Annular Cutter Catching Mechanisms for Wellbore Coupon Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Annular coupons left in the wellbore after cutting operations interfere with production and other interventions, and milling can produce debris that complicates operations.
Innovation Solution
An annular cutter catching device is used to grip and retain the coupon after cutting, featuring mechanisms like split rings, slips, collet fingers, and spiral grapples to securely hold the coupon for retrieval to the surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an annular cutting device is used to cut a coupon from a plug, then the plug can be isolated to allow resource extraction, but the coupon and milling debris remain in the wellbore causing interference with production and subsequent interventions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by designing a catching device that removes the harmful coupon and debris from the wellbore environment. The device includes a catching mechanism with fingers or grippers that extract the coupon from the isolated section and bring it to the surface, eliminating the interference problem while maintaining the beneficial isolation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The catching device acts as an intermediary between the cutting operation and the wellbore environment. It provides a controlled mechanism to manage the coupon and debris, transitioning them from a harmful presence to a managed state that can be safely retrieved without interfering with production or subsequent operations
2Reliability
If the coupon is left in the wellbore after cutting, then the isolation function is maintained, but production and intervention operations are interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating the catching mechanism into the cutting device itself. The catching fingers are positioned to immediately grasp the coupon as it is being cut, preventing it from remaining in the wellbore. This preliminary capturing action ensures that the isolation function is maintained during cutting while eliminating the need to leave the coupon behind
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the cutting function with the catching function in a single integrated device. The annular cutting device includes both the cutting elements and the catching mechanism with fingers or grippers, allowing simultaneous or sequential operation of both functions. This combination eliminates the need to choose between maintaining isolation and removing the coupon, as both objectives are achieved by the same device
Data Source
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AI summary
An annular cutter catching device includes a housing having an inner bore therethrough, a cutter configured to cut a coupon, and a coupon catching device configured to grip an outer surface of the coupon. In an embodiment, an annular cutter catching device includes one or more split rings disposed within the inner bore of the housing. In the embodiment, at least one split ring is configured to grip an outer surface of the coupon within the inner bore of the housing. In an embodiment, an annular cutter catching device includes a coupon catcher disposed within the inner bore of the housing. In an embodiment, the coupon catcher includes a set of fingers movable between an open position and a closed position. In an embodiment, the set of fingers are configured to retain the coupon within the inner bore of the housing in the closed position.