IP Library Granted Patent US 10,808,479
Granted Patent B2
US 10,808,479 · App. 16/119,456 · Granted Oct 20, 2020

Setting tool having a ball carrying assembly

Inventor: Robert DiRocco (Humble, TX)
Assignee: FORUM US, INC.
E21B23/06E21B23/00E21B33/10E21B33/12E21B33/13E21B33/134E21B33/1204E21B33/128E21B33/129E21B2200/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,808,479
App. No.
16/119,456
Granted
Oct 20, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A setting tool for setting a ball actuated device includes a ball carrying assembly. The ball carrying assembly includes a ball, an outer housing including an axis extending therethrough, and an inner housing positionable within the outer housing and configured to move axially along the axis with respect to the outer housing. The inner housing includes a recess formed therein to receive the ball therein, and the inner housing is releasably coupled to the ball actuated device.

Claims (97)

1. A setting tool for setting a ball actuated device, comprising:

a ball carrying assembly, comprising:

a ball;

an outer housing comprising an axis extending therethrough, the outer housing comprising a slot formed therein and extending through a bottom end of the outer housing; and

an inner housing positionable within the outer housing and configured to move axially along the axis with respect to the outer housing, the inner housing comprising a recess formed therein that is configured to receive the ball therein, the inner housing configured to releasably couple to the ball actuated device, and the inner housing comprising a shoulder positionable within the slot and configured to move along the slot as the inner housing axially moves with respect to the outer housing; and

a tension assembly configured to couple to the ball carrying assembly, comprising:

an outer mandrel configured to couple to the outer housing; and

an inner mandrel configured to couple to the inner housing, wherein the inner mandrel is positionable within the outer mandrel and is configured to move axially along the axis with respect to the outer mandrel.

2. The setting tool of claim 1 , wherein:

the inner housing comprises a reduced diameter portion positioned below the recess.

3. The setting tool of claim 1 , further comprising an adapter coupler to couple the outer mandrel to the outer housing, the adapter coupler comprising an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve with the inner sleeve threadedly engaged with the outer mandrel and the outer sleeve engaged with a shoulder of the outer housing.

4. The setting tool of claim 1 , wherein:

the inner housing comprises a reduced diameter portion positioned below the recess; and

the inner housing is configured to releasably couple to the ball actuated device through a shear pin.

5. The setting tool of claim 1 , wherein the ball actuated device comprises a frac plug.

6. A setting tool for setting a ball actuated device, comprising:

a ball carrying assembly comprising:

a ball;

an outer housing comprising an axis extending therethrough, the outer housing comprising a slot formed therein and extending through a bottom end of the outer housing; and

an inner housing positionable within the outer housing and configured to move axially along the axis with respect to the outer housing, the inner housing comprising a recess formed therein that is configured to receive the ball therein, the inner housing configured to releasably couple to the ball actuated device, and the inner housing comprising a shoulder positionable within the slot and configured to move along the slot as the inner housing axially moves with respect to the outer housing.

7. The setting tool of claim 6 , wherein:

the inner housing axially movable from a lower position to an upper position with respect to the outer housing;

in the lower position, the ball is received within the recess of the inner housing and the inner housing is coupled to the ball actuated device; and

in the upper position, the ball is configured to be removed from the recess of the inner housing and the inner housing is decoupled from the ball actuated device.

8. The setting tool of claim 6 , wherein the outer housing comprises an outer housing shoulder and the slot extends from the outer housing shoulder through the bottom end of the outer housing.

9. The setting tool of claim 6 , further comprising a guide sleeve with the outer housing and the inner housing positionable within the guide sleeve.

10. The setting tool of claim 9 , wherein:

the guide sleeve is configured to move axially along the axis with respect to the outer housing and the inner housing; and

the guide sleeve is positionable over the shoulder of the inner housing.

11. The setting tool of claim 6 , wherein:

the setting tool further comprises a tension assembly configured to couple to the ball carrying assembly; and

the tension assembly comprises:

an outer mandrel configured to couple to the outer housing; and

an inner mandrel configured to couple to the inner housing.

12. The setting tool of claim 11 , wherein the inner mandrel is positionable within the outer mandrel and is configured to move axially along the axis with respect to the outer mandrel.

13. The setting tool of claim 11 , wherein:

the outer mandrel is positioned within and coupled to the outer housing through an adapter coupler; and

the inner mandrel is positioned within and threadedly engaged to the inner housing.

14. The setting tool of claim 13 , wherein:

the adapter coupler comprises an inner sleeve positioned within an outer sleeve with a shoulder of the inner sleeve engaged with a recess of the outer sleeve;

the inner sleeve is threadedly engaged with the outer mandrel; and

the outer sleeve is engaged with a shoulder of the outer housing.

15. The setting tool of claim 6 , wherein the inner housing comprises a reduced diameter portion positioned below the recess.

16. The setting tool of claim 6 , wherein the inner housing is configured to releasably couple to the ball actuated device through a shear pin.

17. The setting tool of claim 6 , wherein the ball actuated device comprises a frac plug.

18. A method of assembling a ball carrying assembly, comprising:

coupling a ball carrying assembly to a setting tool, the ball carrying assembly comprising:

an outer housing comprising a slot formed therein and extending through a bottom end of the outer housing, and

an inner housing comprising a shoulder positionable within the slot and configured to move along the slot as the inner housing axially moves with respect to the outer housing;

positioning a ball within a recess of the ball carrying assembly; and

releasably coupling a ball actuated device to the ball carrying assembly such that the ball positioned within the ball carrying assembly is positioned above a seat of the ball actuated device.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the releasably coupling the ball actuated device to the ball carrying assembly comprises using a shear screw to couple the ball actuated device to the ball carrying assembly.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the coupling the ball carrying assembly to the setting tool comprises:

coupling an adapter coupler to an outer mandrel of the setting tool;

coupling the inner housing of the ball carrying assembly with an inner mandrel of the setting tool; and

engaging the outer housing of the ball carrying assembly with the adapter coupler.

21. A method of setting a ball actuated device, comprising:

lowering a ball actuated device into a wellbore with a ball carrying assembly comprising a ball received therein, the ball carrying assembly comprising an inner housing and an outer housing;

setting the ball actuated device within the wellbore through the ball carrying assembly;

releasing the ball carrying assembly from the ball actuated device;

axially moving one or more shoulders of the inner housing along one or more slots of the outer housing, wherein the one or more slots of the outer housing extend through a bottom end of the outer housing; and

removing the ball from the ball carrying assembly into the wellbore.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

receiving the ball within a seat of the ball actuated device; and

removing the ball carrying assembly from the wellbore.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein removing the ball from the ball carrying assembly comprises pumping fluid into the wellbore such that the ball is removed from the ball carrying assembly.

24. A downhole assembly, comprising:

a ball actuated device; and

a setting tool configured to releasably couple to the ball actuated device to set the ball actuated device, the setting tool comprising:

a ball carrying assembly, comprising:

a ball;

an outer housing comprising an axis extending therethrough, the outer housing comprising a slot formed therein and extending through a bottom end of the outer housing; and

an inner housing positionable within the outer housing and configured to move axially along the axis with respect to the outer housing, the inner housing comprising a recess formed therein that is configured to receive the ball therein, the inner housing configured to releasably couple to the ball actuated device, and the inner housing comprising a shoulder positionable within the slot and configured to move along the slot as the inner housing axially moves with respect to the outer housing; and

a tension assembly configured to couple to the ball carrying assembly, comprising:

an outer mandrel configured to couple to the outer housing; and

an inner mandrel configured to couple to the inner housing, wherein the inner mandrel is positionable within the outer mandrel and is configured to move axially along the axis with respect to the outer mandrel.

25. A setting tool for setting a ball actuated device, comprising:

a ball carrying assembly, comprising:

a ball;

an outer housing comprising an axis extending therethrough; and

an inner housing positionable within the outer housing and configured to move axially along the axis with respect to the outer housing, the inner housing comprising a recess formed therein that is configured to receive the ball therein, the inner housing configured to releasably couple to the ball actuated device; and

a tension assembly configured to couple to the ball carrying assembly, comprising:

an outer mandrel configured to couple to the outer housing; and

an inner mandrel configured to couple to the inner housing, wherein the inner mandrel is positionable within the outer mandrel and is configured to move axially along the axis with respect to the outer mandrel; and

an adapter coupler to couple the outer mandrel to the outer housing, the adapter coupler comprising an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve with the inner sleeve threadedly engaged with the outer mandrel and the outer sleeve engaged with a shoulder of the outer housing.

26. A setting tool for setting a ball actuated device, comprising:

a ball carrying assembly comprising:

a ball;

an outer housing comprising an axis extending therethrough; and

an inner housing positionable within the outer housing and configured to move axially along the axis with respect to the outer housing, the inner housing comprising a recess formed therein that is configured to receive the ball therein, the inner housing configured to releasably couple to the ball actuated device; and

a tension assembly configured to couple to the ball carrying assembly, the tension assembly comprising:

an outer mandrel configured to couple to the outer housing, wherein the outer mandrel is positioned within and coupled to the outer housing through an adapter coupler, and

an inner mandrel configured to couple to the inner housing, wherein the inner mandrel is positioned within and threadedly engaged to the inner housing.

27. The setting tool of claim 26 , wherein:

the adapter coupler comprises an inner sleeve positioned within an outer sleeve with a shoulder of the inner sleeve engaged with a recess of the outer sleeve;

the inner sleeve is threadedly engaged with the outer mandrel; and

the outer sleeve is engaged with a shoulder of the outer housing.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 066565/FRAME 0968 Recorded Nov 12, 2024
From: GLAS USA LLC
To: FORUM ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; FORUM US, INC.; GLOBAL TUBING, LLC; VARIPERM ENERGY SERVICES INC.
Reel/Frame 069338/0131 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT REEL 053399/FRAME 0930 Recorded Nov 11, 2024
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: FORUM ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; FORUM US, INC.; GLOBAL TUBING, LLC
Reel/Frame 069318/0330 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECOND LIEN TERM LOAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENTS Recorded Sep 27, 2024
From: VARIPERM ENERGY SERVICES PARTNERSHIP, AS RESIGNING COLLATERAL AGENT AND ASSIGNOR
To: GLAS USA LLC, AS SUCESSOR AGENT AND ASSIGNEE
Reel/Frame 069067/0317 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2024
From: FORUM ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; FORUM US, INC.; GLOBAL TUBING, LLC; VARIPERM ENERGY SERVICES INC.
To: VARIPERM ENERGY SERVICES PARTNERSHIP
Reel/Frame 066565/0968 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2021
From: FORUM US, INC.; GLOBAL HEAT TRANSFER ULC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK
Reel/Frame 058290/0868 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2020
From: FORUM ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; FORUM US, INC.; GLOBAL TUBING, LLC
To: US BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053399/0930 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 31, 2018
From: DIROCCO, ROBERT
To: FORUM US, INC.
Reel/Frame 046769/0903 →
Cited By (2)
US 12,529,286 US 12,560,057