in FIG. 1. Other configurations are also possible. However, the configurations with three or four expanding arms 1 may be advantageous as it makes better centring possible, in comparison with other configurations.

[0057] Also optionally, four sets 10 each with three or four expanding arms 1 can be employed, with two sets 10 being positioned ahead of the tool 5 and two sets 10 being positioned after the tool 5. This is shown in FIG. 1.

[0058] In any one of the configurations described, each expanding arm 1 comprises at least one sliding wheel 2. Sliding wheel 2 is suitable for making contact with the inside wall of a pipeline. Accordingly, when a configuration with four expanding arms 1 is adopted, at least four sliding wheels 2 will be employed, i.e. at least one for each expanding arm 1.

[0059] A person skilled in the art will understand that the tool 5 used, as well as any tool connected to its ends, may be any tool 5 that is to be inserted and moved inside a pipeline. By way of example, this includes autonomous or remote-controlled devices for movement, wireline tools, cable tools and coiled tubing tools.

[0060] In alternative configurations, just one set 10 of expanding arms 1 may be adopted, wherein the tool 5 is enveloped by the expanding arms 1. In this configuration, preferably four expanding arms 1 are employed. Such a configuration is shown schematically in FIG. 4, in an end view that depicts the tool 5 enveloped by four arms 1. The arms can be coupled together with a linkage 4 at the end of the tool 5.

[0061] The use of the magnetic elements 12 on the wheels 2 removes the oil film between the wheel 2 and the inside wall of the pipeline, permitting non-sliding relative contact between them. That is, the magnetic elements 12 attract the metal of the pipeline and therefore urge the wheels 2 into contact with the pipeline. This eliminates the oil film that would otherwise be present between the wheel 2 and the inside wall of the pipeline. As a result a better contact between the wheels 2 and the pipeline is achieved.

[0062] FIG. 2 shows an isolated view of an expanding arm 1 according to an optional configuration. In this configuration, the expanding arm 1 is an elastic element of the spring type. More particularly, the expanding arm 1 can comprise two elastic elements 11 joined at a central point. Here central may mean substantially the exact middle of the arm 1, but it may also mean any point between the two ends of the arm. The sliding wheel 2 can be positioned at that central point, as shown. In this configuration, a support 3 for the sliding wheel 2 may also be adopted. The two elastic elements 11 of the expanding arms 1 can be fixed to the support 3.

[0063] In this optional configuration, it can be seen that each elastic element 11 comprises a spring element (of the spring assembly type) with a kink and straight middle. It is thus possible to achieve a configuration with reduced profile to cover a wider range of diameters. That is, the kinks and spring element 11 provide flexibility allowing the arm 1 to expand an compress when constrained by pipelines of different diameters, or as the diameter of an individual pipeline varies. However, in other configurations straight arms may be used to press the wheels against the wall over a wide range of diameters.

[0064] Optionally, the sliding wheels 2 are positioned so that they are inclined relative to the axis of movement of the tool 5 (or, in use, the central axis of the pipeline), so as to cause a helicoidal or bi-helicoidal movement inside the pipeline.

[0065] In optional configurations, as illustrated in FIG. 1, in which four sets 10 are adopted, e.g. with each set 10 having three or four expanding arms 1, two sets 10 can be positioned ahead of the tool 5 and two sets 10 can be positioned after the tool 5, all the sliding wheels 2 may be inclined, providing two sets 10 of inclined wheels, both in the front portion and in the rear portion. In this case the tool 5 follows a bi-helicoidal path as it moves through the pipeline, meaning that its traction capacity is twice as great as that of a conventional tool 5 that performs a helicoidal movement.

[0066] In this optional configuration, the sets 10 with three or four expanding arms 1 are joined at the ends of the expanding arms 1 by connecting elements. These elements may be any known connecting elements.

[0067] In addition, it is possible to employ a mechanical coupling accessory or linkage 4 connecting the sets 10 of expanding arms 1 to one another or to the tool 5. This mechanical coupling accessory 4 may be rigid, or flexible so as to allow rotational and bending movements.

[0068] As mentioned above the wheels 2 comprise at least one magnetic element 12. The magnetic element 12 is suitable for removing the oil film that would otherwise be present between the wheel 2 and the pipeline. This can be achieved by attracting the wheel 2 to the pipeline, thus expelling any oil that would otherwise be between the wheel 2 and the pipeline.

[0069] In some arrangements, a wheel 2 can comprise a magnetic element 12 by the magnetic element 12 forming the wheel 2. That is, the body of the wheel 2 can, in its entirety, be a magnetic element. In other arrangements, a wheel 2 can comprise one or more magnetic elements 12 embedded within, or otherwise attached to, or forming part of, the wheel 2. An example of this is shown in FIG. 3, which presents an isolated view of one possible implementation of a wheel 2. The wheel 2 has magnetic elements 12 embedded in the surface of the wheel 2 that, in use, contacts the surrounding pipeline. As such, the magnetic elements 12 are positioned as close to the pipeline as possible, and thus attract the pipeline as strongly as possible. In other configurations, the magnetic elements 12 may be positioned under the surface of the wheel 2. This may help avoid the magnetic elements becoming dislodged from the wheel 2 during use and being left stuck to the pipeline, rather than the wheel, for example.

[0070] It is emphasized that the capacity for traction and movement is increased by using magnetic elements on, in or as the main body of the sliding wheels 2, removing the oil film at the contact with the inside wall of the pipeline. In this way, the sliding wheels 2 do not skid providing the helicoidal or bi-helicoidal movement due to the inclined sliding wheels 2.

[0071] Modifications of the above-described apparatuses and methods, combinations between different variations as practicable, and variations of aspects of the invention that are obvious to those of skill in the art are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the claims.