Self indexing mule shoe mechanism
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsPranav Shukla, Farshad Odakkal, Jai Singh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for providing a rotating a mule shoe assembly. The mule shoe assembly is disclosed with a top sub adapted to be connected to a tool string. A spring retainer for retaining a wave spring in a chamber created by the top sub and spring retainer. A mule shoe adjacent the spring retainer that linearly translate and rotate when a force is applied. The spring retainer has one or more pins that engages one or more linear slots in the top sub. A key moves in an indexing slot causing the mule shoe to linearly translate and rotate. The indexing slot is machined in the outer diameter of the top sub. During the stroke of the mule shoe, the one or more pins move in the linear slots and the key moves in the indexing slot.
Claims11
A mule shoe assembly adapted for connection to an end of a tool string comprising:
- a top sub adapted for connection to the end of the tool string;
- a spring retainer for retaining a wave spring in a chamber created by the top sub and the spring retainer;
- the spring retainer has one or more pins that engages one or more linear slots in the top sub that allows the spring retainer to linearly move;
- the wave spring is positioned between an upper stop created by the top sub and a lower stop created by the spring retainer;
- and
- a mule shoe adjacent the spring retainer that linearly translate and rotate when a force is applied by contacting an obstruction in a wellbore.
A method of deploying a tubular in a wellbore comprising:
- connecting a mule shoe assembly to an end of a tool string;
- running the tool string and mule shoe assembly into the well;
- the mule shoe assembly comprises:
- a top sub adapted for connection to the end of the tool string;
- a spring retainer for retaining a wave spring in a chamber created by the top sub and the spring retainer;
- wherein the spring retainer has one or more pins that engages one or more linear slots in the top sub that allows the spring retainer to linearly move;
- a mule shoe adjacent the spring retainer that linearly translate and rotate when a force is applied;
- and
- actuating the mule shoe assembly by stroking the mule shoe by rotating and linearly moving the mule shoe relative to the top sub when a compression force is applied by an obstruction in the wellbore or tension force is applied by the wave spring once the obstruction is cleared.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.