Drifting device and method for tubular goods

Inventors: Lucas Kling E Silva (Meudon, FR); Sébastien Petit (Meudon, FR); Alastair Brodie (Meudon, FR); Nicolas Wilbert (Meudon, FR); Nestor Medeiros (Meudon, FR)

Assignee: VALLOUREC OIL AND GAS FRANCE

F16L55/40 F16L55/32 G01B11/12 F16L2101/30

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12704212
App. No.: 18/006,759
Granted: Aug 11, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

This drifting device for a tubular good includes a body, a device to propel the body through the tubular good, and at least one attachment part for attaching a cylindrical drift mandrel to the body, the attachment part is so configured to enable a degree of mobility of the cylindrical drift mandrel with respect to the body along a radial direction.

Claims (26)

1 . A drifting device for a tubular good, comprising:

a body;

an actuator mounted on the body for propelling the body through the tubular good;

a cylindrical drift mandrel; and

at least one attachment part attaching the cylindrical drift mandrel to the body,

wherein the attachment part is so configured to enable a degree of mobility of the cylindrical drift mandrel with respect to the body along a radial direction of the body,

wherein the attachment part includes a radial inner portion configured to be at least partially received within an opening of the body, and

wherein the attachment part is configured to move in translation within the opening of the body along the radial direction of the body.

2 . The drifting device for a tubular good, according to claim 1 ,

wherein said tubular good having a nominal internal diameter D and

wherein the cylindrical drift mandrel has a minimum outside diameter of D minus 4 mm.

3 . The drifting device according to claim 1 , wherein the attachment part is so configured to enable a degree of rotation of the cylindrical drift mandrel around a first radial direction, a degree of rotation of the cylindrical drift mandrel around a second radial direction, the second radial direction being not parallel to the first radial direction.

4 . The drifting device according to claim 3 , wherein the attachment part is so configured to further enable a degree of translation of the cylindrical drift mandrel along the first radial direction and a degree of translation of the cylindrical drift mandrel along the second radial direction.

5 . The drifting device according to claim 1 , further including a distance sensor for measuring an inner diameter of the tubular good and/or a length of the tubular good.

6 . The drifting device according to claim 1 , including an elastic means located between the attachment part and the body.

7 . The drifting device according to claim 1 , wherein the attachment part includes a contact surface configured to be in axial contact with an axial surface of the cylindrical drift mandrel, the contact surface being tapered.

8 . The drifting device according to claim 1 , wherein the body includes an opening, the attachment part being received in the opening and including a locking device for releasably preventing the attachment part from leaving the opening.

9 . The drifting device according to claim 1 , wherein the body is elongated, the attachment part including a frontal surface perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the body, the frontal surface including a circular outer edge, the attachment part including a cylindrical surface with a generatrix in the longitudinal direction and extending from the circular outer edge, and a shoulder perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and extending outwards from the cylindrical surface.

10 . The drifting device according to claim 1 , including a plurality of attachment parts forming a first attachment set and a second attachment set, the first and second attachment sets being axially spaced apart from each other.

11 . The drifting device according to claim 10 , wherein each attachment set includes at least three attachment parts regularly distributed over the circumference of the body.

12 . The drifting device according to claim 1 , further including an adapter comprising an outer portion directly attached to an axial end of the cylindrical drift mandrel and an inner portion in direct contact with the attachment part.

13 . The drifting device according to claim 1 , further comprising a metering device for metering an inner diameter of the tubular good, said metering device comprising a laser triangulation sensor.

14 . A drifting method for verifying internal dimension of a tubular good, wherein a cylindrical drift mandrel is attached to an attachment part of a drifting device according to claim 1 , and the drifting device is propelled inside the tubular good.

15 . The drifting method according to claim 14 , further including a step of measuring an internal diameter of the tubular good and/or a length of the tubular good, the steps of measuring and the step of propelling the drifting device inside the tubular good being performed simultaneously.

16 . The drifting device for a tubular good, according to claim 1 , further comprising an elastic means located between the attachment part and the body within the opening in the body.

17 . The drifting device for a tubular good, according to claim 16 , wherein the elastic means is a spring.