Baker Hughes INTEQ

Accelerator Tool Description

and Operations

Reference Manual

750-500-026 Rev. A September 1994

Baker Hughes INTEQ

Technical Publications Group
2001 Rankin Road
Houston, TX 77032
USA
713-625-4415
This manual is provided without any warranty of any kind, either expressed
or implied. The information in this document is believed to be accurate;
however, Baker Hughes INTEQ will not be liable for any damages, whether
direct or indirect, which results from the use of any information contained
herein.
 Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Hydraulic Accelerator Overview

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Accelerator Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Accelerator Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Principle Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Torque Transmission System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Accelerator Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Tool Under Tension Force. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Tool Under Compressive Force. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Operation of the Accelerator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Tool Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Operations Manual i
750-500-026 Rev. A / September 1994 Confidential
Table of Contents Publication Style Guide

ii Baker Hughes INTEQ

Confidential 750-500-026 Rev. A Rev. B / September 1994
 Chapter

Hydraulic Accelerator Overview

The Accelerator is placed above the Jar with a short drill

collar section between the Accelerator and the Jar. The
Accelerator acts as a spring that can store energy when an
overpull is applied to the stuck drillstring.

Introduction
Jarring and fishing operations to free stuck drillstrings can be very
expensive, contributing substantially to the overpull drilling tests of a well.
An increase in the jarring efficiency therefore has great potential for saving
money and time.
The Accelerator is placed above the Jar with a short drill collar section,
between the Accelerator and the Jar. The Accelerator acts as a spring that
can store energy when an overpull is applied to the stuck drillstring. When
the Jar releases, the spring energy also releases. The drill collars and the Jar
accelerate until the Jar Hammer hits the Jar Anvil, applying a high impact
to the stuck point. Accelerators have a large effect especially in shallow
holes and in deep and highly deviated holes.
Baker Hughes INTEQ offers Accelerators in 6-1/4" and 8" tool sizes.

Accelerator Features
The Accelerator has the following features:
• Hydraulic double-acting Accelerator
• Easy and safe to operate
• Sealed torque transmission system
• Different spring ratings for the upward and downward stroke

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• Temperature and pressure compensation downhole

The Accelerator is manufactured from high quality SAE 4140/4145 steel.
The threads are made to API specifications, inspected by Magna-Flux and
phosphate coated. The thread roots of the tool joints are cold rolled upon
request. All movable parts are running in oil and the sealing surfaces are
coated with a special hardfacing, which has a high corrosion resistance
against all types of mud.

Accelerator Purpose
The Accelerator acts as a spring in the bottomhole assembly. See Figure 1.
It is installed a few drill collars above the Jar. When the Jar is firing, the
Accelerator pulls (accelerates) the drill collars much faster than the drill
pipe normally do. The purpose of an Accelerator is to intensify the impact.

Principle Description
The Accelerator consists of internal and external tubes, telescopically
movable like a cylinder and piston; forming a chamber which is filled with
a compressible fluid. See Figure 2. The upper section of the Accelerometer
has a spline area for torque transmission. The lower section is the oil
chamber with a compensating piston, which also compresses the oil if the
Accelerometer is pulled.
The oil pressure acting against the “differential area” of the piston is
responsible for the tension force generated by the Accelerator.
The Double-Acting Accelerator has a seal diameter configuration causing
the oil to be compressed, regardless of the direction in which the system
will be moved out of the middle position.
After assembly and before being run into the hole, the Accelerator has a
free stroke, depending on the tool size. The free stroke serves as pressure
and temperature compensation downhole. The free stroke becomes zero,
due to thermal oil expansion, while running in the hole.

Torque Transmission System

Located in the upper part of the tool, the torque transmission system
features replaceable spline inserts working in oil. See Figure 3. An axial
stroke, upward and downward, is provided.
The torque transmission system is sealed at the lower end by the
Compensating Piston 1, to equalize the internal pressure to the mud
pressure and compensate for any change of oil volume.

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Hydraulic Accelerator

Figure 1.
Accelerator and
Bottomhole
Assembly. The
Accelerator acts as
a spring in the
bottomhole
assembly.

Accelerator Function

Tool Under Tension Force

In Figure 4, the internal parts (1) are pulled upwards, and the lower
mandrel end hits the piston (5). This will cause the oil chamber (4) to be
decreased, because the OD (6) of the piston is larger than the upper seal
diameter (2) or male spline rod (1). The pressure of the compressed oil will

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Hydraulic Accelerator

Figure 2. Double-
Acting Hydraulic
Actuator. The
Double-Acting
Actuator has a seal
diameter
configuration
causing the oil to be
compressed,
regardless of the
direction in which
the system will be
moved out of the
middle position.

now act against the differential area which creates a force to retract the
Accelerator. See Figure 4 about the following equation:

A up = A 6 – A 2

Tool Under Compressive Force

In Figure 5, the internal parts (1) are pushed downward, and the piston is
driven against the pin end (8) of the bottom sub, which will also result in a
reduction of the oil chamber (4), because the upper seal diameter (2) is
larger than the ID (7) of the piston (3). The pressure of the compressed oil

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Hydraulic Accelerator

Figure 3. Torque
Transmission
System. The
Torque
Transmission
System is located
in the upper part of
the tool.
Bumping Nut
(compression stop)

Seal Cap

will now act against the differential area which creates a force to expand
the Accelerator. See Figure 5 about the following equation.

Adown = A 2 – A 7

Operation of the Accelerator

The Accelerator has a small free stroke; i.e., no reacting forces, when
pushing or pulling. This is because of the hydraulic function of the tool. In
the downhole environment, the temperature and pressure increases with the
hole depth. Therefore, the oil volume inside the Accelerator increases
while running in the hole and the free stroke becomes zero.
To measure the free stroke, refer to Figure 6, and perform the following
steps:
1. Connect the Accelerator to the hoist or kelly.

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Hydraulic Accelerator

Figure 4.
Accelerator Parts
Affected Under a
Tension Force.
This schematic
shows the internal
parts affected by a
tension force.

2. Lift the Accelerator off the rig floor.

3. Measure the gap between the Bumping Nut and the Seal Cap.
4. Put the Accelerator into the slips or on the rig floor.
5. Lower the hoist.
6. Measure the gap between the Bumping Nut and the Seal Cap.
7. The difference between the both values is the free stroke.
After the run, under the same conditions, the free stroke has to be measured
again. A decrease of the free stroke can be caused by a higher tool/oil
temperature. An increase of the free stroke will be a sign for seal damage
and possible loss of hydraulic oil.

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Hydraulic Accelerator

Figure 5.
Accelerator Parts
Affected Under a
Compressive
Force. This
schematic shows
internal parts
affected by a
compressive force.

Tool Placement
The Accelerator has to be placed above the Jar, with a recommendation of
two or three drill collars between the Jar and the Accelerator. The optimum
number of drill collars between the Accelerator and the Jar depends on well
path, hole conditions, and bottomhole assembly. The optimum number can
be calculated while using the Jar Performance Program. Too few drill
collars can damage the Jar and too many will dampen the impact.
Following is a Specification List and Legend for the Accelerator.

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Hydraulic Accelerator

Figure 6.
Measuring the
Free Stroke. The
free stroke is
determined by
calculating the
difference between Measure
the two gap values. Gap
Measure
Gap

Accelerator- Accelerator-
Off the Rig Floor On the Rig Floor

The difference between both gap values

equals the free stroke.

Table 1: Accelerator Specification List

Stroke Free Stroke

Tool OD Range Tool ID Stroke Up
Down approx.
inch inch inch, mm inch, mm
inch, mm inch, mm
6-1/4" 6-1/4"–6-3/4" 2-1/4" 15.75" 13.78" 5"
57.15 400 350 130

8" 8"–8-1/2" 2-1/2" 15.75 13.78" 2"

63.50 400 350 50

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Table 2: Accelerator Specification List (continued)

Load Load Torque Tool Temp. Tool

Upwards Downward max. Length limit Weight
Tool OD
max. max. kftlb, approx. degrees F approx.
klb, to klb, to nm ft, mm degrees C lb, kg
6-1/4" 112 67 16 31.5 392 2100
50.8 30.4 21.7 9614 200 950

8" 135 101 40 30.1 392 3530

61.2 45.8 54.2 9185 200 1600

Table 3: Accelerator Specification List Legend

Stroke Up Drawing dimension, depending on the free stroke

Stroke Down Drawing dimension, depending on the free stroke
Free Stroke Depending on the temperature, pressure, and oil volume
Load Upwards Max. load upwards, limited by the chamber pressure
Load Downwards Max. load downwards, limited by the chamber pressure
Torque Max. torque without damage on thread connections
Tool Length (Middle position), depending on tolerances, threads

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