Abstract:
The method of displacing fluids in the annulus between pressurized casing strings inside an active oil or gas well by providing a controlled turndown insert and guides then inserting and retrieving a flexible hose without it folding or buckling while being pushed or pulled through a wellhead system orifice with relatively sharp edges at the annulus opening where the hose must make a 90 degree turn from horizontal to vertical within a short radius without cutting, crimping or tearing the hose then seating and holding the hose while fluids are injected, all the while providing protection against well blow out or other pressure problems.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    N/A 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    N/A 
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK 
       [0003]    N/A 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The field of this invention is that of inserting and retrieving several thousand feet of a flexible hose from a horizontal opening into the narrow annulus between casing strings of oil or gas wells. The hose will be inserted through the wellhead outlet bore that has relatively sharp corners at the annulus opening. The hose bend radius required at the annulus opening where the casing annulus and the wellhead outlet bore intersect is a very tight turn requiring the hose to turn from horizontal to vertical in the distance of approximately 1.25 inches. When hoses are inserted they are cut or crimped by the sharp corners at the annulus opening (intersection) and are rendered useless and/or can not be retrieved because they will be severed by the sharp corners. The hose may be attached to a specialized weight system to facilitate its downward movement once inside the annulus. The hose can be fitted with a check valve to eliminate the back flow of pressure. 
         [0005]    Once inserted and positioned in the annulus the hose can inject anti-freeze type chemicals to eliminate hydrate formation or inject designed weight fluids to produce the desired hydrostatic head pressure to reduce the influx of unwanted fluids from outside the casing. Then once the job is complete the hose can not be recovered however, it would be desirable to recover the hose for use else where if possible. 
         [0006]    Oil or gas wells can encounter problems with the formation of hydrates (a form of ice) in the casing annulus. The formation of hydrates in a confined space can generate a pressure of several thousand pounds per square inch. The casing annulus is a confined space therefore the expansion pressure encountered during the formation of hydrates can cause the internal casing to collapse or the external casing to burst. Both forms of damage are difficult and costly to repair. 
         [0007]    Oil or gas wells can encounter problems when the casing develops a hole or the cement job becomes porous and unwanted fluids begin to infiltrate and pressurize the casing annulus. This infiltration results when an infiltration path is created and the casing annulus contains a lower pressure than the outside reservoir or other casing strings. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    A technique is provided for inserting a hose through a wellhead outlet bore into a casing annulus while protecting the hose from the sharp corners of the wellhead outlet bore. 
         [0009]    Another technique is provided for retrieving a hose after it has been inserted into a casing annulus while protecting the hose form the sharp corners of the wellhead outlet bore. 
         [0010]    Yet another technique is provided for inserting a hose into a pressurized casing annulus and inject fluids without having to relieve the annulus pressure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a traditional wellhead assembly system with three casing strings hung in the wellhead system and it provides access to two casing annuli through wellhead outlet bores. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a portion of the half section of the wellhead of  FIG. 1  showing a hose installed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present technique. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows the portion of the half section as seen in  FIG. 2  before the hose is installed and a half section of the tool assembly which will be used to remove the conventional valve removal (VR) plug from the outlet bore. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows the tool assembly attached to the outlet bore and the conventional VR plug removed. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a half section showing the turndown being gripped by the running tool and ready for the gate valve to be opened so the turndown can be moved forward to the casing wall. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a half section showing the turndown initiating contact with the casing wall. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a half section showing the turndown pushed fully into position in the casing annulus and the orientation screw set. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7   a  is a partial section showing the turndown pushed fully into position in the casing annulus past the sharp corner. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a half section showing the bushings installed to prevent buckling in the small diameter hose which will be inserted. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a half section showing the turndown and guide bushings installed, the gate valve is closed and the running tool has been removed. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a half section showing the snubber assembly attached to the pressure control assembly containing an articulated weight device attached to the hose. 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a half section showing the gate valve open and the snubber device working to insert the articulated weight device through the Turndown and into the casing annulus. 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  is a half section showing the tooling conditions under which most hose injection will occur, with the snubber device in the outward stroke and the hose being fed to the desired depth or retrieved through the turndown. 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  is a half section showing the hose landing coupling with one end attached to the end of the hose and the other end attached to the landing device. 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  is a half section showing the hose landing coupling seated on the castellated shoulder in the turndown. 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  is a half section showing the hose landing coupling seated on the castellated shoulder in the turndown, the bushings removed, and the running tool installed with an injection VR plug. 
           [0027]      FIG. 16  is a half section showing the injection VR plug landed. 
           [0028]      FIG. 17  is a half section showing the completed assembly with the tools removed and a blind flange added. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0029]      FIG. 1  is a drawing showing an oil or gas well  1  being produced through a traditional surface wellhead system  2  with a casing string  4  hung in a wellhead spool  6 . Atop the wellhead system  2  is a Christmas tree  8  which contains valves  10  that operate the various well functions including delivery of oil or gas into the pipeline(s)  12 . Casing hanger  14  supports the inner casing string  4  inside a wellhead spool  6  and create a seal at the top of the corresponding outer casing annulus  16 . Casing string  4  has been cemented  18  into place and sometimes unwanted fluids  20  enter the casing annulus  16  through porous cement  18  or a leaking casing string  4 . It is often necessary to enter a casing annulus  16  to displace or neutralize the unwanted fluids  20 . Access to a casing annulus  16  is made through a wellhead outlet bore  22  after removing the blind flange  24  and conventional VR plug  26 . The intersection of the wellhead outlet bore  22  and the casing annulus  16  produces a relatively sharp corner or first radius  28  that makes it difficult to insert or retrieve any apparatus through the wellhead outlet bore  22  and into the casing annulus  16  to displace or neutralize the unwanted fluids  20 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 2 , shows the fully installed position of the turndown  30  having a second radius  31  and the media injection hose  32  in the wellhead outlet bore  22  with other necessary parts installed by the methods of this invention. The turndown  30  is necessary because the wellhead outlet bore  22  has a relatively sharp corner  28  that can cut or crimp the hose  32 . This half section shows the approximately 1.25 inch wide casing annulus  16 , the casing string  4 , the wellhead system  2  and the wellhead outlet bore  22 . The adapter spool  34  has been attached to the wellhead system  2 . The turndown  30  with the appropriate number of turndown spacer rings  36  has been installed through the adapter spool  34 , the wellhead outlet bore  22  and into the casing annulus  16 . The turndown  30  has been locked into position by the orientation screw  38  in the adapter spool  34 . The landing coupling  40  has been attached to the hose  32  and has been seated on the castellated nest  42  in the turndown  30 . The injection VR plug  44  which contains a VR check valve  46  has been screwed into the adapter spool  34  and a blind flange  24  has been installed onto the adapter spool  34 . Workers can now come and remove the blind flange  24  from the adapter spool  34  and install fluid injection tooling at the VR check valve  46  to inject fluids through the hose  32  into the casing annulus  16 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 3 , shows the installation starting point with initial setup. A conventional VR plug  26  is in place in the wellhead outlet bore  22  and the blind flange  24  is attached to the wellhead system  2 . The adapter spool  34 , the pressure control assembly  48 , and the running tool  50  have been assembled together and are ready to be installed on the wellhead system  2  once the blind flange  24  is removed. The adapter spool  34  will remain in place when the job is completed and is designed to hold the turndown  30  in place in the wellhead outlet bore  22  and provide a seat for the injection VR plug  44  with its VR check valve  46 . The pressure control assembly  48  contains the BOP  52  system which provides pressure control when a hose  32  passes through the pressure control assembly  48  it also contains the gate valve  54  which can be opened or closed to provide protection against normal well pressures as various operational tooling is installed or removed or it can be used during emergencies to cut the hose  32  and provide pressure control. The running tool  50  contains the conventional VR plug removal adaptor  56  and the removal adaptor handle  58 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is a half section showing the blind flange  24  removed and the adapter spool  34 , the pressure control assembly  48  and the running tool  50  attached to the wellhead system  2 . The conventional VR plug  26  has been removed and is in the conventional VR plug removal adaptor  56  and the gate valve  54  is open. 
         [0033]      FIG. 5  is a half section showing the turndown  30 , with the desired number of turndown spacer rings  36  added to allow the turndown  30  to be properly positioned and locked in place. The turndown  30  has been inserted into the running tool  50  and engaged by the injection VR plug removal adaptor  60 . The turndown  30  has a detent device holding it in the insertion position and is ready to be run into place when the gate valve  54  is opened. 
         [0034]      FIG. 6  is a half section showing the turndown  30 , held in the insertion position by detent device and initiating contact with the casing string  4 . The two parts of the turndown  30  are joined along the t-slot contact surface  62 . The pressure balancing bypass line  64  in the running tool  50  allows the pressure to equalize between the casing annulus  16  and the running tool guide cylinder  66  so the operator does not have to push the tool against the annulus pressure. 
         [0035]      FIG. 7  is a half section showing the turndown  30  pushed into position in the casing annulus  16  and the orientation screw  38  set. The detent device has been released or sheared and the two parts of the turndown  30  have been moved along their t-slot contact surface  62  until the turndown  30  is fully installed providing an opening to insert and remove the hose past the sharp corner  28  in the casing annulus  16 . When the turndown  30  has been oriented and positioned properly in the casing annulus  16  the orientation screw  38  is then tightened to lock the turndown  30  in place in the adaptor spool  34 . The removal adaptor handle  58  is then rotated  90  degrees counter clockwise so the injection VR plug removal adaptor  60  will release from the turndown  30  then the injection VR plug removal adaptor  60  can be retracted. 
         [0036]      FIG. 7   a . is a partial section showing the turndown  30  pushed into position in the casing annulus  16  the detent device  67  has been released or sheared and the two parts of the turndown  30  have been moved along their t-slot contact surface  62  until the turndown  30  is fully installed providing an opening to insert and remove the hose past the sharp corner  28  in the casing annulus  16 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 8  is a half section showing the inner guide bushing  68  installed into the adaptor spool  34  and the outer guide bushing  70  being installed into the pressure control assembly  48  by the running tool  50 . These will prevent the hose from buckling as it is pushed into the casing annulus  16 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 9  is a half section showing the turndown  30  and guide bushings  68  &amp;  70  installed, the gate valve  54  is closed and the running tool  50  has been removed. 
         [0039]      FIG. 10  is a half section showing the snubber assembly  72  attached to the pressure control assembly  48 . The snubber assembly  72  has two fixed position pressure protection gripper seals, the stationary seal  74  and the rear seal  76 . The snubber assembly  72  contains the articulated weight device  78  attached to the leading end of the hose  32 . The articulated weight device  78  and hose  32  will be fed into the pressurized casing annulus  16  by the traveling seal  80 , a movable pressure protection gripper seal (shown in the outward stroke—grip position) which is hydraulically activated to slide back and forth with a  12  inch stroke as it grips and releases the hose  32  as it is fed into or removed from the casing annulus  16 . The traveling seal  80  slides back and forth around the hose guide  82  which keeps the hose  32  from buckling inside the snubber assembly  72  as it is being inserted in to the pressurized casing annulus  16 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 11  is a half section showing the gate valve  54  open and the snubber assembly  72  working to insert the articulated weight device  78  through the turndown  30  and into the casing annulus  16 . The traveling seal  80  in the inward stroke (release position). 
         [0041]      FIG. 12  is a half section showing the same detail as  FIG. 11  only showing the traveling seal  80  in the outward stroke and the hose  32  being fed to the desired depth or retrieved through the turndown  30 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 13  is a half section showing the landing coupling  40  with one end attached to the hose  32  and the other end attached to the landing device  84 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 14  is a half section showing the landing coupling  40  seated in the castellated nest  42  in the turndown  30 . The snubber assembly  72  has fed it into position and the landing device  84  can now be disconnected by rotation and retracted into the snubber assembly  72 . The undamaged hose  32  with the landing coupling  40  is now being held in its operating position ready to transmit fluids into the casing annulus  16 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 15  is a half section showing the landing coupling  40  seated on the castellated nest  42  in the turndown  30 . The running tool  50  has been reconnected to the pressure control assembly  48  and the injection VR plug removal adaptor  60  has engaged and removed the outer guide bushing  70  and the inner guide bushing  68 . The gate valve  54  is closed and the injection VR plug removal adaptor  60  has engaged the injection VR plug  44  for installation. The injection VR plug  44  contains a VR check valve  46 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 16  is a half section showing the landing coupling  40  seated on the castellated nest  42  in the turndown  30 , the gate valve  54  open and the running tool  50  has installed the injection VR plug  44  in the adapter spool  34 . The injection VR plug removal adaptor  60  is ready to disconnect from the injection VR plug  44 . The running tool  50  can be disconnected, the pressure control assembly  48  can be removed and the blind flange can be installed on the adapter spool  34 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 17  is a half section showing the final position of the turndown  30  with hose  32  and landing coupling  40  seated on the castellated nest  42 , the injection VR plug  44  with VR check valve  46  is installed and the blind flange  24  is in place. This turndown  30  is necessary because the wellhead outlet bore  22  has a sharp corner  28  that can cut or crimp hoses inserted without the turndown  30 . This diagram shows the casing annulus  16 , the casing string  4 , the wellhead system  2  and the wellhead outlet bore  22 . The adapter spool  34  which includes the orientation screw  38  has been attached to the wellhead system  2 . The turndown  30  with the appropriate number of turndown spacer rings  36  has been installed in the casing annulus  16 . The turndown  30  has been locked into position by the orientation screw  38  in the adapter spool  34 . The landing coupling  40  has been attached to the hose  32  and has been seated on the castellated nest  42  in the turndown  30 . The injection VR plug  44  which contains a VR check valve  46  has been screwed into the adapter spool  34  and a blind flange  24  has been installed onto the adapter spool  34 . Workers can now come and remove the blind flange  24  from the adapter spool  34  and attach a tool to inject fluids through the hose  32  into the casing annulus  16 . 
         [0047]    The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the invention may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claims below.