Contraction joint system
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsHenry Phan, John Algeroy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and methodology facilitates conveyance of a tool, e.g. a downhole completion or completion component, via a tool string. The tool string comprises a contraction joint designed to contract if the tool incurs sufficient axial loading. The contraction joint may comprise an outer housing and a mandrel slidably received in the outer housing. The contraction joint also comprises a resettable locking member which selectively releases the mandrel with respect to the outer housing to contract the contraction joint when under sufficient axial loading.
Claims22
A system for use in a well, comprising:
- a conveyance;
- a downhole tool;
- and
- a contraction joint disposed between the downhole tool and the conveyance, the contraction joint comprising:
- an outer housing;
- a mandrel slidably received in the outer housing;
- and
- a resettable locking member which selectively releases the mandrel with respect to the outer housing to contract the contraction joined under sufficient axial loading, the resettable locking member relocking the mandrel with respect to the housing upon sufficient expansion of the contraction joint.
A method, comprising:
- providing a tool string with a contraction joint to enable longitudinal contraction upon application of axially directed loading on the tool string above a predetermined level;
- locking the contraction joint at an expanded position with a resettable locking mandrel;
- latching the tool string at a first location in a wellbore downhole from the contraction joint;
- contracting the contraction joint by applying a load on the tool string;
- and
- during contraction of the contraction joint, subsequently latching the tool string at a second location uphole from the contraction joint upon sufficient contraction of the contraction joint.
A method of aligning devices in a wellbore, comprising:
- positioning a first device on a well string and a second device on the well string at a different position than the first device;
- moving the well string downhole into a wellbore until the first device is at a first well location;
- latching the well string below a contraction joint to hold the first device at the first well location;
- contracting the contraction joint until the second device is at a second well location;
- and
- latching the well string above the contraction joint to hold the second device at the second well location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.