SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SPOOLING COILED TUBING
A system and method for spooling coiled tubing is provided, the system including a second levelwind mechanism. The second levelwind is positioned adjacent ground level, thereby eliminating the need for personnel to work at heights associated with traditional spooling of coiled tubing from one reel to another. Coiled tubing is transferred from one reel to another reel on the low side of the spool so that personnel may work at ground level.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for spooling coiled tubing for use in the oil and gas industry. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for spooling coiled tubing from one spool to another at ground/deck level, thereby eliminating the need for working at heights.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many desirable applications for using coiled tubing in oil and gas wells. More and more of these applications require longer strings of coiled tubing for work in deeper wells, require larger diameter coiled tubing, or require both longer strings of larger diameter tubing. Due to weight and/or height limitations, it is common to transport multiple smaller reels of coiled tubing to a well site wherein the coiled tubing is re-spooled onto a master spool before being injected into the wellbore. This is particularly true for offshore wells where more and more crane restrictions require lighter and lighter loads of coiled tubing strings, drums and related equipment. This is especially true for larger diameter tubing such as 2⅜ inch and 2⅞ inch coiled tubing strings. Once the smaller and lighter reels of coiled tubing are transported to location, the various strings of coiled tubing are connected together and spooled onto a master reel.
Once on location, spooling of coiled tubing from one coiled tubing reel to the other is normally performed at a height determined by the height of the equipment used, especially the coiled tubing reels themselves. This can be several meters high at a minimum. The coiled tubing is transferred from one reel to the other on the high side of the coiled tubing drums. Personnel performing the work for this operation are required to work at these heights on either temporary platforms or specially designed equipment. Spooling devices (e.g., a levelwind) for correctly spooling the coiled tubing on and off the coiled tubing reels are required and one is provided as standard on most coiled tubing reel foundations. The larger the coiled tubing size, the more difficult the process becomes due to the coiled tubing residual bend forces involved and handling them at height.
Any time an operator is working with large diameter coiled tubing (i.e., 2 inch diameter and larger pipe), the operator is working with some of the largest reels in the industry. These reels which store the large diameter coiled tubing and operate the coiled tubing are typically much larger than conventional coiled tubing reels. Hence, the drum diameter and the flange diameter of these larger coiled tubing reels may be on the order of twice the size of conventional coiled tubing reels. Because of this additional height, the conventional levelwinds for spooling the pipe to allow the tubing to be spooled off the drum and to feed onto the drum is mounted even higher on top of the coiled tubing assembly. Consequently, work associated with the coiled tubing operations, such as maintenance work on the levelwind or threading the coiled tubing through the levelwind, must be performed at working heights upwards of 5½ to 6½ meters above ground level or deck level.
Thus, there is a need for a system and process for spooling coiled tubing from one spool to another that improves safety and work conditions for such operations. There is also a need for improved control over coiled tubing, especially the larger sizes, allowing controlling of bending and pulling forces in a more suitable manner. The present invention addresses one or more of these needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to one embodiment of the present invention, by adding a spooling device (i.e., a second levelwind) to the back of a conventional coiled tubing reel, the present invention enables personnel to work at ground/deck level with the coiled tubing being spooled on/off the low side of the coiled tubing reels. Improved safety and working conditions are a direct result of eliminating the need for personnel to work at heights. Additional types of work can be performed, including cutting out or adding sections of coiled tubing, installing or removing spoolable connectors or performing welding work. The portable spooling device can be moved to either coiled tubing drum, as required by the direction of coiled tubing movement. Alternatively, a second levelwind may be added to both the supply reel and the service reel. Especially for the larger coiled tubing sizes (i.e., 2 inches and above), improved control of the spooling process without having to work at height is realized.
An alternative embodiment uses a single levelwind wherein the levelwind is adapted to rotate about the reel from a spooling position adjacent to ground level to an operational position for conventional operations running coiled tubing to the injector an on into a well.
The foregoing summary is not intended to summarize each potential embodiment or every aspect of the subject matter of the present disclosure. Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the drawings.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTSIllustrative embodiments of the invention are described below as they might be employed in the use of a safer system and method for spooling coiled tubing at a well site. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
When using large diameter coiled tubing, it is important to use correspondingly large diameter coiled tubing reels. The large diameter reels are required because they reduce the bending loads on the coiled tubing that would occur on smaller diameter reels. However, due to the weight of such large diameter reels, it is common to transport the reels either empty or only partially loaded with coiled tubing. Once on location, the entire length of coiled tubing needed for a particular well (or wells) may be spooled onto the service reel. Several shipping or supply reels with shorter lengths (e.g., 6000 feet of 2⅞ inch tubing or less) may be required to provide the length of coiled tubing needed for a particular application. The shipping reels are lighter weight due to the shorter lengths of coiled tubing stored on them. Special connectors such as Duralink connectors from BJ Services Company, may be used to connect the various lengths of coiled tubing when spooling the coiled tubing off of the supply reels and onto the master service spool. Such connectors are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/394,392, filed Mar. 21, 2003, entitled “Composite Low Cycle Fatigue Coiled Tubing Connector,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
One exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
The separate, second levelwind spooling system on the coiled tubing reel facilitates spooling of the coiled tubing from the shipping/supply reel to the service reel at ground level, thus eliminating working at heights. When utilizing the present invention, personnel would typically be working at heights ranging from 1½ to 3 feet above ground level. Thus, maintenance work, welding, making connections and the like may be performed at a safer working height compared to traditional spooling operations.
The levelwind according to the preferred embodiment is a traditional levelwind mechanism which tracks on a double worm screw to feed coiled tubing across the width of the reel from flange to flange. Telescopic pole 40 allows the levelwind mechanism to float up and down to accommodate varying heights as the coiled tubing is spooled and unspooled from the reel.
In an alternative embodiment shown in
The present invention provides improved control over the coiled tubing, especially for larger sizes, allowing control of bending and pulling forces in a more suitable manner. Coiled tubing that is spooled off of a reel retains a residual bend from the wrapping diameter of the drum that it was spooled on. Thus, the tubing does not come off the reel perfectly straight. In order to connect two ends of coiled tubing together, an operator must attempt to straighten the ends of the tubing to be joined together. Coiled tubing connectors, such as Duralink connectors, require additional equipment (e.g., jigs and clamps) to help align, manipulate and straighten the tubing ends for installation of such connectors. Using such equipment at ground level facilitates and expedites the installation of the connectors as well as improves the safety conditions surrounding the installation process.
Although various embodiments have been shown and described, the invention is not so limited and will be understood to include all such modifications and variations as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A system for spooling coiled tubing, the system comprising:
- a first tubing reel adapted to spool coiled tubing;
- a first levelwind adjacent to a high side of the first tubing reel; and
- a second levelwind adjacent to a bottom side of the first tubing reel.
2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the second levelwind is inverted relative to the first levelwind.
3. A system as defined in claim 1, the system further comprising:
- a pivoting arm connected to an axis of the first tubing reel; and
- an elevating apparatus connected to the pivoting arm, whereby the elevating apparatus can be moved relative to the axis of the first tubing reel.
4. A system as defined in claim 1, the system further comprising a second tubing reel having a first levelwind adjacent a high side of the second tubing reel and a second levelwind adjacent to a bottom side of the second tubing reel, whereby the second levelwind of the second tubing reel is adapted to receive the tubing reel from the second levelwind of the first tubing reel.
5. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the second levelwind is positioned at a height ranging up to 3 feet above ground level.
6. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein the pivoting arm comprises a telescoping hydraulic cylinder used to move the elevating apparatus relative to the axis of the first tubing reel.
7. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein the first levelwind is inverted such that a distal end of a telescoping pole attached to the first levelwind extends in an upward direction.
8. A system for spooling coiled tubing, the system comprising:
- a supply reel adapted to spool coiled tubing; and
- a levelwind adjacent the supply reel, the levelwind being adapted to rotate about an axis of the supply reel.
9. A system as defined in claim 8, wherein the levelwind is allowed to rotate at least 180 degrees around the axis of the supply reel.
10. A system as defined in claim 8, wherein the levelwind is connected to the supply reel via a pivoting arm, the system further comprising a telescoping hydraulic cylinder having a first and second end, the first end being connected to the pivoting arm and the second end being connected to a base used to support the supply reel, wherein the levelwind is rotated about the axis of the supply reel via the pivoting arm.
11. A system as defined in claim 8, the system further comprising an elevating apparatus adapted to rotate around the axis of the supply reel.
12. A system as defined in claim 8, the system further comprising a service reel having a levelwind adjacent a bottom side of the service reel, the levelwind of the service wheel being adapted to receive the coiled tubing from the levelwind of the supply reel.
13. A method for spooling coiled tubing, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing the coiled tubing to a first levelwind of a supply reel, the first levelwind being adjacent a top side of the supply reel; and
- (b) providing the coiled tubing to a second levelwind of the supply reel, the second levelwind being adjacent a bottom side of the supply reel.
14. A method as defined in claim 13, the method further comprising the step of spooling the coiled tubing from the second levelwind of the supply reel to a service reel.
15. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein the step of spooling the coiled tubing to the service reel further comprises the steps of:
- spooling the coiled tubing from the second level wind of the supply reel to a second levelwind of the service reel, the second levelwind of the service reel being adjacent a bottom side of the service reel; and
- providing the coiled tubing to a first levelwind of the service reel, the first levelwind being adjacent a top side of the service reel.
16. A method as defined in claim 13, the method further comprising the step of rotating an elevating apparatus about an axis of the supply reel, the elevating apparatus adapted to allow an operator access to the first levelwind of the supply reel.
17. A method for spooling tubing about a tubing reel, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing the tubing to a levelwind of the tubing reel located adjacent a top side of the tubing reel;
- (b) spooling the tubing about the tubing reel; and
- (c) rotating the levelwind about an axis of the tubing reel to a location adjacent a bottom side of the tubing reel.
18. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein step (c) further comprises the step of severing the tubing before rotating the levelwind about the axis of the tubing reel.
19. A method as defined in claim 17, the method further comprising the step of spooling the tubing to a separate tubing reel.
20. A method as defined in claim 17, the method further comprising the step of retracting the levelwind from the bottom side location back to the top side location.
21. A method as defined in claim 17, the method further comprising the step of rotating an elevating apparatus about an axis of the tubing reel, the elevating apparatus adapted to allow an operator access to the levelwind of the tubing reel.
22. A system for spooling coiled tubing, the system comprising:
- a tubing reel adapted to spool coiled tubing;
- a levelwind adjacent to a high side of the first tubing reel; and
- an elevating apparatus connected to the tubing reel, whereby the elevating apparatus can be rotated relative to the axis of the tubing reel.
23. A system as defined in claim 22, wherein the elevating apparatus is connected to the tubing reel via a pivoting arm, the pivoting arm comprising a telescoping hydraulic cylinder used to move the elevating apparatus relative to the axis of the tubing reel.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 7, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 30, 2008
Applicant: BJ Services Company (Houston, TX)
Inventors: Lyle Erwin Laun (Calgary), Manfred Sach (Calgary), Ludger Honkomp (Borevegen)
Application Number: 12/027,831
International Classification: B65H 27/00 (20060101);