US3239246A

US3239246A - Well completion

Info

Publication number: US3239246A
Application number: US322004A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert L Barber
Original assignee: Cameron Iron Works Inc
Current assignee: Cooper Industries LLC
Priority date: 1963-11-04
Filing date: 1963-11-04
Publication date: 1966-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 1983-03-08

Description

March 8, 1966 R. BARBER 3,239,246

WELL COMPLETION Original Filed Nov. 7, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Robe/f L flaxzer JNVENTOR.

ATTO/F/VEKS March 8, 1966 R. BARBER WELL COMPLETION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. '7, 1960 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent 8 Claims. (Cl. 28523) This application is a continuation of my application Serial No. 67,539, filed November 7, 1960, now abandoned.

This invention relates in general to well completions. In one of its aspects, it relates to a method of completing or recompleting a multiple zone well. In another of its aspects, it relates to apparatus for use in such a method.

In the completion of an oil or gas Well, a tubing head is installed above the well casing and a separate tubing string communicating with each zone of the well is suspended within the casing by means of a hanger supported in the bore of the head. Ordinarily, the hanger or hangers seal off the annular space between the tubing strings and the head and are held down by bolts on the head as the pressure control apparatus through which they are run is removed and replaced by other completion equipment, such as a master Valve.

This last-mentioned equipment is adapted to fit over the upper end of each tubing hanger as it is connected to the head. The most common means of eifectingthis connection is by bolts which extend through aligned holes in opposed flanges on the head and valve. In the case of a single well, wherein one hanger is supported axially of the head, the alignment of the bolt holes in these two members, as well as other parts on the head which cooperate with the hanger to hold it down and seal it with respect to the head, presents no particular problem of rotational orientation.

However, such orientation is important in the case of a multiple zone well to be completed with two or more side-by-side' tubing strings. Thus, for example, in the completion equipment shown in US. Patent No. 2,794,505, there are pins on the bore of the tubing head which guide the separate hangers for the strings into a desired rotational position as they are lowered into supported position therein. These pins also serve to support at least one such hanger in a portion of the bore which does not interfere with the running or pulling of the string on the other hanger or hangers. Special alignment devices are also provided in other multiple zone completion equipment wherein the hanger means is of the mandrel type. In this latter equipment, one string of tubing is suspended from a mandrel supported in the head and oriented therein by a pin in its bore, and another is suspended from a small hanger which is supported in a laterally spaced opening through the mandrel.

Frequently, however, an operator is undecided as to the number of zones to be completed at the time the tubing head is installed. Or, for that matter, he may eventually desire to complete more or less zones than originally contemplated. In either case, he may find that the particular tubing head which he has installed either has no alignment devices whatsoever or has alignment devices unsuited for orienting and possibly supporting the hangers for the number of strings to be suspended. Similarly, it is also often desirable to recomplete a well for production from a different number zones. For example, an operator may be required to recomplete a single zone well as a two or three zone well, a two zone well as a three zone well, etc.

fit

In both cases, it has been necessary heretofore to replace the existing tubing head with one having the required number and arrangement of alignment devices. The consequent removal of the pressure control equipment creates the danger of blowout and fire. This procedure also involves the additional expense of purchasing, storing and transporting two or more different types of tubing heads, as well as a loss of production during the down time.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method of and apparatus for either completing or recompleting a well in any of the circumstances above noted, without having to remove or replace the existing tubing head from its installed position on the well head.

A more particular object is to provide such a method and apparatus for use with well completion equipment of the general type shown in the aforementioned patent wherein a plurality of tubing strings are suspended from separate hangers adapted to be supported in side-by-side relation within the head.

Another object is to provide apparatus for practicing this method which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to assemble and handle.

Other objects, advantages and features of this invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon consideration of the written specification, the attached claims and the annexed drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used throughout to designate like parts:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are vertical sectional views of a tubing head conventionally employed in the suspension of a single string of tubing, together with apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention for use in suspending two strings from separate hangers supportable from such head in side-by-side relation. FIG. 1 showing the hangers for such strings in an elevated position within the head and 'FIG. 2 showing them lowered into supported position therein;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of such apparatus, as seen along broken line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of part of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the portion or" such apparatus which is used in lowering the strings from the FIG. 1 to the FIG. 2 position.

Referring now in detail to the above-described drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, a tubing head 10 is connected to the upper end of a well casing 11 with the bore 12 therethrough substantially aligned with the casing. This bore has a downwardly tapered conical bowl 13 therein beneath an enlarged portion to provide a seat for supporting a conventional tubing hanger (not shown) for suspending a single string of tubing within the well.

The upper end of the tubing head has an annular flange 14 with lock screws 15 or similar means threadedly mounted therein for radial movement between a retracted position (FIG. 1) and a position extended into the bore 12 (FIG. 2). When the lock screws are retracted, the aforementioned tubing hanger may be lowered onto the seat 13 during the completion of the well as a single zone. When the hanger has been so seated, it may be held down by the extension of the screws over shoulders thereon. These screws or other means may be employed for activating a seal between the hanger and bore of the head to close off the annular space between the tubing and head, as well known in the art.

As previously described, the operator may decide, after installation of the tubing head 10, that the well is to be completed from a number of zones ditferent from that for which such head is prepared; in this case, two. On

the other hand, he may decide, upon completion of the single zone well, to recomplete it for production from a different number of zones, again two for the purposes of illustration. In both of these cases, and in accordance with the present invention, the well can either be completed or recompleted without removing or replacing the tubing head 10.

When the operator has not actually completed the well, the bore 12 of the head will be open at the time he undertakes the method of the present invention. When, how ever, the well is to be recompleted, it is first necessary to install certain of the apparatus to be described below above the tubing head and then remove the single hanger with tubing string attached through such apparatus and suitable pressure control equipment installed thereabove.

It will be understood to those skilled in this art that the customary well completion procedure involves more than the running of the tubing strings and landing of the tubing hangers secured thereto. Likewise, the recompletion procedure involves more than pulling and running the strings as well as landing the hangers. For example, this procedure also involves the running and locating of packers for separating zones of the well, as well as various methods of conditioning the well, prior to landing of the hangers. However, these are conventional steps in the procedure and, since they are not pertinent to the present invention, they are not described in this ap plication.

At any rate, with or without the bore 12 of the tubing head open (depending on whether the well is to be completed or recompleted), a temporary head 16 is connected above the tubing head with a bore 17 therethrough forming a continuation of the bore 12 through the tubing head 10. Ordinarily, the aforementioned pressure control equipment, including a blowout preventer 18 (see dotted lines in FIGS. 1 and 2) would be connected above the temporary head 16, with its bore 19 forming a further continuation of the bore through the tubing head. For these purposes, the opposite ends of the head 16 are provided with upper and

lower flanges

20a and 20b, respectively, for bolting to the lower flange of the blow out preventer and upper flange 14 of the tubing head. In accordance with the conventional practice, the upper flange of the temporary head is sealed with respect to the preventer and the lower flange thereof is sealed with respect to the tubing head by means of annular seal rings 21a and 21b, respectively.

For purposes of illustrating one embodiment of this invention, the apparatus also includes a pair of separate tubing hangers 22 each having means (not shown) on its lower end for connection to a tubing string 23 to be suspended therefrom. As shown in FIG. 2, when the hangers have been lowered into supported position upon the seat 13 within the head, as will be described more fully hereinafter, they suspend the tubing strings 23 in side-by-side relation within the well so that it may produce from two zones therein.

As best shown in FIG. 4, each of the tubing hangers 22 has an opening 24 therethrough which connects with the inside of each tubing string 23. It will also be seen that the hangers are substantially sector-shaped in transverse cross section, as shown in the aforementioned Patent No. 2,794,505, so that they abut with one another along their side faces, when supported within the tubing head, to form a substantially cylindrical body which fills the bore of the tubing head. There is a ring 25 of resilient sealing material about each hanger for sealing between the hangers as well as between the hangers and the bore of the head in the position shown in FIG. 2. For this purpose, each hanger has a ring 26 slidable thereon above the seal ring for compressing it when urged downwardly by the inward extension of the screws 15, as shown in FIG. 2.

As also shown in FIG. 2, there are necks 27 on the upper ends of the hangers which extend above the upper flange 14 of the head. As described in the aforementioned patent, part of the completion equipment (not shown), such as a master valve, is provided with openings for fitting closely over and sealing about these necks as it is connected to the flange 14 of the head. As previously described, this requires that the hangers be disposed in a predetermined rotational position in the head in order that the bolt holes in the master valve and the flange of the tubing head may be aligned with one another. Even in the case of other types of connections, the proper orientation of the hangers within the head is desirable from the standpoint of securely holding the hangers down as well as sealing them with respect to one another and the bore of the tubing head.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the bore 17 through the temporary head 16 is at least as large as the enlarged upper portion of the bore 12 through the tubing head in order to permit the hangers 22 to be lowered freely therethrough. This, of course, is true also of the bore 19 through the pressure control equipment above the temporary head.

A temporary hanger 28 is connected above each tubing hanger 22 by means of a member 29 which preferably comprises a tube extending through an opening 32 through the temporary hanger to provide a continuation of the opening through the tubing 23 and tubing hanger 22 for use in circulating or other completion procedures. Each interconnected tubing and temporary hanger is lowered into and raised from the FIG. 1 position by means of a tubular landing joint 30 connected to the upper end of the tube 29. When the hangers have been lowered into the supported position shown in FIG. 2, the landing joints may be removed. Obviously, they are reconnected to each tube 29 when the hanger to which the tube is connected is to be raised from the position of FIG. 1.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the lower end of each tube 29 is threaded at 31 for connection to the upper threaded end of the opening 24 through each tubing hanger 22. The opening 32 through temporary hanger 28 is also threaded for connection to the threads 33 on the upper portion of the tube 29. In assembling the temporary hanger in a desired longitudinal position along the tube 29, the threaded opening 32 is passed over the unthreaded portion of the tube

intermediate threads

31 and 33 for connection to the latter. The upper end'of the tube 29 is enlarged at 34 and has an opening 35 therethrough threaded at an opposite hand to the

threads

31 and 33 for connection-with the lower end of the landing joint 30.

A number of lock screws 36 are threadedly connected at 37 to the flange 20a of the temporary head for radial movement between positions extended into the bore 17 thereof (FIG. 1) and retracted therefrom (FIG. 2). When extended into the bore, the screws 36 are adapted to engage beneath the upper edges of recesses 3601 about the curved outer side of each temporary hanger 28 to support it against vertical movement. However, when retracted, these screws provide a full opening through the bore 17 of the temporary head to pass the tubing hangers 22 as well as to permit the temporary hangers 28 to be lowered from the position shown in FIG. 1. In this respect, it will be noted that the maximum crosssectional dimension of each temporary hanger is substantially the same as that of the tubing hanger 22 to which it is connected, and the bore 17 through the temporary head is at least substantially equal to the enlargement of the bore 12 through the tubing head.

One of .the recesses 36a on the temporary hanger has an opening 36b (FIG. 3) into which the inner end of the corresponding screw 36 may be extended to hold such hanger down. Obviously, these latter screws are retracted from such openings as the temporary hanger is lowered into supported position on the other screws, and then extended into hold-down position when the hangers have been so supported.

The temporary hanger 28 connected to the first of the tubing hangers 22 to be run (in this case the rightmost hanger) is held within its half of the bore 17 of the temporary head and against lateral movement into the other half thereof by means of canted screws 38. As in the case of the screws 36, the canted screws 38 are threadedly connected at 39 to the flange 20a of the temporary head for movement between retracted and extended positions (FIG. 3). However, as distinguished from the supporting and hold-down screws 36, the canted screws extend for movement in a direction angularly with respect to the radius of the bore 17 of the temporary head so that, when extended, they do not project into the half of the bore through which the other hanger 22 is to be lowered. In this latter position, they are adapted to engage against the side edge of each outer recess 38a on the temporary hanger, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

. Thus, when the temporary head 16 has been installed above the tubing head 10, as shown in each of FIGS. 1 and 2, and prior to the running of the tubing hangers 22 into the head, the supporting and hold-down screws 36 as well as the canted screws 38 are moved into their retracted positions. At this time, the rightmost tubing hanger 22 is lowered by means of its temporary hanger and landing joint 30 into a vertical position intermediate the

screws

36 and 38 and the seat 13 in the tubing head 10. The screws 36 as well as the canted screws 38 for the rightmost temporary hanger 28 are then extended, and the temporary hanger lowered into a position in which the recesses 36a thereabout fit over the screws 36 and the recesses 38a over .the screws 38. I

As previously described, this will support the rightmost temporary hanger against downward movement and in its own one half of the bore 17 through the temporary head. This leaves the remaining half of such bore open so that the leftmost tubing hanger 22 may be run therethrough into a vertical position somewhere between the

screws

36 and 38 and the seat 13 in the tubing head. At this time, the remaining screws 36 may be moved into extended position and the temporary hanger for the leftmost tubing hanger lowered onto them. In view of the previously described construction of the temporary hangers as corresponding to the sector-shape of the tubing hangers 22, the inner flat side of the leftmost temporaryhanger bears against the opposite flat side of the rightmost temporary hanger to hold it in its half of the bore 17. Y

More particularly, the screws on the temporary head 16 are'so disposed'as to orient each temporary hanger in a desired rotational position within such head. Also, prior to being run into the head, each temporary hanger is oriented with respect to the tubing hanger to which it is connected. As a result, the landing of the temporary hangers in the FIG. 2 position automatically disposes the tubing hangers in a predetermined rotational position within the bore of the tubing head. Thus, when the tubing hangers are lowered from this position (FIG. 1) into the position of FIG. 2, in the manner described hereinafter, they will be supported in this predetermined rotational position, whereby they are oriented with respect to the completion equipment to be disposed over the tubing head upon removal of the temporary head and hangers.

Each temporary hanger 28 is preferably oriented with respect to the tubing hanger to which it is connected by the rotation of its inner flat side 28a into a position aligned with the inner flat side 22a of the tubing hanger. When the temporary hanger has been moved into this position, it is fixed therein by means of set screws 39a or the like which are carried by it for engagement with the connecting tube 29.

Each temporary hanger is also selectively disposed along the connecting tube 29 at a distance spaced from the tubing hanger 22 which insures that the latter is elevated above its supported position when the temporary hanger is supported in the temporary head (FIG. 1). For this purpose, there is a considerable length of threads 33 which enable a fairly wide range of longitudinal adjustment. For reasons to be understood from the description to follow, the tubing hangers 22 are also supported laterally adjacent one another in the elevated position of FIG. 1, and for this reason each is ordinarily spaced approximately the same distance as the other from its temporary hanger 28.

The temporary head 16 is made up of an upper tubular part 16a connected to a lower tubular part 16b by means of an elevator 40 for moving them axially of one another. More particularly, the upper head member 16a carries the

screws

36 and 38 for supporting the temporary hangers 28 in the position of FIG. 1, and the lower head member 16b is connected through the flange 20b with the tubing head 10. Thus, operation of the elevator 40 to lower the upper head member 16a will, in turn, lower the aforementioned screws to lower each of the tubing hangers 22 into seated position (FIG. 2) in the tubing head 10.

Obviously, the stroke of the elevator need not be great to accomplish this purpose or, on the other hand, to raise the upper head member 16a an equal distance in the event a hanger is to be removed from supported position in the tubing head. It will be understood, in this respect, that it is necessary for the tubing hangers 22 to be in abutting relation as they substantially simultaneously seat in their supported positions, because there are no alignment devices in the conventional tubing head 10 to support either one of the hangers independently of the other.

These particular steps of first landing the separate tubing hangers in an elevated position and then lowering them at least substantially simultaneously into a mutually supporting position within the tubing head is peculiar to the practice of the method of this invention with the type of completion equipment illustrated herein. They would not necessarily be involved, for example, in the lowering of mandrel type hanger means into place within the tubing head. Thus, the mandrel type hanger means inherently maintains the spacing between the center lines of the tubingstrings suspended therefrom so that there is no necessity for additional means to maintain a separate hanger for one string in supported position within the tubing head as the hanger for the other string is lowered to a similar position.

With reference particularly to FIG. 5, the elevator 40 comprises a ring 41 which surrounds the lower end of the head member 16a and is fixed against rotation with respect thereto by means of splines 42 slidable vertically within slots 43 in said head member. This ring 41 is also fixed against rotation with respect to the lower head member 16b by means of pins 44 threaded-1y connected thereto and sliding vertically within sockets 45 on the top face of the flange 20b of the head.

The ring 41 carries a pair of worms 46 on opposite sides thereof which have outwardly extending parts 46a for imparting rotation thereto. These worms have teeth which are operatively engaged with teeth about a ring 47 threadedly connected at 48 to the upper head member 16a and at 49 tothe lower head member 16b. The

threads

48 and 49 are .of opposite hand so that rotation of the worms in one direction will draw the two head members together and rotation in the opposite direction will force them apart. As shown in FIG. 5, the

head members

16a and 16b have telescoping parts which are sealed with respect to one another by means of an annular seal ring 50 carried by one for sliding engagement with respect to the other.

Viewing now the preferred practice of the present invention in connection with the illustrated apparatus, and assuming first that the tubing head 10 is open during a completion process or closed by a single string hanger (not shown) during a recompletion process, the temporary head 16 is first installed above the tubing head 10 so that its bore 17 forms a continuation of a tubing head bore.

Normally, pressure control equipment, such as the blowout preventer 18, is connected above the temporary head and has a bore which forms a further continuation through the bore of the tubing head, such equipment permitting the aforementioned hanger to be removed under pressure during a recompletion process. If it is not already so disposed, the upper tubing head member 16a is moved by means of the elevator 40 to an elevated position and, if they are extended, the

screws

36 and 38 are moved to retracted positions so that the bore through both heads is fully open.

Prior to or during running of the first string of tubing, the tubing hangers 22 are made up with their respective temporary hangers 28 by means of the tubes 29. Then, when the first string 23 has been lowered to almost its desired length, this hanger assembly is connected to the upper end thereof and lowered on the handling joint 30. When the string reaches a position in which the tubing hanger is intermediate the screws on the temporary head and its supported position, the screws are extended and the temporary hanger lowered onto them to support it against vertical movement as well as lateral movement within the bore of the temporary head.

At this time, the second of the strings 23 to be run (the leftmost in FIGS. 1 to 3) is lowered into the well and, when it has been lowered the desired amount, the other hanger assembly is connected to the upper end thereof. The tubing hanger for the second string is then lowered into the above-described position intermediate the screws 36 and its seated position. At this time, the remaining screws 36 are extended to support the tubing hanger 22 at least substantially adjacent the rightmost tubing hanger, as shown in FIG. 1, when the temporary hanger lands on screws 36. Then, both tubing hangers are lowered at least substantially simultaneously into supported position by means of the elevator 40, in which position they are supported against downward and lateral movement by engagement with one another as well as with the conical seat 13 about the bore of the tubing head. Ordinarily, the

screws

36 and 38 will be retracted to permit each tubing hanger to seat firmly.

The hold-down screws on the tubing head 10 are then run into place so as to engage at their inner ends with the compression ring 26 of each tubing hanger for moving it downwardly to compress the seal rings into sealing engagement with one another as well as the bore of the tubing head. It will be understood, in this respect, that the predetermined rotational orientation of the tubing hangers 22 insures that these hold-down screws engage the hangers at the proper location for securely holding them down and activating the seal means carried by them. With the hangers locked in place and sealing the space in the bore of the tubing head about the strings 23, the temporary head 16 and pressure control equipment connected thereabove as well. as the temporary hangers 28 and connecting members 29 may be removed from the tubing head and tubing hangers respectively, and replaced by conventional completion equipment.

Obviously, one or both of the tubing hangers 22 and strings 23 attached thereto may be removed upon a reversal of the above-described procedure.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the method and apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense,

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for use in completing or recompleting a well wherein a tubing head installed at the wellhead has a bore therethrough with a seat therein, comprising a temporary head having a bore therethrough, means for releasably connecting the temporary head above the tubing head with its bore forming a continuation of the tubing head bore, hanger means adapted to be lowered through the temporary head into a permanently supported position on said seat within the bore of the tubing head for suspending a plurality of tubing strings in sideby-side relation within the well, guide means on the temporary head, and means on the hanger means continuously cooperable with the guide means on the temporary head, as the hanger means is so lowered into its permanently supported position, to orient said hanger means into a desired rotative position within the tubing head bore when so permanently supported therein.

2. Apparatus for use in completing or recompleting a well wherein a tubing head installed at the wellhead has a bore therethrough, comprising a temporary head having a bore therethrough, means for releasably connecting the temporary head above the tubing head with its bore forming a continuation of the tubing head bore, hanger means adapted to be lowered through the temporary head into a supported position within the bore of the tubing head for suspending a plurality of tubing strings in side-by-side relation within the well, guide means on .the interior of the temporary head, and means releasably connected to the hanger means for lowering said hanger means into said supported position within the bore of the tubing head and cooperable with the guide means on the temporary head, as the hanger means is so lowered, to orient said hanger means into a desired rotative position within the bore of the tubing head when said hanger is so supported therein.

3. Apparatus for use in completing or recompleting a well wherein a tubing head installed at the wellhead has a bore therethrough, comprising a temporary head having a bore therethrough and adapted to be connected above the tubing head with its bore forming a continuation of .the tubing head bore, separate hangers each for suspending a tubing string therefrom and adapted to be lowered through the temporary head into a mutually supporting position within the tubing head bore for suspending said strings in side-by-side relation within the well, and means on said temporary head and said hangers for orienting said hangers into a desired rotational relation and lowering them into said supported position at least substantially simultaneously with one another.

4. Apparatus for use in completing or recompleting a well wherein a tubing head installed at the wellhead has a bore therethrough, comprising a temporary head having a bore therethrough, means for connecting the temporary head above the tubing head with its bore forming a continuation of the tubing head bore, a pinrality of hangers each for suspending a tubing string therefrom and adapted to be lowered through the temporary head into a position in which they are supported between one another and the tubing head bore for suspending said strings in side-by-side relation within the well, a temporary hanger connected above each tubing hanger, means on the temporary hangers and temporary head to support the tubing hangers in an elevated position and in a desired rotational relation as they are lowered toward supported position within the tubing head, and means for lowering said tubing hangers into said supported position substantially simultaneously with one another while maintaining said rotational relation.

5. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 4, wherein said supporting means comprises parts on the temporary head engageable with shoulders on each of said hangers, and said lowering means comprises means for lowering said parts with respect to said tubing head.

6. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 5, wherein said temporary head comprises an upper member carrying said parts and a lower member carrying said connecting means, and said lowering means comprises a means of lowering said upper member with respect to said lower member.

7. In the completion or recompletion of a multiple zone well, wherein a tubing head having a bore therethrough has been installed above the well casing, the steps of connecting a temporary head above the tubing head with its bore forming a continuation of the tubing head bore, providing hangers each for separately suspending a tubing string therefrom and adapted to mutually support one another within the bore of the tubing head to suspend said strings in side-by-side relation within the casing, connecting a temporary hanger above each tubing hanger, guiding the temporary hangers with respect to the temporary head to orient said tubing hangers into a desired rotational position with respect to the tubing head and supporting them from said temporary head in an elevated position above their supported position, lowering said hangers at least substantially simultaneously into said mutually supporting position within said tubing head while maintaining said oriented position, and then removing the temporary head and hangers to permit the installation of other completion equipment above the tubing head.

8. In the completion or recompletion of a multiple zone well wherein a tubing head having a bore therethrough has been installed above the well casing, the steps of connecting a temporary head above the tubing head with its bore forming a continuation of the tubing head bore, providing hanger means adapted to be supported within the tubing head bore to suspend a plurality of tubing strings in 'side-by-side relation within the casing, suspending the hanger means from guide means and lowering said hanger means on said guide means through said temporary head and into supported position within the tubing head while causing said guide means to cooperate with guide means on the temporary head to thereby orient said hanger means with respect to said tubing head, and then removing the temporary head from connection above the tubing head and the guide means from the hanger means to permit the installation of other completion equipment above the tubing head.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,831,956 11/1931 Harrington 285-18 X 2,241,333 5/1941 Smith 285141 X 2,638,169 5/1953 Crain 16685 2,794,505 6/ 1957 Allen 166--86 3,025,083 3/1962 Lebeaux 285-18 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,227,765 3/1960 France.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR USE IN COMPLETING OR RECOMPLETING A WALL WHEREIN A TUBING HEAD INSTALLED AT THE WELLHEAD HAS A BORE THERETHROUGH WITH A SEAT THEREIN, COMPRISING A TEMPORATY HEAD HAVING A BORE THERETHROUGH, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY CONNECTING THE TEMPORARY HEAD ABOVE THE TUBING HEAD WITH ITS BORE FORMING A CONTINUATION OF THE TUBING HEAD BORE, HANGER MEANS ADAPTED TO BE LOWER THROUGH THE TEMPORAY HEAD INTO A PERMANENTLY SUPPORTED POSITION ON SAID SEAT WITHIN THE BORE OF THE TUBING HEAD FOR SUSPENDING A PLURALITY OF TUBING STRINGS IN SIDEBY-SIDE RELATION WITHIN THE WELL, GUIDE MEANS ON THE TEMPORARY HEAD, AND MEANS ON THE HANGER MEANS CONTINUOUSLY COOPERATBLE WITH THE GUIDE MEANS ON THE TEMPORARY HEAD, AS THE HANGER MEANS IS SO LOWERED INTO ITS PERMANENTLY SUPPORTED POSITION, TO ORIENT SAID HANGER MEANS INTO A DESIRED ROTATIVE POSITION WITHIN THE TUBING HEAD BORE WHEN SO PERMANENTLY SUPPORTED THEREIN.