US1601921A

US1601921A - Gas anchor for oil wells

Info

Publication number: US1601921A
Application number: US10307A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clifford T Mccoy
Original assignee: NORMAN E CONKLIN
Current assignee: NORMAN E CONKLIN
Priority date: 1925-02-19
Filing date: 1925-02-19
Publication date: 1926-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 1943-10-05

Description

Oct. 5 61926.

C; T. M COY GAS ANCHOR FOR'OIL WELLS Filed Feb. 19, 1925 Patented Oct. 5, 1926. I

MAN E. CONKLIN AND ONE-FOURTH 'lO RALPH B. BLODGET,

CALIFORNIA.

CLIFFORD T. MCCOY, OF TORRANGE,

CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO NOR- BOTI-I 011 LOS ANGELES,

GAS ANCHOR FOR OIL WELLS.

Application filed February 19, 1925. Serial No. 10,307.

This invention relates to improvements in gas anchors for oil wells.

tively separate the majority of gas from the oil when pumping in an oil well, and which will thoroughly mix such gas as will not separate from the oil and any the oil, so that in this manner mud, which enter the pump, oughly mixed and will not action.

floating mud with oil, gas and will be thorhinder pump A further object of the invention is to provide an improved gas anchor adapted to separate the majority of be pumped to mix enters the pump separating most of the oil before it the sand 1 as from the oil to thoroughly the fluid which and to provide means for n the oil from enters the pump.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved sand trap for a gas anchor.

following detailed descriptionand pointedi reference is had out in the appended claims,

to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment wherein of the invention,

Figure 1 is a vertical section througha well, showing in section the anchor;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to- Fig. 1, showing improved gas the sand trap in the gas anchor as being dumped;

3 is a-horizontal stantially on the line 3-3 oi section taken sub- 7 Fig. 1;

Fig. 1 is a section taken on the line H 01. Fig. 3

Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing how the upper section of the outer tube of the gas anchor is constructed; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view, showing how the inner tube of structed.

Referring to wherein similar the gas anchor is con the accompanying drawings reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the well hole is indicated at 10, in which there is dlsposed the well casing 11. The pump barrel 1s 1ndicated at 12, upon the lower is mounted'the convent-iona end of which 1 coupling 13 having a tapered interior providing aseat tor the standing valve seat 14;. The standing valveiis shown as provided with a ball closure 15 movable within a cage 16. All of the above described structure is conventional in the ordinary deep well pump.

Thegas anchor consists of'aninner tube U which is threaded into the lower end of the coupling 13. This tube is of a length slightly less than the length of an ordinarv pump tubing section. The lower end of the inner tube 17 is notched to provide a plurality of fingers 18 for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

About the inner tube 17 there is disposed an outer tube 19 of approximately the same length as the inner tube 17 and this outer tube is notched adjacent its upper end to provide a plurality of fingers 20. The fingers 20 are preferably welded or may be otherwise secured upon the exterior otthe inner tube 17, adjacent its top; and in a similar manner the fingers 18 are welded or otherwise secured upon the interior of the outer tube 19. The fingers 20 cooperate with the inner tube 17 to form a plurality of apertures, through which oil within the casing 11 may be admitted to the interior of the outer tube 19; and in a similar manner the'iingers 18 cooperate with theouter tube 19 to form apertures enabling the oil, which enters between the fingers 20, to pass clownwardly within the outer tube.

A pipe 21 is threaded into the standing valve seat 14 and this pipe is disposed within the inner tube 17 and extends a considerable distance below the lower end of the in.- ner tube 17. The bottom of the pipe 21 is preferably closed, and adjacent its bottom the pipe 21 has formed therein a plurality of perforations 22. The outer tube 19 may be formed of a plurality of pipe sections, which may be connected together as by collars 23.

Adjacent the bottom of the outer tube 19 there is disposed asand trap, generally designated at 2 1. This sand trap consists of a pin or rod 25 extending diametrically across the outer tube 19.

Semi-circular doors

26 and 27 are provided with lugs 28 which are bent about the pin 25 so as to hinge the doors to the pin. Between the lugs 28 there are disposed coil springs 29. which are arranged about the'pin 25, and these springs have

arms

30 and 31 which bear upon the under side of the doors 26' and 2? respectively. The springs 29 urge the

doors

26 and 27 into an approximately horizontal position within the outer tube 19, so as to close this tube. These doors are cap-able of being pushed downwardly toward each other beneath the pin against the action of the springs 29 so as to open the tube 19 and allow material to pass therethrough.

The operation of the device is as follows: Oil, gas, sand, floating mud and other material passes upwardly within the casing 11. As it reaches the top of, the outer tube 19, the oil, mud and sand enter the outer tube 19 by passing downwardly between the fingers 20. The gas in the oil tends to rise vertically with it within the casing 11, and as the oil and other liquid carryin sand and the like must pass downwardly within the outer tube 19, the majority of the gas is separated from the well fluid at this point. As the oil, floating mud and sand pass downwardly between the outer tube and the inner tube, these materials pass through comparatively constricted passages, and because of the small dimensions of the passages, the flow is at a very high velocity. This movement of the fluid causes the oil and floating mud to be broken up and to be thoroughly mixed. Any gas, which is not separated from the oil at the top of the outer tube 19 and which passes downwardly between the outer tube and the inner tube, is also thoroughly m'xed in the oil, and in this manner gas pockets are effectively broken up. As the fluid passes downwardly between the fingers 18, the passages through which the fluid passes are of larger dimensions and because of the larger size of the passages, the velocity, with which the oil flows downwardly, is somewhat slower. When the velocity of the fluid is lowered to this extent, the sand, which is within the oil, tends to settle out and fall within the tube 19 and settle upon the sand trap 24:. lhe oil, floating mud and gas, which are thoroughly mixed and which have the larger portion of the sand removed, enters the pipe 21 through the perforations 22, and passes upwardly within the pipe 21 through the standing valve and into the pump. As the weight of the sand upon the sand trap increases, the

doors

26 and 27 are forced downwardly upon the pin 25 against the action of the springs 29 so as to allow the sand, which has accumulated, to fall downwardly through the bottom of the outer tube 19. When the sand, which has accumulated, has been dumped,the springs 29'swing the, doors back up into their original position.

I have found by experience that it is impractical to employ'a pipe for the outer tubev 19, whichis less than three inches in diameter for the reason that smaller sized pipes,

which have sand traps or similar devices for allowing sand to settle therein, will allow the sand to bridge across the pipe, and in this manner stop or plug it up. Larged sized pipes may be employed, if so desired, but it is impractical to employ a pipe for the outer tube, which is less than three inches in diameter. In using a three inch outer tube, 1 preferably employ a two inch pipe for the inner tube 17, and a one inch pipe for the pipe 21. The lower end of the pipe 21 should be about the length of one pipe section below the lower end of the inner tube 17, so that the fluid passes downwardly, the sand will have ample opportunity to settle out of the oil. The lower end of the pipe 21 should therefore be approximately twenty feet or more below the fingers 18. In practice the sand trap 24 is located at least twenty feet below the lower end of t is pipe 21, or, in other words, the length of a pipe section. In this manner a tall column of sand may accumulate upon the sand trap 24:, and by its own weight will force the

doors

26 and 27 downwardly so a todump. By allowing such a distance in which sand may accumulate, dumping of the trap can nearly always be effected, and the accumulated sand will not cover up the perforations 22 before dumping the trap. In case the sand should bridge across the outer tube 19, it is possible by pulling the pump and lifting the standing valve to allow the pressure developed by the column of fluid within the pump tubing to pass downwardlyv directly through the inner tube 17 and thus force the accumulated send through the sand trap 24.

The lower end of the outer tube 19 is prel erably beveled or slightly rounded off, so that when the device is lowered within the well casing, it will not tend to catch upon a collar or other obstruction within the well casing and damage the gas anchor or the casing. The pipe 21, which is lowered within the inner and outer tubes, is lowerec by means of the standing valve and the sucker roc s.

It will be understood that various changes in the detail of construction 'inay be .e without departing from the spirit scope of the invention as defined. by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A gas anchor for oil wells comprising an inner tube adapted to be connected to the pump barrel, an outer tube disposed about said inner tube and extending therebelow, fingers formed upon the upper end of said outer tube and secured to said inner tube so as to cooperate therewith to form apertures, fingers formed upon the lower end of inner tube and secured to said outer tube so as to, cooperate therewith to form apertures, anda pipe adapted to be secured to the standing valve and to be disposed within said inner tube and to extend materially therebelow.

2. A gas anchor for oil wells comprising an inner tube adapted to be connected to the pump barrel, an outer tube disposed about said innertube and extending therebelow, fingers formed upon the upper end of said outer tube and secured to said inner tube so as to cooperate therewith to form apertures, fingers formed upon the lower end of said inner tube and secured to said outer tube so as to cooperate therewith to form apertures, a pipe adapted to be secured to the standing valve and to be disposed within said inner tube and to extend materially therebelow,

and a sand trap mounted in said outer tube a considerable distance below the lower end oi said pipe.

3. A gas anchor for oil wells comprising an inner tube adapted tobe connected to the pump barrel, an outer tube disposed about said inner tube and extending therebelow, fingers formed upon the upper end of said outer tube and secured to said inner tube so as to cooperate therewith to form apertures, fingers formed upon the lower end of said inner tube and secured to said outer tube so as to cooperate therewith to form apertures, and a pipe adapted to be secured to the standing valve and to be disposed within said inner tube and to extend materially therebelow, said pipe having its lower end closed and being provided with perforations which are located a considerable distance below the lower end of said inner tube.

A gas anchor for oil wells comprising an inner tube adapted to be connected to the pump barrel, an outer tube disposed about said inner tube and extending therebelow, fingers formed upon the upper end of said outer tube and secured to said inner tube so as to cooperate therewith to form apertures, fingers formed upon the lower end of said inner tube and secured to said outer tube so as to cooperate therewith to form apertures, a pipe adapted to be secured to the standing valve and to be disposed within said inner tube and to extend materially therebelow, said pipe having its lower end closed and being provided with perforations which are located a considerable distance below the lower end of said inner tube, and a sand trap mounted in said outer tube a considerable distance below the lower end of said pipe.

5. A gas anchor for oil wells comprising an inner tube adapted to be connected to the pump barrel, an outer tube disposed about said inner tube and extending therebelow, fingers formed upon the upper end of said outer tube and secured to said inner tube so as to cooperate therewith to form apertures, fingers formed upon the lower end of said inner tube and secured to said outer tube so as to cooperate therewith to form apertures, a pipe adapted to be secured to the standing valve and to be disposed Within said inner tube and to extend materially therebelow, said pipe having its lower end closed and being provided with perforations which are located a considerable distance below the lower end of said inner tube, a sand trap mounted in said outer tube a considerable distance below the lower end of said pipe, said sand trap comprising a pin extending diametrically across the outer tube, semicircular doors hinged upon said pin adapted to swing downwardly toward each other below said pin, and spring means for urging said doors into such position as to close said outer tube.

6. In a gas anchor for oil wells, a sand trap comprising a tube, a pin extending diametrically across said tube, doors hinged upon said pin adapted to swing downwardly below said pin so as to open said tube, and spring means for urging said doors into an approximately horizontal position so as to close said tube.

7 A gas anchor for oil Wells comprising an inner tube adapted to be connected to the pump barrel, an outer tube disposed about said inner tube and extending therebelow, fingers formed upon the upper end of said outer tube and secured to said inner tube so as to cooperate therewith to form apertures, fingers formed upon the lower end of said inner tube and secured to said outer tube so a CLIFFORD T. MoCOY