US1342927A

US1342927A - Well-plugging apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1342927A
Application number: US265766A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur T Ruthven
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1918-12-07
Filing date: 1918-12-07
Publication date: 1920-06-08
Anticipated expiration: 1937-06-08

Description

A1 T., RUTHVEN. WELi. PL'UGGING APPARATUSl APPLICATION man nmz, 1.918.

Patented June 192@ 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Al T. RUTHVEN. WELL PLUGGNG APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED DECJ. 191B.

mama June 8, 19260.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fw, ATTORNEY.

FIEE@A ARTHUR T. RUTHVEN, 0F KANSAS CITY, MISSORI.

WELL-PLUGGING APPARATUS.

Lacasse.,

Application filed December 7, 1918. Serial VNO, 265,766.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ARTHUR T. Rp'rHvnN, a citizen of the United States, resldmg at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and,

State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Well- Plugging Apparatus, of which the yfollowing is a specification. I

In drilling oil wells it sometimes happens that the drill is run through a stratum of rock separating the oil sand from an underlying sheet of water which latter then floods the former and renders the well useless unless the aperture through the rock can be sealed. `0n other occasions the drill is run below a paying' oil sand in the hope that a better producing sandwill be found at a lower level, but when expectations are not realized it is desirable to plug the well at the bottom of the layer of paying sand to prevent the oil running down to the bottom of the well. f

By the use of my apparatus the aperture in the rock can be quickly and effectually plugged, or a false bottom may be formed in the well at the bottom of the paying sand and thus prevent wastage of oil and ofttimes total abandonment of a well.

.In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a broken, vertical, sectional view of a well with my apparatus in operative relation thereto, and in position to plug an orifice in a layer of rockin the well.

lEig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the ap aratus. Y

ig. 3 is a cross sectional view of a sack or flexible container, on line III- III of Fig'. 2Q

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional viewof a well with the apparatus in positionto formy a false bottom in said well. Referring now in detail to the various parts, A. designates an oil well extending through a stratum of oil sandl B and communicatin with a sheet of water C through an orifice in a layer of rock E, which was pierced during the drilling operation.

F, designates a derrick of ordinary or preferred form mounting a windlass G embodying a shaft 1 journaled in bearings 2 and united by a swivel or other coupling 3 lto a pipe 5, which leads to a pump or atank (not shown) containing compressed air or other fluid under pressure;

The shaft l is hollow from the coupling 3 to a short section of pipe 7 extending radially through the drum of the 'windlass and curved at its outer end in order that it may be readily connected to the upper end of a tubular cable 9, which is of such construction that it will not collapse or flatten out and cut off the flow of fluid therethrough when wound upon the windlass G.

The lower end of the cable 9 is connected to the upper end of a container 11, consisting, preferably, of sheet metal and provided at its reduced lower end with a coupling member 13, for engagement with a coupling member 15 at the upper end of a flexible container or sack 17.

The coupling member 13 fits loosely over the coupling member 15, which has a laterally projecting pin 19 for entrance into a bayonet slot 20, in said coupling member 13. The foregoing connection reliably secures the flexible container 17 to the container 11, and permits the latter to be uncoupled from the former while in position in a well, as will hereinafter appear.

The flexible container 17 may be of suitable material such as rubber, canvas, leather, etc., and has longitudinal folds 22, so` that it may expand radially for the purpose of plugging the well. The flexible container 17 is prevented from expanding or stretching longitudinally, by one or more cables 24 secured at their lower ends to the lower end of the flexible container 17 and secured at their upper ends to the coupling member 15.

26 designates a valve which is normally held to its seat in the coupling member 15 by a coil spring 28, to retain the fluid lunder pressure in the flexible container 17.

In practice, should the drill ierce the layer of rock E, as disclosed on 4ig. 1, and thus permit the underlying water to flow upwardly through the orifice D and flood the oil sand B, said orifice D is plugged as follows .A small amount of cementitious or other sealing material I-I is placed in the flexible container 17 to weight down its lower end, so' that it may readily pass down into vthe well. The container 11 is then' su u plied with cementitious materialv I in su cient amount to nearly ll the flexible container 17. The two containers are then/r y cable 9, until the flexible container 17, is ap- .tainer 11 is hoisted from the well.

within the flexible container 17 The cable l' 9 is then grasped at the top of the'well and rotated until 4the container 11 1s turned sufficiently to disengage its slotted portion 20 from the'pin 19, whereupon said con-l As the flexible container 17 is left in the orifice D the latter isl permanently sealed by said container 11 and the cement therein, which sets andbecomes hard. Thus the flow of water 4into the oil bearing sand B through the orifice D is eflectually cut oil".

In case the drill is run below a stratumbf oil producing sand, such as B', Fig. 4, with Y the expectationof locating a better paying 17 is then expanded by the material from stratum at a lower level and such expectation is not realized, it becomes desirable to form a false `bottom fn the well atthe bottom of the oil bearing sand B in order that the oil may be economically recovered. This is'accomplished by enlarging the diameter of the well as at K, with 4'an underreamer or other suitable tool. The two containers .with the sealing material are then'lowered into the well as before-described until the flexible container 17 is at the enlarged portion K of the well.` The flexible container the container 11 and the fluid introduced through the cable 9, until said container 17 fits tightly within thevenlarged portion K of the well. The container 11 is. then luncoupled from the flexible container 17 which is permitted to .remainin the well and on becoming hard forms a substantial false Vbottom which prevents the oil from flowing to the lower end of the well.

The cement orother material put in the i container 11 may be previously mixed with s watero'rit mayv be'placed in said container in a dry state, in which event water instead of air is'jffintroduced through the cable 9 to 'mix with-'the cement and force it from the containerizllinto'. the flexible container 17. In some instances it may be desirable to` dispensey with the container 11 and connect the cable 9 directly to the flexible container -17,.in .which case cement may be introduced4 in adry state into saidcontainer 17 through the cable 9 followed by waterto be mixed withthe cement,'or mortar in a. semiliquid statemay be used `but'care'must then be exercised to clean out the cable 9 before such mortar hardens therein.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that I have produced simple and efiicient means whereby a well may be effectually plugged at any desired point, and while I have siliown and described the preferred form of apparatus for accomplishing results above described, I retainl lthe right to make such changes in the construction, combination and arrangementjof parts n as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to' secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an apparatus ofthe character 'described, a flexible container adapted to hold a sealing material for plugging a well, and

means for introducing a fluid into said flexible container to force the same firmly into engagement with the wall of the well.`

- 2. In an Iapparatus of the character vdescribed, a flexible container adapted to holdl a cementitious material for pluggin a well,

and means for lowering said flexi le container'and introducing fluid therein to force the same firmly against the wall of the well.

3. In an apparatus of the character `described, a sack adapted to hold a' cementihtious material for plugging awell, and a tubular cable for lowering said flexible conltainer and introducing fluid therein to force the same firmly against the wall of the well.

, 4. In an apparatus ofthe character described, a flexible container adapted to hold a sealing material for plugging a well, means for lintroducing a'fluid under pressureinto said flexible container to force the same firmly into engagement'with the wall of the ing from the flexiblecontainer.

5'. In an apparatus of the character described, a flexible container adapted to hold a cementitious material for plugging a well, a tubular cable for introduclng a fluid under pressure into said flexible container to force thesame firmly into engagement with the wall of the well, and means to prevent the fluid escaping from the flexible container. 6. In an apparatus of the character described, a flexible container adapted to hold well, and means to prevent the fluid escapa cementitious material for plugging a well,

a tubular. cable for introducing a fluid under pressure into said. flexible container to force thesame firmly into4 engagement with the wall of the well, and a valve to prevent the"A fluid escaping from the flexible container.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a flexible container adapted to hold c a sealing material for plugging a well,

ble container to force' the same firml into engagement with the wall of the wel and means withinthe flexible 'container to premeans for introducing a fluid into said flexivent the same from stretching vertically When the fluid is introduced therein.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a flexible container adapted to hold a Asealing material for plugging a Well, means for introducing a fluid under pressure into said flexible container to force the same firmly into engagement with the Wall of the Well, means to prevent the fluid escaping from the flexible container, and a cable to reinforce the flexible container and prevenlt the same from expanding longitudinal y.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a flexible container adapted to hold a sealing material for plugging a well, and a second container lsecured .to the first contairlier to supply the same with sealing materia 10. In an apparatus of the character described, a flexible container adapted to hold a cementitious material for sealing a Well, a second container secured to the first container to supply the same with sealing material, and means for introducing-fluid under pressure into said second containe'i"""to force the material therein into the flexible container for the purpose described.

l1. In an apparatus of the character described, a'sack adapted to hold a cementitious material for sealing a Well, a container secured to said sack to supply the same with lcementitious material, and a self closing valve to admit the material from said container into the sack.

12. In an apparatus of the character dematerial for sealing a Well, and means for lowering said container into the Well and supplying it with sealing material.

14. In an apparatus of the character described, a flexible container adapted to hold material for sealing a Well, means Jfor loweringv said container into the Well and supplying it with sealing material, and means to preventl the material escaping from the container.

15. Inan apparatus of the character dcscribed, a flexible container adapted to hold material for sealing a Well, means for loWering said container into the Well and supplying it With sealing material, and means to prevent the container from stretching longitudinally.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ARTHUR T. RUTHVEN. lVitnesses: t

F. G. FISCHER, I1. J FISCHER.

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