Hydraulic Setting Tool for Cement Retainer One-Trip Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for setting cement retainers and pumping cement in drilling operations require excessive pulling, pushing, or twisting of the workstring, which are not effective with coiled tubing and can cause damage, and lack a hydraulic setting tool that performs internal pulling and pushing while remaining stationary.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic setting tool apparatus that uses hydraulic drilling fluid pressure to compress and set a cement-retainer assembly internally within the tool, allowing for one-trip cementing without pulling, pushing, or twisting the workstring, by employing a phenolic ball to create differential pressure and a cement-flow bypass channel for cement pumping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional pulling, pushing, or twisting operations are used to set cement retainers, then the cement retainer can be set, but excessive force is applied to the workstring causing damage especially with coiled tubing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical pulling, pushing, and twisting operations at the wellhead with a hydraulic setting tool that uses hydraulic pressure to set the cement retainer internally. The tool utilizes differential hydraulic pressure created by a phenolic ball to actuate internal mechanisms, eliminating the need for excessive mechanical forces on the workstring.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs hydraulic drilling fluid pressure to power the setting mechanism. A phenolic ball creates differential hydraulic pressure that drives internal pistons and mechanisms to set the cement retainer and open bypass channels, replacing mechanical force application with hydraulic actuation.
2Reliability
If the tool remains stationary while setting the cement retainer, then workstring damage is prevented, but internal pulling and pushing mechanisms are required within the tool
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs nested internal mechanisms where a phenolic ball triggers a sequence of internal actions. The ball creates hydraulic pressure that moves internal pistons, which in turn actuate the cement retainer setting mechanism and bypass channel opening, all contained within the stationary tool body.
Solution Approach 2:
The phenolic ball serves as an intermediary that converts hydraulic pressure into mechanical motion internally. It creates differential pressure that actuates the setting mechanism without requiring external mechanical forces, enabling the tool to remain stationary while performing the setting function.
3Adaptability or versatility
If coiled tubing is used instead of drill pipe, then flexibility and continuous operation are improved, but traditional pulling, pushing, and twisting operations become ineffective and damaging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifically addresses coiled tubing limitations by replacing wellhead mechanical operations with hydraulic actuation downhole. The hydraulic setting tool uses differential pressure from a phenolic ball to set the cement retainer, making the operation compatible with coiled tubing's mechanical constraints while maintaining 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 the one-trip setting of a cement-retainer assembly and pumping of cement without excessive force on the workstring, ensuring effective cement placement without damaging coiled tubing and maintaining tool stability.
Implementation Method 1
using pressure of the drilling fluid against a phenolic ball dropped into the workstring and seating within the upper assembly, inner components of the upper assembly are forced upward in relation to non-moving outer components
Data Source
AI summary
A hydraulic setting tool apparatus and method for drilling operations providing one-trip setting of a cement-retainer assembly and pumping of cement without excessive pulling, pushing, or twisting of the workstring, using hydraulic drilling fluid pressure and internal movement in the tool.