Baker Hughes Corporation

Baker Oil Tools, Inc.

Atlantic Richfield Company

Baker International Inc.

John V Salerni

Joseph F Donovan

James R Zachman

Phillip W Schmuck

Steven Rowell Hayter

H Mitchell Cornette

Martin Paul Coronado

Elmer R Peterson

Robert K Bethel

John Barton Weirich

Rodney J Wetzel

Edward C Spatz

Rami J Jasser

John Alan Nelson

Jack D Spencer

Disclosed is a workstring for use in a gravel packing system. The workstring includes a washpipe with at least one port and a selectively openable and closeable closure mechanism in operable communication with the at least one port. Further disclosed is a collet having a collet base and a plurality of collet fingers extending from the collet base. At least one of the collet fingers includes retaining feature, the retaining feature being configured to yield under bending at a selected valve. Yet further disclosed is a method for gravel packing. The method includes gravel packing a wellbore including opening one or more valves in a washpipe as pressure associated with the gravel packing climbs, the valves providing an escape path for a fluid component of the gravel pack to an inside dimension of the washpipe. The method further includes closing the one or more valves in the washpipe.

Workstring and a method for gravel packing

An improved blast liner assembly for use in gravel packing or fracturing operations wherein solid materials, in slurry form, are flowed out of the flowbore of a working tool and into the annulus of a wellbore. The blast liner is a cylindrical member that provides a protective shield to the interior retaining section. An angular flow diverter is provided within the blast liner and has a plurality of angled flow diversion channels formed into the inner surface of the blast liner body. Flow of slurry through the blast liner will cause the blast liner to rotate within the retaining section due to the reaction forces imparted to the blast liner from diverting the slurry flow. In this manner, the impingement area presented by the blast liner is increased, and the life of the blast liner extended. The blast liner may also be caused to move axially within the retaining section to further increase the impingement area.

Rotating blast liner

A high pressure ring seal for tube assembly joints provides structural foundation ring having inside and outside circumferential channels between end rims. The channels and rims are separated by a web of integral ring material. This web is perforated by a plurality of apertures. As an integral coating within both channels and integrally tied through the web apertures is a coating of polymer sealant material. Inside and outside faces of the sealant are pressure equalized by vent apertures through the web apertures.

Seal ring for well completion tools

An apparatus and method for installation of oil field tubulars, such as liners, is disclosed. The invention allows positioning of a liner with assurances that rotational forces or pressure applied within or outside the work string will not actuate the packer or the release assembly above the packer. Specific deliberate steps must be taken in order that rotational forces or applied pressure actuate the packer setting assembly and the disconnect assembly. The preliminary deliberate steps which must be taken also incorporate a feature of converting a gravel pack crossover assembly from the flow through mode to the crossover mode to facilitate the gravel placement. Circulation or reverse circulation to promote removal of debris upon insertion of the assembly without fear of actuation of the packer and disconnect assembly are also provided. A retention system to ensure the continuing functioning of the crossover assembly in the crossover mode is provided such that if differential forces on the sealing member are reduced to a very low value, the retaining mechanism acts to keep the sealing member against the seat to ensure continuing viability of operation of the crossover assembly during the placement of gravel. The unlocking is accomplished with a series of steps which involve reuse of an auxiliary sealing member in at least two positions in the wellbore.

Failsafe liner installation assembly and method

An apparatus and method for installation of oil field tubulars, such as liners, is disclosed. The invention allows positioning of a liner with assurances that rotational forces or pressure applied within or outside the work string will actuate the packer or the release assembly above the packer. Specific deliberate steps must be taken in order that rotational forces or applied pressure actuate the packer setting assembly and the disconnect assembly. The preliminary deliberate steps which must be taken also incorporate a feature of converting a gravel pack crossover assembly from the flow through mode to the crossover mode to facilitate the gravel placement. Circulation or reverse circulation to promote removal debris upon insertion of the assembly without fear of actuation of the packer and disconnect assembly are also provided. A retention system to ensure the continuing functioning of the crossover assembly in the crossover mode is provided such that if differential forces on the sealing member are reduced to a very low value, the retaining mechanism acts to keep the sealing member against the seat to ensure continuing viability of operation of the crossover assembly during the placement of gravel. The unlocking is accomplished with a series of steps which invoice reuse of an auxiliary sealing member in at least two positions in the wellbore.

An auger gravel pack assembly for installation in a gravel packed well includes a fluid loss control closure member retained in a body disposed in a tubing assembly or 'work string' between the gravel pack screen and a running tool and cup-packer assembly. A ball-type closure member is retained by releasable fingers connected to a piston which is responsive to fluid pressure applied through the work string to effect release of the closure ball to engage a seat and substantially prevent flow of fluid from the work string or the wellbore annulus into and through the gravel pack screen after installation of the screen into the gravel pack. Ports in the assembly above the closure member allow fluid to flow between the wellbore annulus and the work string to prevent pressure buildup between the gravel pack and the cup-packer during installation of the screen.

Fluid loss control system for gravel pack assembly

A gravel pack screen assembly includes a bit or sub having a flow passage which may accept a wash pipe. The wash pipe may be inserted past a flapper-type closure member which moves to a closed position upon withdrawal of the wash pipe after completion of the installation of the gravel pack assembly. The closure member can be formed of a porous material to permit the flow of liquid through the bit or sub flow passage into the interior of the gravel pack screen but to prevent flow of gravel packing or produced sand into the interior of the screen. The closure member may serve as a backup to a conventional one-way valve and permit additional gravel pack material to be placed in the flow passage upon completion of the gravel pack installation and in the event of early or late failure of the one-way valve.

Gravel pack installations for wells

An auger gravel pack screen or other wellbore device is driven by a workstring which includes a torque-limiting device interposed therein to limit the maximum torque exerted on the screen during augering into a gravel packing in a well bore. The torque-limiting device includes driving and driven mandrels with removable shear pin support parts connected to the mandrels, respectively, and supporting plural shear pins through which driving torque is exerted on the device. An alternate embodiment includes a slip clutch with cooperating lobed clutch members. An axially translatable nut is disposed in a fluid-filled chamber between the mandrels and is operable to permit controlled rotation of the mandrels relative to each other when the limit torque is exceeded to absorb torsional deflection energy built up in the workstring without damaging the workstring or the gravel pack screen.

Torque limiter for auger gravel pack assembly

A method and apparatus for effecting the completion of non-vertical, including horizontally disposed, portions of a deviated well bore traversing a production formation. To facilitate the insertion of a gravel packing tool string through the curved portion of the well bore, stabilizer elements are maintained in a radially retracted position and then operated to engage the well bore after the tool string is run-in. An anti-rotation tool may be incorporated for connecting the work string to the left hand threads conventionally provided on a conventional packer in order to permit rotation of the entire tool string to facilitate passage through the curved portion of the well bore. Two gravel packing modifications are disclosed, the one employing a single packer and a cross-over tool located at the top end of a plurality of serially connected screens. In the other modification, a plurality of gravel packing sections, including stabilizers, screens, a sleeve valve housing and a packer are serially connected together and run-in. A cross-over tool is then inserted by a separate tubular work string to be initially positioned adjacent the lowermost packer to accomplish the packing of the lowermost screens and then moved to the next packer to successively effect the gravel packing of all of the gravel packing sections.

Method for completing a non-vertical portion of a subterranean well bore

A method and apparatus for effecting the completion of non-vertical, including horizontally disposed, portions of a deviated well bore traversing a production formation. To facilitate the insertion of a gravel packing tool string through the curved portion of the well bore, stabilizer elements are maintained in a radially retracted position and then operated to engage the well bore after the tool string is run-in. An anti-rotation tool may be incorporated for connecting the work string to the left hand threads conventionally provided on a conventional packer in order to permit rotation of the entire tool string to facilitate passage through the curved portion of the well bore. Two gravel packing modifications are disclosed, the one employing a single packer and a cross-over tool located at the top end of a plurality of serially connected screens. In the order modification, a plurality of gravel packing sections, including stabilizers, screens, a sleeve valve housing and a packer are serially connected together and run-in. A cross-over tool is then inserted by a separate tubular work string to be initially positioned adjacent the lowermost packer to accomplish the packing of the lowermost screens and then moved to the next packer to successively effect the gravel packing of all of the gravel packing sections.

Method and apparatus for completing a non-vertical portion of a

A fluid pressure activated firing head for a perforating gun disposed in a subterranean well by a packer is provided with a column of clean fluid overlying and filling the bore of the firing head but communicating with the casing annulus above the set packer. An annular fluid passage extends from the top of the clean fluid column through the set packer and ending in an inverted U-shaped annular passage. A pressure transmitting seal is mounted in the downwardly extending leg of the annular fluid passage to permit the entire fluid passage to be filled with clean fluid of a lighter density than the casing annulus fluids, thus insuring that casing annulus fluid can never enter the interior of the pressure activated firing head.

Apparatus for maintaining clean fluid in a chamber in a subterranean

A fluid pressure activated firing head for a perforating gun disposed in a subterranean well by a packer is provided with a column of clean fluid overlying and filling the bore of the firing head but communicating with the casing annulus above the set packer. A fluid passage is provided at the top of the conduit extending the clean fluid column through the packer, and the downwardly facing leg of the annular fluid passage is provided with a pressure transmitting seal to permit the entire fluid passage to be filled with clean fluid of a lighter density than the casing annulus fluids, thus insuring that casing annulus fluid can never enter the interior of the pressure activated firing head.

Fluid pressure activated firing head for providing clean fluid

A retrievable well packer and gravel packing system employing a multi-component packing element system is disclosed. The packing element system is expandable under axial compression to seal the annulus between a production or treatment tubing string and the well casing. The packing element system includes outer elastically deformable anti-extrusion backup rings and a central primary seal. A resilient member conformable to the surrounding countour, such as wire mesh, is employed between the central primary seal and each backup ring to allow retraction of the backup rings for retrieval.

High pressure retrievable gravel packing apparatus

An apparatus for gravel packing a screen positioned adjacent the casing perforations of a subterranean well incorporates an annular sealing surface immediately above the gravel pack screen. A flapper valve is mounted for movement about a horizontal pivot axis into engagement with the annular valve seat. The flapper valve and the cooperating valve seat are both provided with spherical segment sealing surfaces so as to prevent leakage through the valve due to any misalignment of the pivot axis of the flapper valve with respect to the annular valve seat. With this apparatus, the withdrawal of the gravel packing apparatus at the completion of the gravel packing operations prevents the entry of undesired fluids and contaminates into the producing formation.

Combination gravel packing device and method

The invention provides a method and apparatus for effecting the perforating of a well casing and the gravel packing of the perforated areas of the well casing with one trip into the well of a combined perforating and gravel packing apparatus. This desirable objective is accomplished by a design of the crossover mandrel normally employed in gravel packing apparatus. The mandrel disclosed herein provides, in its run-in position, a continuous axial passage through its entire length, permitting a detonating bar to be dropped therethrough to actuate a perforating gun. Subsequent to the perforation operation, a ball is dropped and seated on an annular sleeve carried within the hollow mandrel which permits the development of internal pressure within the mandrel. Such internal pressure is employed not only to effect the setting of a fluid pressure actuated packer but also to shift the ball supporting sleeve downwardly and uncover a crossover port in the mandrel which permits the gravel packing operation to be carried out conventionally.

Growing community of inventors

Kingwood, TX, United States of America

John V Salerni