US2495642A

US2495642A - Wash valve for wells

Info

Publication number: US2495642A
Application number: US679811A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur J Penick
Original assignee: OIL CENTER TOOL CO
Current assignee: OIL CENTER TOOL CO
Priority date: 1946-06-27
Filing date: 1946-06-27
Publication date: 1950-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 1967-01-24

Description

- Patented Jan. 24, 1980 WASH VALVE FOR WELLS Arthurv J. Penick, Houston, Tex., a'ssignor to Oil Center Tool Company, Houston, Tex a corporation of Texas Application June 27, 1946, Serial No. 679,811

This invention relates to a wash valve for wells.

An object of the invention is to provide means for washing the drilling fluid from between the outer casing and the tubing in awe preparatory to producing oil or gas from. the well.

In carrying on production from a well oil or gas is often produced simultaneously from an upper and a lower stratum, the production from the lower stratum flowing up through the tubing and the production from the upper stratum flowing up through the casing around the tubing, with a packer around the tubing to separate the producing strata.

When the tubing is lowered and the packer is expanded, or set, the casing is filled with drilling fluid, or other drilling mud which should be washed out-and removed preparatory to bringing in production from the upper stratum. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide means for removing the drilling fluid, or drilling mud, and replacing the same with clean fluid which is in turn replaced by the fluid flowing in from the upper stratum.

However, it is not intended to confine the invention to the above illustrated use but the in-' vention comprehends the novel type of valve herein disclosed for general use in conditioning a well. I

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification which is illustrated by th accompanying drawings, wherein:

2 Claims. (Cl. 25178) Figure 1 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional I view showing-the casing and tubing with the wash valve in open position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a packer assembly in the tubing beneath the wash valve; and,

Figure 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view-showing the wash valve closed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawinss wherein like numerals of reference designate the same parts in each of the figures, the numeral I designates the well casing which extends to the ground surfac and within th casing there is the tubing 2.

Fluid flowing upwardly through the tubing passes on up through a conventional tubing head, or christmas tree, at the ground surface and out through flow lines provided for this purpose and fluid flowing up through the casing around the tubing flows out through-the flow lines of the conventional casing head-on the casing at the groundsurface.

On the lower end of the tubing there is a casing packer 3. .This packer may be of any conventional construction but in the present illus- -tration there is shown a type of packer which is illustrated in my co-pending application for Hydraulic packer setting assembly Serial No. 679,814, executed by me on the 27th day of June A. D. 1946. The expansible sleeve of the packer is maintained against expansion, while the tubing is being lowered, by a shear pin 4 which, before the packer is expanded, secures the outer and inner tubular sections 5 and 6 of the packer body against relative longitudinal movement.

When the tubing is lowered into the casing and the packer is located between the upper and lower producing strata the packer sleeve may be expanded in the conventional manner, if a conventional packer assembly is used, or in the manner explained in my co-pending application above referrcd to, if a packer assembly of that type is employed and when the packer is expanded it will form a seal with the casing between the producing strata. The shear pin 4 is shown sheared and the packer sleeve 3 expanded in the present illustration.

Production from the lower stratum may then flow up through the tubing but the drilling fluid, or drilling mud, above the packer should be washed out to permit production from the upper stratum. Incorporated into the tubing at the required place there is a special coupling I whose lower end is provided with an annular downwardly flared groove 8.

Screwed onto the lower end of the coupling 1 there is a tubular guide 9 whose lower end is inwardly thickened forming an inside, annular, upwardly facing shoulder It. This. guide fits over the tubular valve l I. The upper end of this valve is tapered to form a fluid tight fit in the groove 8 when the valve is closed.

As an additional precaution against leakage. when the valve is closed, there are secured to the upper end of the valve adjacent the tapered portion thereof the external and internal annular seal rings l2 and I3 which may be secured to the valve in any preferred manner as by dovetailing the same therein. These seal rings are flared upwardly and are positioned to seat against the lower end face of the coupling I on the outside and inside of the groove 8, as illustrated in Figure 3, so as to form fluid tight seals 3 spacadapartwhenthe valve isclosed'but interlocktopreventthescparationofthetubing.

While going into the well-the valve is pinned closed position by means of a frangible pin .which is screwed through the guide I and extends into the valve ll. 7

The lower end of the valve is connected to the upper end 'of the packer which is incorporated into the tubing and the telescoping parts above until the packer is located at the desired point.

If desired clean fluid may be forced down through the tubing and out through the lower end thereof and up through the well casing to wash the well and the packer may then be set or expanded, as shown in Figure 2; or the packer may be set before said washing process.

In setting the packer the frangible pin I! may be sheared as described in my co-pending application above referred to or if a conventional type of packer is used the pin ll may be sheared after the packer is set by pulling upwardly on the tubing.

when the tubing is elevated to carry the slots it above the sleeve valve Ii, as shown in Figure 1, this movement will be limited by the interengaging shoulders II, it and the tubing may be anchored in said elevated position by a conventional tubing supporting means at the ground surface.

Clean fluid may now be forced from the ground surface down through the tubing 2 and out through the slots Ii and back up through the casing to wash out any remaining drilling fluid, or drilling mud, in the casing above the packer.

The tubing may then be lowered until the lower end of the coupling 1 lands on the upper end of the valve l I, said upper end seating closely in the groove I with the seal rings i2 and it in sealing relation with the lower end face of said coupling 1 to form a fluid tight seal and the slots it will then be closed. Upon installation of any selected type of well head flowing equipment production from the lower stratum may be carried in through the tubing and production from the .upper stratum may be carried on through the casing.

It is to be understood that the method of using the wash valve hereinabove recited is for illua tration only and this type of valve may be used in other situations and other methods of its use in well production may be employed.

What I claim is:

1. In a well tubing formed of independent movable sections, a tubular guide on one section having an outlet opening, an annular valve seat in the guide having an annular flared groove, a sleeve valve adapted to be connected to the other section and telescoped into the guide and having its free end tapered to fit into said groove, an annular resilient seal ring on the valve ad- Jacent the tapered portion and positioned to form a seal with said seat when the valve is closed, said telescoping parts being relatively movable to one position to seat the valve in said groove and close said opening and to another positionto clear said -opening, a frangible pin connecting the guide and valve and normally the tapered portion and positioned to form a,

seal with said seat when the valve is closed. said telescoping parts being relatively movable to one position to seat the valve in said groove and close said openings and to another position to clear said openings, a frangible pin connecting the guide and valve and normally maintaining the valve closed, and means to prevent the complete separation of the valve and guide.

ARTHUR J. PENICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 279,087 Emery June 5, 1883 815,236 Trump Mar. 13, 1906 1,785,276 Mack Dec. 18, 1830 2,074,608 Gosline Mar. 23, 1937 2,141,835 Allen Dec. 27, 1838