Downhole cutting and sealing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018003001-A1
Application number	US-201615546802-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 27, 2016
Priority date	Jan 27, 2015
Publication date	Jan 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A downhole tool for conveyance within a tubular secured in a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation. The downhole tool includes a sealing material and a laser apparatus operable to cut a slot in the tubular. The downhole tool is operable to provide melted sealing material within the slot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a downhole tool for conveyance within a tubular secured in a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, wherein the downhole tool comprises:
a laser apparatus operable to cut a slot in the tubular; and
a sealing material;
wherein the downhole tool is operable to provide melted sealing material within the slot.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the melted sealing material within the slot seals the slot upon solidification after cooling.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the downhole tool is operable to:
melt the sealing material; and
direct the melted sealing material into the slot.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the downhole tool is operable to:
direct the sealing material into the slot; and
melt the sealing material within the slot.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the sealing material comprises a particulate form able to flow into the slot before melting.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the sealing material is contained within and selectively released from a container, and wherein the downhole tool comprises or carries the container.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the laser apparatus is operable to cut the slot in the tubular by directing a laser beam upon a side surface of the tubular, and wherein the laser apparatus is further operable to melt the sealing material by directing the laser beam upon the sealing material.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the downhole tool further comprises an electrical heating coil operable to melt the sealing material.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the downhole tool is further operable to activate a heat-generating chemical reaction to melt the sealing material.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sealing material is disposed at least partially about the laser apparatus.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the laser apparatus is operable to cut the slot in the tubular by directing a laser beam upon a side surface of the tubular, and wherein one of the laser apparatus and the sealing material is movable with respect to the other to direct the laser beam upon the sealing material to melt the sealing material.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the laser apparatus comprises:
a housing;
a deflector operable to rotate to direct a laser beam upon a predetermined portion of a side surface of the tubular; and
a motor operable to rotate the deflector.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the sealing material is disposed at least partially about the housing, and wherein at least one of the deflector and the sealing material is axially movable with respect to the other to direct the laser beam upon the sealing material to melt the sealing material.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the laser apparatus is operable to cut the slot along a damaged portion of the tubular designated for repair to remove the damaged portion of the tubular.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubular is a casing member.

16 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubular is a section of completion/production tubing.

17 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sealing material is a eutectic material having a eutectic temperature at which the eutectic material melts.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the eutectic material comprises an alloy of two or more different metals each having an individual melting temperature that is greater than the eutectic temperature.

19 . The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the eutectic sealing material substantially comprises a bismuth-based alloy.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the bismuth-based alloy substantially comprises about 58% bismuth and about 42% tin, by weight.

21 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the downhole tool comprises a housing having a downhole portion comprising a first outer diameter that is substantially larger than a second outer diameter of an uphole portion of the downhole tool, and wherein a surface transitioning between the first and second outer diameters defines a spreader that urges the sealing material into the slot.

22 . The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the tubular comprises an inner diameter that is substantially equal to the first outer diameter of the downhole portion of the housing.

23 . The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the spreader is a substantially frustoconical surface extending axially tapered between the first and second outer diameters and extending circumferentially substantially continuously around the housing.

24 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the downhole tool further comprises a spreader disposed downhole from the sealing material, wherein the spreader is movable between a retracted position and an expanded position, wherein in the retracted position the spreader comprises a first outer diameter, wherein in the expanded position the spreader comprises a second outer diameter that is substantially larger than the first outer diameter, and wherein in the expanded position the spreader urges the sealing material radially outward toward a side surface of the tubular.

25 . The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the spreader comprises a tapered surface extending circumferentially substantially continuously around the downhole tool.

26 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the downhole tool further comprises a sensor operable to generate information indicative of a depth of the slot.

27 . The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the sensor is an acoustic sensor operable to emit an acoustic signal into the slot and detect a reflection of the acoustic signal from an end of the slot.

28 . The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the sensor is an electromagnetic sensor operable to emit an electromagnetic signal into the slot and detect a reflection of the electromagnetic signal from an end of the slot.

29 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the downhole tool is conveyable within the tubular via coiled tubing operable to communicate a fluid from a wellsite surface from which the wellbore extends to the downhole tool, and wherein the downhole tool further comprises a nozzle operable to direct the fluid into the slot.

30 . The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the laser apparatus is operable to direct a laser beam along a first radial path while cutting the slot, and wherein the nozzle is operable to direct the fluid along a second radial path that at least partially overlaps the first radial path.

31 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the laser apparatus is in optical communication with a laser source located at a wellsite surface from which the wellbore extends.

32 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the downhole tool is operable for conveyance within the tubular via coiled tubing.

33 . A method comprising:
conveying a laser apparatus within a tubular secured within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation; operating the laser apparatus to form a slot along the tubular; conveying a sealing material within the tubular; and providing a melted sealing material within the slot such that the melted sealing material seals the slot upon solidification.

34 . The method of claim 33 wherein operating the laser apparatus to form the slot along the tubular c

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Pipchuk Douglas
• Cooper Iain Michael

Classifications

• E21B33/138 Primary

  Plastering the borehole wall; Injecting into the formation · CPC title

• B23K26/356

  by shock processing · CPC title

• E21B10/61

  characterised by the nozzle structure · CPC title

• E21B43/112

  Perforators with extendable perforating members, e.g. actuated by fluid means · CPC title

• E21B33/13

  Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like · CPC title