US2935134A - Special sand-washing bottom joint - Google Patents

Description

May 3, 1960 G. H. TAuscH SPECIAL SANO-WASHING BOTTOM JOINT Filed Jan. 8, 1958 OS. U

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United States Patent 1 1,935,134 SPECIAL sANDfwAsmNG or'roM JorN'r Gilbert H. Tausch, Houston, Tex., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Jersey Production Research Company, Tulsa, Okla., a corporation of Delaware Application January 8, 1958, Serial No. 707,786 1' claim. (cl. 16s- 222) This invention relates to operations conducted in'wells. More particularly this invention relates to an apparatus foruse in conducting sand washing workover operations in wells. I

' When Ywashing sand from a tubing or casing of a well tubing utilizing the permanent-type well completion techniquepit is often difficult to rest the tubing extension upon the surface of the sand without forcing the extension into the sand and plugging the end of the pipe. On these occasions. theextension pipe must be pulled from the well, the bottom joint cleanedl of sand, and another atteimpt made to remove sand by reverse circulation." Often the end of the entension contains only six inches to three or four feetlofsand However, even a small quantity of sand in the end of the extension prevents reverse circulation. y y

To prevent forcing theY pipe into the sand, a4 large collar is often runV on the bottom oi the lower pipe to presenta large bearing surface and prevent the pipe from being forced `into thesand. This occasionally works and has become a common'practice;however, when th`e sand is soft or is-intermixed with shaIeor'rnud, thiertens'io'n may still be forced into lthe sand, Vplugging t`1hee`xt'ensio1-1,V but in this case making the pipe" very dilicultto pull-'since the large outside dianfieterV collar is theri'covered with sand. --Y

I-Iencefa 'tubing extension vfor `use in a'tubed and cased well having the following features is highly desirable:

(l) The sand which may accumulate in the extension can be easily removed without requiring that the tubing extension be raised to the surface and cleaned.

(2) Presents a large bearing surface against the sand and yet provides a constant smooth outside diameter to permit easy extraction should it be forced into the sand.

My invention provides, among other things, a tool which has the above-mentioned desirable characteristics. Briey described, this invention in its broader aspects includes a tubular member of larger diameter than the tubular extension member. This larger diameter tubular member is coaxially mounted on the extreme lower end of the tubular extension member. Often the tubular extension is made up of a plurality of pipes joined together. For example, a conventional pipe size is feet long, with a 1 inch inside diameter made of aluminum tubing. The larger diameter tubular member is mounted to the lowermost conventional tubing extension pipe and extends upwardly from the bottom of the tubing extension at least a major portion of the length of the lowermost pipe. This provides a tool which presents a large bearing surface against the sand and provides a smooth outside diameter to permit the easy extraction of the tubular extension should the extension be forced into the sand.

In its further inventive aspects, the invention may include a plurality of vertically spaced sets of ports formed in the lowermost pipe of the extension member. Also, a set of apertures is formed in the outer larger diameter ice tubular member mounted upon the lowermost pipe of the extension member. If sand accumulates in the lower portion of the extension member, the sand within the tubing can be removed by small increments. The sand is removed from the tubing by reverse circulation until the extension is clear. When all of the sand is removed from the lower pipe of the extension member, conventional reverse circulation can then be resumed to remove 4sand from the bottom of the well. Hence, the sand can be removed from the tubular extension without necessitating the removal of the extension tool from the well to bev cleaned. This is an obvious time saver. The inventive features of my new device may berfur.- ther understood by the following detailed description and drawings in which: 1 Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the apparatus suspended from the open end of a tubing by a telescopic type tubing extension as used in the removal of sand; Fig. 2.is an elevational view illustrating the manner in which the sand is removed from the lower portion of the tubing extension;

Fig. 3 is a view partially in cross-section showing the structure of the bottom joint and the flow of lluids during sand-washing operations; and j. Fig. 4 is a view partialy in cross-section showing the flow of uidsas the sand in the bottom joint is being removed. p s i .Referring now to Fig. l, numeral 10 designates a well which has been drilled from the earths surface, not shown, lto penetrate a plurality of sub-surface formations. Arranged in the well 10 is a casing 12 which has been cementedin platteV with cement 14. Suspended from the earths'surface, not shown, from the wellhead, also ,not shown, in the casing 12is a tubing string 16. This tubing vs tring is provided with a, supporting means 18 adjacent its Lopen lower end. This supporting means may suitably bena landing nipple, pipe slips, latching dogs, and other -`engaging means well known to the art where one piece :of well equipment may Vbe suspended in another. Suported on the supporting means 18 by means of a shoulder 20 is a tubular extension member 22. The tubular member 22 may be suitably sealed within the tubing 16 by means of a sealing means 24, which may be a packer or other sealing means known to the art. The tubular member 22 is provided on its upper end with engaging means 26, which is connected by means of an engaging grab and wire line, not shown, for lowering and raising the tubular extension member 22 in the tubing 16. The tubular extension member 22 is open at its upper end for passage of uid down the tubing and through the tubular extension member 22.

If desired, the tubular extension member 22 may be of the telescopic type. To this end, a first section 28 is adapted to telescopically receive a second section 30. When it is desired to extend the length of the tubular extension, the extension customarily is lowered by its own weight. Pressure is used if the extension sticks in the upper position. Locking means, not shown, hold mem- Y ber 30 in its extended position.

A specially constructed bottom joint member 32 is placed on the lower end of the tubular extension 22 during sand-washing operations by coupling 34. Member 32 consists of an inner tubular member 36 and an outer tubular member 38 of larger diameter. Inner tubular member 36 and outer tubular member 38 are coaxially mounted with an annulus 40 formed therebetween. Inner tubular member 36 may be the same size as the extension pipe 30, while the outer tube 38 may be the largest size that will pass through the tubing 16.

Inner tubular member 36 is open at both ends to form a continuous passageway from the earths surface through ports 46 through 53 are formed in the inner tubular member 36. These ports are separated by l or 2-foot centers from the lower end of the member 36 upwards for any distance, possibly 5 or 6 feet. Hence, the upper set of ports 46 will be positioned upwardly from the top height of sand which is normally found in the extension member, the height of sand normally found being from 6 inches to 3 or 4 feet.

In the upper portion of outer tubular member 33 there are formed a plurality of apertures or slots S4. Slots 54 are formed in a plane above the plane of the uppermost vset of ports 46. p

Conventionally, sand washing is accomplished by reverse circulation. In reverse circulation, fluid is flowed down the tubing-casing annulus and then up the tubing extension 22 and the permanently set tubing 16. However, often sand accumulates within the lower portion of the tubing extension itself. When this occurs, theV uids will Ynot pass through the sand packed in tubular member 36 because of the small area. However, by using this invention, iluid velocity sucient to suspend sand in member 36 can be maintained even though thefluid velocity may not be suicient to suspend sand in the tubing-casing annulus. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the sand is washed from the inside of the member 36 by steps downward from each set of ports until the lower end of the extension is empty. Once the extension is clear, iluid tool is easily extracted if for some reason it should be forcedinto the sand. When washing sand inside the tubing, this tool may provide an additional feature of choking the circulating uid between the inner production tubing wall and the outer tube, thus providing a pressure differential that tends to force the tubing extension downward and force the telescopic joints to their extended position should they become stuck while being lowered into place.

I claim:

A sand-washing bottom member for a 'tubular extension member adapted to be lowered into a well tubing comprising: an inner tubular member open at both ends and having a plurality of vertically spaced sets of ports extending upwardly vfrom the bottom thereof for a distance of at least three feet-so that the uppermost set of ports will be positioned upwardly from the top height of sand normally expected to get into the inner tubular member, said inner tubular member being adapted to be coupled to the lower extremity of the well tubing; an outer tubular member coaxially mounted about said inner tubular member and of sufficient inside diameter to permit unobstructed uid ow in the annular spacerformed by the inner and outer tubular members, the lower extremity of i the outer tubular member terminating at approximately the same point as the lower extremity of the inner tubular member, said. outer tubular member having slots formed in a plane above the plane of the uppermost set of ports in the inner tubular member, said slots being large enough to permit the free ow of fluid therethrough; and an annular sealing member sealing the lower extremity of the outer tubular member to the lower extremity of the inner tubular member to prevent sand from entering the annular space.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 605,756 Smith June 14, 1898 1,588,920 lTrahan et al June 15, 1926 2,224,538 Eckel et al Dec. 10, 1940 2,782,860 Tausch et al. Feb. 26, 1957 2,785,754 True Mar. 19, 1957 2,796,130 Huber June 18, 1957

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