US2111062A - Means for sealing off pipe in wells - Google Patents

Description

c. c. BROWN 2,111,062

MEANS FOR SEALING OFF PIPE IN WELLSl Original Filed June 8, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l lnua.. 75

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March 15, 1938. C. C -BROWN 2,111,062

MEANS FOR SEALING OFF PIPE IN WELLS Original Filed June 8, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 CC Brown March 15, 1938. C, C, BROWN MEANS FOR SEALING OFF PIPE IN WELLS Original Filed June 8, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 1.5, 1938 TES UNITED ST Application June 8, 1936, Serial No. 84,074 Renewed August 23, 1937 14 Claims.

My invention relates to equipment to be employed in deep wells and pertains particularly to the means for closing the lower end of the casing, liner, screen or other pipe set upon the bottorn of the well.

It is an object of the invention to provide a valve or sealing device which may be positively operated to close the lower end of the well so that no leakage of fluid upwardly into the liner or screen may take place.

I desire to provid-e a setting tool by means of which the liner and screen may be set in position in the well and to employ the lsetting string to positively close off the lower end of the liner or screen before the setting string is removed from the well.

The invention resides in the construction of the valve which closes the well and the arrangement whereby it may be operated by means of a setting string.

With reference to the drawings herewith, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are upper, intermediate and lower views, respectively, of a. liner to be set in the well, the views being partly in elevation and partly in central longitudinal section.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are similar views showing the upper, intermediate and lower portions, respectively, of the liner and setting tool but showing the parts in position different from that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Fig. 'l is a central longitudinal section through the valve which closes the lower end of the liner.

Fig. 8 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 7, but showing the rotatable valve turned through 90.

Fig. 9 is a transverse section on the plane 9 9 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 10 is a transverse section on the plane Ill-I0 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is an assembly view showing the liner in position in the well, certain parts being broken away for greater clearness.

Fig. 12 is a broken bottom plan view of the valve shown in Fig. '7.

Referring particularly to Fig. 11, I have shown the well as having been equipped with a well 'casing I which has been cemented in position at 2. 'I'he well has then been drilled with, a smaller drill downwardly into the producing formation and has a liner 3, screen 4 and set shoe 5 thereon. The liner is equipped adjacent the upper end with a packer 6 of ordinary construction and the set shoe is connected with the strainer through a valve housing 1. The i'nvenn tion is concerned particularly with the valve enclosed within theA housing 'I for sealing off the lower end of the well and adapted to be operated by the setting string shown at 8 extended downwardly within the liner.

In Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, I have shown the setting string positioned within the linery and screen and engaged therewith in the manner .in which the parts are assembled when the liner is introduced into the well.

Referring particularly to the packer 6, it will be seen that said pac-ker has at the upper end a 'packer setting sleeve 9, the upper extremity of which is beveled at I0 to guide the setting string therein. Belo-w this upper end is a recess having a lower shoulder II upon which the dogs I2 of the setting string may engage when the packer is to be set. The setting sleeve has a downward extension I3 thereon to which is connected an interior collar I4 with upwardly projecting arms I5, the interior face of which is formed with ratchet teeth I6 to engage' with the packer barrel I'I. The lower end of the setting sleeve isconnected at I8 with the collar I9 at the upperend of the packer. It will be seen that when the setting dogs engage upon the shoulders II a downward thrust thereon will move the collar I4 downwardly relative to the packer barrel and the engaging teeth I6 will prevent its return upwardly, thus expanding the packer 26. In thus moving the collar I9 downwardly to expand the packer a pin 2l is` sheared 01T.

The packer barrel I'I is extended downwardly through the packer and is connected by the coupling 22 to the screen 4. The lower end of the screen is in turn connected at 23 to the valve housing 1. The lower end of the valve housing is in turn connected with the set shoe 5 in the usual manner.

The interior of the housing 23 has threaded engagement at 24 with the locking. nipple 25, which extends upwardly within the lower end of the screen to furnish attachment for the setting tool. The interior surface of the locking nipple has a shoulder shown at 26 toward the lower end which furnishes an upward abutment when the setting string is locked within the strainer. Below theshoulder and spacedtherefrom is an inwardly projecting pin 21, the purpose of which will be later explained.

The set shoe at the lower end of the vvalve housing is formed with a back pressure valve therein. There is a valve seat ring 28 screwed into the interior of the set shoe and having a central opening for the passage of liquid therethrough. Said opening is normally closed Yagainst 4upward. flow of fluid therethrough by means of the back pressure valve 29. Said valve is normally held in closed position .by a spring 39 seated upon a transverse support 3l which serves as a guide for the downwardly extending valve stem 32.

Above the set shoe and back pressure valve is a manually operated valve which is adapted to be closed through the operation of the setting string. The construction of this valve will be best understood from Figs. '7 and 8. There is a lower stationary valve plate 33, which is screwed within the valve housing at 34 forming therewith a rigid engagement. This plate is recessed on its lower side to form a chamber for the lower relatively rotatable valve member 35. Both the valve plate 33 and the rotatable valve 35 are formed with longitudinal openings 36 in the plate and 3l in the rotatable member. These two passages will be normally in registration so that there are two longitudinal passages through Vthe Valve member' for the passage of fluid.

The lower Valve plate 35 is secured nonrotatably to a valve stem 38 extending axially through the valve members. Said stem has at its lower end a circular nut 139, which may be screwed within a recess 40 in the lower end of the rotatable plate 35. When in that position it may be locked against rotation by a set screw 4l shown in Fig. 12. The nut is also locked against rotation relative to the valve plate 35 by means of a second set screw 42, also shown in Fig. 12.

'I'he valve stem projects downwardly from an upper operating sleeve 43. Said sleeve is a cupshaped member having upwardly extending side walls 44 and a bottom plate fitting closely against the valve plate 33 and rotatable relative to said plate. It has openings 45, 45 therein which will normally register with the openings 36 and 31 through the valve members. The walls of the operating sleeve are spaced from the inner walls of the valve housing. There is at one side thereof a laterally projecting lug or key 46, shown best in Figs. 9 and 10. This lugcooperates with two stationary upwardly extending ngers 4l on the plate 33 toY limit the rotation of the operating sleeve relative to the valve member. On the interior of the cup adjacent the upper end are two opposed inwardly extending lugs 48, the upper ends of which are beveled as shown at 49 in Fig. 8. Below these lugs 48 the interior wall is thickened at D and intermediate the length of the thickened portion I have placed a packing ring 5l. As will be seen from Figs. 7 and 8, the packing ring is approximately triangular in cross section, one side being dovetailed within an annular recess in the thickened wall 53. The inner lip 52 of the packing projects into the passage through the operating sleeve to engage with the setting string as will be later noted. I provide a stufling box at 53 around the valve stem 38 and within the plate'V 33 to prevent leakage of liquid around therrotating stem 38. The lower rotatable valve member 35 is formed at points 90 away from the openings 3l with chambers 54 to house ball members 55.A Said balls are held upwardly in the `chambers 54 by means of coil springs 55 bearing at their lower ends againstV the lower wall of the chamber and tending to hold the ball upwardly into the lower ends of passages 35m the plate 33. There is van opening shown at 5l in the `lower ends of the chambers 54 to allow circulation upwardly therein of liquid fromthe well. It will be understood that of the sleeve 72.

the two balls 55 are housed downwardly within the chambers 54 when the valve is in open position, as shown in Fig. 8, but when the lower valve member 35 has been rotated through 90 the balls 55 will be projected upwardly by the springs into the lower ends of the passages 35 in the plate 33.

In setting the liner and screen in position and operating the valve which has just been described the lower end of thersetting string is particularly constructed for that purpose. The lower end of the setting string 8 is engaged with a coupling 58, the lower end of which is engaged with the setting barrel 59. The transverse locking pin 69 tends to hold these parts in engagement. This pin, together with a lower locking pin 53a, are extended across the tube to serve also to obstruct the downward passage with thepushing fluid of foreign material such as sticks, string and similar matter. Y

Spaced downwardly from the lower end of the collar is a packing collar 6|. Between the collars 58 and 6l is arranged an anti-friction bearing race including a ring 62, an upper ring 63, and anV intermediate row of balls E4. YThe lower ring 52 of the race is adapted to engage the upper end 55' of the locking nipple E5.

The packing collar 3! has an outwardly eX- tending packing gasket 65 xed thereon, said ring projecting in such manner as to Vengage within the cylindrical inner surface of the locking nipple. It has an overhanging and downwardly extending flange Slithereon to engage above the reduced upper ends 58 of the latching dogs 69. l

The latching dogs have inwardly extending upper ends to engage over a shoulder 1D on the outer surface of the setting barrel 59. These dogs depend downwardly from the shoulder and have at their lower ends outwardly projecting fingers ll, the upper portion of which is beveled to engage against the shoulder 25 in the locking nipple.

Below the locking dogs is a sleeve 'l2 having a threaded engagement on the outer surface of the setting barrel 59 and adapted to be screwed longitudinally thereon. The upper end of this sleeve has its outer diameter increased and the upper portion thereof is beveled at 'i3 to contact or wedge within the lower ends of the locking dogs 69. On the outer surface of the sleeve l2 and extending downwardly beyond the lower end thereof are keys or ngers '14, which are adapted to engage with the upwardly extending lugs 48 on the operating sleeve. Y

Spaced below the sleeve 12 is a collar 'l5 which acts as a stop, limiting the downward movement The lower end of the collar 'i5 will ordinarily contact in sealing relation with the gasket or packing member 62.

In setting the strainer in the well I introduce the setting string downwardly through the liner and screen and engage the lower end thereof within the valve housing and the lower end of the strainer. The parts are then locked in position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the sleeve l2 being screwed upwardly along the setting barrel to engage beneath the Vlower ends of the latching dogs Vwhich are moved outwardly and clamped against the shoulder 26. The two parts are thus locked rigidly together. 'I'he lower ring 52 of the bearing race is held stationary against the upper end 65 Yof the locking nipple, and serves both as a stop Vbearing and as a seal against the passage of uid. A seal is also'made at the upper end of said nipple by the packing member 66. There is another seal formed toward the lower end of the setting string by the .packing gasket 52. Thus there will be no opportunity for the circulation of liquid between the lower end of the setting tool and the locking member.

The valve member at the lower end of the valve housing will be in open position while the liner and strainer are lowered into position at the bottom of the well. Fluid may be circulated downwardly through the liner during this operation and it will be able to pass through the openings 45, 36 and 31 and past the back pressure valve 29 around the lower end of the set shoe. When the device is placed upon the bottom of the well it is then desired to close the valve at the lower end of the strainer and this may be done as follows: f

rlhe laterally extending key or finger 7i! on the sleeve 12 will, by rotation of the setting string,V be brought into contact rst with the stop p-in 21 and then with the interior lug Q8 at the upper end of the operating sleeve. The pin 21, being stationary, will tend to hold the sleeve 'l2 stationary while the setting barrel is rotated. This will screw the sleeve 12 downwardly until it engages the upper end of the stop collar l5. The setting tool is thus released from the screen before the valve is opened. Further rotation will then tend to move the key or finger M with'the locking nipple and thus rotate the operating sleeve through the engagement of the key with the lug 48 as previously noted. When the operating sleeve is thus rotated, rotation will be cornmunieated to the stem 33 and to the lower valve member 35. These parts will be rotated relative to the valve plate 33 and tend to close the same. Th'e valve will be rotated until the outer lug 46 engages against the stationary stop member il thus indicating that the valve has been closed. In this position the balls 55 will be projected upwardly to further close any passage of liquid through the valve plate 33, which might tend to leak around the valve. Thus if the upper portion oi the valve plate 33 should be clogged with material and tend to leak between the same and the lower wall of the operating sleeve i3 the valves 55 will further seal and prevent such leakage.

The latching dogs 69 having been released by the downward movement of the sleeve 12 it will now be possible to pull the setting sleeve upwardly and proceed to the setting of the packer 6. The packer setting device which is disclosed particularly in Fig. l is no part of the present invention. It comprises setting dogs I2, which are loosely mounted at their upper ends to allow the lower end T6 to move outwardly against the interior of the liner. Said dogs will therefore eventually engage above the shoulder l l on the setting sleeve, as shown in Fig. 4. The downward movement of the setting string therefore will move the setting sleeve downwardly and compress the packer 6 in the usual manner. The setting tool may then be adjusted in position in the well and may be used as an eduction tube if desired. Otherwise, it may be withdrawn from the well.

It will be seen that I have devised a valve for closing the lower end of the well which may be positively operated to close off and seal against the passage of liquid in either direction through the lower end of the strainer. The well is thus equipped with the usual back pressure valve, and, in addition, with the manually operated valve which is adapted to form a tight seal against the leakage of any liquid whatever. This type of valve is not materially impaired by erosion of the iiuid passages as a seal will still be maintained. Further, it cannot easily become clogged. Experience has shown that nails, sticks and other foreign material lodging in the passages` 36 will be sheared off by the closing of the valve and thus not prevent closure. The setting string which is employed in operating the valve may also be used in setting the packer and will serve as a tubing in flowing the liquid from the well. The advantages of this form of seal are many and will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A well strainer, a valve housing secured thereto, a valve plate iixed in the lower end thereof, said valve plate having an opening therethrough for passage of fluid, a valve disc housed on the lower side of said plate and having an opening to be brought into registration with the opening in said valve plate, an operating sleeve in Ysaid housing above saidplate to which a setting string may engage, and means con said operating sleeve engaging said valve disc to rotate the saine when said operating sleeve is moved rotatably.

2. A well strainer, a valve housing secured thereto, a valve plate fixed in the lower end thereof, said valve plate having an opening therethrough for passage of fluid, a valve disc housed on the lower side of said plate and having an opening to be brought into registration with the opening in said valve plate, an operating sleeve in said housing above said plate to which a setting string may engage, an axial stem on said operating sleeve rotatable in said valve plate to move said disc to bring the opening therein into or out of registration with the opening in Said plate.

3. A well strainer, a valve housing secured thereto, a valve plate iixed in the lower end thereof, said valve plate having an opening therethrough for passage of iluid, a valve disc housed on the lowerside ofsaid plate and having an opening to be brought into registration with the opening in said valve plate, an operating sleeve in said housing above said plate to which a setting string may engage, means on said operating sleeve engaging said valve disc to rotate the same when said operating sleeve is moved rotatably, and a ball valve mounted in said disc adapted to engage in the opening in said plate when said sleeve is moved to close said openings.

fl. A well strainer, a valve housing at the lower end thereof, a valve plate xed in said housing and having fluid passages therethrough, a valve disc fitting rotatably on the lower face of said plate, fluid passages in said disc, an operating sleeve on the upper side of said plate, an axial stem on said sleeve extending through said plate to engage said disc whereby the rotation of said sleeve will rotate said disc to move the passages therein into or out of registration with said passages in said plate, and means to rotate said sleeve. l

5. A well strainer, a valve housing at the lower end thereof, a valve plate fixed in said housing and having uid passages therethrough, a valve disc iitting rotatably on the lower face of said plate, fluid passages in said disc, an operating sleeve on the upper side of said plate, an axial stem on said sleeve extending through said plate to engage said disc whereby the rotation of said sleeve will rotate said disc to move'the passages therein into or out of registration with said passages in said plate, means to limit the movement of said sleeve, and means torotate said sleeve.

6. A well pipe, a valve housing thereon, a valve plate in said housing having a fluid passage therethrough, a valve disc on the lower side of said plate having a passage to register with the passage on said plate, a valve sleeve above said plate formed with openings therein to align with the opening in said plate, a stem on said sleeve engaging said disc to rotate the same with said sleeve through and a valve in said disc engaging in the opening in plate to close the same when said sleeve is rotated to bring the opening in said sleeve out of alignment with the openings in said plate.

7. A well pipe, a valve housing thereon, a valve plate in said housing having a fluid passage therethrough, a valve disc on the lower side of said plate having a passage to register with the passage on said plate, a valve sleeve above said plate formed with openings therein to align with the opening in said plate, a stem on said sleeve engaging said disc to rotatefthe same with said sleeve through 90, and a valve in said `disc engaging in the opening in plate to close the same when said sleeve is rotated to bring the opening in said sleeve out of alignment with the openings in said plate, and a setting string operable from the upper end of the well to engage and rotate said sleeve.

8. A well pipe, a valve housing at the lower end thereof, a valve plate therein having uid openings therethrough, a valve disc below said plate, an operating sleeve above said plate and fixed to rotate with said disc, said disc and plate having openings therethrough adapted by rotation of said sleeve to be brought into and out of registration with the openings in said plate, a setting string extending downwardly through said pipe and having a sealing engagement with said sleeve whereby said sleeve may be rotated.

9. A well pipe, a valve housing at the lower end thereof, a valve plate therein having fluid openings therethrough, a valve disc below said plate, an operating sleeve above said plate and fixed to rotate with said disc, said disc and plate having openings therethrough adapted by rotation of said sleeve to be brought into and out of registration with the openings in said plate, a setting string extending downwardly through said pipe and having a sealing engagement with saidY sleeve whereby said sleeve may be rotated, means to limit said rotation and'ball valves in said disc to close the openings in said plate from below.

10. A well pipe, a valve housing at the lower end thereof, a valve plate therein having uid openings, a valve disc lying against said plate and having openings therein adapted by rotation to be brought into and out of registration with the openings in said valve plate, a setting string extending downwardly from the surface and having a sealing engagement above said valve and means on said string engageable with said dise to rotate the same to register said openings and discharge iiuid therethrough.

11. A well pipe, a valve housing at the lower1 end thereof, a valve plate therein having fluid openings, a valve disc lying against said plate and having openings therein adapted by rotation to be brought into and out of registration with the openings in said valve plate, a setting string extending downwardly from the surface and having a sealing engagement above said valve and means on said string engageable with said disc to rotate the same to register said openings and discharge fluid therethrough, and additional means to close, the openings 'through said plate when said openings are out of registration with each other.

i2. A well pipe, a valve housing at the lower end thereof, a valve plate therein having fluid openings therethrough, a valve disc adjacent said plate, an operating sleeve fixed to rotate with said disc, said disc and plate having openings therethrough adapted by rotation of said sleeve to be brought intov and out of registration with the openings in said plate, a setting string extending downwardly through said pipe and having a sealing engagement with said sleeve where-V by said sleeve may be rotated, and means to limit said rotation. Y

13. A well strainer, a valve housing at the lower end thereof, a valve Vplate xed in said Vhousing and having fluid passages therethrough, a valve disc tting rotatably against one face of said plate, uid passages in said disc, an operating sleeve on said plate, an axial stern on said sleeve to engage said disc whereby the rotation of said sleeve will rotate said disc to move the passages therein into or out of registration with said passages in said plate, means to limit the movement of sai-d sleeve, and means to rotate said sleeve.

14. A Well pipe, a valve at the lower end thereof including a transverse plate having iiuid openings, a rotatable plate adjacent thereto having openingsY therein adapted by rotation brought into and out of registration with said fluid openings, means to center said rotatable plate, a setting string, means on said rotatable plate to form a sealing engagement with said string whereby said rotatable plate may be moved.

CICERO C. BROWN.

to be,Y

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