Abstract:
An apparatus for manipulating an eccentrically located well bore device is disclosed. One embodiment of the apparatus comprises: a main body attachable to a conveyance member; an arm hinged to the main body; a lock assembly for selectively retaining the arm in a locked position and releasing the arm from the locked position; a kick over assembly for moving the arm to a kicked over position; and an adapter connected to the lift arm, the adapter connectable with a tool for latching onto the device. The kick over assembly comprises a kick member operatively connected to the arm and a biasing member having a first end connected to the arm and a second end connected to the kick member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an apparatus for manipulating an eccentrically located well bore device. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to a kick over tool for installing devices into and removing devices from a side pocket mandrel, particularly mandrels located in deviated wells.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    When the natural flow of liquid from a well has ceased or becomes too slow for economical production, artificial production methods are employed. In many cases, it is advantageous, at least during the first part of the artificial production period, to employ gas lift. Numerous types of equipment for producing liquid by gas lift are available, but they all rely upon the same general principles of operation. In the usual case, dry gas consisting essentially of methane and ethane is forced down the pressure string and into the liquid in the production string. As the liquid in the production string becomes mixed with gas, the density of the liquid decreases, and eventually the head pressure of the column of the gasified liquid in the production string becomes less than the pressure exerted on the body of liquid (flowing bottom hole pressure) in the well, and the flow of liquid occurs at the surface.  
           [0005]    One gas lift technique, known as continuous gas lift, injects gas into the pressure string which has been sealed or packed off at the bottom of the hole relative to the production tubing. Gas lift valves are placed in the production string for unloading and producing. The operating gas lift valve permits the gas to be injected into the liquid being produced. This gas then makes the liquid in the production tube lighter and, hence, the flowing bottom hole pressure will be sufficient to push the liquid up and out of the well. Thus, the well is produced at a greater rate.  
           [0006]    A further adaptation of this gas lift technique is known as intermittent gas lift. In this technique, rather than letting the gas enter the production tube continuously, the gas is injected into the production tubing intermittently, under a producing slug of fluid. The gas bubble then drives the slug of liquid in the production tubing upwardly. The technique is repeated successively, thereby producing successive slugs of liquid at the wellhead.  
           [0007]    The primary means for placing the high pressure gas from the pressure string into the production conduit is via a gas lift valve located in a side pocket mandrel, with the mandrel being part of the production conduit. FIG. 1 illustrates an oil production well  10  having a side pocket mandrel  20  as part of the production conduit  30 . The side pocket mandrel is designed with a pocket, or receiver, within the mandrel. The side pocket is offset from the centerline of the tubing. Most side pocket type retrievable valve mandrels have a full-bore internal diameter equal to the tubing internal diameter. A gas lift valve can be removed or installed by simple wire line operations, as is understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. The use of wire line eliminates the need to pull the entire production conduit from the well bore when an operator determines that it is necessary to change out valves. The primary wire line device for locating the mandrel pocket and selectively removing or installing devices such as a gas lift valve is a kick over tool.  
           [0008]    Many wells drilled today are highly deviated. Highly deviated wells that produce sand and have a high formation gas/liquid ratio are excellent candidates for gas lift when artificial lift is needed. While these highly deviated wells result in some reservoir drainage efficiencies, other problems may result. One problem relates to the installing and retrieving of devices such as gas lift valves. FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a prior art kick over tool  40  utilized for installing and removing devices from a side pocket mandrel. The kick over tool  40  is activated by pulling a dog  42  on the tool up against a shoulder  44  in the mandrel  46  to release the kick over arm  48  that carries the flow control device  50 . The arm  48  is biased outwardly so that its outward movement aligns the bottom nose of the device  50  with the side pocket  52  of the mandrel  46 . Downward movement and jarring are then used to insert the flow control device  50  into the side pocket  52  and to release the arm  48  from the latch  54  attached to the device  50 . However, the bow springs or leaf springs  56  utilized to bias the arm  48  outward may not be strong enough, or may become too weak over time, and fail to position the tip of the device  50  at the side pocket  52  of the mandrel  46 , particularly when the mandrel  46  is located in a deviated well with the side pocket  52  at an upper position. The device  50  is then unable to be inserted into the side pocket  52 .  
           [0009]    Therefore, there is a need for a kick over tool which provides reliable service in installing devices into and removing devices from a side pocket mandrel, and more particularly, from a side pocket mandrel located in a deviated well.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    The present invention generally provides a reliable kick over tool for installing devices into and removing devices from a side pocket mandrel, and more particularly, from a side pocket mandrel located in a deviated well.  
           [0011]    One embodiment provides an apparatus for manipulating an eccentrically located well bore device. The apparatus comprises: a main body attachable to a conveyance member; an arm hinged to the main body; a lock assembly for selectively retaining the arm in a locked position and releasing the arm from the locked position; a kick over assembly for moving the arm to a kicked over position; and an adapter connected to the lift arm, the adapter connectable with a tool for latching onto the device. The kick over assembly comprises a kick member operatively connected to the arm and a biasing member having a first end connected to the arm and a second end connected to the kick member.  
           [0012]    In another embodiment, a kick over assembly for a lift arm of a kick over tool is provided. The kick over assembly comprises a kick member pivotally connectable to the lift arm and a biasing member having a first end connectable to the lift arm and a second end connected to the kick member.  
           [0013]    Another embodiment provides a kick over tool comprising: a main body comprising a fishing head; an arm hinged to the main body; a locking mechanism disposed on the main body for locking the arm in a first position and releasing the arm to a kicked over position; a kick member for moving the arm to the kicked over position; a biasing member having a first end connected to the arm and a second end connected to the kick member; and an adapter connected to the arm for latching onto a down hole device.  
           [0014]    Yet another embodiment provides an apparatus for manipulating an eccentrically located well bore device, comprising: a main body attachable to a conveyance member, the main body comprising a kick over assembly; and a catcher barrel connected to the main body. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an oil production well.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a prior art kick over tool.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of one embodiment of a kick over tool according to the invention.  
         [0019]    FIGS.  4 - 6  are sectional views of one embodiment of a kick over tool illustrating a sequence for installing a device into a side pocket mandrel.  
         [0020]    FIGS.  7 - 9  are sectional views of one embodiment of a kick over tool illustrating a sequence for removing a device from a side pocket mandrel.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 10A is a side view of one embodiment of a kick assembly.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 10B is a cross sectional view (as indicated by line  10 B- 10 B in FIG. 10A) of one embodiment of a kick assembly.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 11 is a side view of another embodiment of a kick arm. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0024]    The present invention generally provides a reliable kick over tool for installing devices into and removing devices from a side pocket mandrel, and more particularly, from a side pocket mandrel located in a deviated well. One embodiment provides an apparatus for manipulating an eccentrically located well bore device. The kick over tool may be utilized to install and retrieve down hole devices, particularly, valves such as gas lift valves, water flood valves, and steam injection valves which are positioned in a side pocket mandrel.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of one embodiment of a kick over tool according to the invention. The kick over tool  100  generally includes a main body  102 , a lift arm  104 , and an adapter  106 . The main body  102  is connected to conveyance member (e.g., a wire line) which controls the position of the kick over tool  100  from the surface of the well. The main body  102  includes a locking mechanism  108  (also referred herein as an actuating mechanism or actuator assembly) for actuating the kick over action of the kick over tool  100 . The lift arm  104  is hinged to the main body  102  and may be moved between a locked, straight position and a kicked over position. The lift arm  104  includes a kick over assembly  110  to kick the lift arm  104  from the straight position to the kicked over position. The adapter  106  is hinged to the lift arm  104  and may be connected to a running tool to install a flow control device (e.g., a gas lift valve) into the side pocket mandrel and connected to a pulling tool to remove a flow control device from the side pocket mandrel.  
         [0026]    In one embodiment, the kick over tool  100  may further include a catcher barrel  112  fastened to the main body  102  utilizing a fastener  114 , such as a lock nut. The catcher barrel  112  (or catcher member) includes an elongated body portion  116  and basket  118  disposed at a terminal portion of the elongated body portion  116 . The basket  118  may be utilized to catch a device which has fallen off the pulling tool or running tool attached to the kick over tool  100 . The elongated body portion  116  may provide a surface from which the kick over assembly  110  kicks to move the lift arm  104  to the kicked over position.  
         [0027]    The main body  102  includes fishing head, (or neck)  120  for connecting to a conveyance member, such as a wire line (not shown). A latch tool (not shown) may be disposed at a terminal end of the wire line and utilized to latch onto the fishing head  120 . The wire line is controlled by equipment located at the surface to lower the kick over tool  100  down the tubing string and to raise the kick over tool  100  to the surface. The main body  102  also includes a spring housing  122  which houses the locking mechanism  108 . The locking mechanism  108  comprises a finger latch  124  and a latch housing  126  having a latch rod  128  which is utilized to lock the lift arm  104  in the straight position and to release the lift arm  104  to the kicked over position. The latch housing is disposed like a piston inside the spring housing  122  and is spring loaded against an internal surface of the terminal portion of the spring housing  122  by a first compression spring  130 . The latch rod  128 , being a part of the latch housing  122 , extends axially through a terminal portion of the spring housing  122 , and the terminal portion of the latch rod  128  includes a blocking surface  132  which locks the lift arm  104  in the straight position and a release notch (or hole)  134  which releases the lift arm  104  to the kicked over position.  
         [0028]    The finger latch  124  may comprise a plate-like polygonal structure and is hinged to a finger latch rod  136  which is disposed within a cylindrical hole  138  in the latch housing  126 . The finger latch rod  136  is spring loaded against the latch housing  126  utilizing a second compression spring  140 . In one embodiment, the second compression spring  140  is stronger (i.e., requiring more force to compress) than the first compression spring  130 . The finger latch  124  includes a catch surface  142  and a one or more sliding surfaces  144 . The catch surface  142  may be spring biased (e.g., utilizing a leaf spring  146  attached to the finger latch  124 ) to extend partially outside the spring housing  122  through a slot  148 . During a kick over operation, the catch surface  142  engages an alignment sleeve in a side pocket mandrel to push the latch rod  128  to release the lift arm  104 . The sliding surfaces  144  facilitate retraction of the finger latch  124  into the spring housing  122  during withdrawal of the kick over tool  100  from the side pocket mandrel. The slot  148  includes a retraction sliding surface  149  which works in conjunction with the one or more sliding surfaces  144  of the finger latch  124  to facilitate retraction of the finger latch  124  as the kick over tool is raised from down hole.  
         [0029]    Optionally, a spacer pad  150  may be attached to the main body  102  to accommodate the kick over tool  100  for different tubing sizes. A plurality of fasteners  152  (e.g., screws, bolts, etc.) and retainer rings  154  may be utilized to attach the spacer pad  150  to the spring housing  122  on an opposite side of the finger latch  124 .  
         [0030]    The lift arm  104  is hinged or pivotally connected to the main body  102  utilizing a fastener such as a hinge pin  156 . At this junction, the lift arm  104  includes a head kick arm  158  which engages the blocking surface  132  of the latch rod  128  to lock the lift arm  104  in the straight position. To release the lift arm  104  to the kicked over position, the lift arm  104  is pulled, along with the main body  102 , by wire line, while the latch rod  128  is held stationary by the engagement of the finger latch  124  to a side pocket mandrel stop (e.g., the end of an alignment slot of an alignment sleeve disposed in the mandrel), allowing the head kick arm  158  to slide off the blocking surface  132  and into the release notch/hole  134 . In one embodiment, the head kick arm  158  is disposed on a head kick arm plate  160  which is secured or attached to the lift arm  104  utilizing fasteners.  
         [0031]    The lift arm  104  includes a kick over assembly  110  which comprises a kick member  162  (also referred herein as a kick assembly  162 ) and a biasing member  164 . In one embodiment, the biasing member  164  is an extension spring. The kick assembly  162  includes a kick arm  166  pivotally connected to a body portion of the lift arm  104 . FIG. 10A is a side view of one embodiment of a kick assembly  162 . FIG. 10B is a cross sectional view (viewed as indicated by line B-B in FIG. 10A) of one embodiment of a kick assembly  162 . Referring to FIGS.  3   10 A and  10 B, the kick arm  166  generally comprises a curvilinear tear-drop shaped lever arm having a handle portion  168  and a kick portion  170 . The handle portion  168  is pivotally connected to the lift arm  104  utilizing a fastener  172  through a hole  174  located at the handle portion  168 . In one embodiment, the fastener  172  comprises a kick arm pin (not shown) and a cotter pin (not shown). The kick arm pin extends from the body portion of the lift arm  104  through the hole  174  and the cotter pin is inserted through a hole through the kick arm pin to secure the kick arm  166  in place. A wheel  180  on a wheel shaft  182  is connected through a recessed hole  184  in the kick portion  170  of the kick arm  166 . The wheel  180  provides a rotatable surface which facilitates the kick over action of the kick assembly  162 . The wheel shaft  182  is secured against a fringe  186  of the recessed hole  184  utilizing a fastener  188 , such as a push-on retainer. Alternatively, the wheel shaft  182  may be welded to the fringe  186  of the recessed hole  184 . To limit the angular movement of the kick arm  166 , the kick arm  166  may include a restriction pin  190  which is disposed in corresponding relation to a restriction slot  192  on the body of the lift arm  104 . The length of the restriction slot  192  may be selected to define a desired range of travel of the kick arm  166  between a retracted position to a protruding position.  
         [0032]    A first end  194  of the biasing member  164  may be shaped as a hook or an eyelet and connected to the body portion of the lift arm  104  utilizing a spring retainer  196  and a roll pin  198 . A second end  200  of the biasing member  164  is connected to the kick portion  170  of the kick arm  166 . In one embodiment, the second end  200  of the biasing member  164  is connected axially through the wheel shaft  182  through a recessed hole  202  and secured against a fringe  204  utilizing a hex lock nut  206 .  
         [0033]    As shown in FIG. 3, the kick assembly  162  is in the retracted position, and the biasing member  164  is in a stretched position and ready to contract. When the locking mechanism  108  releases the lift arm  104  from the locked straight position and activates the kick over assembly  110 , the biasing member  164  provides sufficient contraction force to rotate the kick assembly  162  with flow controls attached from a retracted position to a protruding position.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 11 is a side view of another embodiment of a kick arm  166 A. The kick arm  166 A generally comprises a curvilinear tear-drop shaped lever arm having a handle portion  168 A and a kick portion  170 A. The handle portion  168 A is pivotally connected to the lift arm  104  utilizing a fastener through a hole  174 A. The kick portion  170 A includes a generally rounded edge  171 A to provide a smooth surface which facilitates the kick over action of the kick arm  166 A. The second end  200  of the biasing member  164  may be attached to a spring retainer  173 A (or a hole) disposed centrally in the kick portion  170 A.  
         [0035]    The adapter  106  is hinged or pivotally connected to the lift arm  104  utilizing a fastener such as a hinge pin  208 . The adapter  106  provides the connection for a running tool, pulling tool, and other tools that may be fitted onto the kick over tool  100 . In one embodiment, the adapter arm includes a threaded receptacle  210  onto which a tool (e.g., running tool or pulling tool) can be screwed or secured. A running tool is attached to the adapter  106  to install a device (e.g., a gas lift valve) into a side pocket mandrel, and a pulling tool is attached to the adapter  106  to remove a device from a side pocket mandrel. A shear pin  212  is disposed through the adapter  106  and the lift arm  104  to maintain the kick over angle of the kick over tool  100  until it is desirable for the shear pin  212  to be broken to facilitate the procedure being performed by the kick over tool  100 . When installing a device into a side pocket, the shear pin  212  maintains the adapter  106  and the attached running tool and device in the aligned kicked over position until the device has been inserted at least partially into the side pocket. When removing a device from a side pocket, the shear pin  212  maintains the adapter  106  and the attached pulling tool in the aligned kicked over position until the pulling tool has been at least partially attached to a latch on the device. The procedures for installation and removal of devices utilizing the kick over tool  100  are described below with respect to FIGS.  4 - 9 .  
         [0036]    FIGS.  4 - 6  are cross sectional views of one embodiment of a kick over tool  100  illustrating a sequence for installing a device into a side pocket mandrel. In one embodiment, the kick over tool  100  is utilized with a running tool  300  to install a gas lift valve  400  into a side pocket mandrel  500  of a tubing string. The running tool  300  is screwed or secured onto the threaded receptacle  210  of the adapter  106 . The gas lift valve  400  is screwed or securely attached to a device latch  410 , which is releasably attached to the running tool  300 , for example, utilizing one or more shear pins  420  disposed through the running tool  300  and located to capture a first fishing neck  450  of the device latch  410 . The shear pins  420  are sheared (e.g., utilizing jarring action) after the gas lift valve  400  has been installed into the side pocket. The kick over tool  100  is attached to a wire line (not shown) utilizing a connecting tool (not shown) connected to the fishing head  120 . The wire line is controlled by surface equipment to move (e.g., lower or raise) the kick over tool  100  within the tubing string.  
         [0037]    To begin the valve installation sequence, the kick over tool  100 , with the running tool  300  and the gas lift valve  400  attached thereon, is moved (or lowered) down hole until the finger latch  124  of the kick over tool  100  has moved past the alignment sleeve  510  of the side pocket mandrel  500 . The kick over tool  100  is then pulled back (e.g., raised) by the wire line to align the kick over tool in the desired orientation since the kick over tool  100  is lower down hole without any specific orientation. As the kick over tool  100  is pulled back, the finger latch  124  is urged by the alignment sleeve  510  into the alignment slot  520 , and the kick over tool  100  is aligned to the desired orientation within the side pocket mandrel  500  to kick toward the side pocket  530 . As shown in FIG. 4, the kick over tool  100  is aligned in the desired orientation, and the finger latch  124  is in position to engage the end of the alignment slot  520 .  
         [0038]    To activate the actuating mechanism (i.e., to release the lift arm  104  from the locked, straight position), the kick over tool  100  is pulled back further by the wire line such that the finger latch  124  pushes against the end of the alignment slot  520 , causing the latch housing  126  to move and compress the first compression spring  130 . At the same time, the latch rod  128  is also moved to release the head kick arm  158  from engagement with the blocking surface  132  and into the release notch  134 . As the head kick arm  158  is released from the blocking surface  132  (i.e., lift arm  104  is unlocked), the kick over assembly  110  kicks the lift arm  104  into the kicked over position. To accomplish the kick over action, the extension spring  196  contracts and pulls the kick arm  166  into the protruding position, and because the wheel  180  is pushing against the interior surface of the elongated body portion  116  of the catcher barrel, the lift arm  104  is pushed out into the kicked over position.  
         [0039]    As shown in FIG. 5, the lift arm  104  is held in the kicked over position by the kick over assembly  110 , and the head kick arm  158  is inserted into the release notch  134 . In the kicked over position, the tip  430  of the gas lift valve  400  is positioned at the discriminator area  540  of the side pocket  530 , and the gas lift valve  400  is ready to be inserted into the side pocket  530 . The kick over tool  100  is moved (e.g., lowered) by the wire line to insert the gas lift valve  400  into the side pocket  530 . As the gas lift valve  400  is moved into the side pocket  530 , the shear pin  212  is broken by the bending forces exerted thereon. With the shear pin  212  broken, the gas lift valve  400  becomes capable of entering the side pocket  530  in a substantially co-axial or parallel manner. The gas lift valve  400  is continually pushed into the side pocket  530  until a spring loaded latch ring  440  dispose on the device latch  410  is moved past a retaining bump  550  disposed on an interior surface of the side pocket  530 . At this position, as shown in FIG. 6, the gas lift valve  400  is retained or secured in the side pocket  530 .  
         [0040]    To retrieve the kick over tool  100  after the gas lift valve has been installed, the running tool  300  is first separated from the device latch  410  utilizing a series of jarring action (e.g., with a weight bar) performed at the surface and transferred down the wire line to shear the shear pin  420  attaching the running tool  300  to the device latch  410 . Once the running tool  300  has been separated from the device latch  410 , the kick over tool can be pulled up to the surface by the wire line.  
         [0041]    FIGS.  7 - 9  are cross sectional views of one embodiment of a kick over tool illustrating a sequence for removing a device from a side pocket mandrel. To retrieve a device (e.g., gas lift valve  400 ) installed in a side pocket mandrel  500 , the kick over tool  100  is fitted with a pulling tool  330 , which is screwed or secured onto the threaded receptacle  210  of the adapter  106 . The kick over tool  100  is lowered down hole into the side pocket mandrel  500  having the gas lift valve  400  installed therein. Similar to the kick over activation of the device installation sequence, the kick over tool  100  is pulled up to align the kick over tool in the proper orientation utilizing the finger latch  124  and the alignment sleeve  510 , and then the finger latch  124  engages the end of the alignment slot  520  to push the latch rod  128 , releasing the head kick arm  158  of the lift arm  104  from the blocking surface  132  of the latch rod  128 . With the head kick arm  158  released, the kick over assembly  110  pushes the lift arm  104  and the adapter  106  with the pulling tool  330  to the kicked over position, as shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0042]    The kick over tool  100  is then lowered to move the tip of the pulling tool  330  toward the device latch  410  attached to the gas lift valve  400 . The pulling tool  330  engages the device latch  410  and locks onto a second fishing neck  460  disposed on the device latch  410 . A series of jarring action is then applied through the wire line to break a shearing pin (not shown) disposed to hold the second fishing neck  460  in place on the device latch  410 . Once the shearing pin has been broken, the kick over tool  100  is pulled up by the wire line. The second fishing neck  460  and a compression spring  480  attached thereon are also pulled, the movement of which releases the spring loaded latch ring  440  from engagement with the retaining bump  550  on the interior surface of the side pocket  530 . As shown in FIG. 8, the pulling tool  330  is latched onto the second fishing neck  460 , with the spring loaded latch ring  440  released from engagement with the retaining bump  550 , and the gas lift valve  400  is ready to be retrieved from the side pocket  530 .  
         [0043]    The kick over tool  100  is then pulled by the wire line to bring the gas lift valve  400  to the surface. As the kick over tool is pulled up from down hole, the finger latch  124  retracts into the spring hosing  122  (shown in FIG. 9) after engaging the end of the alignment slot  520 . As the kick over tool  100  is pulled up/out from down hole, the kick arm  166  and the lift arm  104  retract to fit into the tubing string and facilitate retrieval of the kick over tool  100 .  
         [0044]    While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.