BR122013000179B1 - SHUTTER ADJUSTMENT ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF ADJUSTING A RADIAL ADJUSTMENT SHUTTER ELEMENT - Google Patents

Description

Report of the Invention Patent for "SHUTTER ADJUSTMENT ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF ADJUSTING A RADIAL ADJUSTMENT SHUTTER".

Divided from PI0209857-1, filed on May 15, 2002. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When drilling a well, a drillhole is typically drilled from the earth's surface to a selected depth and a row of casing pipes is suspended and then cemented into place within the drillhole. A drill is then passed through the initial covered drill hole and is used to drill a smaller diameter drill hole to an even greater depth. A smaller diameter casing tube is then suspended and cemented into place within the new probe bore. This is conventionally repeated until a plurality of concentric casing tubes are suspended and cemented into the well to a depth that causes the well to extend through one or more hydrocarbon production formations.

Instead of suspending a concentric liner tube from the bottom of the probe hole to the surface, a liner is often suspended adjacent to the lower end of the previously suspended liner tube, or from a previously suspended and cemented liner. extending the liner from the previously fitted liner or liner at the bottom of the new probe bore. A lining is defined as a lining pipe that does not extend to the surface. A liner hanger is used to suspend the liner within the lower end of the previously fitted liner or liner tube. Typically, the casing hanger may be provided with a joining tool for connecting the casing to a row of casing pipes extending from the casing hanger to the surface.

A slide and adjusting tool disposed at the lower end of a work tubing can be releasably attached to the liner hanger, which is attached to the top of the liner. The working tubing lowers the liner hanger and liner into the open probe hole so that the liner extends below the lower end of the previously fitted liner or liner tube. The borehole is filled with fluid, such as selected drilling mud, which flows around the liner and the liner hanger as the liner is moved to the borehole. The assembly is moved into the well until the casing hanger is adjacent to the lower end of the previously adjusted casing tube or casing, typically with the lower end of the casing slightly above the bottom of the open probe hole.

When the liner reaches the desired location with respect to the bottom of the open probe bore and the previously fitted liner or liner, an adjusting mechanism is conventionally actuated to move the sliding sleeves on the liner hanger from a retracted position to a expanded position and for engagement with the previously adjusted casing tube or casing. Then, when seated weight is applied to the hanger sliding sleeves, the sliding sleeves will be adjusted to support the liner. The typical casing hanger can be driven either hydraulically or mechanically. The liner hanger may have either a hydraulically operated adjusting mechanism for adjusting the slider sleeves or a mechanically operated adjusting mechanism for adjusting the sliding sleeves. A hydraulically operated adjusting mechanism typically employs a hydraulic cylinder that is driven by fluid pressure in the casing bore that communicates with the working tubing bore. When mechanically adjusting the liner hanger, it will generally be necessary to achieve relative drilling rotation of the parts between the adjusting tool and the liner hanger to disengage the slider sleeves from the liner. Suspension sliding sleeves are typically one-way acting where the suspender and liner may be raised or suspended upwardly, but a downward movement of the liner adjusts the sliding sleeves to support the support and liner within the well.

To disengage the adjusted casing hanger sliding tool, the adjusting tool can be lowered relative to the casing hanger and turned to disengage a sliding nut on the casing hanger adjusting tool. Cement is then pumped into the hole in the work tubing and casing and up to the annular crown formed by the casing and the open probe bore. Before the cement is laid, the adjusting tool and work tubing are removed from the drill hole. In the case of sloppy cement work, a liner plug and liner plug adjustment tool may need to be connected to the work piping and lowered back into the drill hole. The shutter is adjusted using a shutter adjustment tool. Coating shutters are often referred to as "coating insulation" shutters. A typical sheath insulation shutter system includes a shutter element mounted on a mandrel and a sealing nipple disposed below the shutter. The sealing nipple is crimped into the junction receptacle at the top or below the previously adjusted and cemented liner hanger. A liner insulation shutter may be used, as explained above, to seal the liner in case of sloppy cement work. The liner insulation plug is typically seated on top of the hanger after the hanger is secured to the outer tube, the plug being adjusted by the adjusting tool to seal the annular crown between the liner and the previously fitted liner or liner.

Generally speaking, the deeper a well is drilled, the higher the temperature and the higher the pressure that will be encountered. Accordingly, liner shutters which ensure quality cementation of the liner are desirable in order to provide a high safety factor to prevent formation gas from migrating to the annular crown between liner and pipe. external coating.

During the cementing operation, fluid, such as drilling mud in the annular crown between the casing and the outer casing pipe, is displaced by the cement as the cement is pumped into the flow hole of the working tubing. First the drilling mud and then the cement flow around the bottom edge of the liner and up to the annular crown. If there is a significant flow restriction in the annular crown, the cement flow will be reduced, thus not achieving a good cementation work. Any decrease in cement in the annular crown gives time for the gas in the formation to migrate to the annular crown and through the cement, thus preventing good cementing work.

Sliding Tool Release Mechanism As a practical matter, the sling suspension tool has to include a slack mechanism so that once the sheath is reliably fitted to the lower end of the sheath tube, the sliding tool may be disengaged from the coating hanger and recovered on the surface. Conventional casing hanger sliding tool release mechanisms include hydraulically actuated mechanisms and release mechanisms that are manipulated by rotating the work tubing to the left. Rotation to the left of the work tubing is, however, generally considered undesirable as it may result in an unintentional disconnection of one of the work tubing joints, thereby causing the work tubing to separate, and a fishing to retrieve the slide tool, which may have been damaged by involuntary disconnection. For various reasons, hydraulically operated sliding tool release mechanisms may cease to operate, or may prematurely disengage the sliding tool from the liner hanger.

Accordingly, improvements to the release mechanisms are desired which will reliably disengage the adjusted sliding tool only when intended, particularly when recovery is easily achieved and the unlikely premature disengagement of the sliding tool from the coating.

Packing Bushing A casing hanger packing bushing is conventionally sealed between the casing hanger and the sliding tool, and consequently between the casing and the work tubing or work tubing, which can conventionally be a borehole. A packing sleeve is particularly required during cementing operations so that the fluid pumped through the borehole continues to the bottom of the well and then back to the annular crown between the well bore and the cementing liner. the flooring in place. During cementing operations, the packing bushing sealing body is fitted to the annular crown between the casing hanger and sliding tool, and includes outer diameter seals to seal the casing hanger and inner diameter seals to sealably engage the slide tool. Packing bushings are preferably recoverable with the slide tool so that the bushings do not have to be drilled after the cementing operation is completed. Also, a packing bushing is preferably lockable on the casing hanger with the locking within a profile to prevent the bushing from moving axially with respect to the casing hanger. If the stuffing bushing is not lockable in the casing hanger profile, the bushing may be "pulled out" through the top of the receptacle, thereby losing a cementing job.

A conventional recoverable and lockable packing gland includes clamps or lugs that are locked in engagement with the liner hanger to prevent the packing gland from moving axially during the cementing operation. The packing bushing is recoverable with the slide tool, thus eliminating the need to drill the bushing after the cementing operations are completed. Depending on the manufacturer, reclaimable packing bushings are also referred to as reclaimable sealing chucks or reclaimable cementing bushings. Regardless of terminology, the recoverable and lockable packing sleeve seals the annular crown between the work tubing and the top of the liner, and can be locked into a liner hanger profile by the smooth gasket to prevent the bushing from being extracted from the coating hanger.

Cooperating surfaces on the liner adapter, the smooth gasket on the slide tool, and the packing sleeve sealing body axially interconnect the bushing to the liner hanger while moving the liner hanger into the well. These cooperating surfaces can be unlocked to disengage the slide tool from the liner hanger and allow axial manipulation of the slide tool and smooth gasket with respect to the packing sleeve. The smooth gasket thus seals with the packing sleeve during axial movement of the slide tool. Since the cooperating surfaces are unlocked from each other, bosses on the packing sleeve and the slide tool engage after a predetermined degree of axial movement between the slide tool and the sealing body so that the packing sleeve can be recovered to the surface with the sliding tool after the cementing operations are completed. A conventional stuffing sleeve is described in U.S. Patent 4,281,711.

A significant limitation on prior art packing bushings relates to their desired recoverability with the slide tool when connected to the desire to retract the slide tool with respect to the packing bush prior to the cementing operation. An operator will typically wish to retract the slide tool after the hanger hanger has been released to ensure that these tools are disconnected. The length of the smooth slide tool joint determines the maximum length that the slide tool should be retracted after the liner hanger disengages. When the packing bushing is removed from the casing hanger, clamps or ears conventionally driven by the packing bushing may move radially inward, thus preventing the reclaimable packing bushing from being reintroduced and locked into the casing hanger. Conventional casing hanger tools do not allow the packing bushing to be "reintroduced" into the casing hanger, thus restoring pressure integrity between the casing hanger and the sliding tool. In many applications, it is difficult for the operator to determine the exact amount of slide tool that has been collected, particularly when operating in highly deviated and deep wells. If the operator retracts the sliding tool at an axial distance that is not allowable for the length of a smooth joint, the packing sleeve will be pulled with the sliding tool and will be disengaged from the casing hanger, which may cause a cement failure. which will cost the operator millions of dollars in lost time and money. The consequences of unintentional disassembly of the packing sleeve from the liner hanger and possible non-reintroduction and braking on the liner hanger can be very serious. The smooth gasket used with the casing hanger sliding tool features a polished outside diameter surface that seals against the inside diameter seals on the packing sleeve seal body. The outer diameter surface of the smooth joint may be scratched or damaged during handling, thus causing a cement leak during the cementing operation. Since the slide tool is designed to move at axially substantial distances from the packing sleeve, the internal seals in the seal body may be worn during the cementing process due to alternating movement of the smooth slide tool joint. This problem will be aggravated when the quality of the smooth surface on the smooth joint has deteriorated. Axially long smooth joints are costly to manufacture and maintain.

Another problem with the prior art stuffing bushing concerns the limited load capacity of the ears locking the stuffing bushing in the casing hanger. Conventional packing bushings use multiple ears that protrude from the packing sealing body, which increases the complexity and cost of the packing bush. The limited size of these ears, however, restricts or limits the packing pressure of the packing sleeve.

Shutter Auster Assembly A conventional casing hanger sliding tool includes a shutter adjustment assembly, which enables activation and sealing of the casing top shutter. Conventional plug fitting assemblies incorporate multiple spring loaded clamps or ears that can be compressed into a reduced diameter position with insertion into the plug fitting sleeve when displacing the casing hanger in the well and casing cementation within. of the casing tube. When the shutter adjustment assembly is raised out of the shutter adjustment sleeve, the clamps or ears will expand to a diameter larger than the inside diameter at the upper end of the adjusting sleeve, which is also the liner hanger junction receptacle. . When the clamps engage the top of the adjusting sleeve, an adjusting force may be transferred from the work tubing through the clamps and to the plug fitting glove as the weight of the work tubing is loosened to adjust the plug element.

Some prior art plug fitting assemblies include an axial bearing to facilitate rotation of the work tubing while adjusting the plug element. Other shutter adjustment assemblies include both a bearing and a shear indicator to provide visual confirmation that proper adjustment load has been applied to the shutter, and / or an unlocking feature that allows the shutter adjustment assembly to be pulled. out of the shutter adjustment sleeve once without exposing the adjustment clamps. This tool allows you to reinsert the shutter adjustment assembly into the shutter adjustment sleeve once, thereby cocking the adjustment clamps so that they are ready to expand the second time they are pulled out of the adjustment sleeve. .

A major problem with prior art shutter adjustment mounts is poor reliability. In some well environments, the shutter adjustment clamps of the shutter adjustment assemblies rupture and are reintroduced into the adjusting sleeve without adjusting the shutter element. Manufacturers provided more clips or ears to alleviate this problem, and / or provided heavier springs to press the clips radially outward. These changes have had little, if any, effect on greater reliability.

The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and an improved casing hanger sliding tool is described below, which includes improvements to a sliding tool release mechanism, a recoverable packing sleeve, and a shutter adjustment assembly. . In addition, the improved shutter adjustment assembly can be used for operations that do not involve a coating hanger sliding tool. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of this invention, a shutter adjustment assembly for adjusting a radial adjustment shutter element, the shutter adjustment assembly applying a force to the shutter element or a cone to move the shutter element relative to the cone, It is characterized by the fact that it comprises a radially expandable power transmission C-ring, the power transmission C-ring, when expanded, acts to engage a adjusting sleeve to apply a seating weight through the adjusting sleeve to adjust the radial adjustment shutter element.

Preferably the shutter adjustment assembly further comprises a locking mechanism for preventing the power transmission C-ring from moving into the expanded position. The locking mechanism may include a locking C-ring for radially expanding to engage the top of the liner and thereby disengaging the locking mechanism. It is preferred that the locking mechanism moves from an expanded position to a retracted position due to a cam surface in a shutter adjustment assembly housing, thereby disengaging the power transmission C-ring. The shutter adjustment assembly may further comprise a locking mechanism to allow the power transmission C-ring to be raised off the top of a casing hanger once without moving the power transmission C-ring to the position. such that the next time the power transmission C-ring is moved out of the casing hanger, the power transmission C-ring will expand to its expanded position for engagement with the casing hanger. The shutter adjustment assembly may further comprise a shutter adjustment housing, an inner diameter seal for sealing between a shutter mandrel and the shutter adjustment housing, and an outer diameter seal for sealing between the adjusting sleeve and the shutter adjusting housing such that fluid pressure can be used to assist in applying an adjusting force through the adjusting sleeve to the shutter element. The plug adjusting assembly may further comprise a plug adjusting housing about a mandrel and a bearing to facilitate rotation of the mandrel relative to the housing. The radial adjusting shutter member may include a radially inwardly metal base and one or more radially outwardly sealing bodies. The adjusting sleeve may act on the closure element of a liner hanger to seal between the liner hanger and a liner tube.

According to a second aspect of this invention, a method of adjusting a radially adjusting obturator element by applying a force to the obturator element or a cone to move the obturator element relative to the cone is characterized in that it comprises the provision of a radially expandable power transmission C-ring, expanding the power transmission C-ring to engage an adjusting sleeve and applying a seating weight through the adjusting sleeve to adjust the adjusting plug element radial.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figures 1A-1J illustrate sequentially lower portions of a casing hanger adjusting tool moving in a well. Figure 1A illustrates the interconnection of the tool to a work piping. Figure 1B illustrates the liner hanger slide sleeve fitting assembly. Figure 1C illustrates the shutter adjustment assembly. Figure 1D illustrates the liner hanger release assembly. Figure 1E illustrates the recoverable cementing bushing. Figure 1F illustrates the shutter element. Figure 1G illustrates the hanger slide sleeve assembly. Figure 1H illustrates the lower end of the slide tool mandrel. Figure 11 illustrates a ball diverter. Figure 1J illustrates the coating wiper cap. Figure 2A illustrates the raised junction receptacle for adjusting the sliding sleeves. Figure 2B illustrates the sliding sleeves in the adjusted position. Figure 3A shows the upper seat after disengagement of the ball. Figure 3B shows the ball resting on the lower seat. Figure 3C illustrates the lower seat moved down to open the doors and the possible contraction of the release assembly. Figure 4A illustrates the ball disengaged from the lower seat and fallen into the diverter. Figure 4B is a cross section through Figure 4A. Figure 5A illustrates the pumping plug resting on the wiper plug. Figure 5B illustrates the disengaged liner cleaner cap and pumping plug. Figure 5C illustrates the backing cap fitted within a backing collar. Figure 6A illustrates the tool positioned to adjust the weight of the shutter element. Figure 6B illustrates the shutter element in the set position. Figure 7A illustrates the unlocked slide tool packing gland of the liner hanger.

Figures 8a and 8b show the lower end of the slide tool disengaged from the adjusted liner hanger and pulled up from it, with the upper portion of the adjusted liner hanger being shown in Figures 8C and 8D. Figure 8E shows an embodiment of a raised sleeve element for engagement with the liner tube; Figure 9A shows the plug elements and another embodiment of a slide sleeve assembly in the moving position. Figure 9B shows the components moved to the fitted slide sleeve assembly. Figure 9C shows the slide sleeve assembly engaged with the liner tube and the shutter member moved to seal the liner tube.

Figures 10A and 10B illustrate slide tool components for hydraulic release upon movement in the well. Figure 10C illustrates the components as pressure is increased to displace the ball seat, thereby disengaging the slide tool and disengaging a clutch. Figure 10D illustrates the fluid pressure acting on the second piston so that the clutch can reengage the sheath hanger.

Figures 11A and 11B show sequential components of the slide tool during a mechanical disengagement from the liner hanger. Figure 11C shows components with the ball seat offset to disengage the slide tool and disengage the clutch. Figure 11D illustrates the second piston activated to engage the clutch with the disengaged slide tool. Figure 12A is a cross-sectional view of a preferred recoverable packing sleeve according to the present invention which may be positioned below a casing hanger shutter fitting assembly and above the ball diverter. Figure 12B is a cross-sectional view of the recoverable packing sleeve shown in Figure 12A. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a shutter adjusting assembly in a coating hanger sliding tool in accordance with the present invention. Figure A1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the head itself.

Figures A1A and 1B are a top view and a cross-sectional view. Figure A1C is a bottom view of the head of Figure A1, and Figure A1D is a side view of a part of the head. And Figure A2 is another enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the head installed between a cementing lathe and a lower indicating replacement that is connected to the working tubing, and showing the balls and plugs in the passages in position to be dropped.

Figures B1A and B1B are, respectively, a partially broken elevation view and an end view of the C-ring along its fully contracted position, where its side edges are engaged with one another; the outer side of the C-ring has vertical slits to facilitate fluid passage between the casing and the outer well casing tube when the slide sleeve is expanded.

Figures B2A and B2B are similar views of the C-ring in the fully expanded position.

Figures B3A and B3B are vertical sectional views of the slide sleeve assembly, where the ruptured C-ring is shown in Figure B3A disposed around the liner with its lower end received within the recess of the liner, and in Figure B3B, elevated from the recessed and expanded to a position where the casing can be raised to move its outer side upwardly over the tapered surface of the casing so that its teeth engage the well casing tube. And Figure B3C is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of Figure 3B to illustrate the controlled friction teeth on the C-ring inner slide.

Figures B4, B5, and B6 are an enlarged vertical section view of the assembly showing the C-ring as it is moved by the liner from the retracted to the expanded position, the C-ring being shown in the retracted position on the Figure 4, raised outside the recess by the tie rod in Figure 5 to disengage it to expand outward to engage the liner pipe, and in Figure 6, the tie rod has a raised frusto-conical surface of the liner over the surface. inside of the C-ring to cause the C-slide sleeve to be moved outward to engage the well casing tube.

Figures B3AA and B3BB are detailed section views as shown in Figures B3A and B3B. Figure C1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the outer casing pipe joint having its hole configured to cooperate with a hanger mounted on an inner casing or casing as it is lowered into the outer casing pipe. Figure C2 is a view of the liner with the hanger mounted therein for support within the profiles in the outer liner tube. Figure C3 is a view similar to Figure C2, but showing the liner and its hanger being lowered into the outer liner tube. And Figure 4C is another similar view, but with the casing additionally lowered to cause its hanger to engage with the profile in the outer casing tube, and then lowered to a position to lock the hanger in position. Figure D1 is a half section view of the sealing member according to the present invention positioned at the lower end of a junction receptacle for movement along a cone and for sealing with a casing pipe. Figure D2 is an enlarged view of a sealing member shown in Figure 1 positioned when the sealing member initially engages the liner tube. Figure D3 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing member in its final adjusting position for the sealing engagement between the cone and the casing pipe. Figure E1 is a vertical sectional view of the diverter that includes the replacement from which the cementing assembly is suspended. Figure E2 is a view similar to Figure E1, with a ball resting on the diverter receptacle. Figure E3 is a cross-sectional view of the diverter as seen along the broken lines 3-3 of Figure E2, but on a larger scale to illustrate the U-shaped slot formed in the ramp on one side of the deflected sphere to allow the passage of a pump plug. Figure E4 is another vertical cross-sectional view of the diverter undercut liner showing the pumping plug after passage through the slot in the ramp and in a position supported by the lining cap of the cementing equipment. And Figure E5 is an additional vertical section view, but in which the wiper cap connection has been sheared from the lower end of the tubular member below the ball diverter. Figure F1 is a cross-sectional view of a buffer holder replacement according to the present invention illustrating the position of the components for connection to the liner wiper cap on the left side of the centerline and positioned for disengaging the plug. buffer holder replacement coating cleaner on the right side of the centerline. Figure F2 is a cross-sectional view of a lower portion of the buffer support replacement shown in Figure f1, which illustrates the upper portion of a liner wiper plug connected to the buffer support replacement on the left side of the centerline, and deengated on the right side of the center line. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Sliding Tool of Figures 1-9 To retract the sheath, the sliding tool 120 may initially be attached to the lower end of a WS work tubing and releasably connected to the sheath hanger from which the sheath is suspended. to be lowered into the probe hole below the previously set casing tube or casing C. The assembly can be easily slid at a rate that does not adversely affect well formations or the slide tool.

A junction receptacle 130, as shown in Figure 1B, is supported around slide tool 120 with its upper end having the liner hanger slide sleeve fitting assembly 140. The upper end of junction receptacle 130 with The removal of the slide tool provides a means by which a casing pipe joint (not shown) can subsequently extend from its upper end to the surface. As shown in Figures 1A-11, tool 120 includes a central mandrel 132, which may comprise multiple connected sections. The lower end of the junction receptacle 130 is connected to the plug element plug sleeve 148 as shown in Figure 1F, the function of which will be described in connection with the fitment of the plug element 150 to an upper cone 152 as well as the fit. of an alternative embodiment of slide sleeve 142A around a lower cone 144A (see Figure 1G) below the plug element 150. Slide tool 120 includes a cementing sleeve 160 (see Figure 1E) from which a tubular body 162 is suspended to support ball diverter 280 (see Figure 1) and liner wiper cap 180 (see Figure 1J) at the lower end of the slide tool. Recoverable cementing sleeve 160 has a resealable seal between slide tool 120 and casing hanger assembly for fluid circulation purposes. By incorporating an axially movable smooth gasket, the slide tool can be moved without breaking the seal provided by the packing sleeve. The casing hanger slide sleeve adjusting assembly 140, as shown in Figure 1B, includes a sleeve 212 disposed within and axially movable relative to a portion 210 of the slide tool mandrel 132. Piston sleeve 212 is retained in its upper position by the shear pins 222 in the mandrel portion 210. A tubular ball seat 232 is supported at the lower end of the sleeve 212. The lower end of the ball seat has a neck portion 234 which is smaller in diameter and more thin for the purposes described below. Ball 240 is dropped from surface to slide tool hole 126 and onto seat 232. An increase in fluid pressure within mandrel 132 will shear pins 222 and lower ball seat to a position supported by tool hole slide, for example, against stop shoulder 236.

Ball Drop Head This invention also relates to an improved apparatus for dropping a ball as mentioned above which includes a suspended head from a top drive for use in sequentially falling balls and plugs into a suspended coating. from the head. More particularly, it relates to the use of such equipment in cementing the casing within the outer casing where one or more balls will be dropped onto a seat within the casing to drive certain parts for the purpose of suspending the casing in the casing. outer casing followed by the fall of the pumping plugs through the casing to pump cement below them into the annular crown between the casing and the outer casing tube.

In earlier heads of this type, the balls and wiping plugs were mounted in individual pipes, each having an opening for a hole leading to the equipment to be driven. As will be appreciated, this greatly increased the vertical height of the equipment below the top transmission, thus making it much more inaccessible, not only during loading and disengagement of the balls and pumping plugs, but also in obtaining visual access to the equipment. inside each pipe where plugs and balls were located. U.S. Patent Nos. 6,182,752 and 6,206,095 suppose to solve the problem of over-height by means of heads of such a construction to allow the balls and plugs to be mounted and dropped essentially from the same vertical location below the top transmission. . However, their construction is complicated and requires large internal rotating parts that increased the possibility of leakage and other need for repair.

Therefore, it is another object of this invention to provide such a head in which the balls and plugs are mounted generally at the same level, but do not include large swivel parts and other mechanisms that increase the risk of repair and replacement.

These and other objects are achieved, according to the illustrated embodiments of this invention, with a housing having an inlet adapted to be fluidly connected in line with the lower end of a top drive, an outlet generally aligned with the inlet, and passages. which extend downwardly into the housing at circumferentially spaced locations. Each passageway has an upper end opening for the inlet side and a lower end that is connected to the outlet, and side passages in the housing, each connecting the inlet with a passageway. A shut-off member is removably mounted at the upper end of each passage to allow a ball or plug to be installed therein, and plug valves to be mounted in the housing, each for opening and closing a passage below the side passage that is connected to the ports. to support the ball or plug when closed and allow it to pass through when open. Circulating fluid may flow down through an open passageway when a ball or plug is not in the passageway.

Referring now to the details of Figures A1 and A2, head A10 comprises a housing A11 having a vertical opening A12 at its upper end and a vertical opening A13 at its opposite lower end, the openings being generally vertically aligned. The upper opening is threadedly connected to a tubular member A14, whose upper end is threaded for connection to a top drive.

Intermediate to the upper and lower extremities of limb A14 is provided a Kelly A16 valve installed to open or close its bore A15. When closed, the valve allows cement to be supplied to hole A15 through one or more side openings A16 in member A14 below the Kelley valve. The member A14 is installed in a tornado A20 which has openings therethrough aligned with the openings A16 in the connections A17 leading to the member hole A15. As is well known in the art, this allows relative rotation between the lathe and the tubular member, so that the tubular member and the cementing slack are fluidly connected during the relative rotation. The lower end opening A13 in the head is threadedly connected to the upper end of a replacement A21 having a hole A22 therethrough adapted to be connected with the liner or other tubular member suspended therefrom. An A23 "flag" is mounted on an A24 swivel rod on the substitute to indicate the passage of a ball or plug therethrough.

As shown, the housing is generally of a conical shape and has four passages Pi, P2, P3 and P4 that extend downward and inwardly through it to connect at its lower ends with opening A13. More particularly, these passages are equally spaced from each other around the center line of the housing, and consequently to opening A12, to connect at their lower ends with a common opening A21A at the upper end of substitute A21. The upper end of each passage is adapted to receive a closing member 25, the threaded connection between each closing member and its passage allowing the closing member to be selectively removed or installed. The housing also has a side opening A26 which connects the lower end of its upper opening A12 with one of the passages Pi, P2, P3 and P4 below the closure member thereon.

Each passage P1, P2, P3 and P4, in turn, is opened and closed by means of through-hole plug valves PV1, PV2, PV3 and PV4 installed in the housing below side openings A26, and vertically stepped to accommodate the valves. . These travel valves control the passage of a plug or a ball as well as the circulating fluid through the top, head and downstream transmission. Thus, with valves controlled in the manner described, fluid circulation can be continuous through at least one passage even if the individual passages are closed to contain spheres or wipers.

As shown, each plug valve comprises a body having an aperture A30 therethrough adapted with the rotation of the body between its alternate positions for alignment with or through a passageway. These valve bodies can of course be rotated in any suitable manner and are held in place by a pegged MP mounting plate on the outside of the housing.

As indicated in Figure A2, one of the passages may receive a ball B between the upper closing member and the valve, while another passage may receive a PDP pumping plug. One of the other passages may be used to receive a ball or plug depending on the use of the balls and plugs in the system in which the head is installed. The fourth passage may be left open to allow fluid to be freely circulated downwardly therethrough on a continuous basis.

A plug or ball can be installed in a passage by removing the locking member A25, which provides easy visual access to the passage to determine if the ball or plug is in place or has been dropped. Each ball will fall freely by its own weight when the plug valve in its passage is open. The pumping plug, however, has wiper blades thereon which are fixedly engaged with the passageway, so that downward movement of the wiper blade on the liner can be aided by fluid passing through the ports connecting the passageway. The fourth passage may receive either a plug or a ball, depending on the needs of the system in which the head is installed or left open for free downward flow of circulating fluid.

As will be understood, only the motion-requiring parts of the head, and hence the bearings and seals, are PV buffer valves for the individual passages. Closing the plug valve in the three passages may facilitate downward pressure through the fourth pass when its plug valve is opened, thereby forcing the ball or plug downwardly into the liner.

As shown, each plug valve is mounted for rotation by passing it through a recessed MP mounting plate in a recessed portion on the outside of the head and engaging an annular shoulder around the plug valve member.

Sliding Tool Continuing with a description of the sliding tool 120 described above, the piston sleeve 220 is disposed about portion 210 and is axially movable with respect thereto. An upper sealing ring 214 is disposed around a smaller outside diameter of the slide tool mandrel in place of the lower sealing ring 216 to form an annular pressure chamber 218 therebetween for lifting the junction receptacle 130 from position shown in Figure 1B to a higher position as will be described in connection with the adjustment of sliding sleeves 142A. The ports 242 formed in the slide tool mandrel 132 connect the slide tool hole with the surrounding pressure chamber 218 as the sleeve 212 is lowered. An increase in pressure through ports 242 will raise piston sleeve 220. Upward movement of sleeve 220 causes upper end 312 of piston sleeve 220 to overcome the resistance of slotted ring 244 as shown in Figure 1A in order to raise the junction receptacle 130 as shown in Figure 2A, and thereby raise the slide sleeves 142A as shown in Figure 2B. Sleeve 245, as shown in Figure 1D, can move downward to expose ports 260, raising piston 252 to disengage ring 244 that was attached to the top of junction receptacle 130. An additional increase in pressure will force the ball through the reduced seat neck 232 to pump the ball to a position seated on a lower seat 246 (see Figure 1 D), which is similar to the upper seat 232.

A problem with a conventional slide sleeve assembly is the need to coordinate the adjustment of the individual slide sleeves so that their teeth engage the outer casing tube substantially simultaneously. It is of course also costly to machine multiple wedge surfaces around the casing as well as to provide multiple sliding sleeve elements, and it is the main object of this invention to provide a sliding sleeve assembly for purposes requiring only a single element. co-operable slide sleeve with only a single wedge surface of the liner or other elongate member.

Thus, in the embodiment of Figures 9A-9C, and also as shown and described in the aforementioned provisional application 60 / 292,099, the slide sleeve assembly includes slide sleeve segments 141 which are lifted by a tie rod over the outer tapered surface. of a cone 143 to make the teeth 142 around the sliding sleeves secure the casing tube C. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the frusto-conical surfaces of the sliding member and sleeve extend downwardly and inwardly, the lower end of the slide sleeve being received in an upwardly undercut on the member, and the C-ring teeth facing downward in position to engage the wellbore as the C-ring is raised over the surface of the member by than the limb can be suspended inside the wellbore. The means for raising the lower end of the C-ring from the recess to a position for sliding along the tapered surface of the member comprises at least one connecting rod extending vertically through the member for guided reciprocating movement thereon. . More particularly, the inner side of the C-ring and the lower end of the tie rod have interlocking portions that allow the lower end of the C-ring to be raised off the undercut, but will be disengageable when the bar is raised to allow allow the ring to expand to engage the wellbore.

Preferably, as illustrated, the inner frusto-conical surface of the C-ring has relatively blind teeth around its frusto-conical surface for engagement with the frusto-conical surface of the limb to control friction between them, and thus to control the force applied to the friction. casing tube.

As illustrated and described, the elongate member is a liner and the recess for receiving the end of the slide sleeve is annular in shape.

C-Ring Sliding Manaa

Referring to the drawings described above, and as best shown in Figures B3A and B3B, liner B20 has a downwardly and inwardly extending frusto-conical surface B22 above an upwardly annular recess B23. The liner has been lowered into a suitable slide tool (not shown) to a position in the outer well casing tube into which the liner is to be lowered.

As described in more detail below, the C-ring is initially expanded to allow it to be arranged around the conical wedge surface of the liner. It can then be contracted and forced downward to cause its lower end B26 to move to recess B23. When so installed, the C-ring casing hanger will be held in the stowed position in a shape somewhat larger than its fully contracted form of Figures B1A and B1B.

When the C-ring has been pulled up to remove its lower end from recess B23, it will expand toward its fully expanded position of Figures B2A and B2B, whereby the downward facing teeth B22 around outside will engage the outer well casing pipe as shown in Figure B3B in a position somewhat lower than the fully expanded position. Then, when the C-shaped slide sleeve is raised, the inner surface of the C-ring will slide over the wedge surface B22 to press it outward to make its teeth snap into the outer well casing tube, thus allowing the weight of the liner and its associated parts to be lowered into the liner tube.

As shown in Figures B3A and B3B and in detail in Figures B3AA and B3BB, the inner frusto-conical surface of the C-ring slide sleeve has blind teeth CF in it, which, as is well known in the art, controls frictional engagement with the lining and therefore the external force applied to the lining tube. Thus, as the teeth initially snap into the liner tube, the blind teeth on the inner side of the slide sleeve will begin to skin the wedge surface of the liner to control the extent to which the teeth snap into the liner tube. The force thus applied to the liner pipe and liner can be controlled by the mutual relationship of the inner and outer teeth. Although CF teeth are preferred, the inner surface of the C-ring can be smooth.

Referring to Figures B4 to B6, one or more connecting rods B30 extend downwardly through a slot B40 in the sheath for guided alternating movement thereon. The lower end of each tie rod is attached to the upper end of the slide sleeve to raise its lower end off the undercut.

Thus, as shown in Figures B4 - B6, the lower end of each tie rod B30 has a flange 50 which is received in a groove B36 around the inside diameter of the C-ring as the C-ring is initially mounted on the recess. As the tie rod is raised to lift the C-ring out of recess B23, flange B50 at its lower end moves out of groove B36 to disengage the C-ring from there, as shown in Figure B5 . At this time, of course, the weight of the liner may be loosened on the outer tapered surface of the C-ring to force the C-ring teeth outward to engage with the outer casing tube as shown in Figure B6.

As an alternative to slide sleeve assemblies, as described above, another apparatus for this purpose - that is, by suspending an inner liner tube within an outer liner tube, has locking elements adapted to expand into the corresponding locking grooves formed. in the outer casing tube. In some cases, the locking elements are adapted to be spring-loaded into the corresponding grooves formed in the outer casing tube. However, these springs are susceptible to rupture or other defects. This is especially true since the hanger generally comprises a large number of complex parts that are expensive to replace and which cause a delay in full well operations. In still other cases, the suspenders having only a single coupling piece to fit within a single slot thus limit their load carrying ability. Another object of this invention is to provide a liner tube hanger system that overcomes these and other problems inherent in previous hangers for such systems.

These and other objects are achieved, according to the illustrated embodiment of this invention, with a casing hanger system comprising a casing tube joint adapted to be connected as part of an outer casing tube installed within a borehole. , and a liner adapted to be lowered and supported within the outer liner tube. The casing pipe bore has a polished bore and vertically spaced upwardly facing bearing surfaces formed therein, and the casing includes a tubular body having a recess formed around its body, and a suspension member which comprises a circumferentially expandable and contractable C-ring disposed within the recess. The ring has teeth in its outer diameter for bearing on the supporting surfaces of the liner pipe joint, when in its expanded portion, and with relative vertical movement relative to the liner, it is expanded outwardly against the polished hole. With the continued relative movement of the liner and ring, the teeth will move to a position in which they further expand outward to the positions supported on the supporting surfaces to allow the liner to be suspended thereafter.

Coating Suspension Referring now to Figure C1, the outer casing section gasket C10 is threaded at its upper and lower ends to allow it to be connected as part of the outer casing pipe installed in the borehole, such as in the coating hanger systems named above. The polished bore of the casing tube section has an annular recess C11 in its lower portion and a series of upwardly and vertically spaced support shoulders C12 above recess C11 and separated therefrom by annular restraint C14. There is another annular recess C15 formed in the hole above and separated from the bearing surfaces C12 by an upper restriction C16 above an annular recess C13. The restraints and the supporting shoulder are essentially the same diameter as the polished hole above them. Suspension C17 is shown in Figure C2 as being driven within a recessed portion 18 around liner L. Suspension C17 is a C-ring split around its circumference in a position to be circumferentially pressed out to engage the inside diameter. from the liner tube when expanded but held in its contracted position as shown as the liner is moved to the outer liner tube. In this position, its lower end C20 is adapted to be received into a groove C19 at the upper end of an enlarged outer diameter portion C21 of the liner. The upper end of the hanger has teeth C22 formed around it in vertically spaced relationship corresponding to the bearing surfaces C12 of the casing and fitting within recess C18 around the casing. The toothed section and lower end of the ring are connected by an outwardly enlarged cylindrical portion C35, the inner surface of which engages the outer surface of flare C25 around the liner.

As will be described and shown in Figure C3, the hanger is adapted to be raised relative to the liner to disengage it for expansion outwardly for engagement with the polished hole of the outer liner tube. Thus, the casing hanger system includes a suitable mechanism for raising the hanger out of its retained position to release its lower end from slot C19. This can be achieved by lifting the hanger by means of tie rods C30 connected at its upper ends to a cone cover C whose sealing member is adapted to be lowered to fit against the outer casing tube. The tie rods extend through vertical slits in the recessed portion of the liner, and feature a disengageable outer flange C31 connected in a groove C32 around a lower extension of cone C.

Thus, it will be seen from a comparison of Figure C2 and Figure C3 that elevation of the shutter cone will raise the lower end of the free hanger from the retaining slot C19, thus allowing the hanger to expand outwardly into the shutter. position of Figure C3. This then allows rib C61 at the lower end of the tie rod to be disengaged from the groove 62 at the lower end of the hanger and disengages the tie rods from the hanger as it moves to its relative upper position with respect to the liner. . This relative vertical movement between the liner and the obturator cone resulted from the shear of pin C33 which disengagingly connects them to the position of Figure C2. This, of course, can be achieved by elevating the plug cone with respect to the liner prior to lowering the suspender to a position opposite the grooves forming the bearing surfaces in the bore of the outer liner tube.

By lowering the hanger with the liner from the position of Figure C2 to the position of Figure C3, the radially enlarged lower section C35 of the hanger, which extends over the outer widening 25 of the liner, is free to move outwardly. the recess C11 in the outer casing tube. Thus, when lowered to a position opposite the bearing surfaces C12 within the outer casing tube, the teeth C22 around the upper end of the hanger will move outwardly to the bearing surfaces, thereby forming multiple shoulders on which the bearing is supported. liner loading inside the outer liner tube. This expansion out of the hanger element occurred after it was lowered below the widening in the hole of the outer casing as the casing is lowered from its position in Figure C3 to its position in Figure C4.

When the hanger has jumped out to the position of Figure C4, continued lowering of the liner will move the flare C25 around it to the lower end of the hanger in which the teeth are formed, thus maintaining them in their outer hanging position. as shown in Figure C4. A downwardly facing shoulder C51 is formed on the outside diameter of the liner above the outer widening C50 so as to abut the upper end of the hanger as shown in Figure C4. The outer flare is moved to the inner diameter of the hanger as shown in Figure C4 by virtue of a tapered shoulder C50B formed at its slidable upper end on an inwardly and downwardly tapered shoulder C50A in the liner. As the hanger moves in the supported position, the flare C35 around it below its teeth fits tightly into the recess C16 in the outer casing bore so as to limit the outer expansion of the hanger element, a time it is moved to the suspend position.

An inwardly enlarged portion C60 at the lower end of the hanger, below its outwardly enlarged portion C35, moves about the outside diameter of the lower end of the casing, thereby cooperating with the C50 widening to maintain the hanger element in its suspended position. external.

Referring again to the operating procedure, the annular plug element 150 (see Figure 1F) is disposed around an enlarged downward upper cone 152 below the drive sleeve 148. The plug element 150 originally has a circumference in which Its outer diameter is reduced and thus spaced from the casing tube C. However, the obturator member 150 is expandable so that it can be moved down over the cone 152 to seal against the casing tube. The plug element 150 is adapted to be adjusted by including spring-loaded ears 328 which, when moved upwardly from the junction receptacle 130, will be forced into an expanded position as shown in Figure 6A to engage the top of the junction receptacle. When weight is set, the expanded ears 328 will transmit this downward force through the drive sleeve 148 and to the plug member 150. A body lock ring 270 (see Figure 1F) is disposed between the junction connector 130 and the drive sleeve. 148 and permits the obturator member 150 to be forced downwardly over the upper cone 154 with the lowering of the junction connector. Upward movement of the adjusted shutter element is prevented. Shutter member 150 may have a construction as described in US Patent No. 4,757,860 which comprises an inner metal body for sliding over the cone, and annular flanges or ribs extending outwardly from the body to engage the casing tube. Rings of resilient sealing material may be mounted between such ribs. The sealing bodies may be formed of a material having substantial elasticity to extend the annular crown between the liner hanger and liner tube C.

Radial Aiuste Shutter The present invention also relates to an improved radial adjustment shutter for sealing with a casing pipe or other cylindrical drilling surface that is configured with a main seal and a spare seal, and which may be part of a drilling tool that includes a conduit tube and a tapered wedge ring, which can thus be used for reliable sealing engagement between a liner suspender and a row of liner tubes.

Sealing elements or seals that are radially adjusted by the axial movement of the sealing element with respect to a tapered wedge ring have been used for sealing in underground well holes. A conduit tube is conventionally provided for positioning the plug element in the desired position within the wellbore, and a actuator causes the plug element to move axially with respect to a tapered wedge ring and thereby expand into the engagement of the plug. seal with the cylindrical surface to be sealed.

U.S. Patent 4,757,860 (mentioned above) and 5,076,356 disclose radial adjusting plug elements that can be used in various applications including an underwater wellhead. In a typical wellhead application, the plug element may have to expand in diameter by approximately 0.762 mm (0.030 inches) in order to obtain a reliable seal with the polished hole. U.S. Patent Nos. 5,511,620 and 5,333,692 describe plugging elements for sealing between a liner hanger and a liner pipe. More specifically, a tapered member is moved axially with respect to the obturator member to expand the obturator member for engagement with a liner tube. This expansion may be significantly greater than the expansion of a plug element in a wellhead application due to the difference in casing diameter from the bias inner diameter (smaller than permissible inner diameter for a casing size). the maximum inside diameter allowed by the API for the casing pipe of this size. The difference between this bias inner diameter and the maximum bore for a size-specific casing tube can thus be 7.62 mm (0.300 inches) or more.

Several problems exist with the shutter element described in '620 Patent. Because the sealing member is stationary with respect to a movable tapered member, the radially extending flanges or ribs of the sealing member may not expand as desired in the row portions of non-uniform diameter casing pipes. for reliable metal-to-metal sealing engagement. Also, the obturator element does not always form a reliable metal to metal seal with the tapered wedge ring, and the tapered wedge ring similarly does not form a reliable metal to metal seal with the tool mandrel. Also, the elastomeric sealing portions of the sealing member cannot thermally expand in response to high temperature drilling conditions, thereby exerting uncontrollable forces on the flanges or radially spaced metal ribs.

Other problems with prior art plugging elements relate to poor sealing reliability under high pressure conditions. The metal ribs cannot reliably seal the cylindrical surface, and the elastomeric portion of the seal assembly may not reliably seal over long periods of time. Some plug elements will work reasonably well when applying high pressure to one side of the plug element, but will not perform well when applying high pressure fluid to the other side of the plug element.

The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and an improved obturator element and a tool including the improved obturator element are described below for reliable sealing between the obturator mandrel and a cylindrical drilling surface. The radial adjusting annular plugging element according to the present invention is positioned in perforation by a conduction tube. The obturator element may be moved by an adjusting tool from a reduced diameter insertion position to an expanded diameter adjustment position such that the obturator element engages a casing tube, a polished bore receptacle, or another cylindrical drilling surface in a well. If the cylindrical surface is a casing tube or other member which may be irregularly formed, the obturator member is preferably axially moved relative to a tapered cone or wedge ring during the adjustment operation. The plug element is particularly well suited for reliable high pressure sealing, either above or below the element, and includes a main elastomeric seal and a secondary elastomeric seal, and a main metal seal and a secondary metal seal. The metal ribs of the obturator member are angled so that the main elastomeric seal is pressed against an angled rib in the high pressure direction and the secondary elastomeric seal is similarly pressed against an angled rib in the high pressure direction. The secondary elastomeric sealing body acts on the main rib to prevent the main rib from being perpendicular to the sealing surface, thereby enhancing seal reliability. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved plugging element that can be used in drilling applications to reliably seal a cylindrical surface. It is a feature of the present invention that the obturator member is particularly well-suited for sealing between a liner hanger and a liner tube under conditions in which the liner tube may grow considerably in response to thermal expansion and / or pressure during drilling operations. It is a related object of the invention to provide a drilling tool that includes a guide tube, a tapered wedge ring and an annular seal assembly or plug member in accordance with the present invention. It is a feature of the present invention that each of the main and spare metal ribs of the sealing member is angled at least 15 ° with respect to a plane perpendicular to a central axis of the sealing member.

Another feature of the invention is that axially spaced metal protuberances provide a reliable metal-to-metal seal between the plug element and the cone, and also preferably between the cone and the mandrel or the inside of the cone body.

Still another feature of the invention is that the elastomeric sealing bodies of the obturator element include specifically designed volumetric voids, so that after the sealing bodies engage the surface, the elastomeric sealing bodies are compressed until the ends of the ribs engage the sealing surface. At this stage, the now smaller voids in the sealing bodies allow thermal expansion of each sealing body between the metal ribs to minimize undesirable tensile force on the ribs.

Sealing Element Figure D1 depicts an annular plug element D10 according to the present invention positioned at the lower end of a thrust sleeve D12 at the lower end of a junction receptacle prior to sealing engagement with a C-liner. Grooves or conventional D28 threads or similar connectors may be used for interconnecting the plug element to the junction receptacle. The axial movement of the plug sleeve D12 and, consequently, of the plug element D10 in response to the plug adjustment operation, pushes the plug element down relative to the tapered cone D14 to expand the sealing element into the sealing engagement. with the casing tube. Cone D14 is in turn supported on a D16 casing suspender body. In an environment where the obturator element is not the top liner hanger seal, the obturator element D10 may be supported at the end of a seal driver replacing the drive sleeve D12, and the liner hanger body D16 may be a shutter chuck or other conduit tube to position the shutter element in the well. In the embodiment of Figure D1, body D16 is thus part of the conduit tube which positions the plug element in a selected position within the wellbore. The junction receptacle drive sleeve, shown in Figure D1, represents a lower portion of a drive sleeve that presses the plug member from a reduced diameter insertion position to a expanded diameter sealed or activated position. The drive sleeve can thus apply a selected axial force to the plug element to adjust the plug. The actuator may be selectively driven by various mechanisms, including seated weight or other handling of the conduit tube, and may include axial movement of a piston in response to fluid pressure, either with the plungers or falling balls to increase the pressure of the piston. fluid, be without them. Further details regarding the use of the plug element in a coating hanger application are described in US Serial Provisional Application No. 60 / 292,049 filed May 18, 2001. The plug element as shown in Figure D1 is in original configuration in which the outside diameter is reduced before being sealed with the casing pipe. The plug element D10 is expandable so that it is moved downwardly over stationary cone D14 to seal against the liner pipe as discussed below and as shown in Figure D3. It is a feature of the invention that the obturator element D10 is moved into reliable sealing engagement with the casing pipe by an adjusting operation, which includes movement of the obturator element D10 axially with respect to the obturator cone D14 at instead of the movement of the cone with respect to the stationary shutter element. This adjusting operation forms a more reliable seal with the liner tube, allowing ribs D20 during the tuning operation to be bent or deformed into the liner tube shape.

Referring to Figures D1 and D2, obturator element D10 comprises an inner metal body or base D18 for sliding over the tapered wedge ring or cone D14 and annular flanges or ribs D20 extending radially outwardly from base D18 to engage the casing tube. Base D18 is relatively thin to facilitate radial expansion. The base D18 and the ribs D20 form a metal frame to support the rubber or other resilient, preferably elastomeric sealing bodies. Resilient seal body rings D22, D24 and D26 are provided between ribs D20, with the upper and lower sides of each seal body preferably engaging with a respective rib. The body D18 and the ribs D20 are formed of material having sufficient ductility to expand into the annular crown between the casing tube and the casing hanger. The metal portion of the plug element, i.e. base D18 and radially projecting ribs D20, is thus formed of material that is relatively soft compared to the metals commonly associated with drilling tools. This allows the plug element to reliably expand into the sealing engagement with the liner pipe at a reduced adjustment load.

The radially projecting ribs D20 of the obturator element are each substantially angled with respect to a plane perpendicular to a central axis of the obturator element. More specifically, the center line of each rib is angled beyond 15 °, and preferably about 30 °, with respect to the plane D38 perpendicular to the central axis of the obturator element. Although the ribs may be slightly tapered to become thinner with radially outward movement, the ribs preferably have a substantially uniform axial thickness. The rib D32 is shown in Figure D2 at an angle D33 between the rib centerline and the plane D38. This feature allows each rib D20 to expand substantially as the diameter of the casing varies or "develops", either in response to internal pressure and / or thermal expansion. Because the angled ribs D20 can be flexed, reliable metal-to-metal contact is maintained between the rib ends and the casing pipe as shown in Figure D3.

A specific feature of the invention is that the plug element D10 inherently forms both a main seal with the liner pipe and a secondary seal with the liner pipe, with the secondary seal depending on the pressure direction. Also, the obturator member may include both a main elastomeric seal and a spare elastomeric seal as well as a main metal seal and a spare metal seal. Referring to Figure D3, it should be understood that the downward inclination of ribs D30 and D32 is such that the relatively high fluid pressure above the obturator member can pass through these ribs and the elastomeric upper sealing body D22 such that the body D24 inner seal, which forms a major part of the elastomeric sealing area, forms the main elastomeric seal against fluid flow. The term "fluid" as used herein includes gas, liquids, and gas and liquid combinations. The sealing body D24 preferably engages ribs D32, D34 and base D18, and substantially fills the annular void between these surfaces. When the fluid pressure is above the sealing member D10, the lower sealing body D26 positioned between ribs D34 and D36 will form a spare secondary elastomeric seal in the event of leakage of the main elastomeric seal. Similarly, when the high fluid pressure is below the plugging element, the high pressure fluid is likely to flow beyond the ribs D36 and D34, so that the sealing body D24 is the main sealing element. The sealing body D22 between the ribs D30 and D32 thus becomes the secondary elastomeric sealing member. The main elastomeric sealing member is thus pressed in an axial direction (generally along the central axis of the conducting tubular body or casing tube) in response to pressurized fluid against a sloping rib that is angled in the direction of high pressure, the secondary elastomeric sealing member being captured between two ribs each angled toward the high pressure side so that the secondary sealing member is also pressed in an axial direction against an angled rib in the high pressure direction. Most importantly, the protruding lens seal, either that of the seal body D22 or D26, is captured between two ribs, thus minimizing the likelihood of external flexion of the axially innermost rib D32 or D34 to be aligned with the plane D38, i.e. perpendicular to the wall of the casing tube. The sealing body material D22 or D26 thus acts as a biasing force that tends to hold the rib D32 or D34 at a desired angle, which then supports the main sealing rib D24 and prevents the rib D32 or D34 be perpendicular to the casing wall C. If ribs are flexed beyond the point where they are perpendicular to the casing wall, the sealing member will likely lose its sealing integrity with the casing. The radial ribs D20 are thus vertically spaced from each other and act independently with respect to the upward and downward pressure forces. The plug element D10 also includes multiple metal sealing surfaces, i.e. ends of each rib D20, to form metal-to-metal annular seals with the casing tube. More particularly, these angled ribs are configured to maintain a constant metal-to-metal seal with the liner pipe, even though the sealing member may be subjected to varying temperature and fluid pressure cycles. Under high pressure, the two ribs adjacent to the high pressure may be flexed towards the base D18, thus not maintaining the sealing integrity. A main metal seal is, however, formed by one of the axially inner ribs D32 or D34 on the downstream side of the elastomeric plug body D24, and a spare metal-to-metal seal is formed by the axially outer rib D30 or D36 axially further away from high pressure. High fluid pressure forces both spare main and secondary ribs to reduce angle D33, thereby forming a tight sealed engagement with the liner tube. The spare or redundant elastomeric seal D22 or D26 exerts a biasing force that tends to prevent the main metal seal D32 or D34 from becoming new beyond its position perpendicular to the wall of the liner tube.

Referring again to Figure D2, each of the D22 or 024 and D26 elastomeric sealing bodies is provided with a substantial void area D23, D25 and D27 to allow compression of the elastomeric body and thermal expansion, so that, During both the final adjustment operation and during drilling use, the rubber-like material is not squeezed outward beyond the rib ends, or squeezed to exert substantial rib forces that will alter the flexing of the ribs. Preferably, the void area between the rib ends and the base of the sealing member is such that at least about 5% to 10% of the thermal expansion of the elastomeric material may occur. This 5% to 10% void area thus allows the thermal expansion of each resilient elastomeric seal, thus preventing the creation of additional forces on the D20 ribs. Each of the elastomeric seal bodies thus preferably includes voids which allow each resilient seal body to be compressed between the metal ribs without overvoltage or rib deformation. These voids will thus be substantially filled due to compression of the resilient sealing material, and will become filled as shown in Figure 3 due to compression of the sealing bodies and thermal expansion of the resilient sealing bodies. The stress level on each of the elastomeric seals can therefore remain substantially constant with the various thermal cycles in the wellbore.

As shown in Figure D3, the elastomeric sealing bodies have been compressed to reduce the void area, leaving only a small void volume for further thermal expansion. The void area is preferably designated to be from 5 to 10% of the volume of resilient seal bodies, since each seal body is in its compressed position with the ends of the ribs engaging the liner pipe, although prior to expansion. thermal Figure D3 depicts plug element D10 according to the present invention in sealed engagement with casing tube C at a temperature at which the elastomeric material has already been expanded to fill most of the void area discussed above. Figure D3 also shows the flexing or bending of these ribs from the insertion position as shown in dashed lines with respect to the sealing position as shown in solid lines. The inclination of the ribs, that is, the angle D33, as shown in Figure D2, is thus increased during the shutter adjustment operation. The ribs D30 and D32 at the upper end of the obturator element D10 are angled downward, and the ribs D34 and D36 at the lower end of the obturator element are angled upwards. As explained above, the centerline of each rib is angled at least 15 ° with respect to the plane D38 perpendicular to the central axis of member 10 prior to adjustment, i.e. when of a reduced diameter, as shown in Figure D1. Shutter seal base D18 includes a plurality of inwardly projecting protrusions D40. These annular protrusions or crimps on the plug element provide a reliable metal-to-metal sealing engagement with the D14 plug cone. These bulges provide high stress points to form a reliable metal to metal seal. Similar protrusions D42 on the shutter mandrel D16 provide a metal-to-metal sealing engagement between the shutter mandrel D16 and the shutter cone D14. Accordingly, the seal of the present invention operates in conjunction with the plug cone to obtain a complete metal-to-metal seal between the plug sleeve and the plug cone, between the plug cone and the sealing member, and between the sealing member and the liner pipe. The multiple sealing bosses or crimps D40 form axially spaced metal-to-metal seals between the sealing member D10 base D18 and the tapered cone D14, while the D42 bosses seal between the D14 cone and the plug body or other conduit pipe D16. These metal to metal seals are energized as the shutter seal is adjusted, and preferably include multiple redundant metal to metal annular seals. Alternatively, one or both radially inner and intermediate metal to metal seals could be formed by annular protuberances in the plug cone to seal with either or both, i.e. plug element base D18 and plug mandrel D16.

Resilient elastomeric seals D48 on the inside diameter of sealing hole D18 may be spare seals, since spaced metal protrusions D40 form the metal-to-metal seal between the obturator element and the cone, as the obturator element is fully adjusted. Another elastomeric seal, such as a V15 seal, provides a spare elastomeric seal between cone D14 and body D16. These D40 metal protrusions in the inner diameter of element D10 are axially aligned (substantially laterally opposed) with the area where ribs D20 seal against the liner tube. The interface between the casing tube and the metal ribs D20 of the sealing element D10 thus forces the metal sealing protuberances 040 into the metal-to-metal sealing contact with the D14 cone. The protrusions D42 in the body D16 are similarly axially aligned with the element D10. Metal-to-metal seals between the plug element and the cone are preferably provided in the plug element, as its axial position relative to the cone may vary with well conditions when in the set position.

With the desired adjusting force applied to the plugging element D10, the plugging element will be pushed down to the ramp of a cone D14 so that ribs D20 engage metal against metal with the liner tube. The metal sealing bosses D40 and D42 between sealing member D10 and cone D14, and between body D16 and cone D14 are in contact, but have not been energized. When the set pressure is increased, the ribs on the sealing member may be bent inward to a solid line position in Figure D3. This high adjusting force will compress the sealing bodies between the ribs and cause the outer diameter of each sealing body to seal tightly with the liner pipe. This high adjusting force will also cause the D40 metal bulges along the inside diameter of the D10 sealing member and the D42 metal bulges along the outside diameter of the D16 mandrel to form a reliable metal to metal seal with the cone. D14. Under this load, these metal bulges form a high stress located at the point where the bulges engage the cone to achieve a reliable metal-to-metal seal. Metal protrusions which provide the desired metal-to-metal seals between body or mandrel D16 and cone D14 could be provided on each of these surfaces, the generally cylindrical outer surface of body D16 or the generally cylindrical inner surface of cone D14. A reliable fluid-tight barrier, which can be either a liquid barrier or a gas barrier, is thus formed with high reliability under various temperatures, pressures and sealing longevity conditions due to the combination of metal and elastomeric seals. After the sealing member contacts the liner pipe, water hammer preventers can be closed around the drill pipe (or other conduction pipe) and fluid pressure can be applied to the annular crown to assist by pressure in shutter element adjustment. The sealing member of the present invention is well suited for use in a liner hanger for sealing between the liner hanger shutter mandrel and the liner pipe. The initial seated weight on sealing member D10 will thus force the sealing member into cone D14 and into contact with casing tube C. Initially, sealing material radially outwardly from rib ends D20 will be compressed. to occupy much of the void area in the sealing bodies. Once the elastomeric bodies have been deformed so that the ends of the ribs engage the liner tube, the remaining void area may be 5% to 10% of the volume of each sealing body, assuming no expansion. sealing bodies due to thermal expansion. If the sealing bodies experience high thermal expansion prior to an adjustment operation, the void area will be reduced by compressing the sealing bodies.

During well operations, pressure may cause the casing pipe to expand in diameter, and this expansion will cause the ribs to expand with the casing pipe, so that the position of the ribs relative to the casing pipe. expanded liner may return to configuration as shown in dashed lines in Figure D3. The ability of ribs to "develop" in diameter with the expanded casing keeps the rib ends in reliable metal-to-metal contact with the casing as the well goes through pressure and temperature cycles. When pressure is released and the casing tube shrinks, the ribs may return to the solid line configuration as shown in Figure 3. The sealing member D10 of the present invention is thus ideally suited for applications where high pressure can be applied. applied from each direction to the sealing member since the sealing member inherently has both a main seal and a secondary seal, with each elastomeric seal being supported in one direction to resist axial movement in response to high pressure by a rib that is angled in the direction of high pressure and which allows bending to conform to the casing pipe. The rib on each side of the main seal body is supported by the secondary seal body, which pushes the rib in the direction of high pressure.

In the case of a casing hanger, the casing hanger sliding tool conventionally includes the actuator that provides compressive force to the plug element D10 to adjust the plug. In other applications where the sealing member is used, an actuator may be used to apply compressive force to move the seal from an insertion or radially reduced position to a seal or radially expanded position. The actuator may be hydraulically powered or may use mechanical adjustment operations. Thereafter, a retainer maintains the sealing member in sealing contact with the liner pipe after the slide tool is returned to the surface, preventing or limiting the axial movement of the sealing member when fluid pressure is applied. The sealing member of the present invention may be used in various applications in a wellbore having a tube disposed therein, where a plug mandrel or other conduit tube is positioned within the wellbore to position the plugging member in a selected location. The plug element is disposed around the conduit pipe and includes a plurality of elastomeric sealing bodies for sealing engagement with the borehole pipe, and a plurality of metal ribs separating the elastomeric sealing bodies, with the rib ends for metal-to-metal sealing engagement with the pipe. The plugging element may be collided with the well in a configuration similar to that shown in Figure D1, in which the sealing element is of reduced diameter, and the plugging element is radially deformed outwardly to the sealing engagement with the bore tube. well as it moves relative to a tapered wedge ring until the obturator member reaches the final adjustment position as shown in Figure D3. The radial adjustment sealing member of the present invention can thus be used for various types of drilling tools. Additional spare secondary metal ribs could be provided, as well as additional spare elastomeric bodies engaging these additional ribs. Various types of conduit pipes may be used to position the plug element at a selected location below the well surface. The substantially tapered cone or wedge ring may have various constructions with a generally outer conical surface configured to radially expand the annular seal assembly or plug with the axial movement of the plug element relative to the wedge ring due to or axial movement of the plug element with respect to the stationary wedge ring or axial movement of the wedge ring with respect to the stationary plug element. In a preferred embodiment, the seal assembly includes an upper elastomeric seal body, a main elastomeric seal body and a lower elastomeric seal body. While each of the upper and lower sealing bodies ideally gives the spare elastomeric seal, in case of leakage of the main elastomeric seal, it is an important function of the upper sealing body D22 and the lower sealing body D26 to provide a pressing force. against the respective rib D32 or D34. These elastomeric sealing bodies thus function as biasing members between the axially outermost rib and the adjacent inner rib to exert a force that prevents the inner rib from flexing beyond a predetermined stage. For example, the lower sealing body D26 engages both the inner rib D34 and the outer rib D36 and exerts an upward pressing force to prevent the rib D34 from moving downward beyond a position where it is perpendicular to the pipe wall. coating. At the same time, the lower sealing body D26 exerts a downward biasing force which will tend to increase downward flexing to the outer rib D36 when the inner rib D34 is bent downwardly in response to the high pressure above the obturator member.

In addition to the metal to main metal seal, the metal to secondary metal seal, the main elastomeric seal and the secondary elastomeric seal, additional sets of metal to metal and elastomeric seals could be provided in the plug element. Elastomeric bodies that are configured in addition to those shown here may thus be used for this purpose. Various types of plastic materials in various configurations can provide the desired pressing force, and ideally also a secondary resilient seal. Alternatively, a bent spring or other metal material biasing member may be used in place of or in cooperation with elastomeric bodies D22 and D26.

Preferably each of the metal ribs of the obturator member as described herein are annular members with the extreme surface of each rib when in the insertion position having substantially the same radial spacing from a central axis of the engaging tool. reliable seal with the surface to be sealed. In other embodiments, one or more ribs could include radial notches such that the rib did not form a full metal to metal annular seal, which could then be provided by the elastomeric seal, although the full annular metal seal would not be obtained. Preferably, a plurality of axially spaced protuberances are provided for metal-to-metal sealing engagement between the obturator member and the cone, and between the cone and the conduit tube. In other applications, a single annular protuberance may be sufficient to form the desired metal to metal sealing function.

Ball Seats Continuing in addition with a description of the entire system, the lower ball seat 246 (see Figure 1D) is mounted into the slide tool hole by shear pins 248 opposite the pressure chamber 256. Sleeve 245 thus supports the 246. The lower end of the ball seat has a thinner reduced section or neck 258. Additionally, one or more doors 260 formed in the slide tool are positioned to be uncovered to allow fluid pressure in the slide tool to be admitted to the chamber. 256 with lowering the seat 246. Ball 240, when disengaged from the upper seat 232, will rest on the second seat 246, whereby the pressure within the slide tool above the ball will move the seat 246. downward with the shear of pins 248 to open doors 260 leading to pressure chamber 256. Ball 240 can thus pass through of the first seal 232 to seat in the reduced diameter 258 of the second seat 246, so that additional pressure can be supplied through ports 260 to raise the outer piston sleeve 252. This in turn allows the slit ring 264 which has external teeth holding the casing hanger 110 moves to a position opposite a reduced diameter lower end 268 of sleeve 252 and thus out of the clamping engagement with the casing hanger, whereby the sliding tool is disengaged from the liner hanger.

At this stage, the operator will push to pass the ball through seat 246 so that the drop in pressure will indicate that ball 240 has passed through ball seat 246, allowing circulation through the drip column to continue and the ball is pumped down to the ball diverter 280 (see Figure 1). The fluids are then circulated through the tool that awaits cement displacement. The cement is then injected into the slide tool and pumped down, and the pumping plug 182 follows the cement and into the liner cleaner cap 180 (see Figures 1J, 5A and 5B). This then forms a barrier to previously displaced cement and displacement fluid. The lower end of the slide tool mandrel 132 extends downwardly below the slide sleeve assembly and has an enlarged body 145 (see Figure 1) adapted to move highly within the liner 146. This enlarged body 145 has a tapered shoulder. 147 which can be raised for engagement with a downwardly facing cam to allow the slide tool to be lifted off the adjusted liner hanger as will be described.

As previously described, in general, in connection with Figures 1, 4A and 4B, for improvements in apparatus of this type, in which the cementing operation requires the sequential lowering of the balls and pumping plugs into the inner tube, wherein In a preferred and illustrated embodiment, the inner tube is a liner having an upper end installed within an outer liner tube by a cement column pumped out of the lower liner end to the annular crown between it and the liner tube. external.

As described, in such a system, a ball is dropped onto a seat in the casing bore to allow circulating fluid to be directed to a portion thereof to hydraulically drive a part in the system external to the casing bore, and a The opening in which the ball is seated may be circumferentially compressible, with the application of a higher circulating pressure, to cause the ball to pass through and out of the lower end of the liner. The ball may then be followed by a pumping plug to force the cement down through the lower end of the liner and into the annular crown between it and the outer liner tube.

In the system shown and described in the aforementioned provisional application, the ball is relatively large and in any case larger than the hole of the liner cleaners (LWP) in which the pumping caps (PDP) must be installed. Unless the hole through the wiper cap is as small as possible, the inner diameter of the liner to be cemented into the outer hanger is necessarily enlarged to accommodate the wiper caps that are conducted around it. Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide an apparatus for such a system in which the spheres may be substantially larger than the pumping plugs, and thus larger than the bore through the wiping plugs into which the pumping plugs must be supported.

This and other objects are achieved by the apparatus including the previously described diverter 280 comprising a tubular member, such as a substitute, having an upper end connected to a well tube for lowering into a well casing tube to allow it is cemented there, and has a hole with a relatively larger diameter upper portion and a relatively smaller diameter lower portion. The larger portion allows one or more balls to be lowered therethrough, but the liner wiper plug in the smaller diameter portion prevents the balls from passing while allowing the pumping plugs to pass through the liner wiper plug.

For this purpose, a replacement installed below the larger portion has a receptacle on one side of its hole into which the ball, or at least a portion thereof, is deflected to allow the pumping plug to pass between the ball and the side of the bore. substitute opposite the receptacle, whereby the pumping plug may continue downwardly to enter the liner cleaner plug. The substitute also includes a ramp extending through the substitute hole and sloping down toward the receptacle, so that when the ball is dropped it will rest on the ramp and thus be guided into the recess. crack. More particularly, the ramp has a U-shaped slot that is too narrow to pass a ball, but is wide enough to pass a plug between its closed end and the inner side of the deflected ball.

Ball Diverter Referring now to the details of the drawings described above, each of Figures E1, E2 and E4 shows, in vertical cross section, a tubular member E10 suspended within a shell L installed within an outer shell tube C within a borehole, its purpose being to circulate the cement downwardly through the lower portion of the tubular member and into the annular crown between the liner and the liner to cement the liner within the liner. As also shown in Figures E4 and E5, an LWP coating wiper cap is suspended from the tubular member with a pumping plug being installed therein. The ball diverter BD comprises a substitute that is installed between the upper and lower portions of the tubular member, and has a receptacle P formed on the side of the substitute to receive a ball portion B adapted to pass downwardly through the tubular member. A substitute-mounted ramp R has an upper face that is sloped downwardly from its upper end to its lower end to terminate opposite the receptacle P. A slot S in the ramp is narrower than the ball, so that when the ball is dropped through the slide tool and towards the upper end of the tubular member of the cementing tool, it will be guided into the receptacle.

As shown in Figure A3, the opening between the inner end of the slit allows the edges of the pumping plug to be flexed inward so that the pumping plug is free to continue downward to a position seated on the LWP lining wiper plug, as shown in Figure A4. That is, after the ball falls into the receptacle, the pumping plug, under the influence of the downwardly directed circulating fluid, will pass between the ball and the closed end of the slot in the ramp. The pumping plug continues to be lowered until it rests on the liner wiper plug as shown in Figure 4A, thereby closing the lower end of the bore through the tubular member, all in a manner known in the art. Increased circulation fluid pressure shears pin P holding the liner wiper cap in place to allow the liner wiper cap to be moved down into the liner as shown in Figure A5. In this way, the disengaged plug assembly will continue to force the cement down through the liner and then up into the annular crown between the liner and to the outer liner tube, whereby the liner may be cemented into the casing pipe, all in a manner known in the art.

Sliding Tool Again, continuing with all rights, Figures 2-8 illustrate the movement of tool components 120 in the coating adjustment process. Once the casing is lowered to the desired depth, the fluids will be circulated "bottom to top" of the wellbore. After conditioning of the wellbore, the ball 240 is dropped from the surface handling equipment and can fall freely or be pumped at a desired rate onto the upper seat 232. With pressure applied to the seated ball, pins 222 between the seat and liner hanger adjustment assembly are sheared to allow the ball and seat to move down to a position that clears doors 242 on the body of slide sleeve adjustment assembly 140. Additional application of Fluid pressure will cause the surrounding piston sleeve 220 to travel upwards. As a result, junction receptacle 130, actuator slide sleeve 14 rip and slide sleeves 142 will be pulled up until circumferentially spaced slide sleeves are engaged with liner tube C. Thus, as shown in Figure 2A , piston sleeve 220 of slide sleeve adjusting assembly 140 surrounding slide tool arbor 132 has been moved upward with increasing pressure above ball 240. Piston sleeve 220 is moved upward until upper end 312 of piston sleeve 220 engages and disengages slotted locking ring 244. This allows junction receptacle 130 to continue to move upwards.

Conversely, raising the junction receptacle 130 raises cone 144A, slide sleeve arm 149, and slide sleeve 142A to the adjusting position as shown in Figure 2B. At this time, the load on the liner may be loosened on the sliding sleeves whereby the weight of the liner will be "projected" onto the liner tube. While holding constant pressure in the drill pipe to keep the sliding sleeves in contact with the sheath pipe, the sheath hanger may thus be loosened on the sliding sleeves. To certify that the entire liner load is loosened on the liner hanger assembly 110, additional tube weight may be applied to verify the movement of the liner. Once it is determined that the sliding sleeves hang, fluid pressure may be reapplied to seated ball 240 to a higher predetermined level so that the ball can be pumped to lower seat 246 in the liner hanger release assembly. 250. With the ball thus seated, a predetermined pressure may be applied to move the ball seat 246 and sleeve 245 downward to clear doors 260 in the liner hanger release assembly. Higher fluid pressure may then be applied to cause the piston sleeve 252 to move upwards, thereby allowing the liner hanger release ring 264 to rupture within the reduced diameter lower end 268 of sleeve 252, to disengage. thereby tapping the sliding tool of the cladding hanger. If the hydraulic release is not operable to move ring 264 to release the slide tool, the operator may resort to a mechanical release mode. The function of the ball in disengaging the adjusted liner hanger slide tool is discussed below. The additional increase in pressure on ball 240 and lower seat 246 will disengage the ball from the lower seat, so that circulation through the working tubing can continue while ball 240 is pumped down to ball diverter 280. Fluids can then be circulated through the tool that awaits cement displacement. The cement and displacement fluid are then injected into the slide tool and pumped down. When the cement has been pumped, the pumping plug that seals with the drill pipe will be disengaged from the surface manipulation equipment to rest on a seat of the liner cleaner cap, thereby forming a barrier between the previously displaced cement and the fluid. of displacement. A calculated amount of displacement fluid is required to pump the probe tube plug to the lower lining wiper cap. The operator will observe the pressure increase as pumping plug 182 is engaged with liner wiper cap 180. Pumping buffer 182 (see Figure 5A) thus follows the cement in liner wiper cap 180. As As pumping approaches the slide tool, the pump rate may be lowered to reduce the risk of defects between engagement and lower wiper cap seal and pumping cap. This will allow the observation of the pump pressure increase when the pumping plug 182 has been resting on the lower wiper cap 180 as shown in Figure 5A. A calculated amount of displacement fluid is required to force the cement to the desired height in the annular crown between the liner and the liner tube. The drill pipe can be pressurized to the predetermined level to shear pins 186 (see Figure 5A) that connect the plug fitted to the slide tool. With the liner cleaner cap disengaged as shown in Figure 5B, the displacement fluids move the liner plug assembly 146 to the backing collar 370.0 the tampon assembly thus forms a barrier between the cement and the displacement fluid, and prevents displacement fluid from contaminating cement fluids. A calculated amount of displacement fluid may be used to force the cement to the desired height in the annular crown between the liner and the liner tube. The operator continues to pump the displacement fluid until the casing cleaner and pumping plug assembly is engaged with the bearing collar 370 (see Figure 5C) located on a lower portion of the casing tube. When so supported, the seals 372 around the plug assembly will seal into the upper reduced bore of the bearing collar 370, and the toothed slide sleeves 374 engage the opening in the bearing collar to prevent upward movement of the bearing plug. by any drilling pressure. At this time, the pressure in the slide tool can be increased to a substantial level above the circulating pressure to certify that the wiper cap is properly supported and under control, and until the seals between the plug assembly and the bearing collar. are made. The plug can then be tested for bleed pressure to ensure that the flotation equipment below the bearing collar 370 is secured.

Buffer Suspension Replacement As mentioned above, conventional liner suspension sliding tools include a tampon holder replacement adapted to support a liner cleaning buffer on the sliding tool during a cementing operation. The buffer support replacement is conventionally connected to the work tubing, and the liner wiper plug is connected to the buffer support replacement by a shear connection. Unfortunately, these shear connections are often prematurely weakened or sheared either by manipulation of the sliding tool or by the kinetics of the pumping plug that is supported or seated on the liner cleaning plug.

Some manufacturers have included a cap holder replacement that features a snap-on ear and a changeable glove. The plug cannot be disengaged until the pumping plug moves the sleeve to allow the lug ears to relax and thus allow the plug assembly to be detached from the slide tool. U.S. Patent Nos. 4,624,312 and 4,934,452 describe tampon holder replacements that use tweezers in place of a snap ear. U.S. Patent 5,036,922 describes a slide tool employing a piston that is displaced so that the plug assembly is disengaged.

While the above systems may prevent premature release of the plug assembly due to movement or manipulation of the slide tool, they will not prevent premature release of the plug assembly due to the kinetics of the pumping plug and the fluid column behind the plug. when it is supported or seated on the liner wiper cap. In many applications, this bearing or "hammering" force will cause the plug assembly to disengage so fast that the operator will not be able to detect the disengagement and therefore cannot properly calculate fluid displacements. This "hammering" effect of the pumping plug that hits the liner cleaner plug and the effect of premature release of the plug set can ruin a cementing job. The prior art has not addressed the problem of premature disengagement of the tampon assembly due to this hammering effect of the pumping plug that reaches the liner wiper plug. As a result, the operator cannot calculate fluid displacement after the pumping plug has been sealed and engaged with the liner cleaner plug.

The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and an improved drill cap holder and method for sustaining a coating wiper cap are described below, which increase the reliability of cementing operations. The buffer support replacement of the present invention may be used to position a wiping plug that can be disengaged from a liner sliding tool or the end of a tubular tubing during a cementing operation. The tampon holder replacement may be releasably positioned at the lower end of the liner hanger sliding tool, and is sized to pass a pumping plug, which rests on the liner wiper cap held on the sliding tool by the tampon holder substitute. The liner wiper cap is attached to the buffer holder replacement in a manner that prevents premature disengagement of the buffer assembly from the slide tool, either by manipulating the slide tool or by the hammering effect of the pumping plug that is inserted and engaged in the liner wiper cap. Since the pumping plug is sealably seated and engaged within the hole in the liner wiper cap, fluid pressure acts on a piston that is moved to unlock the sliding tool plug assembly so that the pusher assembly plugs are disengaged and can be pumped into the support collar. The piston that unlocks the plug assembly from the slide tool acts on a fluid-filled chamber that has vent to the annular crown through a hole. When the pumping plug is sealed into the liner wiper cap hole, increased fluid pressure will act on the piston. The type and volume of the discharged fluid, as well as the size of the orifice, determine the time it takes to move the piston to a plug engagement position. This time is important to allow the operator to determine the correct displacement of cement volumes to cement the coating in the well. The tampon holder replacement allows the sliding tool to be manipulated without any detrimental effects to the liner wiper plug. The pumping plug can be pumped at any desired speed to the liner wiper cap and sealed and engaged. The hammering effect of resting the pumping plug on the liner cleaner plug will not prematurely deengage the plug set. After the pumping plug has been set and engaged, the operator can increase the pressure to the slide tool, thereby confirming to the operator that the plug has been seated on the liner cleaner plug. The operator can calculate the exact amount of displacement fluid that will be used to cement the casing in the well. The fluid pressure may then be increased by causing the piston to begin to move to the cap release position. The pumping plug and casing cleaner cap as a set will therefore be disengaged after a predetermined amount of time, which is again important for the operator to determine the correct displacement volumes to cement the casing in the well. . It is an object of the present invention to provide a buffer support replacement for disengaging a coating cleaner buffer in response to the high pressure of fluid acting against a piston, which in turn expels fluid from a chamber through a regulating jet. . It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved process of disengaging a coating wiper cap in response to fluid pressure such that fluid pressure moves a piston from a holding position to a disengaging position. The time required for the high pressure to expel the fluid through a regulating jet is monitored to increase the reliability of properly disengaging the liner wiper during the cementing operation. It is a feature of the present invention that the C-shaped retaining member can be used to connect the liner wiper cap to a tubular body, where movement of a piston to the disengaging position disengages the C-shaped retainer to disengage. disengage the liner wiper cap. It is a further feature of the invention that the C-shaped ring may have threads or other internal locking members for the liner plug locking engagement. A throttle may also have external threads for threaded engagement with the tubular body. It is an advantage of the present invention that the buffer support substitute is highly reliable and relatively inexpensive.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, in which reference is made to the figures in the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 depicts a buffer holder replacement F110 for holding a conventional coating wiper buffer. Substitute f110 includes body f112 attached to the lower end of the slide tool mandrel. Before the slide tool and liner are lowered into the well, the liner wiper cap engages locking ring F114, which is supported between body F112 and lower body F116 by piston F134. Locking ring F114 includes slots or threads F115 or other members suitable for the liner wiper cap attachment engagement. The F120 seal on the lower body F116 seals the buffer holder replacement to the liner wiper cap. F128 threads connect F112 body to lower body F116, and seal F122 seals between these connected bodies. The F112 body includes an F128 passageway that opens to the annular crown around the slide tool. An orifice jet F130 with a relatively sized orifice is positioned along this port, and preferably includes threads for engagement with the threaded port F126. The F132 fluid containing chamber is pressurized by piston F134, which includes an outer diameter seal F136 and an inner diameter seal F138.

When the pumping plug is supported within the liner wiper cap, increased pressure within the slide tool will act on piston F134, which in turn will be forced upward to expel fluid from chamber F132. The rate of fluid leaving the chamber will be determined by the characteristics of the fluid within the F132 chamber and the size of a selected orifice in the F130 jet downstream of the chamber. The left side view of Figure F1 shows an F131 pin that seals a scan port for camera F132. Pin F131 has a small port therein to slowly release pressurized fluid to the annular crown. Pin F131 can be secured inside the scan port by a squeeze operation, and is another form of a throttle. The right side illustrates an F130 body threading jet F122.

A significant advantage of the buffer support replacement according to the present invention is that the increase in fluid pressure is not the major factor determining disengagement of the buffer assembly. The rate at which the piston moves to expel fluid from the chamber is primarily a function of a specific jet size and the type of fluid in the chamber. Consequently, the operator will see an increase in pressure when the pumping plug is resting on the liner wiper cap and then know, within selected limits, that a predetermined amount of time must elapse from that increase in pressure until the plug assembly is disengaged. Since piston F134 moves upward to reduce or eliminate the volume inside chamber F132, the C-shaped locking ring F114 is free to move radially outward, thus disengaging the liner wiper cap and the pumping. The C-shaped locking ring F114 may be depressed outwardly but is normally held radially inwardly by piston F134, or may be depressed and moved outwardly to be disengaged by downward force on the liner wiper cap.

The buffers are conventionally slid into a paired well, and the buffer support replacement, as shown in Figure F1, is suitable for holding a pair of liner cleaners. In some applications, one pair of buffers is preferably used before the cement fluid, and another set of wiping buffers is used after the cement fluid and before the displacement fluid. For this application, each of the plug assemblies may be separately disengaged in response to an increase in fluid pressure, which moves a respective piston to expel fluid from the chamber and thereby disengage the plug assembly. A piston responsive to a low pressure fluid could thus be provided in the support replacement, with this piston disengaging the first set of plugs. At higher fluid pressure, a second piston may move in response to fluid pressure to disengage the second set of plugs. Each piston can force fluid through a selected hole in a jet. If desired, the second piston and / or both the first and second pistons may be secured by shear pins so that no movement occurs until a selected pressure level is obtained. If desired, the first buffer set could alternatively isolate the door to the second buffer set so that pressure could not act on the second buffer set until the first buffer set was disengaged. Figure F2 depicts piston F134 in its holding position, with C-shaped retaining member F114 held radially inwardly, so that its threads engage the corresponding threads F152 in the liner wiper cap F154. The through passage in liner wiper cap F154 is provided with a seat F156 to seal a conventional pumping plug as discussed above. The F154 coating wiper cap conventionally includes at least one and preferably two F158 cup-shaped elastomeric sealing members on an external side thereof, so that the high pressure fluid behind the coating wiper cap forces the wipers to coating out to the sealing hitch with the coating. An annular body F159 with O-rings F160 and snap ring F161 may be provided for sealing and engaging the plug assembly with the bearing collar.

Spacer and cement fluids may be mixed while circulating fluids to displace the cement. When the cement has been pumped, the pumping plug may be disengaged from the surface, forming a barrier between the previously displaced cement and the displacement fluid. A calculated amount of displacement fluid can thus be used to pump the pumping plug into the liner cleaner plug. As the pumping plug approaches the slide tool, fluid pressure may be reduced, for example, around 3.45 mPa (500 psi), and this pressure will increase when the pumping plug is supported on the coating wiper cap as discussed above.

Once the pumping plug is engaged with the liner wiper cap, the working tubing may be pressurized and after a selected period of time, the liner wiper cap and pumping plug will be disengaged from the buffer support replacement. The increased fluid pressure thus moves a piston to disengage a locking ring, which disengages the liner plug of the buffer support replacement. The piston within the buffer support substitute preferably acts on a fluid of known viscosity at the drilling temperature of the buffer support substitute. Flow of fluid through a predetermined orifice will take a predetermined period of time to disengage the liner wiper cap. This time can be used by the operator to positively calculate displacement fluid volumes. A calculated amount of displacement fluid will thus force the cement to the desired height in the annular crown between the liner and the liner tube. The fluid will thus be pumped until the liner cleaner cap and the pumping plug are engaged in the backing collar, at which time the pressure may be increased, for example, by 6.90 mPa (1000 psi), on the circulating pressure. to complete the plug engagement and check that the seals between the plugs and the support collar are secure. The pressure can then be bled and bleed checked again to ensure that the flotation equipment is holding pressure. Various types of regulating jets can be used to selectively measure fluid originating from the F132 chamber. Significant constraints may be formed within passage F128 to effectively constitute a regulating jet. The fluid in the F132 chamber will be at a known viscosity for drilling conditions, and with a selectively sized throttle, the operator will know with reasonable accuracy the time it takes for the F134 piston to move from the holding position to the disengaging position.

Other forms of retaining members may be used to interconnect the tubular body F116 with the liner wiper cap.

A preferred retaining member has a C-shaped configuration with internal grooves or teeth for connection to the liner wiper cap. The inner surface of piston F134 thus prevents the retaining member from moving to the disengaged position until the piston moves axially to its disengaging position, as shown on the right side of Figure F1.

As discussed above, the coating wiper cap may be used on the lower end of the coating suspender slide tool. The buffer support substitute of the present invention may be used more generally at the lower end of any conduction tube, such as conduction tube F140, as generally shown in Figure F1. The F140 conduit tube can thus be used both to transmit fluid pressure to the inside of the buffer support replacement, as well as to position the buffer support replacement at a selected location within the well. The buffer holder replacement of the present invention may thus be used at the lower end of various types of tools, including a slide hanger tool, or at the lower end of tubular tubing used in a cementing operation, in order to reliably disengage. the buffer plug of the buffer support replacement during the cementing operation. The disengaged wiper cap can seal the liner or other drill pipe.

Sliding Tool Continuing again with a description of the entire system, conventional cementing equipment can be used below the diverter, including the above described buffer assembly that forms a barrier to the different fluids flowing to the liner. A pumping plug F182, as shown in Figure F5A, may include upwardly facing cups 183 for cleaning the drill pipe, so that increased pressure on the working pipe disengages both plugs (the plug set) from the end. lower end of the liner hanger when cap 182 seals liner wiper cap 120. Liner wiper cap 180 has similar cups 181, and rests on collar 186 to be sealably locked in place and seal the lower end of the tube. coating Disengaged slide tool 120 may be retracted until shutter adjusting assembly 380 (see Figure 1C) is removed from the top of the junction receptacle 130 whereby the spring-loaded ears 328 are raised to a position above the top. junction receptacle, at which time they expand outwards. With the plug adjusting assembly 380 in its expanded position, weight can be loosened by engaging the lugs 328 with the top of the junction receptacle to cause the plug element 150 to begin its downward sealing sequence. This weight also activates a sealing ring 384 between the plug adjusting assembly 380 and the junction receptacle to assist in further adjusting the plug element with the annular crown thrust. With plug element 150 engaged with the casing tube, battering rams in surface explosion-prevention equipment may be closed over the borehole to form a pressure vessel between the battering ram and the expanded plug. The cross-sectional area between the liner pipe and the drill pipe and the load required to fully adjust the plug element 150 are known so that the operator can apply the predetermined fluid pressure to the annular crown to make the receptacle move to apply a predetermined additional axial load to the plug element. Downward movement of the drive sleeve 148 to adjust the plug member 150 will disengage the internal threads 386 (see Figure 6B) of the drive sleeve from the junction receptacle 130. The drive sleeve 148 thus moves radially outward as it moves. cone 152. The drive sleeve 148 may be slotted along its circumference such that, in its normal contracted position, its internal threads 386 engage the external threads 131 in the junction receptacle 130. Other types of drive gloves may be used. The mandrel 132 of the disengaged sliding tool 120 may then be raised to raise the cementing bushing 160 to cause the ears 392 in the bushing to move inward and to be unlocked from the liner hanger 110. After pulling the sliding tool end to At a predetermined position at the upper end of the liner, the operator may circulate the fluid through the slide tool to pump any excess cement to the surface. Circulation effectively reduces the amount of cement that will be required to be drilled prior to reintroduction at the top of the liner, and allows the operator to check fluid flow and / or fluid loss.

After the slide tool is retracted to a predetermined position above the topcoat, the operator circulates through the drill pipe to pump any excess cement to the surface, thereby reducing the amount of cement that will need to be drilled before re-introduction into the top. top of the jacket. Figure 8A shows the high disengaged slide tool 120 of the liner. By checking fluid flow and / or fluid loss, the operator pulls the slide tool out of the hole. Once the tool reaches the surface, the operator can check for damage to the sliding tool, eliminate tool fluids, and level the inside diameter of the tool before returning the tool to the workshop. Figure 9C also shows what remains in casing tube C, that is, adjusting plug 150 and adjusted sliding sleeves 142. Casing hanger release assembly 250, as shown in Figures 1D and 1E, may be replaced by release assembly shown in Figures 10 and 11. The casing hanger release assembly as shown in Figures 10 and 11 may further be disposed below the shutter adjustment assembly 380 as described above or plug 52 described below, and includes an inner piston sleeve 340 sealingly disposed about the slide tool mandrel 132, and another stepping sleeve 342 disposed about the inner piston sleeve. Piston sleeve 340 forms a pressure chamber similar to sleeve 252 shown in Figure 1D for release of the liner hanger. The casing hanger release assembly, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, disengages locking ring 326 which is externally slotted to engage the casing hanger diameter 110 of the upper end of casing 146. The casing ring lock 326 is held in lock position by the enlarged upper outer diameter of piston sleeve 340 which, as shown in Figure 10A, will be in its lower position. At this time, the clutch 316, as shown in Figure 1D, is depressed downward by the springs 318 to engage the casing hanger 110, which is threaded for engagement with the right-hand threads 324 on the slide tool chuck 132. A nut 322 drives ears 326 which are pressed outward by springs 327 in the vertical slits formed in the casing hanger 110 to prevent relative rotation between the mandrel 132 and the casing hanger.

By raising the inner piston 340, the locking ring 326 is free to contract inwardly around the lower reduced outside diameter 268 of the piston sleeve 340, thereby freeing the sliding tool to be lifted after adjusting the sliding sleeves, but prior to shutter adjustment, thus allowing cement to flow downwardly through the tool and upwardly within the annular space between the tool and the casing tube.

In case the locking ring 326 is not disengaged for any reason, such as the frictional engagement between the inner diameter of the locking ring 326 and the outer diameter of the piston 340 (see Figure 11A), the operator has the option of mechanically disengaging the slide tool as shown in Figure 11. As shown in Figure 11C, lowering the ball 240 to open port 260 on the slide tool mandrel will allow pressure fluid to pass through port 262 on the internal piston 340 to act on outer piston 342 and cause the outer piston to move upward with the shear of pin 358 (see Figure 11 A) between the inner and outer pistons. This allows outer piston 342, which is connected to clutch 316 by a shear pin 360, to raise clutch 316 and disengage it from the sheath hanger.

Once the clutch 316 is disengaged, the operator may turn the tool clockwise so that with the threads located on the right between the threaded nut 322 and the slide tool mandrel 132 the nut on the mandrel 132 is lowered as shown. shown in Figure 11C. Once the threaded nut 322 is lowered, the sliding tool may be retracted to the distance the nut 322 has moved, thereby disengaging the locking ring 326 and thus the sling hanger sliding tool. As shown in Figure 11D, the locking pin 326 has ruptured in the reduced outside diameter 341 of the internal piston 340. The slide tool 120 can thus be lowered to engage its clutch with that of the casing hanger. Clutch 316 is depressed downward by spring 318 so that lower teeth 317 (see Figure 8C) at upper end of sheath hanger 110 are engaged with similar teeth at lower end of clutch 316 to maintain rotary engagement between tool slide and the coating hanger. As shown in Figure 1D, the upper end 332 of the clutch 316 may be grooved with respect to the outside diameter of the slide tool chuck 132 to allow relative axial moment relative to it with spring 318 pressing. When clutch 316 is engaged, rotation of the work tubing will rotate the casing hanger. When the clutch is disengaged, rotation of the work tubing will rotate the slide tool chuck 132 to move nut 322 relative to thread 324 as described below.

Figures 11A-C therefore illustrate a casing hanger release assembly that allows the operator to perform mechanical disengagement by right rotation in case he is unable to perform hydraulic disengagement. As shown in Figures 11A and 11B, the slide tool mandrel 132 is surrounded by the pair of inner and outer sleeve pistons 340 and 342. Inner piston 340 has a shoulder 272 for engaging slide 274 of the slide tool mandrel 132. Rings intermediate seals above and below ports 260 are discovered by lowering ball 240 on ball seat 246 to the lower position as shown in Figure 11C. Outer sleeve piston 342 surrounds inner piston 340 and, while in position, as shown in Figure 11A, is supported on inner piston 340 by engaging an outer shoulder 348 on the inner piston with the generally opposite shoulder on outer piston 342. More particularly, this shoulder 348 is generally aligned with door 262 on the inner sleeve 340 and intermediate the upper and lower sealing rings 346 between the inner and outer sleeves. A ring 350 forms a stop shoulder at the upper end of the inner piston 340 to limit the upward movement of the outer piston 342 relative to the inner piston. Inner piston 340 is held in an upward direction by a downwardly directed shoulder 344 on the slide tool.

In the initial mounting position, as shown in Figure 11A, prior to lowering the lower ball seat 246 and opening the door 260 from the slide tool hole, lock ring 326 is held in a locked position between a portion of enlarged diameter of inner piston 340 and inner diameter of casing hanger 110. Nut 322, as shown in Figure 11B, is positioned below the small diameter portion 341 of inner piston 340, with inner threads 352 engaged with threads 324 As with the previously described embodiment, the threaded nut 322 is prevented from rotation with respect to the casing hanger assembly by the spring-loaded ears 326 in the vertical slots in the casing hanger 110. If the slide tool is not hydraulically disengaged with door opening 260 to raise internal piston 340 and disengage ring By locking 326, the slide tool may be mechanically disengaged by a second hydraulic release operation as discussed above.

If the operator wishes to rotate the casing while cementing, a higher fluid pressure will be applied to outer piston 342 to shear pin 360 between outer piston 342 and clutch 316, at which time spring 318 will reengage the clutch. . The operator can then rotate the slide tool spindle 132, thereby rotating the casing holder. Additional fluid pressure can then be applied to ball 240 to force it through the thinner reduced diameter of seat 246.

Packing Bushing of Figure 12 Referring now to Figure 12A, a preferred embodiment of a packing bushing 10 for sealing between a radially outer casing sliding adapter of the casing hanger and a radially internal sliding tool chuck is described. Packing bushing 10 is axially captured in the slide tool chuck or tubular body 12. The compact design of the packing bushing and its limited axial movement in the slide tool body 12 facilitates the reintroduction of the packing bushing into the casing hanger, as explained below. Upper end 14 of body 12 includes threads 16 and seal 18 for sealed engagement with the lower end of the slide tool casing hanger release assembly. Lower end 20 of body 12 includes similar threads 22 for interconnecting with a sleeve that extends downward to a ball diverter. The body or replacement 12 is thus part of the slide tool mandrel, and thus a smooth gasket is not required.

As shown in Figure 12A, an inner seal 24 and an outer seal 28 are provided on the locking piston 26. The seal 24, which may be a V-seal, thus seals between the locking piston 26 and the body 12, and the seal 28, which may also be a V-seal, seals between piston 26 and casing hanger sliding adapter 48. Retainer 30 is threadedly connected to piston 26 to lock seals 24 and 28 in place. The retaining member 32 is threadedly connected to the top cover 34 so that the one piece C-ring 36 is positioned between the top cover 34 and the piston 26. The retaining member 32 includes a shoulder 38 to engage the shoulder 40 in the body 12. The lower flange portion 33 of the retaining member 32 and the upper end 27 of the piston 26 are each grooved so that the grooved tabs are circumferentially interlocked around the packing sleeve. . The flange portions 33 will thus capture the locking ring 36 axially when the piston 26 is forced upwards. Locking ring 36 is a C-shaped unitary ring having a circumference of more than 200 °, and usually less than about 350 °, and is intended for engagement and axial locking to the liner hanger. A preferred locking ring 36 may have a circumference of 300 ° to 340 °, thus providing substantially integral circumferential contact with the liner hanger, while allowing radial expansion and contraction of the locking ring. The relaxed diameter of lock ring 36 is substantially as shown in Figure 12A. The seal retainer 30 is normally axially spaced a slight distance above the stop surface 44 in the body 12 to lock and unlock the bushing.

When fluid is pumped through the casing hanger sliding tool, the lower end of piston 26 will be exposed to high pressure, which moves piston 26 away from stop surface 44, as shown in Figure 12A, so that the surface Locking nut 46 at the end of the piston 26 holds the C-ring 36 radially out and in locking engagement with the liner hanger to axially lock the packing sleeve to the liner hanger. Locking ring 36 thus prevents the packing sleeve from being moved axially when pressure is increased during the cementing operation, while seals 24 and 28 maintain the integrity of the fluid between the sliding tool and the liner hanger.

Since the top cover 34 is axially secured to the body 12, the load shoulder 44 in the top cover 34 provides a means for transmitting downward forces to the coating suspender during operation and cementing. The shoulder 44 would then engage the shoulder 45 in the slide hanger adapter 48 when a seated weight was applied to the jacket hanger so that the jacket hanger was "lowered". A bearing 46 may be provided to allow the slide tool body 12 to rotate relative to an adjusted packing sleeve during an emergency release operation. The packing sleeve can thus be reliably held in the locked position, with the piston 26 on top and the C-ring 36 expanded, as shown in Figure 12A, when fluid pressure is applied to the packing sleeve. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that hitch shoulders 38 and 40 allow the packing sleeve assembly 10 to be recovered with the slide tool to the surface after the cementing operation. Recoverable packing bushing 10, as shown in Figure 12A, thus replaces the bushing shown in Figure 1. Using the C-ring 36 in place of circumferentially spaced clamps allows high pressure cementing forces to be applied to the bushing. packing without "extracting" the packing sleeve. As shown in Figure 12A, an annular groove 47 in the casing hanger slide adapter 48 will receive locking ring 36 to securely lock the packing bushing in the casing hanger when fluid pressure is applied to piston 26. Without the pressure of fluid, the C-ring 36 will thus be retracted inwardly toward the retaining member 32 as the locking ring 36 engages the top surface of the groove 47 as the bushing is pulled from the liner hanger. When the bushing is reintroduced into the casing hanger, the C-ring 36 will be retracted radially inwardly, for example when the locking ring 36 engages the load shoulder 45 in the casing hanger. During upward movement of the sliding tool with respect to the casing hanger, the C-ring 36 may thus move radially inward when engaged and may also move radially inwardly when the packing sleeve is reintroduced back into the housing. coating hanger. The C-ring design significantly increases tool reliability in accordance with the present invention, and reduces both the complexity and costs of prior art tools using multiple ears or clamps. Figure 12B illustrates the grooved members 27 of the piston 26 and the grooved members 33 of the retaining member 32, and the C-shape of the locking ring 36. The circumferentially spaced outer slots 37 around the C-ring 36 facilitate expansion and contraction of the C-ring. The casing hanger sliding tool with the packing sleeve described here can be used in various types of casing hanger operations. The packing sleeve may be used with or without a plug fitting assembly and a plug element to seal between the liner hanger and liner tube. Although the packing bushing as described herein is positioned axially between the casing hanger release assembly and the slide sleeve adjusting assembly, the packing bushing could be provided at other locations on the casing hanger sliding tool.

Shutter Offset Assembly of Figure 13 Figure 13 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a shutter adjusting assembly 52, which will enable activation and sealing of the top end shutter. The plug fitting assembly is provided in the formed body of the sleeve or replacement 54 which is part of the slide tool mandrel, and includes lower threads 55 for engagement with a lower mandrel replacement. Shutter adjustment assembly 52 includes a housing 56 which conducts a V-shaped seal 58. Other conventional elastomeric seals may replace the V-seal 58. A flow slot 53 in body 54 ensures fluid communication with the slots or ribs 57 in body 54 so that housing 56 moves axially along these grooves without trapping fluid pressure. Seal retainer 60 and snap ring 62 hold the V-seal in place. A force-transmitting or shutter-adjusting C-shaped ring 64 is positioned in the housing 56, and includes an inner sleeve portion 66. A C-shaped firing ring or an insulating ring 70 is positioned between the locking sleeve 68 and retainer cover 72. locking sleeve 68 engages the sleeve portion 66 to hold the C-ring 64 in the compressed position as shown in Figure 13 so that when disengaged the ring at C 64 will pop out. A housing extension 74 is threadedly secured to housing 56, and bearing 80 allows body 54 to rotate relative to bushing 56. Bearing sleeve 78 is connected to replacement 54 by shear member 82. Sleeve portion 84 of bearing sleeve 78 engages body 54 as shown in Figure 13, although sealing between body 54 and bearing sleeve 78 is not required. The sealing members 86 in the body 54 are discussed below. The first time the shutter adjustment assembly is moved out of the polished hole receptacle 90 (which is the same as the junction receptacle 130 discussed in the slide tool of Figures 1-9), the firing ring 70, which has been positioned within of the polished hole receptacle will snap in a radially outward position as shown in Figure 13 due to the natural pressure of the C-shaped firing ring. When the shutter adjustment assembly is subsequently reinserted into the In the polished hole, the firing ring 70 will engage the top of the polished hole receptacle 90 as shown in Figure 13, and the shutter adjustment C-ring 64 will be positioned within the polished hole receptacle. When a certain force is applied, the housing 56 will move downwardly with respect to the locking sleeve 68, and the firing ring 70 will move radially inward due to the cam action. The entire shutter adjustment assembly can thus be lowered to the bottom outwardly on a lower portion of the slide adapter prior to beginning the cementing operation. The next time the shutter adjustment assembly is raised outside the polished hole receptacle, the radially outward pressing force of the C-ring 64 will cause the C-ring to engage the top of the polished hole receptacle of the suspension. coating. More particularly, the shoulder 65 will engage the top of the polished bore receptacle 90, as the natural or disengaged diameter of the C-ring 64 approaches the outer diameter of the receptacle 90. The flat surface 65 on the C-ring 64 thus engages. the top surface of the connector receptacle 90. In this position, the tapered surface 73 at the lower end of the retainer cover 72 engages the corresponding tapered surface 63 of the upper end of the C-ring 64, and the seated weight thus results in a radially force to was applied to the C-ring 64 to effectively lock the C-ring in the weight transfer position, so that the C-ring will not fit radially inward prematurely before the shutter is adjusted. Since the C-ring 64 is fitted against the casing hanger, the body 54 can be moved downwardly with respect to the housing 56, thereby shearing the members 82. The plug fitting assembly 52 exhibits high reliability since that a substantial downward adjusted weight may be transmitted through the C 64 ring to the junction receptacle, and since the mechanical adjusting pressure is assisted by the fluid pressure between the inside diameter of the casing pipe and the outside diameter of the tool slide or drill pipe. After the members 82 stop and the body 54 moves downwardly with respect to the housing 56, the radially inward surface of the projection 88 in the housing 56 is then supported on the larger diameter surface 90 of the substitute 54, with the housing members seal 86 sealing with housing 56. A collar or similar stop in body 54 engages the top of bearing sleeve 78 to limit the downward travel of the mandrel. Seal 58 remains sealed at the junction receptacle. After the plug fitting assembly 52 is adjusted, the increase in annular crown pressure between the casing tube and slide tool allows the housing 56 to act as a piston that is forced downward in response to annular crown pressure, thereby providing greater downward force to reliably adjust the casing hanger shutter when the shutter is forced radially outwardly as it is pushed into the shutter adjusting cone.

A complete operating procedure for operating, adjusting and disengaging the liner hanger system in accordance with the present invention will now be discussed. The slide tool is conventionally attached to the lower end of a working column, typically a drill pipe, and is releasably attached to a casing hanger, which is attached to the top of the casing. The work tubing lowers the casing in the wellbore to a position above the lower end of the previously set casing tube or casing. With the lining to a desired depth, wellbore fluids are circulated "bottom up" to clean the bore. An adjustment ball may initially be dropped from a cementation pipe on the surface. The ball may either fall freely or may be pumped into the casing hanger sliding adjustment assembly, where the ball will rest on the expandable ball seat. Fluid pressure can then be increased to a selected value, for example, 50015 psi (351550 kg / m2), which exerts a force on the shear bolts acting between the ball seat and the adjusting assembly mandrel. slide sleeve. When this force exceeds the limits of the design, the bolts will shear to disengage the ball and seat to a position that clears the hydraulic ports on the mandrel. Continuous pumping of fluid will then force the ball through the seat, and allow the ball to be pumped to the second ball seat within the release tool. The fluid pressure is then increased to shear the bolts between the piston and the casing hanger adjustment assembly mandrel. The piston, which was exposed to pressure within the working tubing when the ball was first disengaged, is responsive to fluid pressure and travels upward, thus forcing the sliding sleeves to disengage and contact the liner tube. The liner load can then be loosened over the adjusted sliding sleeves. Since the sliding sleeves support the weight of the jacket, the jacket is "lowered".

By loosening the liner load over the slider sleeves, additional loosening or "seated weight" may be applied to the hanger to check for any movement of the hanger. Seated weight will be transmitted through the slide tool to the liner hanger, which is supported by the liner hanger sliding sleeves. This seated weight may, for example, be transmitted through the slide tool chuck to the packing bushing and then to the load shoulder on the packing bushing to the casing hanger. A ball can then be supported, and the ball seat moved to expose the fluid ports. The pressure may then be increased to a selected value, for example, 843720 kg / m2 (1200 psi), which is transmitted through the ports in the casing hanger de-mounting assembly mandrel. This increased pressure shears the bolts on the main piston, thereby moving the piston to allow the liner hanger to disengage the ring to break and disengage the slip ring from the liner hanger. At this stage, the casing hanger sliding tool is released from the casing hanger. Since the clutch connecting the slide tool to the liner hanger is secured by shear pins relative to the disengagement piston, it moves from the clutch position to a disengaged position as the piston moves upward to disengage the ring. sliding. The slide tool is preferably disengaged with the increase in fluid pressure acting on the main piston. If the slide tool is still engaged with the liner hanger after pressurization on the main release piston, the operator may continue to press the drill pipe to the maximum allowable pressure by checking the release in small pressure increments to the piston shear pressure. secondary. If the main piston does not disengage the liner hanger sliding tool, continuous pressure will shear the secondary piston from the main piston and the secondary piston will move axially upward to disengage the sliding tool clutch from the clutch on the liner hanger. With the clutch disengaged, the slide tool can be rotated 5-6 times to the right to disengage the liner hanger tool. The operator at this stage will be able to retract the work column and notice the coating weight loss on an equipment weight indicator, thus indicating that the slide tool is disengaged from the coating hanger. This retract operation will also disengage the packing hanger gland packing gland or junction receptacle. As indicated above, the packing gland is intended to be reinsertable so that the operator can pull the sliding tool and packing gland up as desired to verify that the sliding tool is disengaged from the liner hanger. Once it is confirmed that the slide tool is disengaged, the packing sleeve will be reinstalled when the slide tool is loosened on the liner hanger. When there is pressure below the packing bushing, the bushing will be firmly locked in the casing hanger.

A selected fluid pressure, for example of 17.24 mPa (2500 psi), may be used to shear the secondary piston from the clutch to allow the clutch to reengage the liner hanger. Once the liner hanger sliding tool is released from the liner, pressure can then be applied to the ball and seat. At a predetermined pressure, for example, 3.68 mPa (3000 psi), the ball will pass through the door isolation ball seat, which expands the seat diameter. The ball is forced through the seat to permanently deform the ball seat. The drop in pressure and recovery of circulation will then indicate that the ball has successfully passed through the ball seat. The ball can then fall freely or be pumped into the ball diverter.

Spacer and cement fluids may be mixed while circulating fluids for cement displacement. When the cement has been pumped, the pumping plug can be disengaged from the surface, forming a barrier between the previously displaced cement and the displacement fluid. A calculated amount of displacement fluid can thus be used to pump the fine-tuning buffer to the liner cleaner buffer. As the pumping plug approaches the slide tool, fluid pressure may be reduced, for example, by about 3.45 mPa (500 psi), and this pressure will increase as the pumping plug is engaged on the coating wiper cap. Once the pumping plug is engaged with the liner wiper cap, the working tubing may be pressurized and after a selected period of time, the liner wiper cap and pumping plug will be disengaged from the liner support replacement. plug. Higher fluid pressure thus moves a piston to disengage a ring, which disengages the liner cap buffer from the cap holder replacement. The piston within the buffer support replacement acts on a fluid of known viscosity, and the flow of fluid through a predetermined orifice will take a predetermined period of time to disengage the liner wiper cap. This time can be used by the operator to positively calculate displacement fluid volumes. A calculated amount of displacement fluid will then force the cement to the desired height in the annular crown between the liner and the liner tube. The fluid will thus be pumped until the liner cleaner cap and the pumping buffer assembly are engaged with the backing collar, at which time the pressure may be increased to, for example, 703100 kg / m2 (1000 psi) on the circulating pressure to complete the plug engagement and check that the seals between the plugs and the support collar are secure. The pressure can then be bled and bleed checked again to ensure that the floating equipment is holding pressure.

It should be remembered that the shutter adjustment assembly incorporates an unlocking feature that allows the shutter adjustment assembly to be pulled out of the casing hanger junction receptacle once without unlocking the shutter adjustment ring. Upon reintroduction of the junction receptacle assembly, the shutter adjustment ring is armed and is ready to expand the second time the shutter adjustment assembly is pulled out of the junction receptacle. Consequently, the slide tool may be retracted until the shutter adjustment assembly is removed from the junction receptacle. Loosening the work tubing breaks the firing ring so that it can reenter the junction receptacle, and moves a locking sleeve out of contact with the shutter adjusting ring. Once the C-shaped shutter adjustment ring is compressed, although it is now disengaged from the locking sleeve, the shutter adjustment assembly is ready to activate the next time it is pulled out of the junction receptacle. . Accordingly, the slide tool can be retracted sufficiently to expose the shutter adjustment assembly, and then the seated weight is used to adjust the shutter element.

Once the plug adjusting ring is in its expanded position, the weight of the probe tube may be loosened at the top of the junction receptacle. This downward force through the mounting of the shutter adjustment and to the junction receptacle initiates the shutter adjustment sequence. This action will shear the bolts and allow the adjustment load to be transmitted to the sealing member. As a load increases, the plug element will expand into the outside diameter as it moves the cone, thereby pushing the expansion plug element into engagement with the liner tube.

With the plug element engaged with the casing tube, the rams of the equipment may be closed around the borehole so that a pressure vessel is formed between the casing tube and the slide tool and between the plugging element and the ram seals on the surface. Knowing how much load is required to properly adjust the plug element, a known fluid pressure may be applied to the annular crown to cause the junction receptacle to be moved, thereby applying a larger known load to the plug element. . A desired adjusting load for the plug element can thus be applied by a combination of seated weight and fluid pressure.

After pulling the adjusting tool to a predetermined position above the top of the liner, fluid may be circulated through the drill pipe to circulate any excess cement to the surface, thereby reducing the need for drilling. Once excess cement has been circulated out of the well, the operator can pull the adjusting tool from the well. Once on the surface, the tool can be checked for damage and serviced.

The tools, as discussed above, function as an assembly for a specific application, that is, for the operation and release of the casing hanger, cementing the casing in the wellbore and adjusting the plug element. A liner hanger could be slid without a shutter element; consequently, the slide tool would not require the shutter adjustment assembly. Also, a plug element could be slid into a wellbore without a liner hanger sleeve mechanism, and therefore, the slide sleeve release assembly would not be required in the slide tool. Various combinations of the described tools could be put together to work on a variety of drilling tools.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in detail, it is apparent that modifications and adaptations of the preferred embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it should be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention as explained in the following claims.

Claims (10)

1. Shutter adjustment assembly for adjusting a radial adjustment shutter element, the shutter adjustment assembly applying a force to the shutter element or a cone to move the shutter element relative to the cone, characterized in that it comprises: a ring power transmission and radially expandable C-ring (64), the power transmission C-ring, when expanded, acts to engage a adjusting sleeve (90) to apply a seating weight through the adjusting sleeve (90) to adjust the radial adjustment shutter element. Shutter adjustment assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a locking mechanism for preventing the power transmission C-ring (64) from moving into the expanded position. Shutter fitting according to claim 2, characterized in that the locking mechanism includes a locking C-ring (70) for radially expanding to engage the top of the casing (90) and thereby disengaging the locking mechanism. locking mechanism. Shutter fitting assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the locking mechanism moves from an expanded position to a retracted position due to a cam surface in a housing (68) of the assembly. (52), thereby disengaging the power transmission C-ring (64). Shutter adjustment assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a locking mechanism for allowing the power transmission C-ring (64) to be raised off the top of a shutter suspension. casing (90) once without moving the power transmission C-ring to the expanded position such that the next time the power transmission C-ring (64) is moved out of the casing hanger (90 ), the power transmission C-ring (64) will expand to its expanded position for engagement with the liner hanger (90). Shutter adjustment assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it further comprises: a shutter adjustment housing (56); an inner diameter seal (86) for sealing between a shutter mandrel and the shutter adjusting housing (56); and an outer diameter seal (58) for sealing between the adjusting sleeve and the shutter adjusting housing (56) such that fluid pressure can be used to assist in applying an adjusting force through the sleeve. (90) for the shutter element. Shutter adjustment assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it further comprises: a shutter adjustment housing about a mandrel; and a bearing (80) for facilitating rotation of the mandrel with respect to the housing. Shutter adjustment assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the radial adjustment shutter element includes a radially inwardly metal base and one or more radially outwardly sealing bodies. Shutter adjustment assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the adjusting sleeve acts on the closure element of a liner hanger to seal between the liner hanger and a liner tube. A method of adjusting a radial adjusting obturator by applying a force to the obturator or a cone to move the obturator with respect to the cone, characterized in that it comprises: providing a C-ring for transmitting radially expandable force (64); expanding the power transmission C-ring (64) to engage an adjusting sleeve (90); and applying a seating weight through the adjusting sleeve (90) to adjust the radial adjusting plug element.