US3863719A

US3863719A - Retrievable well packer with reversing feature and method of use thereof

Info

Publication number: US3863719A
Application number: US408783A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles Weber Parker
Original assignee: Dresser Industries Inc
Current assignee: Dresser Industries Inc
Priority date: 1973-10-23
Filing date: 1973-10-23
Publication date: 1975-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1992-02-04

Abstract

Oil well packer apparatus for cementing and treating oil wells is disclosed which apparatus utilizes unitary anchor devices encircling an inner mandrel; elastomeric, mechanically actuated packing elements; and means for isolating the cemented or treated area of the formation from the annulus and the tubing string in order to reverse out the excess treating material or cement slurry in the tubing.

Description

United States Patent [191 Parker 1 1 RETRIEVABLE WELL PACKER WITH REVERSING FEATURE AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF [75] Inventor: Charles Weber Parker, Odessa, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc., Dallas, Tex.

[22] Filed: Oct. 23, 1973 [21 1 Appl. No.: 408,783

[52] U.S. Cl. 166/305 R, 166/285, 166/128,

[51] Int. Cl E2lb 33/129, E21b 33/13, E21b43/25 [58] Field of Search 166/315, 285, 126, 128,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Baker et a1. 166/129 X Feb. 4, 1975 2,786,534 3/1957 Page, Jr. 166/129 2,795,281 6/1957 Christian... 166/129 X 3,416,608 12/1968 Crow et a1. 166/129 3,548,936 12/1970 Kilgore et a1. 166/121 3,739,849 6/1973 Meripol 166/216 Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Novosad Attorney, Agent, or FirmMichae1 J. Caddell [57] ABSTRACT Oil well packer apparatus for cementing and treating oil wells is disclosed which apparatus utilizes unitary anchor devices encircling an inner mandrel; elastomeric, mechanically actuated packing elements; and means for isolating the cemented or treated area of the formation from the annulus and the tubing string in order to reverse out the excess treating material or cement slurry in the tubing.

16 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures ui s PAJENIEUFEB 419. 5

SHEET 2 OF 8 FIG. ID

FIG. IC

PATENIEUFEB mars 3.863719 sum 30; 8

u \\rl/k P] FIG. IF

EATENTEDFEB M 3 861,719 SHEET u 0F 8 5 fss FIGIG PATENTEDFEB 41975 "J 863 719 SHEET 8 BF 8 1 RETRIEVABLE WELL PACKER WITH REVERSING FEATURE AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION During the producing life of many oil wells, it frequently becomes necessary to do additional service work on the well bore, commonly termed remedial" work, in order to bring the well back into production or to increase a failing production rate. Such work may entail squeeze cementing one or more formations penetrated by the well bore or fracturing, treating, acidizing, etc., any one or more of these formations.

A common method of squeeze cementing or treating a formation is to isolate the formation area in the casing by placing a packer above the formation location, with the packer serving to seal off an area adjacent to the subject zone.

After sealing off the annular area adjacent to the zone to be treated, the cement slurry or treating fluid is pumped down the tubing, through a valve, and into the isolated annular area, through perforations in the casing and into the underground formation needing the remedial work.

This frequently is performed above or at bottomhole. The process is similar for either location except that possibly less apparatus may be needed at bottomhole and also perforations in the casing may not be needed there.

Apparatus which is used in this type of operation includes that. disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,416,608 to Crow et al. and No. 3,548,936 to Kilgore et al. While these devices perform satisfactorily in their normal service they were not specifically origninated as squeeze packers. Consequently, these and other packers available in the art, while being suitable for squeeze cementing or formation treating, lack suitable means for holding fluid pressure on the cement slurry or treating fluid in the formation while allowing the excess material remaining in the tubing to be reversed out by pumping pressurized displacement fluids down the annulus and up the tubing.

Thus, when using a standard packer for squeeze cementing or formation treating, when the cementing or treating is finished, it is necessary to unset the packer to provide fluid communication from the annulus through the tubing in order to reverse out the excess working material in the tubing. This frequently results in releasing the retaining pressure holding the cement slurry or fluids in the formation with the result that these may backflow back into the tubing and easing, thereby negating the desired results of the treatment.

This invention overcomes this deficiency by providing means to retain the fluid pressure on the formation and communicate the annulus above the packer with the tubing string while maintaining the packer in its set position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. IA through 1H illustrate a partial cross sectional side view of the apparatus of this invention, sectioned at lines a-a through g-g.

FIGS. 2A through 2D illustrate the operation steps of the apparatus in schematic sequence.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate alternate embodiments of certain aspects of the apparatus.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show rolled-out" views of the .I-slots of the apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring particularly to FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, a packer and squeeze valve apparatus 1 is disclosed having resilient packer elements 2 and unitary mechanical anchors or gripping devices 3 located thereon, with an inner squeeze valve mandrel 4 passing through the entire tool assembly.

For the purposes of description of this embodiment, the packer assembly, with the exception of the squeeze valve assembly, is substantially identical in structure and operation to that packer described in the Kilgore et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,936 at columns 6-8, and illustrated in FIGS. 8A, 8B, 9, 10A, 10B, and 11 of said Kilgore et al. patent; and said portion of the Kilgore et al. patent, including said figures and the related disclosure therein, is hereby incorporated by reference into this disclosure.

The packer apparatus 1 is located telescopically about an elongated tubular inner mandrel 4. At the top of mandrel 4 is attached a threaded adapter 5 for insertion of the apparatus into a standard string of conduit or tubing. Mandrel 4 is shown threadedly engaged internally in the cylindrical adapter 5 and an on-off collar 6 is threadedly engaged externally on the lower end of adapter 5 in encircling concentric spaced relationship to inner mandrel 4.

Threadedly attached to the lower end of collar 6 is a coaxially extended lug sleeve 7 having an inwardly projecting lug 8 formed on the inner wall therein. Located concentrically and annularly between lug sleeve 7 and mandrel 4 is .l-slot collar 9 consisting of a generally cylindrical tubular section having a J-slot channel 10 formed or machined in the outer wall thereof. The configuration of J-slot 10 is illustrated more particularly in FIG. 5. On-off collar 6, lug sleeve 7, and J-slot collar 9 are arranged so that collar 6 and sleeve 7 can rotate and slide telescopically about collar 9 with lug 8 engaging J-slot l0. J-slot 10 is open-ended at the top to allow sleeve 7 and collar 6 to come completely off of collar 9 when the proper sequence of rotational and vertical movements have been performed.

Located below collar 9 in aligned, coaxial relationship is packer mandrel 11 which is threadedly attached to collar 9 by means of a threaded connector 12. Connector 12 also has raised shoulder and threaded section 13 for threadedly receiving cylindrical tubular spring housing 14 which contains a coil spring 15 located annularly between housing 14 and mandrel 11 in encircling relationship about mandrel 11.

Also slidably and annularly located between housing 14 and packer mandrel 11 is anchor mandrel 16 which is a tubular cylindrical section having an outwardly projecting upper flange l7 thereon in abutment with the lower end of coil spring 15. Anchor mandrel 16 is retained within housing 14 by abutment of flange 17 with an inwardly projecting lower flange collar 18 threadedly attached to the bottom end of housing 14. Mandrel 16 is sized slightly larger in its interior bore than the exterior diameter of packer mandrel 11 to allow telescopic movement of mandrel 16 up and down on mandrel 11.

Near the lower end of mandrel 16 is rotatably attached a unitary anchor 3a by means of a pair of pins 19 passing through anchor 3a and mandrel 16. Upper anchor 3a is substantially similar to that disclosed in the aforementioned Kilgore et al patent or may be of the type having gripping teeth'with a curved bounding profile such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,849 to Meripol. Both types of gripping devices consist of a unitary tubular section encircling the anchor mandrel and having a first external lateral dimension allowing unhindered movement of the anchor through the well bore and having teeth on a second portion with a large enough dimension to engage the well bore in gripping arrangement. The anchor is pivotable about pins 19 from a nonengaging position to a position where the teeth engage the well bore wall.

Below the upper anchor 30 on packer mandrel 11 is a raised external annular area 20 arranged to provide an upward facing abutment shoulder 21. A cylindrical tubular packer shell 22 is telescopically located around mandrel 11 in encircling relationship and contains a radially inwardly projecting internal flange 23 above shoulder 21 adapted to abut thereon so that shoulder 21 limits downward movement of flange 23 and packer shell 22.

Packer shell 22 can be a solid integral section or, for

manufacturing convenience, can be formed in several separate sections such as is illustrated in FIG. 1. These sections are the upper flange nipple 23a carrying internal flange 23, ported sleeve 24 having one or more ports 25 through the wall thereof, connector sleeve 26 having upper and lower threaded ends 26a and 26b, seal carrier collar 27 located radially inwardly at sleeve 26, and packer mounting mandrel 28 threadedly attached to connector sleeve 26 which in turn is threadedly attached to ported sleeve 24. Resilient annular seal 29 is mounted in channel 30 formed internally in seal collar 27 and seal 29 is adapted to project radially inward to contact shoulder 20 when mandrel 11 is telescoped downwardly into shell 22 sufficiently to bring shoulder 20 into contact with seal 29.

, Prior to the above-mentioned telescoping step an annular flow passage 31 exists between mandrel 11 and shell 22, which passage is open and closed by the valving action of shoulder area 20 in seal 29.

It should further be noted that an annular flow passage 32 extends between mandrel 11 and valve mandrel 4 from collar 6 to ported valve nipple 33 attached to the lower end of mandrel 4.

Located circumferentially on packer mandrel 28 are one or more resilient packer elements 34 of sufficient resiliency and size to be compressed longitudinally until they expand outward into sealing contact with the casing or borehole wall in the well containing this apparatus. When more than one element 34 is utilized it is advantageous to use nonresilient, expander rings 35 spaced between the packer elements to aid in compression and eliminate unwanted lateral protrusion.

Located axially below the lowermost packer element 34 is a retaining ring 36 in abutment with annular shoulder 37 extending radially outward from the lower end of packer mandrel 28. Below shoulder 37 on mandrel 28 are one or more ports 38 passing through the wall of mandrel 28 at the lower end thereof, and communicating annular flow passage 31 with passage 43.

Threadedly attached to and extending downwardly from retaining ring 36 is packer compression sleeve 39 which is a cylindrical tubular section having two sets of one or more ports therethrough consisting of upper ports 40 and lower ports 41. The two sets of ports are separated by an inwardly projecting annular abutment 42. An annular flow passage 43 is formed by the spaced apart concentric relationship of compression sleeve 39 about packer mandrel 11. Abutment collar 44 is threadedly attached to the lower end of sleeve 39 and contains an inwardly projecting flange 44a therein.

Flange 44a serves to limit downward telescopic movement of the lower anchor mandrel 45 by an upper outer flange ring 46 located on mandrel 45 and abutting flange 44a. Mandrel 45 consists of a generally cylindrical tubular sleeve telescopically situated on packer mandrel 11 extending partially upward into the annular space 43 between compression sleeve 39 and packer mandrel 11.

A tubular friction block mandrel 48 is threadedly attached to the lower end of packer mandrel 11 by threaded flange shoulder 48a. One or more .l-slot channels 47 are formed in the outer wall of friction block mandrel 48 within anchor mandrel 45. Flange shoulder 43a is arranged to abut inner shoulder 45a in mandrel 45 upon extreme upward telescopic movement of mandrel 48 within mandrel 45. J-slot channel 47 extends downward and around portion 49 of mandrel 48 as shown in the figure. FIG. 6 shows a rolled-out view of J-slot 47.

A second, lower unitary anchor 3b similar to upper anchor 3a but in an inverted orientation thereto, is pivotally mounted on mandrel 45 by pins 50 passing therethrough. A leaf spring 51. secured to anchor 3b by threaded bolt 52, abuts mandrel 45 and continuously tends to urge anchor 3b into a non-engaging orientation in the wellbore. A similar arrangement is used on anchor 30 for the same purpose.

A drag block assembly 53 is slidably mounted on mandrel 48 and consists of the upper head assembly 54 held on the lower end of lower slip mandrel 45; friction blocks 55 radially movably held against coil springs 56 which tend to continuously urge friction blocks 55 outward against the wellbore or casing wall; and lower .lslot head assembly 57.

The .l-slot head assembly 57 has one or more lug members 58 threadedly secured therein projecting inwardly to continuously engage one or more J-slots 47 in friction mandrel 48. The assembly 57 further has an upward extending spring base sleeve 59 upon which rest coil springs 56 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Upper head assembly 54 and lower J-slot assembly 57 are interconnected by means of spring sleeve 60 extending above and below coil springs 56 and having openings therein to receive springs 56 and friction blocks 55.

An elongated tubular valve housing 61 is threadedly attached to the lower end of friction mandrel 48 and forms a continuation of annular passage 32 by spaced concentric alignment with valve nipple 33. Housing 61 contains a radially inwardly projecting annular shoulder 62 therein and a threadedly attached stop nut 63. Valve nipple 33 contains bore passage 64 extending from solid end 65 up through squeeze valve mandrel 4 and communicating with the tubing string via adaptor 5.

One or more ports 66 pass through the wall of nipple 33 and communicate with bore 64. A shear ring 67 is threadedly attached to the bottom end of nipple 33 and is adapted to contact stop nut 63 and limit upward movement of valve nipple 33 and mandrel 4 in the tool until it becomes desirable to come further out of the tool with the inner mandrel 4, at which time sufficient lifting force to shear the shear ring 67 can be applied to the tubing string thereby shearing the ring and allowing the desired'additional telescopic movement. A seal ring 68 and elastomeric

circular seals

69 and 70 are located between shoulder 62 and nut 63 to provide a fluidtight seal between housing 61 and nipple 33 and prevent unwanted fluid communication therethrough.

OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT When it becomes desirable to cement or treat a formation requiring remedial work, the described packer squeeze valve apparatus can be interconnected into a tubing string and lowered in the wellbore to the location of the formation. The string is situated so that the formation desired is isolated below the packer elements 34 of this apparatus. The-packer and anchors of this apparatus are actuated by lifting the string, rotating in the proper direction to actuate lug 58 through J-slot 47 from point a to point b of the J-slot 47 as indicated in FIG. 5. Operation of the packer apparatus is more particularly described in columns 8 through 11 of the aforementioned Kilgore et al. US. Pat. No. 3,549,936, which section of said patent is hereby incorporated by reference.

Upon actuation of the J-

slot arrangement

58 and 47 it is possible to set down weight on the string and thereby actuate

anchors

3a and 3b and expand packer elements 34 into snug sealing arrangement with the wellbore wall by longitudinal axial compression of the packer elements. Once the packer elements 34 and the anchors are positively engaged, the tubing string is raised, thereby pulling upward on adapter 5, collar 6, and sleeve 7 which have been disengaged from J-slot collar 9. This results in upward movement of squeeze valve mandrel 4 until ports 66 pass above seal 69 and shoulder 62, and shear nut 67 abuts stop nut 63, thereby ending the upward movements of the aforementioned elements; Ports 66 now place bore 64 in communication with flow passage 32 and allow the treating material to be injected into the tubing in an amount precalculated to fill the tubing string from ports 66 to the pumps at the surface. This results in dis placement of undesirable fluids standing in the tubing by forcing them up through passage 32 and out into the annulus above packer elements 34 instead of into the formation being treated.

After the tubing standing fluid has been displaced by treating material or cement slurry, the string can be set down, allowing ports 66 to pass downward and out of seal 69 and stop nut 63 to communicate bore 64 with the formation to be treated. The squeeze cementing can be achieved by injecting cement slurry into the tubing string under high pressure to force the slurry out of the tool through ports 66 and into the underground formation, either directly or through perforations in the casing, should the borehole be cased at this location.

After the desired amount of cement slurry has been squeezed into the formation, pumping is stopped, and at this point, additional advantages of this tool become apparent. Under normal operation, pressure must be held on the slurry in the formation until the cement hardens to prevent its draining or flowing back into the borehole. But if the excess cement is not removed from the tool and the tubing string, it would require a drilling out or milling" operation to remove the hardened cement from the tubing after it has set up. Through the use of this apparatus it is possible to reverse-out this excess slurry without unsetting the packer or releasing pressure on the cemented formation.

This is accomplished by lifting the string upward to actuate the inner squeeze valve mandrel 4 which telescopes upwardly through the packer assembly until ports 66 in valve nipple 33 are brought up past seal 69 and into chamber 32. Shear ring 67 will finally abut stop nut 63 and upward movement of the inner mandrel 4 is stopped. ln this orientation the formation below packers 34 is isolated from the annulus above the packers and also from bore 64 and passage 32.

Conversely, bore 64 has again been placed in direct fluid communication with passage 32 and with the an nulus above the packers via passage 32 which extends the length of the apparatus and exits around the lower end of collar 6 which has been lifted clear of collar 9.

With communication established between the inner bore of the apparatus and the annulus above packer elements 34, displacement fluid may now be pumped from the surface into the annulus above the packer, through the upper annulus and passage 32 into bore 64 and up the tubing string, thereby forcing out the excess slurry in the tool and the tubing string.

Should it become necessary to quickly remove the tubing string from the well such as for an emergency, this can be done without having to release the packer and slips by pulling upward on the string with sufficient force to shear ring 67 from valve nipple 33 thereby freeing the inner mandrel 4 from the remainder of the packer assembly; assuming that collar 6 and the J-lug 8 are disengaged from .l-slot collar 9 at the time.

ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS P16. 3 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the onoff assembly containing a shearable connection feature. Adapter 5 and collar 6 of the previous embodiment are replaced by upper connector sleeve 105, lower connector sleeve 107 and on-off collar 106.

Lower connector sleeve 107 is threadedly attached to valve mandrel 4 and telescopically slidably located within upper connector which is connected to a standard conduit or tubing string. Connector sleeve 105 contains a lower internal flange 109 projecting radially inward and abutting the lower end of sleeve 107. Relative movement between sleeve 105 and sleeve 107 is temporarily prevented by threaded engagement therebetween of shear bolt 108. On-off collar 106 is threadedly connected at the lower end of sleeve 105 and is attached to extension sleeve 7 similarly to the attachment of sleeve 6 to sleeve 7.

Movement of sleeve 105 upward on sleeve 107 is absolutely prevented by abutment of flange 109 with the lower end of sleeve 107. Movement downward of sleeve 105 on sleeve 107 can be achieved by applying sufficient force or weight downward on the tubing string to shear pin 108 and allow telescopic movement of sleeve 105 over sleeve 107.

The advantage of this feature becomes clear when you consider that occasionally hardened cement or formation debris becomes lodged under valve nipple 33 so that the normal downward movement of inner mandrel 4 and tubing string to actuate .l-

slot assembly

47 and 58 cannot be accomplished and the packer and slips cannot be released. This might necessitate drilling-out the entire lodged packer apparatus 1. By the use of the alternate embodiment of FIG. 3 the lug assembly of collar 7 can be moved downward relative to inner mandrel 4 by shearing pin 108. Collar 7 can then engage collar 9 and allow the packer assembly to be manipulated and released from gripping engagement with the wellbore. Then the entire apparatus may be lifted out of the well.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate construction of the sealing means located internally in the bore of seal collar 113. This embodiment involves a valve housing 161 having seal collar 113 attached thereto and valve nipple 133 telescoped therein. Shear ring 167 is threadedly attached to lower end 165 of nipple 133. Instead of using a single sealing location as at 69, upper and lower seal sets 110 and 111 are used in the sealing area 112 of seal collar 113, which collar replaces stop nut 63 in the apparatus. Seals 110 and 111 are spaced sufficiently apart such that mandrel 4 can be lifted just enough so that ports 166 in nipple 133 are isolated between the upper seals 110 and lower seals 111. This allows the operator to pressure test the tubing string prior to cementing'to locate any pressure leaks which might result in loss of cement slurry in the annulus above packer elements 34.

Although certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been herein described in order to provide an understanding of the general principles of the invention, it will be appreciated that various changes and innovations can be effected in the described packer squeeze valve apparatus without departure from the principles. For example, it would be possible to use the more anchors or less anchors than the two described. Also it would be possible to use no mechanical anchors or to utilize different types of available mechanical anchors rather than the unitary type disclosed. It is also clear that the described invention would be particularly advantageous in treating low pressure formations where the hydrostatic pressure of fluids in the tubing and/or casing is greater than the formation fluid pressure, and the formation will take fluid from the wellbore. This apparatus is useful in treating the formation while preventing a loss of all of the tubing and annulus fluid to the formation, thereby preventing the influx of undesirable fluids into the formation and the loss of expensive drilling or displacement fluids. All modifications and changes of this type are therefore deemed to be embraced by the spirit and scope of the invention except as the same may be necessarily limited by the appended claims or reasonable equivalents thereof.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. Packer and valve apparatus having reverse-out features, said apparatus comprising: resilient packer means;

internal elongated tubular mandrel means having an unrestricted bore passage therethrough;

tubular elongated packer mandrel means containing said resilient packer means and telescopically mounted on said internal mandrel means;

anchor means on said packer mandrel means;

packer actuation means on said apparatus adapted to actuate said resilient packer means and said anchor means into contact with the wellbore;

friction means on said packer mandrel means to provide frictional engagement of said packer and valve apparatus in a wellbore;

passage means located between said internal mandrel means and said packer mandrel means;

valve means between said packer mandrel means and said bore passage of said internal mandrel means, said valve means arranged to provide in a first position of said valve means communication through said bore passage in said internal mandrel means to the annulus below said resilient packer means and in a second position of said valve means, communication from said internal mandrel means bore passage through said passage means to the annulus above said resilient packer means; and

valve actuation means on said apparatus adapted to actuate said valve means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said valve means further comprises:

valve nipple means attached to the lower end of said internal mandrel means and extending telescopically out of said packer mandrel means, said valve nipple means being a coaxially aligned tubular section on said internal mandrel means and having a longitudinal bore passage passing at least partially therethrough;

said valve nipple means further having port means through the wall thereof communicating with said bore passage therein; and

seal means in said valve means located between and in sealing contact with said packer mandrel means and said valve nipple means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said seal means comprises an annular, circular seal means arranged to provide sealing contact in one general area between said valve nipple means and said packer mandrel means.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said seal means comprises two sets of resilient seal means with one set spaced substantially apart longitudinally from the other set in said packer mandrel means, with each said set of seal means further comprising annular circular seal means arranged to sealingly contact said valve nipple means and provide a fluid tight seal between said valve nipple means and said packer mandrel means.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said anchor means comprises one or more unitary mechanical anchors having a generally tubular body pivotally attached to said packer mandrel means with two sets of curved gripping teeth located thereon in diametrically opposed relationship arranged to engage the wellbore wall upon pivoting of said unitary mechanical anchors.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising shear means attached to said valve nipple means and arranged to limit upward movement of said internal mandrel means in said packer mandrel means, said shear means adapted to shear upon application of a predetermined upward force on said internal mandrel means thereby allowing removal of said internal mandrel means telescopically upward from said packer mandrel means.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said passage means further comprises annular passage means extending substantially the entire length of said apparatus and located between said packer mandrel means and said internal mandrel means; said annular passage means further arranged to communicate at the upper end with the annulus above said resilient packer means and at the lower end with said valve means.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said packer actuation means comprises .l-slot means between said packer mandrel means and said packer means, said J- slot means having one or more J-slot channels formed in said packer mandrel means and one or more J-lugs formed on said packer means with said J-lugs being engaged in said .l-slot channels, and, said .l-slot means being adapted to allow selective compression of said resilient packer means and actuation of said anchor means by telescopic movement of said packer mandrel means within said packer means and anchor means.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said valve actuation means further comprises J-slot means between said internal mandrel means and said packer mandrel means, said .l-slot means having one or more .l-slot channels formed on one of said mandrel means and one or more J-lugs formed on the other said mandrel means with said lugs arranged to selectively engage in said channels to allow said internal mandrel means to connect with said packer mandrel means in one position of said lugs in said .l-slot channels and to disconnect from said packer mandrel means in a second position of said lugs in said .l-slot channels. 10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising shear means in said valve actuation means and releasable lug. sleeve means on said internal mandrel means; said lug sleeve means being arranged for telescopic movement downward on said internal mandrel means; said shear means arranged between said lug sleeve means and said internal mandrel means in temporary connecting relationship to limit said downward telescopic movement until downward force sufficient to shear said shear means is applied to said lug sleeve means; and, said lug sleeve means containing said one or more .l-lugs arranged to engage in said J-slot channels.

11. Valve apparatus for use in treating an underground formation penetrated by a well borehole, said valve apparatus adapted to allow reversing out of fluids therein while maintaining pressure on said underground formation; said valve apparatus comprising:

tubular elongated inner mandrel means having a relatively unrestricted bore passage-extending'longitudinally therethrough; external mandrel means telescopically located concentrically about said inner mandrel means;

resilient packer means telescopically mounted on said external mandrel means and adapted to expand radially into sealing contact with said well borehole;

frictional means on said valve apparatus for frictional engagement with saic well borehole;

bypass passage means located between said inner mandrel means and said external mandrel means and communicating with said borehole above said packer means;

valve means between said inner mandrel means and said external mandrrel means, said valve means arranged to alternately communicate said inner mandrel bore passage to said annulus below said packer means in a first position and to said bypass passage means in a second position; and

valve actuation means arranged to operate said valve means an indefinite number of times, said actuation means comprising vertically reciprocable, telescopic movement means adapted to move said inner mandrel means upward and downward in said external mandrel means thereby operating said valve means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said valve actuation means further comprises means for vertically reciprocating said external mandrel means without actuating said valve means, said reciprocating means comprising lug collar means attached to said inner mandrel means and extending over said external mandrel means, J-slot channel means in said external mandrel means and lug means in said lug sleeve means, arranged to engage said external mandrel means by engaging said .l-slot channel means.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said valve means further comprises an elongated valve extension axially attached to said inner mandrel means in longitudinal alignment therewith, said valve extension having a longitudinal bore passing partially therethrough and communicating with said bore passage of said inner mandrel; one or more ports through the wall of said extension communicating with said partial bore passage; valve surface means in said external mandrel means arranged in close fitting relationship to said valve extension and carrying resilient seal means therein adapted to sealingly engage said valve extension; and stop means on said valve extension to limit upward telescopic movement of said valve extension and inner mandrel means in said external mandrel means.

14. A method of injecting liquids and semi-liquids under pressure into an underground formation penetrated by a borehole, said method comprising:

lowering into said borehole a string of conduit containing annulus sealing means, friction engaging means, a plurality of passage means, and valve means adapted to communicate alternately with one or more of said passage means;

positioning said conduit in said borehole so that said annulus sealing means is located above said formation to be treated and said valve means is in a first position;

expanding said annulus sealing means against the borehole wall to isolate the annulus area therebe low between the conduit string and the borehole wall;

actuating said valve means to a second position thereby communicating said conduit string with the annulus above said expanded annulus sealing means;

injecting the desired liquids or semi-liquids into the conduit string in sufficient quantity to just fill the conduit string, while maintaining said valve means open between said conduit string and the annulus above said annulus sealing means;

actuating said valve to said first position thereby communicating said conduit string with the formation below said annulus sealing means;

injecting an additional amount of liquid or semiliquid material in the amount desired into said conduit string under pressure, into the annulus below said sealing means and into said formation;

actuating said valve means to said second position to close communication between said conduit string and said annulus below said sealing means while maintaining said sealing means engaged against the borehole wall and without releasing pressure on said formation, said second position arranged to communicate said conduit string with the annulus above said sealing means; and

determined period of time by maintaining said valve in said second position and then releasing said annulus sealing means.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said expanding step and said actuating steps comprise vertically reciprocating said conduit string while rotating said string in a predetermined direction.

* l l l

Claims

1. Packer and valve apparatus having reverse-out features, said apparatus comprising: resilient packer means; internal elongated tubular mandrel means having an unrestricted bore passage therethrough; tubular elongated packer mandrel means containing said resilient packer means and telescopically mounted on said internal mandrel means; anchor means on said packer mandrel means; packer actuation means on said apparatus adapted to actuate said resilient packer means and said anchor means into contact with the wellbore; friction means on said packer mandrel means to provide frictional engagement of said packer and valve apparatus in a wellbore; passage means located between said internal mandrel means and said packer mandrel means; valve means between said packer mandrel means and said bore passage of said internal mandrel means, said valve means arranged to provide in a first position of said valve means communication through said bore passage in said internal mandrel means to the annulus below said resilient packer means and in a second position of said valve means, communication from said internal mandrel means bore passage through said passage means to the annulus above said resilient packer means; and valve actuation means on said apparatus adapted to actuate said valve means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said valve means further comprises: valve nipple means attached to the lower end of said internal mandrel means and extending telescopically out of said packer mandrel means, said valve nipple means being a coaxially aligned tubular section on said internal mandrel means and having a longitudinal bore passage passing at least partially therethrough; said valve nipple means further having port means through the wall thereof communicating with said bore passage therein; and seal means in said valve means located between and in sealing contact with said packer mandrel means and said valve nipple means.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said packer actuation means comprises J-slot means between said packer mandrel means and said packer means, saId J-slot means having one or more J-slot channels formed in said packer mandrel means and one or more J-lugs formed on said packer means with said J-lugs being engaged in said J-slot channels, and, said J-slot means being adapted to allow selective compression of said resilient packer means and actuation of said anchor means by telescopic movement of said packer mandrel means within said packer means and anchor means.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said valve actuation means further comprises J-slot means between said internal mandrel means and said packer mandrel means, said J-slot means having one or more J-slot channels formed on one of said mandrel means and one or more J-lugs formed on the other said mandrel means with said lugs arranged to selectively engage in said channels to allow said internal mandrel means to connect with said packer mandrel means in one position of said lugs in said J-slot channels and to disconnect from said packer mandrel means in a second position of said lugs in said J-slot channels.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising shear means in said valve actuation means and releasable lug sleeve means on said internal mandrel means; said lug sleeve means being arranged for telescopic movement downward on said internal mandrel means; said shear means arranged between said lug sleeve means and said internal mandrel means in temporary connecting relationship to limit said downward telescopic movement until downward force sufficient to shear said shear means is applied to said lug sleeve means; and, said lug sleeve means containing said one or more J-lugs arranged to engage in said J-slot channels.

11. Valve apparatus for use in treating an underground formation penetrated by a well borehole, said valve apparatus adapted to allow reversing out of fluids therein while maintaining pressure on said underground formation; said valve apparatus comprising: tubular elongated inner mandrel means having a relatively unrestricted bore passage extending longitudinally therethrough; external mandrel means telescopically located concentrically about said inner mandrel means; resilient packer means telescopically mounted on said external mandrel means and adapted to expand radially into sealing contact with said well borehole; frictional means on said valve apparatus for frictional engagement with saic well borehole; bypass passage means located between said inner mandrel means and said external mandrel means and communicating with said borehole above said packer means; valve means between said inner mandrel means and said external mandrrel means, said valve means arranged to alternately communicate said inner mandrel bore passage to said annulus below said packer means in a first position and to said bypass passage means in a second position; and valve actuation means arranged to operate said valve means an indefinite number of times, said actuation means comprising vertically reciprocable, telescopic movement means adapted to move said inner mandrel means upward and downward in said external mandrel means thereby operating said valve means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said valve actuation means further comprises means for vertically reciprocating said external mandrel means without actuating said valve means, said reciprocating means comprising lug collar means attached to said inner mandrel means and extending over said external mandrel means, J-slot channel means in said external mandrel means and lug means in said lug sleeve means, arranged to engage said external mandrel means by engaging said J-slot channel means.

14. A method of injecting liquids and semi-liquids under pressure into an underground formation penetrated by a borehole, said method comprising: lowering into said borehole a string of conduit containing annulus sealing means, friction engaging means, a plurality of passage means, and valve means adapted to communicate alternately with one or more of said passage means; positioning said conduit in said borehole so that said annulus sealing means is located above said formation to be treated and said valve means is in a first position; expanding said annulus sealing means against the borehole wall to isolate the annulus area therebelow between the conduit string and the borehole wall; actuating said valve means to a second position thereby communicating said conduit string with the annulus above said expanded annulus sealing means; injecting the desired liquids or semi-liquids into the conduit string in sufficient quantity to just fill the conduit string, while maintaining said valve means open between said conduit string and the annulus above said annulus sealing means; actuating said valve to said first position thereby communicating said conduit string with the formation below said annulus sealing means; injecting an additional amount of liquid or semiliquid material in the amount desired into said conduit string under pressure, into the annulus below said sealing means and into said formation; actuating said valve means to said second position to close communication between said conduit string and said annulus below said sealing means while maintaining said sealing means engaged against the borehole wall and without releasing pressure on said formation, said second position arranged to communicate said conduit string with the annulus above said sealing means; and injecting a displacement fluid into the annulus at the surface under pressure in sufficient quantities to flow down said annulus, through said passage means, said valve means, and up through said conduit means therby displacing the liquids in said conduit string.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of holding said liquid in said formation for a predetermined period of time by maintaining said valve in said second position and then releasing said annulus sealing means.