Ultra-short disposable setting tool

Abstract

A setting tool for setting an auxiliary tool in a well, the setting tool including an inner mandrel having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section having an internal chamber configured to house a power charge; a barrel piston enclosing the upper section of the inner mandrel, the barrel piston having (1) an outer section fixedly attached with a tread to the upper section, and (2) an inner section slidably inserted between the outer section and the upper section; and an actuation chamber located between the upper section of the inner mandrel and the outer section of the barrel piston and configured to receive a pressured gas from the internal chamber, through a slot that extends transversal to the thread of the upper section of the inner mandrel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A setting tool for setting an auxiliary tool in a well, the setting tool comprising:
 an adaptor sub for affixing an ignitor;   an inner mandrel having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section having an internal chamber suitable for housing a power charge, and the lower section configured to connect to an adapter sub for affixing the auxiliary tool;   a barrel piston having slidably engaged inner and outer sections;   an actuation chamber located between the upper section of the inner mandrel and the outer section of the barrel piston; and   a first port located on the upper section of the inner mandrel, wherein the first port is part of a fluid communication passage between the internal chamber and the actuation chamber,   wherein activation of the power charge by the ignitor causes gas to pressurize the actuation chamber and the inner section of the barrel piston to stroke downward to set the auxiliary tool in the well.   
     
     
         2 . The setting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the upper section of the inner mandrel, the inner section of the barrel piston, and the outer section of the barrel piston are concentrically positioned, in this order, prior to activation. 
     
     
         3 . The setting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the setting tool contains no hydraulic fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The setting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the adaptor sub further comprises a manual back-off for gas bleeding. 
     
     
         5 . The setting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the setting tool is self-venting. 
     
     
         6 . The setting tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a dampening element located between an end of the inner section of the barrel piston and the lower section of the inner mandrel so that when the inner section is fully stroked, the end of the inner section squeezes the dampening element against the adapter sub.   
     
     
         7 . The setting tool of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the setting tool as measured from an upper end of the inner mandrel to a lower end of the inner mandrel, prior to activation of the power charge, is 22.5 inches or less. 
     
     
         8 . The setting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the upper section of the inner mandrel has threads configured to engage (1) corresponding treads of the adaptor sub and (2) corresponding threads of the outer section of the barrel piston. 
     
     
         9 . The setting tool of  claim 8 , wherein the outer section of the barrel piston is fixedly attached to the inner mandrel and the inner section of the barrel piston moves in an annulus formed by the inner mandrel and the outer section. 
     
     
         10 . The setting tool of  claim 8 , wherein one or more slots are formed perpendicular to the threads of the upper section of the inner mandrel, and the one or more slots fluidly communicates the first port with a second port formed in the actuation chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The setting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the first port is formed in a lip of the upper section of the inner mandrel. 
     
     
         12 . The setting tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a venting mechanism located between the inner section and the outer section of the barrel piston, the venting mechanism being configured to allow the pressured gas from the activation chamber to escape outside the setting tool,   wherein the venting mechanism is closed when the inner section is not actuated, and the venting mechanism is open when the inner section is fully stroked.   
     
     
         13 . A setting tool for setting an auxiliary tool in a well, the setting tool comprising:
 an inner mandrel having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section having an internal chamber configured to house a power charge;   a barrel piston enclosing the upper section of the inner mandrel, the barrel piston having (1) an outer section fixedly attached with a tread to the upper section, and (2) an inner section slidably inserted between the outer section and the upper section; and   an actuation chamber located between the upper section of the inner mandrel and the outer section of the barrel piston and configured to receive a pressured gas from the internal chamber, through a slot that extends transversal to the thread of the upper section of the inner mandrel.   
     
     
         14 . The setting tool of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a first port located on the upper section of the inner mandrel, wherein the first port ( 310 ) is fluidly connected to a first end of the slot.   
     
     
         15 . The setting tool of  claim 14 , wherein the first port is formed in a lip of the upper section of the inner mandrel. 
     
     
         16 . The setting tool of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a second port located on the upper section of the inner mandrel, wherein the second port is fluidly connected to a second end of the slot.   
     
     
         17 . The setting tool of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 an adaptor sub attached to an upper end of the inner mandrel; and   an adjuster sub attached to a lower end of the inner mandrel.   
     
     
         18 . The setting tool of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 an ignitor located in the adaptor sub; and   the power charge located in the internal chamber,   wherein activation of the power charge by the ignitor causes gas to pressurize the actuation chamber and the inner section of the barrel piston to stroke downward to set the auxiliary tool in the well.   
     
     
         19 . The setting tool of  claim 13 , wherein the upper section of the inner mandrel, the inner section of the barrel piston, and the outer section of the barrel piston are concentrically positioned, in this order, prior to activation, and the setting tool contains no hydraulic fluid. 
     
     
         20 . The setting tool of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a dampening element located between an end of the inner section of the barrel piston and the lower section of the inner mandrel so that when the inner section is fully stroked, the end of the inner section squeezes the dampening element against an adapter sub attached to the lower section.   
     
     
         21 . The setting tool of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a venting mechanism located between the inner section and the outer section of the barrel piston, the venting mechanism being configured to allow the pressured gas from the activation chamber to escape the setting tool,   wherein the venting mechanism is closed when the inner section is not actuated, and the venting mechanism is open when the inner section is fully stroked.   
     
     
         22 . A method for using a setting tool in a casing, the method comprising:
 lowering the setting tool into the casing;   igniting a power charge located inside an inner mandrel of the setting tool;   directing a pressured gas generated by the ignited power charge between an inner section and an outer section of a barrel piston;   actuating the inner section with the pressured gas so that the inner section moves relative to the outer section; and   setting an auxiliary tool attached to the setting tool when the inner section is fully stroked,   wherein an actuation chamber located between the inner mandrel and the outer section of the barrel piston is configured to receive the pressured gas from an internal chamber of the inner mandrel, through a slot that extends transversal to a thread of the upper section of the inner mandrel.