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US 6,745,840 B2Granted
System for accessing oil wells with compliant guide and coiled tubing
OwnerColin Stuart Headworthinventor
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OwnerColin Stuart Headworthinventor
Estimating the term…
The disclosure describes a spoolable compliant guide, a system including a spoolable compliant guide and injector and methods for using the compliant guide, where the guide is designed to connect at one end to the injector and at its other end to a remote installation having a seal and to allow coiled tubing to be inserted into the installation through the seal. Because the guide permits a substantial distance to exist between the injector and the installation seal and functions as a crimp or band resistor for the coiled tubing, the guide enables the injector to be conveniently positioned remote from the installation such as a wellhead and assumes a compliant shape between the injector and the installation allowing dynamic relative movement between them without the use of heave compensators. Thus, for subsea installations, the injector, its control system and coiled tubing reels can all be located on the water's surface for ease of access and maintenance.
A spoonable compliant guide for providing access to an installation, the guide comprising a length of a hollow structure including a first end and a second end, each end having a detachable connector, where the first guide end is designed to be detachably connected proximate a coiled tubing injector and the second end is designed to be detachably connected proximate a seal on the installation, where the guide forms a conduit to the installation through which coiled tubing is inserted, where the guide is isolated from the installation, and where the guide resists reactive forces generated during coiled tubing operations.
A spoolable compliant guide system for performing coiled tubing operations in a well, the system comprising a length of coiled tubing, a coiled tubing injector and a length of a hollow structure including an injector end having a detachable connection means for detachably connecting proximate a coiled tubing injector and an well end having a detachable connection means for detachably connecting proximate a well seal, where the guide forms a conduit from the injector to the installation through which coiled tubing is inserted, where the guide is isolated from the installation via the seal, and where the guide resists reactive forces generated during coiled tubing operations.
A spoolable compliant guide system for performing coiled tubing operations in a well, the system comprising a length of coiled tubing, a coiled tubing injector and a length of a hollow structure including an injector end having a detachable connection means for detachably connecting proximate a coiled tubing injector and an well end having a detachable connection means for detachably connecting proximate a lubricator associated with the well, where the lubricator includes a seal, which isolates the well from the guide and where the guide resists reactive forces generated during coiled tubing operations.
A spoolable compliant guide system for performing coiled tubing operations in a well equipped with a flexible riser, the system comprising coiled tubing, a coiled tubing injector and a length of a hollow structure provided with means to releasably attach one end thereof proximate the injector and the other end thereof proximate the well, where the guide extends from the injector to the well through the riser and resists reactive forces generated during coiled tubing operations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.