US-20260125956-A1 - ADVANCING A TUBULAR STRING IN A WELLBORE

Abstract

A method for displacing a tubular string in a wellbore can include axially vibrating the tubular string at a surface location, and reducing friction between the tubular string and the wellbore due to the axially vibrating. The axial vibration may be imparted by operation of an injector assembly. The axial vibration may be imparted by operation of a vibration tool connected between the injector assembly and a wellhead or a support structure that suspends the injector assembly. The axial vibration may be imparted by varying a flow rate of fluid into the tubular string.

Inventors

• Roger L. Schultz
• Bradley J. Miller

Assignees

• THRU TUBING SOLUTIONS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20250520

Claims (14)

1. 1 . A system for use with a subterranean well, the system comprising: a tubular string deployed in the well; an injector assembly that axially vibrates the tubular string at a surface location, in which the injector assembly comprises an injector chain assembly, the injector chain assembly including multiple motors for driving respective multiple chains; and a control system which varies an electrical input to the motors to thereby axially vibrate the tubular string.
2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , in which the injector assembly axially vibrates the tubular string as the injector assembly displaces the tubular string in a wellbore of the well.
3. 3 - 5 . (canceled)
4. 6 . The system of claim 1 , in which the tubular string comprises a vibration tool.
5. 7 . The system of claim 1 , in which the tubular string comprises continuous coiled tubing.
6. 8 . The system of claim 1 , in which the tubular string comprises jointed pipe.
7. 9 . A system for use with a subterranean well, the system comprising: a tubular string deployed in a wellbore of the well, in which the tubular string comprises jointed pipe; an injector assembly configured to displace the tubular string in the wellbore; and a vibration tool configured to vibrate the injector assembly.
8. 10 . The system of claim 9 , in which the vibration tool is connected between the injector assembly and a wellhead of the well.
9. 11 . The system of claim 9 , in which the vibration tool is connected between the injector assembly and a support structure that suspends the injector assembly above a wellhead of the well.
10. 12 . The system of claim 9 , in which the vibration tool is configured to vibrate the injector assembly as the injector assembly displaces the tubular string in the wellbore.
11. 13 . The system of claim 9 , in which the vibration tool is configured to periodically vary a distance between the injector assembly and a wellhead of the well.
12. 14 . The system of claim 9 , in which the vibration tool is configured to vibrate the injector assembly while an injector chain assembly of the injector assembly grips the tubular string.
13. 15 . The system of claim 9 , in which the vibration tool is configured to axially vibrate the tubular string as the vibration tool vibrates the injector assembly.
14. 16 - 17 . (canceled)

Description

BACKGROUND This disclosure relates generally to equipment utilized and operations performed in conjunction with a subterranean well and, in an example described below, more particularly provides for displacing a tubular string in a wellbore. It can be difficult at time to displace a tubular string through a wellbore. Friction (including differential sticking) can impede the displacement of a tubular string through a wellbore in a variety of different types of well operations (such as, milling, drilling, stimulation, testing, completion, and other types of well operations). It will, therefore, be readily appreciated that improvements are continually needed in the art of displacing tubular strings in wellbores. The present disclosure provides such improvements, which may be used for various different purposes in well operations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a representative partially cross-sectional view of an example of a well system and associated method which can embody principles of this disclosure. FIG. 2 is a representative perspective view of an example of surface equipment which may be used with the FIG. 1 system and method. FIG. 3 is a representative side view of an example of an injector chain assembly of the surface equipment. FIGS. 4A-C are representative graphs of displacement, velocity and axial acceleration over time for a first example of axial vibration of a tubular string in the system and method. FIGS. 5A-C are representative graphs of displacement, velocity and axial acceleration over time for a second example of axial vibration of a tubular string in the system and method. FIGS. 6A-C are representative graphs of displacement, velocity and axial acceleration over time for a third example of axial vibration of a tubular string in the system and method. FIG. 7 is a representative partially cross-sectional view of another example of the well system and method. FIG. 8 is a representative cross-sectional view of an example of a vibration tool that may be used in the FIG. 7 system and method. FIG. 9 is a representative side view of another example of the well system and method. FIG. 10 is a representative schematic view of another example of the well system and method. FIG. 11 is a representative schematic view of another example of the well system and method. FIG. 12 is a representative schematic view of another example of the well system and method. FIG. 13 is a representative partially cross-sectional view of another example of the well system and method. FIG. 14 is a representative cross-sectional view of an example of a vibration enhancing tool that may be used with the well system and method. FIG. 15 is a representative cross-sectional and schematic view of another example of the vibration enhancing tool. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Representatively illustrated in the accompanying drawings is a system, apparatus and associated method which can embody principles of this disclosure. However, it should be clearly understood that the system, apparatus and method are merely one example of an application of the principles of this disclosure in practice, and a wide variety of other examples are possible. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure is not limited at all to the details of the system, apparatus and method described herein and/or depicted in the drawings. In one aspect, this disclosure describes systems, methods and apparatus for advancing a tubular workstring in a wellbore. One example use of the systems, methods and apparatus is to assist in milling frac plugs, or general cleaning or other intervention in long horizontal laterals. The methods and equipment disclosed here can in one example be described as systems, methods and apparatus for inducing axial vibration at the surface into a coiled tubing string for the purpose of aiding in advancing the coiled tubing string in a well. In other examples, the systems, methods and apparatus may be used for other purposes. Downhole vibratory tools are often used near or at a distal end of a tubular workstring. These tools are hydraulically operated in some examples, and create vibration in the tubular workstring which breaks static friction, making it easier move the workstring within a wellbore. As lateral lengths increase, these tools become less effective at creating vibration in the workstring near a heel of the wellbore. In some examples, the systems, methods and apparatus disclosed herein can be specifically useful in creating vibration in the portion of the workstring nearest the surface and the heel portion of the wellbore where downhole vibratory tools located near the distal end of the workstring have limited effectiveness. The systems, methods and apparatus described herein can be complementary with the use of downhole vibratory tools in some examples. Example methods depicted in FIGS. 1 & 2 include variations of a coiled tubing (CT) surface equipment set up. In these examples, the coiled tubing is stored on a reel and is “sn