Wireline Release System

Abstract

A wireline release system may include, but is not limited to: a first housing including an internal body portion defining at least one bore; a second housing operably couplable to the first housing; a wireline tie-off assembly, operably couplable to a wireline cable, disposed at least partially within the bore; an assembly disposed at least partially within the bore; a first mechanical weak point configured to maintain the wireline tie-off assembly at a first position of the bore; and a second mechanical weak point configured to maintain the assembly at a second position of the bore.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A wireline release system comprising:
 a first housing including an internal body portion defining at least one bore;   a second housing operably couplable to the first housing;   a wireline tie-off assembly, operably couplable to a wireline cable, disposed at least partially within the bore;   an assembly disposed at least partially within the bore;   a first mechanical weak point configured to maintain the wireline tie-off assembly at a first position of the bore; and   a second mechanical weak point configured to maintain the assembly at a second position of the bore.   
     
     
         2 . The wireline release system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireline tie-off assembly includes:
 a body portion having an outer diameter dimension that is greater than an outer diameter dimension of the wireline and less than an internal diameter dimension of the bore.   
     
     
         3 . The wireline release system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least a portion of at least one viscous fluid disposed within the bore at least between the wireline tie-off assembly and the assembly.   
     
     
         4 . The wireline release system of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the wireline tie-off assembly or the internal body portion defining at least one bore includes:
 at least one non-tortuous fluid flow path configured to transmit at least a portion of viscous fluid around the tie-off assembly while the tie-off assembly is maintained at the first position to allow for pressure equilibration of the viscous fluid.   
     
     
         5 . The wireline release system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 at least one tortuous fluid flow path configured to transmit at least a portion of the viscous fluid from the bore upon pressurization of the viscous fluid via movement of the wireline tie-off assembly within the bore.   
     
     
         6 . The wireline release system of  claim 1 , wherein the first mechanical weak point includes:
 a mechanical weak point having a breaking strength of between 500 and 5000 lbf.   
     
     
         7 . The wireline release system of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly disposed at least partially within the bore includes:
 a plug assembly disposed at least partially within the bore.   
     
     
         8 . The wireline release system of  claim 7 , wherein the second mechanical weak point includes:
 a mechanical weak point coupling the at least a portion of the internal body and the plug assembly and having a breaking strength of from 500 to 5000 lbf.   
     
     
         9 . The wireline release system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least a portion of at least one viscous fluid disposed within the bore at least between the wireline tie-off assembly and the plug assembly includes:
 at least a portion of at least one viscous fluid disposed within the bore at least between the plug assembly and the wireline tie-off assembly.   
     
     
         10 . The wireline release system of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly disposed at least partially within the bore includes:
 a wireline cutting assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The wireline release system of  claim 10 , wherein the wireline cutting assembly includes:
 at least one tapering surface; and   one or more cutting edges configured to engage a wall of the wireline.   
     
     
         12 . The wireline release system of  claim 11 , wherein the second mechanical weak point includes:
 a mechanical weak point configured to maintain the one or more cutting edges in a position where they do not contact the wireline.   
     
     
         13 . The wireline release system of  claim 12 , wherein the mechanical weak point configured to maintain the one or more cutting edges in a position where they do not contact the wireline includes:
 a mechanical weak point coupling at least a portion of the internal body and the one or more cutting edges and having a breaking strength of from 500 to 5000 lbf.   
     
     
         14 . The wireline release system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least a portion of at least one viscous fluid disposed within the bore at least between the wireline tie-off assembly and the plug assembly includes:
 at least a portion of at least one viscous fluid disposed within the bore at least between the wireline cutting assembly and the wireline tie-off assembly.   
     
     
         15 . The wireline release system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a plug assembly disposed at a third position within the bore between the wireline cutting assembly and the wireline tie-off assembly; and   a third mechanical weak point configured to maintain the plug assembly at the third position of the bore.   
     
     
         16 . The wireline release system of  claim 15 , wherein the third mechanical weak point includes:
 a mechanical weak point coupling the plug assembly to the internal body and having a breaking strength of from 500 to 5000 lbf.   
     
     
         17 . The wireline release system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least a portion of at least one viscous fluid disposed within the bore at least between the wireline tie-off assembly and the plug assembly includes:
 at least a portion of at least one viscous fluid disposed within the bore at least between the wireline tie-off assembly and at least one of the plug assembly and the wireline cutting assembly.   
     
     
         18 . The wireline release system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a housing release mechanism configured to couple the internal body portion of the first housing and the second housing.   
     
     
         19 . The wireline release system of  claim 1 , wherein the housing release mechanism includes:
 at least one recess in the second housing;   at least one aperture in the internal body portion;   at least one insert.   
     
     
         20 . The wireline release system of  claim 19 ,
 wherein the insert is disposed at least partially within the recess in the second housing and at least partially within the aperture when the insert is in contact with the wireline tie-off assembly; and   wherein the insert retracts out of the recess in the second housing and into the aperture in the internal body portion when the insert is not in contact with the wireline tie-off assembly.   
     
     
         21 . The wireline release system of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one recess in the second housing includes:
 at least one internal circumferential groove.   
     
     
         22 . The wireline release system of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one insert includes:
 at least one ball bearing.   
     
     
         23 . A method for releasing a wireline comprising:
 applying a first tensile force to a wireline cable connected to a wireline tie-off assembly sufficient to overcome a first mechanical weak point associated with the wireline tie-off assembly;   applying a second tensile force to the wireline cable for a time period sufficient to cause the wireline tie-off to displace a portion of a viscous fluid within a bore; and   applying a third tensile force to the wireline cable connected to a wireline tie-off assembly sufficient to overcome a second mechanical weak point.