Compression set downhole clutch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10961788-B2
Application number	US-201414415528-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2014
Priority date	Mar 5, 2014
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

Compression set downhole clutch (100) can include an upper body (201), a lower body (202), and a hydraulic member (205). The upper body (201) can include at least one engagement surface (204). The lower body (202) can include at least one engagement surface (203). The at least one engagement surface (204) of the upper body (201) and the at least one engagement surface (203) of the lower body (202) can each be configured to couple with one another and rotate in unison in an engaged configuration (102). The hydraulic member (205) can be configured to be responsive to a predetermined pressure; the hydraulic member (205) can also be configured to disengage the engagement surface (204) of the upper body (201) from the engagement surface (203) of the lower body (202).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A compression set downhole clutch comprising:
an upper body comprising at least one engagement surface;
a lower body comprising at least one engagement surface;
the at least one engagement surface of the upper body and the at least one engagement surface of the lower body are each configured to couple with one another and rotate in unison in an engaged configuration;
a hydraulic member configured to be responsive to a predetermined pressure; and
the hydraulic member configured to disengage the at least one engagement surface of the upper body from the at least one engagement surface of the lower body in response to maintaining an actuation pressure equal to or greater than the predetermined pressure, the at least one engagement surface of the upper body engages the at least one engagement surface of the lower body upon relief of the actuation pressure,
wherein the at least one engagement surface of the upper body remains disengaged from the at least one engagement surface of the lower body when the actuation pressure is equal to or greater than the predetermined pressure; and
a plunger portion having a shaft extending therefrom in a downhole direction, and an aperture formed in the lower body configured to receive the shaft.

2. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic member comprises a relief valve member which is activated at the predetermined pressure.

3. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 1 , further wherein the plunger portion further comprises a plunger piston configured to collapse in response to experiencing a compression load, the collapse of the plunger piston causing the at least one engagement surface of the upper body and the at least one engagement surface of the lower body to disengage from one another.

4. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 3 , further comprising a thrust bearing coupled with the plunger piston, wherein the thrust bearing is configured to take up a thrust load of a drillstring above the compression set downhole clutch.

5. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 1 , wherein each engagement surface of the upper body is located on a spline of the upper body and each engagement surface of the lower body is located on a spline of the lower body.

6. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 5 , wherein splines of the upper body comprise a first row and a second row of splines, and splines of the lower body comprise a first row and a second row of splines.

7. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 6 , wherein each first row of splines comprises four interference members and each second row of splines comprises four interference members, and wherein each interference member comprises an engagement surface.

8. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 1 , wherein the shaft has an aperture formed therethrough and the aperture formed in the lower body extends through the lower body in an axial direction thereby allowing fluid to flow through the compression set downhole clutch.

9. A compression set downhole clutch comprising:
an upper body comprising at least one engagement surface;
a lower body comprising at least one engagement surface;
the at least one engagement surface of the upper body and the at least one engagement surface of the lower body are each configured to couple with one another and rotate in unison in an engaged configuration;
a hydraulic member configured to be responsive to a predetermined pressure; and
the hydraulic member configured to disengage the at least one engagement surface of the upper body from the at least one engagement surface of the lower body in response to experiencing the predetermined pressure;
wherein the hydraulic member comprises a first relief valve and a second relief valve, the first relief valve having a first pressure setting corresponding to the predetermined pressure and the second relief valve having a second pressure setting that is less than the first pressure setting.

10. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 9 , wherein the second pressure setting corresponds to substantially zero gauge pressure.

11. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 9 , wherein the hydraulic member further comprises a first hydraulic chamber and a second hydraulic chamber in fluid communication such that fluid is exchanged between the first hydraulic chamber and the second hydraulic chamber when the predetermined pressure is exceeded.

12. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first hydraulic chamber is located uphole relative to the first relief valve and the second relief valve.

13. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 12 , wherein the second hydraulic chamber has a movable seal located downhole relative to the first relief valve and the second relief valve, the movable seal establishing a bottom of the second hydraulic chamber.

14. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 9 , further comprising a first hydraulic chamber and a second hydraulic chamber, wherein the first relief valve and the second relief valve selectively fluidly couple the first hydraulic chamber to the second hydraulic chamber.

15. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 14 , wherein the lower body disengages from the upper body in response to the first relief valve opening at the predetermined pressure and allowing fluid to flow into the second hydraulic chamber from the first hydraulic chamber.

16. The compression set downhole clutch as recited in claim 15 , wherein the second relief valve is set to allow fluid to flow from the second hydraulic chamber into the first hydraulic chamber in the event that the pressure is less than the first predetermined pressure.

17. A method for operating a compression set downhole clutch, the method comprising:
coupling an upper body to a lower body of the compression set downhole clutch by a splined connection that permits reciprocation and prevents rotation between the upper and lower body in an engaged configuration;
receiving an actuation pressure at a hydraulic member; and
disengaging the upper body from the lower body when the actuation pressure is equal to or greater than a predetermined pressure;
reengaging the upper body to the lower body upon when the actuation pressure is less than the predetermined pressure;
responsive to the actuation pressure, opening a first relief valve having a first pressure setting corresponding to the predetermined pressure, thereby causing fluid to flow through the valve and causing the lower body to disengage from the upper body;
closing the first relief valve when gauge pressure at the hydraulic member is substantially zero;
allowing fluid to flow through a second relief valve in a direction opposite of the flow of fluid through the first relief valve; and
recoupling the upper body to the lower body into the engaged configuration and thereby causing the upper body to rotate in unison with the lower body.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 , further comprising:
maintaining the actuation pressure at or greater than the predetermined pressure, thereby maintaining disengagement of the upper body from the lower body.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Russo Christopher Dale
• Boutin Jacob
• Tilley David J

Classifications

• E21B17/07 Primary

  Telescoping joints for varying drill string lengths; Shock absorbers · CPC title

• E21B17/06 Primary

  Releasing-joints, e.g. safety joints · CPC title

• E21B17/046 Primary

  with ribs, pins, or jaws, and complementary grooves or the like, e.g. bayonet catches · CPC title

• E21B4/06

  Down-hole impacting means, e.g. hammers (boring rams E21B11/02) · CPC title

• E21B17/05

  Swivel joints · CPC title