Method of longitudinally splitting a pipe coupling within a wellbore

摘要

A method of removing a pipe string anchored in cement within a wellbore involves the use of a coupling cutter having a linear charge that is magnetically oriented radially and rotationally within the pipe. The coupling cutter also has a coupling sensor that identifies the location of a coupling electronically. One first determines the free length of pipe that is above the cement. The coupling sensor then finds the lowest coupling that is just above the cement level so that the linear charge can be axially aligned to that coupling. A magnet on the cutter properly orients the linear charge both radially and rotationally relative to the inner wall of the pipe. The charge is detonated to longitudinally split the coupling. The pipe string is then disassembled and pulled from the wellbore.