US2928469A

US2928469A - Well packer with ejectable plug

Info

Publication number: US2928469A
Application number: US734718A
Authority: US
Inventors: Talmadge L Crowe
Original assignee: Baker Oil Tools Inc
Current assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
Priority date: 1958-05-12
Filing date: 1958-05-12
Publication date: 1960-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 1977-03-15

Description

March 15, 1960 T.'L. CROWE 2,928,469

WELL PACKER WITH EJECTABLE PLUG Filed May 12, 1958 2 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTOR. TALMADGE L. CQOWE crrys- March 15, 1960 T. L. CROWE WELL PACKER WITH EJECTABLE PLUG 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 12, 1958 If-TTYS- nifi a es WELL PACKER wrrn EJECTABLE PLUG Talmadge L. Crowe, Houston, Tex., assignorto Baker-Oil lools, Inc, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Caliorma Application May 12, 1958, Serial No. 734,718

7 Claims. (Cl. 166126) Another object of the invention is to provide a well packer initially embodying a plug device therein for enabling the packer to function as a bridge plug in the well bore, the plug device being readily and positively ejectable from the well packer when it is desired to. opena passage through the latter.

A further object of the invention is to provide a well packer initially embodying an ejectable plug device there in so that the packer functions as a bridge plug; the plug device being capable of withstanding relatively high fluid pressures and of being easily ejected from the packer when its passage is to be opened.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a well packer initially operable as a bridge plug to withstand pressure differentials in the well bore above the packer, the packer being converted to a well production device having a passage therethrough as an incident of running production tubing through the packer.

an 2,928,469 Patented Mar- 1 1-960 of any suitable form, the one specifically illustrated in somewhat diagrammatic fashion being more particularly.

shown and described in the patent to R. C. 'Baker', 2,703,623, patented March 8, 1 955, for Packer Apparatus.

As disclosed in such patent, the well packer may be lowered in the well casing by means of a string of tubing (not shown) and is adapted to be hydraulically anchored in packed oft condition therewithin.

The well packer A includes a main body 11 having a packing sleeve 12 of rubber or rubber-like material there on which has been expanded outwardly into sealing en gagement with the wall of the well casing. movement of the body 11 of the well packer is prevented by a set of upper segmental slips 13 held in anchored engagement against the well casing by an upper expander 14 which engages the upper end of thepacking structure 12. A set of lower segmental slips 15 is wedged into anchoring engagement with the well casingB by a lower expander 16 which engages the lower end of the packing structure 12. As described in the aforenoted patent, the packer can be anchored in packed-oil condition-in the well casing as a result of shifting a setting sleeve 17' downwardly along the body 11 of the tool, as by elevating the body of the tool after the upper slips13 have been anchored against the well casing, to foreshorten the packing sleeve 12 and expand it against the wall of thewell casing, and also to shift the lower slips 15 upwardlyv along the lower expander 16 into anchoring engagement with the well casing.

Thepacker body 11 may include a lower body abut ment 18 against which the lower slips 15 bear, whichhasa valve seat 19 surrounding the passage 10 through; the packer body adapted to be engaged by a-flapper valve, head 20 pivotally mounted on the body abutment 18 and swingable upwardly into engagement with the valve seat.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and

has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of several forms inwhich it may be embodied. Such forms are shown in the draw'-.

ings accompanying and forming partof the present specification. These forms will now be described in detail,

for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the-scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a combined longitudinal sectional and side elevational view of a well packer embodying an ejectable plug device therein;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating the plug device being ejected from the packer;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the the lower 7 portion of the apparatus disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 after the plug device has been elected from the well packer;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken along the line 4--4 on tion initially as a bridge plug. The well'packer may be This flapper valve head 20 may be received within a slotted junk catcher and pusher 21 suitably secured on the lower body abutment, all as disclosed in the aforenoted patent. V I

As shown in the form of invention illustrated in" Figs. 1 to 4,- inclusive, the internal diameter of the packeron body 11 has been reduced by inserting a body liner 22 therewithinhaving. a lower centering ring 23 suitably. attached to the lower portion of the liner, as by means, of brazingor ascrew (not shown). This centering ring 23 engages the wall of the main body 11- of the packen The upper head 24 of the body liner is threaded into an 7 internall'ythreaded box 25 of the body 11 and, in turn, has anupper threaded box 26 for the reception of a-tubular string (not shown), thetthreaded' boxes normally packer below the liner 22, and preferably having sub-i stantially the same inside diameter as the liner 22 This holding sleeve is held in position by a lower external flange 28 thereof being received within an internal groove 29 defined between the lower end of the main body 11 of the packer and an inwardlydirected portion 30 of the lower body abutment 18. Leakage of fluidaround the, outside of the holding and guide sleeve 27 is prevented, by a suitable seal ring 31, such as a rubber or rubberlike 0 ring, mounted on the sleeve and sealingly engaging the: wall of the body. Similarly, leakage of fluid around the exterior of the body liner 22 is prevented by a suitable" side seal'32, such as a rubber or rubber-like 0 ring, mounted on the upper portion of the liner-and'sealingl'y engaging the wall of the body 11.

Upward of the holding and guide sleeve 27. The body also in- -cludes aplurality of upwardly extending circumferentially spaced arms or latch elements 35 formed by longitudinal slots 36 extending downwardly from the upper end of the body 33, the arms being integral with upper latch elements or fingers 37 extending outwardly into engagement with the upper end 38 of the holding and guide sleeve 27. The fingers have lower outer tapered surfaces 39 inclined in a downward and inward direction engaging a companion tapered surface 38 at the upper inner portion of the holding sleeve 27. The fingers 37 and arms 35 are adapted to spring inwardly to an extent sufficient for the fingers to pass down through the sleeve 27. However, such inward motion is prevented initially by a retainer and retractor member 40 disposed within the finger portions 37 and suitably secured to one of said finger portions, as by means of a shear screw 41. The lower portion 42 of the retainer and retractor member has a diameter to fit behind the fingers 37 and hold them outwardly in engagement with the tapered end 38 of the holding and guide sleeve 27. The member 40 also possesses a reduced diameter intermediate portion 43 merging into an upper retracting head portion 44 having a diameter conforming to the inside diameter of the body' liner 22 and the holding and guide sleeve 27, the inter mediate portion 43 having a length greaterthan the length of the fingers 37, sothat the latter can move inwardly between the lower retaining portion 42 and the upper head retracting portion 44.

The retracting head 44 has a lower-tapered surface 45 inclined in an upward and inward direction which is adapted to engage correspondingly tapered surfaces 46 at the upper portions of the fingers 37 such that engagement of the head surface with such finger surfaces forces the fingers inwardly, to remove them from engagement with the upper end 38 f the holding and guide sleeve 27. The retainer and retractor member 40 has a passage 48 therethrough to prevent fluid pressure to act thereon and shift it from its retaining position. The passage allows fluid pressure in the body and liner passage to act both above and below the retainer and retractor member,

and be equalized since it can act over equal and opposite areas. Thus, the fluid pressure will not only pass through the passage 48, but also through the slots 36 into the holding and guide sleeve 27, as well as into the body 11 of the well packer between the

seal rings

31, 32, the

centering ring 23 allowing fluid to pass thereby. However, such fluid pressure cannot pass downwardly of the plug body 33 because of the seal ring 34 on the latter,

and further in view of the fact that a plug extension 49 which is threadedly secured into the plug body 33 closes the central passage 50 through the latter. This plug extension 49 is engageable with the flapper valve head 20 when'the fingers 37 engage the upper end 38 of the holding and guide sleeve 27 to retain the flapper valve head 20 to one side and. insure that the plug C can be subsequently ejected from the well packer when its presence is no longer desired.

The well packer A is run in the well casing B and is anchored in' packed-off condition therewithin with the ejectable plug device C mounted in the body 11 of the packer, such as disclosed in Fig. 1. The well packer then actually constitutes a bridge plug, permitting certain presward direction on the well packer, the expandible plug C- t 4 z is not shiftable downwardly by the presence of fluid pressure thereabove since there is no pressure differential acting on this member. The fingers 37 are held out against the tapered end 38 'of the holding and guide sleeve 27, the downward pressure imposed on the plug being incapable of urging the fingers inwardly without destroying the retainer and retractor member 40. Acco'rdingly, the retainer and retractor member 40 positively locks the fingers 37 in their outer position to hold the plug C in place. By way of example, it has been found that the entire plug device will hold about 4,000 p.s.i. pressure differential safely.

After the operation above the packer requiring its use as a bridge plug has been completed, the expendable plug C can be ejected and removed completely from the well packer, to open the passage 10 therethrough. Such opening will occur as an incident to lowering production tubing D through the packer, so as to conduct well production from a region therebelowinto the tubing perforations 55 and upwardlythrough the tubing D to the top,

of the well bore. After the lower end of the tubing enters the packer A and comes to rest upon the retainer and retractor member 40, a downward weight can be imposed on this tubing, and when it exceeds the strength of the shear screw 41,- which, by Way of example, might require about 2500 pounds for its disruption, the shear screw is sheared by the retainer and retractor member 40, allowing the latter to move downwardly within the arms 35 i of the plug body 33, the lower retaining portion 42 of the retainer and retractor member shifting below the fingers 37 and the upper tapered head portion 44 coming into engagement with the tapered ends 46 of the fingers I 37, forcing the fingers inwardly and completely from turn,- threadedly receiving the lower body abutment 18a having the flapper valve seat 19 and pivotally carrymg engagement with the upper holding shoulder 38 of the holding and guide sleeve 27 (see Fig. 2). Thedownward movement of the production tubing string D can continue, which will then force the complete plug C downwardly and out of the packer, the retractor and retainer 40 sliding from' the lower end of the body liner 22 into the sleeve 27 and moving down through the sleeve and past the valve head 20, from which position it will drop down into the well bore to a lower location where it cannot interfere with the securing of production from the zone in the 'well bore below the set position of the well packer, If the production tubing D is now removed, the flapper valve head 20 can swing upwardly into engagement with its companion valve seat 19 to prevent upward flow of fluidthrough the well packer A, as shown in Fig. 3. However, the production tubingD will normally remain extending through the well packer and a the wall of the body liner 22 to prevent leakage of fluid around the exterior of the production tubing (in a known manner); I v

In the form of invention shown in Fig. 5, the expendable plug device C is essentially the same in the other form of the invention. However, it is releasably secured in a well packer that does not possess a liner nor a holding and guide sleeve separately installed within the body 11 of-the tool. Instead, the packer body includes a body extension 11a which is threaded onto thelower part of the main body 11 of the tool, this body extension, in

the flapper valve head 20. This lower body abutment 18a also carries the feeler and junk pusher 21, as in the other form of the invention.

The expendable plug device C is mounted within the main body 11 of the tool and within thevbody extension 11a, sealing off against the wallet the latter and with the fingers, 37 initially resting upon the inwardly and downwardly tapering lock surface 38a on the bodyex tension. The upper retracting head-44 of the retainer and retractor device 40 slidably engages the wall of the remaining in place. The retainenand retractor member main body 11 of the well packer, this wall having sub- 46 at the upper portions of the fingers 37 to deflect the latter inwardly from engagement with the lock surface 38a, whereupon the entire expendable plug can be ejected fully from the well packer.

The inventor claims:

1. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore and including a body having a passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore, a plug in said passage to prevent flow of fluid therethrough, latch means on said plug engaging said body to hold said plug against downward movement in said passage, retaining means engaging said latch means to prevent release of said latch means from said body; and means for shifting said retaining means from said latch means to permit release of said latch means from said body and ejection of said plug from said passage. 7

2. In a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore: a body having a passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore; a plug in said passage to prevent flow of fluid therethrough; latch means on said plug engaging said body to hold said plug against downward movement in said passage; and means engageable with said latch means to withdraw said latch means from holding relation to said body to allow said plug to be ejected from said passage.

3. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore and including a body having a passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore, a plug in said passage to prevent flow of fluid therethrough, latch means on said plug engaging said body to hold said plug against downward movement in said passage, retaining means engaging said latch means to prevent release of said latch means from said body; means for shifting said retaining means from said latch means and for engaging said retaining means with said latch means to withdraw said latch means from holding relation to said body to allow said plug to be ejected from said passage.

4. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore and including a body having a passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore, a plug in said passage to prevent flow of fiuid therethrough, said plug having a plurality of latch elements; said body having a shoulder engaged by said latch elements, a retainer member disposed behind said elements to hold them in engagement with said shoulder to prevent downward movement of said plug from said passage; and

means for shifting said retainer member downwardly from holding engagement with said elements to allow said plug to be ejected from said passage.

5. In a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore: a. body having a passage and means for securing said body in the well bore; a plug in said passage to prevent fiow of fluid therethrough; said plug having a plurality of latch elements; said body having a shoulder engaged by said latch elements; a retainer and retractor member including a lower retainer portion disposed behind said elements to hold them in engagement with said shoulder to prevent downward movement of said plug from said passage, said member including an upper retractor portion engageable with said elements to shift them inwardly from engagement with said shoulder to allow said plug to be withdrawn from said passage.

6. In a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore: a body having a passage and means for securing said body in the well bore; a plug in said passage to prevent flow of fluid therethrough; said plug having a plurality of latch elements; said body having a shoulder engaged by said latch elements; a retainer and retractor member including a lower retainer portion disposed behind said elements to hold them in engagement with said shoulder to prevent downward movement of said plug from said passage, said member including an upper retractor portion engageable with said elements to shift them inwardly from engagement with said shoulder to allow said plug to be withdrawn from said passage; and means releasably securing said member to said plug with said retainer portion disposed behind said elements.

7. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore and including a body having a passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore, said body having a valve seat surrounding said passage, a valve member movable upwardly into engagement with seat, a plug in said passage having a plurality of latch elements, said body having a shoulder engaged by said latch elements, a retainer device disposed behind said elements to hold them in engagement with said shoulder to prevent downward movement of said plug from said passage and to hold said plug in engagement with said valve member to prevent said valve member from engaging said seat; and means for shifting said retainer member downwardly from holding engagament with said elements to allow said plug to be ejected from said passage and from engagement with said valve member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Fredd Apr. 28, 1959