Independent Guide String Hanger for Compact Wellhead Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wellhead assemblies for steam assisted gravity drain (SAGD) operations are large, complex, and expensive due to insufficient radial area for sealing components like electrical feed-through mandrels, which limits the compactness and cost-effectiveness of the systems.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an independent guide string hanger and tubing hanger system within the casing head, where the guide string hanger is secured by a plug and the tubing hanger is suspended by fluid pressure, allowing for a compact design with sufficient radial area to accommodate the mandrel and reduce the vertical extent of the wellhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single hanger is used to support both tubing and guide string, then the structure is simpler, but the radial area for sealing components is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The single hanger structure is divided into two independent hangers: a tubing hanger for supporting the tubing string and a guide string hanger for supporting the guide string. This segmentation allows each hanger to have dedicated sealing areas, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and sufficient radial sealing area.
2Reliability
If the wellhead assembly is designed with sufficient radial area for all components, then sealing is improved, but the vertical extent and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The independent guide string hanger is positioned radially outward from the central axis, allowing the electrical feed-through mandrel to pass through both hangers in a radial arrangement rather than requiring vertical stacking. This dimensional change provides sufficient sealing area without increasing the vertical extent of the wellhead assembly.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional wellhead assemblies are designed to accommodate all components, then functionality is complete, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the support function into separate tubing hanger and guide string hanger, each component can be manufactured independently with optimized sealing areas. This reduces the overall complexity and manufacturing cost compared to a single large hanger designed to accommodate all components.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical feed-through mandrel passes through both the tubing hanger and guide string hanger in a nested arrangement, allowing compact integration of multiple components without requiring additional vertical space or increasing manufacturing complexity.
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 configuration reduces the size, cost, and complexity of wellhead assemblies by enabling the passage of the mandrel through both hangers, decreasing manufacturing costs and operational complexity while maintaining effective sealing at high pressures and temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
the tubing hanger is suspended by fluid pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A system, in certain embodiments, includes a casing head and a tubing hanger disposed within the casing head and supported by a first retaining feature of the casing head. The tubing hanger is configured to support a tubing string. The system also includes a guide string hanger disposed within the casing head and supported by a second retaining feature of the casing head independent of the first retaining feature. The guide string hanger is configured to support a guide string.