Centraliser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10113373-B2
Application number	US-201414911976-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2014
Priority date	Aug 13, 2013
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A composite material centralizer (60) for a tubular (50) is formed from a shell (10) of elongate shape with a curved upper surface (12) and a longitudinal slot (14) formed centrally in the curved upper surface (12) of the shell (10). At least one port (19) for injection of a bonding agent into the cavity (26) is provided in the curved upper (surface (12) of the shell (10). Fluid vent holes (17) are provided in the curved upper surface (12) of the shell (10) adjacent to either end of the longitudinal slot (14) in the curved upper surface (12) of shell (10). An elongate resilient member (30) with an outwardly projecting bow spring surface (33) may be retained within the longitudinal slot (14) in the shell (10) by insertion of ends (31, 32) in respective recesses (24, 24′).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A composite centraliser comprising:
an elongate non-cylindrical housing having an arcuate surface, wherein first and second recesses are defined in an inside of the arcuate surface, the first and second recesses being axially spaced on the elongate non-cylindrical housing, and
an elongate resilient member having first and second ends, wherein the first and second ends are located in the respective first and second recesses of the elongate non-cylindrical housing, such that the first end is retained in the first recess at least partially by engagement with the inside of the arcuate surface in the first recess, and wherein a surface of the elongate resilient member is outwardly spaced from the elongate non-cylindrical housing,
wherein the elongate non-cylindrical housing has a longitudinal slot extending through the arcuate surface and between the first and second recesses, wherein, as proceeding from the first end, the elongate resilient member extends outward through the slot, projects outwardly from the elongate non-cylindrical housing, and extends inward through the slot to the second end.

2. A centraliser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the elongate non-cylindrical housing has an arcuate cross-section.

3. A centraliser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second ends of the elongate resilient member is movably retained without fasteners in one of the corresponding first and second recesses to allow axial movement of the elongate resilient member.

4. A centraliser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein one of said first and second ends of the elongate resilient member is restrained against axial movement in one of the corresponding first and second recesses.

5. A centraliser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein one of said first and second ends of the elongate resilient member is slidably retained in one of the corresponding first and second recesses, and the other of said first and second ends of the elongate resilient member is restrained against axial movement in the other of the corresponding first and second recesses.

6. A centraliser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the elongate non-cylindrical housing comprises a multi-layer composite material shell having at least one cavity within the shell for receiving a bonding agent.

7. A centraliser as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the multi-layer composite material shell comprises a wear resistant composite surface, and at least one structural reinforcement layer comprising reinforcing fibres selected from the group consisting of carbon fibres, aromatic polyamide (aramid) fibres, and glass fibres.

8. A centraliser as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the shell has an undersurface comprising side walls configured to provide a boundary around the longitudinal slot.

9. A centraliser as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the elongate non-cylindrical housing has an outer surface with at least one port for introduction of a bonding agent.

10. A centraliser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the elongate resilient member comprises a fibre-reinforced resin formed into an elongate resilient curved strip to provide a bow spring.

11. A centraliser as claimed in claim 10 wherein the fibre-reinforced resin comprises at least one of carbon fibres, aromatic polyamide (aramid) fibres, and glass fibres.

12. A centraliser as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the fibre-reinforced resin comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: an epoxy resin, a polyurethane resin, a polyuria resin, a blend or hybrid including a polyurethane resin, a blend or hybrid including a polyuria resin, a polyester, a polyol, and a polyamine.

13. A method of attaching a centraliser to a tubular, the method comprising:
providing an elongate non-cylindrical housing and an elongate resilient member having first and second ends, wherein the elongate non-cylindrical housing comprises a multi-layer composite material shell having an arcuate surface and at least one cavity within the multi-layer composite material shell for receiving a bonding agent, and wherein the elongate non-cylindrical housing has an outer surface with at least one port for introduction of a bonding agent, and a longitudinal slot for receiving the elongate resilient member, and first and second recesses axially spaced on the housing for receiving the first and second ends of the elongate resilient member, wherein the longitudinal slot extends between the first and second recesses,
positioning the elongate resilient member with respect to the elongate non-cylindrical housing such that a portion of the elongate resilient member emerges outwardly through the longitudinal slot whilst the respective first and second ends of the elongate resilient member are located in respective first and second recesses, wherein, as proceeding from the first end, the elongate resilient member extends outward through the slot, projects outwardly from the elongate non-cylindrical housing, and extends inward through the slot to the second end,
positioning the elongate non-cylindrical housing on an external surface of a tubular and retaining the elongate non-cylindrical housing in position on the tubular, wherein the first end of the elongate resilient member is entrained radially between the tubular and an inside of an arcuate surface of the housing without a fastener being attached to the first end,
introducing a bonding agent into the cavity via the said at least one port, and
allowing the bonding agent to bond the elongate non-cylindrical housing to the external surface of the tubular.

14. A method according to claim 13 , further comprising introducing at least one further centraliser, and positioning each further centraliser such that the respective centralisers are axially spaced along the length of the tubular and at radially offset positions around the tubular.

15. A composite centraliser comprising:
an elongate non-cylindrical housing comprising an arcuate surface having an inside that faces a tubular when the housing is coupled to the tubular, wherein the arcuate surface defines a longitudinal slot therethrough, a first recess on the inside of the arcuate surface, and a second recess on the inside of the arcuate surface, wherein the first and second recesses do not extend through the arcuate surface and extend away from the slot, wherein the longitudinal slot is positioned between the first and second recesses; and
an elongate resilient member having a first end and a second end, wherein as proceeding from the first end, the resilient member extends outward through the slot, projects outwardly from the elongate non-cylindrical housing, and extends inward through the slot to the second end, and wherein the first end is received in the first recess such that the first end is entrained between the housing and the tubular when the housing is coupled to the tubular.

16. The centraliser of claim 15 , wherein the second recess extends away from the slot such that the first and second recesses are on opposite longitudinal ends of the slot, and wherein the second end of the elongate resilient member is entrained between the housing and the tubular when the housing is coupled to the tubular.

17. The centraliser of claim 16 , wherein the second end is fastened or bonded in the second recess so as to prevent displacement of the second end with respect to the housing, and wherein the first end is free from fasteners or bonding, so as to allow a range of movement for the first end with respect to the housing.

18. The centraliser of claim 15 , wherein the housing defines vent holes c

Assignees

• Advanced Composite Ind Ag
• Innovex Downhole Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Baynham Richard Ronald
• Levie David E Y

Classifications

• E21B17/1021

  with articulated arms or arcuate springs · CPC title

• E21B17/1078 Primary

  Stabilisers or centralisers for casing, tubing or drill pipes (E21B17/1007 - E21B17/1064 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B17/1028 Primary

  with arcuate springs only, e.g. baskets with outwardly bowed strips for cementing operations · CPC title

• E21B17/1042

  Elastomer protector or centering means · CPC title