Casing Cutting Tool with Jet Nozzles for Wellbore Sealing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current wellbore plugging methods for abandonment, such as cement squeeze and reaming, are inefficient and costly, as they do not ensure complete contact of cement with the surrounding formation, leading to potential fluid migration and incomplete sealing.

Innovation Solution

A casing cutting tool with fluid jet nozzles and a retractable wedge is used to excise casing and cement between collars, exposing the subterranean formation, allowing for direct placement of a cement plug for permanent sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cement squeeze is used to plug the wellbore, then the cement can be pumped into the formation, but the cement may not fully contact the surrounding formation due to narrow passages, leading to incomplete sealing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidcement placement difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the casing and cement sections between collars by cutting them out, extracting the obstruction that prevents direct cement plug placement. This allows the cement plug to be placed directly against the formation without having to squeeze through narrow annular spaces, ensuring complete contact and reliable sealing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of trying to force cement through narrow passages to reach the formation (the conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by removing the casing and cement sections entirely to create a direct pathway. This allows cement to be placed directly against the formation from the opposite direction of the problem.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If reaming is used to expose the surrounding rock formation, then complete contact with cement can be achieved, but the process is time consuming and costly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidoperation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical reaming process with a cutting system that uses collars as reference points. By cutting the casing and cement sections between collars and allowing them to fall into the rat hole, the system achieves formation exposure much faster than traditional reaming, reducing operation time while maintaining sealing effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses collars as pre-marked reference points to determine where cutting should occur. This preliminary positioning system allows the cutting operation to be performed quickly and accurately without the need for time-consuming reaming operations to expose the formation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If cement squeeze is used to block the annular area between concentric casing strings, then fluid migration can be prevented, but the narrow passage may cause over-pressurization and fracture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid barrier effectivenessVSAvoidcement injection pressure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the casing sections between collars and allows them to fall into the rat hole, creating a direct pathway for cement plug placement. This eliminates the narrow annular passage that causes over-pressurization during cement squeeze, allowing cement to be placed at lower pressures while still achieving complete formation contact and effective fluid barrier.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

This method effectively removes casing and cement sections, ensuring complete contact of the cement plug with the formation, enhancing the sealing efficiency and reducing the time and cost associated with traditional methods.

Implementation Method 1

a jetting tool with fluid jet nozzles... ejecting a fluid from the one or more jetting nozzles, thereby forming a plurality of longitudinal cuts through the at least one casing string and the cement

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid jet cutting: Jet Erosion

Implementation Method 2

a retractable wedge... stroking the casing cutting tool with the conveyance over the predetermined axial length... forming a plurality of longitudinal cuts

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical cutting: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS9677362B2Removal of casing slats by cutting casing collars

Publication Date: 2017.06.13 HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES INC

AI summary

A casing cutting tool including a top mandrel operatively coupled to a conveyance; a first retractable wedge operatively coupled to the top mandrel; a jetting tool operatively coupled to the retractable wedge, the retractable wedge thereby interposing the top mandrel and the jetting tool, wherein the jetting tool has one or more jetting nozzles arranged thereon; and a bottom terminal operatively coupled to the jetting tool, the jetting tool thereby interposing the retractable wedge and the bottom terminal.