Spoolable coiled tubing mandrel and gas lift valves

Abstract

A spoolable, flexible sidepocket mandrel positioned in a coiled tubing having an orienting sleeve, a sidepocket, and a deflector guide in which the pocket includes a plurality of separate pocket parts and the guide includes a plurality of separate guide parts, all secured to the inside of a housing for allowing the mandrel to be longitudinally flexible and spoolable. A retrievable longitudinally flexible, spoolable gas lift valve is adapted to be inserted into and retrieved from the sidepocket. The gas lift valve may be of various types including an adjustable flow gas lift valve.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is directed to a spoolable coiled tubing mandrel that is positioned in a coiled tubing and is longitudinally flexible for spooling and gas lift valves that are wireline retrievable and longitudinally flexible and spoolable.It is known, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No, 5,170,815, to provide a longitudinally flexible and spoolable gas lift valve that is permanently mounted within the internal diameter of a coiled tubing. However, in order to repair or replace such valves, the coiled tubing string must be pulled in its entirety, and such permanently mounted valves prevent through tubing wireline work to be performed in the coiled tubing.The present invention is directed to providing coiled tubing mandrels and gas lift valves that are not only longitudinally flexible for allowing their being spoolable on to the coiled tubing reel, but they have an external flush outside diameter of the same size as the coiled tubing, have an internal offset ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

It is one object of the present invention to provide a spoolable flexible sidepocket mandrel positioned in a coiled tubing in which the mandrel includes a flexible spoolable circular housing having the same size and shape as the coiled tubing and forms a portion of the coiled tubing. A mandrel housing includes an open bore communicating with the coiled tubing. An orienting sleeve is secured to the inside of the housing for aligning a flow control device in the housing. A sidepocket is offset from the open bore for receiving a flow control device and the pocket includes a plurality of separate pocket parts, each of which is secured to the inside of the housing for providing longitudinal flexibility. A deflector guide is aligned with the sidepocket and the guide includes a plurality of separate guide parts each of which is secured to the inside of the housing for providing longitudinal flexibility.

Another object of the present invention is wherein the outside of the orienting sleeve, the pocket parts, and the guide parts are spaced from the inside of the housing and the orienting sleeve, the pocket parts and the guide parts are secured to the inside of the housing at a point intermediate to their respective ends. Such a structure provides for greater longitudinal flexibility of the mandrel.

A further object of the present invention is wherein the mandrel includes a flexible boot positioned between the orienting sleeve and the inside of the housing for allowing flexing of the sleeve relative to the housing and also preventing well tools from hanging up on the ends of the sleeve.

Still a further object is the provision of a flexible boot positioned between at least some of the guide parts and the inside of the housing and a flexible boot positioned between at least some of the pocket parts and the inside of the housing for providing longitudinal flexibility of the mandrel.

Yet a further object of the present invention is a provision of a retrievable, flexible and spoolable gas lift valve for use in a coiled tubing which includes a housing, the housing having an inlet, an outlet and a flow controlling valve operatively positioned between the inlet and the outlet. A gas charged bellows is connected to and controls the operation of the flow controlling valve and a gas containing compartment is in communication with the bellows. A setting and pulling head is connected to the body. The body includes a plurality of separated, longitudinally extending ribs connected to the head for providing longitudinal flexibility. Preferably, the ribs surround the gas containing compartment.

Still a further object is wherein the actuator includes a universal joint for allowing the valve to be longitudinally flexible and spoolable.

Problems solved by technology

However, in order to repair or replace such valves, the coiled tubing string must be pulled in its entirety, and such permanently mounted valves prevent through tubing wireline work to be performed in the coiled tubing.