Method for sealing a gap sub assembly
AssigneeEvolution Engineering Inc.
InventorsHasan Alper Hepguvendik, Aaron William Logan, Justin Christopher Logan, Gavin Gaw-Wae Lee, Luke Anthony Stack, Mojtaba Kazemi Miraki, Patrick Robert Derkacz, Daniel William Ahmoye
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Abstract
A method for sealing a gap sub wherein injected material is used to secure a seal member in a gap. The seal member is positioned in the gap, and the material is then injected into the gap and against the seal member, seating the seal member and securing it in place once the material solidifies. The injected material is preferably electrically non-conductive.
Claims18
A gap sub assembly comprising:
- a female tubular member comprising a female mating portion;
- a male tubular member comprising a male mating portion;
- at least a part of the male mating portion received within at least a part of the female mating portion;
- an inner surface of the female mating portion angled outwardly in an uphole direction to provide an angled female member surface, and an outer surface of the male mating portion generally cylindrical to provide a non-angled male member surface, providing a wedge-shaped gap between the angled female member surface and the non-angled male member surface;
- a seal member having a wedge-shaped cross-section positioned within the gap and sealingly engaging both the angled female member surface and the non-angled male member surface;
- and
- an electrically non-conductive injected material injected against exposed surfaces of the seal member for retaining the seal member in the gap and electrically isolating the male tubular member and the female tubular member, the electrically non-conductive injected material contacting an exposed top surface and an exposed side surface of the seal member.
A gap sub for insertion in a drill string, the gap sub comprising:
- a female tubular member comprising a female mating portion;
- a male tubular member comprising a male mating portion;
- at least a part of the male mating portion received within at least a part of the female mating portion;
- an inner surface of the female mating portion angled outwardly in an uphole direction to provide an angled female member surface, and an outer surface of the male mating portion cylindrical to provide a non-angled male member surface, providing a wedge-shaped gap between the angled female member surface and the non-angled male member surface;
- a seal member having a wedge-shaped cross-section positioned within the gap and sealingly engaging both the angled female member surface and the non-angled male member surface;
- and
- an electrically non-conductive injected material injected against exposed surfaces of the seal member for retaining the seal member in the gap and electrically isolating the male tubular member and the female tubular member, the electrically non-conductive injected material contacting an exposed top surface and an exposed side surface of the seal member.
A method for sealing a gap sub, the gap sub comprising a female tubular member having an outwardly angled inner surface and a mated male tubular member having a non-angled outer surface facing the outwardly angled inner surface, providing a wedge-shaped gap between the angled inner surface and the non-angled outer surface;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a seal member having a wedge-shaped cross-section corresponding to the gap and configured to sealingly engage both the angled inner surface and the non-angled outer surface;
- b. inserting the seal member into the gap;
- c. injecting an electrically non-conductive injectable material into the gap against a top and a side impingement surface of the seal member, thereby pressing down on the seal member to seat the seal member in the gap and electrically isolating the male tubular member and the female tubular member from each other;
- and
- d. allowing the injectable material to solidify, thereby securing the seal member in the gap such that the seal member sealingly engages both the angled inner surface and the non-angled outer surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.