Claims:We Claim,
1. An overshot expansion joint with control line assembly comprising of:
an outer housing;
an inner sub assembly; and
a control line (24) connected to the outer housing,
wherein the control line (24) is connected to the outer housing by male connector fitting, and
wherein the control line (24) is connected to the bottom of inner sub assembly with a connector fitting.
2. The assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the outer housing comprises of a top sub (1), a plain receptacle extension (5), an extension connector (6), a housing – packing set (11), and a sleeve – J-slot assembly (14).
3. The assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the inner sub assembly comprises of a seating nipple (4), a slick joint sub (16), a bottom sub (15) and clamp assembly (22).
4. The assembly as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the housing – packing set (11) comprises of working seal units and a debris barrier above the working seal units.
5. A method of assembling the expansion joint with control line assembly as claimed in Claim 1, comprises the steps of:
assembling an outer housing;
assembling an inner sub assembly;
connecting the outer housing and the inner sub assembly using a locking means;
connecting the locked outer housing and the inner sub assembly with shear screws; and
connecting a control line to the locked outer housing and the inner sub assembly.
6. The method as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the inner sub assembly is assembled by
placing a slick joint sub (16) in a vice;
installing a seating nipple (4) on the top side of the slick joint sub (16);
inserting a clamp assembly (22) on the bottom sub (15);and
inserting a bottom sub (15) into the slick joint sub (16).
7. The method as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the outer housing is assembled by
forming a plain receptacle extension assembly set (A);
forming a plain receptacle extension assembly set (B);
inserting an extension connector (6) to the bottom side of the plain receptacle extension assembly set (A);
inserting the extension connector (6) to the bottom side of plain receptacle assembly set (B);
inserting a house – packing set (11) to bottom side of plain receptacle extension assembly set (B);
inserting the packing set (12) into the housing – packing set (11);
inserting an extension – housing (7) into the housing – packing set (11);
inserting the extension – lug housing (8) into bottom of lug housing (17);
inserting the housing – packing set (11) into the extension – lug housing (8);
inserting the packing set (12) into the housing – packing set (11); and
inserting the sleeve- j slot assembly (14) into the housing packing set (11).
8. The method as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the plain receptacle extension assembly set (A) is formed by
placing a plain receptacle extension (5) on a vice;
inserting the extension connector (6) on bottom side of the plain receptacle extension (5);
inserting a debris barrier assembly (10) on top side of plain receptacle extension (5); and
removing the plain receptacle extension assembly from the vice.
9. The method as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the plain receptacle extension assembly set (B) is formed by
placing the plain receptacle extension (5) on the vice;
inserting extension connector (6) on bottom side of the plain receptacle extension (5);
inserting the debris barrier assembly (10) on top side of plain receptacle extension (5) and removing the plain receptacle extension assembly from the vice.
10. The method as claimed in Claims7 to 9, further involves inserting a plurality of O-rings on both ends of plain receptacle extension (5), house-packing set (11), and lug housing (17). , Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a field of expansion joints. Specifically, the present invention relates to overshot expansion joints. More specifically, the present invention relates to overshot expansion joints with control line for use in oil wells.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typically, expansion joints are used to compensate for tubing movement that occurs due to changes in temperature, pressure, or both during normal well operations after packer has been set. The expansion joints maintain the pressure integrity of the tubing while allowing string to safely expand and contract.The expansion joint further functions to relieve the tubing of stresses due to expansion or contraction such as may be caused by temperature changes or otherwise after the packer is set by allowing telescoped parts of the joint to move relative to each other. One such joint is an overshot expansion joint.
In many well related operations, a small-diameter hydraulic control line is used to operate downhole completion equipment such as the surface controlled subsurface safety valve. Most systems operated by control line operate on a fail-safe basis. In this mode, the control line always remains pressurized. Generally, due to the mud, impurities, wax and natural conditions, scaling occurs at the bottom of well. Any leak or failure results in loss of control line pressure, acting to close the safety valve and render the well safe. Conventionally, the control lines are run from a surface location to the various production zones, with control line coiled around a tubular in the expansion joint.
WO201588684 discloses a production string for use in a wellbore that includes an expansion joint having a first tubular that slides along a second tubular, a control line extending from a location above the expansion joint to a location below the expansion joint, wherein a control line placed around the first tubular in a straight fashion that includes a plurality of coils and wherein at least some of the coils in the plurality of coils are connected to each other by a flexible member to limit stretch between the connected coils when the control line is stretched.However, the control line is fixed to the overshot expansion joint assembly and further the control line is exposed and chances of control line getting stuck or damaged are very high.
Accordingly, there is a need for an overshot expansion joint with control line assembly for easy cleaning of the well or casing perforation and also for expansion and contraction of the expansion joint and without getting the control line stuck or damaged during the operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an overshot expansion joint with control line assembly.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an overshot expansion joint with control line assembly where extreme tubing movement is anticipated, and tubing separation device is required.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an overshot expansion joint with control line assembly with one trip retrieval facility.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an overshot expansion joint with control line assembly where the control line can be easily detached without removing the packer.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an overshot expansion joint with control line assembly where tubing manipulation is not required to be set.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide safe running in and pulling out and operation of the expansion joint without any damage to the control line.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention will be described in greater detail in the following detailed description with reference to the drawings in which:
Figure 1 represents a schematic drawing of the expansion joint with control line assembly of the present invention.
Figure 2 represents a side view of overshot expansion joint with control line assembly of the present invention.
Figure 3 illustrates a chemical injection completion schematic according to one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Unless otherwise stated, the technical means used in the present invention are all methods known to those skilled in the art. In addition, the embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive of the scope of the invention. The materials used in the present invention are commercially available.
The present invention provides an overshot expansion joint with control line assembly where extreme tubing movement is anticipated and without any damage to control line in the operation of expansion joint.
The present invention provides an overshot expansion joint with control line assembly where tubing separation device is required.
Accordingly, in an embodiment, there is provided an overshot expansion joint with control line assembly consisting of an outer housing, an inner sub assembly, and a control line connected to the outer housing and bottom of inner sub assembly. The outer housing and inner subassembly are locked.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the overshot expansion joint with control line assembly consists of an outer housing, an inner sub assembly, and a control line (24) connected to the outer housing. The outer housing of the overshot expansion joint with control line assembly consists of a top sub(1), a plain receptacle extension(5), an extension connector (6), a housing – packing set (11), lug housing (17), extension lug housing (8), housing - packing set (11) and a sleeve – j-slot assembly (14).The inner sub assembly consists of a seating nipple (4), a slick joint sub (16), a bottom sub (15) and clamp assembly (22).
During run-in of the oil well, the outer housing and the inner sub assembly are locked by shear screws. In a preferred embodiment, the outer housing and the inner sub assembly are locked using a plurality of adjustable shear screws. Once shear screw of the adjustable shear pins gets sheared by applying load, the outer assembly gets disengaged and it is free to move on the inner sub assembly, compensating for tubing movement.
The housing – packing set (11) includes working seal units and a debris barrier above the working seal units. The plain receptacle extension (5), the housing – packing set (11) and the working seal units can be retrieved when a tubing string is recovered for maintenance or the entire completion can be retrieved by straight pull.The working seal units can be retrieved for redress.
The debris barrier is provided to resist the reciprocating wear and protect the sealing surface of the slick joint sub by providing complete protection for the slick joint sub throughout the full stroke of the tool, and by providing complete line provision in outer and inner assembly detachable when shear screw is sheared.
The seating nipple is incorporated at the top most end of the slick joint sub permitting the isolation of the producing zone from the annulus during workover operations.
In an oil well completions, a typical packer assembly incorporates a means of securing the packer against the casing or liner wall, such as a slip arrangement, and a means of creating a reliable hydraulic seal to isolate the annulus, typically by means of an expandable elastomeric element. The packers can be thermal packer, High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) packer, sand control packers, expandable steel packers, swellable packer, service packer, etc.
It is found that the overshot expansion joint with control line assembly enables the entire well completion to be retrieved with straight pick up of the tubing once engaged.The overshot expansion joint with control line assembly is a one-trip system, which allows the well to be flanged up prior to setting the packer.
The overshot expansion joint with control line assembly can be in various lengths. In a preferred embodiment, the length of the overshot expansion joint with control line assembly is up to 20 feet.
The present invention further provides a method for assembling the overshot expansion joint with control line assembly. The method of assembling the overshot expansion joint with control line assembly involves the steps of assembling the outer housing, assembling the inner sub assembly, connecting the outer housing and the inner sub assembly using a locking means, and connecting the locked outer housing and the inner sub assembly with shear screw. The control line (24) is detachably attached to the overshot expansion joint. The control line (24) is connected to a male assembly installed at the middle of lug housing (17).
The inner sub assembly is assembled by placing the slick joint sub (16) in a vice, inserting the O-ring (9) into the top side of the slick joint sub (16), installing the seating nipple (4) on the top side of the slick joint sub (16), inserting the clamp assembly (22) on the bottom sub (15), inserting the bottom sub (15) into the slick joint sub (16).
The slick joint allows control fluid to be conveyed to and from the functions of the tool(s) below via ports, which have been fixed control line through the wall of the slick joint. The seating nipples are no-go devices with a reduced bore smaller than the tubing ID. The seating nipples prevent flow control tools from passing through. The seating nipples can be with or without locks.
The outer housing is assembled by placing the plain receptacle extension (5) on the vice, inserting the O-ring (2) on both ends of plain receptacle extension (5), inserting extension connector (6) on bottom side of the plain receptacle extension (5), inserting the debris barrier
assembly (10) on top side of plain receptacle extension (5), and removing the plain receptacle extension assembly from the vice to form a plain receptacle extension assembly set (A), repeating the steps of placing the plain receptacle extension (5) on the vice, inserting the O-ring (2) on both ends of plain receptacle extension (5), inserting extension connector (6) on bottom side of the plain receptacle extension (5), and inserting the debris barrier assembly (10) on top side of plain receptacle extension (5) to male plain receptacle extension assembly to form a plain receptacle extension assembly set (B), inserting the top sub (1) to the top side of the plain receptacle extension assembly, inserting the extension connector (6) to the bottom side of plain receptacle extension assembly set (A), inserting the plain receptacle extension assembly set (B) to the bottom side of the extension connector (6), again inserting the extension connector (6) to the bottom side of plain receptacle assembly set (B), inserting O-ring (3) on both sides of the house-packing set (11) and inserting the house – packing set (11) to bottom side of plain receptacle extension assembly set (B), inserting the packing set (12) into the housing – packing set (11), inserting the extension – housing (7) into the housing – packing set (11), inserting the O-ring (3) on both side of the lug housing (17), inserting the extension – lug housing (8) into bottom of lug housing (17), inserting the O-ring (3) on both side of housing packing set (11), inserting the housing – packing set (11) into the extension – lug housing (8), inserting the packing set (12) into the housing – packing set (11), and inserting the sleeve-J-slot assembly (14) into the housing packing set (11).
The overshot expansion joint with control line provision assembly is run directly above and anchored into a production packer. Tools with “easy-out Right hand” J-slot and “easy-in Left hand” J-slot assemblies are assembled and run with predefined number of shear screws. Straight pull or application of set-down weight will free the outer housing from the slick joint for spacing
out. The “easy-out Right hand” J-slot allows disengaging, While the “easy-in Left hand” J-slot permits engaging the J-pins, by turning with minimum effort. After shearing, the tubing is free enough to move up and down.
In an embodiment, referring to figure 3, the overshot expansion joint with control line assembly of the present invention is provided in a chemical injection completion (17). The chemical injection completion consists of a pump out plug (18), a landing nipple (19), a side pocket mandrel with chemical injection valve (20),at least one hydroset feed thru packer (21), at least one shear out safety joint with control line cut sub (22), at least one sliding sleeve (23), at least one side pocket mandrel with gas lift valve (24), the overshot expansion joint with control line assembly (25), a surface safety valve (26), and a tubing hanger (27).
The overshot expansion joint with control line assembly of the present invention, thus, can be easily assembled and dissembled in the oil rig.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an overshot expansion joint with control line assembly, where the control line (24), with outer housing can be easily detached from the inner sub assembly of overshot expansion joint assembly.
It can be seen that, the overshot expansion joint with control line assembly is easy to operate, reduce rig operating costs, and increases the production.