Direct connecting downhole control system

• US 7,845,415 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-3 Property Holdings, Inc. (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: T-3 Property Holdings, Inc. (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Allen, Robert Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sayre; James G
• Application Number:
  US11/941,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20080121400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 285/123.1, 285/123.2, 285/123.5, 285/123.12, 166/90.1, 166/305.1, 166/279, 166/88.4, 166/75.13, 166/75.14, 166/375
• US Class Current: 166/375
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/03 Well heads; Setting-up thereof

Abstract

A system and method are provided for direct connecting downhole control hydraulics through an oil field hanger, where the hanger is coupled to a wellhead, to hydraulic lines extending outside the wellhead. Further, the direct connection allows hydraulic system integrity with reduced contamination and leakage. Hydraulic tool ports, formed on the hanger, are coupled with hydraulic lines extending downward to a hydraulic tool. Side ports, formed in the hanger, are fluidicly coupled to the hydraulic tool ports. Hydraulic lines extending outside the wellhead are directly coupled with the side ports by accessing the side ports through access openings in the wellhead when the ports are aligned with the access openings. The system can still maintain pressure within internal spaces of the wellhead after the connection by sealing the access openings with flanges, where the hydraulic lines extend through openings in the flanges that are also sealed around the lines.

Claims

1. A wellhead system for use with a downhole hydraulic tool, comprising:

a first hanger having at least one hanger hydraulic tool port adapted to be coupled to the downhole hydraulic tool, and a hanger hydraulic side port disposed at an angle to the hanger tool port and fluidicly coupled to the hanger tool port;

a wellhead hydraulic line;

a unitized drilling wellhead comprising a casing head and a casing spool installed as a single unit and adapted to support said first hanger and at least a second hanger, the wellhead comprising;

an access opening formed through said casing spool and aligned with the hydraulic side port on said first hanger; and

a sealing member adapted to form a seal with the access opening, the sealing member having a sealable opening through which said wellhead hydraulic line may extend, said wellhead hydraulic line is connected directly with the hydraulic side port in said first hanger when the side port is aligned with the access opening of said casing spool.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first hydraulic tool line coupled between the hydraulic tool and the hydraulic tool port.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a portion of the wellhead hydraulic line is sealed in the access opening upon threaded coupling of said sealing member to the wellhead.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the wellhead access opening is sized to allow a plurality of hydraulic lines to pass therethrough for direct coupling to a plurality of side ports in said first hanger.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of access openings in the wellhead and a plurality of side ports in said first hanger, wherein each of the plurality of access openings is aligned with one of the plurality of side ports, and each of the plurality of access openings is sealable.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an indicator for the sealing member for indicating use of said wellhead hydraulic line.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pressure test port to indicate whether a pressurized condition exists in the access opening.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the sealing member forms a metallic seal about the access opening.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said first hanger side port is disposed in a reduced concentric portion of said first hanger.

10. The system of claim 1, the drilling wellhead further comprising a tubing head, wherein the tubing head is sized to contain a third hanger.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said first hanger comprises a slip hanger.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said casing spool having a flange, and the access opening formed through said casing spool flange.

13. A system of claim 1, wherein the downhole hydraulic tool comprises a downhole deployment valve.

14. A method of providing hydraulic fluid to a downhole hydraulic tool, comprising:

mounting a unitized drilling wellhead comprising a casing spool and casing head sized to contain a first hanger and a second hanger to a well-bore as a single unit, the drilling wellhead having an access opening formed in a side of said casing spool adapted to be coupled to a sealing member, the sealing member having an opening formed therethrough;

coupling the downhole hydraulic tool to a tubular member;

coupling the tubular member to the first hanger, the first hanger having a hydraulic side port in fluid communication with a hydraulic tool port;

coupling one end of a tool hydraulic line to the hydraulic tool;

moving the hydraulic tool, the tubular member, and the first hanger;

coupling the other end of the tool hydraulic line to the hydraulic tool port on the first hanger;

positioning the first hanger in the drilling wellhead;

aligning the side port in the first hanger with the access opening in said casing spool;

directly coupling a wellhead hydraulic line to the side port in the first hanger through the access opening in said casing spool;

coupling the sealing member to said casing spool to seal the access opening while allowing the wellhead hydraulic line to extend through the sealing member opening; and

sealing a periphery of the wellhead hydraulic line in the opening of the sealing member.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first hanger comprises a plurality of hydraulic side ports and said casing spool comprises a plurality of corresponding access openings, the method further comprising the step of:

aligning each of the side ports in the first hanger with one of the access openings in said casing spool.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first hanger comprises at least two hydraulic side ports.

17. A wellhead system for use with a downhole hydraulic tool for managing pressure in a well-bore, comprising:

a first hanger having at least one hydraulic tool port adapted to be coupled to the downhole hydraulic tool, and a hanger hydraulic side port in fluid communication with the tool port, said first hanger having a plurality of annular seals;

a wellhead hydraulic line;

a drilling wellhead comprising a casing spool and a tubing head installed as a single unit and adapted to support said first hanger and at least a second hanger, the wellhead comprising;

an access opening formed through said casing spool and aligned with the hydraulic side port on said first hanger;

said hanger annular seals sealing an annulus region with the wellhead above and below the hydraulic side port;

a sealing member for forming a seal with the access opening, the sealing member having a sealable opening through which said wellhead hydraulic line may extend, said wellhead hydraulic line is coupled directly with the hydraulic side port in the hanger when the side port is aligned with the access opening whereby the wellhead, the direct coupling of the wellhead hydraulic line, said first hanger annular seals and the sealing member facilitate managing pressure in the wellhead system.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a tool hydraulic line coupled between the hydraulic tool and the hydraulic tool port and the wellhead hydraulic line coupled with the opening in the sealing member and to the side port of said first hanger.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein a portion of the wellhead hydraulic line is sealed with the access opening of said first hanger upon threadedly coupling said sealing member to said first hanger.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the access opening is sized to allow a plurality of hydraulic lines to pass therethrough.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein said casing spool having a flange, and the access opening is formed through said casing spool flange.

22. The system of claim 18, further comprising an indicator on the sealing member indicating the use of the wellhead hydraulic line for moving the downhole hydraulic tool to a closed position.

23. The system of claim 17, further comprising a pressure test port in the wellhead to indicate whether a pressurized condition exists in the access opening.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the sealing member forms a metallic seal about the access opening.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the side port is disposed in a reduced concentric portion of said first hanger.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein said first hanger comprise a slip hanger.

27. A system of claim 17, wherein the downhole tool comprises a downhole deployment valve for managing downhole pressure.

28. Method for providing hydraulic fluid to a hydraulically operated downhole tool to be used in a well-bore, comprising the steps of:

positioning a wellhead comprising a casing spool and a tubing head installed as a single unit with the well-bore, said casing spool having a first access opening;

positioning a blowout preventer with said wellhead;

positioning the hydraulically operated tool with a tubular;

coupling said tubular with a first hanger, said first hanger having a first hanger side port and a first hanger tool port, said first hanger side port and said first hanger tool port being in fluid communication;

connecting a first tool hydraulic line from the hydraulically operated tool to said first hanger tool port;

aligning said first hanger side port with said casing spool first access opening;

moving a portion of a first wellhead hydraulic line through said casing spool first access opening;

connecting one end of said first wellhead hydraulic line with said first hanger side port;

sealing said casing spool first access opening while allowing said first wellhead hydraulic line to extend from said wellhead for providing the hydraulic fluid;

positioning a second hanger in said wellhead;

hanging a second tubular from said second hanger without removing said blowout preventer; and

maintaining a pressure in said casing spool access opening after the step of sealing said casing spool first access opening while providing hydraulic fluid to the downhole tool.

29. Method of claim 28 wherein said casing spool having a second access opening and said first hanger having a second side port and a second tool port;

said first hanger second side port and said first hanger second tool port being in fluid communication, the method further comprising the step of;

aligning said first hanger second side port with said casing spool second access opening.

30. Method of claim 29 further comprising the step of:

connecting a second tool hydraulic line from the hydraulically operated tool to said first hanger second tool port.

31. Method of claim 30 further comprising the step of:

moving a portion of a second wellhead hydraulic line through said casing spool second access opening.

32. Method of claim 31 further comprising the step of:

connecting one end of said second wellhead hydraulic line with said first hanger second side port.

33. Method of claim 32 further comprising the step of:

sealing said casing spool second access opening while allowing said second wellhead hydraulic line to extend from said casing spool.

34. Method of claim 33 further comprising the step of:

maintaining a pressure in said casing spool second access opening after the step of sealing said casing spool second access opening.

35. Method of claim 28 wherein said first hanger having a first annular seal and a second annular seal, the method further comprising the steps of:

aligning said first annular seal above said casing spool first access opening;

sealing said first hanger with said wellhead with said first annular seal;

aligning said second annular seal below said casing spool first access opening; and

sealing said first hanger with said wellhead with said second annular seal.

36. Method of claim 35 further comprising the step of:

sealing said casing spool first access opening to an annulus region defined by said first annular seal, said second annular seal, said first hanger and said wellhead.

37. Method of claim 30 wherein said first hanger having a first annular seal and a second annular seal, the method further comprising the steps of:

aligning said first annular seal above said casing spool first access opening and casing spool second access opening; and

aligning said second annular seal below said casing spool first access opening and casing spool second access opening.

38. Method of claim 37 further comprising the step of:

sealing said casing spool first access opening and casing spool second access opening to an annulus region defined by said first annular seal, said second annular seal, said first hanger and said wellhead.

39. Method of claim 28 further comprising the step of:

coupling a first sealing member with said casing spool for sealing said casing spool first access opening.

40. Method of claim 33 further comprising the step of:

coupling a first sealing member with said casing spool for sealing said casing spool first access opening.

41. Method of claim 40 further comprising the step of:

coupling a second sealing member with said wellhead for sealing said casing spool second access opening.

42. Method of claim 41 wherein said first sealing member having a first indicator to indicate use of the first wellhead hydraulic line.

43. Method of claim 42 wherein said second sealing member having a second indicator to indicate use of the second wellhead hydraulic line.

44. Method of claim 28 further comprising the step of:

managing the pressure in said wellhead to facilitate managed pressure drilling.

45. Method of claim 28 further comprising the step of:

testing said casing spool first access opening to determine if said casing spool first access opening is maintaining pressure.

46. Method of claim 34 further comprising the step of:

testing said casing spool second access opening to determine if said casing spool second access opening is maintaining pressure.

47. Method of claim 33 further comprising the step of coupling a third wellhead hydraulic line with a third side port in said first hanger, wherein said casing spool first access opening is sized to allow said third wellhead hydraulic line to extend therethrough and to be coupled to said first hanger third side port.

48. Method for providing hydraulic fluid to a hydraulically operated downhole tool to be used in a well-bore, comprising the steps of:

positioning a wellhead with the well-bore, said wellhead having a first access opening;

positioning a blowout preventer with said wellhead;

positioning the hydraulically operated tool with a tubular;

coupling said tubular with a first hanger, said first hanger having a first hanger side port and a first hanger tool port, said first hanger side port and said first hanger tool port being in fluid communication, and said first hanger having a first annular seal and a second annular seal;

connecting a first tool hydraulic line from the hydraulically operated tool to said first hanger tool port;

aligning said first hanger side port with said wellhead first access opening;

aligning said first annular seal above said wellhead first access opening;

sealing said first hanger with said wellhead with said first annular seal;

aligning said second annular seal below said wellhead first access opening;

sealing said first hanger with said wellhead with said second annular seal, wherein said wellhead first access opening being sealed from the well-bore after the steps of sealing said first hanger with said first annular seal and said second annular seal;

moving a portion of a first wellhead hydraulic line through said wellhead first access opening;

connecting one end of said first wellhead hydraulic line with said first hanger side port;

sealing said wellhead first access opening while allowing said first wellhead hydraulic line to extend from said wellhead for providing the hydraulic fluid;

positioning a second hanger in said wellhead;

hanging a second tubular from said second hanger without removing said blowout preventer; and

maintaining a pressure in said wellhead first access opening after the steps of sealing said wellhead first access opening, and sealing said first hanger with said wellhead with said first annular seal and said second annular seal.

49. Method of claim 48 further comprising the step of:

sealing said wellhead first access opening to an annulus region defined by said first annular seal, said second annular seal, said first hanger and said wellhead.

50. Method of claim 48 wherein said wellhead having a second access opening and said first hanger having a second side port and a second tool port;

said first hanger second side port and said first hanger second tool port being in fluid communication, the method further comprising the step of;

aligning said first hanger second side port with said wellhead second access opening.

51. Method of claim 50, the method further comprising the steps of:

aligning said first annular seal above said wellhead second access opening; and

aligning said second annular seal below said wellhead second access opening.

52. Method of claim 51 further comprising the step of:

sealing said wellhead second access opening to an annulus region defined by said first annular seal, said second annular seal, said first hanger and said wellhead.

53. Method of claim 52 further comprising the step of:

connecting a second tool hydraulic line from the hydraulically operated tool to said first hanger second tool port.

54. Method of claim 53 further comprising the step of:

moving a portion of a second wellhead hydraulic line through said wellhead second access opening.

55. Method of claim 54 further comprising the step of:

connecting one end of said second wellhead hydraulic line with said first hanger second side port.

56. Method of claim 55 further comprising the step of:

sealing said wellhead second access opening while allowing said second wellhead hydraulic line to extend from said wellhead.

57. Method of claim 56 further comprising the step of:

maintaining a pressure in said wellhead second access opening after the step of sealing said wellhead second access opening.

58. Method of claim 48 further comprising the step of:

threadedly coupling a first sealing member with said wellhead for sealing said wellhead first access opening, said first sealing member being a flange.

59. Method of claim 56 further comprising the step of:

threadedly coupling a first sealing member with said wellhead for sealing said wellhead first access opening.

60. Method of claim 59 further comprising the step of:

threadedly coupling a second sealing member with said wellhead for sealing said wellhead second access opening.

61. Method of claim 59 wherein said first sealing member having a first indicator to verify a hydraulic connection of the first wellhead hydraulic line.

62. Method of claim 60 wherein said second sealing member having a second indicator to verify a hydraulic connection of the second wellhead hydraulic line.

63. Method of claim 48 further comprising the step of:

managing the pressure in said wellhead to facilitate managed pressure drilling.

64. Method of claim 48 further comprising the step of:

testing said wellhead first access opening to determine if said wellhead first access opening is maintaining pressure.

65. Method of claim 57 further comprising the step of:

testing said wellhead second access opening to determine if said wellhead second access opening is maintaining pressure.

66. Method of claim 56 further comprising the step of coupling a third wellhead hydraulic line with a first hanger third side port, wherein said wellhead first access opening is sized to allow said third wellhead hydraulic line to extend therethrough and to be coupled to said first hanger third side port.

67. Method for providing hydraulic fluid to a hydraulically operated downhole tool to be used in a well-bore, comprising the steps of:

positioning a unitized wellhead comprising a casing head and a casing spool installed as a single unit with the well-bore, said casing spool having a flange and the casing spool flange having a first access opening and a second access opening;

positioning a blowout preventer with said unitized wellhead;

positioning the hydraulically operated tool with a tubular;

coupling said tubular with a first hanger, said first hanger having a first side port and a first tool port, said first hanger first side port and said first hanger first tool port being in fluid communication, said first hanger having a second side port and a second tool port;

said first hanger second side port and first hanger second tool port being in fluid communication;

connecting a first tool hydraulic line from the hydraulically operated tool to said first hanger first tool port;

connecting a second tool hydraulic line from the hydraulically operated tool to said first hanger second tool port;

aligning said first hanger first side port with said casing spool flange first access opening while simultaneously aligning said first hanger second side port with said casing spool flange second access opening;

moving a portion of a first wellhead hydraulic line through said casing spool flange first access opening;

moving a portion of a second wellhead hydraulic line through said casing spool flange second access opening;

connecting one end of said first wellhead hydraulic line with said first hanger first side port;

connecting one end of said second wellhead hydraulic line with said first hanger second side port;

sealing said casing spool flange first access opening while allowing said first wellhead hydraulic line to extend from said casing spool flange;

sealing said casing spool flange second access opening while allowing said wellhead second hydraulic line to extend from said casing spool flange;

positioning a second hanger in said unitized wellhead;

hanging a second tubular from said second hanger without removing said blowout preventer; and

maintaining a pressure in said unitized wellhead after the steps of sealing said casing spool flange first access opening and sealing said casing spool flange second access opening while providing hydraulic fluid to the downhole tool.

68. Method of claim 67 further comprising the step of:

coupling a first sealing member with said unitized wellhead for sealing said casing spool flange first access opening.

69. Method of claim 68 further comprising the step of:

coupling a second sealing member with said unitized wellhead for sealing said casing spool flange second access opening.

70. Method of claim 69 wherein said first sealing member having a first indicator to indicate use of the first wellhead hydraulic line and said second sealing member having a second indicator to indicate use of the second wellhead hydraulic line.

71. Method of claim 67 further comprising the step of:

testing said casing spool flange first access opening to determine if said casing spool flange first access opening is maintaining pressure.

72. Method of claim 67 further comprising the step of:

testing said casing spool flange second access opening to determine if said casing spool flange-second access opening is maintaining pressure.

73. A wellhead system for use with a downhole hydraulic tool, comprising:

a hanger having a hydraulic tool port adapted to be coupled to the downhole hydraulic tool, and a hydraulic side port on the hanger disposed at an angle to the hanger tool port and coupled to the hanger tool port;

a wellhead hydraulic line;

a drilling wellhead adapted to support the hanger, the wellhead comprising;

an access opening formed through the wellhead and aligned with the hanger hydraulic side port;

a first sealing member threadedly received with the access opening and adapted to form a seal with the access opening, said sealing member having a sealable opening through which said wellhead hydraulic line may extend, said wellhead hydraulic line is connected with the hanger hydraulic side port when the hanger side port is aligned with the wellhead access opening; and

a first annular seal above said access opening and a second annular seal below said access opening for sealing between said hanger and the wellhead.

74. The system of claim 73 further comprising a tool hydraulic line coupled between the hydraulic tool and the hydraulic tool port.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein said wellhead hydraulic line is sealed in the first sealing member sealable opening.

76. The system of claim 73 further comprising a plurality of wellhead hydraulic lines and a plurality of hanger side ports, wherein the wellhead access opening is sized to allow said plurality of wellhead hydraulic lines to pass therethrough.

77. The system of claim 76 further comprising a second sealing member and a second access opening in the wellhead, wherein each of said plurality of hanger side ports are simultaneously alignable with one of said access openings.

78. The system of claim 73, further comprising an indicator on the first sealing member to verify a hydraulic connection of the wellhead hydraulic line.

79. The system of claim 73, further comprising a pressure test port in the wellhead to indicate whether the access opening is pressurized.

80. The system of claim 73, wherein said first sealing member may seal against internal pressures in the wellhead that may exceed 10,000 PSI.

81. The system of claim 73, further comprising the hanger having a reduced portion, wherein the hanger side port is disposed in said reduced portion of the hanger.

82. The system of claim 73, wherein said first and second annular seals are non-metal.

83. The system of claim 73, wherein the hanger comprises a slip hanger.

84. The system of claim 73, wherein the drilling wellhead is sized to receive a plurality of hangers.

85. The system of claim 73, wherein the downhole hydraulic tool comprises a downhole deployment valve.

87. The system of claim 73, wherein said wellhead comprising a casing spool having a casing spool flange for attaching with a tubing head, and the access opening formed in said casing spool flange.

86. A wellhead system for use with a downhole hydraulic tool, comprising:

a hanger having a hydraulic tool port adapted to be coupled to the downhole hydraulic tool, and a hydraulic side port on the hanger disposed at an angle to the hanger tool port and fluidicly coupled to the hanger tool port;

a wellhead hydraulic line;

a drilling wellhead adapted to support the hanger, the wellhead comprising;

an access opening formed through the wellhead and aligned with the hanger hydraulic side port; and

a first pressure maintaining flange bolted about the access opening and adapted to form a seal with the access opening, said pressure maintaining flange having a sealable opening through which said wellhead hydraulic line may extend, said wellhead hydraulic line is connected with the hanger hydraulic side port when the hanger side port is aligned with the wellhead access opening;

wherein the drilling wellhead comprising a casing head and a casing spool installed as a single unit and the access opening formed in said casing spool.

88. A wellhead system for use with a downhole hydraulic tool to control well-bore pressure, comprising:

a hanger having a hanger hydraulic tool port adapted to be coupled to the downhole hydraulic tool and a hanger hydraulic side port disposed at an angle to said hanger hydraulic tool port and in fluid communication with said hanger hydraulic tool port;

a wellhead hydraulic line;

a drilling wellhead adapted to support said hanger, the wellhead comprising;

an access opening formed through said wellhead, said hanger hydraulic side port alignable with said wellhead access opening; and

a seal between said hanger and said wellhead for sealing said access opening from the well-bore pressure;

wherein said wellhead hydraulic line is connectable with said hanger hydraulic side port when said hanger hydraulic side port is aligned with said wellhead access opening.

89. The system of claim 88 wherein said seal between said hanger and said wellhead, comprising:

an annulus region above and below said hanger hydraulic side port; and

a first annular seal above said wellhead access opening and a second annular seal below said wellhead access opening to seal said annulus region.

90. The system of claim 89 further comprising:

a sealing member adapted to form a seal with the access opening, the sealing member having a sealable opening through which said wellhead hydraulic line may extend.

91. Method for providing hydraulic fluid to a hydraulically operated downhole tool to be used in a well-bore, comprising the steps of:

positioning a wellhead with the well-bore, said wellhead having a first access opening;

positioning a first hanger with said wellhead, said first hanger having a first hanger side port and a first hanger tool port, said first hanger side port and said first hanger tool port being in fluid communication, and said first hanger having a first annular seal and a second annular seal;

aligning said first hanger side port with said wellhead first access opening;

sealing said first hanger with said wellhead with said first annular seal; and

sealing said first hanger with said wellhead with said second annular seal, wherein said wellhead first access opening being sealed from the well-bore after the steps of sealing said first hanger with said first annular seal and said second annular seal.

92. Method of claim 91 further comprising the steps of:

moving a portion of a first wellhead hydraulic line through said wellhead first access opening;

connecting one end of said first wellhead hydraulic line with said first hanger side port;

sealing said wellhead first access opening while allowing said first wellhead hydraulic line to extend from said wellhead for providing the hydraulic fluid; and

maintaining a pressure in said wellhead first access opening after the steps of sealing said first hanger with said wellhead with said first annular seal and said second annular seal.