LINER HANGER RUNNING TOOL

Abstract

Liner hanger running tool (LHRT) having a mandrel with a central through-bore includes a transducer configured to identify a predetermined activation signal and, based on receipt of the predetermined activation signal, transmit an actuation signal. The LHRT also includes a power source. In addition, the LHRT includes a valve. Further, the LHRT includes an actuator configured to be operated by the power source and activated by the actuation signal from the transducer to close the valve in the central through-bore in the mandrel.

Claims

1. A liner hanger running tool (LHRT) having a mandrel with a central through-bore, the LHRT comprising: a transducer configured to identify a predetermined activation signal and, based on receipt of the predetermined activation signal, transmit an actuation signal; a power source; a valve; and an actuator configured to be operated by the power source and activated by the actuation signal from the transducer to close the valve in the central through-bore in the mandrel.

2. The LHRT of claim 1, wherein the power source includes a battery.

3. The LHRT of claim 1, wherein the transducer is a pressure transducer configured to identify a predetermined activation signal in the form of a pressure signature in the central through-bore of the LHRT.

4. The LHRT of claim 1, wherein the LHRT further comprises a setting sleeve disposed outside the mandrel, wherein the setting sleeve is linearly movable relative to the mandrel in response to pressure in the central through-bore of the LHRT.

5. The LHRT of claim 4, wherein the valve is a ball valve mechanically coupled to the setting sleeve, whereby moving the setting sleeve in a first direction closes the valve.

6. The LHRT of claim 4, wherein activation of the actuator is configured to open a radial bore in the mandrel hydraulically coupling the setting sleeve and the central through-bore so that one side of a shoulder on the setting sleeve is exposed to the hydraulic pressure in the through-bore.

7. The LHRT of claim 5, wherein activation of the actuator is configured to open a radial bore in the mandrel hydraulically coupling the setting sleeve and the central through-bore so that one side of a shoulder on the setting sleeve is exposed to the hydraulic pressure in the through-bore.

8. The LHRT of claim 1, wherein: the transducer is a first transducer for identifying a first predetermined activation signal and to transmit a first actuation signal; and the actuator is a first actuator, and wherein the LHRT further includes: a second transducer configured to identify a second predetermined activation signal and, based on receipt of the second predetermined activation signal, transmit a second actuation signal; and a second actuator operable by means of a power source and activatable by means of the second actuation signal from the transducer to open the valve in the central through-bore in the LHRT.

9. The LHRT of claim 7, wherein: the transducer is a first transducer for identifying a first predetermined activation signal and to transmit a first actuation signal; and the actuator is a first actuator, and wherein the LHRT further includes: a second transducer configured to identify a second predetermined activation signal and, based on receipt of the second predetermined activation signal, transmit a second actuation signal; and a second actuator operable by means of a power source and activatable by means of the second actuation signal from the transducer to open the valve in the central through-bore in the LHRT.

10. The LHRT of claim 9, wherein the radial bore in the mandrel is a first radial bore and the shoulder on the sleeve is a first shoulder with a first contact area; and wherein activation of the second actuator opens a second radial bore in the mandrel hydraulically connecting the setting sleeve and the central through-bore so that one side of a second shoulder on the setting sleeve is also exposed to the hydraulic pressure in the through-bore, the second shoulder having a second contact area which is larger than the first contact area of the first shoulder.

11. The LHRT of claim 7, wherein the LHRT is provided with first burst disc and optionally a second burst disc, wherein the burst disc(s) is/are placed in (an) additional radial bore(s) providing alternative, hydraulic connection(s) between the central throughbore and the first, and optionally second, shoulder(s) on the setting sleeve.

12. The LHRT of claim 10, wherein the LHRT is provided with first burst disc and optionally a second burst disc, wherein the burst disc(s) is/are placed in (an) additional radial bore(s) providing alternative, hydraulic connection(s) between the central throughbore and the first, and optionally second, shoulder(s) on the setting sleeve.

13. The Liner hanger assembly (LHA) including a LHRT of claim 1, the LHA further comprising: a linger hanger (LH) connected to the LHRT, wherein the LH comprises a setting port, a setting piston, and an anchor, wherein the setting piston is configured to be operated by hydraulic pressure through the setting port to set the anchor inside a casing in a well.

14. The LHA of claim 13, wherein the LHRT is provided with a pair of seals straddling the setting port on the LH prior to activating the (first) actuator, thereby preventing unintentional setting of the LH.

15. A method for installing a LH with a LHA of claim 10, the method comprising: coupling the LHA to a liner; running the liner with the LHA into a well on a pipe string, wherein the pipe string is in fluid communication with the through-bore of the LHRT; positioning the LH inside a casing to which it is to be coupled; transmitting a (first) predetermined activation signal to the (first) transducer to activate closing of the valve with the first actuator; increasing the pressure in the pipe string above the closed valve; exposing the setting piston on the LH to the pressure in the pipe string through the setting port to set the anchor inside the casing and thereby connect the LH to the inside of the casing.

16. The method of claim 15, the method comprising: verifying that the LH has been set by controlling the weight on the pipe string.

17. The method of claim 15, the method comprising: further increasing the pressure in the pipe string to release the LHRT from the LH.

18. The method of claim 16, the method comprising: further increasing the pressure in the pipe string to release the LHRT from the LH.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the method further comprises: transmitting a second predetermined activation signal to a second transducer to activate opening of the valve by means of second actuator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In the following is described an example of an embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a liner hanger assembly in accordance with principles described herein in a first operational mode;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged detail from FIG. 1;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows the liner hanger assembly from FIG. 1 in a second operational mode;

[0033] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged detail from FIG. 3;

[0034] FIG. 5 shows the liner hanger assembly from FIG. 1 in a third operational mode;

[0035] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged detail from FIG. 5;

[0036] FIG. 7 shows the liner hanger assembly from FIG. 1 in a fourth operational mode; and

[0037] FIG. 8 shows an enlarged detail from FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In the following the reference numeral 1 will be used to denote an embodiment of a liner hanger running tool (LHRT) according to the first aspect, whereas reference numeral 10 will be used to denote an embodiment of a liner hanger assembly (LHA) according to the second aspect. Identical reference numerals will refer to identical or similar features in the drawings. Various features in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0039] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an LHA 10 in a longitudinal cross-section through the line A-A as shown in the side view to the left. FIG. 2 shows detail C, including the LRHT 1 as included in the LHA 10, in an enlarged view.

[0040] The LHA 10 assembly includes a linger hanger (LH) 2 that is to be set inside a casing (not shown) in a well, where the LH 2 is arranged on the outside of a pipe mandrel 4, the pipe mandrel 4 forming a part of a liner. The LH further includes a set of slips 5 outside the pipe mandrel 4 to be radially expanded to anchor LH inside the casing, to extend the casing further into the well by means of the liner. The LH 2 is hydraulically operable by a means of a setting piston 7 hydraulically accessible via a setting port 9 forming a radial hole in the pipe mandrel 4 as will be explained in more detail below. The LH 2 is connected to and run into a well on the LHRT 1 such that the LHRT 1 is arranged inside the pipe mandrel 4. A setting sleeve 6 of the LHRT 1 is arranged between the pipe mandrel 4 and a LHRT mandrel 12. The LHRT mandrel 12 is formed with a central through-bore 14, and a ball valve 16 is arranged in the through-bore 14, mechanically connected to the setting sleeve 6, as will be explained below. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the LHA 10 is in an un-activated state, and the ball valve 16 is open allowing circulation of fluids therethrough. When running the LHA into the hole/well, the LHA 10 will be in this state.

[0041] The LHRT 1 is, in the shown embodiment, provided with a two transducers in the form of a first pressure transducer 18a and a second pressure transducer 18b. The first pressure transducer 18a is provided below/downstream of the ball valve 16 inside a cavity of the LHRT mandrel 12. The first pressure transducer 18a is in fluid communication with the central through-bore 14 of the LHRT 1 through a first opening/communication port 20a in the LHRT mandrel 12. The first pressure transducer 18a, being in fluid communication the whole pipe string on which the LHA 10 is run, is configured to recognize a predetermined activation signal in the form of a first unique pressure pulse signature in the fluid present in the central through-bore 14. Upon receipt of such a unique pressure pulse signature, the first transducer 18a sends an actuation signal to a first actuator 22a to start an actuation sequence. The first actuator 22a, which in this shown embodiment includes a knife 24a, is also located in a cavity in the LHRT mandrel 12 together with a power source in the form of a not shown battery and/or capacitor and not a shown control unit for activating the first actuator 22a based on the received actuation signal from the first transducer 18a. The first actuator 22a forces the knife 24a linearly downwardly in the length direction of the LHRT mandrel 12 to shear off a first shear plug 26a provided in a first radial bore 28a of the LHRT mandrel 12. Puncturing the first shear plug 26a opens a hydraulic connection between the central through-bore 14 of the LHRT 1 and a cavity 30a provided outside the setting sleeve, at a first shoulder portion 32a of the setting sleeve 6 as will discussed more in detail with reference to the following drawings. Before shearing off the first shear plug 26a, the setting sleeve is pressure balanced in the sense that no or very little differential pressure is acting on the setting sleeve 6. To safeguard that the setting sleeve 6 does not move unintendedly, the setting sleeve is connected to the LHRT mandrel 12 by means of a shear screw 33 intended to shear at predetermined shear force as will be explained below. As a contingency, the LHRT 1 also includes a first back-up radial bore 34a connected with the communication port 20a and provided with a first burst disc 36a. In a situation where the first transducer 18a and/or the first actuator 22a do not work and/or where the first shear plug 26a does not shear properly, the first burst disc 36a made be broken at a predetermined pressure to open a back-up route to the first cavity 30a. The first burst disc 36a (as well as the second burst disc 36b, as will be discussed below) is exposed to the well pressure on one side and an atmospheric pressure on the other side. The burst discs 36a, b will therefore rupture at different pre-determined absolute pressures in the well. Rupturing the burst disc 36a provides an alternative/back-up hydraulic connection between the central through bore 14 and the first cavity 30a.

[0042] When an operator, or an autonomous control system, decides to activate setting of the LH 2, the first unique pressure pulse signature is generated from topside. Mud pulse telemetry and the general principles of transferring signals via mud or other wellbore fluids, both up and down a well, is known from different fields of petroleum technology and will be understood by a person skilled in the art. The first pressure transducer 18a recognises the first unique pressure pulse signature and sends the actuation signal to the first actuator 22a as explained above. It should also be noted that the activation signal does not need to be a pulse super-imposed on the base pressure, but that it could simply also be an absolute pressure profile changing over time. As an example, an operator may keep the pressure level in the well at X psi for 10 mins, Y psi for 5 mins, Z psi for 8 mins and back to X psi for 10 mins.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows the LHA 10 in a longitudinal cross-section through the line D-D as shown in the side view to the left. FIG. 4 shows detail E, including the LRHT 1 as included in the LHA 10, in an enlarged view. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the LHA 10 and LHRT 1 after the first shear plug 26a has been punctured and thereby opening a hydraulic connection between the central through-bore 14 of the LHRT 1 and the cavity 30a provided outside the setting sleeve 6 at the first shoulder portion 32a as explained above. The first shoulder portion 32a is thereby exposed to the hydraulic pressure in the pipe string and the central through bore 14 in the LHRT 1, whereby a net force is acting on the setting sleeve 6 to push the first shoulder 32a, in principle acting like a piston, downwardly in the length direction of the LHRT mandrel 12, i.e. to the right in the drawing. The force acting on the setting sleeve 6 also shears the shear screw 33. Before the setting sleeve 6 is forced to the right, i.e. as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, two seals 38 straddle the setting port 9 in the pipe mandrel 4 thus preventing hydraulic fluid from entering the setting port 9. In the shown embodiment, the setting sleeve is mechanically connected to the ball valve 16 so that moving the setting sleeve 6 to the right, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, at the same time closes the ball valve 16 and thereby the central through-bore 14. Seals 17 seal between the valve element of the ball valve 16 and the LHRT mandrel 12. In the shown embodiment, the rotatable valve element of the ball valve 16 is connected to the setting sleeve by means of lugs 40 which, upon contact with the linearly moving setting sleeve 6, rotate to close the ball valve 16. Moving the setting sleeve 6 thus has the double function of closing the ball valve 16 and moving the seals 38 away from the straddling position around the setting port 9 in the pipe mandrel 4 to expose the setting port 9. The setting piston 7 on the LH 2 is thereby exposed to the pressure in the pipe string and the central through-bore above/upstream of the closed ball valve 16 through the setting port 9.

[0044] FIG. 5 shows the LHA 10 in a longitudinal cross-section through the line L-L as shown in the side view to the left. FIG. 6 shows detail M, including the LRHT 1 as included in the LHA 10, in an enlarged view. At this stage the setting operation, the pipe string has been pressured up to a first pre-determined pressure, typically in the order of 1800 psi (124 bar), where the setting piston 7 is forced upwardly in the length direction of the LHRT 1, i.e. to the left in the drawings, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Before the setting piston is set in motion by the pressure in the pipe string, it is connected to the outside of the pipe mandrel by means of a shear screw 35, intended to shear at a predetermined shear force. The setting piston 7, after shearing the shear screw 35, pushes the slips 5 over a wedged/oblique surface 42 on the LH 2 to force the slips 5 radially outwards against the inside of the not shown casing to anchor the LH 2 inside casing. At this stage, the operator typically controls the weight of the pipe string from topside to verify that the LH has been properly set, i.e. to verify that the weight has been reduced on the pipe string since the casing is now carrying the LH 2 and liner. Further, after verifying that the LH 2 has been properly set, the pipe string is typically pressured up to a second predetermined pressure, typically in the order to 2000 psi (138 bar) or higher, to release the LHRT 1 from the LH 1

[0045] FIG. 7 shows the LHA 10 in a longitudinal cross-section through the line H-H as indicated in the side view to the left. FIG. 8 shows detail I, including the LRHT 1 as included in the LHA 10, in an enlarged view. After the LH 2 has been properly set and the LHRT 1 has been released from the LH 2, a second unique pressure pulse signature is sent from topside to be identified by the second pressure transducer 18b, which is in hydraulic communication with the through-bore 14 via a second communication port 20b. The second pressure transducer 18b, upon receipt of the second unique pressure pulse signature, activates a second actuator 22b, including a second not shown battery and/or capacitor and control unit. The second actuator 22b includes a second knife 24b which is forced linearly upwardly by the actuator 22b in the length direction of the LHRT mandrel 12, i.e. to the left in the drawings, to puncture a second shear plug 26b. The puncturing opens a hydraulic connection between the inside of the through-bore 14 and a second cavity 30b outside the setting sleeve in which the pressure from the through-bore acts on a second shoulder portion 32b of the setting sleeve, in effect acting as a second piston. The second shoulder portion 32b has a larger contact area for the hydraulic fluid than the corresponding first shoulder portion 32a. Since the same pressure in the central through-bore 14 now acts on opposite sides of the shoulder portions, i.e. on the left side of the first shoulder portion 32a and on the right side of the second shoulder portion 32b, and since the second shoulder portion has a larger contact area, a net upward force pushes the setting sleeve 6 in the length direction of the LHRT mandrel 12, i.e. to the left in the drawings, back to its initial position. The linear motion of the setting sleeve 6 now acts to rotate the valve element of the ball valve 16 in an opposite direction to open the ball valve 16. The LHRT 1 may now be pulled out of the well. A second burst disc 36b in a second/back-up radial bore 34b is provided for similar contingency reasons as described above.

[0046] It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. Use of the verb “comprise” and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim. The article “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.