QUICK CONNECT DEVICE FOR FRACTRAP AND METHOD
A quick connect device for connecting a plug to a setting tool includes a collet having a body and plural fingers; a first end of the collet is configured to be attached to a trapping mechanism associated with the setting tool; and a second end of the collet has the plural fingers, which are configured to be attached to the plug. The second end automatically connects to the plug by only pushing the second end onto the plug.
Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein generally relate to a quick connect device that is used in a well for setting a plug, and more specifically, to a setting tool having a ball trap that is modified with the quick connect device to attach without screws to the plug for setting the plug in the well.
Discussion of the BackgroundAfter a well is drilled and cased, a fluid connection needs to be established between the bore of the casing and the formations outside the well. One or more perforation guns are used for this purpose, i.e., to make holes through the casing to establish the fluid connection between the bore and the formations. The perforation guns may be lowered into the well together with a setting tool, a plug, and a corresponding ball, which is shaped to seal a bore of the plug. The setting tool sets the plug at a desired level inside the well, the ball is moved into the bore of the plug to seal it, and then the perforating guns are fired to establish perforations into the casing, i.e., to achieve the fluid connection between the bore of the casing and the formations. A fracturing fluid is then pumped into the well and into the formations, through the perforations, to fracture the formations. Because of the plug and the ball that seals the bore of the plug, the fracturing fluid is forced through the perforations only in the current stage.
A typical setting tool/plug system 100 is illustrated in
This opposite motion of the internal and external sleeves 112 and 114 makes the wedges 140 and 144 to push away, radially, the slip rings 138 and 146, to engage the casing (not shown) of the well while also compressing the sealing element 142. This motion results in the slip rings pressing strongly against the casing, which prevents, due to the high friction, the entire plug from slipping relative to the casing, and also results in the sealing element sealing the bore of the casing, and thus preventing a fluid from moving past the plug.
After the plug has been set, the internal sleeve of the setting kit breaks out from the bottom push ring and thus, the setting tool and the setting kit detaches from the plug, so that the setting tool together with the perforating guns can be removed from the well. The plug is left behind and seals the casing of the well at that location. Thus, a fracturing operation can now begin. After the current stage is perforated with the guns and fractured, the above noted operations are repeated to deploy a new plug, to insulate a new stage, and to perforate and fracture the new stage to further establish a fluid connection between the interior of the casing and the formations.
An alternative mode of coupling the setting tool to the plug is shown in
The operation of attaching the plug 130 to the setting tool 110 in the above cases may result in incorrectly attaching the plug to the setting kit 120, or failing to fully attach the plug to the setting kit as the holes that are made in the setting kit to receive the screws 149 wear off in time and cannot be reused. Thus, there is a need to have a novel way to connect a setting kit to a plug so that there is only one way to connect these elements, and also to avoid the presence of holes or screws for connecting these parts to each other to extend their useful life.
SUMMARYAccording to an embodiment, there is a quick connect device for connecting a plug to a setting tool. The quick connect device includes a collet having a body and plural fingers, a first end of the collet is configured to be attached to a trapping mechanism associated with the setting tool, and a second end of the collet has the plural fingers, which are configured to be attached to the plug. The second end automatically connects to the plug by only pushing the second end onto the plug.
According to another embodiment, there is a system for connecting a plug to a setting tool with a quick connect device. The system includes the plug, which is configured to seal a bore of a casing in a well, and the quick connect device. The quick connect device has a collet that automatically engages and locks onto the plug by only pushing the collet onto the plug.
According to still another embodiment, there is a method for connecting a plug to a setting tool before being deployed in a well. The method includes providing a plug having a mandrel, the mandrel having a ring that extends around and away from the mandrel; attaching a trapping mechanism to a collet; attaching the collet to the ring of the plug by only pushing the collet onto the plug; sliding the trapping mechanism, while connected to the collet and the plug, inside an external sleeve of a setting kit; and rotating the plug to attach threads of the trapping mechanism to an internal sleeve of the setting tool.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments and, together with the description, explain these embodiments. In the drawings:
The following description of the embodiments refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings identify the same or similar elements. The following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. The following embodiments are discussed, for simplicity, with regard to a quick connect device that attaches a setting tool having a trapping mechanism to a plug. However, the embodiments discussed herein are applicable to any tool that needs to be attached to another tool, in a well, with no screws.
Reference throughout the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed. Thus, the appearance of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout the specification is not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
According to an embodiment, a quick connect device for attaching a plug to a trapping mechanism of a setting tool includes a collet having a thread at one end and plural fingers at an opposite end. The threaded end connects to the setting tool or to the trapping mechanism of the setting tool while the plural fingers connect to the plug. No screws are used for these connections and thus, no holes need to be made either in the plug or in the trapping mechanism for this purpose. The collet automatically connects to the plug by pushing the collet onto the plug. The quick connect device and the trapping mechanism may be used with any existing setting tool. In one embodiment, which is discussed next, a so called FracTrap trapping mechanism (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,617,816, 9,464,499, 9,765,590) is taken as an example of a setting kit that is attached to the setting tool. A FracTrap trapping mechanism is different from a traditional setting kit in the sense that the trapping mechanism 116 (see
According to the embodiment shown in
Alternatively, as shown in
The connection between the quick connect device 210 and the plug 230 is now discussed with regard to
The collet 214 is illustrated in more detail in
The tabs and/or the ring are shaped and their material is selected in such a way so that a desired maximum force can be applied by the collet on the mandrel. If the force applied by the setting tool to the mandrel through the collet becomes larger than the desired maximum force, the ring 234 is designed to break and to release the tabs 404, so that the collet 214 can separate from the plug 230, the plug 230 remains set in place, and the setting tool 220 with the trapping mechanism 116 and the collet 214 can be retrieved from the well. In one application, the ring is exclusively part of the plug and the collet does not even directly contact or touch the plug, only the ring.
Due to the fingers 402-I having the tabs 404-I on the quick connect device 210, and the ring 234 on the plug 230, there are no holes made either in the mandrel of the plug or in the internal sleeve or the trapping mechanism of the setting kit for attaching these elements to each other. After the setting tool 220 sets the plug 230, just the ring 234 of the plug 230 is broken, no other component. This means that as soon as the setting tool 220, the trapping mechanism 116, the external sleeve 314, and the quick connect device 210 are brought to the surface, there is no need to remove any screw, but simply a new plug 230 is attached to the collet 214 so that the tabs 404-I of the collet engage the ring 234 of the new plug and the connection between the plug and the setting tool is established. Because of this simplified connection process, the operator of the setting tool and plug cannot misconnect these elements with the trapping mechanism as they cannot be connected in any other way. Also, the multiple use of the setting tool, the trapping mechanism, the external sleeve, and the quick connect device do not damage any of their components, as only the ring of the plug 230 is damaged in the process. Therefore, as long as a new plug 230 is provided, the system 200 can be used multiple times with the same setting tool and quick connect device.
In one embodiment, which is illustrated in
In another embodiment, the quick connect device may use a reversed tabbed collet where the tabs stick outward rather than inward and thus the collet bends in instead of out, i.e., the tabs and the fingers enter inside the mandrel to engage the ring or a corresponding structure, for example, a trench. Also, a spring and ball bearing connection can be used in one application to connect the collet to the plug. A connection via a J-lock could also work to hook up a setting adapter to a frac plug to be set in the well.
The above discussed systems prevent any deviation from a standard procedure of assembly of the setting tool to a plug, at the well site. This approach reduces misruns due to the assembly at the well site where screws can be left out of the plug, thus causing a low set force and improper seal between the plug and the casing of the well. In one application, the system 200 is faster and easier to assemble, leaves less hard metal in the well, as all that is left behind is a thin soft metal ring. In yet another application, the system 200 improves the tool life and longevity of the tool with replaceable collet. The two piece shear ring shown in
A method for attaching the plug to a setting tool is now discussed with regard to
The disclosed embodiments provide methods and systems for connecting a plug to a setting tool having a trapping mechanism, without the use of screws. It should be understood that this description is not intended to limit the invention. On the contrary, the exemplary embodiments are intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which are included in the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Further, in the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of the claimed invention. However, one skilled in the art would understand that various embodiments may be practiced without such specific details.
Although the features and elements of the present exemplary embodiments are described in the embodiments in particular combinations, each feature or element can be used alone without the other features and elements of the embodiments or in various combinations with or without other features and elements disclosed herein.
This written description uses examples of the subject matter disclosed to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the same, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the subject matter is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A quick connect device for connecting a plug to a setting tool, the quick connect device comprising:
- a collet having a body and plural fingers;
- a first end of the collet is configured to be attached to a trapping mechanism associated with the setting tool; and
- a second end of the collet has the plural fingers, which are configured to be attached to the plug,
- wherein the second end automatically connects to the plug by only pushing the second end onto the plug.
2. The quick connect device of claim 1, wherein each finger of the plural fingers engages a ring located on the plug.
3. The quick connect device of claim 2, wherein each finger has a tab which is configured to move past the ring and lock the tab onto the ring.
4. The quick connect device of claim 3, wherein at least one finger of the plural fingers has an extension that extends past the corresponding tab.
5. The quick connect device of claim 2, wherein at least one finger of the plural fingers is longer than the plural fingers.
6. The quick connect device of claim 1, wherein the collet is attached with threads to the trapping mechanism.
7. The quick connect device of claim 6, wherein the trapping mechanism is attached with threads to the internal sleeve of the setting tool.
8. The quick connect device of claim 1, wherein the collet, the trapping mechanism, and the plug fluidly communicate with each other and a ball is sized to pass through the collet, from the plug to the trapping mechanism.
9. The quick connect device of claim 8, further comprising:
- the ball, wherein the ball is sized to not pass through an internal bore of the plug and the trapping mechanism is configured to trap the ball to prevent the ball from returning to the plug.
10. A system for connecting a plug to a setting tool with a quick connect device, the system comprising:
- the plug, which is configured to seal a bore of a casing in a well; and
- the quick connect device,
- wherein the quick connect device has a collet that automatically engages and locks onto the plug by only pushing the collet onto the plug.
11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:
- a trapping mechanism configured to be attached to an internal sleeve of the setting tool; and
- an external sleeve configured to house the trapping mechanism and the quick connect device,
- wherein the collet is configured to be attached with a first end to the trapping mechanism and with a second end to the plug.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the plug has a mandrel and a ring located on the mandrel.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the collet has plural fingers at the second end, and each finger engages the ring located on the mandrel.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein each finger has a tab which is configured to move past the ring and lock the tab onto the ring.
15. The system of claim 12, wherein the ring is configured to break at a desired force, to free the quick connect device from the plug.
16. The system of claim 12, wherein the ring is molded into a mandrel of the plug.
17. The system of claim 12, wherein the ring is placed into a trench formed in a mandrel of the plug.
18. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one finger of the plural fingers has an extension that extends past the corresponding tab.
19. The system of claim 11, further comprising:
- a ball, wherein the trapping mechanism has an internal chamber configured to hold the ball and the ball is sized to pass through an internal bore of the collet.
20. A method for connecting a plug to a setting tool before being deployed in a well, the method comprising:
- providing a plug having a mandrel, the mandrel having a ring that extends around and away from the mandrel;
- attaching a trapping mechanism to a collet;
- attaching the collet to the ring of the plug by only pushing the collet onto the plug;
- sliding the trapping mechanism, while connected to the collet and the plug, inside an external sleeve of a setting kit; and
- rotating the plug to attach threads of the trapping mechanism to an internal sleeve of the setting tool.
Type: Application
Filed: May 24, 2021
Publication Date: Dec 2, 2021
Inventors: Raymond Christopher SHAFFER (Burleson, TX), Jeremy Eli CASTANEDA (Weatherford, TX), Kevin GEORGE (Cleburne, TX)
Application Number: 17/327,862