US2832423A

US2832423A - Apparatus for removing stuck pipe from well bores

Info

Publication number: US2832423A
Application number: US433430A
Authority: US
Inventors: Noble H Hall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-06-01
Filing date: 1954-06-01
Publication date: 1958-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 1975-04-29

Description

Aplii] 29, 1958 N, H, HALL 2,832,423

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING STUCK PIPE FROM WELL BORES Filed June 1. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M A/o/ h. f/a// INVENTOR.

/4a 1 /5 BY%. Z. M

ATTORNEYS April "29, 1958 N. H.-HALL 2,832,423

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING STUCK PIPE FROM WELL BORES Filed June 1. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 c4 27a i U 22 Nob/e H. /7 7// l INVENTOR.

l BY ii 6 fun-L v ATTORNEYJ the well. end, which is of suflicient internal diameter to pass over United States Patent APPARATUS FOR REMOVING STUCK PIPE FROM WELL BORES Noble H.Hall, Shreveport, La. Application June 1, 1954, Serial No. 433,430

Claims. (Cl. 166-221) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in apparatus for removing stuck pipe from well bores.

This invention is an improvement on the apparatus disclosed in my co-pending U. S. application, Serial No. 272,593, filed February 20, 1952, now Patent No. 2,739,351.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for removing stuck pipe from well bores, which is of a simplified construction as compared to the apparatus disclosed in the aforesaid co-pending application.

An important object of this invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for removing stuck pipe from well bores, wherein a greater control is provided for the circulation means than in the apparatus disclosed in the aforesaid co-pending application.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for removing stuck pipe from a well bore, wherein said apparatus has an improved clutching arrangement for attaching the apparatus to a stuck pipe, for rotating a wash pipe of the apparatus while circulating fluid after the apparatus has been attached to the stuck pipe, and for releasing a safety joint to permit removal of substantially all of the apparatus from the well in the event the stuck pipe is not removed from the well by the apparatus.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a partthereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure l is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating the apparatus of this invention as it is lowered into the well bore.

Figure Z is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating the portion of the device taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 in an enlarged view.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figures 4 and 4A are views, partly in elevation and partly in section, which illustrate the upper and lower portions of the apparatus or tool of this invention, respectively, when the parts are in the circulating position after the tool has been connected to the stuck pipe or fish.

in the drawings, the letter T designates generally the apparatus or tool of this invention for removing a stuck pipe or fish from a well bore. The stuck fish is illustrated in Figure 4A as a stuck pipe A, which has a threaded box A. The fishing tool or apparatus T is adapted to be lowered into a well bore on a tubing string or retrieving pipe 11 which extends from the surface of The tool T has a wash pipe 12 at its lower and surround the stuck pipe or fish A. Inside of the Wash pipe 12, a coupling member 14 is provided which has an external threaded pin 15 which is adapted to be threaded into the threaded box A of the stuck pipe or fish A upon a rotation of the tool T. As will be explained in detail, fluid circulation can be maintained through the fishing tool T prior to the time that the pin 15 is connected to the fish A; and subsequently to the making of such connection the circulation can be controlled so that iiuid will either pass into the bore of the stuck pipe A or inside of the wash pipe 12 and outside of the fish A to facilitate loosening of the stuck pipe or fish A. Also,

the tool is so constructed that the wash pipe 12 can be rotated and moved longitudinally during circulation after the connection is made between the pin. 15 and the stuck pipe or fish A to thereby prevent sticking of the wash pipe 12.

The external body 16 of the tool T includes a number of tubular sections, namely, an upper sleeve 17 which is connected to the lower end of the tubing string or retrieving pipe 11, a tubular sleeve 18, connected to the lower end of the upper sleeve 17, a tubular clutch member 19 connected to the lower end of sleeve 18, and a tubular connecting sleeve 20 connected to the lower end of the clutch member 19 and the upper end of the wash pipe 12. It can thus be seen that there is direct connection through the body of the tool T from the tubing or pipe 11 to the wash pipe 12. If desired, an annular weld 21 may be provided between the sleeve 17 and the sleeve 18 in addition to the threaded connection thcrebetween. One or more screws 23 lock the sleeve 18 to the clutch member 19. A usual annular friction ring 22 which is flared inwardly is seated at the upper end of the sleeve 20 to facilitate disconnection of the right hand threaded connection between the sleeve 20 and the clutch member 19 in the event the wash pipe becomes stuck in the well bore. The ring 22 is preferably formed of hardened steel with the upper face 22a and lower face 221) knurled,

Seal rings

24 and 25 of rubber or similar material are positioned between the upper and lower threaded connections, respectively, of the clutch member 19 with the sleeve 18 and the sleeve 20.

The coupling 14 is carried by a mandrel 27 which is disposed within the body 16 of the tool T and which is longitudinally movable relative thereto, as will be explained. The lower end of the mandrel 27 has external coarse or fast left-hand threads 28 which are threadedly engaged with corresponding inwardly extending coarse or fast left-hand threads 29 in the upper end of the bore of the coupling 14, whereby a releasable connection is provided between the coupling 14 and the mandrel 27. The left-

hand threads

23 and 29 may be of the Acme type or any other similar type. The upper end of the mandrel 27 is formed with an enlarged head 31 and with a plurality of spaced outwardly extending splines 32 therebelow. A coil spring 33 or similar resilient member surrounds the head 31 and is secured thereto by a small pin 3 9 or the spring 33 is fitted to the head 31 so tightly that it will not fall downwardly by its own weight. The spring 33 is thus secured to the head 31 with its upper end abutting an annular flange 31a, and it. will be observed that the lower end of the spring 33 does not extend down to the shoulder 19a on the clutch member 19. The enlarged head 31 carries a seal ring 35 of rubber or other resilient material which provides a seal between the upper end of the mandrel 27 and the bore of the sleeve 13, whereby fluid directed downwardly through the tubing string 11 will all flow into the bore 27a of the mandrel 27 rather than externally of the mandrel 27. During the lowering of the tool T into the well bore, circumferentially spaced upwardly directed lugs 40 on the upper end of the coupling 14 are in interfitting engagement with circumferentially spaced downwardly directed lugs 41 on the lower end of the clutch member 19, whereby the assasas coupling 14 and the outer tubular body 16 are locked together so that rotation of the tubing or pipe 11 is transmitted directly to the coupling 14 to attach the pin 15 on the coupling 14 to the fish A. A siear pin 42 extends through. One lug 4i) and through an adjacent lug 41 to hold the lugs 4d and 41 in their interfitted position during the lowering of tool into the well bore. When the pin 42 is sheared, the body 16 can then be moved upwardly relative to the mandrel 27. Should the pin 42 shear prematurely during the lowering operation, the mandrel 27 and spring 33 wiil move downwardly relative to the body 16 until the lower end of the spring 33 contacts the shoulder 1% and is compressed slightly. The spring 33 is of sutficie nt length and stren th to prevent the engagement of the splines 32 and 5h, so that actually spring 33 is only a safety feature and could be eliminated.

After the coupling 14 has been attached to the fish A, the tubing string 11 can be raised to shear the pin 42 (if not prematurely sheared) and to disengage the lugs 40 and 41 (Figures 4 and 4A) to thereby permit rotation of the body 16 and the wash pipe 12 relative to the mandrel 27, the coupling 14 and the fish A. Then the outer body 16 can be further raised relative to the mandrel 27 to place the mandrel 27 in a fully extended position and to cause the splines 32 to engage with inwardly directed splines 50 in the upper end of the clutch member 19. When the splines 32 on the mandrel 27 are engaged or interfitting with the splines 50 on the clutch member 19, the mandrel 27 is locked to the body of the tool T whereby a rotation of the tubing string 11 in a right-hand or clockwise direction (as viewed from the top of Figure 1) will cause the mandrel 27 to rotate relative to the coupling 14- and will thereby cause a disengagement of the left-hand threads 2? and 29. Such release thereby permits the removal of the entire tool T from the well bore, except for the coupling member 14 which remains in position on stuck fish A. It will therefore be apparent that the threaded connection provided by the

coarse threads

28 and 29 is actually a safety joint.

Circulating ports 52 are provided in the wall of the mandrel 27 for permitting circulation of washing fluid from the tubing string 11 downwardly through the bore 27a of the mandrel 27 and then through the ports 52 1 into the annular space between the wash pipe 12 and the coupling 14 (Figure 4A) when the outer body of the tool T is in the aforesaid intermediate position with respect to the mandrel 27 and wherein the lower end of the clutch member 19 is above the ports 52 and neither the splines Sit and 32 or the

lugs

40 and 41 are engaged. When the parts are in such intermediate position the Wash pipe 12 can be rotated or moved longitudinally independently of the coupling 14 while maintaining the fluid circulation around the stuck pipe or fish A, whereby sticking of the wash pipe 12 is prevented. Also, fluid circulation through the ports 52 can be closed by lower ing the tubular body 16 to position the lower end of the clutch member 19 below the ports 52 whereby fiuid is then directed to the bore of the stuck pipe or fish A.

In the operation or use of the tool or apparatus T, it is lowered into the Well bore on the tubing or retrieving pipe 11 with the parts in the position illustrated in Figures 1-3. The shear pin is of suflicient strengt. to maintain the mandrel 27 in its raised position with the lugs it} and 41 interfitting to prevent relative rotation of the coupling 14 with respect to the tubing string ill and the body of the tool T. During such lowering, circulating or washing fluid is conducted downwardly through the tubing or pipe 11 and thus through the bore 27a of the mandrel 27 for discharge into the well bore through the bore lila of the coupling 14. it will be noted that the circulating ports 52 are closed during such lowering operation and are sealed by a seal ring 53 of resilient or rubber material which is positioned below the ports 52 and between the mandrel 27 and the clutch member 19.

When the tool T has been lowered into the well bore a sufiicient distance to reach the upper end of the stuck pipe or fish A, the wash pipe 12 passes around the stuck pipe A and continued lowering of the tool T permits the pin to contact the threaded box A of the fish A. The pin 15 is then threaded into the box A by rotating the tubing string 11 to the right or clockwise (as viewed from above the tool in Figure 1) so that the coupling i4 firmly connected to the stuck pipe or fish A. Thereafter, the tubing string 11 is raised or lifted to shear the pin 42 and to disengage the

lugs

40 and 41 to thereby raise the body 16 relative to the inner mandrel 27 so as to move the lower end of the clutch member 19 above the circulating ports 52 whereby circulation of fluid from the bore 270! can be conducted through the ports 52 and intothe wash pipe 12. The length of the mandrel 27 is such that when the ports 52 are exposed, the lugs 1-h and 41 are disengaged and likewise the body 16 of the tool T has not been raised sufficiently to engage the

splines

32 and 50. Thus, rotation and longitudinal movement or the tubing or pipe 11 can be imparted to the wash pipe 12 to move same while circulating the fluid downwardly through the ports 52 into the annular space between the stuck fish A and the wash pipe 12. This prevents the sticking of wash pipe 12 during such circulation. If it is desired to circulate down through the fish A after the connection therewith has been made, the ports 52 are closed by lowering the pipe 11 to position the clutch member over the ports 52. It is therefore believed evident that control of fluid flow through the ports 52 is obtained with the tool T of this invention.

While the Wash pipe is maintained in movement, an explosive charge is lowered into the bore of the tubing string 11 and downwardly through the bore 27a of the mandrel 27 into the bore of the stuck pipe A to a position opposite a desired coupling (not shown) in the stuck pipe A which it is desired to loosen for release of the stuck pipe A from the remainder of the pipe therebelow.

Prior to the time that the explosive charge is fired, the retrieving pipe or tubing 11 and the tubular body 16 including the

parts

17, 18, 19, 20 and the wash pipe 12 are moved or raised upwardly to cause the

splines

50 and 32 to interfit or engage to provide a positive rotative coupling between the tubing string 11 and the mandrel 27. Thereafter, an upward tension is taken on the pipe 11 and a left-hand torque is applied to the pipe. This torque is sufficient to apply a left-hand torque to the stuck pipe A and when this accomplished, the explosive charge is fired. As is well known, when an explosive charge is fired adjacent a coupling and a left-hand torque is placed in the stuck pipe, the threads are sufficiently released so that they become disconnected from the portion of the stuck pipe therebelow. When the upper portion of the stuck pipe A has thus been released from its connection to the portion of the stuck pipe therebelow, then the entire tool T can be removed from the well bore with the released portion of the stuck pipe A connected thereto by the connection of the threads 15 in the box A. It should be pointed out that when the threads 15 are made up in the box A, they are turned very tightly so that a tight connection is made which does not release when the lefthand torque is put in the stuck pipe A.

It is also pointed out that the left-hand

coarse threads

28 and 29 on the mandrel 27 and the coupling 14 transmit the left-hand torque to the coupling 14 and thus to the stuck pipe A. Thus, when the left-hand torque is being applied, the connection made by the

threads

28 and 29 is in fact being tightened and this will assure that there will be no breaking out of this connection during the application of the left-hand torque. The

threads

28 and 29 also provide a safety joint so that in the event the stuck pipe cannot be removed and the threads 15 cannot be disengaged or disconnected from the stuck pipe A, a rotation of the retrieving pipe 11 and the mandrel 27 in a right-hand direction will result in a release or breaking out of the threads 28 from the threads 29. This will permit the removal of the retrieving pipe 11, the mandrel 27, the tubular body 16 of the tool T, and the wash pipe 12. In fact, only the coupling 14 will remain in the well bore with the stuck pipe or fish A, so that substantially the entire tool T is removable from the well bore even though the stuck fish A is not released when the explosive is fired.

In the event the wash pipe 12 becomes stuck in the well bore after the coupling 14 is connected to the stuck fish, then the threaded connection or safety joint between the clutch member 19 and sleeve 20 is disconnected by a left hand rotation which is of course effected when the

splines

32 and 50 are disconnected and, preferably after the

threads

28 and 29 are disconnected. When such disconnection of

members

19 and 20 is thus effected, the coupling 14, sleeve 20 and wash pipe 12 are left in the well.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction," may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A well tool adapted to be lowered into a well bore for retrieving stuck pipe from the well here, including, a retrieving pipe, a tubular body connected to the lower end of the retrieving pipe, a wash pipe suspended from the tubular body and having an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of the stuck pipe to be re covered, whereby an annular space is provided between the wash pipe and the stuck pipe when the wash pipe is positioned around the upper portion of the stuck pipe, a mandrel disposed within the body and movable longitudinally relative thereto within predetermined limits, coengageable means on the mandrel and body for setting up non-rotative connections between the mandrel and body, whereby the mandrel and body are non-rotatively connected at the limits of longitudinal movement with respect to each other, attaching means on the lower end of said mandrel adapted to be attached to the stuck pipe in the well bore upon a rotation of the retrieving pipe, and releasable connecting means initially releasably connecting the attaching means to the tubular body and releasable whereby said mandrel, body, wash pipe and retrieving pipe may be released from the attaching means down in the well and removed from the well bore separately from said attaching means.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the co engaging means is in connected position when the mandrel is at its upper limit of travel relative to the tubular body, and frangible means for maintaining the mandrel in such upper position during the lowering of the apparatus into the well bore.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said co-engageable means is in connected position when the mandrel is at its upper limit of travel relative to the tubular body, said co-engageable means being dis-engaged upon an upward movement of the tubular body relative to the mandrel, and a second co-engageable means for connecting the mandrel to the tubular body when the mandrel is at its lower limit of movement relative to the tubular body whereby rotation can be imparted from the retrieving pipe to the mandrel.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim I, wherein said co-engageable means includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced downwardly extending projections on said body, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced upwardly extending projections on said mandrel for interfitting with the projections on said body whereby connection is establisbed between the body and the mandrel for imparting rotation of the retrieving pipe to the atcaching means.

5. An apparatus adapted to be lowered into a well here for removing a stuck pipe from the well bore, comprising a retrieving pipe, a tubular body suspended from the retrieving pipe, a wash pipe suspended from the tubular body and having an internal diameter larger than the diameter of said tubular body, a mandrel disposed within the tubular body for telescoping movement with respect to the tubularbody, means for limiting the longitudinal movement of the mandrel, an attaching means on the mandrel for connecting to the stuck pipe, co-engageable means on the body and themandrel for non-rotatively connecting the body to the mandrel and attaching means when the mandrel is fully telescoped relative to the tubular body, another co-engageable means on the body and on the mandrel for establishing a non-rotative connection between the body and the mandrel when the mandrel is fully extended relative to the tubular body, said body being free to rotate relative to the mandrel and the attach ing means when the tubular body is in .an intermediate position between the fully telescoped position of the mandrel and the fully extended position thereof whereby rotation of the retrieving pipe is imparted to the wash pipe without rotating the mandrel or the attaching means when the body and the mandrel are in the intermediate posi tion, said mandrel having a circulating port therethrough to provide fluid communication between the bore of the mandrel and the bore of the wash pipe when the mandrel is in any position other than a substantially fully telescoped position whereby circulation from the retrieving pipe through the circulating port and into the bore of the wash pipe is obtained, said circulating port being closed by a lowering of the retrieving pipe and the tubular body relative to the mandrel.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, including a resilient means on said mandrel and located between abutments on the mandrel and body to prevent an inadvertent non-rotative connection between said mandrel and said body by movement of the mandrel to fully extended position relative to the body.

7. An apparatus adapted to be lowered into a well bore on a retrieving pipe for removing stuck pipe from the well bore, including a Wash pipe supported by and suspended from the retrieving pipe, said supporting and suspending structure being a telescoping assembly comprising an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member, means connecting the members for limited telescoping movement with respect to each other, means attaching the upper portion of one of the members to the retrieving pipe and the lower portion of said member to the wash pipe; whereby the assembly is suspended. from said retrieving pipe, a coupling member secured to the lower end of that member which is not directly connected to the retrieving pipe and having means for engaging with the upper end of the stuck pipe, a first interlocking means connected in the tubular member which is connected to the retrieving pipe, said interlocking means having projections at its upper end and projections at its lower end, a second interlocking means on the other tubular member for establishing a non-r0tatable connection with the projections on the upper end of the first interlocking means when the tubular members are fully extended, and means on the coupling member for establishing a non-rotatable connection with the lower set of projections on the first interlocking means when the tubular members are fully telescoped to non-rotatively lock said coupling member to said retrieving pipe, whereby the tubular members of the telescoping assembly are non-rotatively coupled at the limits of longitudinal movement of the members with respect to each other, and a releasable connection securing the coupling member to the tubular member to which it is attached, whereby the telescoping assembly may be released from the coupling member down in the well'and the telescoping assembly, retrieving pipe and wash pipe may be removed from the well bore independently of the coupling member.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, together with a second releasable connection between the retrieving pipe and the wash pipe, whereby in the event the wash pipe becomes stuck, the retrieving pipe may be removed separately from the wash pipe.

9. An apparatus adapted to be lowered into a well bore on a retrieving pipe for removing stuck pipe from a well bore, comprising a wash pipe supported by and suspended from the retrieving pipe, a telescoping assembly comprising an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member, means connecting the members for limited longitudinal movement with respect to each other, co-engageable means on the members for setting up non-rotative connections therebetween whereby the tubular members of the telescoping assembly are non-rotatively coupled at the limits of longitudinal movement of the members with respect to each other, one of the tubular members connecting the wash pipe to the retrieving pipe, and an attaching means connected to the member which is not attached to the retrieving pipe for connecting the telen scoping assembly to the stuck pipe, means to control fluid circulation from the bore of the retrieving pipe to the bore of the wash pipe including a circulating port in the wall of that tubular member which is not directly connected to the retrieving pipe, said port establishing communication between the bore of the member and sealing the bore of the Wash pipe, and means to seal between said members to close off fluid flow through said circulating port upon longitudinal movement of the tubular members with respect to each other to fully telescoped position and for opening said port in all other positions of said members.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, together with a releasable connection between the coupling member and that tubular member to which the coupling member is attached, whereby the telescoping assembly, retrieving pipe, and wash pipe may be disconnected from the coupling member, and a second releasable connection between the retrieving pipe and wash pipe which permits disconnection of the retrieving pipe from the wash pipe, whereby these parts may be removed from the well bore separately from the coupling member and wash pipe.

Church Mar. 14, 1950 Stewart et al. July 28, 1953