Safety device for retrieving component within wellhead

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9850743-B2
Application number	US-201514942915-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2015
Priority date	Dec 14, 2007
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A system is provided that include a safety device configured to mount in a mineral extraction system and block axial movement of a plug in the mineral extraction system while the plug is released from a retainer. The safety device may be a sleeve configured to receive screws or other retention mechanism in a tubular. A method is provided that includes installing a plug safety catch into a tubular of a mineral extraction system in which the plug safety catch is configured to block axial movement of a plug in response to a pressure differential while the plug is released from a mount position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a safety device configured to mount within a bore of a tubular, wherein the safety device is configured to catch a component released or ejected due to pressure in the bore of the tubular, and the component comprises a tool coupling configured to enable a tool to install or remove the component in the bore of the tubular from a same side as the safety device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the component is configured to mount within the bore of the tubular independent from the safety device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the component is configured to function without the safety device during normal operation of component.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the safety device is configured to mount within the bore of the tubular of a mineral extraction system, and the component is part of the mineral extraction system.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising the component that the safety device is configured to catch, wherein the safety device comprises a first retainer and the component comprises a second retainer.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the component comprises a flow control component configured to close a fluid flow path without the safety device.

7. The system of claim 5 , comprising the tubular, wherein the safety device is configured to mount within the bore via the first retainer, and the component is configured to mount within the bore via the second retainer.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the safety device is configured to mount within the bore at an axial offset distance from the component, and the safety device is configured to axial abut and block movement of the component only during accidental release or ejection of the component in the bore of the tubular.

9. The system of claim 1 , comprising a first retainer configured to retain the safety device within the bore of the tubular.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first retainer comprises a threaded fastener.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first retainer is configured to radially move and engage the safety device in a radial direction relative to a central axis of the bore of the tubular.

12. The system of claim 11 , comprising a recess in the safety device, wherein the first retainer is configured to engage the recess in the safety device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the recess comprises an annular groove.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the safety device comprises an internal bore configured to pass the tool through the safety device, and the tool is configured to couple with the component via the tool coupling.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising the tool configured to pass through the internal bore in the safety device and couple with the component via the tool coupling.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the safety device comprises a first shoulder configured to engage a second shoulder of the component when the component is released or ejected due to pressure in the bore of the tubular.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first and second shoulders are tapered.

18. A system, comprising:
a safety device configured to mount within a bore of a tubular, wherein the safety device is configured to catch a component released or ejected due to pressure in the bore of the tubular; and
a tool configured to pass through an internal bore in the safety device and couple with the component via a tool coupling.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the tool is configured to disconnect and retrieve the component from the bore of the tubular.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the safety device, the tubular, and the component are parts of a mineral extraction system.

21. The system of claim 18 , wherein the tool is configured to install the component in the bore of the tubular.

22. The system of claim 18 , wherein the tool coupling comprises a rotational coupling.

23. The system of claim 18 , wherein the safety device is configured to axial abut and block movement of the component only during accidental release or ejection of the component in the bore of the tubular.

24. A method, comprising:
catching a component released or ejected due to pressure in a bore of a tubular with a safety device mounted within the bore of the tubular, wherein the component comprises a tool coupling configured to enable a tool to install or remove the component in the bore of the tubular from a same side as the safety device.

25. The method of claim 24 , comprising disconnecting the component from the bore of the tubular using the tool, and catching the component with the safety device when the component is ejected due to the pressure in the bore.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein disconnecting the component comprises passing the tool through an internal bore in the safety device and coupling the tool with the component via the tool coupling.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein catching the component comprises axially abutting the component against the safety device only during accidental release or ejection of the component in the bore of the tubular.

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Harkins Randall Dean
• Guidry Kirk Paul
• Taylor Thomas Edgar

Classifications

• E21B33/02 Primary

  Surface sealing or packing · CPC title

• E21B33/05

  Cementing-heads, e.g. having provision for introducing cementing plugs · CPC title

• E21B41/0021 Primary

  Safety devices, e.g. for preventing small objects from falling into the borehole · CPC title

• E21B34/02

  in well heads · CPC title

• E21B33/12

  Packers; Plugs (used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16) · CPC title