US2738018A - Oil well treating and production tool - Google Patents

Description

arch fl 196 J. LYNES 3 M OIL WELL TREATING AND PRODUCTION TOOL Filed March 12, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 20 lminl Ca 6 flu QNVENTORJ Jwfm gn w hum 35 ATTORNEYfi March 13, 1956 J. LYNES OIL WELL TREATING AND PRODUCTION TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 12, 1953 ATTORNEY;

March 13, 1956 J. LYNES 2,738,018

OIL WELL TREATING AND PRODUCTION TOOL Filed March 12, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR film flynes,

BY m D oZ W ATTORNEYS March 13, 1956 J. LYNES 2,738,018

OIL WELL TREATING AND PRODUCTION TOOL Filed March 12, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR John flyfles,

BY 4% 2 KW ATTORNEYS March 13, 1956 J. LYNES on. WELL TREATING AND PRODUCTION TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 12, 1953 o o o a o o o o o o o o o o o o OIL WELL TREATING AND PRODUCTION TOOL John Lynes, Albuquerque, N. Mex., assignor to Oil Recovery Corporation, Albuquerque, N. Mex., a corporation of New -Mexico 4 Application March 12, 1953, Serial No. 341,896

7 Claims. (Cl. 166-204) This invention relates to an oil well treating and pro duction tool useful in the recovery of oil from formations in the borehole which may require various treating operations in order to render them productive.

The present specification covers a tool which, generrally speaking, has the same objectives and advantages as the Oil Well Tool, the subject of my prior copending application Serial No. 307,958, filed September 5, 1952, whereof this application is a continuation-impart. This invention therefore provides a tool useful in sealing off a formation selected for treatment and production,

1 in delivering adjacent the formation a compressive thrust capable of cracking or breaking down the walls of the 6 well to form channels for the flow of fluid or gas, and

in forming a fluid line connection between the selected formation and the well head for treating and production purposes.

The tool assembly comprising the invention consists of I one or more piston-operated hydraulic packers, usually used in pairs and so illustrated in the accompanying drawings- The invention is characterized by a tool of very rugged design due to several novel features, capable of repeated uses under deep well conditions of excessive pressures and temperatures. The invention is 13.180 characterized by its simplicity of operation from the surface,- due to novel control means capable of easyand sure manipulation. Bycomparison to the tool of my Serial No. 307,958, the present tool presents modified control means through- 'out the tool, and modified collar means whereby the resilient packer members are confined securely while powerful force is exerted upon them to bring them by hydraulic rams or pistons into formation-fracturing contact with the selected formation in the well.

Other and further objects and advantages will be described below. In the drawings:

Figs. 1-5 are elevations, with parts broken away, showing the tool in sequentialsegments from'top to bottom,

' the tool in these views being in condition for lowering into awell and ready; for actuation of the resilientram members; Figs. 6-7 are similar views on a reduced scale, showing the tool with packer members in formation-engag- I the packer collar assemblies.

In these views, the entire assemblage is shown suspended onthe inner communicating pipe 20 which runs the length of the tool and which in turn is supported in the well by 2,738,018 Patented Mar. 13, 1956 ice or pipe (not shown) leading to the surface. The upper .body member 21, central body member 22 and lower body member 23 are held in spaced relationship to each other by the sleeve couplings 24 and 25, and the body members are all mounted for axial movement relative to pipe 20 by means contained in the upper body member 21.

These means consist of a chamber 28 formed in body 21 wherein a heavy duty coil control spring 26 exerts pressure against the flange 27 formed on inner pipe 20. The movement of inner pipe 20 relative to body members 21, 22 and 23 is therefore controlled by the movement of flange 27 in chamber 28, flange 27 being movable downwardly against the action of spring 26 until it meets shoulder 29 formed in chamber 28 (Figs. 1, 7 and 9).

Also formed in the upper body member 21 is the upper venting outlet 30. Vertical movement of pipe 20 relative to body member 21 brings venting port 31 formed in pipe 20 in connection with upper outlet 30 as will be further described.

The tool as illustrated is constructed with two spaced resilient packer members 35-35a, upper packer 35 being mounted between upper body member 21 and central body member 22, lower packer 35a being mounted between central body member 22 and lower body member 23. The construction of these packers is preferably the splitsleeve ply construction described in my Serial No. 307,958,

. best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the plies being four in number shown at 36, 37, 38 and adjacent their ends. I

Confining the packer members 35 -35a at each of their respective ends are the packer collars, member 35 having upper collar 40 and lower collar 41, packer 35a having upper collar 40a and lower collar 41a. The upper collars 40-40a are secured to the lower ends respectively of upper body member 21 and central body member 22, the details of which construction will be described below. Lower collars 41-41a are respectively secured to the hydraulic rams or pistons 4242a contained in the upper ends of central body member 22 and lower body member 23.

In the upper end of central body member 22 is formed the cylinder 43 containing the piston 42. The cylinder 43 has feeder ports or channels 44 through which fluid under pressure may enter the cylinder from pipe 20 when ports 44 are in register with ports 45 formed in pipe 20 (Fig. 3). Centrally in body member 22 is formed the main treating and production outlet 46 which communicates with pipe 20 through ports 45 when the latter are 39, bonded or vulcanized together shifted into register. Safety vents 47 prevent excessive movement of piston 42.

The upper part of the lower housing 23 is constructed similarly to the upper part of central housing 22, there being a cylinder 43a, piston 42a, ports 44a, 45a, and safety vents 47a (Figs. 4-5

The lower part of lower housing 23 is formed as a hollow chamber open externally through lower outlet 51. An internal housing 52 with a series of spaced ports 53, 54 and 55, contains-a ball valve member 56, normally screwattached at 57 to the lower end of pipe 20. Member 56 is vertically movable in housing 52 responsive to the movements of pipe 20, and is formed with an internal channel 60 which may be brought into selective registry with ports 54 or 55. Port 53 cannot register with channel 60, but is provided to release back pressure during movements of member 56. The lower end of member 56 is formed in the shape of a square pin 61 to engage into a similarly shaped recess or socket 62 formed in the base of inner housing 52. Screw connection 57 is left-handed so that engagement of pin 61 .in recess 62 and rotation of pipe 20 in a clockwise direction will disconnect ball valve The packer collar construction will now be described in particular with reference to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 11. Upper collars 4040a are secured in recesses in the lower ends of body members and 22; lower collars 41-4141 are Iii secured in recesses in the upper ends of the movable pistons 4242ri. The construction and mounting of all collars being otherwise similar, a description of one of them will suflice.

In Fig. 11 a detail is shown of a ring mounting 63 (see also Figs. 1, 2 and 5) having a series of peripheral notches 64 in which secured the inner hinged bearing or collar plates 65. The hinge pin may take the form of a pin 66 passing through holes 6'7 bored peripherally of rings 63 to intersect the notches 64. Collar plates 65 are shaped to lie flat over the convex tapered ends of the resilient packer members and are bonded thereto, as by vulcanization or riveting. Collar plates 65 are also tapered, being of less diameter near the hinged ends than near their tips, so that When the packer members are in collapsed condition, collar plates 65 abut and substantially cover the ends of the packer members (Figs. 1 and 2).

Also secured to ring mounting 63 overlapping the adjacent edges of collar plates 65, is a row of double leaf springs riveted or bolted to ring 63 at 68, the inner layer being designated at 70, the outer layer being designated at 71. Springs 70 and 71 are also shaped to lie flat over the collar plates 65 and are tapered as best seen in Fig. 2. Collar plates 65 and springs 70-71 should be of high tensile strength. The ring 63 is attached in the recess '74 provided in the body member or piston, as the case may be, by insertion therein and by dowels such as shown at 72 inserted in holes 73 formed in the walls of the recess and ring 63 (Figs. 3 and 11).

This collar construction is advantageously designed to resist the great a pressure resulting from actuation of the pistons 42-4211, the result being a longitudinal compression or wadding together of the resilient packer members 35a, as shown in Figs. 6-9. This compression causes a very forceful lateral expansion of the resilient packer members into contact with the walls of the borehole. During this operation it is essential that the ends of the packer members be securely held, and confined against movement axially of the tool.

By this collar construction it will be seen that as pressure is applied to the resilient packer members and lateral enlargement commences, collar plates 65 will separate and fan out against the resistance of the overlying springs 70-71. Collar plates 65, being both hinged to the adjacent body member or piston (as the case may be) and also bonded to the packer ends, provide a remarkably strong construction. The springs 70--71 being in overlapped relationship relative to the spaces or gaps thus formed between collar plates 65, the ends of the packer members remain protected and cannot escape from beneath the collar assembly. It will be appreciated that with the enormous pressures the tool is intended to exert, the flexible material of which the packer members is made, although of the best kind of rubber or rubbersubstitute, will escape the compressive action if permitted. As the packer collars continue to expand and the packers engage the borehole walls, the tips of collar likewise engage the walls, thus forming a bridge of steel between the tool and the borehole on either side of the packer member, further ensuring that the expansion of the packer in response to the pressure exerted by the piston will occur in the direction of the walls of the well.

Further by this construction, the action of the powerful 4 leaf springs -71 is available to aid in the collapse of the packer members when the tool is to be withdrawn from one position in the well and removed. Springs 7071 slide on collar plates 65 very easily due to the natural lubrication provided by the drilling mud in the well.

The novel control means for operating the tool will now be described in connection with a complete cycle of operations. In Figs. 1-5 the tool is in its primary position of adjustment for lowering into the well and ready for actuation of the resilient packers 3535a which are, as shown, in collapsed condition. In this position, also, it will be seen that spring 26 holds pipe 20 in its uppermost position relative to the tool. Accordingly, ports 31 in upper body member 21 are disconnected from upper outlet 3t} and sealed off between two seals 58; ports 44-45 and Ma-45a are in register preparatory to pumping fluid into the cylinders 4343a; main outlet 46 is sealed from access to pipe 20; and the end of the pipe 20 is open to the ingress of fluid from the well through lower outlet 51, ports 54 and channel 60 through ball valve member 56. As the tool is lowered into the well, therefore, liquid from the well may enter the tool to equalize pressure. When pressure pumping is commenced at the surface, liquid cannot escape outwardly of the tool through ball valve member 56, the only other exits from pipe 20 being open are the ports leading to the cylinders 4343a.

Pumping into the tool through the supporting pipe having driven the packers 3535a into engagement with the formations of a well 50, the second positional stage of the tool controls is shown in Figs. 6-7. In these views pipe 20 has been shifted downwardly in the tool body about one-half the distance of chamber 28, the spring 26 being correspondingly depressed. Ports 31 are now in registry with upper outlet 30; ports 4545a are disconnected from cylinders 43-43a, with the pressure left sealed otf therein to maintain the packers in formation-engaging condition. Accordingly, further pressure pumping from the surface will vent the contents of well fluid from the drill string through outlet 30, back into the well.

The third positional stage of the tool is shown in Figs. 8-9, where pipe 20 has been further depressed relative to the tool, flange 27 having come into contact with shoulder 29 in chamber 28 of upper body member 21. In this position upper ports 31 are now sealed from outlet 30 and ports 45 have been brought into registry with the main treating and production outlet 46. Also, the lower ball valve member 56 has been lowered in the internal housing 52 to a point remote and sealed off from the ports therein, so that pipe 20 is sealed off from ingress or egress of fluids at its end below the packers. In this position the tool is now ready for exploiting the formations located between the packers 35 and 35a. Treating fluids, such as acids, may be forced into the formation through main outlet 46 if such treatment is desired. Otherwise the formation may be induced to flow its contents into the tool and thence to the surface through pipe 20 by its natural pressures aided if necessary by swabbing the drill string above the tool.

The fourth and final position of adjustment is shown in Fig. 10. When it is desired to remove the tool from its position in the well, to avoid bringing the contents of the supporting pipe to the surface, means are provided to remove the valve member 56 from the end of pipe 20 thus leaving the tool open to the well through the lower outlet 51. This is accomplished while pipe-2G is 'left in its lowermost (Fig. 8) position relative to the tool, thepin 61 being in engagement with recess 62, the rams remaining in engagement with the well to prevent rotation of the entire tool. The drill string carrying pipe 20 may then be rotated clockwise which will disengage the lefthand threaded connection 57. Thereafter a lifting of the supporting pipe above pipe 20 will permit spring 26-to return pipe 20 to its first position of adjustment, will reregister ports 44-44a with ports 45--'45a and cause a release of pressure in the cylinders 43-43a. Packers 35-35a will collapse, aided by the action of the spring members 70-71 of the collars 40-40a and 41--41a. The tool may then be withdrawn or relocated.

From the above description the facility of the controls will be understood. The main stages of adjustment are accomplished by pumping to set the tool and lowering down on the drill string a predetermined distance, next by a further lowering on the drill string. Removal of the tool from the well is possible at any time merely by lifting on the drill string. These simple manipulations are vastly important where tools of this kind must be operated at the ends of thousands of feet of supporting pipe, many valuable wells having been lost or damaged due to faulty controls or jamming of tools in the well bore.

What is claimed is:

1. In a well tool of the type described, packer supporting means adapted to be attached to the lower end of a string of supporting pipe in a well, at least one resilient expansible packer member carried externally of said supporting means, actuating means controlled through said supporting means to force said packer member by lateral expansion into contact with the walls of said well, and collar means for confining the ends of said packer member consisting of an inner ring of bearing plates linked to said supporting means and extending over said packer ends, and at least one outer ring of spring members carried by said supporting means in overlapping relationship with the adjacent bearing plates and the spaces formed therebetween, said springs exerting compressive pressure on said bearing plates.

2. The construction according to claim 1, wherein the bearing plates are bonded to the packer ends.

3. The construction according to claim 1, wherein said packer member is composed of tubular overlapping plies of compressible material, the respective ends of said plies being bonded together to form unitary end sections.

4. The construction according to claim 1, wherein said packer member is composed of tubular overlapping plies of compressible material, respective ends of said plies being bonded together to form unitary end sections, said overlapping plies having open seams formed substantially lengthwise therein, the seams in adjacent plies being located to avoid overlapping.

5. The construction accordingto claim 1, wherein the actuating means includes a fluid driven piston contained in a cylinder forming part of the packer supporting means, said piston being connected to one end of said packer for longitudinal compression and consequent lateral expansion thereof, and means for delivering fluid under pressure to said piston from said string of supporting pipe.

6. In a well tool of the type described, packer supporting means adapted to be attached to the lower end of a string of supporting pipe in a well, at least one resilient expansible packer member carried externally of said supporting means, actuating means controlled through said supporting means to force said packer member by lateral expansion into contact with the walls of said well, and collar means for confining the ends of said packer member consisting of an inner ring of bearing plates linked to said supporting means and extending over said packer ends, and a plurality of layers of leaf springs carried by said supporting means in overlapping relationship with the adjacent bearing plates and the spaces formed therebetween, said springs exerting compressive pressure on said bearing plates.

7. In a well tube of the type described, hollow packer supporting means adapted to be lowered into a well, an internal pipe in said supporting means selectively movable relative thereto, said internal pipe being connected to the lower end of a string of supporting pipe in the well, a pair of spaced packer members carried on said supporting means, said supporting means also having an upper port above the packers, acentral port between the packers, a lower port below the packers, and actuating ports connecting with means for forcing said packers against the well bore, said internal pipe having port means disposed therein to connect exclusively initially with said actuating ports, secondly with said upper port, and thirdly with said central port, said connections being made by successive downward movements of said internal pipe relative to said packer supporting means, the lower end of said internal pipe having port and valve means which are open to ingress only of fiuid from the well in the said first and second positions, and closed in the third position, and means for disconnecting the port and valve means from said internal pipe to open the latter, said means including a threaded connection and key means operable by rotation of said internal pipe when said internal pipe is in the third or lowest position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,549,168 Townsend Apr. 11, 1925 2,082,113 Layne et a1. June 1, 1937 2,227,731 Lynes Jan. 7, 1941 2,611,437 Lynes Sept. 23, 1952 2,618,344 Turechek et al. Nov. 18, 1952

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