US2978030A - Fishing tool assembly - Google Patents

Description

April 4, 1961 2,978,030

W. G. GREEN ETAL FISHING TOOL ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 17, 1957 I WILL/AM a. GREEN, MORRIS B. WH/TE &

VERNON M. PR/TCHARD INVENTORS 2A. o wpe.

AGENT United States Patent-O This invention relates generally to oil well servicing ment known in the trade asa fishing tool.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a wire line operated device which may be lowered into equipment and more particularly to that class of. equip:

a well bore to remove equipment stuckft-herein by" ap plying a greater upward pulling forc'ethereo'n than might be applied ,thru the wire l-ine alone. 7

Another object is -toprovidea pulling tool of the character described which. includes 'a hydraulic pump and corresponding pulling cylinder whereby a hydraulic jack action may be applied to the pulled.

An additional object is; to provide a; .wire' line fishing tool which is adapted to be anchored in placetwithin the tubingwalls -to provide a stable base from whichthe pullingv force may be applied"so?that-the wire 'line-will not be subjectedto theentifiepullingl force. j v

And still another. object-is to' provide a.cyl,indrical:

equipment to be 2,978,030 Patented Apr. 4, 1951 2 materials such as sand of lime, carried at high velocities through the restriction; Thus, it has become customary, as also in the caseiof the standing valves in apumping-Well, to make these chokes in the form of a retrievable apparatugto beset or -pulled from the surface,

using a Wire line and appropriate tools.

Generally these chokes are set from the surface, us

' ing .072 steel wire line, having a breaking strength,

when new, of about 1,200 pounds dead Weight. Many times, due to corrosion or the rriating parts, or th iritrusionof sand, or other materials, or because the parts become galled, the wire line is incapable of loosening the choke, and'this re uires the pulling of the entire string of tubing from the well. In a high-pressure well, for safety and convenience, it is; necessary to kill the well, that is,- load it with water, to prevent it from flowing-oil all around while the pulling operation is going on. All. this is quite expensive.

Many "times, too, when the present equipment for retrieving the choke is successful, the choke is loosened, and is blown 'up the hole, by the escaping high pressure gas, alongwith the tools and wire above. This invariably leads to a'longdrawn out fishing job, and many times requires the pulling of the tubing,'after killing the well and the laborious extraction of the wadded and kinkd wire line from the tubing, a joint at a time.-

. Referring now more particularly to the characters of 7 reference in the drawing, it' will be observed that the well bore tool having, aifcaptiveoil supply whiehsforms the mediumtor, applying the-anecessary. force to1.=first lockthe tool in place-in the; welt b'ore' and then apply pulled. M

And yet another object is toiprovidewwirexline con trolled hydraulic powered fishing: toolin whichtsucces sive strokes are employed to providezthe increaseddiw draulic pressure necessary to pull a piece of equipment stuck in a well, but in which tool thepr'essure build up is' easily released upon completionrofithe job for removing the fishing tool and retrieved equipment from the- And an additional object is to provide a wire line operated' fishing, tool of: this character which is prevented from being; accidentally blown out of-the well upon the rapidrelease of the stuck equipment. w t

Thesean'd other-objects and advantages will be' ap-' parent from an examination of: the following specification and drawing inlwhich: r .1

Fig. 1 represents a cross sectional elevational. view' of the power applying. fishing tool of this invention;

Fig.v 2is' a-side elevationalwiew of an oil tubing choke remover tool: which is used with the device of Fig. 1 to form a complete choke remover tool assembly.

Fig. 3 is a schematic outline drawing to? illustrate the operation 05 the oil pump section of thisifivantiorr.

Fig. 4;-is,.a: cross sectional-viewtaken alongithe lines Fig: 5 is. a fragmentary detail elevat-ional view" :ofthe: pullingcylinder'piston of this-invention.

In many installations for theproduction; ofwan oil and or gas well, in the interest of conservation,- and: also for the purpose of safety, it is common to install: a bottom hole choke, or restriction, in: the: tubing. ex tending from the bottom to thetopof the well, for theconduction of the oilto the top.- This fchoke or restriction, in spite of being made of extra hard metal; is frequently worn or eroded" by the acti'oraofi abrasive overall fishing tool, indicated generally at 2 consists basically-of an upper wire line operated oil pump or' power'j means" section 3, a central holding unit or holding. means section 4, and a lower pulling cylinder or pulling means section 5,="from whichtprojects a stem or shank 55 forming the lower portion of a piston 6 g for attachment to a choke removeror pulling tool 7 ing an increased: ratio force :to theuequipment' to bet thereof.- Upper socket 12 of the pump section, 3-is adapted to receive a wire line 13 by which tool 2 is 013- in operational relationship for the purpose of removing a stuck or .frozen choke 8 or other oil well equipment from a well boreor' tubing. v

The pump section 3 includes, a piston 10: adapted to reciprocate vertically'inJa cylinder housing llwhich is supported longitudinally in-,tool Znear the upper part eratecland supported in tubing 14. Socket 12- together with side wall 16 incloses a chamber 15 which-includes anupper spring compartment 17 and a lower oil reservoir 18. Spring. compartment 17 includes a; non-cop rosiye compression spring 19 which operates between quired function of a reservoir balance, and one such construction is seen in Fig. 1 to comprise a thin plate not numbered) against which the spring 19- rests at its lower end, and a thicker member which extends beyond the ends of the thin plate and is curved to engage the side walls16 to form:- a seal against escape of the oil F from compartment 18 into compartment 17. A second spring 21' preloadsanchor plate 22 .to which wire line 13 is attached" whereby the plate and spring act as e a shock absorber to sunden loads ap lied tothe wire line. A breathen hole" 23 permits ambient fluid in" tub"- ing 9'to enter compartment 17 and assist in pr es'surizing balance 20: 'Sidewall 16 engages the top end of piston" 10 by means of threads 24" and thisithre'aded engagement is sealed by O-ring' 25'. A ball check valve 26 is preloaded: by spring 27 which: operates between ball 2'6 and lower spring. seat 29"to" keep ball 26' closed against upper valve seat 31. and seats2 9; 31 are all located in longitudinal channel The: ball 2-6, spring 27,

30 which opens into compartment 18 at the top and terminates intermediate the length of piston 10. A radial'channel32' connects channel30 with an annular chamber 33, which in turn is connected to central chamber 34 by way of channel 35, whereby fluid under presnels 30 and 32' into chamber 33 and thence through channel 35 and into chamber 34. An adjustable check valve assembly comprising a ball 36, a spring 37, and a threaded spring seat 38 are installed in cavity 39 at the lower end of piston in such a manner that ball- 36 closes channel 35 when fluid pressure therein drops below. a predetermined figure.

Once fluid enters chamber 33 it has access'to the in-' what might be described as a spring return hydraulic.

cylinder. The holding unit section 4 is virtually all contained within housing 50 which threadedly engages the lower end of pump cylinder housing 11 at its upper end} and is itselfthreaded at its lower end to engage housing 51 of pulling. cylinder section 5. Pistons 45 include a vertical oblong opening 45A to permit passage therethrough of tube 42, and also provide operational space for spring 49. A pair of holes 45B in piston 45'wi'l1 permit fluid under pressure entering opening 45A to get between piston 45 and housing 50 so that an operating pressure may be applied to piston 45. The preferred arrangement ofpistons 45 is a vertical seriesof four units operating in the same plane but in alternating directions as indicated on the drawing. I

A baflle 52 separates the interior of housing 51 into a special reservoir compartment 53 and a piston cylinder 54 in which piston 6 is adapted-to operate. The lowerend or depending projecting shank or stem 55 of piston 6 projects through and-beyond the lower end of housing 51 for attachment by way of its threads 56 to the mating threads 57 of choke remover tool 7. Battle 52 is rigidly but removably'installed in the interior of housing 51 and includes a restricted orifice 58 through which I fluid must flow to enter reservoir 53.-- Tube 42 extends longitudinally and in'slideable relation from pump section 3 down through piston 10, housings 11, 50 and baflle 52, and is rigidly attached only to piston 6. Chamber 40 connects with -a transverse channel 59 which in turn opens into cylinder chamber 54 below piston 6. "The lower side of piston 6 near its juncture with projecting end 55 is tapered at 60 to insure that a small annular volume 61 of chamber 54 will always be open to receive fluid from tube chamber 40 to start the jacking operation.

In operation, the complete assembly of the holdingtool 2 and the choke remover tool 7 is lowered down a well bore tubing 14 until the spring loaded dogs 65 of the tool 7 engage the knob head 66 of choke 8, which,

for purposes of this invention, is assumed to be stuck or frozen by corrosion 67 in its seat 68 in .tu bing. 1.4..

Now an upward pull of wire line 13 will lift socket "12' 65 of housing 11 and the exterior of tubing 42. As piston and pump piston 10 which slideably engages the interior 10 moves upward, its circumferential shoulder 69 compresses the volume of annular chamber 33 toward upper seal 70 and shoulder 71 of housing 11, so that any noncompressible fluid therein is forced by ball valve 36 and thru channel 35 and. into chamber 34; any continued pressure forces the fluid on thru ports 41 and into chamber 40 as far down as plug 72. Since port 44 is above plug 72 and opens into cylinder 43, the pressurized fluid will sure will move from compartment 18 through chan-" flow into cylinder 43 and expand pistons 45 outward with suflicient pressure to overcome springs 49 until the sharp ridge 47 of these pistons has engaged tubing 14 sufliciently to hold the tool assembly 2 in place in tubing 14. Any further build-up of pressure on fluid P will force the fluid thru small bleeder port 73 and into the lower chamber 40 of tubing 42 which chamber connects with cross channel 59 and into chamber 60 whereafter any additional pressurized fluid will raise piston 6 and consequently exert an upward pulling force on end 55, on remover tool 7 and ultimately on choke 8. To prevent a too sudden pull out of choke 8 and to allow the presthru restricted orifice 58 and into chamber 53'.

Each piston 45 is equipped with an O-ring sure in tubing 14 above seat 68 to gradually equalize. to that below seat 68, a supply of trapped fluid T is placed in chamber 64; it will be observed that as the pressure is raised the fluid T will pass from chamber 54 slowly This transaction acts as a shock absorber against sudden jars and also prevents the-holding tool 2 from becoming dislodged and being blown up the tubing by the sudden release of pent up gases as might result upon sudden.

removal of choke 8..

After a quantity of fluid F is forced out ofchamber 33 as it is reduced in volume, more fluid must come in to replace that evacuated as the chamber 33 is restored to its original size, and this fluid is drawn in past the check valveincluding ball 26 when piston 10 returns to its original position by the action of tension springs .74 assisted by its own weight and the additional weight of wire line 13. The upper end of spring 74 is anchored in plug .75 which threadedly engages the underside of piston 10' at spaced locations, and the lower end of spring 74 is attached to athin circular anchor plate 76 installed in cavity 77 in the lower end'ofhousing 11, after which .a'sealing plug 78 is threaded into cavity 77. Chamber 79 is vented at 8010 avoid creation of a vacuum by the upward movement of piston 10. When additional fluid F has thus entered chamber 30, another upward pull on wireline 13 will start:a second cycle of fluid movement into chamber 54 and thus function as a hydraulic jack in'applying an upward pull on choke remover tool 7. It has been calculated that in one model of this fishing tool, a 300 pound pull on the wire line will provide a 6,000 pound force on the remover tool.

After choke'8has been loosened, pistons 45 of bolding"unitsection"4 maintain their grip on tubing 14 untilthe pressure has partially equalized in the manner previously described. When the pressure below seat 68 is released by freeing choke 8, then the greater pressure below seat 68 contributes to the upward movement of piston 6. As piston 6 is further moved upward under additional upward strokes on wire line socket 12, oil

in compartment 54 passes thru orifice 58 and into compartment 53, as described, until piston 6 is adjacent baffle? 52 at which point the end of tube 42 containing cap 81' has moved upward toward balance 20 sufiiciently to expose port 41 in tube 42 to the interior of compartment 18 so that the fluid under high pressure in chamber 40 will flow into the low pressure compartment 18. As the pressure in chamber 40 diminishes, the springs 49 will be able to retract pistons 45 and force more fluid through bleeder port 73. A pair of right angle leaf remover tool 7 and choke 8 are removed from the wiresprings 82, attached to the top of piston 10 and normally pressing against cap 81, will move inward 'undertheir own spring pressure in the direction of tube 42 and in so doing will be in position to engage and hold capv 81 when the cap and attached tube 42 have moved a sufficicnt distance upward to allow the lower end of the cap 81 to pass above the upper end of the springs 82. Piston 6 and tube 42 will then remain in an upraised position until the complete string of fishing tool 2, choke line'13 at the surface of the well. Thereafter socket 12 and sidewall 16 may be removed and cap .81- may be manually restored to its initial position for subsequent a'a'raoso bore comprising: a housing including a power pump section having means providing a longitudinally disposed cylinder therein, a holding section having means providing a plurality of substantially radially disposed cylinders therein opening to the exterior of said housing in spaced positions about the circumference of said holding section, and a pulling section having ineans providing a longitudinal cylinder therein opening downwardly; each of the cylinders having a piston movable therein; means providing a fluid conduit from the cylinder of said power pump section to each of the cylinders of said holding section and to the cylinder of said pulling section; a hydraulic medium in said cylinder of said power pump section and movable therefromby movement of the piston in said cylinder through said conduit means to each of the cylinders in each other mentioned section; means providing a connection bywhich a wire line may be attached to said power pump piston and adapted when pulled to move said pump piston in the power pump cylinder to force said hydraulic medium from said cylinder through said conduitmeans to each of the cylinders of each of said other sections, said conduit means transmitting said pressurized medium to said holding section cylinders to force the pistons therein outwardly of said cylinders to projecting positions, the outer ends of said pistons of said holding section being adapted to forcibly engage the wall of said well bore tubing to prevent longitudinal movement of said housing in said tubing, said conduit means also transmitting a hydraulic medium to said pulling section cylinder 'to move the piston located therein longitudinally upwardly; said piston in said pulling section cylinder having depending means connected therewith extending outwardly through the open lower end of said cylinder of said pulling section and adapted to have a well tool connected therewith to engage the equipment stuck in said well bore, whereby movement of said piston in said pulling section cylinder applies force to said equipment stuck in said tubing, the area of said piston in said pump section exposed to said hydraulic medium being smaller than the areas of said pistons of said holding and pulling sections exposed to said hydraulic medium whereby said pistons of said holding and pulling sections move smaller distances than said piston of said pump section upon movement of said piston of said pump section so that a mechanical advantage is gained between said piston of said pump section and said pistons of said other sections. 7

6. A wire operated fishing tool assembly for removing equipment from a well bore, including: a housing comprising a power section having a cylinder and a plunger movable therein, a holding section having a plurality of laterally extending substantially diametrically disposed cylinders each having a piston moving longitudinally of said cylinders, each piston having means on its outer end adapted to grip the walls of the well bore, and a pulling section having a longitiudinally disposed cylinder formed therein and a piston movable therein and having a section extending downwardly therefrom, means on said downwardly extending section of said piston in said cylinder of said pulling section providing for connection of a pulling tool with said piston of said pulling section to engage equipment in said well bore, means on said plunger providing for connecting with said plunger wire line means operative from the surface of said well bore to move said plunger in said cylinder of said power section by the application of a non-rotary upward force only, and conduit means in said housing providing for communication between the cylinder of the power section and the cylinders of the holding section and the cylinder of the pulling section, and hydraulic fluid means within said cylinders and said conduit means movable from the power section by movement of said power section plunger in said power section cylinder to activate said holding section and said pulling section to forcibly lift said equipment from said well bore.

7. A fishing tool assembly for removing equipment stuck in a well bore, comprising: a power operated'wire line flexibly suspending said assembly from the surface of the well, a housing having hydraulic pump means in the upper portion of said housing and connected with said wire line and directly operable by upwa'rd pulls on said wire line, said housing also having thereon a holding means comprising a plurality of laterally disposed substantially diametrical, cylinders each having a piston movable longitudinally of said cylinder and biased inwardly of said cylinder, said pistons having means on their outer ends disposed'to engage and grip the wall of the well bore; said housing also having thereon a pulling means in the form of a longitudinally disposed cylinder at the lower end of said housing; a piston movable longitudinally therein and having a depending portion extending through the opening in the lower end of said cylinder; and a pulling tool means connected with the downwardly projecting portion of the piston of the pulling means and movable with said piston of said pulling means to engage and pull said stuck equipment; and a hydraulic fluid conduit connecting said hydraulic pump with the cylinders of said holding means to hydraulically move the pistons therein laterally outwardly of said housing into engagement with the wall of the well bore to hold the housing against longitudinal movement in said well bore, and also connecting said pump with the cylinder of the pulling means to hydraulically move the 'pistonupwardly in said cylinder of said pulling means to lift said pulling tool means to forcibly remove equipment in said well bore by applying a much greater upward forceon said stuck equipment than said wire line is capable of transmitting from the surface of said well.

8. A wire line operated fishing assembly for removing equipment stuck in a well bore, comprising: a housing having a cylinder provided with an open upper end, a power piston extending upward from said housing and slidable longitudinally within said cylinder, said housing having means providing a plurality of horizontally disposed cylinders in its medial portion enclosed at one end and open at the other end and having their open ends spaced circumferentially around the exterior periphery of said housing; a horizontally disposed hydraulic piston in each of said horizontally disposed cylinders in said housing and adapted to project radially beyond the side walls of said housing and into binding engagement with the wall of said well bore to lock said housing against up or down movement, means biasing said pistons inwardly of said horizontal openings toward retracted position; -a hydraulic conduit from said first mentioned cylinder of said housing to each of said horizontally disposed cylinders, whereby hydraulic fluid may be forced by said power piston through said conduit into said horizontally disposed cylinders to project said horizontally disposed pistons radially beyond said walls of said housing; a pulling means comprising a longitudinally extending cylinder at the lower portion of the housing having an opening at its lower end, and a piston slidable longitudinally in said cylinder having a downwardly projecting stem portion extending outwardly through said opening; means at the lower end of said stem portion providing -a connection whereby a fishing tool may be connected with said stem portion and adapted to apply an upward force on said stuck equipment in response to movement of said piston of said pulling means; a fluid conduit from said first mentioned cylinder of the housing to the longitudinal pulling means cylinder for conducting hydraulic fluid from said first mentioned cylinder of the housing to said pulling means cylinder to operate said piston insaid cylinder in response to said operating movements of the power piston in said upper end of the housing; and a 'wire line connecting means at the upper end of said power piston adapted to be connected to a flexible wire line whereby said fishing tool assembly may be attached to and operated by said flexible wire line fromthe surface of the well to move said power piston to force hydraulic fluid from the upper end of the housing through the conduits to all of the cylinders to actuate the pistons therein, and release means operable upon 10. A fishing tool assembly for removing equipment stuck in a well bore including: a housing having a hydraulic pump therein; a plurality of laterally disposed cylinders in said housing each having a laterally movable plunger slidable therein outwardly of said housing into engagement with the wall of the well how to hold the housing against movement in said well bore, means biasing said plungers inwardly of said lateral cylinders; a hydraulic fluid conduit from said hydraulic pump to said cylinders for conducting hydraulic fluid from said pump to said cylinders to move said plungers outwardly; a pulling means at the lower end of said housing including a cylinder at the lower end of said housing extending longitudinally of said housing and having an opening at its lower end; a piston longitudinally movable in said pulling means cylinder and having a depending section extending through said opening at the lower end of said housing; a pulling tool connected to the lower end of said projecting portion of said pulling means piston, said pulling tool being adapted to engage and apply a force to well equipment stuck in said well bore; a hydraulic conduit extending from said hydraulic pump to said pulling means cylinder at the lower end of said housing for conducting hydraulic fluid to said cylinder to move the pulling means piston therein upwardly to lift the pulling tool; and means at the upper end of said housing providing a connection between said hydraulic pump and a flexible member extending upwardly through the well bore to the surface of the earth for operating said hydraulic pump to force fluid through the conduits to the several cylinders to actuate the pistons therein.

11. A fishing tool assembly of the character set forth in claim 10 wherein the hydraulic pump includes a res ervoir, means providing communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic fluid conduit from the pump to the cylinders of the holding and pulling means; and valve means controlling flow from said conduit to said reservoir openable to relieve hydraulic fluid pressure from said conduit into said reservoir.

12. A hydraulic fluid power tool for operating a fishing tool for removing well equipment stuck in a well bore, said hydraulic fluid power tool including: an elongate housing having at its upper end a hydraulic fluid pump means; a plurality of laterally disposed cylinders in said housing below said pump means and each having a piston slidable longitudinally therein and adapted to be projected therefrom to forcibly engage the wall of the well bore to prevent longitudinal movement of said housing in said bore; means biasing said plungers inwardly of said lateral cylinders out of projecting position; a

longitudinally extending pulling means cylinder in the lower portion of said housing and having an opening at its lower end; a pulling means piston slidable longitudinally in said cylinder at the lower end of said housing and having a reduced portion projecting downwardly through the opening at the lower end of said housing; means on said projecting portion adapted to provide a connection between the pulling means piston and a pulling tool adapted to engage a well tool; a hydraulic fluid conduit from said pump means to each of the laterally disposed cylinders, whereby hydraulic fluid pumped from said pump means to said cylinders forces the plungers in said cylinders outwardly to project from said' housing and engage the walls of the well bore; conduit means in said housing for conducting hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic pump means to the longitudinal pulling means cylinder at the lower end of the housing to move the piston therein upwardly of said housing; and means on the hydraulic pump means at the upper end of the housing adapted to provide a connection between said pump means and an operating means extending upwardly in the well bore to the surface for operating said hydraulic pump. 13. A fishing tool assembly of the character set forth in claim 12 wherein the hydraulic pump includes a res ervoir, means providing communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic fluid conduit from the pump to the cylinders of the holding and pulling means; and valve means controlling flow from said conduit to said reservoir openable to relieve hydraulic fluid pressure from said conduit into said reservoir.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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