Expandable wirefinder and method for use of same

An expandable wirefinder for locating a wire downhole comprising:

• a sleeve;
• and
• a dual collet assembly having first and second collet members each having plurality of collet fingers, the dual collet assembly slidably moveable relative to the sleeve between a running position and a finding position, in the running position, the first collet member at least partially disposed within the sleeve with its collet fingers inwardly radially biased by the sleeve and the second collet member disposed within the first collet member with its collet fingers inwardly radially biased by the sleeve, in the finding position, the collet fingers of the first collet member radially expanded to form gaps therebetween and the collet fingers of the second collet member radially expanded into the gaps,
• wherein each of the collet fingers of the second collet member has a lug extending radially outwardly therefrom such that when the dual collet assembly is in the running configuration, the lugs contact the sleeve, thereby inwardly radially biasing the collet fingers of the second collet member and such that the collet fingers of the second collet member retract before the collet fingers of the first collet member when the dual collet assembly is shifted from the finding position to the running position.

A fishing tool for locating and retrieving a wire downhole comprising:

• a sleeve;
• an outer collet member having a plurality of outer collet fingers, the outer collet member having a running position and a finding position, in the running position, the outer collet member at least partially disposed within the sleeve with the outer collet fingers inwardly radially biased by the sleeve, in the finding position, the outer collet member not being disposed within the sleeve such that the outer collet fingers radially expand creating gaps therebetween;
• an inner collet member having a plurality of inner collet fingers, the inner collet member having a running position and a finding position, in the running position, the inner collet member being disposed within the outer collet member with the inner collet fingers inwardly radially biased by the sleeve, in the finding position, the inner collet fingers radially expanding into the gaps between the outer collet fingers;
• and
• a wire grab disposed within the inner collet.

A fishing tool for locating and retrieving a wire downhole comprising:

• a sleeve;
• a dual collet assembly having first and second collet members each having plurality of collet fingers, the dual collet assembly slidably moveable relative to the sleeve between a running position and a finding position, in the running position, the first collet member at least partially disposed within the sleeve with its collet fingers inwardly radially biased by the sleeve and the second collet member disposed within the first collet member with its collet fingers inwardly radially biased by the sleeve, in the finding position, the collet fingers of the first collet member radially expanded to form gaps therebetween and the collet fingers of the second collet member radially expanded into the gaps;
• and
• a wire grab disposed within the dual collet assembly.

A method for locating a wire downhole comprising:

• running an expandable wirefinder having a sleeve and a dual collet assembly downhole on a conveying device, wherein a first collet member of the dual collet assembly is at least partially disposed within the sleeve that inwardly radially biases collet fingers of the first collet member and wherein a second collet member of the dual collet assembly is disposed within the first collet member with the sleeve inwardly radially biasing collet fingers of the second collet member;
• contacting a restriction downhole with the sleeve;
• operating the dual collet assembly from the running position to a finding position wherein the collet fingers of the first collet member radially expand to form gaps therebetween and the collet fingers of the second collet member radially expand into the gaps;
• proceeding farther downhole with the dual collet assembly in the finding position;
• finding the wire downhole;
• retrieving the dual collet assembly uphole to the sleeve;
• operating the dual collet assembly from the finding position to the running position by retracting the collet fingers of the second collet member before the collet fingers of the first collet member;
• and
• retrieving the expandable wirefinder uphole.

A method for retrieving a wire from downhole comprising:

• running an expandable wirefinder downhole on a conveying device, the expandable wire finder including a sleeve and a dual collet assembly with a wire grab;
• contacting a restriction downhole with the sleeve;
• operating the dual collet assembly from a running position wherein a first collet member of the dual collet assembly is at least partially disposed within the sleeve such that collet fingers of the first collet member are inwardly radially biased by the sleeve and wherein a second collet member of the dual collet assembly is disposed within the first collet member such that collet fingers of the second collet member are inwardly radially biased by the sleeve to a finding position wherein the collet fingers of the first collet member radially expand to form gaps therebetween and the collet fingers of the second collet member radially expand into the gaps;
• proceeding farther downhole with the dual collet assembly in the finding position;
• finding the wire downhole with the dual collet assembly;
• grabbing the wire with the wire grab;
• retrieving the dual collet assembly and the wire uphole to the sleeve;
• operating the dual collet assembly from the finding position to the running position;
• and
• retrieving the expandable wirefinder and the wire uphole.