Offset adjustment rings for wellhead orientation
Systems and methods for positioning tubular members within a subterranean well include inner and outer tubular members extending into the well. An adjustment ring assembly is located between the inner tubular member and the outer tubular member and has an outer ring and an inner ring. The outer ring circumscribes, and is rotatable relative to, the inner ring to adjust the radial offset between a central axis of the wellhead assembly and a central axis of the inner tubular member.
1. A system for positioning tubular members within a well, the system comprising:
an outer tubular member extending into the well;
an inner tubular member extending within the outer tubular member;
an adjustment ring assembly circumscribing the inner tubular member and located within the outer tubular member, wherein the adjustment ring assembly has:
an outer ring with an outer ring exterior circumference having a first central axis, and an outer ring interior circumference having a second central axis offset from the first central axis; and
an inner ring with an inner ring exterior circumference having a third central axis, and an inner ring interior circumference having a fourth central axis offset from the third central axis; wherein
the outer ring circumscribes, and is rotatable relative to, the inner ring.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a wellhead assembly located over the well, wherein a central axis of the wellhead assembly is coaxial with a central axis of the inner tubular member.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the wellhead assembly is releasably secured to the adjustment ring assembly.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein a central axis of the wellhead assembly is radially offset from a central axis of the outer tubular member.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein an outer ring exterior surface engages the outer tubular member and an inner ring interior surface engages the inner tubular member.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first central axis is coaxial with a central axis of the outer tubular member and the third central axis is coaxial with a central axis of the inner tubular member.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein a sidewall of the inner ring varies in radial thickness and a sidewall of the outer ring varies in radial thickness.
8. The system of claim 1 , further including a clocking mechanism measuring an offset between a central axis of the inner tubular member and a central axis of the outer tubular member based on a relative rotation between in the inner ring and the outer ring.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the outer tubular member is a conductor and the inner tubular member is a casing.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment ring assembly sealingly engages the inner tubular member and sealingly engages the outer tubular member.
11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism limiting relative movement and located between at least one selected from the group consisting of:
the outer tubular member and the outer ring;
the outer ring and the inner ring; and
the inner ring and the inner tubular member.
12. A system for positioning tubular members within a well, the system comprising:
an outer tubular member extending into the well;
an inner tubular member extending within the outer tubular member, and wherein a central axis of the inner tubular member is radially offset from a central axis of the outer tubular member;
an adjustment ring assembly circumscribing the inner tubular member and located within the outer tubular member, wherein the adjustment ring assembly has:
an outer ring with an outer ring exterior surface that engages the outer tubular member; and
an inner ring with an inner ring interior surface that engages the inner tubular member; wherein
the outer ring circumscribes, and is rotatable relative to, the inner ring.
13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a wellhead assembly located over the well, wherein a central axis of the wellhead assembly is coaxial with the central axis of the inner tubular member and the central axis of the wellhead assembly is radially offset from the central axis of the outer tubular member.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein a central axis of an outer ring exterior circumference is coaxial with the central axis of the outer tubular member and a central axis of an inner ring interior circumference is coaxial with the central axis of the inner tubular member.
15. A method for positioning tubular members within a subterranean well, the method comprising:
lowering a wellhead assembly over a well, the well having an outer tubular member extending into the well and providing an adjustment ring assembly within the outer tubular member;
extending an inner tubular member into the outer tubular member so that the adjustment ring assembly is located between the inner tubular member and the outer tubular member and the adjustment ring assembly circumscribes the inner tubular member, the adjustment ring assembly having:
an outer ring with an outer ring exterior circumference in cross section that is bisected by an outer ring exterior circumference bisecting line, and an outer ring interior circumference in cross section that is bisected by an outer ring interior circumference bisecting line that is parallel to, and offset from, the outer ring exterior circumference bisecting line; and
an inner ring with an inner ring exterior circumference in cross section that is bisected by an inner ring exterior circumference bisecting line, and an inner ring interior circumference in cross section that is bisected by an inner ring interior circumference bisecting line that is parallel to, and offset from, the outer ring exterior circumference bisecting line; and wherein
the outer ring circumscribes, and is rotatable relative to, the inner ring to adjust a radial offset between a central axis of the wellhead assembly and a central axis of the inner tubular member.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising engaging the outer tubular member with an outer ring exterior surface and engaging the inner tubular member with an inner ring interior surface.
17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising aligning the inner ring and the outer ring of the adjustment ring assembly such that a central axis of the outer ring exterior circumference is coaxial with a central axis of the outer tubular member and a central axis of the inner ring interior circumference is coaxial with a central axis of the inner tubular member.
18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising releasably securing the wellhead assembly to the adjustment ring assembly.
19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising measuring an offset between a central axis of the inner tubular member and a central axis of the outer tubular member with a clocking mechanism.
20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising securing the adjustment ring assembly to the wellhead assembly before lowering the wellhead assembly over the well and landing the wellhead assembly onto the outer tubular member.