IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,448,028
Granted Patent B2
US 11,448,028 · App. 16/987,104 · Granted Sep 20, 2022

Milling packers below restrictions in a wellbore casing

Inventors: Ahmed Al-Mousa (Dhahran, SA); Enrique Avila Faull (Dhahran, SA); Ahmed A. Al-Ramadhan (Dammam, SA)
Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
E21B29/10E21B10/265E21B10/325E21B29/005E21B31/16E21B31/20E21B29/002
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,448,028
App. No.
16/987,104
Granted
Sep 20, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Tools and methods are described for removing a packer beyond a restriction in a casing of a wellbore. A packer milling tool includes: a milling body with an outer diameter; milling blocks positioned at intervals around a circumference of the milling body, each milling block pivotably attached to the milling body and pivotable between a running position and a milling position; and a wash pipe extending from a downhole end of the milling body. The milling blocks have a rotational circumference with a rotational diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the milling body when in the running position and the rotational diameter is more than the outer diameter of the milling body and less than the inner diameter of the casing when in the milling position.

Claims (30)

1. A packer milling tool for removing a packer beyond a restriction in a casing of a wellbore, the packer milling tool comprising:

a milling body with an outer diameter;

milling blocks positioned at intervals around a circumference of the milling body, each milling block pivotably attached to the milling body and pivotable between a running position and a milling position; and

a wash pipe extending from a downhole end of the milling body;

a fishing spear attached to the wash pipe;

wherein the milling blocks have a rotational circumference with a rotational diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the milling body when in the running position and the rotational diameter is more than the outer diameter of the milling body and less than an inner diameter of the casing when in the milling position; and

wherein the milling blocks comprise a non-metallic outer surface oriented radially outward when the milling blocks are in the milling position.

2. The packer milling tool of claim 1 , further comprising resilient members biasing the milling blocks toward the running position.

3. The packer milling tool of claim 2 , wherein the resilient members comprise springs.

4. The packer milling tool of claim 3 , wherein force applied to the milling body in a downhole direction compresses the springs and moves the milling blocks to the milling position.

5. The packer milling tool of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of rotating pins, wherein a pair of the plurality of rotating pins are arranged at intervals and on opposite ends on each milling block.

6. A packer milling tool for removing a packer beyond a restriction in a casing of a wellbore, the packer milling tool comprising:

a milling body with an outer diameter;

a fishing spear extending from a downhole end of the milling body;

milling blocks positioned at intervals around a circumference of the milling body, each milling block pivotably attached to the milling body and pivotable between a running position and a milling position; and

resilient members biasing the milling blocks toward the running position;

wherein the milling blocks have a rotational circumference with a rotational diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the milling body when in the running position and the rotational diameter is more than the outer diameter of the milling body and less than an inner diameter of the casing when in the milling position.

7. The packer milling tool of claim 6 , wherein the resilient members comprise springs.

8. The packer milling tool of claim 7 , wherein force applied to the milling body in a downhole direction compresses the springs and moves the milling blocks to the milling position.

9. The packer milling tool of claim 6 , wherein the milling blocks comprise a non-metallic outer surface oriented radially outward when the milling blocks are in the milling position.

10. The packer milling tool of claim 6 , further comprising a wash pipe extending from the downhole end of the milling body.

11. A method for milling a packer in a wellbore, the method comprising:

identifying the wellbore with a restriction in a casing of the wellbore;

lowering a packer milling tool into the wellbore past the restriction with milling blocks of the packer milling tool in a running position in which a distance from an axis of the packer milling tool to outer portions of the milling blocks is less than a distance from the axis of the packer milling tool to an outer surface of a body of the packer milling tool;

applying a force in a downhole direction to the packer milling tool to open the milling blocks to a milling position in which the distance from the axis of the packer milling tool to outer portions of the milling blocks is more than the distance from the axis of the packer milling tool to the outer surface of the body of the packer milling tool and less than a radius of the casing of the wellbore;

milling the packer in the wellbore;

wherein applying the force in the downhole direction to the packer milling tool to open the milling blocks to the milling position comprises applying sufficient force to overcome and compress resilient members biasing the milling blocks toward the running position; and

retrieving the packer across the restriction after milling the packer.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein retrieving the packer comprises engaging the packer with a fishing spear extending from a downhole end of the milling body.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the milling blocks comprise a non-metallic outer surface oriented radially outward when the milling blocks are in the milling position.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 7, 2020
From: AL-MOUSA, AHMED; FAULL, ENRIQUE AVILA; AL-RAMADHAN, AHMED A.
To: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 053431/0351 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220042389A1 · Feb 10, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,352,115