Pressure Set Liner Hanger Without Tubing Wall Ports
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydraulic set liner hangers are limited by the pressure rating of hydraulic cylinders and require costly and potentially leak-prone elastomer seals, which are exposed to internal liner pressure.
Innovation Solution
A pressure-settable liner hanger/packer system that uses a movable setting sleeve with a sealed volume between a packer cup and an external seal, allowing pressure to set slips and a packer seal, with an optional backup setting mechanism using set down weight, eliminating the need for hydraulic cylinders on the mandrel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydraulic cylinders are mounted on the mandrel of the liner hanger, then the liner hanger can be set hydraulically, but the hydraulic cylinders are permanently exposed to internal liner pressure and must withstand the full pressure rating, limiting the pressure rating and requiring API-qualified seals
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic cylinder is extracted from the mandrel assembly and relocated to the running tool. This removes the hydraulic cylinder and its seals from the permanent pressure environment of the liner hanger, eliminating the need for API-qualified seals and full pressure rating certification while maintaining hydraulic setting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealed volume is created between the packer cup and external seal on the setting sleeve, with pressure applied through the running tool. This intermediary sealed volume allows pressure transmission without requiring the mandrel components to withstand full liner pressure, using a temporary pressure chamber that is pressurized only during setting operations.
2Ease of operation
If hydraulic cylinders are used for setting, then hydraulic pressure can be applied to set the liner hanger, but the elastomer seals in the hydraulic cylinders can leak and are not as reliable as metal-to-metal seals
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic cylinder with elastomer seals is extracted from the permanent installation and moved to the temporary running tool. This eliminates the long-term reliability concerns of elastomer seals in the liner hanger while preserving the ease of hydraulic operation during the setting phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The running tool with its hydraulic cylinder and seals is designed as a temporary, disposable component that is used only during installation and then retrieved. This allows the use of simpler elastomer seals in the running tool without requiring the same reliability as permanent installations, since the seals only need to function during the brief setting operation.
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 solution eliminates the limitations of hydraulic cylinder pressure ratings and seal leakage issues, enabling reliable and efficient setting of slips and packer seals without the need for API-qualified hydraulic actuators, allowing for safer and more reliable operation.
Implementation Method 1
Pressure through the running tool can directly or indirectly with a hydraulic tool be used to move the setting sleeve
Implementation Method 2
a sealed volume between a packer cup on a running tool and an external seal on the setting sleeve that contacts the running tool
Implementation Method 3
a lost motion feature that is controlled with shear devices to allow a further pressurization to a higher pressure to then set and lock the packer
Implementation Method 4
The cone that sets the packer seal is pulled in tension under the sealing element
Data Source
AI summary
Wall openings in a mandrel of a liner hanger/packer are eliminated and setting is accomplished with pressure against a landed object in a running tool. The wall of the running tool leads to a sealed annular space with a movable seal attached to a setting sleeve and the other end is a packer cup supported by the running tool. The setting sleeve sequentially sets the slips and releases the running tool followed by setting the packer seal. Optionally a dog sub can be used to set with set down weight on the setting sleeve. The set positions are locked in. The slips can be alternatively set with release of a contained spring force. The setting sleeve seal can be sheared out to allow removal of the running tool.