The Dow Chemical Company

Dowell Schlumberger Incorporated

Derrel G Gurley

Claude T Copeland

Wayne F Nelson

Joseph D Scranton

Ernie Sodich

L Michael McKee

Robert L Brookey

A gravel packer and service tool combination for use in subterranean wells operates sequentially to lock and seal the packer in the well at a producing formation, release a mechanical connection between the packer and service tool, and open a passage through which gravel packing can be performed. Each operational step can be performed in primary and secondary fluid pressure-responsive modes of operation. The secondary mode of operation can be employed in the event the primary mode of operation fails.

Gravel packer and service tool

A method of packing a well, particularly an oil, gas or water well. A particle/liquid slurry is injected into the wellbore, the particle density to liquid density ratio of which is no greater than about 2 to 1. The particles are substantially free of surface adhesive. The particles are strained out of the slurry in the wellbore, so as to produce a packed mass of the particles adjacent the formation. The packed mass is such as to allow flow of fluids therethrough between the formation and the wellbore, while substantially preventing particulate material from the formation passing therethrough and into the wellbore. The well may be deviated. The fluid density is preferably about 0.8 to about 1.2 g/cm.sup.3.

Matched particle/liquid density well packing technique

A tool is disclosed for controlling flow of treating fluid from a tubing string into an earth formation, in which the bottom hole pressure is less than the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid in the string. In another application, the tool is used in conjunction with a wash tool to wash sediment out of casing perforations and slotted liners. Before the downhole operation is commenced, a slidable piston in this tool closes off fluid outlet ports, to prevent the fluid from 'gravity flowing' out of the tubing string. The piston is held in the closed position by the co-action of an adjusting bolt and a compression spring. The fluid is released from the tubing string by applying sufficient fluid pressure against the piston to overcome the spring load and thus move the piston downwardly past the fluid outlet port.

Method and tool for controlling fluid flow from a tubing string into a

The invention is an elongated tool for detachably connecting a sand screen and liner assembly to a tubing string. The tool comprises a releasing housing sleeve, a hookup nipple section which partly telescopes within the releasing housing sleeve with the telescoped end closed by a removable hookup nipple plug. A movable hollow piston having a ball valve seat at one end and a cross bore extending through its other end part fits within the other end of the releasing housing sleeve with the cross bore aligned with longitudinally extending slots in the releasing housing sleeve. The hookup nipple has circumferentially extending grooves near its upper end which each mate with an array of bores extending through the releasing housing sleeve. Ball detent elements are disposed in the bores and grooves. When a ball dropped from above seats on the piston valve seat, pressure is applied through the tubing to force the piston downwardly (after breaking a shear pin), dropping a retainer sleeve having an array of slots near its lower end to uncover the arrays of bores and permitting the ball detent elements to fall out. The releasing housing sleeve is thus disconnected from the hookup nipple with the hookup nipple in place.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Derrel G Gurley