Hydraulic Jacking System for Removing Stuck Wellhead Caps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wellbore pressure control systems often face issues with stuck caps, which hinder maintenance and testing operations, requiring costly and risky crane operations or specialized personnel.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic jacking system with a lifting hand and a lifting key is used to remove stuck caps from the Christmas tree cap adaptor, allowing for efficient and safe cap removal without the need for cranes or overhead lifting operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional crane operations or specialized personnel are used to remove stuck caps, then the cap can be removed, but the maintenance time and operational risks increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical crane operations with a hydraulic actuation system. The lifting key engages with the cap's internal threading, and the hydraulic cylinder provides controlled lifting force, substituting heavy mechanical crane systems with a more efficient hydraulic mechanism that operates directly at the cap location.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting key serves as an intermediary component between the hydraulic actuator and the stuck cap. It engages with the cap's internal threading structure and transfers the hydraulic lifting force to the cap, enabling removal without direct contact between the hydraulic system and the cap itself.
2Reliability
If crane operations are used to remove stuck caps, then the cap can be removed, but personnel safety risks increase due to overhead lifting operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates overhead crane operations and replaces them with a ground-level hydraulic lifting system. The hydraulic cylinder and lifting key assembly operate from below the cap, removing personnel from hazardous overhead lifting zones and eliminating the safety risks associated with crane operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the cap's own internal threading structure as part of the lifting mechanism. The lifting key engages with the existing internal threads of the cap, allowing the cap's own structure to be utilized for its removal, eliminating the need for external overhead lifting equipment.
3Reliability
If specialized personnel are called for stuck cap removal, then the cap can be removed, but standby time and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic lifting device is designed as a universal tool that can be applied to various cap sizes and configurations by changing the lifting key. The system serves multiple functions including engagement, lifting, and removal of different cap types, eliminating the need for specialized personnel for each specific cap removal task.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting key acts as a versatile intermediary component that can be configured for different cap types while the hydraulic actuator remains the same. This modular approach allows standard personnel to use the same hydraulic system with different lifting keys to remove various cap configurations.
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 decreases wellhead maintenance activities and testing time, improves personnel safety, and reduces the need for emergency calls to specialized personnel, thereby minimizing standby times and operational risks.
Implementation Method 1
operating a lever of the hydraulic jacking system. The method includes, responsive to operating the lever, moving the lifting hand and the lifting key in a first direction
Data Source
AI summary
A tool and a method removing a stuck cap from a wellbore pressure control system. The method includes removing a quick union securing a cap to a Christmas tree cap adaptor of a wellbore pressure control system sealing a wellbore. A top gauge nut positioned in the cap is removed, and then a lifting key is installed in the cap. A hydraulic jacking system is clamped around the Christmas tree cap adaptor, followed by connecting a lifting hand to the lifting key. After connecting the lifting hand to the lifting key, a lever of the hydraulic jacking system is operated. Responsive to operating the lever, the lifting hand and the lifting key move in a first direction and the cap stuck in the Christmas tree cap adaptor is removed from the Christmas tree cap adaptor.