Patent Publication Number: US-8967243-B2

Title: Kickover tool with ratcheting arm and methods of use

Description:
BACKGROUND OF DISCLOSURE 
     1. Field of the Disclosure 
     Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to apparatuses and methods for kickover tools for use in well bores, such as for example, during work over procedures. More specifically, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a ratcheting mechanism for an improved kickover tool apparatus and method of using the same. The disclosed embodiments provide an apparatus and method of use for placing and retrieving of any side pocket device without placing any side loads on the side pocket device during the placing or retrieving procedure, thereby preventing any bending or fracturing of the side pocket device. The disclosed embodiments further enable an apparatus and method of use for placing and/or retrieving a device from a multiple-pocket side pocket mandrel, i.e. one side pocket mandrel with more than one pocket; the number of pockets requires twice the number of kickover tools to service the mandrel. 
     2. Background Art 
     Kickover tools have been well known in the art since the 1970s for use in work over procedures in well bores. Generally, kickover tools operate by traversing the tubing of a well bore until a predetermined operational location is reached. A collar will have been previously inserted into the tubing for orienting the kickover tool into the proper operational position for interaction with a side pocket. As the kickover tool traverses the preinstalled collar, the kickover tool will rotate into the proper position for operations in the tubing of the well bore. Once oriented in the proper position, the kickover tool will open into a side pocket to complete its operation within the tubing of the well bore. The general kickover tool will then be collapsed from its open position to a closed position for retrieval from the tubing of the well bore. 
     Kickover tool arms may be open or extended automatically through the use of springs, hydraulics, and pneumatics among other forms known in the art, or kickover tools may be operated manually through wire line, electrical line, pneumatics, hydraulics, radio signals or other forms known in the art. 
     Known previous kickover tools tend to cause the bending of latches when the kickover tool is pulled out of a side pocket. As a result, there is a long felt need for a kickover tool that can readily be retrieved without having to replace or repair the tool. 
     SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE 
     Embodiments disclosed herein provide a kickover tool having a ratcheting mechanism comprising a ratchet arm and a ratchet track. The ratchet arm is pivotally attached to an arm assembly and engages the ratchet track attached to a surface of the main body. 
     Other embodiments of the disclosure may provide a method for operating the kickover tool apparatus, as disclosed herein, the tool being able to traverse a tubing string and place or retrieve a tool or object from a side pocket mandrel. 
     Further methods include a string of two kickover tool apparatuses, as disclosed herein, to retrieve and place two separate tools or objects in a single side pocket mandrel in a single trip operation. The method allows for a placement or retrieval of a first tool or object from a single side pocket mandrel and a retrieval or placement of a second tool or object into the same side pocket mandrel. 
     Yet other methods using the kickover tool apparatus, as disclosed herein, allows for the retrieval or placement of multiple tools or objects from or into multiple side pocket mandrels. 
     Other aspects and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an isometric representation of a kickover tool in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  shows an isometric close-up view of an arm assembly of a kickover tool in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, and  3 C illustrate a cut-away detailed side view of an embodiment of a kickover tool in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 4A ,  4 B, and  4 C illustrate a top cut away view of an embodiment of the kickover tool in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C illustrate a cut-away detailed side view of an embodiment of a kickover tool in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure and particularly various embodiments for locking the arm in an extended position. 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate a cut-away detailed side view of an embodiment of a kickover tool in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a method of removing a device with respect to the present disclosure, including a series of method steps for using the kickover tool of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  is a flow chart illustrating a method of inserting a device with respect to the present disclosure, including a series of method steps for using the kickover tool of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Specific embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying Figures. Like elements in the various figures may be denoted by like reference numerals for consistency. Further, in the following detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a kickover tool apparatus  1  according to embodiments of the present disclosure, is shown. The kickover tool apparatus has a main body housing  10  with a first end  11  and a second end  12 . The main body housing is substantially cylindrical in shape so as to accommodate insertion into and operations within a tubing string. In an embodiment of the kickover tool apparatus the main body housing has an internal surface  20  and an external surface  30 . The internal surface is formed as a recess in the main body housing. Other embodiments may use a generally cylindrical housing and remove a portion of the housing to create a window, which would provide an internal surface  20  and external surface  30  of the main body housing  10 . 
     The first end  11  of the main body housing  10  may include interchangeable fixtures so as to allow other tools to be affixed to the first end of the main body housing of the kickover tool apparatus. It should be appreciated that additional tools, as known in the art, may be interchanged to the first end  11  of the main body housing  10 , so as to facilitate additional well operations. 
     The second end  12  of the main body housing  10  may include interchangeable fixtures so as to allow the attachment of mechanical wireline (“slickline”), electric line, well-tractor, or coil-tubing to the kickover tool apparatus to allow for insertion, operation, and retrieval of the kickover tool into, in, and from the tubing string, respectively. 
     The arm assembly  100  is attached to the main body housing  10  through a pivotal joint  110 . The arm assembly of an embodiment, as depicted in  FIG. 1 , is shown in the extended position. The arm assembly is further capable of a retracted position wherein the arm assembly is substantially situated within and against the interior surface  20  of the main body housing  10 . The length of the main body housing  10  and the inner surface  20  should be of sufficient length to allow the arm assembly to move into a retracted position with an attached object or tool. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an arm assembly  100  is shown in further detail. The arm assembly  100  of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2  includes a first arm member  101  and a second arm member  102  each having a first end ( 101   a  and  102   a , respectively) and a second end ( 101   b  and  102   b , respectively). The first end  101   a  of the first arm member  101  is attached via a pin (not shown) to pivotal joint  110 , which attaches the arm assembly to the main body housing  10 . The second end  101   b  of the first arm member is formed to connect pivotally to the first end  102   a  of the second arm member  102  via a pin (not shown). In some embodiments, the second end  102   b  of the second arm member  102  is fitted with a device capable of receiving or accepting tools for placement or retrieval in a side pocket mandrel. In other embodiments, the second end  102   b  of the second arm member  102  is formed with a cavity capable of receiving or accepting tools for placement or retrieval of objects or tools in a side pocket mandrel. 
     The arm assembly  100  of the described embodiments can further include an attached spring  120  so as to bias the arm assembly outwards. The spring can be of different forms such as a leaf spring or coil spring. Other embodiments can further include hydraulic or pneumatic actuation members in place of the spring  120 . The spring  120  has two ends; the first end is operatively connected to either the first arm member  101  or the second arm member  102  of the arm assembly  100 . The second end of the spring is operatively attached or secured on the inner surface  20  of the main body housing  10 . 
     The arm assembly  100  of the described embodiments can further include a ratcheting arm  130  pivotally attached to the arm assembly  100  either via the first arm member  101  or the second arm member  102 . The ratcheting arm  130  of the described embodiments is capable of folding inwards towards the arm assembly  100  when the arm assembly  100  is in a retracted position. The ratcheting arm  130  pivots away from the arm assembly  100  when the arm assembly  100  is in the extended position and orients in a direction substantially towards the inner surface  20  of main body housing  10 . The described embodiments can also further include a ratchet track  140  with a plurality of teeth  141  formed on a surface of the ratchet track  140 . The ratchet track  140  is further secured to the inner surface  20  of the main body housing  10  wherein the surface formed with a plurality of teeth  141  is facing away from the inner surface  20  and facing towards the arm assembly  100 . Further embodiments can include one or more shear pins  150  to secure or attach the ratchet track  140  to the inner surface  20  of the main body housing  10 . The one or more shear pins  150  can be made of various materials, as known in the art, with different materials having different load bearing capabilities. As the arm assembly  100  moves or is actuated from the retracted position to the extended position, the ratchet arm  130  pivotally moves away from the first arm member  101  or the second arm member  102 , depending on the particular embodiment, and engages the plurality of teeth  141  of the ratchet track  140 . Once the arm assembly  100  is in an extended position, the ratchet arm  130  is securely engaged against the plurality of teeth  141  of the ratchet track  140 . With the arm assembly  100  in the extended position, the kickover tool can place or retrieve tools in a side pocket mandrel via the second end  102   b  of the second arm member  102 . Once a tool has been placed or retrieved by the second end  102   b  of the second arm member  102 , the kickover tool apparatus  1  can then have a motive force exerted thereupon causing the kickover tool to traverse the tubing string towards the wellbore. This motive force exerted upon the kickover tool apparatus  1  causes the arm assembly  100  to contact the wall of the side pocket mandrel, which then exerts a force which causes the shear pin  150  to shear allowing the ratchet track  140  to move and thus disengage the ratchet arm  130  from the ratchet track  140 , which allows the arm assembly  100  to collapse into a retracted position, which further allows retrieval of the kickover tool apparatus  1  from the tubing string. The force required to shear the shear pin  150  can be varied by use of various compositions of materials or sizes of shear pins, as is known in the art. 
     The several embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus and method of use for placing and retrieving of any side pocket device without placing any side loads on the side pocket device during the placing or retrieving procedure, thereby preventing any bending or fracturing of the side pocket device. 
     The several embodiments of the present disclosure may also incorporate the use of including a sensor within the kickover tool, within the arm assembly, or attached to the arm assembly for identification of devices or tools located in a side pocket. Such sensors may be radio frequency technology such as RFID tags and readers or radioactive sensors. 
       FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, and  3 C illustrate another embodiment of the kickover tool  200 . At a remote end of  FIG. 3A  is the fish neck  202 . Adjacent the fish neck  202  is a centralizer sleeve  204 , which is held in place by a screw  206 . Engaged with the centralizer sleeve  204  is a finger cage  207 . Internal of the finger cage  207  is a housing  208 . Also engaged with the housing  208  is a locator finger  212  controlled by a leaf spring  214  and screws  216 . 
     A release plunger pin  220  is engaged with a plunger  210 . The housing  208  is secured with the setscrew  218 . 
     A spring  222  engages the central portion of the kickover tool  200 . A lock ring  224  is in association with an adapter  226 . A lower arm pin  230  affixes an arm adapter  232  to an arm  240 . A screw  228  secures the arm adapter  232 , which is further in operation with a dowel pin  234 , a ball  236 , and an insert  238 . Also associated with the arm  240  is a spring  242  and a ball seat  244 . Further, a kick spring  245  is secured to the arm  240  using a screw  239 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3B , a central portion of the kickover tool  200  is provided. In operative cooperation is a ball  246 , an upper shear pin  248 , an upper arm pin  250 , a dowel pin  252 , a ratchet arm pin  256 , ratchet shear pin  254 , and a ratchet arm  260 . A torsion spring  258  is provided in association with the ratchet arm  260 . Adjacent thereto is an adapter  262 , which is an association with an assembly arm  272 . 
     Also in  FIG. 3B  is the ratchet track  270 . The ratchet track  270  is removably affixed to the housing  274 . Also, the ratchet track  270  is in association with a ratchet track holder  268 , a ratchet track shear pin  264 , and screws  266 . 
       FIG. 3C  illustrates the remote end of the kickover tool  200  as illustrated in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . A housing  274  is in association with the nose  276 . 
       FIG. 4A  illustrates a top down point of view of an embodiment of the kickover tool within a tubular  300  having side pockets  312 ,  314 , and  316 . The tubular  300  has a wall  302  with an outer surface  302 B and inner surface  302 A. The embodiment depicted in  FIG. 4A  includes the main body housing  10  and finger cage  207  traveling through tubing  310  in substantial proximity to side pockets  312 ,  314 , and  316 . The embodiment further includes a locator finger  212  being received by notch  304  on the inner surface  302 A of the tubular wall  302  to allow for orientation of the kickover tool. The second arm member  102  and assembly arm  272  are depicted in an extended position and being in substantial alignment with side pocket  314 . 
       FIG. 4B  depicts another top down point of view of an embodiment of the kickover tool; this embodiment is similar to that of  FIG. 4A , but this embodiment depicts the second arm member  102  and assembly arm  272  in the extended position and 45 degrees off-center to the left and in substantial alignment with side pocket  316 . The locator finger  212  is still engaged with notch  304  to provide for alignment of the main body housing  10 . 
       FIG. 4C  is yet another depiction of an embodiment of the kickover tool; this embodiment is similar to that of  FIGS. 4A and 4B , but this particular embodiment depicts the second arm member  102  and assembly arm  272  in the extended position and 45 degrees off-center to the right and in substantial alignment with side pocket  312 . The locator finger  212  is still engaged with notch  304  to provide for alignment of the main body housing  10 . 
       FIG. 5A  illustrates a close up view of the central portion of the kickover tool  200 , as depicted in  FIG. 3B . The embodiment depicted in  FIG. 5A  includes a ratchet arm  260  in association with a torsion spring  258  for biasing the ratchet arm  260 . The ratchet arm  260  is shown engaging ratchet track  270 , which is removably affixed to the housing  274 . The ratchet track  270  is in association with a ratchet track holder  268 , a shear pin  264 , and screws  266 . 
       FIG. 5B  illustrates a close up view of the central portion of another embodiment of the kickover tool  200 . This embodiment is similar to that of  FIG. 5A , in particular with respect to the ratchet arm  260  and the arm mechanisms discussed above and depicted in  FIGS. 3B and 5A . This particular embodiment uses an arrangement of Bellville washers  270 B to engage one end of the ratchet arm  260 . When a motive force is applied to the kickover tool  200 , the motive force causes the arrangement of Bellville washers  270 B to compress, thus allowing the arm to move into a retracted position. 
       FIG. 5C  illustrates a close up view of the central portion of yet another embodiment of the kickover tool  200 . This embodiment is similar to that of  FIGS. 3B ,  5 A, and  5 B, except for the addition of actuating member  270 C which allows for biasing of the ratchet arm  260 , which actuating member  270 C engages. This actuating member can use various known actuation methods including, but not limited to, hydraulic, pneumatic, and/or electric operation. When a motive force is applied to the kickover tool  200 , the motive force causes the actuating member  270 C to compress, thus allowing the arm to move into a retracted position. Further embodiments of the kickover tool depicted in  FIG. 5C  can allow for the remote operation of actuating member  270 C for a controlled actuation for extending or retracting the arm of kickover tool  200 . 
       FIG. 6A  illustrates an embodiment of a kickover tool in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure. This embodiment includes a biasing spring  445 , shown under load in  FIG. 6A  and with little or no tension in  FIG. 6B , which is used to bias the pivot arm  410  away from housing  460 . The biasing spring  445  is attached to pivot arm  410  by way of a fastener, such as a set screw; the fastener is connected to plug  430  formed within the cavity  420 . The plug  430  has formed thereon a stay  432  for receiving catch  412 A of the slide bar  412 . Slide bar  412  is attached to the pivot arm  410  in a slidable engagement and includes slots  418 A and  418 B formed thereupon with fasteners  416 A and  416 B extending through said slots  418 A and  418 B for fastening to support  414  of the pivot arm  410 . When the biasing spring  445  is under load the slide bar  412  and catch  412 A are engaged with stay  432  of plug  430  thereby restricting movement of the second arm member. 
       FIG. 6B  depicts the embodiment of the kickover tool of  FIG. 6A  when the biasing spring  445  is under little or no load and the pivot arm  410  is in an extended position away from housing  460 . When the biasing spring  445  is under little or no load the plug  430  and stay  432  disengage from the slide bar  412  and catch  412 A which allows movement of the second arm member. 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart describing a method of removing an article with the kickover tool of the present disclosure. The removing method has multiple steps. A housing is inserted having an arm in the tubing string. The arm is biased away from the housing for providing the housing and arm to be in accord with the tubing string. The housing is aligned with the side pocket mandrel such that the biased arm is adjacent to the device. The device is engaged with the arm of the housing. The device is moved out of the side pocket mandrel. The housing is removed and the device is removed from the tubing string. And, the device is removed from the arm of the housing for reuse of the device. It can be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other appropriate methods of removing are equally applicable with respect to the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a method of inserting. The method of inserting is described using multiple steps. The first step is removably engaging the device with an arm of the housing. The housing is inserted and the device is inserted in the tubing string. The arm is biased away from the housing for providing the housing and device to be in accord with the circumference of the tubing string. The device is aligned along with the housing with the side pocket mandrel. The device is moved into the side pocket mandrel by the biasing of the arm away from the housing. The device is placed in accord with the side pocket mandrel. The device is removed from the arm. And the housing is removed from the tubing string. 
     In conjunction with the disclosures of  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the present disclosure provides various methods of using the kickover tool as herein disclosed. The present disclosure also contemplates several methods of using the disclosed kickover tool apparatus, as follows. A first method that can be used with the kickover tool apparatus is a single kickover tool apparatus used to place or retrieve a tool or object from a side pocket mandrel within a tubing string. The kickover tool apparatus is first introduced into the tubing string via a wellbore. The kickover tool apparatus then traverses a predetermined distance within the tubing string at which a side pocket mandrel would be preferably situated. The kickover tool apparatus will usually be of an unknown orientation as it traverses the tubing string, so use of a collar is preferable so as to provide an orientation that will allow the arm assembly to extend and retract into the side pocket mandrel unimpeded. Once the kickover tool apparatus is situated in the appropriate orientation at the side pocket mandrel, the arm assembly is moved into an extended position substantially into the side pocket mandrel. The arm assembly can be extended through the use of a spring, such as a coil or leaf spring, or through an actuation device, such as pneumatics, hydraulics, or electricity. Once the arm begins to move into an extended position, the ratchet arm engages the plurality of teeth of the ratchet track thus locking the arm assembly into an extended position. The kickover tool apparatus then places or retrieves the tool or object from or into the side pocket mandrel. The kickover tool apparatus then has a motive forced exerted thereupon which causes the kickover tool apparatus to traverse the tubing string towards the wellbore. This motive force causes the arm assembly to substantially contact a portion of the wall of the side pocket mandrel, which then exerts a force against the arm assembly causing the arm assembly to move into a retracted position. In embodiments with the ratchet arm and ratchet track, the force exerted upon the arm assembly should be sufficient to cause the shear pin of the ratchet track to shear thus causing the ratchet track to move and thus allowing the arm assembly to collapse into a retracted position. Once the shear pin is sheared, the arm assembly returns to a retracted position and allows for the kickover tool apparatus to be retrieved from the well. If the kickover tool apparatus retrieved a tool or object, the object will traverse the tubing string with the kickover tool apparatus for retrieval once the kickover tool apparatus is removed from the tubing string through a wellbore. A method of using an embodiment of the kickover tool as disclosed herein may comprise the steps of: engaging, removably, the device with an arm of a housing, inserting the housing and device in the tubing string, biasing the arm away from the housing for providing the housing and device to be in accord with the circumference of the tubing string, aligning the device and housing with the side pocket mandrel, moving the device into the side pocket mandrel by the biasing of the arm away from the housing, placing the device in accord with the side pocket mandrel, removing the device from the arm, and removing the housing from the tubing string. 
     Another method of using an embodiment of the kickover tool as disclosed herein may comprise the steps of: inserting a housing having an arm in the tubing string, biasing the arm away from the housing for providing the housing and arm to be in accord with the circumference of the tubing string, aligning the housing with the side pocket mandrel such that the biased arm is adjacent the device, engaging the device with the arm of the housing, removing the device out of the side pocket mandrel, removing the housing and device from the tubing string, removing the device from the arm of the housing for reuse of the device. 
     Additional embodiments and further method steps include the use of two kickover tool apparatuses, as disclosed herein, to achieve a result of removing a tool or object from a single side pocket mandrel and placing another tool or object into the same side pocket mandrel. The method steps will be essentially the same except that with multiple kickover tool apparatuses the tubing string should preferably have multiple collars installed so as to orient the kickover tool apparatus into the appropriate position. Further, the tools should preferably be offset at an angle in relation to each other; this can be 0 degrees to 360 degrees. Preferably, the orientation of each kickover tool apparatus should be an offset of 20 degrees. With the appropriate equipment installed into the tubing string, the method begins the same way as methods involving a single kickover tool apparatus, wherein the kickover tool apparatuses are introduced into the tubing string via a wellbore and traverse the tubing string until a predetermined distance has been traveled. The string of kickover tool apparatuses is then moved to engage the first collar thus allowing the first kickover tool apparatus in a string to orient into the correct position for placement or retrieval of its payload in the single side pocket mandrel and occurs the same as using a single kickover tool apparatus. Once the first operation is completed, the string of kickover tool apparatuses is then caused to travel in the tubing string so as to engage the second collar that allows the second kickover tool apparatus to orient into the correct position for retrieval or placement of its payload in the single side pocket mandrel. Each time a placement and retrieval operation is completed a motive force is exerted upon the string of kickover tool apparatuses causing the arm assembly of the kickover tool apparatus that is in communication with the single side pocket mandrel to collapse into a retracted position, thus allowing the string of kickover tool apparatuses to continue traversing the tubing string. 
     The present disclosure further enables an apparatus and method of use for placing and/or retrieving a device from a multiple-pocket side pocket mandrel, i.e. one side pocket mandrel with more than one pocket; the number of pockets requires twice the number of kickover tools to service the mandrel. 
     The above method involving a string of multiple kickover tool apparatuses, as disclosed herein, can be further expanded to include multiple side pocket mandrels thus allowing multiple placement and retrieval operations to occur in a single trip through the tubing string. It should be appreciated that the placement of collars and individual kickover tool apparatuses can be varied as is appropriate and configured in an assortment of degrees so as to accommodate efficient communication with the side pocket mandrels. Additionally, this can be accomplished in side pocket mandrels with multiple side pockets as well, i.e. pulling a device from one pocket and placing another device into that pocket or pulling devices from multiple pockets (such as for example: corrosion coupons, fluid ID devices, fluid ID coupons) and replacing each with a predetermined selection. This method can also enable fluid identification metallurgy in a side pocket. 
     While the present disclosure has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments may be devised which do not depart from the scope of the disclosure as described herein. Accordingly, the scope of the disclosure should be limited only by the attached claims.