US2543382A - Reverse circulation rotary packer - Google Patents

Description

Feb., 27, l951 B, R, SCHABARUM 2,543,382

REVERSE CIRCULATION ROTARY PACKER Filed Sept. 19, 1947 l 'I 24 l Irl 7" aolMaL-J "lo :,E( L

ATTORNEY omino STATES ATENT ori-ICE REVERSE CIRCULATION ROTARY PACKER Bruno R. Schabarum, Midland, Tex., assignor to Carl l5. King Drilling Company, Midland, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Application September 19, 1947, Serial No. 774,910

(Cl. Z55- 24) Claims.

This invention relates to a circulation reversing tool for use in rotary drilling and particularly to a reverse circulation rotary packer whereby circulation of drilling iluicl through a well may be transferred from the interior of the 5 Other and more specific objects and advandrill pipe to the exterior thereof at spaced points tages of this invention will be apparent from the along its length above the lower end thereof following detailed description when read in conwithout altering the conventional circulation junction with the accompanying drawings which connections at the surface, illustrate useful embodiments in accordance with In conventional rotary drilling the drilling this invention. fluid is normally circulated i'n the well by pump- In the drawings: ing it through the interior of the hollow drill Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional View through pipe from which it discharges through suitable the tool in accordance with this invention shown openings in the bit and thence flows upwardly disposed inside a well casing; through the annular space between the well bore Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a well showing and casing and the drill pipe, returning to the the tool inserted in a drilling string within the surface through the annular space inthe surwell; face casing and discharging therefrom for re- Fig. 3 is a detail showing another embodiment turn to the interior of the drill pipe by the pump of the packing element forming a part of thetool in completing the cycle. in accordance with this invention; and

In many types of drilling operations, it is Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional detail taken along found desirable to reverse the ordinary direction line 4 4 0f Fig. 3. of flow of the drilling iiuid and cause the fluid Referring to the drawings, and to Fig. 1 parto iiow down the annular space and back through ticularly, the tool comprises a cylindrical body the interior Yof the drill pipe to the surface. is having a hollow internally threaded box Il Heretofore this reversal of flow has been accomat one end, which is of conventional form for plished by providing special cross-over or rethe reception of the usual tool joint pin, and a Versing connections atthe top of the well. Such hollow externally threaded pin I3 at the oppocross-over or reversing connections normally resite end, also of conventionalform, for insertion quire considerable equipment, as well as addi- 3U in the box of the drilling string into which the tional time and elort on the part of the drilling tool is inserted. A passageway I4 communicates crew to accomplish the desired reversal in cirwith the interior of box I I and extends at an culation. angle through the major portion of the length The principal object of the device, in accordof the body, communicating with the exterior ance with this invention, is to effect the desired thereof through a port I5 adjacent pin I3. A reversal in direction of circulation of the drillsecond passageway I6 communicates at one end ing fluid in a relatively simple manner, which with the interior of pin I3 and extends in the eliminates use of special reversing connections opposite direction through the body, generally at the surface and additional labor or attention parallel to passageway I4, communicating with on the part of the drilling crew. ,gg the exterior of the body through a port I'I ad- An important object is the provision of a cirjacent box Il. Mounted on the exterior of the culation reversing tool of very simple design for body between ports I5 and II is a sleeve packer insertion in the drilling string at any desired I8 constructed of any suitable flexible or repoint at which the reversal in flow is to be made. silient material, such as natural or synthetic A more specic object is the provision of a rubber or the like. Packer I8 is tightly mounttool having a passageway extending from each ed on the exterior of body Il! either by vulcanizend of the interior thereof to the exterior of the ing directly to the body metal or by any other tool adjacent the opposite end thereof and a suitable or conventional means. The lower end c'ompressible packing element about the exterior of the packerl may be provided with a flexible anof the tool between the outlets of the passage- 5@ nular lip i9 which is adapted to be expanded by ways for packing oii between the tool and the fluid pressure into compressive relationship with surrounding casing, whereby the fluid is transthe wall of a surrounding casing 20 in which ferred from the interior of the drill pipe to the the tool is4 normally run. The thickness of the exterior thereof and after returning throughthe packer is such as to make a relatively close slidinterior of the drill pipe to the vicinity 'ofthe 5s' ing nt within casing 20, or other pipe into which 2 tool is again transferred to the exterior of the tool at a point above the point of first transfer for completing its circuit to the exit of the well through the conventional connection.

angle changes in direction of the flow of thel drilling mud. These features minimize the likelihood of stoppages. When employing a fl'ow such as is described herein, one of the advantages of the apparatus is that larger sizes ofthe rock specimens are brought to the surface than in the` case of conventional operations or of other systems of reverse flow. If the-holes in the drill bits are not sufficiently large to permit passage of the larger cuttings, these can be enlarged. In conventional operation in which the drilling mud is returned along the casing, the conventional drilling collars employed in such operations grind the cuttings to rather fine particles. This does not occur when the present device is used, because the cuttings are returned through the drill pipe until within a few feet of the surface. The larger pieces of cuttings have the advantage of simplifying geological examination thereof.

The above described tool is employed in the following manner in connection with rotary drilling operations, reference being had to Fig. 2: The tool is preferably inserted in a drilling string 2|, just below the conventional Kelly joint 22 so that during operation, irrespective of the increasing or decreasing length of the drilling string employed, the tool will always be positioned within the usual surface casing 20. The upper end of Kelly joint 22 is connected in the conventional manner to the usual swivel 23'. through which drilling mud is introduced by the mudpumps (not shown) through a goose neck 24. The Kelly joint extends through the usual rotary table, 25 shown mounted on a derrick floor 26. above the mouth of surface casing 2D, the'latter beingA provided adjacent its upper end` with the usual Outlet pipe 2 from which the mud fluidreturning4 from the well is discharged in the. usual manner to the mud ditches (not shown) from which, after the usual screening or settling operations, the mud is picked up by the mud pumps and returned to the interior of thedrilling string. With the tool inserted in the drilling string as above described, the mud entering the interior of'the drilling string in the usual manner will flow downwardly through the interior thereof and through passageway I4 emerging therefrom at port I5 below packer I8 and will then travel downwardly through the annular space between the exterior of the drilling string and the casing to the lower end of the drilling string, where it will again enter the interior of the drill pipe, through the usual bit or other openings in the pipe string, and flow upwardly therein until the fluid reaches the lower end of the tool. There it willV enter passageway divert the. fluid to the. exterior of the. drilLppe through port I'I above the upper end of packer; I8. The fluid will then return to the upper endV of the well in the conventional path, namely, through the annularY spacebetweenthe drilling string and casing 20, from which the uid will be discharged inthe usual manner through the outlet pipe 21 and into the mud ditchescom. pleting the cycle. 'I'he pressure. of` the iluid I6 which` will againV against the ends of packer I8 will compress the latter longitudinally and expand it radially into sealing engagement with the inner wall of casing 20 with the result that the bodies of iluid above and below the packer will be completely segregated and the uid will, therefore, follow the circuit above described. The drilling string may, ofcourse, be rotated inthe usual manner, by means of the usualconnection of the rotary table to the Kelly joint, and with the arrangement described there will be no interference with the rotation of the drilling string by the circulation reversing tool. Packer I8 will act as a rotating bushing which is in constant sealing contact with the wall of casing 20. With the described arrangement it will be seen that the necessity for complicated or elaborate cross-over connections'and requisite valves at the top of the well are completely eliminated and drilling and handling of drilling uid are conducted in the conventional manner.

Although the tool may be inserted in the drilling string at any desirable point within the casing, it is normally preferable to locate it, as described, immediately below the Kelly joint. This hasthe advantage that since it is always necessary to pull the Kelly joint out of the well when adding or removing sections of the drill pipe, the tool and packer I8 will, in each instance, be brought out of the well under the view of the drilling crew where any damage due to wear or other causesv to the tool or packer may immediately become evident to the operators and necessary repairs or changes made. Also the casing will form a relatively smooth surface for the rotating packer.

It will beunderstood that the form of packer I 8 may be varied considerably and may be of any suitable construction which will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate details of such another form of. packer which may be successfully used with the tool of this invention. In this embodiment body I8 is undercut successively at 28 and 29, the undercut portions being provided with longitudinal spline grooves 30 and 3 I, respectively. Packer I8 is slidable over the undercut portions of body IU from thelower end thereof and has imbedded in the upper and lower inner ends thereof spaced metal rings 32 and 33 respectively, which encircle the undercut portions of body I0. Rings 32V and 33 are provided with tongues 34 and 35, respectively, which project radially therefrom into spline grooves 30 and 3|, respectively, to thereby permit relative longitudinal movement between packer I8 and body I0 while preventing relative rotational movement between these members. A section of undercut portion 29'is externally threaded at 36 to receive a jam nut 3T which when screwed on threaded section 36 is adapted to adjustably urge ring 33 toward ring 32` and thereby compress packer I8. This adjustment is provided to permit take-up for wear on the packer. Set screwsr 38 extend radially. throughthe body of nut 31 into engagement witlrundercut portion 23 for locking the nut in thedesired adjusted, position. Inail other respectsbody Il! is identical with the embodiment previously described.

It will be understood that various other changes and alterations may be made in the detailsof the device in accordance with this invention without departing from the scope of the appendedclaims but within the spirit of Vthis invention.

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

l. A circulation reversing rotary packer for use in rotary drilling, comprising, an elongated body for insertion in a hollow pipe string, means on the opposite ends of said body for connecting it into said string, a pair of separate uid passageways extending in opposite directions through said body, each of said passageways connecting one end of said body with the side thereof at a point adjacent the opposite end of said body, said passageways being inclined at an angle to its longitudinal axis, and a compressible packing element non-rotatably mounted on said body and surrounding said body intermediate the outer ends of said passageways adapted to form a fluidtight seal therebetween and between the exterior of said body and a surrounding casing.

2. A circulation reversing rotary packer for use in rotary drilling, comprising, a cylindrical body having a hollow internally threaded box portion at one end and a hollow externally threaded pin portion at the opposite end for connecting said body to adjacent sections of a hollow pipe string, a passageway communicating with the interior of said box member and extending generally 1ongitudinally through said body to the exterior thereof at a point on the side thereof adjacent said pin member, a second passageway communicating with the interior of said pin member and extending generally longitudinally through said body to the exterior thereof at a point on the side thereof adjacent said box member, said passageways being inclined at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said body, and a compressible packing element non-rotatably mounted on said body and surrounding said body intermediate the outer ends of said passageways adapted to form a fluid-tight seal therebetween and between the exterior of said body and a surrounding casing.

3. A circulation reversing rotary packer for use in rotary drilling, comprising, an elongated body for insertion in a hollow pipe string, a pair of iiuid passageways extending in opposite directions through said body, each of said passageways connecting one end Ioi? said body with the side thereof at a point adjacent the opposite end of said body, and a compressible packing element non-rotatably mounted on said body and surrounding said body intermediate the outer ends of said passageways adapted to form a uid-tight seal therebetween and between the exterior of said body and a surrounding casing, said packing element comprising a iiexible, resilient sleeve member slidable on said body, and means cooperating between said body and the ends of said sleeve member for longitudinally compressing said sleeve member to eiect radial expansion thereof.

4. A circulation reversing rotary packer for use in rotary drilling, comprising, an elongated cylindrical body, hollow connections at its opposite ends for connecting said body to adjacent sections of a hollow pipe string, a rst single passageway communicating at one end with the interior of one of said hollow connections and extending through said body at an angle to the longitudinal axis thereof to emergence of its other end at one side of said body adjacent the other of said hollow connections, a second single passageway communicating with said other of said hollow connections and extending through said body in parallel spaced relation to said rst passageway to emergence of its other end at the opposite side of said body adjacent the rst said hollow connection, and a compressible packing element non-rotatably mounted on said body surrounding said body intermediate the outer ends of said passageways adapted to form a fluid-tight seal therebetween and between the exterior of said body and a surrounding casing.

5. A circulation reversing rotary packer for use in rotary drilling, comprising, an elongated cylindrical body having hollow connections at its opposite ends for connecting said body to adjacent sections of a hollow pipe string, a pair of spaced parallel fluid passageways extending in opposite directions through said body at an angle to its longitudinal axis, each of said passageways connecting one of said hollow connection members with the exterior of said body at a point adjacent the opposite end thereof, a resilient packing sleeve surrounding said body between the outer ends of said passageways, said sleeve being radially expandible by longitudinal compression thereof, longitudinally splined connections between the opposite ends of said sleeve and said body providing limited relative longitudinal movement between the ends of said sleeve along said body while preventing relative rotational movement between said sleeve and said body, and thrust means carried by said body and engageable with the lower end of said sleeve to longitudinally compress said sleeve.

BRUNO R. SCHABARUM.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,527,209 Nixon et al Feb. 24, 1925 2,126,007 Guberson et al Aug. 9, 1938 2,233,692 Bryant Mar. 4, 1941 2,425,012 Snyder Aug. 5, 1947 2,456,551 Wilson Dec. 14, 1948

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