Abrasive Jet Cutting Tool for Wellbore Tubulars
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cutting tubulars in wellbores, such as explosive jet cutters, chemical cutters, and mechanical cutting with drill pipe or coiled tubing, face challenges like incomplete cuts, material damage, health and safety concerns, and increased time and expense, particularly when making radial or window cuts.
Innovation Solution
A cutting tool with a body securable within the tubular and a cutting head that discharges a pressurized abrasive cutting fluid, featuring rotational and axial movement, positioning mechanisms, linear and rotary actuators, and a cutting fluid pump, allowing for the creation of continuous linear and non-linear cuts via a wireline or coiled tubing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If explosive jet cutters are used to cut tubulars, then cutting can be performed without a rig, but the cuts are not clean and material behind the cut is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces explosive mechanical cutting with a fluid-based abrasive jet cutting system. A pump delivers abrasive-laden fluid through a nozzle that erodes the tubular material to create clean cuts without the damage caused by explosive forces
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a hydraulic system where a pump generates high-pressure fluid that carries abrasive particles. This fluid jet is directed at the tubular to erode and cut through the material, providing clean cuts without requiring explosive charges or mechanical contact
2Ease of operation
If chemical cutters are used to make radial cuts, then cutting can be performed without a rig, but the cut depth is limited by the system and completion
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic pump system generates high-pressure fluid flow that carries abrasive particles capable of eroding through the entire thickness of the tubular wall. The continuous fluid jet maintains cutting action throughout the material, achieving complete penetration regardless of wall thickness
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of the cutting mechanism by using adjustable pump pressure and abrasive flow rate. These parameters can be optimized based on tubular thickness and material properties, allowing the cut depth to exceed limitations of fixed chemical cutter systems
3Manufacturing precision
If mechanical cutting with drill pipe or coiled tubing is used, then cuts can be made in tubulars, but a rig is required which increases time loss and expenses
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces rig-based mechanical cutting equipment with a wireline-deployable fluid jet system. The pump and nozzle assembly can be conveyed into the wellbore on a wireline and positioned at the cut location, eliminating the need for expensive and time-consuming rig setups
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting tool assembly including pump, nozzle, and control systems is nested within a compact housing that can be deployed through the wellbore on a wireline. This nested configuration allows the entire cutting system to be conveyed into position without requiring surface rig equipment
4Productivity
If explosive cutters are used to cut tubulars, then cutting can be performed quickly, but health and safety concerns require strict operational procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful explosive energy into a beneficial controlled fluid jet. Instead of using explosives that create uncontrolled damage and safety hazards, the system uses high-pressure fluid energy to erode and cut the tubular material in a controlled, safe manner
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces explosive mechanical energy with hydraulic fluid energy. The pump-driven abrasive jet provides cutting power without the safety hazards of explosives, eliminating the need for strict operational procedures while maintaining cutting effectiveness
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and accurate creation of radial and window cuts in tubulars, reducing operational risks and costs by providing a method for making clean, continuous cuts without the need for explosive tools or extensive rig setups.
Implementation Method 1
a cutting head having a nozzle for discharging a pressurized cutting fluid
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of a cutting tool positionable in a tubular for creating a cut in a tubular includes a body securable within the tubular and a cutting head having a nozzle for discharging a pressurized cutting fluid, wherein the cutting head is rotationally and axially moveable relative to the body. The cutting tool may further include one or more of a positioning mechanism, a linear actuator in connection with the cutting head, a rotary actuator in connection with the cutting head, a cutting fluid pump, a mechanism for mixing a fluid and an abrasive to form the abrasive cutting fluid, and reservoirs for storing the abrasive cutting fluid or for storing a fluid and the abrasive separately.