Halliburton Company

Halliburton Services

Michael E McMahan

Burchus Q Barrington

David S Wesson

Flint R George

Gary D Zunkel

Donald W Winslow

Gerald D Jackson

Daniel A Newman

An above packer perforate, test and sample tool. The tool includes a tester valve which is positioned above a well packer and which has a bypass which provides communication between a well annulus above the packer and a firing mechanism for guns positioned below the packer. When the well annulus pressure is raised, the firing mechanism is triggered. The bypass may be closed prior to firing of the guns, and after perforation, a valve in the tester valve may be opened to flow a sample of well fluid into a sampling chamber located above the tester valve. A method of testing a well formation utilizing the apparatus is also disclosed.

Above packer perforate test and sample tool and method of use

A tool for activating the firing head of a perforating gun located below a packer by applying pressure to the upper well annulus while maintaining an unimpeded bore between the perforating gun and the pipe string. The tool is provided with a flow valve to prevent flow through the flow bore when closed, and a circulation valve which permits fluid flow from the upper annulus into the flow bore when open and a means of switching the valves so that when one is open the other is closed. A method of using the tool to complete a well is also disclosed.

Perforating gun firing tool and method of operation

An annulus pressure responsive downhole tool includes a housing with an operating element disposed in the housing. The operating element is movable from a first element position to a second element position relative to the housing. A hydrostatic well annulus pressure referenced annulus pressure responsive first power piston is disposed in the housing and movable from a first to a second position thereof relative to the housing in response to an increase in well annulus pressure. A lower than hydrostatic well annulus pressure referenced annulus pressure responsive second power piston is disposed in the housing and is operatively associated with the operating element for permitting the operating element to move from its first element position to its second element position in response to movement of the second power piston from a first position to a second position thereof relative to the housing. A prevention device is operatively associated with the first and second power pistons for preventing the second power piston from moving to its second position until the first power piston has moved at least part way towards its second position.

Hydrostatic referenced safety-circulating valve

A recloseable auxiliary valve includes a cylindrical housing having a central flow passage disposed therethrough. A flapper valve is disposed in the housing and is movable between a closed position wherein the central flow passage is closed and an open position wherein the central flow passage is open. An operating mandrel is provided for operating the flapper valve upon telescoping movement of the mandrel relative to the housing. A releasable locking system is provided for locking the mandrel and the flapper valve in their open position. A time-delay system is provided to prevent premature telescopingly collapsing movement of the mandrel relative to the housing as the auxiliary valve is run into the well.

Recloseable auxiliary valve

A recloseable circulation valve includes a cylindrical housing having a central flow passage disposed therethrough and having a power port and a circulation port disposed through a wall thereof. An operating mandrel is telescopingly received in the upper end of the housing. A valve sleeve is slidably received in the housing and movable to open and close the circulation port. A power mandrel is disposed in the housing and is connected to the valve sleeve for moving the valve sleeve from an initial position toward an open position. A mandrel lock is provided for locking the operating mandrel and power mandrel together after the power mandrel moves the valve sleeve from its initial position. The power mandrel and valve sleeve are initially held in their initial positions by a shear pin assembly. After the power mandrel moves the valve sleeve upward toward its open position, and the power mandrel is locked to the operating mandrel by the mandrel lock, the circulation valve may be subsequently repeatedly opened and closed by picking up weight from or setting down weight on the circulation valve. Methods of testing and treating subsurface formations utilizing such a circulation valve are also disclosed.

Circulation valve

A spherical valve member type having a drill pipe tester valve and a moving apparatus to provide for moving the spherical valve member axially relative to the housing between its said open and closed positions, thereby permitting downward forces exerted upon the spherical valve member in its said closed position due to fluid pressure in the well test string above the spherical valve member, to be transmitted substantially entirely to the housing through the engagement of the downward facing surface of the lower valve seat structure and the upward facing surface of the housing. A latch device is provided for latching the spherical valve member in its closed position as the well test string is lowered into the well and for subsequently releasing the spherical valve member and allowing it to move to its open position when the well test string is finally positioned within the well. A resilient means is provided to prevent movement of the spherical valve member to its open position until a predetermined force is applied to the tester valve. Upon picking up the well test string the latching device provides a safety valve feature by moving the spherical valve member back to its closed position.

Drill pipe tester and safety valve

A drill pipe tester valve includes a spherical valve member supported from an upward facing surface of a housing so that downward forces exerted on the valve member in its closed position, due to fluid pressure in a string of pipe above the valve member, are transmitted substantially entirely to said housing. A latching device is provided for latching the spherical valve member in its closed position as the string of pipe and tester valve are lowered into a well and for subsequently releasing the spherical valve member and allowing it to move to its open position when the string of pipe and tester valve are finally positioned within the well. Additionally, a spring is utilized to control the closing of the equalization port in the drill pipe tester valve in order to provide a positive indication of the closing of the equilization port and to eliminate the use of a J-slot positioning means and cooperating lug.

A drill pipe tester valve includes a spherical valve member supported from an upward facing surface of a housing so that downward forces exerted on the valve member in its closed position, due to fluid pressure in a string of pipe above the valve member, are transmitted substantially entirely to said housing. A latching device is provided for latching the spherical valve member in its closed position as the string of pipe and tester valve are lowered into a well and for subsequently releasing the spherical valve member and allowing it to move to its open position when the string of pipe and tester valve are finally positioned within the well.

A drill pipe tester valve includes a spherical valve member supported from an upward facing surface of a housing so that downward forces exerted on the valve member in its closed position, due to fluid pressure in a string of pipe above the valve member, are transmitted substantially entirely to said housing.

Drill pipe tester valve

A drill pipe tester valve includes a housing having a first end adapted to be connected to a well test string, which housing has a flow passage therethrough. A spherical valve member having a valve bore therethrough is disposed in the flow passage of the housing. Lugs are attached to the housing for engaging the spherical valve member and rotating the spherical valve member between open and closed positions as the spherical valve member is moved axially relative to the housing. A resilient coil compression spring is located above the spherical valve member, between the housing and the spherical valve member for automatically closing the spherical valve member when the well test string is statically positioned within a well, and for automatically opening the spherical valve member and allowing well fluid within the well to fill the well test string above the spherical valve member as the well test string is lowered into the well.

Growing community of inventors

Duncan, OK, United States of America

Michael E McMahan