Alignment assembly
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsJohn C. Wolf, Luis A. Gonzalez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique facilitates latching of a tool in a desired alignment within a tubing string. The tubing string comprises a latching section designed to latch the tool in a specific orientation. The latching section comprises a plurality of mounting regions designed to receive a plurality of profile inserts which are releasably engaged and interchangeable. The profile inserts may be arranged to create a key profile for engagement with a corresponding key associated with the tool. However, the profile inserts may be interchanged to change the key profile. Additionally, different combinations of profile inserts may be used to create different key profiles from one latching section to the next in tubing strings with more than one latching section.
Claims14
A system for latching, comprising:
- a tubing string having a latching section for latching a tool in a specific orientation, the latching section having a plurality of mounting regions;
- and
- a plurality of profile inserts releasably engaged with the plurality of mounting regions to enable interchanging of selected profile inserts with other profile inserts of the plurality of profile inserts, the plurality of profile inserts having different combinations of longitudinal engagement features and circumferential engagement features arranged to establish a key profile for engagement with a corresponding key associated with the tool, the key profile being established in a longitudinal direction and a circumferential direction so as to accept the corresponding key at a single longitudinal and rotational position of the tool,
- wherein the tubing string comprises an orientation section to rotationally orient the corresponding key for receipt in the latching section,
- wherein the orientation section comprises a pair of orienting profiles, and
- wherein the tool is associated with an orientation feature that is configured to cycle back and forth in a space between the pair of orienting profiles of the orientation section until the orientation feature and the tool are rotationally oriented.
A method, comprising:
- providing a tool and a key for latching the tool at a desired location in a tubing string;
- selecting a plurality of interchangeable profile inserts, the plurality of interchangeable profile inserts having different combinations of longitudinal engagement features and circumferential engagement features;
- releasably positioning the plurality of interchangeable profile inserts into a latch section of the tubing string to establish a key profile matching the key;
- forming the plurality of interchangeable profile inserts with longitudinal and circumferential features arranged to accept the key in a specific longitudinal and rotational position;
- rotationally orienting the tool via a pair of alignment mules having facing orienting profiles,
- wherein the tool is associated with an orientation feature that is configured to cycle back and forth in a space between the pair of alignment mules until the orientation feature and the tool are rotationally oriented;
- and
- conveying the tool along an interior of the tubing string until the key latches into the key profile.
A method, comprising:
- establishing a key profile at a lateral junction of a multilateral completion tubing string by mounting a plurality of interchangeable profile inserts in a latch section of the multilateral completion tubing string, the plurality of interchangeable profile inserts having different combinations of longitudinal engagement features and circumferential engagement features;
- coupling an intervention tool with a key matching the key profile;
- conveying the intervention tool through the multilateral completion tubing string;
- and
- latching the key with the key profile,
- wherein establishing comprises establishing the key profile in a manner which latches the key longitudinally and rotationally,
- wherein coupling comprises rotationally orienting the intervention tool via a pair of alignment mules having facing orienting profiles, and
- wherein the intervention tool is associated with an orientation feature that is configured to cycle back and forth in a space between the pair of alignment mules until the orientation feature and the intervention tool are rotationally oriented.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.