Hydraulic casing centralizer device, system, and method for expanding the same

Abstract

A hydraulic casing centralizer device includes a cylindrical housing having a central chamber extending through a portion of the cylindrical housing and along a central axis thereof. The hydraulic casing centralizer device includes a locking mechanism that reacts to a hydraulic force when the hydraulic force is applied from an inside of the central chamber. The hydraulic casing centralizer device includes a threaded section that is configured for screwing the device into a casing joint. The threaded section may be disposed in the cylindrical housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hydraulic casing centralizer device, the device comprising:
 a cylindrical housing having a central chamber extending through a portion of the cylindrical housing and along a central axis thereof;   a locking mechanism that reacts to a hydraulic force when the hydraulic force is applied from an inside of the central chamber; and   a threaded section that is configured for screwing the device into a casing joint, the threaded section being disposed in the cylindrical housing.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises radially extendible blades embedded in the cylindrical housing. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the radially extendible blades extend for a length equal to the portion of the cylindrical housing. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , the device further comprising:
 a float collar disposed in an upper receiving area of the cylindrical housing; and   a ball seat coupled to the float collar, the ball seat and the float collar being configured to receive a ball that is dropped inside the device.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the ball seat and the float collar ball receive the ball when the casing joint reaches a predetermined location of a well. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic force is a pressure applied to hydraulically extend the radially extendable blades to fit a hole size to improve casing standoff. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the locking mechanism longitudinally squeezes the radially extendable blades between two springs planted inside the cylindrical housing to hold the radially extendable blades in place. 
     
     
         8 . A system for expanding a hydraulic casing centralizer device, the system comprising:
 a casing joint comprising an upper casing joint and a lower casing joint, the casing joint having a hollowed center that expands through an entire length thereof; and   the hydraulic casing centralizer device, the device comprising:
 a cylindrical housing having a central chamber extending through a portion of the cylindrical housing and along a central axis thereof, 
 a locking mechanism that reacts to a hydraulic force when the hydraulic force is applied from an inside of the central chamber, and 
 a threaded section that is configured for screwing the device into the upper casing joint and the lower casing joint, the threaded section being disposed in the cylindrical housing. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises radially extendible blades embedded in the cylindrical housing. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the radially extendible blades extend for a length equal to the portion of the cylindrical housing. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the device further comprises:
 a float collar disposed in an upper receiving area of the cylindrical housing; and   a ball seat coupled to the float collar, the ball seat and the float collar being configured to receive a ball that is dropped inside the device.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the ball seat and the float collar ball receive the ball when the casing joint reaches a predetermined location of a well. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the hydraulic force is a pressure applied to hydraulically extend the radially extendable blades to fit a hole size to improve casing standoff. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the locking mechanism longitudinally squeezes the radially extendable blades between two springs planted inside the cylindrical housing to hold the radially extendable blades in place. 
     
     
         15 . A method for expanding a hydraulic casing centralizer device, the method comprising:
 identifying a well for disposing a system for expanding a hydraulic casing centralizer device;   lowering the system into the well, the system comprising:
 a casing joint comprising an upper casing joint and a lower casing joint, the casing joint having a hollowed center that expands through an entire length thereof; and 
 the hydraulic casing centralizer device, the device comprising:
 a cylindrical housing having a central chamber extending through a portion of the cylindrical housing and along a central axis thereof, 
 a locking mechanism that reacts to a hydraulic force when the hydraulic force is applied from an inside of the central chamber, and 
 a threaded section that is configured for screwing the device into the upper casing joint and the lower casing joint, the threaded section being disposed in the cylindrical housing; and 
 
   causing the hydraulic force that extends the locking mechanism in an outward direction from the cylindrical housing onto the wellbore wall.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises radially extendible blades embedded in the cylindrical housing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , the method further comprises:
 extending the radially extendible blades for a length equal to the portion of the cylindrical housing.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the device further comprises:
 a float collar disposed in an upper receiving area of the cylindrical housing; and   a ball seat coupled to the float collar, the ball seat and the float collar being configured to receive a ball that is dropped inside the device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , the method further comprises:
 dropping the ball onto the ball seat through the hollowed center; and   receiving the ball on the ball seat and the float collar when the casing joint reaches a predetermined location of a well.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , the method further comprises:
 pushing the ball against the ball seat and into the central chamber; and   longitudinally squeezing the radially extendable blades between two springs planted inside the cylindrical housing to hold the radially extendable blades in place,   wherein the hydraulic force is a pressure applied to hydraulically extend the radially extendable blades to fit a hole size to increase casing standoff.