DOWNHOLE DEBRIS REMOVAL TOOL AND METHODS OF USING SAME
First Claim
1. A downhole tool for capturing debris within a wellbore, the downhole tool comprising:
- a screen member having a screen upper end, a screen lower end, a screen outer wall surface, a screen inner wall surface defining a screen bore, and at least one screen aperture in fluid communication with the screen inner wall surface and the screen outer wall surface;
an incoming fluid flow accelerator disposed above the screen member, the incoming fluid flow accelerator comprising an incoming fluid flow accelerator bore through which an incoming fluid flows toward the screen bore, the incoming fluid flow accelerator bore being in fluid communication with the screen bore such that an incoming fluid flowing out of the incoming fluid flow accelerator bore and into the screen bore creates a pressure differential across at least one of the at least one apertures; and
a shroud disposed around a portion of the screen member, the shroud having an opening disposed toward an upper end of the shroud and a closed lower end to define a cavity.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A downhole tool for removing debris from a wellbore comprises a screen member, an incoming fluid accelerator, and a cavity for capturing debris. The incoming fluid accelerator is disposed above the screen and accelerates the flow of an incoming fluid through the accelerator and into a screen bore. The incoming fluid then exits the bottom of the tool, mixes with wellbore fluid containing debris to form a combination fluid that is transported upward within the wellbore annulus. A pressure differential between the incoming fluid flowing within the screen bore and the wellbore annulus pulls the combination fluid containing the debris into the cavity where the debris is captured. Fluid and/or debris not blocked by the screen flows through the screen into the screen bore to be circulated downward and out of the tool where it can pick up additional debris for capture.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A downhole tool for capturing debris within a wellbore, the downhole tool comprising:
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a screen member having a screen upper end, a screen lower end, a screen outer wall surface, a screen inner wall surface defining a screen bore, and at least one screen aperture in fluid communication with the screen inner wall surface and the screen outer wall surface; an incoming fluid flow accelerator disposed above the screen member, the incoming fluid flow accelerator comprising an incoming fluid flow accelerator bore through which an incoming fluid flows toward the screen bore, the incoming fluid flow accelerator bore being in fluid communication with the screen bore such that an incoming fluid flowing out of the incoming fluid flow accelerator bore and into the screen bore creates a pressure differential across at least one of the at least one apertures; and a shroud disposed around a portion of the screen member, the shroud having an opening disposed toward an upper end of the shroud and a closed lower end to define a cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A downhole tool for capturing debris within a wellbore, the downhole tool comprising:
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a screen member having a screen upper end, a screen lower end, a screen outer wall surface, a screen inner wall surface defining a screen bore, and at least one screen aperture in fluid communication with the screen inner wall surface and the screen outer wall surface; a nozzle assembly disposed above the screen member, the nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle bore shaped to increase a velocity of an incoming fluid flowing through the nozzle bore toward the screen bore, the nozzle bore being in fluid communication with the screen bore; and a shroud disposed around a portion of the screen member, the shroud comprising a shroud upper end, a shroud lower end, a shroud outer wall surface, and a shroud inner wall surface, the shroud upper end having an opening, the shroud lower end being closed, and the shroud inner wall surface, the shroud lower end, and the screen outer wall surface define a cavity within the shroud. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A work string for capturing debris within a wellbore, the downhole tool comprising:
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a first downhole tool, the first downhole tool comprising a first screen member having a first screen upper end, a first screen lower end, a first screen outer wall surface, a first screen inner wall surface defining a first screen bore, and at least one first screen aperture in fluid communication with the first screen inner wall surface and the first screen outer wall surface; a first incoming fluid flow accelerator disposed above the first screen member, the first incoming fluid flow accelerator comprising a first incoming fluid flow accelerator bore, the first incoming fluid flow accelerator bore being in fluid communication with the first screen bore; and a first shroud disposed around a portion of the first screen member, the first shroud having a first opening disposed toward an upper end of the first shroud and a first closed end to define a first cavity. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of removing debris from a wellbore fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) flowing an incoming fluid through a screen bore of a screen member and out of a lower end of the screen member into a wellbore environment; (b) after step (a), combining the incoming fluid with a wellbore fluid disposed in the wellbore environment to form a combination fluid, the wellbore fluid comprising a piece of debris; (c) flowing the combination fluid upward within a wellbore annulus; (d) creating a first pressure differential between the screen bore and the wellbore annulus outside the screen member, the first pressure differential causing the combination fluid to be drawn toward the screen member; (e) passing the combination fluid through the screen member causing the piece of debris within the combination fluid to be prevented from passing through the screen, thereby causing the piece of debris to be captured within a cavity formed by a shroud disposed around an outer wall surface of the screen member. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification