Gauge cutter and sampler apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11867012-B2
Application number	US-202117543502-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2021
Priority date	Dec 6, 2021
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first body, a second body, a shear pin, and a divider. The first body includes a coupling. The second body includes a cutter blade. The shear pin is configured to hold the position of the second body relative to the first body in an open position. The coupling is configured to couple the first body to the second body in a closed position. In the open position, the apparatus defines first and second flow paths for fluids and solids to pass through the apparatus. The first flow path is defined through the first body and through an inner bore of the divider. The second flow path is defined through the first body and through an annulus surrounding the divider. In the closed position, the second flow path is closed, such that solids remain in the annulus surrounding the divider.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wellbore gauge cutter apparatus comprising:
a first body defining a first opening and comprising a snap ring;
a second body comprising a gauge cutter configured to dislodge solids from an inner wall of a wellbore, wherein the snap ring of the first body is configured to hold a relative position of the second body to the first body in a closed position in response to the snap ring contacting the second body, wherein the first body and the second body cooperatively define an inner volume, and the second body defines a second opening;
a shear pin passing through the second opening and extending into the first body, wherein the shear pin is configured to hold the relative position of the second body to the first body in an open position while the shear pin is intact, and the second body is configured to be able to move relative to the first body in response to the shear pin being sheared; and
a hollow cylindrical divider disposed within the inner volume, the hollow cylindrical divider defining an inner bore, wherein:
in the open position, the wellbore gauge cutter apparatus defines:
a first flow path for fluids and solids to pass through the wellbore gauge cutter apparatus, the first flow path defined through the first opening, through the inner bore of the hollow cylindrical divider, and through the gauge cutter, and
a second flow path for fluids and solids to pass through the wellbore gauge cutter apparatus, the second flow path defined through the first opening, through an annulus surrounding the hollow cylindrical divider, and through the gauge cutter; and
in the closed position, the second flow path is closed, such that solids remain in the annulus surrounding the hollow cylindrical divider.

2. The wellbore gauge cutter apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first body comprises a first uphole end and a first downhole end;
the first opening is located between the first uphole end and the first downhole end; and
the snap ring is located between the first opening and the first downhole end.

3. The wellbore gauge cutter apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second body comprises:
a second uphole end;
a second downhole end; and
an outer wall extending from the second uphole end to the second downhole end, and the second opening is located on and extends through the outer wall.

4. The wellbore gauge cutter apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the gauge cutter is located at the second downhole end.

5. The wellbore gauge cutter apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the snap ring has an outer profile that complements an inner profile of the second body, and the snap ring is configured to hold the relative position of the second body to the first body in the closed position in response to the snap ring contacting the inner profile of the second body.

6. The wellbore gauge cutter apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the hollow cylindrical divider defines a plurality of apertures.

7. The wellbore gauge cutter apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first body comprises a connector head located at the first uphole end, the connector head configured to interface with a sucker rod or wireline.

8. The wellbore gauge cutter apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first body comprises a magnet disposed on an outer surface of the first body.

9. The wellbore gauge cutter apparatus of claim 7 , comprising a sensor unit comprising a casing-collar locator, an inclination sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, or a combination thereof.

10. An apparatus comprising:
a first body comprising a coupling;
a second body comprising a cutter blade, wherein the coupling is separated from contact with the second body in an open position and is configured to couple the first body to the second body in a closed position in response to the coupling contacting the second body, wherein the first body and the second body cooperatively define an inner volume;
a shear pin extending from the second body and into the first body, wherein the shear pin is configured to hold the position of the second body relative to the first body in the open position while the shear pin is intact, and the second body is configured to be able to move relative to the first body in response to the shear pin being sheared; and
a divider disposed within the inner volume, the divider defining an inner bore, wherein:
in the open position, the apparatus defines:
a first flow path for fluids and solids to pass through the apparatus, the first flow path defined through the first body and through the inner bore of the divider, and
a second flow path for fluids and solids to pass through the apparatus, the second flow path defined through the first body and through an annulus surrounding the divider; and
in the closed position, the second flow path is closed, such that solids remain in the annulus surrounding the divider.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the divider is threadedly coupled to the first body.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the cutter blade is a gauge cutter configured to dislodge solids from an inner wall of a wellbore.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the coupling comprises a snap ring that has an outer profile that complements an inner profile of the second body.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the divider is cylindrical and defines a plurality of apertures.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first body comprises a connector head configured to interface with a sucker rod or wireline.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first body comprises a magnet disposed on an outer surface of the first body.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , comprising a sensor unit comprising a casing-collar locator, an inclination sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, or a combination thereof.

18. A method implemented by a gauge cutter apparatus comprising a first body, a second body, a shear pin, and a divider, wherein the first body comprises a snap ring, the second body comprises a gauge cutter, the first body and the second body define an inner volume, the divider is disposed within the inner volume, and the method comprises:
separating, by the divider, the inner volume into a first flow path through the gauge cutter apparatus and a second flow path through the gauge cutter apparatus, wherein the first flow path is defined through an inner bore of the divider, and the second flow path is defined through an annulus surrounding the divider;
coupling, by the shear pin, the second body to the first body, thereby securing a position of the second body relative to the first body in an open position;
cutting, by the gauge cutter during a downhole motion of the gauge cutter apparatus through a tubing in a wellbore, a material from an inner wall of the tubing, such that the material is released from the inner wall of the tubing;
in response to the gauge cutter cutting the material from the inner wall of the tubing, shearing the shear pin, thereby allowing the second body to move relative to the first body;
contacting, by the snap ring during the downhole motion of the gauge cutter apparatus through the tubing, the second body;
in response to the snap ring contacting the second body, securing the position of the second body relative to the first body in a closed position and closing the second flow path, such that the second flow path ends with the annulus surrounding the divider;
separating, by the divider during an uphole motion of the gauge cutter apparatus through the tubing, the material into the first flow path through the gauge cutter apparatus and the

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Hitchcock Graham
• Affleck Michael
• Bulekbay Aslan

Classifications

• E21B27/005 Primary

  Collecting means with a strainer · CPC title

• E21B29/00

  Cutting or destroying pipes, packers, plugs or wire lines, located in boreholes or wells, e.g. cutting of damaged pipes, of windows; Deforming of pipes in boreholes or wells; Reconditioning of well casings while in the ground · CPC title

• E21B37/00

  Methods or apparatus for cleaning boreholes or wells (E21B21/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B49/00

  Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells · CPC title

• E21B17/1092

  Gauge section of drill bits · CPC title