Baker International Inc.

Baker Oil Tools, Inc.

Baker Hughes Corporation

David M McStravick

David V Chenoweth

William M Roberts

Neil H Akkerman

Everett H Smith

John R Baker

David M Anderson

To significantly reduce voids in cementing fluids and the effects of cement free fall encountered in well cementing operations, a differential pressure control regulator is inserted in series with the bottom of the well casing to be cemented. Fluid passing through the choke portion passes through an annular valve seat to one end of the tool. A valve stem is slidably and sealably mounted in the flow regulator and has a head portion which, in one position, can contact the valve seating surface and prevent any significant flow of fluid through the casing. The valve stem is biased to one position by a trap chamber filled with a fluid at a known pressure, such as atmospheric pressure, or a vacuum, so that the hydrostatic pressure existing at the bottom of the well casing normally urges the valve head into engagement with the valve seat. Increasing the pressure within the casing, as a consequence of pumping cement, forces the valve head away from the valve seat and permits fluid flow only with a positive surface pumping pressure which minimizes the occurrence of voids in the cement.

Apparatus for controlling well cementing operation

A non-destructive on-site method of inspection, and testing of the insulating performance and reconditioning of a concentric insulating tubular conduit member is disclosed. The insulating tubular conduit members comprise concentric walled members with an intermediate annular insulating cavity defined therebetween. This non-destructive method of testing and inspection is based on a determination of the presence of an unacceptable level of moisture in the annular insulating cavity. Visual, auditory, electrical, and radioactive indicating means can be employed in accordance with the principles of this invention. The use of a vacuum pump to establish at least a partial vacuum in the annular insulating cavity in conjunction with the testing technique employed herein, additionally provides a means for reconditioning and improving the insulating performance of insulating tubular conduits and permits reassembly of a fluid transmission conduit in which each of the tubular conduit sections will have the desirable insulating capacity.

Method of testing and reconditioning insulating tubular conduits

A concentric insulating tubular conduit member for use in forming a conduit string, such as a tubing string in a subterranean well, is disclosed. Each individual concentric conduit comprises an outer tubing and an outwardly flared inner tubing welded to the outer tubing at the end of the flared section. The inner tubing member is formed from an initially straight cylindrical member having enlarged ends and, when outwardly flared, the flared ends, although stretched, have a thickness at least equal to the nominal thickness of the inner tubular member. Insulation may be contained within the annular cavity between the inner and outer tubing members and between inner and outer coupling members at the juncture between adjacent tubing sections.

Insulating tubular conduit apparatus

A metal-to-metal fluid tight seal configuration formed between two abutting tubular members for use in subterranean oil and gas wells is disclosed. A metal-to-metal fluid tight seal is utilized in a shear release expansion joint assembly mounted by means of an anchor seal assembly in a conventional downhole packer. Sealing engagement is provided by plastic deformation of an annular seal ring between two abutting tubular members which are less ductile than the seal ring. In the preferred embodiment the metal-to-metal fluid tight seal is formed between abutting box and pin tubular members and the plastic deformation of the circular ring occurs as the ring is received within a groove in one of the abutting tubular members which has a dissimilar profile in comparison to the cross-section of the circular ring. Plastic deformation occurs as the box and pin members are rotationally threaded together and a continuous fluid tight seal is maintained along surfaces of both tubular members.

Plastically deformed seals in downhole tools

A concentric walled conduit for incorporation within a tubular conduit string, and particularly for use in a subterranean well, is provided with one of the walls corrugated for substantially its entire length, preferably the inner tubular member. The annular space defined between the concentric tubular member contains a high heat resistant insulating material disposed around the outer surface of the inner tubular member. Each end of the annular space containing the insulating material is effectively sealed, and secured, such as by welds. The inner wall may be prestressed in tension for counteracting the forces which may be produced by a temperature differential between the tubular member walls of concentric conduit.

Concentric walled conduit for a tubular conduit string

A split-stream method and apparatus for preventing the accumulation of liquids, such as water or oil, in subterranean gas wells having low shut-in bottom hole pressures is provided. A compressor whose capacity can be less than the theoretical adiabatic horsepower for full wellhead depletion, is used to remove a two-phase liquid-gas mixture through a secondary fluid transmission conduit. Production of dry gas in larger quantities through a primary production conduit is then possible since liquids cannot accumulate to kill the well. An optional mechanism for initiating production in very low pressure wells and a means of preventing the buildup of paraffin is also described.

Gas well liquid removal system and process

Method of making insulated tubular conduit

The disclosure provides a method and apparatus for effecting the noncontact opening of a flapper valve disposed downhole in a well. Such flapper valves may be located below a seal bore in a downhole tool such as a packer. An annular housing having external seals engagable with the seal bore can be positioned within the downhole tool. Fluid circulation through the annular housing during insertion is permitted by a ball valve mounted in its axial bore and engagable with a downwardly facing sealing surface. Upon engagement of the seals on the annular housing with the seal bore, the housing is converted into a piston and the amount of force exerted on trapped fluid between the annular housing and the flapper valve may be adjusted by adding weight from the tubing string. Fluid pressure above the flapper valve is increased to a level exceeding the closing forces on the flapper valve and the valve opens without any mechanical contact being made therewith. Subsequently the annular housing may be passed downwardly through the flapper valve and is expanded into the bottom of the well by dropping a ball into engagement with an upwardly facing sealing surface on the annular housing and increasing the fluid pressure above the ball to a level sufficient to shear the shearable connection between the annular housing and the production tool.

Method and apparatus for opening downhole flapper valves

A method and apparatus are provided for operating a two position flow valve disposed in a subterranean well, for example a safety valve located near the bottom of a subterranean well, through the application of cyclic pressure applied to fluid confined in the annulus between conduits, such as well casing and a production string. Valving apparatus is provided adjacent to the flow valve to be controlled which derives a pressure signal from the cyclic pressure of the fluid annulus which is effective to maintain the valve in one of its two positions so long as the cyclic pressure exists, but permits the valve to shift to its other position upon termination or significant reduction of the cyclic pressure. In this manner, reliable operation of a flow valve, such as a safety valve, may be achieved without the necessity of running any auxiliary hydraulic control lines to such valve.

Cyclic annulus pressure controlled oil well flow valve and method

A seal assembly for downhole use in a subterranean well comprises inner and outer concentric annular sealing elements adapted to seal between an inner mandrel and an outer housing. The sealing elements are mounted in concentric annular recesses defined in relatively axially movable seal carrier members. In a preferred form, a spring loaded mechanism is provided to bias the seal carriers axially towards each other, thereby exerting an axially compressive force on the sealing elements between them. The compressive force is sufficient to expand the sealing elements against the sealing surfaces of the mandrel and outer housing, whereby non-elastomeric sealing elements, or seal elements which have become effectively non-elastomeric, can be utilized. Releasable latches are provided for attachment of the seal assembly to the associated housing.

Seal assembly with energizing mechanism

Insulating tubular conduit apparatus and method

A method and apparatus as provided for periodically supplying a quantity of fluid containing a corrosion inhibitor or other treating fluid to both the internal and external surfaces of downhole components of a subterranean well. The corrosion inhibitor is introduced in the fluid that normally fills the annulus defined between the well casing and the production string. This fluid is periodically subjected to a cyclic pressure and the cyclic pressure is employed to operate valving apparatus disposed in the vicinity of the packer to periodically inject a quantity of the annulus fluid containing the corrosion inhibitor into a bypass passage extending through the packer and, hence, into the production fluid, which the carries the corrosion inhibitor to internally disposed downhole components in the well bore.

Method and apparatus for treating well components with a corrosion

A well tool, such as a packer apparatus, is adaptable for insertion on a conduit within a subterranean well having casing therein. The well tool comprises a cylindrical mandrel which is communicable to the conduit. Slip means are carried exteriorly around the mandrel and are movable into expanded position for anchoring the apparatus to the casing whereby subsequent longitudinal movement of the apparatus in at least one direction is prevented. Seal means are circumferentially extending exteriorly around the mandrel and are urgable into sealing relation with the casing to prevent fluid communication thereacross, the seal means comprising at least one section of transversely compressible seamless, knitted elements generally defined by a continuous series of interlocking ductile metal-containing loop members.

Well tool having knitted wire mesh seal means and method of use thereof

An apparatus is provided for the selective disengagement of a fluid transmission conduit which is insertable through a second conduit for communication to a zone within a well bore, and for control of fluid transmission from the zone upon disengagement of the fluid transmission conduit. The apparatus defines a sealing means, usually a packer assembly, which communicates with the interior of the fluid transmission conduit for isolating an annular area between the fluid transmission conduit and the second conduit and above the zone. Valve means carried by the fluid transmission conduit and communicating with the sealing means is manipulatable between open and closed positions for selective isolation of fluid flow through the sealing means to the fluid transmission conduit. Conduit disengaging means are defined above the valve means for communication with and carriage by the fluid transmission conduit, the conduit disengaging means being responsive to manipulation of the fluid transmission conduit after manipulation of the valve means to closed position for disengagement of the fluid transmission conduit.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

David M McStravick