Object manoeuvring apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus ( 12 ) for manoeuvring a downhole object ( 22 ) comprises a casing ( 28 ) and a carriage ( 34 ) slidably mounted within the casing ( 28 ), wherein the carriage ( 34 ) defines a cylinder bore ( 62 ) extending at least partially into a side wall thereof. An engaging member ( 64 ) comprising a piston body ( 66 ) is slidably mounted within the cylinder bore ( 62 ) of the carriage ( 34 ) and is arranged to divide the bore ( 62 ) into first and second piston chambers ( 68, 70 ). The engaging member ( 64 ) is arranged to extend through the wall portion of the carriage ( 34 ) between extended and retracted positions to selectively engage an object ( 22 ) to be manoeuvred. In one disclosed embodiment, the apparatus ( 12 ) is for use in displacing a tool ( 22 ) for setting or retrieving a plug ( 26 ) in or from a Christmas tree ( 132 ).

1 . An apparatus for manoeuvring a downhole object, said apparatus comprising:
 a casing;   a carriage slidably mounted within the casing, wherein the carriage defines a cylinder bore extending at least partially into a side wall thereof; and   an engaging member comprising a piston body slidably mounted within the cylinder bore of the carriage and arranged to divide the bore into first and second piston chambers, wherein the engaging member is adapted to extend through the wall portion of the carriage between extended and retracted positions to selectively engage an object to be manoeuvred.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, in use, the engaging member is moved to an extended position to engage an object located adjacent the carriage to thus secure the object relative to the carriage, and the carriage then be moved within the casing to move or translate the object in the desired manner or direction. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the carriage is moveable in an axial direction relative to the casing of the apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the engaging member is radially moveable relative to the carriage and the casing. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of engaging members are provided and received within respective cylinder bores within the carriage. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the engaging member comprises a boss extending from one side of the piston body and adapted to engage an object to be manoeuvred. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the carriage defines a throughbore extending through the side wall thereof and merging with the cylinder bore, wherein the throughbore is adapted to receive the boss. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the carriage defines a piston and is adapted to be hydraulically actuated within the casing. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the piston body is adapted to be actuated to move or reconfigure the engaging member between said extended and retracted positions. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the piston body defines a double acting piston body and the first and second piston chambers defined on either side of the piston body are in fluid communication with a source of fluid power. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the casing defines at least one fluid port extending through a wall portion thereof for communicating fluid to and from the first and second piston chambers. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one fluid port communicates directly with the first and second piston. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one fluid port communicates indirectly with the first and second piston, via a cavity. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the carriage is generally tubular in shape and defines an axial throughbore adapted to receive an object to be manoeuvred by the apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the carriage comprises at least two regions having different wall thickness. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the engaging member is disposed a region with the greater wall thickness. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein a transition region is defined between adjacent regions of the carriage providing a transition in wall thicknesses between said adjacent regions. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the transition region defines a limiting surface adapted to limit movement of the carriage within the casing. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the carriage comprises three regions axially arranged to define first and second axially opposed end regions and a central region disposed between the first and second end regions. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the central region defines a greater wall thickness than the end regions. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein a respective transition region is defined between the central region and each of the end regions. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the engaging member is mounted within the central region of the carriage. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the casing defines an annular recess, and at least a portion of the central region of the carriage is received and translated within said annular recess. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein first and second annular chambers are defined between the carriage and the annular recess, wherein the volume of the respective annular chambers varies in accordance with movement of the carriage. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the first and second annular chambers are in fluid communication with each other to permit fluid to pass therebetween. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein one of the first and second piston chambers defined on either side of the piston body is in fluid communication with at least one of the first and second annular chambers. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the casing defines first and second annular piston chambers adapted to receive the first and second end regions, respectively, of the carriage, wherein the first and second annular piston chambers are adapted to receive a fluid for actuating the carriage to stroke within the casing. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a carriage sensor adapted to sense the position of the carriage relative to the casing. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein the carriage sensor is mounted on one of the carriage and casing and comprises a displacement member adapted to physically engage a contact surface on the other of the carriage and casing, wherein the sensor is adapted to determine the displacement of the displacement member caused by contact with the contact surface. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the contact surface comprises a ramped surface, such that axial movement of the carriage will cause displacement of the displacement member by engaging with the ramped surface. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an engaging member sensor adapted to sense the position of the engaging member. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the engaging member sensor is mounted on the casing and comprise a displacement member adapted to physically engage a contact surface on the engaging member. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , adapted for use in manoeuvring a downhole tool for retrieving plugs from and setting plugs in a wellhead assembly. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the casing defines a flange portion adapted to be secured to a corresponding flange portion of an external assembly. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus according to  claim 34 , further comprising a sealing adaptor to be engaged with the flange portion of the external assembly, wherein the sealing adaptor comprises a sealing member adapted to provide a seal between the sealing adaptor and the flange of the external assembly. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , adapted for subsea use. 
     
     
         37 . A tool deployment system comprising:
 an apparatus mounted on a wellhead; and   a tool storage package mounted relative to the apparatus, wherein the tool storage package comprises a chamber for storing a tool, wherein the apparatus comprises:
 a casing; 
 a carriage slidably mounted within the casing, wherein the carriage defines a cylinder bore extending at least partially into a side wall thereof; and 
 an engaging member comprising a piston body slidably mounted within the cylinder bore of the carriage and arranged to divide the bore into first and second piston chambers, wherein the engaging member is adapted to extend through the wall portion of the carriage between extended and retracted positions to selectively engage an object to be manoeuvred. 
   
     
     
         38 . A method of manoeuvring a downhole object, said method comprising the steps of:
 mounting an apparatus relative to a subterranean bore, wherein the apparatus comprises:
 a casing; 
 a carriage slidably mounted within the casing, wherein the carriage defines a cylinder bore extending at least partially into a side wall thereof; and 
 an engaging member comprising a piston body slidably mounted within the cylinder bore of the carriage and arranged to divide the bore into first and second piston chambers, wherein the engaging member is adapted to extend through the wall portion of the carriage between extended and retracted positions to selectively engage an object to be manoeuvred; 
   positioning an object adjacent to the carriage;   actuating the engaging member to move to engage the object;   actuating the carriage to move the object; and   actuating the engaging member to move to release the object.