Patent ID: 6343657
Filing Date: 2002-02-05
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
A method of injecting tubing having an entrance end and a distal end into partially horizontal pipe which has a larger diameter than said tubing, said method comprising:(a) feeding tubing into the pipe, (b) attaching a thruster pig within about 5000 feet of the distal end of the tubing which is inserted into the pipe, said thruster pig comprising: (1) a body having an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the injected tubing and having an outer diameter equal to or smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe; (2) an attaching apparatus adapted to attach the device to the end of the small diameter tubing or to the exterior of the small diameter tubing; (3) a sealing apparatus to impede fluid migration between the body of the device and the inner surface of the pipe; (4) an aperture allowing fluids pumped down the interior of the injected tubing to pass through the device into the interior of the pipe ahead of the device; and (5) a means for allowing fluids to flow back through the device and up the annulus; and (c) exerting pressure against said thruster apparatus, thereby causing the thruster pig to exert at least a portion of the force necessary to inject the tubing down the pipe.