Churchill launches world' s first hydraulic pipe recovery tool

ABERDEEN, United Kingdom -- Churchill Drilling Tools, the provider of innovative dart activated drilling tools, has launched the HyPR (Hydraulic Pipe Recovery) system for the rapid and cost-effective recovery of stuck pipe.

Stuck pipe situations cost operators hundreds of millions of dollars a year in wait times. The HyPR tool, developed by the Houston and Aberdeen-located company, can cut that cost significantly by enabling operators to get back on track much more quickly.

The HyPR tool offers the simplest method to recover the drill pipe rapidly and to begin side-tracking right away. It also delivers a clean cut for operators wanting to maximize BHA recovery options.

Churchill Drilling Tools’ director Mike Churchill said, “Churchill has already forged a strong reputation in the Gulf of Mexico, where our dart technology, has been recognized for its versatility, capability and reliability in challenging environments. What is exciting for the Company is that the HyPR system is the first product conceived and developed specifically for the GOM market and we are expecting it to deliver significant time savings for operators in the region.”

The HyPR system consists of a robust full strength sub, strategically positioned in the drill string. It is severed in around an hour by launching and pumping through a HyPR jetting dart, which lands inside the sub.

The dart takes only a few minutes to arrive and, with a relatively short period of pumping, will part easily under a small loading, simultaneously producing a perfect fish-neck for subsequent operations.

The expected mode of use is to set a kick-off plug, before coming out of hole with the recovered pipe. However the system also provides excellent jarring and internal wireline access for further recovery operations.

The HyPR tool comes in a range of sizes and connections to suit any drill string configuration. It is a natural partner to Churchill’s DAV (Dart Activated Valve), which can be positioned below to allow circulation to first be regained in pack-off situations. It is also compatible with a wide range of drilling jars.

The system contains no explosives or high energy sources and no specialist equipment or personnel are required. The cost-saving benefits are significant for most programs; however, it is particularly useful in expensive or remote locations where external assistance is more costly to mobilize.