Grapple Release Tool and Methods Thereof

Abstract

A grapple release tool comprising: a main body; an upper piston, wherein the upper piston is disposed inside the main body, and wherein the upper piston is adapted to shift towards a first end of the main body; a pop lock having, wherein the pop lock is disposed inside the main body, wherein the pop lock is removably connected to the upper piston; a secondary housing, wherein the secondary housing is disposed inside the main body over the pop lock; a pop lock spacer disposed in the secondary housing, wherein the pop lock spacer is disposed around a second end of the pop lock; and an upper box recut insert disposed in a first end portion of the main body is disclosed. Methods of making and using the grapple release tool are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A grapple release tool comprising:
 a main body;   an upper piston, wherein the upper piston is disposed inside the main body, and wherein the upper piston is adapted to shift towards a first end of the main body;   a pop lock, wherein the pop lock is disposed inside the main body, wherein the pop lock is removably connected to the upper piston;   a secondary housing, wherein the secondary housing is disposed inside the main body over the pop lock;   an optional pop lock spacer disposed in the secondary housing, wherein the optional pop lock spacer is disposed around a second end of the pop lock; and   an upper box recut insert disposed in a first end portion of the main body.   
     
     
         2 . The grapple release tool of  claim 1 , wherein the main body further comprises a first nose shear screw and a plug. 
     
     
         3 . The grapple release too of  claim 2 , wherein the first nose shear screw prevents the upper piston from shifting until the grapple release tool is activated with an upper dart. 
     
     
         4 . The grapple release tool of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the main body, the pop lock, the optional pop lock spacer, the secondary housing, and the upper box recut insert is made from a stainless steel with a minimum yield of 130 ksi. 
     
     
         5 . The grapple release tool of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the main body, the pop lock, the optional pop lock spacer, the secondary housing and the upper box recut insert is made from a stainless steel. 
     
     
         6 . The grapple release tool of  claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter of the main body is from about 4.5-inches to about 9-inches. 
     
     
         7 . The grapple release tool of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a top subassembly; and 
 an upper ball seat disposed inside the top assembly, wherein the upper ball seat is adapted to shift towards a shoulder of the top subassembly; 
 wherein the first end of the main body is connected to a second end of the top subassembly. 
 
     
     
         8 . The grapple release tool of  claim 6 , wherein the top subassembly further comprises a second nose shear screw. 
     
     
         9 . The grapple release tool of  claim 8 , wherein the second nose shear screw prevents the upper ball seat from shifting downward until the grapple release tool is activated with a ball. 
     
     
         10 . The grapple release tool of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a bottom subassembly; 
 wherein a first end of the bottom subassembly is connected to a second end of the secondary housing. 
 
     
     
         11 . The grapple release tool of  claim 10  further comprising:
 an upper dart; 
 wherein a first end of the upper dart is at least partially disposed within the upper box recut insert. 
 
     
     
         12 . The grapple release tool of  claim 10  further comprising:
 an upper dart; and 
 a wiper ball, wherein the wiper ball is latched to a first end and/or a second end of the upper dart; 
 wherein the first end of the upper dart is at least partially disposed within the upper box recut insert. 
 
     
     
         13 . The grapple release tool of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a ball, wherein the ball is disposed in the upper ball seat. 
 
     
     
         14 . The grapple release tool of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a ball, wherein the ball is disposed in a seat of the upper ball seat. 
 
     
     
         15 . A method of making a grapple release tool comprising:
 (a) installing an upper piston into a main body;   (b) installing a pop lock into the main body;   (c) installing a secondary housing over the pop lock and into main housing;   (d) installing an optional pop lock spacer onto the pop lock;   (e) installing an upper box recut insert into the main body;   (f) installing an upper ball seat into a top subassembly;   (g) installing the top subassembly onto the main body; and   (h) installing a bottom subassembly onto the main body;   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 (i) installing first nose shear screw into the main body to prevent the upper piston from shifting until the grapple release tool is activated, and a second nose shear screw into the top subassembly to prevent the upper ball seat from shifting until the grapple release tool is further activated. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 (j) installing a plug into the main body. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein step (a) comprises:
 (a) dressing the upper piston with a first seal and a c-ring; and then installing the upper piston into the main body.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein step (a) comprises:
 (a) installing the upper piston on the main body and then installing a first temporary shear screw into the main body to prevent the upper piston from moving during assembly.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein step (c) comprises:
 (c) installing the secondary housing over the pop lock and into splines of the main body.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein step (c) comprises:
 (c) dressing the secondary housing with a second seal and then installing the secondary housing over the pop lock and into the main housing.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein step (e) comprises:
 (e) dressing the upper box recut insert with a third seal and then installing the upper box recut insert into the main body.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein step (f) comprises:
 (f) dressing the upper ball seat with a fourth seal and then installing the upper ball seat into the top subassembly.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein step (g) comprises:
 (g) installing the top assembly onto the main body and then installing a second temporary shear screw into the top subassembly to prevent the upper ball seat from moving during the assembly.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 (i) removing the first temporary shear screw from the main body and then installing a first nose shear screw into the main body, and removing the second temporary shear screw from the top subassembly and then installing a second nose shear screw into the top subassembly. 
 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (j) comprises:
 (j) dressing the pug with a seal and then installing the plug into the main body.   
     
     
         27 . A method of using a grapple release tool comprising:
 (a) locating a grapple release tool within a bottom hole assembly;   (b) placing an upper dart inside a drill string and deploying the upper dart down a bore of the drill string;   (c) when the upper dart lands inside an upper box recut insert, the grapple release tool diverts fluid flow to a piston bias area of an upper piston; and   (d) when the fluid flow overcomes a pop lock, the grapple release tool shifts the upper piston upward and releases the pop lock from the main body.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein step (a) comprises:
 (a) locating the grapple release tool within the bottom hole assembly to provide optimal results when retrieving the bottom hole assembly from a stuck position in a well bore.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein step (b) comprises:
 (b) placing the upper dart inside the drill string and deploying the upper dart by gravity or by pumping down the bore of the drill string.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein step (d) comprises:
 (d) when the fluid flow overcomes the pop lock and a first nose shear screw, shifting the upper piston upward and releasing a finger on the pop lock from the main body.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising:
 (e) diverting fluid flow thorough a vent. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising:
 (f) separating the main body from a secondary housing. 
 
     
     
         32 . A method of using a grapple release tool comprising:
 (a) locating a grapple release tool within a bottom hole assembly;   (b) placing a ball inside the drill string and deploying the ball by gravity or by pumping down the bore of the drill string;   (c) when the ball lands on an upper ball seat, sealing the upper ball seat; and   (d) when the fluid flow overcomes the upper ball seat and a second nose shear screw, shifting the upper ball seat downward against a shoulder in a top subassembly.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising:
 (e) diverting fluid flow through a vent. 
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein step (b) comprises:
 (b) placing the ball inside the drill string and deploying the ball by gravity or by pumping down the bore of the drill string.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein step (a) comprises:
 (a) locating the grapple release tool within the bottom hole assembly to provide optimal results when retrieving the bottom hole assembly from a stuck position in a well bore.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein step (b) comprises:
 (b) placing the ball inside the drill string and deploying the ball by gravity or by pumping down the bore of the drill string.