Tubing anchoring and movement reducing system

Abstract

The present invention provides a ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher for use in tubing strings within petroleum wells. The tubing string may also include a pump for increasing the delivery of petroleum through the well bore. The ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher can be set by a quarter turn. The ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher may act as an anchor that prevents rotation caused by the pump. The ¼ turn tubing anchor may also act as a catcher if the structural integrity of one or more portions of the tubing string fails. The present invention also provides an anchoring and movement reducing system that comprises a ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher, a pump and an torque anchor section. The system anchors the tubing string against rotation caused by the pump. The system may also act as a catcher if the structural integrity of one or more portions of the tubing string fails.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for reducing movement of a tubing string within a well conduit, the system comprising:
 a. a ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher section that comprises one or more slips that are engagable with an inner surface of the well conduit;   b. a pumping section for pumping fluids through the well conduit; and   c. a torque anchor section that comprises one or more slips that are engagable with the inner surface of the well conduit,   
       wherein the ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher section, the pumping section and the torque anchor section are each threadedly connected within the tubing string with the ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher positioned above the pumping section, which is positioned above the torque anchor section. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ¼ turn anchor catcher section further comprises:
 a. a mandrel that is connectible at a first end and a second end within the tubing string, the mandrel comprising an externally facing groove; 
 b. a slip cage that is slidably mountable about the mandrel, the slip cage comprising the one or more slips; 
 c. a first cone element that is slidably mountable about to the mandrel, adjacent the slip cage towards a first end of the tool, the first cone element comprising a first conical surface; 
 d. a drag body that is slidably mountable about the mandrel, adjacent the slip cage towards a second end of the tool, the drag body comprising a drag member that is sized for frictionally engaging an inner surface of the well conduit, a pin for engaging the externally facing groove, and a second conical surface; and 
 e. a biasing member that is slidably mountable about the mandrel adjacent the first cone element for engaging the first cone element when the biasing member is compressed; 
 wherein the ¼ turn anchor catcher section is articulatable between a run-in position and a set position, when in the run-in position the one or more slips are retracted into the slip cage and when in the set position at least the second conical surface is moved underneath the one or more slips for extending the one or more slips outward from the slip cage. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pumping section comprises a multi-lobed, high capacity progressive cavity pump. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the torque anchor section prevents rotation of the tubing string in a right-hand direction. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the torque anchor section has a cross-sectional area that is substantially the same as a cross-sectional area of a stator portion of the pump section. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a tubing hanger for supporting the tubing string and for providing a fluid communication barrier between an inner conduit of the tubing string and the well conduit. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a safe tension tool that is positionable between the tubing hanger and the tubing string for allowing manipulation of the tubing string at a surface while maintaining the fluid communication barrier of the tubing hanger. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising 1 or about 2 tubing joints that are threadedly connectible within the tubing string between the ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher section and the pump section. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising about two tubing joints that are threadedly connectible within the tubing string adjacent each other between the pumping section and the torque anchor section. 
     
     
         10 . A method of setting a movement reducing system within a well conduit comprising steps of:
 a. landing a tubing string within the well conduit, wherein the tubing string is connected to the movement reducing system, the movement reducing system comprising:
 i. a ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher section with a slip that is engagable with the well conduit; 
 ii. a pumping section; and 
 iii. a torque anchor section with a torque anchor slip that is engagable with the well conduit; 
   b. setting the torque anchor so that the torque anchor slip moves into contact with the well conduit;   c. pre-setting the ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher section; and   d. applying torque and tension to the tubing string so that the slip and the torque anchor slip both engage the well conduit.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of landing the tubing string further comprises positioning the pumping section proximal to a geological formation of interest. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of setting the torque anchor comprises a step of rotating the tubing string in a right-hand direction until the torque anchor initially contacts the well conduit. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of setting the ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher section comprises steps of:
 a. lifting the tubing string; and 
 b. lowering the tubing string while turning the tubing string about a ¼ turn to the left. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of lifting the tubing string lifts the tubing string about 1 inch and the step of lowering the tubing string lowers the tubing string between 2 to 7 inches. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein during the step of applying torque and tension to the tubing string, the torque and tension are applied simultaneously. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the torque applied during the step of applying torque and tension to the tubing string the torque is applied in a range of about 750 to 2000 ft/lbs. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the tension applied during the step of applying torque and tension to the tubing string the torque is about 10,000 ft/lbs. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the steps of setting a movement reducing system within a well conduit are performed at a surface above the well conduit. 
     
     
         19 . A method of setting a movement reducing system within a well conduit comprising steps of:
 a. landing a tubing string within the well conduit, wherein the tubing string is connected to the movement reducing system, the movement reducing system comprising:
 i. a ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher section with a slip that is engagable with the well conduit; 
 ii. a pumping section; and 
 iii. a torque anchor section with a torque anchor slip that is engagable with the well conduit; 
   b. setting the torque anchor so that the torque anchor slip moves into contact with the well conduit;   c. pre-setting the ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher section; and   d. applying torque and tension to the tubing string so that the slip and the torque anchor slip both engage the well conduit,   
       wherein the ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher section, the pumping section and the torque anchor section are each threadedly connectible within the tubing string with the ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher is positioned above the pumping section, which is positioned above the torque anchor section. 
     
     
         20 . A system for reducing movement of a tubing string within a well conduit, the system comprising:
 a. a ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher section that comprises one or more slips that are engagable with an inner surface of the well conduit;   b. a pumping section for pumping fluids through the well conduit; and   c. a torque anchor section that comprises one or more slips that are engagable with the inner surface of the well conduit,   
       wherein the ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher section, the pumping section and the torque anchor section are each threadedly connectible within the tubing string with the ¼ turn tubing anchor catcher positionable above the pumping section, which is positionable above the torque anchor section.