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CN-121986205-A - Lifting plug

CN121986205ACN 121986205 ACN121986205 ACN 121986205ACN-121986205-A

Abstract

A lift plug for connection with a tubular member includes a body including an externally threaded portion, a flange at a first end of the body for engagement with a lifting mechanism, and a grease collection groove intercepting at least a portion of the externally threaded portion.

Inventors

  • STEVE LANGFORD
  • PIERRE MARTIN

Assignees

  • 瓦卢瑞克石油天然气法国有限公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20240906
Priority Date
20231013

Claims (14)

  1. 1. A lift plug (10) for connection with a drill pipe, casing or production tubing, the lift plug (10) comprising: a main body (20) including an external thread portion (40); A flange (30) at a first end of the body (20) for engagement with a lifting mechanism, and A grease collecting groove (50) for cutting off at least a part of the external thread (40), Wherein the grease pocket (50) terminates at a free end of the body (20).
  2. 2. Lift plug (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the grease collection groove (50) is elongated.
  3. 3. Lift plug (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the grease collection groove (50) extends through one or more threads of the external threaded portion (40).
  4. 4. Lift plug (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the grease collection groove (50) extends perpendicular to one or more threads of the external threaded portion (40).
  5. 5. The lift plug (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the grease collection groove (50) and a interruption of the external thread (40) define a discontinuity in one or more threads of the external thread (40).
  6. 6. Lift plug (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the grease collection groove (50) is recessed into the outer surface (20 a) of the body (20) at the external threaded portion (40).
  7. 7. The lift plug (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the grease collecting groove (50) is recessed with respect to the thread root of the external thread portion (40).
  8. 8. Lift plug (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the grease collection groove (50) has a substantially flat groove bottom (56).
  9. 9. The lift plug (10) of claim 8, wherein the side walls (58, 60) of the grease collection groove (50) include an undercut (62).
  10. 10. Lift plug (10) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of grease collecting grooves (50).
  11. 11. The lift plug (10) of claim 10, wherein the plurality of grease collection grooves (50) are circumferentially spaced around the externally threaded portion (40).
  12. 12. Lift plug (10) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized by comprising three grease collecting grooves (50) evenly spaced around the circumference of the male threaded portion (40).
  13. 13. Lift plug (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an annular lift shoulder (36) on the side from which the flange (30) extends out of the body (20).
  14. 14. A method of manufacturing a lift plug (10) for a drill pipe, casing or production tubing having a grease collection groove (50), the method comprising: Providing a lift plug (10), the lift plug (10) comprising a body (20) having an external threaded portion (40) and a flange (30) at a first end of the body (20) for engagement with a lifting mechanism, and -Machining a groove intercepting at least a part of the external threaded portion (40), wherein the grease collecting groove (50) ends at a free end of the body (20).

Description

Lifting plug Technical Field The present invention relates generally to lift plugs. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a lift plug for connection with a tubular member (e.g. drill pipe, casing or production tubing), the lift plug being configured to collect excess grease of a threaded portion of the tubular member in use. Background Drilling operations (whether geothermal wells or hydrocarbon wells) use multiple separate tubular members connected together by threaded portions at their ends to form a string of tubing, such as a drill string, casing string, or production tubing string. The tubular member is typically stored in a horizontal position at the well site and must be lifted to a vertical position for connection with the end of another tubular member already located in the well. Depending on the design of the threaded portion, a lift plug may be threaded with the end of the stored tubular member to provide a lifting surface for engagement with a lifting mechanism (e.g., an elevator) at the well site. Grease is typically applied to the threads prior to joining the tubular members together. It has been found that excess grease applied to the threaded portion of the tubular member prior to making the connection can, under certain conditions, cause failure of the connection after the tubular member is run into the well. The operator applying grease at the well site typically has little to no clear about the amount of grease applied to the threaded portion, nor about the possible consequences of connection failure. Patent application US 2021/396082 is known in the prior art, which discloses a lifting plug comprising a body which can be screwed onto a pipe string. Patent application WO 2011/159293 is also known, which relates to a sealed threaded joint of pipes in a process string of a drilling apparatus. Disclosure of Invention It is therefore a first non-exclusive object of the invention to provide a device for controlling the amount of grease applied to a threaded portion of a tubular member. It is a further non-exclusive object of the invention to provide a device for removing or draining excess grease from a threaded portion of a tubular member prior to connection with another tubular member. According to one aspect of the invention, a lift plug includes a body including an externally threaded portion, a flange at a first end of the body for engagement with a lifting mechanism, and a grease collection groove intercepting at least a portion of the externally threaded portion. One aspect of the invention relates to a lift plug for connection with a drill pipe, casing or production tubing, the lift plug comprising a body comprising an externally threaded portion, a flange at a first end of the body for engagement with a lifting mechanism, and a grease collecting groove intercepting at least a portion of the externally threaded portion, wherein the grease collecting groove terminates at a free end of the body (20). The lift plug may be configured to connect or engage (e.g., threaded) a tubular member (e.g., drill pipe, casing, or production tubing). The lifting plug may be configured to provide a lifting point for the tubular member in use. The external threaded portion may be or may include an external male threaded portion. The lift plug may also be referred to or referred to as a lift plug, a lift cap, a lift nipple, or a lift nipple. The body may have a free end at a second end, for example opposite the first end and/or the flange. The externally threaded portion may extend to a free or second end of the body. The externally threaded portion may start or terminate at the free end or the second end. The start position of the male threaded portion may be spaced from the free or second end of the body. The grease trap may be elongate. The grease collecting groove may be configured to collect grease from the tubular member when the external threaded portion is engaged with or screwed into a female thread, an internal threaded portion or a female threaded portion (hereinafter referred to as female thread) of the tubular member in use. The grease collection groove may be configured to collect grease from the tubular member when the externally threaded portion engages the female thread of the tubular member and rotates and/or moves laterally relative thereto in use. The grease trap may extend substantially perpendicular to the one or more threads of the externally threaded portion. The grease collection groove may extend substantially perpendicular to one or more thread crests or one or more thread flanks of the external threaded portion. The grease trap may intercept or traverse one or more threads of the externally threaded portion. The grease trap may intercept or traverse one or more turns of a single thread of the threaded portion. The grease trap may intercept or traverse one or more thread crests of the external thread portion. The grease trap may intercept or traverse th