Method for continuing measurements after recovery of a measuring tool immobilized in a well

• US 5,318,125 A
• Filed: 04/08/1993
• Issued: 06/07/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Institut Francais Du Petrole
• Original Assignee: Institut Francais Du Petrole
• Inventors: Wittrisch, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hoang C.
• Application Number:
  US07/988,121
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 166/277, 166/301, 166/250, 166/50
• US Class Current: 166/277
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/025 Side entry subs
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/00 Handling rods, casings, tubes or the like outside the borehole, e.g. in the derrick; Apparatus for feeding the rods or cables
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/14 for displacing a cable or a cable-operated tool, e.g. for logging or perforating operations in deviated wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 31/18 gripping externally, e.g. overshot

Abstract

A method for continuing a measuring operation using a sonde immobilized in the well which method involves lowering, concentric to the cable, a length of tubular elements until the sonde is engaged by a special coupling fitted at the end of the length of tubular elements, the length of tubular elements serving to protect the cable. In addition, a coupling at an upper end of the length of tubular elements is equipped with a lateral window to minimize maneuvering time. After engagement, the sonde is used to carry out measurements by displacing the length of tubular elements.

Claims

1. A method for controlling measurements by means of a measuring sonde immobilized in a well, said sonde being connected to the surface by a cable comprising at least one conductor electrically connecting said sonde to a surface control installation, and said cable being operated by means of a winch, said method comprising the following stages:

cutting the cable above the level of a rotary table of a derrick floor,

fixing a half-connector onto each of the two ends of the cut cable, said half-connectors being adapted to constitute a quick coupling for assembling said cable,

lowering into the well a tubular string for grappling the immobilized sonde, said string containing in its inner channel a lower length of the cable substantially taut between said sonde and the derrick floor, said string comprising at least one grappling sub adapted for grappling said sonde and a determined length of maneuvering tubular elements,

fixing a side-entry sub onto the upper end of said determined length of tubular elements, said sub comprising a side wall passage through which said lower length of cable passes from the inside towards the outside of the tubular elements, connecting outside the string the two ends of the cable and connecting said conductors of said cable,

adding above said sub a length of tubular elements adapted to reach the sonde immobilized in the well, while keeping said cable substantially taut,

guiding the string by means of said lower length of cable so as to grapple the sonde by way of said grappling sub,

carrying out measurements of servicings with said sonde fastened through said grappling sub to the lower part of said string and connected to the surface through said cable.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the determined length of tubulars contained between the grappling sub and said side-entry sub substantially equal to a length of mechanical protection of said cable adapted both to reach the sonde with said grappling sub without damaging the cable and for displacements of the sonde during continuation of the measurements.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, comprising;

carrying out measurements with said grappled sonde while going deeper than the point of immobilization of said sonde by adding tubular elements to an upper part of the string while keeping said cable substantially taut.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, comprising:

carrying out measurements with said grappled sonde by going higher than the point of immobilization, by disassembling at most the length of tubular elements located above said side-entry sub while keeping said cable substantially taut.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising;

circulating the drilling fluid by pumping through the grappling string, the side-entry sub comprising seal means around the passage of the cable between the inside and the outside of said string.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the grappling of the sonde by said grappling sub by means of the surface control installation connected to the sonde by said conductors of said cable.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

using a quick mechanical coupling to connect said cable, comprising means for connecting electric conductors of the cable.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

breaking the cable at a the brittle point located at the top of the sonde, taking up the cable by means of the winch and taking the sonde up to the surface by the operation of pull-out of the string.

9. Application of the method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 to an oil well deflected or not with respect to the vertical and in which a measuring or servicing sonde, connected to the surface by a cable comprising at least one electric conductor, is immobilized, and said sonde cannot reach the measuring or servicing zones of said oil well by action on the cable.

10. Application as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sonde is stuck in said well.

11. Application as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sonde cannot reach the measuring or servicing zones because of the too strong inclination of the well with respect to the vertical, which does not allow cable descent of said sonde by gravity.