Downhole positioning and anchoring device
First Claim
1. An anchor tool for positioning downhole, comprising:
- a body configured to be disposed within a conduit in a wellbore;
one or more blades configured to move radially relative to the body, wherein at least one of the one or more blades comprises a key having a fixed protrusion configured to match a corresponding groove of an anchor sub receptacle within the conduit, and wherein the at least one or more blade comprises a shear pin receptacle; and
a locking mechanism comprising a shear pin, a first state and a second state, wherein the first state permits radial movement of the one or more blades in a direction away from the body of the anchor tool and the second state inhibits radial movement of the one or more blades in a direction toward the body of the anchor tool, and wherein the locking mechanism is configured to switch to the second state from the first state as soon as the fixed protrusion extends into the corresponding groove of the anchor sub receptacle, wherein the shear pin is configured to align with and extend into the shear pin receptacle when the locking mechanism is in the second state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An anchoring tool for positioning a downhole tool within a wellbore conduit is described herein. The anchor tool uses replaceable blades having protrusions that are configured to align with corresponding grooves in an anchor sub receptacle that is located at a known position along the wellbore conduit. The blades of the anchor tool are configured to move radially relative to the anchor tool body until the anchor tool is aligned with a compatible anchor sub. When the anchor tool and the compatible anchor sub are aligned, the protrusions of the anchor tool blade extend into the grooves of the anchor sub receptacle and a locking mechanism within the anchor tool inhibits further radial movement of the blades. A downhole tool connected to the anchor tool can therefore be positioned at a precise location relative to the known location of an anchor sub receptacle.
42 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An anchor tool for positioning downhole, comprising:
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a body configured to be disposed within a conduit in a wellbore; one or more blades configured to move radially relative to the body, wherein at least one of the one or more blades comprises a key having a fixed protrusion configured to match a corresponding groove of an anchor sub receptacle within the conduit, and wherein the at least one or more blade comprises a shear pin receptacle; and a locking mechanism comprising a shear pin, a first state and a second state, wherein the first state permits radial movement of the one or more blades in a direction away from the body of the anchor tool and the second state inhibits radial movement of the one or more blades in a direction toward the body of the anchor tool, and wherein the locking mechanism is configured to switch to the second state from the first state as soon as the fixed protrusion extends into the corresponding groove of the anchor sub receptacle, wherein the shear pin is configured to align with and extend into the shear pin receptacle when the locking mechanism is in the second state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of positioning a downhole tool, comprising:
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positioning an anchor sub along a conduit in a wellbore, wherein the anchor sub comprises one or more grooves that define an anchor sub receptacle; connecting the downhole tool to an anchor tool, wherein the anchor tool comprises; a body configured to be disposed within the conduit; one or more blades configured to move radially relative to the body, wherein the at least one of the one or more blades comprises a key having a fixed protrusion configured to match the one or more grooves of the anchor sub receptacle; and a locking mechanism comprising a first state and a second state, wherein the first state permits radial movement of the blade in a direction away from the body and the second state inhibits radial movement of the one or more blades in a direction toward the body; lowering the downhole tool into the tubular string until the anchor tool and the anchor sub receptacle are aligned; and locking the locking mechanism into the second state as soon as the fixed protrusion extends into the one or more grooves of the anchor sub receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An anchor tool, comprising:
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a cylindrical body configured to be positioned in a wellbore conduit; a first blade extending through a first slot on the body, comprising one or more fixed protrusions and a pivoting protrusion; a second blade extending through a second slot on the body, comprising one or more fixed protrusions and a pivoting protrusion, wherein the first blade and the second blade are configured to move radially relative to the body; and a locking mechanism configured to inhibit radial movement of the first blade, the second blade, or combinations thereof when the one or more fixed protrusions of the first blade and the one or more fixed protrusions of the second blade are engaged in corresponding grooves in the wellbore conduit and when the pivoting protrusion of the first blade and the pivoting protrusion of the second blade are retracted. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An anchor tool, comprising:
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a body configured to be disposed within a conduit in a wellbore; a blade configured to move radially relative to the body, wherein the blade comprises a key having a fixed protrusion configured to match a corresponding groove of an anchor sub receptacle within the conduit; a sliding protrusion configured to contact a surface of the conduit and move radially and axially relative to the body; a locking mechanism comprising a first state and a second state, wherein the first state permits radial movement of the blade relative to the body and the second state inhibits radial movement of the blade relative to the body, and wherein the locking mechanism is configured to switch to the second state from the first state when the fixed protrusion is extended into the corresponding groove and the sliding protrusion is positioned in a first axial position relative to the body.
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21. An anchor tool for positioning downhole, comprising:
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a body configured to be disposed within a conduit in a wellbore; one or more blades configured to move radially relative to the body, wherein at least one of the one or more blades comprises a key having a fixed protrusion configured to match a corresponding groove of an anchor sub receptacle within the conduit; and a locking mechanism comprising a first state and a second state, wherein the first state permits radial movement of the one or more blades relative to the body of the anchor tool and the second state inhibits radial movement of the one or more blades relative to the body of the anchor tool, and wherein the locking mechanism is configured to switch to the second state from the first state as soon as the fixed protrusion extends into the corresponding groove of the anchor sub receptacle, wherein the one or more blades comprise a pivoting protrusion configured to rotate about a connection to each of the one or more blades.
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22. An anchor tool for positioning downhole, comprising:
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a body configured to be disposed within a conduit in a wellbore; one or more blades configured to move radially relative to the body, wherein at least one of the one or more blades comprises a key having a fixed protrusion configured to match a corresponding groove of an anchor sub receptacle within the conduit; and a locking mechanism comprising a first state and a second state, wherein the first state permits radial movement of the one or more blades relative to the body of the anchor tool and the second state inhibits radial movement of the one or more blades relative to the body of the anchor tool, and wherein the locking mechanism is configured to switch to the second state from the first state as soon as the fixed protrusion extends into the corresponding groove of the anchor sub receptacle, wherein the blade comprises a shear pin receptacle and the locking mechanism comprises a shear pin configured to align with and extend into the shear pin receptacle when the locking mechanism is in the second state.
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Specification