Otis Engineering Corporation

Carter R Young

Amareswar Amancharla

Richard M Sproul

Henry J James

Colby M Ross

Robert W McCollum

Ross M McCurley

Richard Kerzee

Frank Giusti, Jr

Jack W Tamplen

Steve R Pounds

Richard J Trahan

John B Wilkie, Jr

A single bore packer is modified by a dual flow seal unit for gas lift completion. This permits the operator to inject lift gas into the upper casing annulus at the well head, bypass the hanger packer and conduct the lift gas into the suspended production tubing below the fluid level. The dual flow seal assembly is sealed internally against the packer mandrel, with the lift gas being conducted through a bypass flow passage between the seal mandrel and the packer mandrel, and being discharged into the lower casing annulus through a discharge port formed through the packer mandrel below the packer seal element package. The hang weight load of the production tubing is decoupled with respect to the packer seal elements by a set of internal ratchet slips which transfers the hang weight load from the packer mandrel onto the anchor slips and well casing at a location below the seal element package.

Single bore packer with dual flow conversion for gas lift completion

An improved seal element especially for well packers having multiple mandrels, the improvement providing slits therein of various configurations which allow the seal element to be expanded to sealing condition in response to longitudinal compression such that the resultant stresses created within the element body are minimized in that they are substantially evenly distributed therethrough, thus enabling the multiple packer to seal more readily and to withstand greater pressure differentials.

Packer seal means and method

A packer is locked onto a service tool by separation shear pins during a run-in operation. The separation shear pins are decoupled with respect to run-in handling forces by a set of transfer support lugs. The transfer support lugs carry the weight of the packer and the hang weight of equipment supported by the packer so that no weight is applied to the shear pins during a run-in operation. The packer is set and its hang load is transferred to the separation shear pins after the packer is set by the application of hydraulic pressure against an annular piston carried on the service tool. The piston is locked during run-in by a group of transit shear pins. Movement of the annular piston shears the transit pins and unsupports a collet latch to permit retraction of the transfer support lugs and disengagement of the service tool mandrel from the packer. The service tool is then released from the packer by increasing hydraulic pressure or by pulling up on the work string, or both, and shearing the separation shear pins. Upon release, the service tool can be reciprocated freely within the packer bore for accommodating a gravel pack service operation.

Multi-position tool and method for running and setting a packer

A system for releasably anchoring well tools within a tubing string at a preselected downhole location. The system includes a running tool, locking mandrel, and landing nipple. Control fluid pressure is used to ensure positive engagement of the locking mandrel within the landing nipple prior to releasing the running tool from the locking mandrel. The locking mandrel and running tool are particularly useful for installation of surface controlled subsurface safety valves. However, the system can be used to install a wide variety of flow control devices and/or well tools.

Downhole lock system

A method of and apparatus for treating or completing wells to provide surface controlled subsurface safety systems in the wells, whether at the time of original completion or when the well is reworked or reequipped. A method and apparatus is provided for installing receptacles at the upper ends of one or more lower well flow conductors left in place in the well below the surface for receiving the lower ends of corresponding upper flow conductor sections having surface controlled subsurface safety valves connected therein for controlling undesired flow from the well through said lower flow conductors in the event of an emergency, disaster or accident damaging the surface flow controlling system or threatening the integrity thereof. A hanger or packer may be installed in the well casing below the surface for supporting the upper ends of the lower flow conductor or conductors therebelow and providing means for connecting receptacles at the upper ends of said lower flow conductors above such hanger or packer. The upper flow conductors having the flow controlling safety valves mounted therein may then be installed in the well in flow communication with the receptacles and the tubing strings or flow conductors therebelow. The upper flow conductor sections may have concentric or laterally offset parallel flow control fluid conduits communicating therewith for controlling actuation of the safety valves from the surface of the well. Also, conductor line means is provided for conducting fluids from above the hanger or packer at the upper end of the lower flow conductor to the annulus in the well casing therebelow for gas lift or for injection into the well producing formation, as desired. Check valve means is provided for controlling back-flow through such conductor means from below the hanger or packer to the annulus in the well casing thereabove. There is also disclosed apparatus and method for protecting the lower tubing strings and hanger therefor from damage in the event of an unintentional upward pull being exerted on the upper tubing string. There is disclosed apparatus and method for landing in the tubing hanger a locator head having multiple strings of tubing for cooperating with the lower tubing strings. A locator head, manipulated from a single string of tubing, is then landed. Thereafter, an additional flow string of tubing is installed between the surface and the locator head.

Method of completing wells in which the lower tubing is suspended from a

A method of and apparatus for treating or completing wells to provide surface controlled subsurface safety systems in the wells, whether at the time of original completion or when the well is reworked or re-equipped. A method and apparatus is provided for installing receptacles at the upper ends of one or more lower well flow conductors left in place in the well below the surface for receiving the lower ends of corresponding upper flow conductor sections having surface controlled subsurface safety valves connected therein for controlling undesired flow from the well through said lower flow conductors in the event of an emergency, disaster or accident damaging the surface flow controlling system or threatening the integrity thereof. A hanger or packer may be installed in the well casing below the surface for supporting the upper ends of the lower flow conductor or conductors therebelow and providing means for connecting receptacles at the upper ends of said lower flow conductors above such hanger or packer. The upper flow conductors having the flow controlling safety valves mounted therein may then be installed in the well in flow communication with the receptacles and the tubing strings or flow conductors therebelow. The upper flow conductor sections may have concentric or laterally offset parallel flow control fluid conduits communicating therewith for controlling actuation of the safety valves from the surface of the well. Also, conductor line means is provided for conducting fluids from above the hanger or packer at the upper end of the lower flow conductor to the annulus in the well casing therebelow for gas lift or for injection into the well producing formation, as desired.

Plural parallel tubing with safety joints or release from suspended

A well packer and service seal unit for setting the packer in a well bore and depositing a gravel or slurry pack within the well bore. The packer includes a tubular mandrel connectible with a tubing handling string and adapted to support a gravel pack sand screen below the packer, a setting sleeve, top slips, bottom slips, internal slips, and seal elements supported on the mandrel for holding the packer in a well casing against a pressure differential in either direction and sealing with the casing to isolate a producing zone in the well bore. The service seal unit is insertable into the packer for supporting the packer as it is lowered in the well bore, setting the packer, and directing fluid flow to place the gravel or slurry pack in the well bore around the screen below the packer seal elements. The service seal unit includes a top sub, a tubular housing, a cross-over packing sub, a J-slot mandrel, cross-over weldments, an operating cylinder and piston, a setting sleeve, and upper and lower packing mandrels. The service seal unit also includes spring loaded lugs which inhibit the packer from setting if it becomes wedged in the bore hole during installation. The service seal unit is particularly adapted to set the packer by hydraulic pressure. In operation the service seal unit is telescoped into the packer at the surface end of the well bore, supported on the tubing string, and the service seal unit supported packer is then lowered to the proper depth in the well bore where the packer is set by hydraulic pressure applied to the service seal unit through the tubing string. The gravel pack or slurry pack is then pumped through the tubing string and outwardly into the well bore through the service seal unit and packer below the seal elements on the packer. Thereafter the service seal unit is retrieved and a production tubing string is coupled into the packer for producing the well.

Service seal unit for well packer

A well tool such as a multiple packer which is held in the well against downward movement by engagement of the tool with the well casing such as through a no-go shoulder and held against upward movement by a latch system which after the tool is in place in the well is moved axially along the tool upwardly into engagement with a no-go shoulder in the casing and secured at this point. The tool is removed by releasing the latch assembly. 220 Houston, Texas 77098

Well tool

A method of and apparatus for treating or completing wells to provide surface controlled subsurface safety systems in the wells, whether at the time of original completion or when the well is reworked or reequipped. A method and apparatus is provided for installing receptacles at the upper ends of one or more lower well flow conductors left in place in the well below the surface for receiving the lower ends of corresponding upper flow conductor sections having surface controlled subsurface safety valves connected therein for controlling undesired flow from the well through said lower flow conductors in the event of an emergency, disaster or accident damaging the surface flow controlling system or threatening the integrity thereof. A hanger or packer may be installed in the well casing below the surface for supporting the upper ends of the lower flow conductor or conductors therebelow and providing means for connecting receptacles at the upper ends of said lower flow conductors above such hanger or packer. The upper flow conductors having the flow controlling safety valves mounted therein may then be installed in the well in flow communication with the receptacles and the tubing strings or flow conductors therebelow. The upper flow conductor sections may have concentric or laterally offset parallel flow control fluid conduits communicating therewith for controlling actuation of the safety valves from the surface of the well. Also, conductor line means is provided for conducting fluids from above the hanger or packer at the upper end of the lower flow conductor to the annulus in the well casing therebelow for gas lift or for injection into the well producing formation, as desired. Check valve means is provided for controlling back-flow through such conductor means from below the hanger or packer to the annulus in the well casing thereabove.

Apparatus for treating or completing wells

Precompletion apparatus for use in air drilling and casing a problem formation in a well including a casing landing nipple at the lower end of a first string of solid well casing installed by suitable conventional techniques, an expendable plug for engagement in the casing landing nipple to plug a well bore after air drilling below the casing landing nipple to control the well during inserting of a slotted liner, an expending shoe for engaging and displacing the plug downwardly from the landing nipple, a slotted well bore casing for lining a well bore along a problem formation which has been air drilled, and a casing hanger for supporting the slotted liner along the air drilled portion of the well bore from the landing nipple. The plug and hanger each have locking keys engageable with a casing landing nipple and expandable seals for sealing with a seal surface along the casing landing nipple. The expendable plug is used to close the well bore above the air drilled portion for pressure conrol while lowering the liner into the well bore. The plug is engaged and lowered in the well bore by the expending shoe which is supported on the lower end of the liner. The liner is lowered into the air drilled section of the well bore and supported from the casing landing nipple by the hanger. The plug remains supported from the lower end of the liner after installation of the liner.

Well bore liner hanger

A method and apparatus for incrementally treating a section of an earth formation around a well to improve fluid flow into the well. The method includes the steps of installing a well casing provided with spaced landing nipples, perforating and treating a bottom portion of the formation by suitable standard procedures including employing a packer in the casing above the location of perforation and treating, running a retrievable plug into the well bore, releasably locking the plug at one of the landing nipples above the first location of perforation and treating, running a perforator into the well above the plug and perforating the casing above the plug, treating the formation through the perforations above the plug, and thereafter sequentially treating the formation at selected depths up the hole by engaging the plug with a combination overshot handling tool and perforator to lift the plug upwardly and install the plug at the next landing nipple above the previously perforated and treated zone, releasing the combination tool from the plug and perforating the casing above the plug, removing the combination tool from the well bore and introducing treating fluid into the formation through last perforations made above the plug, and reintroducing the combination tool to lift the plug to the next landing nipple up the well above which perforating and treating is desired.

Apparatus for treating wells

Precompletion apparatus for use in air drilling and casing a problem formation in a well including a casing landing nipple at the lower end of a first string of solid well casing installed by suitable conventional techniques, an expendable plug for engagement in the casing landing nipple to plug a well bore after air drilling below the casing landing nipple to control the well during inserting of a slotted liner, an expending shoe for engaging and displacing the plug downwardly from the landing nipple, a slotted well bore casing for lining a well bore along a problem formation which has been air drilled, and a casing hanger for supporting the slotted liner along the air drilled portion of the well bore from the landing nipple. The plug and hanger each have locking keys engageable with a casing landing nipple and expandable seals for sealing with a seal surface along the casing landing nipple. The expendable plug is used to close the well bore above the air drilled portion for pressure control while lowering the liner into the well bore. The plug is engaged and lowered in the well bore by the expending shoe which is supported on the lower end of the liner. The liner is lowered into the air drilled section of the well bore and supported from the casing landing nipple by the hanger. The plug remains supported from the lower end of the liner after installation of the liner.

Well plug with anchor means

A well casing hanger for suspending a string of tubing from an outer casing landing nipple, with the hanger structure automatically engaging the nipple structure and latched to a locked state withstanding either suspended weight or upward pull in tension. Hanger structure release is provided by rotation of a member operating a threaded coupling on the upper end of the hanger-operating mandrel through providing a recess to accommodate internal lugs of locking keys so they can be cammed inwardly and unlocked with lifting upward movement of the hanger structure from the landing nipple.

Rotation release two-way well casing hanger

A method of incrementally treating a section of an earth formation around a well to improve fluid flow into the well. The method includes the steps of installing a well casing provided with spaced landing nipples, perforating and treating a bottom portion of the formation by suitable standard procedures including employing a packer in the casing above the location of perforation and treating, running a retrievable plug into the well bore, releasably locking the plug at one of the landing nipples above the first location of perforation and treating, running a perforator into the well above the plug and perforating the casing above the plug, treating the formation through the perforations above the plug, and thereafter sequentially treating the formation at selected depths up the hole by engaging the plug with a combination overshot handling tool and perforator to lift the plug upwardly and install the plug at the next landing nipple above the previously perforated and treated zone.

Growing community of inventors

Lewisville, TX, United States of America

Carter R Young