US 12,084,935 B2
Mechanical autonomous punch and cut system
Mohammed Alsheikh, Dammam (SA); Atef Shoman, Abqaiq (SA); Ossama R. Sehsah, Dhahran (SA); Amjad Alshaarawi, Khobar (SA); and Richard Mark Pye, Aberdeenshire (GB)
Assigned to SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Dec. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/063,014.
Prior Publication US 2024/0191586 A1, Jun. 13, 2024
Int. Cl. E21B 29/00 (2006.01); E21B 31/16 (2006.01); E21B 43/119 (2006.01); E21B 44/00 (2006.01); E21B 47/09 (2012.01)
CPC E21B 29/005 (2013.01) [E21B 31/16 (2013.01); E21B 43/119 (2013.01); E21B 44/00 (2013.01); E21B 47/09 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
13. A method for cutting a pipe in a wellbore comprising:
independently lowering, without being supported by a wireline or coil-tubing from a surface of the wellbore, a mechanical autonomous pipe cutting system downhole in the pipe to a location where interaction between the pipe and walls of the wellbore limits a downhole movement of the pipe, the location identified by a control unit of the system in electronic communication with a sensor module, a locking unit, and a punching unit based on output of the sensor module;
actuating the locking unit of the system to engage an inner surface of the pipe and to prevent the system from moving further downhole within the pipe;
moving a plurality of punching elements of the punching unit radially relative to an axis of the system;
rotating a cutting unit by a motor of a body of the system to sever the pipe; and
retrieving the severed pipe to a surface location along with the system locked to the inner wall of the severed pipe.