Patent Description:
Natural resources, such as oil and gas, are used as fuel to power vehicles, heat homes, and generate electricity, in addition to various other uses. Once a desired resource is discovered below the surface of the earth, drilling and production systems are employed to access and extract the resource. These systems may be located onshore or offshore depending on the location of a desired resource. Further, such systems generally include a wellhead through which the resource is extracted. These wellheads may have wellhead assemblies that include a wide variety of components and/or conduits, such as a tubing string, hangers, valves, and fluid conduits that facilitate drilling and/or extraction operations. For example, the tubing string may facilitate the flow of the natural resource from the formation toward surface production facilities. A tubing hanger may be provided within the wellhead to support the tubing string. Unfortunately, proper alignment of the tubing hanger in the wellhead may involve repeated run attempts with a running tool in order to matchup the hanger side outlet with a spool tree outlet.

<CIT> discloses a system for use in a subsea well, comprising a wellhead having a high-pressure housing, a tubing hanger landed in the high-pressure housing; and an alignment ring rotatably positioned on the high-pressure housing, the alignment ring having an alignment dog and a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism being actuatable to lock the alignment ring to the high-pressure housing when the alignment dog is positioned at a desired angular orientation with respect to the tubing hanger.

The present invention resides in a mineral extraction system as defined in claim <NUM>. Preferred embodiments are defined in claims <NUM> to <NUM>.

In another aspect the invention resides in a method as defined in claim <NUM>. Preferred embodiments are defined in claims <NUM> to <NUM>.

Various features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying figures in which like characters represent like parts throughout the figures, wherein:.

Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings and figures. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments.

For example, a first object could be termed a second object, and, similarly, a second object could be termed a first object, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

As used in the description and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term "and/or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms "includes," "including," "comprises" and/or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. Further, as used herein, the term "if" may be construed to mean "when" or "upon" or "in response to determining" or "in response to detecting," depending on the context.

The present disclosure includes a hanger orientation system that facilitates alignment of a tubing hanger in a wellhead. As will be explained below, the hanger orientation system couples to a running tool that runs/lowers the tubing hanger into the wellhead. As the running tool is lowered with the landing string the hanger orientation system rotates the landing string and by extension the tubing hanger to orient the tubing hanger in the wellhead. The hanger orientation system facilitates alignment of an aperture (e.g., hanger side outlet) in the tubing hanger with an aperture in the wellhead (e.g., a spool tree outlet) to facilitate the flow of hydrocarbons (e.g., oil and/or natural gas) out of the well. More specifically, the hanger orientation may enable pre-alignment of the tubing hanger to facilitate coupling between a tubing hanger key (e.g., protrusion) and a key way in the wellhead (e.g., groove).

<FIG> is a block diagram of an embodiment of a mineral extraction system <NUM>. The illustrated mineral extraction system <NUM> may be configured to extract various minerals and natural resources, including hydrocarbons (e.g., oil and/or natural gas), from the earth, or to inject substances into the earth. As illustrated, the mineral extraction system <NUM> includes a wellhead <NUM> coupled to a mineral deposit <NUM> via a well <NUM>. The well <NUM> may include a wellhead hub <NUM> and a well bore <NUM>. The wellhead hub <NUM> generally includes a large diameter hub disposed at the termination of the well bore <NUM> and is configured to connect the wellhead <NUM> to the well <NUM>. As will be appreciated, the well bore <NUM> may contain elevated pressures. For example, the well bore <NUM> may include pressures that exceed <NUM>, <NUM>,<NUM> or even <NUM> megapascals (MPa) (<NUM><NUM>,<NUM>, <NUM>,<NUM>, or even <NUM>,<NUM> pounds per square inch (psi)). Accordingly, the mineral extraction system <NUM> may employ various mechanisms, such as seals, plugs, and valves, to control and regulate the well <NUM>. For example, plugs and valves are employed to regulate the flow and pressures of fluids in various bores and channels throughout the mineral extraction system <NUM>.

In the illustrated embodiment, the mineral extraction system <NUM> includes a tree <NUM>, a tubing spool <NUM>, a casing spool <NUM>, and a blowout preventer (BOP) <NUM>. The tree <NUM> generally includes a variety of flow paths (e.g., bores), valves, fittings, and controls for operating the well <NUM>. For instance, the tree <NUM> may include a frame that is disposed about a tree body, a flow-loop, actuators, and valves. Further, the tree <NUM> may provide fluid communication with the well <NUM>. For example, the tree <NUM> includes a tree bore <NUM> that provides for completion and workover procedures, such as the insertion of tools into the well <NUM>, the injection of various chemicals into the well <NUM>, and so forth. Further, minerals extracted from the well <NUM> (e.g., oil and natural gas) may be regulated and routed via the tree <NUM>. For instance, the tree <NUM> may be coupled to a flowline that is tied back to other components, such as a manifold. Accordingly, produced minerals flow from the well <NUM> to the manifold via the wellhead <NUM> and/or the tree <NUM> before being routed to shipping or storage facilities.

As shown, the tubing spool <NUM> may provide a base for the tree <NUM> and includes a tubing spool bore <NUM> that connects (e.g., enables fluid communication between) the tree bore <NUM> and the well <NUM>. As shown, the casing spool <NUM> may be positioned between the tubing spool <NUM> and the wellhead hub <NUM> and includes a casing spool bore <NUM> that connects (e.g., enables fluid communication between) the tree bore <NUM> and the well <NUM>. Thus, the tubing spool bore <NUM> and the casing spool bore <NUM> may provide access to the well bore <NUM> for various completion and workover procedures. The BOP <NUM> may consist of a variety of valves, fittings, and controls to prevent oil, gas, or other fluid from exiting the well in the event of an unintentional release of pressure or an overpressure condition.

As shown, a tubing hanger <NUM> is positioned within the tubing spool <NUM>. The tubing hanger <NUM> may be configured to support tubing (e.g., production tubing) that is suspended in the well bore <NUM> and/or to provide a path for control lines, hydraulic control fluid, chemical injections, and so forth. In the illustrated embodiment, the mineral extraction system <NUM> includes a tool <NUM>, such as a tubing hanger running tool (THRT) or a rotatable tubing hanger running tool (RTHRT). The tool <NUM> may be configured to be lowered (e.g., run) toward the wellhead <NUM> (e.g., via a crane or other supporting device). In order to align the tubing hanger <NUM> in the wellhead <NUM>, a hanger orientation device <NUM> may be coupled to the running tool <NUM>. To facilitate the discussion below, the mineral extraction system <NUM>, and the components therein, may be described with reference to an axial axis or direction <NUM>, a radial axis or direction <NUM>, and a circumferential axis or direction <NUM>.

<FIG> is a perspective side view of an embodiment of a hanger orientation device <NUM> of the hanger orientation system <NUM>. The hanger orientation device <NUM> includes a conduit <NUM> that defines first and second ends <NUM> and <NUM>. The first end <NUM> enables the hanger orientation device <NUM> to couple to a landing string, which lowers the hanger orientation device <NUM> into the wellhead <NUM>. The second end <NUM> enables the hanger orientation device <NUM> to couple to the running tool <NUM>, seen in <FIG>. The first and second ends <NUM>, <NUM> of the conduit <NUM> may include internal and/or external threads in order to couple to the respective landing string and the running tool <NUM>. In some embodiments, the first and second ends <NUM>, <NUM> may include different connectors that enable the hanger orientation device <NUM> coupled to the landing string and to the running tool <NUM>.

By coupling to the landing string and the running tool <NUM> instead of the tubing hanger <NUM>, the hanger orientation device <NUM> may not increase the height of the tubing hanger <NUM> within the wellhead <NUM>. Furthermore, the hanger orientation device <NUM> may therefore also be reused in aligning other tubing hangers in their respective wellheads.

In some embodiments, the hanger orientation device <NUM> may include a sleeve <NUM> that couples to an external surface <NUM> of the conduit <NUM>. The sleeve <NUM> may include a plurality of apertures <NUM> that extend circumferentially around the sleeve <NUM>. These apertures <NUM> enable one or more fasteners <NUM> to extend through the sleeve <NUM> to couple the sleeve <NUM> to the conduit <NUM>. As illustrated, the apertures <NUM> may be formed in sets of three that are offset from neighboring sets by <NUM>°. However, it should be understood that the aperture sets may have different numbers of apertures <NUM> (e.g., <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>). The aperture sets may also be offset by a different distance from each other about the circumference of the sleeve <NUM> (e.g., <NUM>°, <NUM>°, <NUM>°, <NUM>°, <NUM>°, <NUM>°, <NUM>°). In some embodiments, the hanger orientation device <NUM> may include a collar <NUM> that couples to the conduit <NUM> and contacts an end <NUM> of the sleeve <NUM> to block removal of the sleeve <NUM> from the conduit <NUM> in longitudinal direction <NUM>. The collar <NUM> may threadingly couple to the conduit <NUM> and/or include apertures <NUM> that receive fasteners <NUM> (e.g., threaded fasteners) that enable the collar <NUM> to couple to the conduit <NUM>. In some embodiments, the conduit <NUM> and sleeve <NUM> may not be separately coupled components. Instead, the conduit <NUM> and sleeve <NUM> may be one-piece (e.g., integral).

As illustrated, the sleeve <NUM> defines a spiral groove <NUM> in an exterior surface <NUM>. In some embodiments, the spiral groove <NUM> may be a helix/helical groove. As will be explained below, the spiral groove <NUM> is configured to contact a pin <NUM> that slides along the groove <NUM> as the hanger orientation device <NUM> moves in direction <NUM>. The contact between the pin <NUM> and the spiral groove <NUM> drives rotation of the hanger orientation device <NUM> in circumferential direction <NUM>. As the hanger orientation device <NUM> continues to move in direction <NUM>, the pin <NUM> continues to rotate the hanger orientation device <NUM> until the pin <NUM> contacts a lip <NUM> (e.g., longitudinal lip) that extends along a longitudinal axis <NUM> of the sleeve <NUM>. The lip <NUM> blocks further rotation of the hanger orientation device <NUM> in order to block misalignment of the tubing hanger <NUM> through over rotation. As the hanger orientation device <NUM> continues to move in direction <NUM>, the pin <NUM> slides through a longitudinal groove <NUM> in the sleeve <NUM> enabling the hanger orientation device <NUM> to move past the pin <NUM> once the hanger <NUM> reaches the desired orientation. In some embodiments, the longitudinal lip <NUM> may extend from a first end <NUM> of the sleeve <NUM> to a second end of the sleeve <NUM>. In still other embodiments, the longitudinal lip <NUM> may extend over a portion of the length of the sleeve <NUM>.

<FIG> is an exploded view of an embodiment of the hanger orientation device <NUM> of <FIG>. As explained above, the sleeve <NUM> may include a plurality of apertures <NUM> that extend circumferentially around the sleeve <NUM>. These apertures <NUM> enable one or more fasteners <NUM> to extend through the sleeve <NUM> to couple the sleeve <NUM> to the conduit <NUM>. Specifically, the fasteners <NUM> extend into apertures <NUM> on the conduit <NUM>. These apertures <NUM> enable the sleeve <NUM> to couple to the conduit <NUM> in a specific orientation. That is, the sleeve <NUM> may be rotated about the conduit <NUM> until the groove <NUM> of the sleeve <NUM> is in a desired circumferential orientation with respect to the conduit <NUM>. Once properly oriented, the fasteners <NUM> may extend through the apertures <NUM> in the sleeve <NUM> and into the apertures <NUM> in the conduit <NUM> to block rotation of the sleeve <NUM> with respect to the conduit <NUM>. By rotating the sleeve <NUM> about the conduit <NUM> prior to coupling with the fasteners <NUM>, the hanger orientation device <NUM> may block and/or reduce excess rotation of the running tool <NUM> and the landing string during the hanger landing process. The hanger orientation system <NUM> may therefore facilitate alignment of the tubing hanger <NUM> while simultaneously block/reducing interference between equipment proximate to and/or coupled to a top end of the landing string.

As illustrated, the apertures <NUM> may be evenly or unevenly spaced about the conduit <NUM>. For example, the apertures <NUM> may be spaced about the conduit <NUM> in intervals of <NUM>° - <NUM>°, <NUM>° - <NUM>°, <NUM>° - <NUM>°, etc. In some embodiments, conduit <NUM> may define a circumferential lip <NUM> proximate the second end <NUM>. The lip <NUM> enables the sleeve <NUM> to rest on the conduit <NUM> to align the apertures <NUM> and <NUM> as the sleeve <NUM> is rotated about the conduit <NUM>. In other words, the lip <NUM> blocks movement of the sleeve <NUM> in direction <NUM> to facilitate rotational alignment of the apertures <NUM> in the sleeve <NUM> with apertures <NUM> in the conduit <NUM>.

<FIG> is a partial cross-sectional view of a tubing hanger <NUM> and a hanger orientation device <NUM> being lowered into the wellhead <NUM>. As illustrated, the hanger orientation device <NUM> couples to the landing string <NUM> at the first end <NUM> of the conduit <NUM>. The second end <NUM> of the conduit <NUM> couples to the running tool <NUM>, which in turn couples to the tubing hanger <NUM>. In this way, the hanger orientation system <NUM> does not increase the height of the tubing hanger <NUM> within the wellhead <NUM> after installation. In other words, the hanger orientation device <NUM> is withdrawn from the wellhead <NUM> after orienting the tubing hanger <NUM> within the wellhead <NUM>. The hanger orientation device <NUM> may therefore be reused to set additional tubing hangers in other wellheads.

As the tubing hanger <NUM> is lowered into the wellhead <NUM>, the sleeve <NUM> of the hanger orientation device <NUM> contacts a pin <NUM>. More specifically, the pin <NUM> is configured to contact the spiral groove <NUM> on the sleeve <NUM>. As explained above, contact between the pin <NUM> and the spiral groove <NUM> drives rotation of the hanger orientation device <NUM>, which in turn rotates the running tool <NUM> and the hanger <NUM> in circumferential direction <NUM>. It should be understood that depending on the orientation of the spiral groove <NUM> rotation caused by contact between the pin <NUM> and the spiral groove <NUM> may rotate the hanger orientation device <NUM> in the opposite circumferential direction. As the hanger <NUM> rotates, an aperture <NUM> (e.g., production outlet) in the hanger <NUM> aligns with an aperture <NUM> in the wellhead <NUM> enabling oil and/or natural gas to exit the wellhead <NUM> through the hanger <NUM>. More specifically, the hanger orientation device <NUM> enables pre-alignment of a tubing hanger key <NUM> (e.g., protrusion) with a keyway <NUM> (e.g., groove), which may finalize alignment of the hanger <NUM> in the wellhead <NUM>.

The pin <NUM> is controlled with an actuator <NUM> that extends and retracts the pin <NUM> in directions <NUM> and <NUM>. The actuator <NUM> may be a pneumatic actuator, a hydraulic actuator, an electric actuator, a manual actuator, or a combination thereof. The actuator <NUM> may be controlled with a controller <NUM>. The controller <NUM> may include a processor <NUM> and memory <NUM>. For example, the processor <NUM> may be a microprocessor that executes software to control various valves and/or motors to activate the actuator <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may include multiple microprocessors, one or more "general-purpose" microprocessors, one or more special-purpose microprocessors, and/or one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or some combination thereof. For example, the processor <NUM> may include one or more reduced instruction set (RISC) processors.

The memory <NUM> may include a volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), and/or a nonvolatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM). The memory <NUM> may store a variety of information and may be used for various purposes. For example, the memory <NUM> may store processor executable instructions, such as firmware or software, for the processor <NUM> to execute. The memory <NUM> may include ROM, flash memory, a hard drive, or any other suitable optical, magnetic, or solid-state storage medium, or a combination thereof. The memory <NUM> may store data, instructions, and any other suitable data. In operation, the processor <NUM> executes instructions on the memory <NUM> to control the actuator <NUM>.

<FIG> is a partial cross-sectional view of a tubing hanger <NUM> and a hanger orientation device <NUM> being lowered into the wellhead <NUM>. As the tubing hanger <NUM> continues moving in direction <NUM>, the spiral groove <NUM> continues to slide over the pin <NUM>, which drives rotation of the hanger orientation device <NUM>. The hanger orientation device <NUM> continues to rotate until the pin <NUM> contacts the longitudinal lip <NUM>. The longitudinal lip <NUM> is configured to block further rotation of the hanger orientation device <NUM> and thus rotation of the running tool <NUM> and the hanger <NUM>. The longitudinal lip <NUM> is configured to contact and block rotation of the hanger orientation device <NUM> when the aperture <NUM> in the tubing hanger <NUM> aligns with the aperture <NUM> in the wellhead <NUM>. After alignment (e.g., pre-alignment) with the hanger orientation device <NUM>, the tubing hanger key <NUM> (e.g., protrusion) slides into the keyway <NUM> (e.g., groove).

<FIG> is a partial cross-sectional view of a tubing hanger <NUM> and a hanger orientation device <NUM> being lowered into the wellhead <NUM>. After contacting the longitudinal lip <NUM>, the hanger orientation device <NUM> continues to slide past the pin <NUM> enabling the pin <NUM> to pass through the longitudinal groove <NUM>. The tubing hanger <NUM> may then be lowered the remaining distance in direction <NUM> enabling the tubing hanger key <NUM> (e.g., protrusion) to slide in the keyway <NUM> (e.g., groove), which may finalize alignment of the aperture <NUM> with the aperture <NUM> in the wellhead <NUM>. After the hanger orientation device <NUM> passes the pin <NUM>, the pin <NUM> may be retracted in direction <NUM> to facilitate retraction of the hanger orientation device <NUM> and the running tool <NUM>. In some embodiments, the controller <NUM> may couple to a sensor(s) <NUM> that detects the position of the hanger orientation device <NUM>. When the sensor <NUM> detects that the hanger orientation device <NUM> has passed the pin <NUM>, the controller <NUM> actuates the actuator <NUM> to retract the pin <NUM>.

<FIG> is a partial cross-sectional view of the tubing hanger <NUM> coupled to the wellhead <NUM>. After aligning the aperture <NUM> in the tubing hanger <NUM> with the aperture <NUM> in the wellhead <NUM>, the tubing hanger <NUM> may be set with the running tool <NUM>. The running tool <NUM>, hanger orientation device <NUM>, and landing string <NUM> may be then be disconnected from the hanger <NUM> and withdrawn and used to align another tubing hanger in another wellhead.

As used herein, the terms "inner" and "outer"; "up" and "down"; "upper" and "lower"; "upward" and "downward"; "above" and "below"; "inward" and "outward"; and other like terms as used herein refer to relative positions to one another and are not intended to denote a particular direction or spatial orientation. The terms "couple," "coupled," "connect," "connection," "connected," "in connection with," and "connecting" refer to "in direct connection with" or "in connection with via one or more intermediate elements or members.

Claim 1:
A mineral extraction system (<NUM>), comprising:
a tubing hanger (<NUM>) configured to couple to and support a tubing string (<NUM>), wherein the tubing hanger (<NUM>) defines an outlet;
a running tool (<NUM>) configured to couple to the tubing hanger (<NUM>) to lower the tubing hanger (<NUM>) into a wellhead (<NUM>);
a hanger orientation system (<NUM>) configured to orient the tubing hanger (<NUM>) within the wellhead (<NUM>), the hanger orientation system (<NUM>) comprising a hanger orientation device (<NUM>) coupled to the running tool (<NUM>);
characterized in that the hanger orientation device (<NUM>) defines a spiral groove (<NUM>), and the hanger orientation device (<NUM>) further comprising a pin (<NUM>) configured to engage the spiral groove (<NUM>) on the hanger orientation device (<NUM>) to rotate the tubing hanger (<NUM>) within the wellhead (<NUM>).