Shaped Charge Slitting Device for Wellbore Control Line Severing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for plugging and abandoning hydrocarbon wells with control lines present are time-consuming and costly, as they require removal of tubing and control lines before forming fluid seals, creating a potential leak path that is undesirable.
Innovation Solution
Shaped charge slitting devices are used to sever control lines within hydrocarbon wells by forming circumferential slits in production tubing, allowing for the subsequent sealing of these slits and elimination of the control line leak path, utilizing a device body with multiple shaped charges that transform into high-speed sheet and low-speed slug portions upon actuation to create and seal the slits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional removal procedures are used to remove tubing and control lines before forming fluid seals, then the control line leak path is eliminated, but the process becomes time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The shaped charge device is deployed and positioned within the wellbore before the fluid seal is formed. The control line is severed in advance, eliminating the leak path before it can compromise the seal integrity. This preliminary action avoids the need for time-consuming post-seal removal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The control line is extracted or removed from the wellbore system by severing it with the shaped charge device. This extraction eliminates the potential leak path without requiring removal of the entire tubing assembly, thus saving time and reducing operational complexity.
2Reliability
If conventional removal procedures are used to remove tubing and control lines before forming fluid seals, then the control line leak path is eliminated, but the operational cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical removal process of tubing and control lines is replaced with a shaped charge cutting mechanism. This substitution uses explosive energy to sever the control line rapidly, reducing the need for heavy machinery, multiple operation steps, and associated labor costs, thereby lowering overall operational expenses.
Solution Approach 2:
The operational approach changes from mechanical removal (high cost, time-intensive) to explosive cutting (lower cost, faster). By changing the method parameter from mechanical to chemical/explosive, the process becomes more cost-effective while achieving the same reliability outcome of eliminating the leak path.
3Productivity
If shaped charge slitting devices are used to sever control lines and form slits in production tubing, then the plugging and abandonment process is accelerated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shaped charge device is divided into multiple independent shaped charges arranged circumferentially around the wellbore. Each shaped charge can be activated independently or simultaneously to sever the control line and form slits in the production tubing. This segmentation allows for simplified individual charge design while achieving complex overall functionality, balancing device complexity with operational efficiency.
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
The solution efficiently severs control lines and forms effective fluid seals within hydrocarbon wells, reducing the need for extensive removal procedures and minimizing potential leaks, thereby enhancing the plugging and abandonment process.
Implementation Method 1
Each shaped charge of the plurality of shaped charges is configured to, upon actuation of the shaped charge, transform a corresponding liner of the shaped charge into a corresponding high-speed sheet portion and a corresponding low-speed slug portion
Implementation Method 2
Each shaped charge of the plurality of shaped charges is configured to, upon actuation of the shaped charge, transform a corresponding liner of the shaped charge into a corresponding high-speed sheet portion
Data Source
AI summary
Shaped charge slitting devices for control line disruption in a hydrocarbon well and related methods for sealing the hydrocarbon well. The shaped charge slitting devices include a plurality of shaped charges. Each shaped charge is configured to, upon actuation, transform a corresponding liner into a high-speed sheet portion, which is configured to form a circumferential slit within production tubing, and a low-speed slug portion, which is configured to at least partially seal the circumferential slit. The methods include positioning a shaped charge slitting device within a selected region of a tubing conduit, actuating the shaped charge slitting device to form a plurality of circumferential slits within the production tubing and also to sever a control line, pumping a sealing material into an annular space via a sealing material injection opening that extends between the tubing conduit and the annular space, and curing the sealing material to form a fluid seal.