Plasma arc cutting of tubular structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016339535-A1
Application number	US-201415107048-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 23, 2014
Priority date	May 23, 2014
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of severing a tubular structure can include producing a stream of plasma between a plasma arc cutter and the tubular structure, and displacing the plasma arc cutter relative to the tubular structure, thereby cutting through the tubular structure. A plasma arc cutting apparatus can include a transport vehicle, a boom extending from the transport vehicle, at least one plasma arc cutter, and at least one actuator that displaces the plasma arc cutter relative to the boom. Another method of severing a tubular structure can include conveying a plasma arc cutter to the tubular structure with a transport vehicle, and displacing the plasma arc cutter relative to the transport vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of severing a tubular structure, the method comprising:
producing a stream of plasma between a plasma arc cutter and the tubular structure; and displacing the plasma arc cutter relative to the tubular structure, thereby cutting through the tubular structure.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the displacing further comprises displacing the plasma arc cutter while the tubular structure remains stationary.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the displacing further comprises displacing the plasma arc cutter relative to a boom extending from a transport vehicle.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubular structure is selected from the group consisting of a well casing, a wellhead and a hydrocarbon production conduit.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubular structure is vertical during the cutting.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein ignited hydrocarbons flow through the tubular structure during the cutting.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting comprises igniting hydrocarbons in the tubular structure.

8 . A plasma arc cutting apparatus, comprising:
a transport vehicle; a boom extending from the transport vehicle; at least one plasma arc cutter; and at least one actuator that displaces the plasma arc cutter relative to the boom.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one plasma arc cutter comprises multiple plasma arc cutters, and wherein plasmas emanate from the plasma arc cutters to a same structure.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the actuator displaces the plasma arc cutter longitudinally relative to the boom.

11 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the transport vehicle conveys a plasma gas supply and an electrical power supply.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the transport vehicle further conveys a shield gas supply.

13 . The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising an electrode extending from the boom.

14 . A method of severing a tubular structure, the method comprising:
conveying a plasma arc cutter to the tubular structure with a transport vehicle; and displacing the plasma arc cutter relative to the transport vehicle.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising producing a stream of plasma between the plasma arc cutter and the tubular structure.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the displacing further comprises displacing the plasma arc cutter relative to the tubular structure.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the displacing further comprises displacing the plasma arc cutter while the tubular structure remains stationary.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the displacing further comprises displacing the plasma arc cutter relative to a boom extending from the transport vehicle.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the tubular structure is selected from the group consisting of a well casing, a wellhead and a hydrocarbon production conduit.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein ignited hydrocarbons flow through the tubular structure during the displacing.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Hess Joseph E
• Cuthbert Andrew John

Classifications

• B23K10/00 Primary

  Welding or cutting by means of a plasma · CPC title

• B23K37/0294

  Transport carriages or vehicles · CPC title

• B23K2201/06

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• E21B41/00

  Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 · CPC title

• H05H2245/60

  Portable devices · CPC title