Reverse circulation junk basket
OwnerWalter Maplesinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for capturing debris and metal cuttings downhole in a wellbore. Fluid is reverse circulated through a tubing positioned in the wellbore. An aperture opens to a larger space within the tubing interior and creates a pressure drop which separates the debris from the fluid. The debris is separated from the fluid and is collected by an interior space within the tubing. The tubing can be retrieved from the wellbore so that the debris is separated from the interior space.
Claims18
An apparatus for capturing debris downhole in a wellbore when fluid is reverse circulated through the wellbore and through a hollow tubular positioned in the wellbore, comprising:
- a hollow basket housing attached to said tubular;
- a basket member positioned within said basket housing to define an interior volume between said basket housing and said basket member for capturing the debris;
- and
- an aperture in said basket member for permitting reverse circulated flow of the fluid and debris therethrough, wherein said aperture has a dimension smaller than an interior dimension of the hollow tubular to generate a pressure drop proximate to said basket member to facilitate separation of the debris from the fluid.
An apparatus for capturing debris downhole in a wellbore when fluid is reverse circulated through the wellbore, comprising:
- a hollow tubular operable from the wellbore surface;
- a cutter head;
- and
- a basket attached between said cutter head and said tubular, wherein said basket comprises an exterior housing and an interior member having an aperture for permitting flow of the fluid and debris therethrough, and wherein said interior member and said exterior housing form an interior volume for capturing the debris as the fluid and debris are reverse circulated through said aperture.
A method for capturing debris downhole in a wellbore, comprising the steps of:
- attaching a basket housing to a tubular to define an interior volume within said tubular, wherein said basket housing includes an aperture for permitting fluid flow therethrough;
- positioning said tubular and basket housing downhole in a wellbore;
- reverse circulating fluid to move the debris through said aperture;
- and
- separating the debris from the fluid as the debris and fluid passes through said aperture so that the debris is captured within said basket housing interior volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.