Halliburton Company

Otis Engineering Corporation

Ralph H Echols, Iii

Colby M Ross

Dhirajlal C Patel

Phillip Terry Thomas

Marion Dewey Kilgore

Henry Louis Restarick

Tommy Frank Grigsby

Joseph L Pearce

James B Renfroe, Jr

Bhanubhai H Patel

Daniel L Patterson

Using a specially designed push-on coupling structure the facing end portions of two tubular well completion structures, such as a length of coil tubing and a tubular coupling member, are fixedly and sealing connected to one another simply by pushing one of the end portions into the other end portions. The coupling structure includes an O-ring seal member carried by one of the end portions for creating a fluid tight seal between the telescoped end portions; a radial projection carried by one of the end portions and receivable in a side wall slot in the other end portion for preventing appreciable relative rotation between the telescoped end portions; and an axially split locking ring member coaxially threaded onto one of the end portions and having a gripping thread section disposed thereon and operative to engage the other end portion in a manner permitting the two end portions to be initially telescoped with one another but precluding their subsequent axial separation. This push-on coupling apparatus is representatively illustrated as being incorporated in a coil tubing splice member, on opposite ends of a tubular well completion device such as a landing nipple, and on a two piece push-together coupling structure used to operatively connect two tubular sand screen sections.

Push-on coupling apparatus for tubular well completion structures

A travel joint and latching assembly is connected below a gravel pack service tool to set an isolation assembly while performing backwashing and gravel pack operations, in a single trip. The travel joint is protected against inadvertent expansion by a positive mechanical lock assembly which isolates and decouples mechanical loading forces which may arise during the setting of the packer and during gravel pack operations. Inadvertent set of the hydraulic packer during backwashing operations is prevented by a hydraulic setting tool which includes a shear sleeve and an expandable C-ring drop ball seat.

One trip backwash/sand control system with extendable washpipe isolation

A well tool assembly and a method of operating same including a clutch which provides a rotary-driving connection between a running tool and well tool mandrel when the running tool is rotated in a first direction (e.g. clockwise) and has cammed surfaces which ride up on complementary cammed surfaces on the mandrel to disengage the clutch when the running tool is rotated in a second (e.g. counterclockwise) or opposite direction. Once the clutch is disengaged, the running tool can be disconnected from the mandrel by rotating the running tool in said first direction. The clutch can be disengaged either hydraulically at the same time a well tool (e.g. a packer) is being hydraulically set or by rotation of the running tool in the second direction in the event the well tool assembly becomes stuck before the assembly reaches its destination.

Releasable running tool for setting well tool

A hydraulic setting apparatus has an isolation sleeve which covers setting ports and prevents entry of hydraulic setting fluid into a pressure settable tool such as an inflatable packer or a hydraulic packer. The mandrel of the setting tool is mechanically coupled to the mandrel of the pressure settable completion tool by a guide tube which provides an enlarged counterbore chamber. The guide tube is intersected by radial setting ports which permit entry of the pressurized fluid for pressurizing a hydraulic pressure chamber in the completion tool. A shiftable isolation sleeve opens and closes the setting ports. A radially outwardly biased split C-ring is engaged against the bore of the isolation sleeve. Longitudinal travel of the split C-ring is limited by a shear collar which is releasably pinned to the isolation sleeve.

Hydraulic setting sleeve

A two-way retrievable packer plug is installed in the production bore of a flow conductor by straight insertion, and is retrieved by a one trip straight pull operation. The plug assembly includes a core mandrel which is enclosed within a tubular latch mandrel on which an annular seal assembly is mounted for sealing engagement against the production bore of a flow conductor. A latch key is yieldably biased by a coil spring for interlocking engagement with a latch retainer lug carried on a landing receptacle attached to the flow conductor. The latch key is moveable from a radially extended position in which it is engageable against the latch retainer lug so that the latch key is blocked against axial displacement relative to the landing receptacle as the plug mandrel is inserted into or withdrawn out of the flow conductor. The latch key is moveable to a radially retracted position in which it is released from blocking engagement with the latch retainer lug to permit passage of the latch key relative to the lug as the core mandrel is fully inserted within or fully retracted from the flow conductor. The latch key is supported in the radially extended position by raised shoulder portions of the core mandrel. The core mandrel is intersected by an equalizing passage which is open during run-in and insertion. The equalizing passage is sealed automatically by a slideable isolation sleeve as the running tool is separated from the plug, and is opened automatically during retrieval of the plug.

Non-rotatable, straight pull shearable packer plug

An isolation valve for a downhole well completion system having a one piece frangible, ceramic sealing element and an extrusion resistant resiliently faced valve seat and a method for the use thereof is presented. Said sealing element is biased to the closed position and rotatable within a sealing element chamber from an open position during run in to a closed position as a result of the withdrawal of a wash pipe and a protector tube from the valve bore. Said frangible sealing element cooperates with said extrusion resistant valve seat to provide a reliable pressure resistant seal. After recovery of completion fluids from the well bore and pressure testing of the production string, the frangible sealing element is shattered by impacting with a tooth-faced blind box hammer.

System containing expendible isolation valve with frangible sealing

A retrievable packer includes a selectively releasable anti-rotation coupling lug for preventing premature setting of the packer. The lower wedge and packer mandrel are coupled together by the anti-rotation lug during running and setting operations. The anti-rotation lug is slidably received within an L-slot formed in the packer mandrel, and is selectively releasable to permit rotation of the service tool relative to the packer mandrel during retrieving operations. During run-in and retrieving operations, the anti-rotation lug is confined within a circumferentially extending portion of the L-slot, thereby limiting longitudinal travel of the packer mandrel relative to the lower wedge. The service tool can then set down on the packer for pushing the lower wedge out from under the anchor slip. The anti-rotation lug also provides a rotational lock between the slip carrier and the lower wedge, thereby preventing rotation of the slip carrier and anchor slips relative to the lower packer components during running and setting operations.

Non-rotational versa-trieve packer

A well system employs a pump to lift liquid through a primary tubing and subsurface safety valve. The tubing passes through a packer and a vent valve vents gas from the well through the packer. The power transfer means may extend through the vent valve and the vent valve may also control a cross-over in the packer for recirculation of liquid to the pump when the well is shut-in. The vent valve has associated therewith a kill valve permitting pumping of kill fluid into the well. The vent remains closed in the presence of ambient pressure up to a selected value and above this value the kill valve opens thus permitting testing of the packer with annulus pressure below the selected pressure and pump through to kill the well with pressure above the selected pressure.

Growing community of inventors

Carrollton, TX, United States of America

Ralph H Echols, Iii