Downhole swivel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12534964-B2
Application number	US-202418800313-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2024
Priority date	Aug 22, 2023
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

A downhole swivel includes a housing and an inner tubular positioned at least partially within the housing. The downhole swivel also includes an engaging member coupled to or integral with an end of the inner tubular, such that the engaging member and the inner tubular are rotationally locked together. The downhole swivel also includes a rotation coupler selectively positionable relative to the engaging member. The rotation coupler has a first position in which the rotation coupler transmits torque between the housing and the inner tubular, and a second position in which the rotation coupler permits relative rotation between the housing and the inner tubular.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A downhole swivel, comprising:
a housing; an actuation tubular that extends out of the housing and is engageable with a downhole actuator; an inner tubular positioned at least partially within the housing; an engaging member coupled to or integral with an end of the inner tubular, such that the engaging member and the inner tubular are rotationally locked together; a rotation coupler selectively positionable relative to the engaging member, the rotation coupler having a first position in which the rotation coupler transmits torque between the housing and the inner tubular, and a second position in which the rotation coupler permits relative rotation between the housing and the inner tubular; and a biasing member configured to bias the rotation coupler axially away from the inner tubular and toward the first position.

2 . The downhole swivel of claim 1 , wherein, when the rotation coupler is in the second position, the rotation coupler does not transmit substantial torque between the inner tubular and the housing, such that the inner tubular and the housing are free to rotate relative to one another.

3 . The downhole swivel of claim 1 , wherein the actuation tubular is configured to move axially in response to a force applied by the downhole actuator, and wherein the rotation coupler moves between the first and second positions responsive to the axial movement of the actuation tubular.

4 . The downhole swivel of claim 1 , wherein:
the engaging member comprises first splines; the housing comprises second splines that are axially and circumferentially aligned with the first splines and spaced radially outward therefrom; and the rotation coupler comprises fingers having heads that fit between adjacent pairs of the first splines and adjacent pairs of the second splines, when the rotation coupler is in the first position, such that torque is transmitted between the engaging member and the housing via the heads.

5 . The downhole swivel of claim 4 , wherein the heads are axially separated from the first splines when the rotation coupler is in the second position.

6 . The downhole swivel of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises an upper housing that is configured to transmit torque to the inner tubular via the rotation coupler, and a lower housing connected to the upper housing.

7 . The downhole swivel of claim 1 , wherein the downhole actuator is coupled to the housing and configured to move the rotation coupler between the first and second positions.

8 . A method, comprising:
connecting a downhole swivel and a downhole actuator; deploying the downhole swivel and the downhole actuator into a well; signaling the downhole actuator to actuate, wherein signaling the downhole actuator to actuate causes the downhole actuator to move a rotation coupler of the downhole swivel from a first position to a second position, wherein the rotation coupler in the first position rotationally locks an inner tubular of the downhole swivel and a housing of the downhole swivel together, wherein the rotation coupler in the second position permits the inner tubular to rotate relative to the housing, wherein the rotation coupler comprises fingers, the inner tubular comprises an engaging member having splines, and the housing comprises splines that are axially and circumferentially aligned with the splines of the engaging member, wherein the fingers are between the splines of the engaging member and the splines of the housing when the rotation coupler is in the first position, and wherein the fingers are not between the splines of the engaging member when the rotation coupler is in the second position; and signaling the downhole actuator to release the downhole swivel, wherein signaling the downhole actuator to release the swivel causes the downhole actuator to permit the rotation coupler to move to the first position.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the force applied to the actuation tubular is a linear, axially-directed force, and wherein the rotation coupler moves axially from the first position to the second position in response to the force applied to the actuation tubular.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the swivel comprises a biasing member that biases the rotation coupler linearly toward the first position.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein signaling the downhole actuator to actuate comprises sending a hydraulic signal, an electric signal, a mechanical signal, or a combination thereof.

12 . A downhole swivel, comprising:
a housing having first splines; an inner tubular positioned at least partially within the housing; an engaging member rotationally locked with the inner tubular, wherein the engaging member comprises second splines; a rotation coupler selectively positionable relative to the engaging member, the rotation coupler having a first position in which the rotation coupler transmits torque between the housing and the engaging member, and a second position in which the rotation coupler permits relative rotation between the housing and the engaging member, wherein the rotation coupler comprises fingers that fit between the first and second splines and transmit torque between the housing and the engaging member; and a downhole actuator configured to move the rotation coupler between the first and second positions.

13 . The downhole swivel of claim 12 , further comprising an actuation tubular that extends out of the housing, wherein the actuation tubular is engageable with the downhole actuator and the rotation coupler.

14 . The downhole swivel of claim 12 , wherein the downhole actuator is coupled to the housing and the rotation coupler.

15 . The downhole swivel of claim 12 , further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the rotation coupler axially away from the inner tubular and toward the first position.

Assignees

• Innovex Downhole Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Marr Graeme Thomas
• Morrison Callum

Classifications

• E21B17/05 Primary

  Swivel joints · CPC title