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US 9,540,896 B2Granted
Frangible core barrel
AssigneeNational Oilwell Varco, L.P.
InventorsAlan Grant Norrie, Khoi Trinh, Rahul Patel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A coring assembly comprises an outer barrel coupled to a coring bit. An inner barrel is disposed within the outer barrel. An inner sleeve is disposed within the inner barrel and includes at least one frangible region that allows the inner sleeve to break so that coring operations can continue after the occurrence of a core jam.
Claims17
A coring assembly comprising:
- a coring bit;
- an outer barrel coupled to the coring bit;
- an inner barrel disposed within the outer barrel;
- and
- an inner sleeve disposed within the inner barrel,
- wherein the inner sleeve is a single continuous sleeve,
- wherein the inner sleeve includes a plurality of frangible regions spaced along the inner sleeve, and
- wherein a first of the plurality of frangible regions has a different strength than a second of the plurality of frangible regions.
5 more elements
An inner barrel assembly comprising
- a shoe;
- a tubular body coupled to the shoe;
- and
- an inner sleeve disposed within the tubular body and coupled to the shoe,
- wherein the inner sleeve is a single continuous sleeve,
- wherein the inner sleeve includes a plurality of frangible regions spaced along the inner sleeve, and
- wherein a first of the plurality of frangible regions has a different strength than a second of the plurality of frangible regions.
4 more elements
A method for coring comprising:
- disposing a coring assembly in a formation, wherein the coring assembly includes a coring bit, a shoe assembly, and an inner sleeve extending from the shoe assembly, the inner sleeve being a single continuous sleeve, the inner sleeve including a plurality of frangible regions spaced along the inner sleeve, wherein a first of the plurality of frangible regions has a different strength than a second of the plurality of frangible regions;
- operating the coring assembly so that a core sample is partially disposed in the inner sleeve;
- operating the coring assembly until a core jam occurs;
- breaking the inner sleeve at the first one of the plurality of frangible regions;
- operating the coring assembly so that additional core sample is disposed in the inner sleeve that remains coupled to the shoe assembly after breaking the first one of the plurality of frangible regions;
- operating the coring assembly until a second core jam occurs;
- breaking the inner sleeve at the second one of the plurality of frangible regions;
- and
- operating the coring assembly so that additional core sample is disposed in the inner sleeve that remains coupled to the shoe assembly after breaking the second one of the plurality of frangible regions.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.