Method for sealing a gap sub assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016377178-A1
Application number	US-201615192261-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 24, 2016
Priority date	Jun 25, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for sealing a gap sub wherein injected material is used to secure a seal member in a gap. The seal member is positioned in the gap, and the material is then injected into the gap and against the seal member, seating the seal member and securing it in place once the material solidifies. The injected material is preferably electrically non-conductive.

First claim

1 . A gap sub assembly comprising:
a female tubular member comprising a female mating portion; a male tubular member comprising a male mating portion; at least a part of the male mating portion received within at least a part of the female mating portion; an inner surface of the female mating portion angled outwardly in an uphole direction to provide an angled female member surface, and an outer surface of the male mating portion generally cylindrical to provide a non-angled male member surface, providing a wedge-shaped gap between the angled female member surface and the non-angled male member surface; a seal member having a wedge-shaped cross-section positioned within the gap and sealingly engaging both the angled female member surface and the non-angled male member surface; and an injected material retaining the seal member in the gap and sealingly engaging both the angled female member surface and the non-angled male member surface.

2 . The gap sub assembly of claim 1 wherein the gap is wedge-shaped at only an upper portion, and the seal member is sized and configured to seal at least the upper portion of the gap.

3 . The gap sub assembly of claim 2 wherein the gap comprises a lower cylindrical portion, the seal member sized and configured to seal both the upper portion and the lower portion of the gap.

4 . The gap sub assembly of claim 1 wherein the seal member is composed of an electrically non-conductive material.

5 . The gap sub assembly of claim 4 wherein the electrically non-conductive material is polyether ether ketone.

6 . The gap sub assembly of claim 1 wherein the material is an electrically non-conductive material.

7 . The gap sub assembly of claim 6 wherein the electrically non-conductive material is a plastic.

8 . A gap sub for insertion in a drill string, the gap sub comprising:
a female tubular member comprising a female mating portion; a male tubular member comprising a male mating portion; at least a part of the male mating portion received within at least a part of the female mating portion; an inner surface of the female mating portion angled outwardly in an uphole direction to provide an angled female member surface, and an outer surface of the male mating portion cylindrical to provide a non-angled male member surface, providing a wedge-shaped gap between the angled female member surface and the non-angled male member surface; a seal member having a wedge-shaped cross-section positioned within the gap and sealingly engaging both the angled female member surface and the non-angled male member surface; and an injected material retaining the seal member in the gap and sealingly engaging both the angled female member surface and the non-angled male member surface.

9 . The gap sub of claim 8 wherein the gap is wedge-shaped at only an upper portion, and the seal member is sized and configured to seal at least the upper portion of the gap.

10 . The gap sub of claim 9 wherein the gap comprises a lower cylindrical portion, the seal member sized and configured to seal both the upper portion and the lower portion of the gap.

11 . The gap sub of claim 8 wherein the seal member is composed of an electrically non-conductive material.

12 . The gap sub of claim 11 wherein the electrically non-conductive material is polyether ether ketone.

13 . The gap sub of claim 8 wherein the material is an electrically non-conductive material.

14 . The gap sub of claim 13 wherein the electrically non-conductive material is a plastic.

15 . A method for sealing a gap sub, the gap sub comprising a female tubular member having an outwardly angled inner surface and a mated male tubular member having a non-angled outer surface facing the outwardly angled inner surface, providing a wedge-shaped gap between the angled inner surface and the non-angled outer surface;
the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a seal member having a wedge-shaped cross-section corresponding to the gap and configured to sealingly engage both the angled inner surface and the non-angled outer surface; b. inserting the seal member into the gap; c. injecting a material into the gap against an upper impingement surface of the seal member, thereby pressing down on the seal member to seat the seal member in the gap; and d. allowing the material to solidify, thereby securing the seal member in the gap such that the seal member sealingly engages both the angled inner surface and the non-angled outer surface.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the gap is wedge-shaped at only an upper portion, and the seal member is sized and configured to seal at least the upper portion of the gap.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the gap comprises a lower cylindrical portion, the seal member sized and configured to seal both the upper portion and the lower portion of the gap.

18 . The method of claim 15 wherein the seal member is composed of an electrically non-conductive material.

19 . The method of claim 18 wherein the electrically non-conductive material is polyether ether ketone.

20 . The method of claim 15 wherein the material is an electrically non-conductive material.

21 . The method of claim 20 wherein the electrically non-conductive material is a plastic.

Assignees

• Evolution Engineering Inc

Inventors

• Hepguvendik Hasan Alper
• Logan Aaron William
• Logan Justin Christopher
• Lee Gavin Gaw-Wae
• Stack Luke Anthony
• Miraki Mojtaba Kazemi
• Derkacz Patrick Robert

Classifications

• F16J15/022 Primary

  characterised by structure or material · CPC title

• E21B47/122

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• F16J15/061 Primary

  with positioning means (F16J15/0831 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16J15/062

  characterised by the geometry of the seat · CPC title

• E21B47/13

  by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency · CPC title