US2873805A - Well packers - Google Patents

Description

W. F. NELSON WELL PACKERS.

Feb. 17, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1954 /M fflfifl w Z w M w .111 7 if i I WWW [1| fimmw II "1% i. A, i @114: TlHw r v H w l flm n Way/7e F. A/e/JOI? INVENTOR.

BY 6 M ATTORNEYJ W. F. NELSON WELL PACKERS.

Feb. 17, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 n m m ma 0 m a M LL M m W m z \\\\\\\%X F n i1 1 i l1 m WM 9 f I 1/ m W V\ 7.

Filed June 25, 1954 Feb. 17, 1959 w. F. NELSON 2,873,805

WELL PACKERS.

Filed June 25, 1954 s Sheets-Sheei s 7 3 J a d M V. M m x Fm Mm W r I I v 7 J .J y 7 n x Z 4:

, 2,873,805 WELL PACKERS Wayne F. Nelson, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Larltln Packer Company, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri I v t Application June 25, 1954, Serial No. 439,178 9 Claims; Cl. 166-140) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in .wel1 packers.

Anobject] of this invention is toprovide a new and improved well packer which is adapted to be set in a well here or casing by lifting upwardly-on the tubing supporting the packer, wherebythe packer is adapted pressure is very high. I I I l V a An important object of this invention is to provide a new and improved well packer which, is adapted to be set in a well bore or casing by placing the tubing supporting the packer under an upwardtension and which is normally releasable from its set position by ,,slack-.

ing the tubing, but which has a safetyrelease mechanism for effecting the removal. of the entire packer from the well when the normal slacking of the tubing is inefiective to release the packer from its's et position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved well packer adapted to beset by an upward movement .of thentub ing supporting the packer,

wherein a latching means:is provided for-normally preventing the packer from inadvertently setting during the removal of the packer from the well, and wherein an additional means is provided for preventing the packer from inadvertently setting upon theremoval of the packer from the well in instances .in which the normal latch means cannot be connected r Another object of.,this invention is to provide a new and improvedwell packer whichuis adapted to. be set in a well bore or casing upon an upwardsraising of ,a tubing 'fromwhich the packer is suspended, wherein means '20 to be set under circumstances where the tubing weight is insufficient to set the packer or where the bottom hole are provided for jarring: thpacker looseafroirr its set position when said packer is set in a position so close to the bottom of the well that cannot be released from its set position byvthe normal lowering of the tubing;

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, togetherwith other features thereof. 1 v

Theinvention will be more, readily understood from a reading ot-the following specification and by reference tothe accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown; and wherein: a

Figure 1 is an elevation, illustrating packer of this the packer and Figure 4A, illustrating: the lowerhportion thereof.-

Figure 5 is a sectional view, illustrating the lower portion of the packer when the packer is in a set position in the well pipe or casing. Figure 6 is a sectional view,- illustrating the intermediate portion of the packer as the packer is being removed from the well, with the slips being prevented from setting by the additional latch mechanism.

In the drawings, the letter C designates a well pipe or casing into which the well packer of this invention is adapted to be lowered on a tubular support such as a tubing or pipe string T. The packer includes an annular elastic sealing element 10 and pipe gripping slips 11 which, as will be explained, are adapted to beset in contact with the well pipe or casing C upon an upward movement of the tubing or pipe string T. Since the sealing. or packingelement 10 and the slips 11 are set in contact with the pipe or casing C upon an upward movement, the packer of this invention is particularly adapted for use where the tubing'weight is insuificient to {set the packer or where the bottom hole pressure in the well is .very high, or in well operations wherein high pressures are developed below thepacker, as compared to the pressures thereabove, as, for example, in formawhen the release of the packer cannot'be etfectedby such lowering, due to the fact that there'is not. sufiicient space below the packer or otherwise, the packer can nevertheless be releasedand the entire packer removed from the well pipe or casing C. v M

Referring to Figures 4 and 4A, wherein the packer is illustrated in detail, it can be seen thatan inner tubular mandrel14 extends substantially the fulllength of the packer and has its lower end threaded or otherwise secured to a shoe or adaptor 15. The'upper end of the shoe or adaptor 15 is formed with an annular radial packing element 10' at its outer, lower portion, and

such band 17 also rests orseats upon the annular shoulder 15a; A'similar-metal band 18 is molded or otherwise secured to' the inner, lower'portion of the packing element 10, and such band ISengages a lateral shoulder 14a on the external surface of the-mandrel 14, to prevent an upward shifting of the, packing element 10 with respect to the mandrel 14. f r

The upper end of the. packing element 10 extend under an annular flange 2% at the lower end of an annular slip expander 20 and abuts against an annular shoulder 20b, whereby the packing element 10 is prevented from extruding oroverriding the expander upon compression of the element 10. The slip expander 20 is keyed to the mandrel 14 by a key 22,mounted in .a pocket 200 on the inner surface of the expander 20, and such key ZZYfits into a longitudinal groove or keyway 14b in .the external surface of the mandrel 14. The

key connectio'n provided by the engagementtot'the key 22 m the keyway 14b prevents rotational movement of the mandrel '14 with respect to the slip expander 20,

' but permits longitudinal movement of the slip expander 20 with respectto the mandrel 14. Theslip. expander'20 has a' tapered or conical-surface 20d which is inclined upwardly and inwardly, andfas will be explained more in detail hereinafter, is adapted to contact the inner tapered surface 11a of theslips 11 invention. suppport arm connected at its upper ,end and extending upwardly to a slip ring,26, with all of the arms 25 to thereby urge each of the slips 11 radially or laterally outwardly into gripping engagement with the well pipe or casing C. The inner surfaces 11a of each of the slips 11 are inclined downwardly and outwardly at substantially the same angle as the inclination of the annularsurface 20d.

.Each of the slips 11 is actually an arcuate segment which has gripping teeth 11b, which are preferably upwardly extending to increase the gripping action with the pipe or casing C during the usual uses of the packer of this Each of the arcuate slips 11 has a flexible being also connected to the slip ring 26. The slip ring 26 surrounds a slip sleeve 27, which is disposed around the mandrel 14. The slip sleeve 27 is adapted to move longitudinally relative to the mandrel 14, but under normal operating conditions, the slip sleeve 27 is prevented the slip ring 26, and the upper ends of the friction springs 30 are connected to alatch ring 32 by Welding or other suitable securing means. The friction springs 30 are bowed outwardly, so that they constantly engage the inner surface of the well pipe or casing C. The latch ring 32 I surrounds a'latch sleeve 34, which is disposed around the mandrel 14 and has its lower end threaded or otherwise connected to the slip sleeve 27, whereby the slip sleeve 27 and the latch sleeve 34 are movable as a unit.

The internal diameter of theslip sleeve 27 is less than the internal diameter of the latch sleeve 34, so that an annular inwardly extending lateral shoulder 27b is provided at the upper end of the slip sleeve 27; Such shoulder 27b is adapted to engage an annular stop ring 35 mounted on the external surface of the mandrel 14 when the slip seleve 27 and the latch sleeve 34 are moved upwardly relative to .the mandrel 14 to thereby limit such upward relative movement.

The latch sleeve 34 has a latch bar 37 mounted on its external surface by means of screws 38 or any similar securing means (Figures 2, 3' and 4).' A longitudinal groove is formed in the inner surface of the latch ring 32 and is of such size that the latch bar 37 is adapted to fit therein to permit relative longitudinal movement of the latch bar 37 relative to the latch ring 32. However, when the latch bar 37 is positioned out of alignment with the longitudinal groove 40,'the latch bar 37 is of such thickness that it extends outwardly from the latchsleeve 34 and the upper end-37a of the latch bar 37 engages the lower surface 32a of the latch ring 32, whereby upward movement of the latch bar 37 relative to the latch ring 32 is prevented. As will be evident hereinafter, when the upper end 37a of the latch bar 37 is in contact with the lower end 32a of the latch ring 32, the slips 11 are in a retracted position and are latched againstdownward movement. A lug 42 depends from the latch ring 32 and has one of its sides 42a longitudinally aligned with one of the longitudinal walls 40a of the longitudinal groove 40, whereby, as the latch sleeve 34' isv rotated in the direction of the arrow in Figure '3 (thatis, to the left or counterclockwise), the longitudinal surface 37b of the latch bar 37 contacts the side surface 42a of the lug 42 and is stopped inits movement relative tothe ring 32 at which time the bar 37 is longitudinally aligned with the groove 40. Ordinarily, during the running in and retrieving of the packer from the well pipe or casing C, the latched position is maintained by disposing the latch bar 37 with its longitudinal surface 370 adjacent the side surface 42b of the depending lug 42, so that substantially one full turn of the sleeve 34 is required to position the latch bar 37 in longitudinal alignment with the longitudinal groove 40. It will be observed that the upper ends of the friction springs 30 are spaced outwardly from the latch sleeve 34 a sufiicient distance so that they do not interfere with the relative rotational movement of the bar 37 and the latch sleeve 34.

A coupling member 45 is threaded or otherwise suitably secured to the lower end of the tubing or pipe string T, which extends to the surface of the well, and the lower end of the coupling 45 is connected to the upper end of the mandrel 14 by a threaded engagement of left-hand threads 140 with left-hand threads 45a. Such threaded connection between the mandrel 14 and the coupling 45 is preferably made up only hand tight plus one quarter of a turn or, in any event, to a degree of tightness such that, when it is desired to uncouple the coupling member 45 from the mandrel 14, such disconnection'can be efiected readily.

The latch'sleeve 34 is also connected to the coupling member 45 by a swivel connection, which is provided 3 by a swivel member 46 threaded or otherwise secured to the coupling member 45 and having an inwardly extending annular flange or shoulder 46a upon which rests "an outwardly extending annular flange 34a, whereby relative rotational movement may be effected between the swivel member 46 and thelatch sleeve 34 without permitting relative longitudinal movement therebetween. Bleeder ports 346 are provided in the latch sleeve-34 to permit fluid above the'packing element 10 in the casing to bleed or flow therethrough into the tubing string T when the left-hand threaded connection formed by the threads 14c and 45a is disconnected.

In the operation or use of the'well packer of this invention, the packer is lowered into the well pipe or casing C with the parts in the position shown in Figures 4 and 4A. The slips andthe packing element 10 are in their retracted positions, and theslips 11 are prevented from setting by maintaining the latch bar 37 on the side 42b of the lug 42, whichis opposite from the other side 42a of the lug 42, which normally serves to align the bar 37 with the longitudinal groove 40. When the packer has been lowered to the desired elevation'in the well pipe or casing C, thetubing T is rotated one turn to the left, or counterclockwise (as viewed from the top of Figure 4).- Suchrotation of the tubing T effects a similar rotation of the latch sleeve 34 and the latch bar 37 thereon, so that the latch bar 37 moves from its latched position adjacent the remote side 42b of the lug 42 one full turn'to stop against the aligning side 42a of the lug 42, so that thereafter the latch bar 37 can be moved into the groove 40. g When the latch bar 37 is thus aligned with the longitudinal groove 40, the tubing is pulled upwardly so as to pull upwardly on the mandrel 14 and the latch sleeve 34 and the slip sleeve 27 connected therewith. The slips 11 are not moved upwardly with the tubing T, since the friction springs 30 frictionally engage the inner surface of the pipe or casing C, and, also, the latch bar 37 moves in the longitudinal groove 40 so that the latch sleeve 34 moves relative to the latch ring 32, and, therefore, the

; upward movement of the'latc'h sleeve 34 is not transmitted to the latch ring32. As the mandrel 14 moves upwardly, the slip expander 20' is carried upwardly, and the tapered or inclinedsurface 20d of the slipexpander 20 engages and slides relative to the inner surface 11a of each of the slip segmentsll to thereby wedge the slips 11 out wardlygin'to gripping engagement'with the well pipe or casing. Afterthe slips '11 are set in such gripping contact, continued upward movement of the mandrel 14 compresses-the annularpacking element 10 and distortssame into sealing engagement with the inside surface of the pipe or casing C (Figure 5). The packer is then fully set, and any suitable well operations may be carried out. It will be understood, of course, that the tubing must be maintained under tension to prevent a'release of the packer, although the packer of this invention is particularly suitable for operations wherein the well pressure or other fluid pressure below the packer is very high, so that such pressure itself tends to maintain the packer in the set position.

Under normal conditions, when it is desired to release the packer from its set position, the tubing T is lowered to thereby lower the mandrel 14, the slip sleeve 27 and the latch sleeve 34. As the mandrel 14 is thus lowered, the packing element is permitted to retract to its position shown in Figure 4A, and the slip expander or cone is lowered below the slips 11, so that the slips 11 swing inwardly to the position shown in Figure 4A. As the packing element 10 and the slips 11 are thus being retracted by the downward movement of the mandrel 14, the latch bar 37 is being moved downwardly relative to the latch ring 32, and, when the slips 11 and the packing element 10 have been fully retracted, the upper end 37a,of.the latch bar 37 is positioned below the longitudinal groove and slightly below the lower edge 32a of the latch ring 32, whereby a rotation of the tubing T to the right or clockwise (as viewed from the top of Figure 4) will move the latch bar 37 to the remote side 42b of the stop lug 42.

remain in the notches 29 of the slip sleeve 27, so that any rotation imparted to the mandrel 14 is directly impartedto the slip sleeve 27 and the latch sleeve 34 through the pins 23. When the packer has thus been placed in a latched position, the packer may be removed from the well bore or may be moved to another position in the well bore and set therein in accordance with the abovedescribed setting procedure.

' stroke of the tubing. As the jar is imparted downwardly It will be noted that, during the setting and the release of the packer, the pins 28 In some cases the packer is set so close to the bottom of the well bore that the necessary downward longitudinal movement of the tubing T and the mandrel 14 cannot be obtained to release the packing element 10 and slips 11 from their set position. When such situation exists, by reason of the packer being on the bottom or otherwise, then the tubing T is rotated --to the right to effect a release of the threaded connection between the left-hand threads 14c and the left-hand threads a. Since the packer is set, the mandrel 14 is prevented from rotating by reason of the engagement of the slip expander 2th with the set slips and also by reason of the key 22 riding in the keyway 14b of the mandrel 14. The right-hand rotation of the tubing T is thus imparted to the coupling 45, so that the coupling 45 moves to the right relative to the mandrel 14, and, since the threads 14c and 45a are left-hand threads, such right-hand rotation of the coupling 45 effects a backing oif or disconnection of such threaded connection.

When the disconnection of the threads 14c and 45a is completed, the tubing T is raisedupwardly to thereby raise the latch sleeve 34 and the slip sleeve 37 relative to the mandrel 14. It will be observed that the latch bar 37 was in'the longitudinal groove 40 prior to the time that the safety release connection between the threads 14c and 45a was disconnected, since the packer was in the set position, and, therefore, upon the upward movement of the slip sleeve 27 and the latch sleeve 34, the bar 37 moves through the groove 40. The upward travel of the slip sleeve 27 and the latch sleeve 34 with the tubing T is limited by the contact of the shoulder 27a with the shoulder 26a of the slip ring 26 (Figure 6). When the contact of the shoulders 26a and 27a has occurred, then a lowering of the tubing is efiected to impart a downward jarring action to the mandrel 14 by reason of the contact of the coupling 45 with the upper end of the mandrel 14. It is noted that when the cou-.

to the mandrel 14, the packing element 10 is urged to its retracted position, and the cone or slip expander 20 is moved downwardly by the contact of the stop pins 28 with the upper end of the slip expander 20 to thereby release or retract the slips 11. After the slips 11 and the packing element 10 have thus been released, the tubing T is again lifted upwardly so that the shoulder 27a -0n the slip sleeve 27 again engages the lower annular shoulder 26a on the slip ring 26. Such engagement, in eiiect, forms a secondary or additional latch means for preventing the slips from being displaced downwardly on the slip expander 20 during the retrieving or removal of the packer from the pipe or casing C. It is thus possible to remove the entire packer from the pipe or casing without requiring any fishing operations.

Although the invention has been described above with the normal latching mechanism including the latch bar 37 and the groove 4%, it is believed evident that such structure could be eliminated and the packer would then be normally released with the safety release mechanism which includes the releasable threaded coupling 45 as above explained.

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 packer adapted to be lowered into a well bore on a tubular support comprising, a tubular mandrel connected with the support, an expansible packing element mounted on said mandrel, a slip expander above the packing element, gripping slips mounted for relative sliding movement with respectto the mandrel and movable with relation to the expander whereby said slips may be expanded into gripping position with the wall of the well bore, a releasable latching assembly connecting the gripping slips to the mandrel in a position maintaining said slips against movement with respect to the expander whereby said slips are latched in non-gripping position and the packer may be lowered within the well bore, said latching assembly released by a rotation of thetubular support and mandrel whereby an upward movement of the mandrel relative to the slips is permissible and results in a co-action between the expander and slips to move the slips into gripping position, subsequent upward movement of the mandrel expanding the packer element, and means including a jar assembly released by rotation of the support and operable in the event that lowering of the mandrel with respect to the packer element and slips does not efiect retraction of the packer element and movement of the slips to a nongripping position for disengaging said slips from their gripping position and for simultaneously retracting said packer.

2. A well packer adapted to be lowered into a well bore on a tubular support comprising, a tubular mandrel connected with the support, an expansible packing element mounted on said mandrel, a slip expander above the packing element, gripping slips mounted for relative sliding movement with respect to the mandrel and movable with relation to the expander whereby said slips may be expanded into gripping position with the wall of the well bore, a releasable latching assembly connecting the gripping slips to the mandrel in a position maintaining said slips against movement with respect tothe expander whereby said slips are latched in non-gripping position and the packer may be lowered within the well bore, said latching assembly releasable by a rotation of the tubular support and mandrel whereby an upward movement of the mandrel relative to the slips is permissible and results in a co-action between the expander and slips to move the slips into gripping position, subsequent upward movement of the mandrel expanding the packer element, the connection between the tubular support and the mandrel being releasable and a telescoping assembly for guiding reciprocation of the support; whereby after the packer is set the support may be disconnected from the mandrel and thereafter utilized to jar downwardly upon said mandrel to move said mandrel downwardly with respect to the slips and the packer element, and means for transmitting the jarring force from the mandrel to the expander to move said slips to non-gripping position and to retact said packer.

3. A well packer adapted to be lowered into a well bore on a tubular support comprising, a tubular mandrel connected with the support, an expansible packing element mounted on said mandrel, a slip expander above the packing element, gripping slips mounted for relative sliding movement with respect to the mandrel and movable with relation to the expander whereby said slips may be expanded into gripping position with the wall of the well bore, a releasable latching assembly carried by the support and connecting the gripping slips to the mandrel in a position maintaining said slips against movement with respect to the expander whereby said slips are latched in non-gripping position and the packer may be lowered within the well bore, said latching assembly released by a rotation of the tubular support and mandrel whereby an upward movement of the mandrel relative to the slips is permissible and results in a co-action between the expander and slips to move the slips into gripping position, subsequent upward movement of the mandrel expanding the packer element, and means including a jar assembly releasable by rotation ofthe support in the event that lowering of the mandrel with respect to the packer element and slips does not effect retraction of the packer element and movement of the slips to a non-gripping position for disengaging said slips from their gripping position and for simultaneously retracting said packer, and supporting means on the releasable latching assembly which is carried by the tubular support said supporting means being engageable with the gripping slips for supporting said gripping slips in non-gripping position after the slips have been moved to such position by the jarring operation 4. A well packer adapted to be lowered intoa well bore on a tubular support comprising, a tubular mandrel connected with the support, an expansible packing element mounted on said mandrel, a slip expander above the packing element, gripping slips mounted for relative sliding movement with respect to the mandrel and movable with relation to the expander whereby said slips may be expanded into gripping position with the wall of the well bore, a releasable latching assembly carried by the tubular support and connecting the gripping slips to the mandrel in a position maintaining said slips against movement with respect to the expander whereby said slips are latched in non-gripping position and the packer may be lowered within the well bore, said latching assembly released by a rotation of the tubular support and mandrel whereby an upward movement of the mandrel relative to the slips is permissible and results in a co-action between the expander and slips to'move the slips into gripping position, subsequent upward movement of the mandrel expanding the packer element, the connection between the tubular support and the mandrel being releasable whereby after the packer is set the support may be disconnected from the mandrel and thereafter utilizedto jar downwardly upon said mandrel to move said mandrel downwardly with respect to the slips and the packer element to move said slips to non-gripping position and to retract said packer, a sleeve forming part of the releasable latching assembly and surrounding the mandrel and having its upper end attached to the support with its lower end telescopically connected with the gripping slips, the amount of relative telescopic movement of the sleeve relative to the gripping slips controlling the length of the jarring stroke which can be efiected when the support is disconnected from the mandrel.

5. A well packer as set forth in claim 4, wherein the releasable latching assembly also includes a latch ring on the gripping slips and a latch bar on the sleeve, whereby when the latch ring and bar are connected to each other and the sleeve is connected to the mandrel through the tubular support, the slips are in effect attached to the mandrel.

6. A well packer adapted to be lowered into a well bore on a tubular support including, a tubular support, a tubular mandrel having its upper end connected with the tubularsupport, an annular expansible packing element mounted on the lower end of the mandrel, a slip expander above the packing element, a gripping slip assembly mounted on the mandrel and having gripping slips adapted to co-act with the slip expander, said gripping slip assembly including a slip ring spaced above the gripping slips and a latch ring spaced above the slip ring, and also including means for frictionally engaging the wall of the bore, the gripping slip assembly being slidable longitudinally with respect to the mandrel, a sleeve surrounding the mandrel and having its upper end connected with the tubular support with its lower end extending through the slip ring, anenla'rgemer t on the lower end of the sleeve adapted to engage the slip ring, and co-acting means on the sleeve and on the latch ring for releasably connecting the sleeve to the latch ring of the gripping slip assembly, said gripping slip assembly being in a position with the gripping slips in non-gripping engagement with the wall when said co-acting means latches the sleeve to said latch ring.

7. A well packer as set forth in claim 6 together with means for releasing the connection between the sleeve and latch ring by a rotation of the tubular support whereby upward movement of the mandrel relative to movement of the gripping slip' assembly may be effected to move said slips to gripping position and to expand the packing element by said upward movement of the mandrel.

8. A well packer as set forth in claim 6 together with means for releasing the connection between the sleeve and latch ring by a rotation of the tubular support whereby upward movement of the mandrel relative to the gripping slip assembly may be eiiected to move said slips to gripping position and to expand the packing element by said upward movement of the mandrel, and a releasable connection between the upper end of the mandrel and the tubular support whereby the support and the sleeve connected to said support may be separated from the upward movement of the mandrel, and a releasable connection between the upper end of the mandrel and the tubular support whereby the support and the sleeve connected to said support may be separated from the mandrel andthereafter the support may be utilized to impart a downward jar upon the mandrel to effect the release of the gripping slips, the enlargement at the lower end of the sleeve co acting with the slip ring after the slips have been releasedby the jarring action to support the slip assembly as the device is withdrawn from the well bore.

References Cited in the file of this patent 10 Breaux Iun 17, 1952 Broyles Aug. 5, 1952 Reed Aug. 18, 1953 Lane Nov. 30, 1954

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