Well intervention apparatus and method

• US 9,677,345 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Jr., Joseph Hayden, Broussard, Justin Dallas
• Primary Examiner(s): Buck, Matthew R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wood, Douglas S
• Application Number:
  US14/722,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20160348448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/003 adapted to be moved on their substructure, e.g. with skidding means; adapted to drill a plurality of wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/084 with flexible drawing means, e.g. cables

Abstract

A well intervention apparatus including a base frame assembly, a deck attached to an upper end of the base frame assembly. The deck includes a passage and a hatch adjacent to the passage. A track is disposed within the passage, and a movable plate is slidingly attached to the track for movement within the passage. A reception plate is attached over a first aperture of the moveable plate and a tower is mounted over a second aperture of the moveable plate. A primary hoist assembly is connected to an upper end of the tower. The reception plate is configured to secure a first well intervention tool, and the primary hoist assembly is configured to suspend a second well intervention tool from the tower. In a first position of the moveable plate, the reception plate is disposed over the well. In a second position, the tower is disposed over the well.

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing well intervention operations on a well, comprising:

a base frame assembly;

a deck attached to an upper end of the base frame assembly, the deck including a passage;

a track disposed within the passage;

a moveable plate slidingly attached to the track for movement within the passage;

a reception plate operatively attached to the moveable plate and positioned over a first aperture of the moveable plate, wherein the reception plate is configured to secure a first well intervention tool;

a tower mounted on the moveable plate such that the tower and the plate are moveable relative to the deck, the tower being positioned over a second aperture of the moveable plate;

a primary hoist assembly operatively connected to an upper end of the tower, wherein the primary hoist assembly is configured to suspend a second well intervention tool from the tower;

wherein in a first position of the moveable plate, the reception plate is disposed over the well, and wherein in a second position of the moveable plate, the tower is disposed over the well.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deck further includes a hatch adjacent to the passage, the hatch configured to be opened for allowing communication with the passage.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the primary hoist assembly includes a primary drum operatively attached to a lower end of the tower, a first primary sheave and a second primary sheave each operatively connected to the upper end of the tower, and a support line disposed around the primary drum and engaging the first and second primary sheaves, wherein a distal end of the support line is suspended from the second primary sheave.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an upper track affixed to the upper end of the tower, wherein the upper track is oriented perpendicularly relative to the track of the moveable plate, and wherein the second primary sheave is slidingly attached to the upper track.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the upper track includes a rack and pinion arrangement or a hydraulic cylinder arrangement for transferring the second primary sheave along the upper track.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first well intervention tool includes a coiled tubing injector head and the second well intervention tool includes a wireline assembly.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the wireline assembly includes:

a block suspended from the distal end of the support line;

a wireline lubricator assembly and a wireline guide each suspended from the block;

a wireline drum operatively attached to a lower end of the tower;

a wireline disposed around the wireline drum and disposed through the wireline guide and the block, wherein the wireline guide and the block feed the wireline into the wireline lubricator assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a lower guide sheave operatively attached to the wireline lubricator assembly, wherein the wireline engages the lower guide sheave between the wireline drum and the wireline guide.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an auxiliary hoist assembly including an auxiliary drum operatively attached to a lower end of the tower, a first auxiliary sheave and a second auxiliary sheave each operatively connected to the upper end of the tower, and an auxiliary line disposed around the auxiliary drum and engaging the first and second auxiliary sheaves, wherein a distal end of the auxiliary line is suspended from the second auxiliary sheave.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a protective case affixed to a lower end of the base frame assembly below the hatch, the protective case dimensioned to house a wireline perforating gun;

wherein in an aligned position of the second primary sheave along the upper track, the wireline lubricator assembly is disposed over the well; and

wherein in a sideline position of the second primary sheave along the upper track, the wireline lubricator assembly is disposed through the hatch in an open position and over the protective case.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second track disposed within the first aperture of the moveable plate, wherein the reception plate is slidingly attached to the second track, and wherein the second track is oriented perpendicularly relative to the track of the moveable plate.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tower includes at least one cylinder and piston mechanism for vertical extension and retraction of the tower.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base frame assembly includes at least one cylinder and piston mechanism for vertical extension and retraction of the base frame assembly in response to a water level change in a water body over which the apparatus is positioned to maintain an elevation of the deck.

14. A method of performing well intervention operations on a well, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a well intervention apparatus comprising;

a base frame assembly;

a deck attached to an upper end of the base frame assembly, the deck including a passage;

a track disposed within the passage;

a moveable plate slidingly attached to the track for movement within the passage;

a reception plate operatively attached to the moveable plate and positioned over a first aperture of the moveable plate, wherein the reception plate is configured to secure a coiled tubing injector head;

a tower mounted on the moveable plate such that the tower and the plate are moveable relative to the deck, the tower being positioned over a second aperture of the moveable plate; and

a primary hoist assembly operatively connected to an upper end of the tower;

(b) positioning the well intervention apparatus on a platform above a well;

(c) attaching a first well intervention tool to the reception plate and suspending a second well intervention tool from the tower by the primary hoist assembly;

(d) selectively positioning the moveable plate in a first position in which the reception plate and the first well intervention tool are disposed over the well or in a second position in which the tower and the second well intervention tool is disposed over the well;

(e) fluidly connecting the first well intervention tool or the second well intervention tool to an upper end of a riser extending from the well;

(f) conducting well intervention operations on the well with the first well intervention tool or the second well intervention tool.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first well intervention tool includes a coiled tubing injector head and the second well intervention tool includes a wireline assembly;

wherein step (d) further comprises positioning the moveable plate in the first position in which the reception plate, the coiled tubing injector head, and a coiled tubing lubricator are disposed over the well;

wherein step (e) further comprises fluidly connecting the coiled tubing lubricator to the upper end of the riser;

wherein step (f) further comprises conducting coiled tubing operations on the well.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

(g) disconnecting the coiled tubing lubricator from the riser;

(h) transferring the moveable plate from the first position into the second position in which the tower and the wireline assembly are disposed over the well;

(i) fluidly connecting the wireline assembly to the upper end of the riser;

(j) conducting wireline operations on the well.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first well intervention tool includes a coiled tubing injector head and the second well intervention tool includes a wireline assembly;

wherein step (d) further comprises positioning the moveable plate in the second position in which the tower and the wireline assembly are disposed over the well;

wherein step (e) further comprises fluidly connecting the wireline assembly to the upper end of the riser;

wherein step (f) further comprises conducting wireline operations on the well.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

(g) disconnecting the wireline assembly from the riser;

(h) transferring the moveable plate from the second position into the first position in which the reception plate, the coiled tubing injector head, and a coiled tubing lubricator are disposed over the well;

(i) fluidly connecting the coiled tubing lubricator to the upper end of the riser;

(j) conducting coiled tubing operations on the well.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the well intervention apparatus further comprises an auxiliary hoist assembly operatively connected to an upper end of the tower;

wherein the primary hoist assembly is slidingly attached to an upper track affixed to the upper end of the tower;

wherein the deck further includes a hatch adjacent to the passage;

the method further comprising the steps of;

(g) placing the hatch in an open position;

(h) suspending a wireline perforating gun from the tower by the auxiliary hoist assembly;

(i) depositing the wireline perforating gun in a protective case attached to the base frame assembly below the hatch and disconnecting the wireline perforating gun from the auxiliary hoist assembly;

(j) laterally sliding the primary hoist assembly along the upper track from an aligned position in which the wireline assembly is disposed over the well to a sideline position in which the wireline assembly is disposed through the hatch and over the protective case;

(k) lifting the wireline perforating gun with the wireline assembly;

(l) laterally sliding the primary hoist assembly into the aligned position;

(m) fluidly connecting the wireline assembly to the upper end of the riser;

(n) running the wireline perforating gun into the riser.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the well is a subsea well, and the base frame assembly includes at least one cylinder and piston mechanism;

the method further comprising the steps of;

(g) vertically extending the base frame assembly with the cylinder and piston mechanism in response to a drop in a water level above the subsea well to maintain an elevation of the deck; and

(h) vertically retracting the base frame assembly with the cylinder and piston mechanism in response to a rise in the water level above the subsea well to maintain an elevation of the deck.