Apparatus and method to retrieve bowl protector prior to landing hanger

Abstract

A method tor completing a well includes drilling a well through a wellhead having an annular bowl protector inserted therein. The bowl protector lias an internal recess. A lower end of a casing string is lowered through the bowl protector. A centrahzer having a plurality of lugs on an outer surface is installed on a retrieval joint of casing of the casing string. The retrieval joint of casing and the eentralizer is lowered so the logs engage the internal recess of the bowl protector. The retrieval joint of casing is raised to lift the centralker and bowl protector out of the wellhead.

What is claimed is. 
     
         1 . A method for completing a well, comprising:
 (a) drilling the well through a wellhead having an annular bowl protector inserted therein, the bowl protector having an internal recess;   (b) lowering a lower end of a casing string through the bowl protector;   (c) installing a centralmer on a retrieval joint of casing of the casing string, the centralizer having a plurality of logs on an outer surface;   (d) lowering the retrieval joint of casing and the centralizer so the lugs engage the internal recess of the bowl protector; and   (e) raising the retrieval joint of casing to lift the centralizer and bowl protector out of the wellhead.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bowl protector has a plurality of slots extending from the internal recess to a top end of the bowl protector, the method further comprising removing the bowl protector from the centralizer by rotating the bowl protector relative to the centralizer to align the lugs with the slots and sliding the lugs axially through the slots. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bowl protector has a plurality of slots extending from the internal recess to a top end of the bowl protector, the method further comprising removing the bowl protector from the centralizer by rotating the bowl protector clockwise relative to the centralizer to align the lugs with the slots and sliding the lugs axially through the slots. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bowl protector has four slots extending from the internal recess to a top end of the bowl protector and the number of lugs is four, the method further comprising removing the bowl protector from the centralizer by rotating the bowl protector relative to the centralizer to align the four lugs with the four slots and sliding the lugs axially through the slots. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bowl protector has a plurality of slots extending from the internal recess to a top end of the bowl protector, and a lug stop located on a lateral side of at least one slot, the method bather comprising rotating the bowl protector relative to the centralizer until at least one of the lugs contacts the lug stop, then sliding the lugs axlaljy through the slots to remove the bowl protector from the centralizer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each lug has a top surface and the internal recess has a downward facing ledge, wherein raising the bowl protector out of the wellhead comprises engaging each lug top surface with the downward facing ledge. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method timber comprises after step (e);
 removing the bowl protector from the centralizer;   removing the centralizer from the retrieval joint of casing; and   landing a casing hanger in the wellhead.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieval joint of casing is below a joint of casing for attaching to a casing hanger, the method further comprising, after step (e), landing the casing hanger in the wellhead. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the centralizer comprises two or more centralizer segments, and wherein step (c) farther comprises completing a connection between the eentralizer segments. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the centrahzer comprises two or more centralizer segments, and wherein step (c) further comprises completing a plurality of connections between the centralizer segments so that each centrahzer segment is releasably attached to an adjacent centralizer segment and the eentralizer can move axially along a portion of the retrieval joint of casing. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the eentralizer comprises a plurality of bowed members and the lugs are located on an outer surface of the bowed members, wherein step (d) comprises urging the bowed members inward then allowing the bowed members to move outward to engage the lugs with the internal recess of the bowl protector. 
     
     
         12 . A method for completing a well, comprising:
 (a) drilling the well through a wellhead having a bowl protector inserted therein, the bowl protector having an internal recess;   (b) lowering a lower end of a casing string through the bowl protector;   (c) installing a centralizer having a plurality of centralizer segments on a retrieval joint of casing of the casing string, and completing connections between each centrahzer segment, the centralizer having a plurality of hags on an outer surface;   (d) lowering the retrieval joint of casing and the centralizer so the lugs engage the internal recess of the bowl protector;   (e) raising the retrieval joint of casing to lift the centralizer and bowl protector out of the wellhead;   (f) removing the bowl protector from the centralizer and removing the centralizer from the retrieval joint of casing; and   (g) attaching a casing banger to the casing string and landing the casing hanger in the wellhead.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the bowl protector has a plurality of slots extending from the internal recess to atop end of the bowl protector, and wherein:
 step (f) comprises rotating the bowl protector relative to the centralizer to align the lugs with the slots and sliding the lugs axially through the slots to remove the bowl protector from the centralizer; and   step (f) further comprises removing the bowl protector from the casing string.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each centralizer segment has a hinge connecting member, and wherein completing connections between each centralizer segment comprises coupling the binge connecting member of one of the centralizer segments with the binge connecting member of the adjacent centralizer segment. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each centralizer segment has a hinge connecting member, and wherein removing the centralizer from the retrieval joint of casing comprises uncoupling the hinge connecting member of one of the centralizer segments from the hinge connecting member of the adjacent centralizer segment. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the centralizer comprises a plurality of bowed members and the lugs are located on an outer surface of the bowed members, wherein the bowed members are urged inward then the bowed members are allowed to move outward to engage the lugs with the internal recess of the bowl protector. 
     
     
         17 . A method for completing a well, comprising:
 (a) drilling the well through a wellhead having a bowl protector inserted therein, the bowl protector having an internal recess and a plurality of slots extending from the internal recess to a top end of the bowl protector;   (b) lowering a lower end of a casing string through the bowl protector;   (c) installing a retrieval tool on a retrieval joint of casing of the casing string, the retrieval tool comprising two or more centralizer segments and a plurality of bowed members with lugs fastened to an outer surface of the bowed members;   (d) lowering the retrieval joint of casing and the retrieval tool so the lugs engage the internal recess of the bowl protector; and   (e) raising the retrieval joint of casing to lift the retrieval tool and bowl protector out of the wellhead.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein each centralizer segment has an upper ring portion with an upper hinge connecting member and a lower ring portion with a lower hinge connecting member, and wherein releasably securing the retrieval tool to the retrieval joint of casing comprises coupling the upper and lower image connecting members of one of the centralizer segments with the upper and lower hinge connecting members of the adjacent centralizer segment. 
     
     
         19 . The method of claim l 7  wherein step (d) comprises urging the bowed members inward then allowing the bowed members to move outward to engage the lugs with the internal recess of the bowl protector. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (e) further comprises rotating the bowl protector relative to the cage centralizer to align the lugs with the slots and sliding the lugs through the slots to remove the bowl protector from the centralizer.