Dril-quip, Inc.

Smith International, Inc.

Other

John M Yokley

Larry E Reimert

Mark J Murray

Frank David Kalb

James A Simson

Curtis Wyatt Payne

Robert R Olman

Andrew John Webber

Pat M White

Tommie J Graham, Jr

Ronald J Selby

An improved hold-down assembly for a well tie-back string and methods of use of the same are disclosed. The improved hold-down assembly includes a tie-back string and a hold-down assembly coupled to the tie-back string. The hold-down assembly includes one or more slips and a packer assembly disposed about the tie-back string.

Mechanical hold-down assembly for a well tie-back string

A hybrid-tieback seal assembly and methods for tying a well back to the surface or subsea well head are disclosed. A method to tie a well back to the surface or subsea well head comprises running a hybrid-tieback seal assembly into a wellbore, the hybrid-tieback seal assembly comprising one or more anchoring bodies, one or more packer seal assemblies; and a device for creating a pressure differential in a tieback string, wherein the tieback string is coupled to the hybrid-tieback seal assembly. The method further comprises landing a casing hanger in a well head, increasing pressure in the tieback string, setting the anchoring bodies and one or more packer seal assemblies within at least one of a previously installed liner hanger system and a host casing above a previously installed hanger system, and testing the hybrid-tieback seal assembly down an annulus between the host casing and the tieback string.

Hybrid-tieback seal assembly

Hybrid-tieback seal assemblies, interventionless setting assemblies, and associated methods of setting downhole components of the hybrid-tieback seal assemblies using such interventionless setting assemblies are disclosed. A hybrid-tieback seal assembly comprises one or more anchoring bodies, one or more packer seal assemblies, and one or more interventionless hydraulic setting systems. A method of setting downhole equipment comprises applying a pressure to a compensating volume and providing a working volume, wherein the working volume is separated from the compensating volume by one or more hydraulic control devices. A pressure is applied to the working volume in response to the pressure applied to the compensating volume. The pressure applied to the compensating volume is then reduced and the pressure applied to the working volume is captured by the hydraulic control devices. The captured pressure in the working volume is applied to set one or more of the anchoring bodies and packer seal assemblies.

Hybrid-tieback seal assembly using method and system for interventionless hydraulic setting of equipment when performing subterranean operations

Interventionless setting assemblies and associated methods are disclosed. A method of setting downhole equipment comprises applying a pressure to a compensating volume and providing a working volume, wherein the working volume is separated from the compensating volume by one or more hydraulic control devices. A pressure is applied to the working volume in response to the pressure applied to the compensating volume. The pressure applied to the compensating volume is then reduced and the pressure applied to the working volume is captured by maintaining the pressure applied to the working volume when the pressure applied to the compensating volume is reduced. The captured pressure in the working volume is applied to set downhole equipment.

Method and system for interventionless hydraulic setting of equipment when performing subterranean operations

A downhole tool includes a lock for maintaining a slip in a reduced diameter position when running the tool in the well, and selectively releases the slip to move radially outward to a set position to suspend an anchored portion of the tool within a downhole tubular. The tool includes a mandrel having a through passage, with a hydraulic port within the mandrel that is closed to mandrel internal pressure as the tool is run in the wellbore. A ball seat covers hydraulic ports in the mandrel. A ball may be dropped to seat and increase pressure to open the ports. A piston moves in response to mandrel internal pressure applied through the hydraulic port to unlock the locking device, such that further movement of the piston releases the slip from the reduced diameter position to the set position.

Downhole tool with slip releasing mechanism

A slip assembly () for securing a tool in a well includes an upper and a lower c-ring slip body () each including an outer gripping surface () and inner gripping surface (). An actuator member () is axially movable relative to both slip bodies and includes a camming surface () for engagement with the upper and lower slip bodies. The slip assembly withstands high axial loads, and forces are equally distributed between the slip bodies.

Downhole C-ring slip assembly

A liner hanger running tool () and method are provided for positioning a liner in a well bore. A tool mandrel () is supported from a running string, and a housing () surrounds the tool mandrel. A flow annulus between the mandrel and the housing allows fluid to pass upward through the running tool to a position above the liner. A hydraulic release mechanism () is activated by fluid pressure within the mandrel to axially move a piston () positioned radially outward of the mandrel to release the running tool from the liner.

Liner hanger running tool and method

A downhole toolincludes closure seatsfor seating with a closure, such as a ball. Shear pins or other connectors temporarily limit axial movement of each closure seat which is initially housed within a restricted diameter portion of the central throughbore in the tool body. A piston axially moves in response to fluid pressure to pressurize fluid in a chamber and controllably release fluid through one or more restrictions. The closure seat may be lowered to engage a stop, such that the seat may move axially to an enlarged diameter bore portion of the tool, thereby allowing radial expansion of a closure seat to release the ball.

Downhole tool with hydraulic closure seat

A liner hanger assembly comprises a tool mandrel () suspended on a running string, and a slip assembly () for engaging a casing to support the liner hanger and liner from the casing. The release assembly () releases the set liner hanger from portions of the assembly to be retrieved to the surface. A cementing bushing () is releasable and reinsertable into the liner, and includes a circumferential loading ring ().

Liner hanger tool with re-latchable cementing bushing

The liner hanger running tool includes improvements to the running tool release mechanism, the packoff bushing, and the packer setting assembly. The release mechanism may be operated hydraulically in response to fluid pressure, although the tool may also be released mechanically by right-hand rotation of the running string. The releasing mechanism includes inner piston , an outer piston , and a clutch . The packoff bushing includes a C-shaped lock ring which allows the packoff bushing to be repeatedly restabbed into the top of the liner hanger. The packer setting assembly includes a C-shaped ring for applying set-down weight to a setting sleeve, with pressure assist provided by seals for engaging the mandrel and the setting sleeve . A method is provided for reliably releasing a running tool from a liner hanger, for allowing stabbing of the running tool packoff bushing into the top of the liner hanger, and for reliably setting the radial set packer element.

The plug holder sub for being supported on a conveyance tubular temporarily supports a liner wiper plug so that a pump down plug may land in the liner wiper plug and be supported from a generally tubular body of the plug holder sub. The retaining member is provided for attaching the liner wiper plug to the tubular body, and a piston moves within the tubular body from a retaining position to a release position. A metering jet on a fluid flow path from chamber restrains the piston movement, thereby preventing release of the liner wiper plug until the piston moves to the release position.

Downhole plug holder and method

A retrievable hydraulically operated running tool is run in a wellbore to preform a desired downhole tool activation. The port closure member is movable with a tubular body from a port isolation position to an open port position. A seat supported on the port closure member receives a plug to shift the port closure member to the open port position, wherein the port exposes increased fluid pressure to the piston to move to an activated position. The seat may be deformable for release in the plug from the seat after the port closure member has moved the open port position.

Downhole tool with port isolation

A tool for use in a subterranean wellbore seals with a generally cylindrical interior surface of a tubular or another downhole tool. The tool includes a conveyance tubular for positioning the tool at a selected location below the surface of the well, an annular seal assembly disposed about the conveyance tubular, and a substantially conical wedge ring having an outer surface configured to radially expand the annular seal assembly upon axial movement of the seal assembly relative to the wedge ring. The seal assembly includes a metal framework having an annular base and a plurality of metal ribs each extending radially outward from the base. A primary elastomeric seal is positioned between the ribs , while backup elastomeric seal body is positioned between ribs and and backup seal body is positioned between ribs and

Downhole radial set packer element

There is disclosed a system in which a liner is lowered into and landed within an outer casing. The casing includes a casing joint having upwardly facing landing shoulders formed about its bore, and the liner has a recess thereabout which receives a &ldquo;C&rdquo; shaped hanger carried in a retracted position as it is lowered into the bore. The hanger has teeth about it which are arranged to seat upon the landing shoulders when the hanger is released to expand against the bore so that its teeth may be lowered onto the landing surface.

Liner hanger system

There is disclosed a ball and plug dropping head which includes a housing having an inlet at its upper end and an outlet at its lower end, and passages extending downwardly within the housing at circumferentially spaced locations, each to receive a ball or plug. A lateral opening connects the inlet with each passage beneath a removable plug closing the upper end of each passage, and valves are mounted in the housing each to close the passage beneath the lateral opening and thus beneath a ball on plug in the passage.

Growing community of inventors

Kingwood, TX, United States of America

John M Yokley