IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,428,952
Granted Patent B2
US 12,428,952 · App. 18/592,233 · Granted Sep 30, 2025

Hydrostatic bailer and lead impression block combination tool for downhole fish diagnosis and solids stripping through sample collection

Inventors: Ghulam Murtaza Kalwar (Udhailiyah, SA); Abdullah A Mulhim (Udhailiyah, SA)
Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
E21B47/098E21B27/00E21B47/09E21B2200/04E21B2200/05
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,428,952
App. No.
18/592,233
Granted
Sep 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus includes a hydrostatic bailer and a lead impression block. The hydrostatic bailer is disposed in the well and removes debris from the fish using a plunger, a shear pin, and a valve. The valve controls hydraulic communication between an orifice of a hollow body of the valve and a cavity of the hydrostatic bailer by opening and closing. The shear pin is configured to shear and allow the plunger to move within the hydrostatic bailer to open the valve and remove the debris from the fish. The lead impression block is connected to the hollow body of the valve in the hydrostatic bailer. The lead impression block is configured to set against the fish, using the hydrostatic bailer, and obtain an impression of the fish on a single run into the well in which the debris is removed from the fish.

Claims (34)

1. An apparatus for detecting a fish in a well, the apparatus comprising:

a hydrostatic bailer configured to be disposed in the well and remove debris from an upper surface of the fish, the hydrostatic bailer comprising:

a plunger located within a cavity of the hydrostatic bailer;

a shear pin holding the plunger in a loaded position within the hydrostatic bailer; and

a valve comprising a ball valve, connected to a downhole end of a lower chamber sub, and configured to control hydraulic communication between an orifice of a hollow body of the valve and the cavity of the hydrostatic bailer by opening and closing,

wherein the ball valve comprises the hollow body having the orifice, a ball seat having an inlet, and a ball,

wherein the ball is configured to move off of the ball seat, toward the plunger, when the shear pin is sheared to uncover the inlet of the ball seat and create hydraulic communication between the orifice of the hollow body and the cavity of the hydrostatic bailer, and

wherein the shear pin is configured to shear and allow the plunger to move within the hydrostatic bailer and movement of the plunger causes the valve to open and remove the debris from the upper surface of the fish; and

a lead impression block connected to the hollow body of the valve in the hydrostatic bailer, wherein the lead impression block is configured to set against the fish, using the hydrostatic bailer, and obtain an impression of the fish, wherein the lead impression block is configured to obtain the impression of the fish during a single trip into the well in which the hydrostatic bailer is used to remove the debris from the upper surface of the fish.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lead impression block further comprises lead filled into a shoe of the valve to create a lead-filled shoe and a pathway formed into a center of the lead-filled shoe.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lead impression block further comprises a separate sub having a lead block and a pathway formed through the lead block and sub.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the separate sub is connected to the hollow body of the valve in the hydrostatic bailer using a threaded connection.

5. A method for detecting a fish in a well, the method comprising:

running an apparatus to a location adjacent to the fish in the well, wherein the apparatus comprises a lead impression block connected to a hydrostatic bailer using a valve;

wherein the valve comprises a ball valve,

wherein the ball valve comprises the hollow body having the orifice, a ball seat having an inlet, and a ball,

wherein the ball is configured to move off of the ball seat, toward the plunger, when the shear pin is sheared to uncover the inlet of the ball seat and create hydraulic communication between the orifice of the hollow body and the cavity of the hydrostatic bailer,

lowering the apparatus onto the fish to obtain an impression of the fish on the lead impression block;

shearing a shear pin in the hydrostatic bailer to allow a plunger to move and cause a pressure equalization to occur between a cavity of the hydrostatic bailer and a conduit of the well to open the valve;

removing debris from an upper surface of the fish, through the valve, and into the cavity of the hydrostatic bailer using the pressure equalization, wherein the debris is removed from the upper surface of the fish during a single trip into the well in which the lead impression block is used to obtain the impression of the fish;

holding the debris in the cavity of the hydrostatic bailer using the valve; and

pulling the apparatus from the well to analyze the debris and the impression of the fish to determine what type of fishing tool and fishing operation should be performed on the well to remove the fish from the well.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising connecting the lead impression block to the valve of the hydrostatic bailer by filling lead into a shoe of the valve to create a lead-filled shoe and forming a pathway into a center of the lead-filled shoe.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the lead impression block further comprises a separate sub having a lead block and a pathway formed through the lead block and sub.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising connecting the separate sub to a hollow body of the valve in the hydrostatic bailer using a threaded connection.

9. An apparatus for detecting a fish in a well, the apparatus comprising:

a hydrostatic bailer configured to be disposed in the well and remove debris from an upper surface of the fish, the hydrostatic bailer comprising:

a plunger located within a cavity of the hydrostatic bailer;

a shear pin holding the plunger in a loaded position within the hydrostatic bailer; and

a valve comprising a flapper valve, connected to a downhole end of a lower chamber sub, and configured to control hydraulic communication between an orifice of a hollow body of the valve and the cavity of the hydrostatic bailer by opening and closing,

wherein the flapper valve comprises the hollow body having the orifice, a flapper seat having an inlet, and a flapper,

wherein the flapper is configured to uncover the inlet in the flapper seat by moving towards the plunger when the shear pin is sheared to create hydraulic communication between the orifice of the hollow body and the cavity of the hydrostatic bailer, and

wherein the shear pin is configured to shear and allow the plunger to move within the hydrostatic bailer and movement of the plunger causes the valve to open and remove the debris from the upper surface of the fish; and

a lead impression block connected to the hollow body of the valve in the hydrostatic bailer, wherein the lead impression block is configured to set against the fish, using the hydrostatic bailer, and obtain an impression of the fish, wherein the lead impression block is configured to obtain the impression of the fish during a single trip into the well in which the hydrostatic bailer is used to remove the debris from the upper surface of the fish.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2024
From: KALWAR, GHULAM MURTAZA; MULHIM, ABDULLAH A
To: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 067227/0981 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250277443A1 · Sep 4, 2025
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