Tapered Wellhead Spacer Spool for Coiled Tubing Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wellbore intervention operations face challenges in passing coiled tubing through wellhead and master valve equipment with different inner diameters, leading to difficulties and potential obstructions.
Innovation Solution
A tapered wellhead spacer spool is introduced, featuring a tapered opening that decreases in diameter from the uphole to the downhole end, allowing for a smooth passage of coiled tubing and eliminating the risk of shoulders or size obstructions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If coiled tubing is passed through wellhead and master valve equipment with different inner diameters, then the equipment can maintain its structural integrity and pressure control capabilities, but the passage of coiled tubing becomes difficult and may encounter obstructions
Solution Approach 1:
A tapered spacer spool is introduced as an intermediary component between the wellhead and master valve. The spool has a tapered internal passage that transitions from a larger diameter at the wellhead end to a smaller diameter at the master valve end, serving as a mediator that bridges the diameter mismatch between the two equipment pieces and enables smooth coiled tubing passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer spool features a non-uniform internal geometry with a tapered passage where the inner diameter varies along its length. The upper portion has a larger diameter matching the wellhead, while the lower portion has a smaller diameter matching the master valve, creating local quality variations that facilitate coiled tubing transition through different diameter zones.
2Ease of operation
If a spacer tool is installed between the wellhead and master valve to facilitate coiled tubing passage, then the ease of operation improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wellbore equipment string is segmented into distinct components: the wellhead, the tapered spacer spool, and the master valve. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with the spacer spool specifically designed to handle the diameter transition, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture despite adding a component.
Solution Approach 2:
The tapered spacer spool acts as a simple intermediary component that resolves the diameter mismatch problem without requiring complex mechanisms. Its straightforward tapered geometry provides a passive, reliable solution that minimizes additional complexity while achieving the desired ease of coiled tubing passage.
Data Source
AI summary
A wellbore tool includes a wellhead to be installed at an entrance to a wellbore formed through a subterranean zone. The wellhead includes an uphole wellhead end that can extend upward from the entrance, and a downhole wellhead end that can extend downhole into the wellhead. The wellhead defines an opening extending from the uphole wellhead end to the downhole wellhead end. A spacer tool is attached to the downhole wellhead end, and includes an uphole spacer tool end and a downhole spacer tool end. The spacer tool defines a tapered opening tapering from end to end. The tool includes a master valve attached to the downhole spacer tool end of the spacer tool. The master valve defines a flow pathway fluidically coupled to the opening defined by the wellhead and the tapered opening defined by the spacer tool.