US1831713A - Flow head with adjustable flow bean - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 10, 1931. D.R. KNOWLTON 1,831,713

FLOW HEAD WITH ADJUSTABLE FLOW BEAN Filed April 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwoentcm Nov. 10, 1931. o. R. KNOWLTQN FLOW HEAD WITH ADJUSTABLE FLOW BEAN Filed April 20, 1931 v2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NQMW on S Donald 1?. fl'nowlzlcn,"

Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DONALD B. KNOWLTON, OF BARTLESVILLE, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOB '1O PHILLIPS PETROLEUM COMPANY, OF BARTLESVILLE, OKLAHOMA, A CORPORATION 01 DELA- WARE FLOW HEAD WITH ADJUSTABLE FLOW BEAN Application filed April 20,

' of which depended on the use of an expansion chamber at the top of the casing to retard the velocities and receive the shock of the slugs of mud and rock when the well is flowing. Considerable difiiculty was experienced from these expansion heads, cutting out when the direction of flow was diverted at a right angle into the separator. I discovered that the turbulence resulting from the expansion is the basic cause of the cutting, and I have invented a flow head having no expansion chamber but a stream line effect with no offsets liable to start a swirling mo tion. This improved flow head eliminates the disadvantages mentioned.

This flow head will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the upper portion of a well with my improved flow head attached to the upper end of the casmg.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the improved equipment.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal diametrical section of a hydraulic nipple forming part of my apparatus, and equipped with a modified choke collar.

Referring to the drawings, 4 designates an ordinary derrick platform having the usual opening 5 through which the oil well casing 6 projects. A hollow cruciform fitting 7 has a depending hollow boss 8 which is threaded to the upper end of the casing as shown at 9. An upwardly extending hollow boss 10 of mi. Serial No. 531,561.

the fitting is threaded to a hydraulic bull plug 11 which supports a shock absorbing insert or filler 12 made of any suitable material, such as Wood.

One of the lateral nipples 13 of the fitting has internal and external threads, and a swage or flared tubular member 14 is-connected to this nipple by a coupling 15 which engages the external threads of the nipple. The outer or enlarged end of the swage is joined to a flow line conduit 16 by means of a pressure packing coupling 17.

A hydraulic nipple 18 has a threaded connection with the internal threads of the nipple 13, and the hydraulic nipple projects through the swage and terminates in the flow line 16 at 'a point beyond the coupling 17.

The hydraulic nipple has an internal frusto-conical surface 19 which engages the complementary surface of a replaceable choke collar 20, the inner surface of which is of venturi shape.

A needlevalve head 21 cooperates with the choke collar and is rigidly supported by a stem 22 which has threads screwed into a stationary nut 23 that also acts as a packing gland for packing 24: positioned within a sleeve 25 for preventing flow along the stem. The sleeve is screwed into another lateral nipple 26 of the fitting, as shown at 27, and bolts 28 or the like are employed for forcing the nut toward the sleeve.

In order that the needle valve head may readily be replaced when worn, the stem 22 is provided with a fixed disk 22a from which projects a threaded shank 22?) which screws into a cavity in the head 21. For the purpose of preventing the head from accidentally unscrewing, a lock screw 220 extends from the disk into the head as shown.

An operating handle or wheel 29 is rigidly secured to the outer end of the stem.

In order to make the right angle turn from the casing into the separator, (not shown), and to eliminate cutting, the hollow bull plug 11 is arranged directly above the casing, and as the insert 12 does not entirely leave the bull plug, sand may pack into the chamber 30 so that I can obtain a sand against sand action.

I'he re laceable choke 20 with a small taper is p aced in the hydraulic ni ple, and in order to cut down the velocity 0 the fluid before it enters the separator, the flowline 16 is preferably of 12% inch diameter, and I have found that a conduit of this size makes an effective expansion chamber for the fluid as it leaves the choke. Until I devised this construction, great difliculty was experienced in cutting out the expansion chambers that were used.

The re laceable choke collar 20 illustrated in Fig. 2 as been found to be entirely satisfactory while the well is flowed with the adjustable bean, but it is advisable to use choke collars of various sizes for bad sand wells, in order to hold back pressure and rotect the master gates and other fittings rom sand cutting. Durin open flows, the stuffing box with the stem an needle valve comprising the adjustable features of the bean, was screwed out of the cross and a blank bull plug inserted into the nipple 26 to take the place of these elements. It was found in very bad sand wells that the expansion of the fluid after leaving the choke collar, may cause sufficient turbulence to cut away the hydraulic nipple 18 and to cut through the 12 inch line 16 to the separator. This trouble has been eliminated by extending the choke collar 20a as shown in Fig. 4, to the end of the hydraulic ni ple 1 8a on a 4 inch taper. This is a slip t the same as in Fig. 2, and the longer choke collar is held in exactly the same manner as the short choke, and it can be pulled out in the same manner. It is intended to have several of these choke collars of various sizes and to change them from well to well as desired. After open flow tests are made with the longer choke collars of Fi 4, the short choke of Fig. 2 is again rep aced.

The needle valvehead 21, it will be observed, has a conical surface 31 merging into a frusto-conical surface 32, which inturn merges into a similar surface 33 having a different taper. A head of this shape produces a stream line effect, and it is used to regulate the flow through the choke. The advantages of this flow head and choke over those heretofore known are the following:

1. The well can be flowed wide open through this head by simply replacing the hydraulic nipple 18 with a regular seven inch nipple of ordinary casing, and by removing the sleeve 25 and the parts which it carries. Then a blank bull plug is screwed into the nipple 26, leaving a full seven inch opening through the cross or fitting 7.

2. The sand cutting action is reduced to a minimum because of the stream line flow, allowin no expansion. The right angle turn into t e separator is made possible by the mass of sand forming in the chamber 30 of the bull plu 3. The ve ocities are retarded before the fluid enters the separator, due to the fact that the use of the swage 14 allows a larger conduit 16 to receive the fluid from the fitting 7, and the joints 15 and 17 are protected, due to the fact that the hydraulic nipple 18 projects beyond the coupling 17.

4. To change from the open flow to adjustable choke feature, no change in lines to the separator or so-called Christmas Tree is necessary. The blank bull plug heretofore mentioned, is removed from the nipple 26, and. the stuffing box assembly with the nipple valve, is screwed intothe cross tee 7. The flow through different sized heads can be carried on and the most desirable area of opening found to meet the articular conditions desired. The stufling' ox assembly can then be moved to another well, and the removable choke 20 can be replaced by a choke with an opening the size found most desirable.

In order to meet the particular conditions found in the Oklahoma City field, a flow head and adjustable bean of this character has beenfound far superior to the known equipment. In that field, it is necessary to flow the well wide open to obtain the maximum potential, and at the same time, it is essential to protect the equipment from sand cutting While the Well is flowing. During the ninety day period following this potential, it is important to find the proper size bean to give the best gas-oil ratio. At the end of this ninety-day period, the potential can again be taken.-

I have found through actual experience that the only cutting that takes place in this device is on the needle valve head 21, and the replaceable choke 20. In two wells, each of which produced over 50,000 barrels through such chokes, very little cutting occurred. On one, the well was flowed several times through a two inch opening. The

point of the needle was cut, and the replaceable seat 20 only slightly. This same well,

when wide open, cut and materially damaged the cross 7 in four hours.

The replaceable seat or choke 20 can be removed by a cup puller by simply unscrewing the stufling box assemblage from the cross, as it fits into the nipple 18 by means of a ground joint with a small taper.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be observed that the head of the bull plug is adapted to be connected by the usual wire lines 34 to the derrick legs (not shown). Also, a clamp bar 35 fits on the top of the bull plug, and is held down by tie rods 36 which extend to the usualv lower clamp (not shown).

a in the claims:

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y

1. In combination, a vertical well casing, a cruciform flow head secured to the upper end of the same, said flow head having a vertical passageway therein coaxial with the casing, means detachably secured to the flow head and closing the upper end of said passageway, said flow head having a lateral outlet port, a horizontal flow pipe connected to the head for receiving fluid discharged through said outlet port, a collar removably arranged at one side of said vertical passageway and cooperating with said port for restricting the flow of fluid from said passageway into said flow pipe, the latter being of larger internal diameter than said passageway or the internal diameter of the collar, and a horizontally movable tapered valve head movable into and out of the collar for restricting the flow of fluid from said passageway to said flow pipe.

2. In combination, a vertical well casing, a cruciform flow head secured to the upper end of the same, said flow head having a vertical passageway therein coaxial with the casing, means detachably secured to the flow head and closing the upper end of said passageway, said flow head having a lateral outlet port, a horizontal flow, pipe connected to the head for receiving fluid discharged through said outlet port, a collar arranged at one side of said vertical passageway and cooperating with said port for restricting the flow of fluid from said passageway into said flow pipe. the latter being of larger internal diameter than said passageway or the internal diameter of the collar, a horizontal- 1y movable tapered valve head movable into and out of the collar for restricting the flow of fluid from said passageway to said flow .pipe, the flow head having a second lateral port arranged at'the opposite side of said passageway, a removable plug closing the last mentioned port, and operating means for the valve head carried by the last mentioned plug.

3. In combination, a vertical well casing, a. cruciform flow head secured to the upper end of the same, said flow head having a vertical passageway therein coaxial with the casing, means detachably secured to the flow head and closing the upper end of said passageway, said flow head having a lateral outlet port, a horizontal flow pipe connected to the head for receiving fluid discharged through said outlet port, a collar arranged at one side of said vertical passageway and cooperatin with said port for restricting the flow o? fluid from said passageway into said flow pipe, the latter being 0 larger internal diameter than said passageway or the internal diameter of the collar, a horizontally movable tapered valve head cooperating with the collar for restricting the flow of fluid from said passageway to said flow pipe, the flow head having a second lateral port arranged at the opposite side of said passageway, a removable plug closing the last mentioned port. and operating means for the valve head carried by the last mentioned plug, the external diameter of the collar being less than the diameter of the last mentioned port, whereby when the last mentioned plugis removed, the collar may also be removed.

4. The combination with a well casing, of a flow head secured to the same and provided with a plurality of lateral oppositely disposed ports, one of said ports being an outlet for the flow head, a hydraulic nipple extending into the outlet-one of said ports, a choke collar removably arranged in the nipple, and a horizontally movable tapered needle valve cooperating with said collar to restrict the flow of fluid from the head through said collar.

5. The combination with a well casing, of a flow head secured to the upper end of the same and provided with a plurality of lateral oppositely disposed ports, one of said ports being an outlet for the flow head, a hydraulic nipple arranged in its entirety at one side of said head for receiving fluid flowing through the outlet one of said ports, a horizontal flow pipe of larger diameter than the nipple and connected to the same side of said head, the nipple being coaxial with and terminating within said pipe, a removable choke collar cooperating with the nipple, and a horizontally movable tapered valve head movable into and out of said collar to restrict the flow of fluid from the head to the flow pipe.

6. In equipment of the kind described, a well casing, a fitting secured to the upper end of said casing and provided with oppositely disposed lateral nipples, a hydraulic nipple detachably secured to one of the nipples of the fitting, a flared tubular member detachably connected to the same nipple of the fitting, a flow pipe of larg'er'diameter than the hydraulic nipple, a coupling connecting the flow pipe to said member, and a horizontally movable tapered valve head for controlling the flow of fluid from the fitting into the. hydraulic nipple.

7. In equipment of the kind described, a well casing, a fitting secured to the upper end of said casing and provided with oppositely disposed lateral nipples, a hydraulic nipple detachably secured to one of the nipples of the fitting and arranged in its entirety at one side of the fitting, a flared tubular member detachably connected to the same nipple of the .fitting, a flow pipe of larger diameter than the hydraulic nipple, a couplin detachably secured to one of the nipples of the fitting and arranged in its entirety at one side of the fitting, a flared tubular member detachably connected to the same nipple of the fitting, a flow pipe of larger diameter than the hydraulic nipple, a coupling connecting the flow pipe to said member, and means for controlling the flow of fluid from the fitting into the hydraulic nipple," the last mentioned means including a removable choke collar and a valve head movable into and out of said collar.

9. In equipment of the kind described, a well casing, a fitting secured to the upper end of said casing and provided with oppositely disposed lateral nipples, a tubular flow restricting member detachably secured to one of the nipples of the fitting, a flow pipe of larger diameter than said tubular member operatively connected to the last mentioned nipple of the fitting, and means for controlling the flow of fluid from the fitting into said tubular member, the last -mentioned means including a sleeve plug detachably connected to the other nipple of the fitting, a

horizontal valve stem supported by the sleeve,

' and a substantially conical valve head carried by the stem and movable into and out of said member.

10. The combination with a well casing, of a flow head secured to the upper end of the same and provided with a lateral port, a hydraulic nipple for receiving fluid flowing through said port, a flow pipe of larger diameter than the nipple connected to said head, the nipple being coaxial with and terminating within said pipe, a choke collar of substantially the same length as the nipple arranged within the latter, and a horizontally movable tapered valve head movable into and out of said collar.

11. In equipment of the kind described, a well pipe, a fitting secured to the upper end of said pipe and provided with oppositely disposed lateral ports, a vertical passageway in positioned between said ports, a-

the fittin tubular ow restricting member detachably secured to the fitting, cooperating with one of said ports to restrict. outlet flow therethrou h and removable through the other one 0% said ports, said flow restricting ,mem-

her being sitioned in its entirel at one slde of sai vertical passageway, a ow ipe connected to the fitting and into which u1d' from the fitting flows through said'restrictmg member, and means for controllmg the flow of fluid from the fitting into said tubular member, the last mentioned means including a sleeve plug detachably connected to the fitting, a horizontal valve stem su ported by the sleeve, and a substantial y conical valve head carried by the stem and movable into and out of said member.

12. In equi ment of the kind described, a well pipe, a tting secured to the upper end of said pipe and provided with oppositely disposed lateral ports, a vertical passageway in the fitting positioned betwen said ports, a tubular flow restricting member detachably secured to the fitting, cooperatin with one of said ports to restrict outlet ow therethrough and removable through the other one of said ports, said flow restricting member being positioned in its entirety at one side of said vertical passageway, a flow ipe connected to the fitting and into which uid from the fitting flows through said restricting member, means for controlling the flow of fluid from the fitting into said tubular member, the last mentioned means includin a sleeve plug detachably connected to the tting, a horizontal valve stem supported by the sleeve, and a substantially conical valve head carried by the stem and movable into and out of said member, said tubular flow restricting member having a frusto-conical external surface, and a complimentary surface functioning as a seat for the flow restricting member.

In testimony whereof, I hereto afiix my signature. I

DONALD R. KNOWLTON.

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