Greene, Tweed of Delaware, Inc.

Baker Hughes Corporation

Hughes Tool Company LLC

Merle L Bell

Douglas Julius Lehr

Richard Paul Rubbo

Richard L Forehand

Scott C Schuette

Weston W Woods

Jesus Martinez

William F Keyser, Jr

Ronney P Edwards

Daniel P Bagley

Charles E Pitts, Jr

Martin P Coronado

Ian Gravill

An anti-extrusion ring for a packer assembly comprises first and second ring portions that are divided into a plurality of discrete arcuate segments. The segments are adapted for movement between a retracted position wherein each segment is in contact with adjacent segments, and an expanded position wherein gaps are formed between the segments. At least one of the ring portions is adapted to face a resilient sealing sleeve of the packer assembly. The first ring portion is circumferentially offset from the second ring portion such that at least one of the first and second ring portions extends across the gaps during movement of the segments toward the expanded position. In this manner, extrusion of the sealing sleeve through the gaps is prevented.

Anti-extrusion device for downhole applications

A seal assembly having a first seal with a first mating surface and a recess in the first mating surface, and a second seal having a second mating surface and a recess in the second mating surface. The first mating surface of the first seal is adjacent to the second mating surface of the second seal and a first thermal expansion restricter is received simultaneously into the recesses of the first and second mating surfaces of the first and second seals, respectively.

Seal assembly with thermal expansion restricter

A seal assembly seals a cylindrical clearance space between first and second coaxial members, and is installed in a coaxial annular groove in the first member. The groove has a mouth, first and second side walls, and a base wall extending therebetween. An elastomeric annular seal element has in toroidal cross-section an axial leg and a radial leg. The axial leg extends axially along the groove base wall and includes axial end portions and a mid-portion therebetween. The radial leg extends radially from the mid-portion toward and through the groove mouth, and has opposing side surfaces and a contact surface therebetween. The contact surface is outside the groove and sealingly contacts the second member. A non-elastomeric annular back-up element is positioned adjacent one of the seal element radial leg side surfaces, and prevents extrusion of the seal element when pressure is applied adjacent the other side surface. The back-up element defines an annular channel that opens away from the adjacent seal clement side surface and toward the respective groove side wall. An annular biasing element is positioned in the channel and provides a radial force on the seal element and the back-up element toward the groove base wall, and prevents the back-up element from becoming displaced with respect to the seal element when pressure is applied to the seal assembly.

Seal assembly with backup elements having coil springs positioned therein

An annular expandable seal assembly is disclosed for being packed between inner and outer cylindrical walls. The seal assembly has an annular expandable elastomeric seal element, an annular non-elastomeric anti-extrusion element, and an arcual non-elastomeric anti-extrusion bridge element. The seal element has opposing inner and outer axial surfaces and opposing first and second radial surfaces. The anti-extrusion element is coaxially positioned at the first radial surface and has a toroidal gap. The bridge element is positioned between the seal element and the anti-extrusion element in alignment with the toroidal gap. The seal assembly is set by being expanded so that the inner and outer surfaces respectively sealingly contact the inner wall and the outer wall, the toroidal gap expands, and the anti-extrusion element and the bridge element contact the outer wall. When pressure is applied to the set seal assembly adjacent the second radial surface, the anti-extrusion element and the bridge element together function as a backup to prevent seal element extrusion at the outer wall.

Expandable seal assembly with anti-extrusion backup

A subterranean well casing float tool has a tubular metal housing which is securable to well casing conduit. A valve is carried within the housing and comprises a frame with a valve head and seat carried relative to the frame and biased toward closed position. A compartment includes the valve head for enclosure around a bias, such as a spring, when the valve head is moved away from the valve seat. The valving components are directly secured to the housing by threads having profiled shear surfaces such that the shear area of the valving members is substantially greater than that of the housing.

Subterranean well casing float tool

A subterranean well casing float tool is comprised of a tubular metal housing which is securable to a well casing conduit. Varing means are implaced within the housing, with substantially all of the components of the valving means, save a biasing means, are thermosetting. The valving means has a thermosetting frame and valve head and valve seat means relative to the frame. A biasing member, such as a compressed spring is used for urging the valve head toward the valve seat to a closed position. A compartment including the valve head is provided for enclosure around the biasing means when the valve head is moved fully away from the valve seat to protect the spring from errosive turbulent fluid flow when the valve head is in the open position relative to the seat. The valving means is directly secured to the housing by means of thread members having profiled shear surfaces such that the shear area of the valving means is substantially greater than that of the metal housing.

A well packer is shown having an annular packing element surrounded on either side by axially shiftable annular shoulders. Extrusion preventing devices are located between each shoulder and the packing element to prevent extrusion of the packing material during use. The extrusion preventing devices include an outer split ring having a generally triangular cross-section defined by a cylindrical abutment surface for abutment with the outer conduit, a tapered sidewall engageable with one of the shoulders, and a planar surface which is substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the packer. The planar surface has an innermost radial extent which joins the tapered sidewall and an outermost radial extent which joins the cylindrical abutment surface. The extrusion preventing device also includes an inner split ring of complimentary shape but reversely arranged to the outer ring. The planar surface of the inner ring is provided with a circumferential land which joins the innermost radial extent for engaging the innermost radial extent of the outer ring to prevent extrusion of the packing element past the extrusion preventing device.

Growing community of inventors

Willis, TX, United States of America

Merle L Bell