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EP-4577766-B1 - COMPLETION PLUG SAFETY INDICATOR

EP4577766B1EP 4577766 B1EP4577766 B1EP 4577766B1EP-4577766-B1

Inventors

  • MASLEN, Jon
  • POE, ROGER, L.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230929

Claims (16)

  1. A completion system including a fitting (F), a plug (P) body sized for the fitting, a set of blades (B) adapted for securing the plug body within the fitting, the blades having a retracted position and an extended position, a circumferential groove (G) adapted to receive the set of blades when in the extended position, and a control bar (C) adapted for use with the plug body, the completion system further comprising: a sensor (S); and the set of blades is further adapted to trigger the sensor (S) when the set of blades (B) is extended into the circumferential groove (G) at a predetermined locking depth within the circumferential groove (G).
  2. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the sensor (S) is selected to indicate a closed electrical circuit.
  3. The completion system of claim 2, wherein the plug (P) body includes insulated exterior surfaces; the set of blades (B) includes insulated and uninsulated surfaces; and the circumferential groove (G) includes uninsulated surfaces.
  4. The completion system of claim 3, wherein the uninsulated surfaces of the set of blades (B) includes a load bearing contact surface.
  5. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the sensor (S) is selected to indicate a magnetic flux.
  6. The completion system of claim 5, wherein the sensor (S) detects the magnetic flux when the magnetic flux is at or exceeds a predetermined threshold.
  7. The completion system of claim 5, wherein the sensor (S) is a proximity switch.
  8. The completion system of claim 5, wherein one of the fitting (F) or the set of blades (B) includes at least one magnet (M) and another of the fitting (F) or the set of blades (B) includes the sensor (S).
  9. The completion system of claim 8, wherein the at least one magnet (M) is located toward a distal end of at least one blade of the set of blades (B).
  10. The completion system of claim 9, wherein the at least one magnet (M) is recessed relative to a load-bearing surface of the at least one blade.
  11. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the plug (P) body includes the set of blades (B) and the fitting (F) includes the circumferential groove (G).
  12. The completion system of claim 11, wherein the control bar (C) includes an actuator (A) adapted to move the set of blades (B) between the retracted and extended positions.
  13. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the fitting includes the set of blades (B) and the plug (P) body includes the circumferential groove (G).
  14. The completion system of claim 13, wherein the fitting (F) includes an actuator (A) adapted to move the set of blades (B) between the retracted and extended positions.
  15. The completion system of claim 14, wherein the actuator (A) includes insulated surfaces.
  16. A method for verifying a fully set position of a plug (P) body within a fitting (F) connected to a pipeline, the plug (P) body and the fitting (F) being components of a completion system according to any of claims 1 to 15, comprising a set of blades (B) adapted for securing the plug (P) body within the fitting (F), the blades having a retracted position and an extended position, a circumferential groove (G) adapted to receive the set of blades (B) when in the extended position, and a control bar (C) adapted for use with the plug (P) body, the completion system further comprising a sensor (S), the set of blades (B) further adapted to trigger the sensor (S) when the set of blades (B) is extended into the circumferential groove (G) at a predetermined locking depth within the circumferential groove; the method comprising: monitoring the sensor (S) during a setting of the plug (P) body; and providing an indicator as to whether the sensor (S) has been triggered by the blades; wherein the sensor is chosen from a sensor indicating a closed electrical circuit or a sensor indicating a magnetic flux.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, US 63/377,888 filed September 30, 2022, the content of which is fully incorporated by reference herein. BACKGROUND Completion flanges and plugs are used on gas and liquid pipelines as a means of recovering tapping valves after a plugging machine operation. Where used in new construction, the flanges and plugs permit future expansion of the pipeline or piping system. Providing a pressure-tight seal over the tapped holes, the flange eliminates the need for a valve until such time as a valve may be necessary. For example, fittings with flanges and plugs are installed on the line during construction. Later, when branch connections are needed, valves can be installed on the fittings and the plugs removed with a tapping machine. In some applications, the flange entirely eliminates the need for a permanent valve. In setting completion plugs, a plugging machine connects to the flange of an access fitting to the pipe. The plugging machine includes a control bar with a plug holder that holds a completion plug for insertion into the fitting. During insertion and subsequent setting of the plug, technicians do not have visual access to the plug during the setting operation. Therefore, the plugging process requires manually counting rotations and converting two or more separate actuation methods to linear displacement. Some completion plugs involve feeding a set of blades (leaves or segments) contained in the fitting toward and into a groove of the plug. A non-limiting example of this type of completion plug is a LOCK-O-RING® plug (T.D. Williamson, Inc.). Other completion plugs involve expanding a set of blades (leaves or segments) toward and into a groove of the fitting. A non-limiting example of these other completion plugs is a SHORTPLUG™ plug (T.D. Williamson, Inc.) and shown in US 9,091,382 B2. EP3161330 discloses the use of a sensor to determine the position of a lock piston mounted on a pipe fitting. A need exists for a check or indicator that lets a technician know with greater certainty that the leaves or segments are properly engaged in the groove and therefore the plug is in the fully set position prior to relieving pressure on the upstream side of the plug. SUMMARY The invention is a completion system according to the technical features of claim 1 and a method according to the method steps of claim 16. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. A completion system of this disclosure is adapted for use in a pipeline and arranged to move between an open electrical or magnetic circuit and a closed electrical or magnetic circuit that includes a plugging machine and a fitting to the pipeline. In other embodiments of this disclosure, a magnet and proximity switch arrangement is used instead of the electrical circuit. A completion system of this disclosure includes a fitting; a plug body sized for the fitting; a set of blades adapted for securing the plug body within the fitting, the blades having a retracted position and an extended position; a circumferential groove adapted to receive the set blades when in the extended position; and a control bar adapted for use with the plug body. In embodiments of this disclosure, the completion system includes a sensor and the set of blades is adapted to trigger the sensor when the blades are a properly fully extended into the circumferential groove, indicating the plug body is in a properly locked position, and to not trigger the sensor when the blades are not fully extended into the circumferential groove to their proper depth, indicating the plug body is only partially set or not yet in the locked position, or that one or more of the blades are not in the groove. In some embodiments, the sensor indicates a closed electrical circuit. In other embodiments, the sensor indicates a magnetic flux. In embodiments, the plug body is used as an electrical switch in circuit relationship with two electrodes. The first electrode includes the fitting and the second electrode includes the plugging machine adapted for use with the fitting. In some embodiments, the plug body is insulated and includes blades having uninsulated surfaces, the plugging machine including an actuator for the blades and the fitting including a circumferential groove. In other embodiments of the completion system, the plug body includes the circumferential groove and the fitting contains the set of blades and an actuator adapted for extending and retracting the set of blades, the fitting including insulated surfaces surrounding the actuator and the set of blades. The circumferential groove includes uninsulated surfaces, and the set of blades includes insulated and uninsulated surfaces. When the set of blades is less than fully extended into the circumferential groove, the plug body is not in the fully set position within the fitting and the uninsulated surfaces of the set of blades