US2831541A - Hydraulic packer tool - Google Patents

Description

April 22, 1958 G. E. coNovER 2,831,541

HYDRAULIC PACKER TOOL Filed Aug. l5, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I s H Y if O a5 ,25 a6 I a6 J w aa 45 I8 i 46- 8 I lBL- l ag i: f as n@ o i 4o H o 1 I S a9" 45 E' A/ 5f; 'Q

P j 51 5l l5 45 fg) I 54 47 gf- Sa i 47 3o 1% iSSZ 30 4 I9 I l *v5 3 1138 f- 3l A 38 GEORGE E. co/vol/Ef w INVENToR.

8 www ATTORNEY April 22, 1958 G. E. coNovER HYDRAULIC PACKER TooL Filed Aug. 1s, 195s 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F/q. a

GEORGE E. CON/ER TOR l INI/EN 'f ATTOR NE Y United States HYDRAULIC PACKER TL rGeorge Edgar Conover, Midland, Tex., assigner to Lyues, Inc., Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application August 13, 1953, Serial No. 373,992 1s Claims. (el. 16s- 147) hydraulic inflatable elements, whereby such elements may be expanded to isolate portions o a well bore.

In the operation of such packer tools, it is not uncommon to encounter pressure differentials up to several thousand pounds per square inch, and it is therefore desirable to provide a valve arrangement for use with such tool which, under such conditions, inhibits cutting out the seals `in such valve arrangement. Additionally, great dilliculty is encountered in clogging the tool by foru eign matter and debris and it is desirable to provide a valve opening so constructed and arranged which eliminates this dilliculty. Also, the valve arrangement should be such so that it can be moved to a full closed or full opened position with as little relative movement between the parts of the operating mechanism as possible.

The present invention deals in particular with a valve arrangement in such tool, whereby communication either above, below or between the packers may be effected and controlled, and which overcomes the above difficulties.

`A further object is to provide a valve arrangement including a hollow tubular support member, a sleeve on said support, seal means sealing between said support and said sleeve, and an opening in said valve support adapted to be covered and uncovered by said sleeve, said opening including leak passage means for equaliaing pressure on said seal means to inhibit cutting thereof as said seals move over said opening.

A still further object is to provide a valve arrangement in a well packer tool `whereby the valve may be moved to a full opened or full .closed position with as littlerelative movement as possible between the valve parts.

Other `objects and advantages of the invention will arent t become more readily apparentfrom a description of the t to each other whereby the well formation located between the packers may be treated or tested;

p elements 4 and 5 and below the element 5.

ice

Fig. 4 illustrates the position of the mandrel with respect to 4the too] when communication is established between the mandrel openings and body openings above the packers for treating or testing the well formation above the packer; p

Fig. 5 illustrates the position of the mandrel in the tool when the mandrel `openings and body openings below the lower inflatable element are open to each other whereby treating or testing of the well formation below such lower element may be elected;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the valve arrangement, including an opening in the lower end of `the mandrel;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevational View of the opening in the lower end of the mandrel with bleed grooves, or leali passages, shown thereon;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on the line S-d of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional View of an alternate embodiment of the valve arrangement and mandrel openings including the leak passage.

As shown in Fig. l of the drawings the tool is lowered into the well bore with the inllatable elements dellated. The well tool is denoted generally at 2 and comprises body 3 including the spaced inflatable elements fand 5. lt is to be noted that the body is a unitary structure and is provided with openings 6, 7 and 8 which are re-` spectively, above the `inflatable element d, between the A hollow mandrel 9 is slidably mounted in the well tool 23 and extends through the inflatable elements as illustrated in the drawings. The hollow mandrel or pipe 9 extends to the surface ofthe well bore and aiords a means of lowering tl e tool in the well bore, as well as affording a means for manipulating the tool in the well bore, and also serves as a means for conducting fluid. to iniiate the packers and to conduct fluid to treat the well formation or to receive well fluids from the formation for test purposes.

A suitable locking arrangement, as illustrated generally at l1 in Fig. l, is provided for maintaining the mandrel at a plurality of predetermined relative positions with respect to body 3, whereby any of the various operations may be conducted as desired. rthis locking mechanism is of the type whereby the pipe or mandrel 9 may be fixed at a plurality of predetermined positions and can be released from such predetermined positions by relative manipulation between the mandrel or well pipe and the body 3. The mandrel 9 has openings 313 and le therein for communication with the interior of the inflatable elements 4 and 5 whereby such elements may be inflated and deflated. The openings 13 and ll4 also serve for communication with the openings 6 and 7 respectively, while opening l5 in the lowerV end of 'the mandrel is provided 'for communication with the opening 8 in the body 3of the tool as described more fully hereinafter.

Valve means 17, lil `and 19 surrounds the mandrel 9 and provides a means for selectively controlling coinmunication between the mandrel openings i3 and body openings 6 above the sealing elements, for controlling communication between the mandrel openings 14 and body openings 7 between the inflatable elements and for controlling communication between mandrel openings 15 and body openings S below theinliatable elements.`

After the tool has been lowered to the desired elevation in the well bore, fluid may be injected into the mandrel 9 where it flows down and out through openings 13 and 14 therein so as to expand the elements 4 and 5 against the wall 2'@ of the well bore` Ztl' as shown in Fig. 2. This isolates the portion 21 of the well above the packers, `frem"th`a`t portion 22. 'between the packers and 3 isolates the portion 23 below the packers from the portions 21 and 22.

After the intlatable elements have been so expanded it may be desirable to selectively treat or test any or all of the portions 21 or 22 or 23 of the well bore. it is, of course, necessary to direct the fluid in a predetermined manner so that the proper or desired portion is treated. This' necessitates an arrangement whereby certain of the mandrel openings and body openings can be communicated while simultaneously maintaining the packers inflated and the remaining mandrel openings closed relative to the body openings.

The valve means 17, 18 and 19 are provided to accomplish this purpose. It should be noted at this time that the valve means 17 is provided with seal means 25 and 26 which completely surround the mandrel 9 and form a seal therewith. Similarly, packing means Z3 and 29 is provided in valve means 18 and packing 30 and 31 is provided in valve means 19.

The valve 17 is illustrated as being formed integrally with the body 3 by means of the longitudinally upwardly extending annular wall 32 that surrounds the mandrel 9. The wall 32 is provided wim a cover 33 having an opening 34 therein to accommodate passage of the mandrel through the valve. This arrangement provides a chamber 36 between the seal rings 25 and 26 whereby the opening 13 in the mandrel may be moved thereinto and thereby prevent passage of liuid from such mandrel opening, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The valves 18 and 19 are mounted on the mandrel 9, such valves being in the form of cylinders as shown at 37 and 38 with the top and bottom of each cylinder having the seals 28, 29, and 31, respectively in sliding, but sealing contact with said mandrel.

It is to be noted that the valves 18 and 19, being supported on the mandrel 9, are movable therewith upon relative longitudinal movement of the mandrel 9 in the packer tool. However, the valves 18 and 19 are slidable along such mandrel, and a chamber 40 and 41, respectively, is formed in each valve whereby a mandrel opening may be moved into such chamber between the seals at each end of the valve to effect a seal oil of such opening and prevent communication of such opening and adjacent body opening.

ln Fig. 2, for example, the opening 15 in the lower end of the mandrel 9 is disposed within the' chamber 41 of valve 19. Openings 13 and 14 are disposed within the inflatable elements 4 and 5 and, therefore, communication between mandrel opening 15 and body opening 8 below the sealing elements is prevented.

After the packers have been inflated against the wall .of the well bore, any desired operation either above, be-

tween or below the packers may be effected, and it is to be particularly noted in this respect that such operation is selective. That is to say, the tool may be used for treating or testing any one of the three isolated portions of the well bore entirely independent of the other two portions not being treated or tested.

For example, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the inflatable packer elements are sealed against the well bore and the mandrel move relative to the body 3 so as to communicate the openings 14 therein with the body openings 7 between the inflatable elements 4 and 5. It is to be noted that the body 3 of the tool is provided with a plurality of seals 45, whereby the fluid in the inatable elements is sealed therein upon longitudinal movement of the mandrel relative to the tool body. As also shown Y in Fig. 3, the opening 13 is moved into the chamber 3Q of Valve 17 while valve 18, having moved with the mandrel, exposes mandrel opening 14 whereby it is in com mnnication with body opening 7. Valve 19 has also moved with the mandrel and mandrel opening 15 is still maintained within chamber 41 so that the only portion of the well bore which may be treated or tested through 4 the tool is that portion 22 between the inflated elements 4 and 5.

Fig. 4 illustrates the position of the valves 17, 18 and 1,9 when the mandrel 9 has been moved relative to the body 3 so as to communicate openings 13 therein with body openings 6 above inflatable element 4 so as to treat or test the portion 21 of the formation above theinatable element 4. lt is to benoted that the mandrel 9 been moved to a new position relative to the body and is maintained in suchposition relative to the body 3 by the locking mechanism 11. However, the slide valves 13 and 19, having been engaged by stops 46 and 47, respectively, are held in engagement with such stops while the mandrel continues to move upwardly through 'l the :Zool to its position in the locking assembly as shown in ig. 4. this causes the openings 14 in the mandrel to move within the chamber 40 of slide valve 18p.

Mandrel opening 15 is moved into chamber 48 which is formed within cylindrical valve member 50. This valve member is provided with seals 51 and 52 so as to form a seal with the mandrel which passes therethrough. A groove 53 is the surface of such valve is engaged with projection 54 on the body so as to maintain such valve in a fixed position relative to the body 3.

Since mandrel openings 14 and 15 are closed ott relative to body openings '7 and 8, the only communication established between the mandrel and the body openings is above the sealing element 4 as shown in Fig. 4.

By disengaging the mandrel 9 from the body 3 at the locking arrangement 11, and by moving the mandrel 9 downwardly through the well tool, communication between the body openings 8 and mandrel opening 15 below the lower inflatable element 15 is effected. As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, valve member 1S and its chamber 40 moves downwardly with the mandrel and continues to covermandrel opening 14, also mandrel opening 13 is moved downwardly into the chamber 36 of valve 17. Since opening 15 has been previously moved out of valve 19, lowering of the mandrel relative to the body of the tool moves opening 15 out of valve 5i) and exposes such opening and communicates opening 15 and body openings S.

After the desired treating or testing operations below the lower inflatable element 5 have been conducted it may be desirable to close of communication between mandrel opening 15 and body opening 8 and this .may be effected by lowering the mandrel so that valve 19` `engages projection 55 in the lower end of the tool bodyl 3. This arrests movement of the valve member 19 while allowing the mandrel to slide downwardly so as to move the mandrel opening 15 into the chamber 41 between the seals 30 and 31.

From the foregoing discussion, it can be seen that any one of a plurality or' zones in a well bore may be selectively treated, or if desired, all zones adjacent the tool may be stepwise treated. `The valve arrangement including the sleeve valves, openings, and cooperating stops on the body allows the tool to have one less position in the locking arrangement 11 than the number of functions performed by the tool. Also, the arrangement of the mandrel openings, sleeve valve and cooperating stop means on the body is such that afull opened or full closed position of the mandrel openings may be obtained with a minimum of relative movement between the mandrel and valve means.

Of course, the inflatable elements can be detlated and the tool reset at any other desired' elevation so that a great number of treating or testing operations can be conducted while the tool is in the well bore.

If desired, the tool could be used as previously described to stepwise treat a plurality of formations or could be used to selectively treat any one of such formations. T he tool could then be allowed to set for awhile and testing operation carried out to determine the success of the treating operations.

aesinet A great deal of ditlculty is encountered because well tools tend to become clogged with debris or foreign matter. For example, dust or debris may collect in well tubing while it is stacked on the ground at the top of the well and, therefore, as successive joints are connected together and lowered into the well bore, the dirt therein settles into the tool which is connected to the bottom of the tubing.

Debris and foreign matter also arises from numerous other sources such as, for example, broken bits of swab l cup rubbers may iind their way into the tool from the well tubing so as to stop or plug the tool. Paraflin from the inside of the well tubing may fall off into the tool connected on the lower end thereof and formation cuttings from the well may pass into the tool during treating or testing operations so as to tend to clog the tool.

When the tool is being used for treating or testing operations, solid material in the mandrel 9 tends to settle so as to till the mandrel below the point at which the mandrel and body openings are in communication for conducting treating or testing operations. ln some situations, the settling may be to such an extent that the tool may become completely clogged in the lower end thereof while mandrel openings and body openings between the packer elements are communicated for testing or treating operations. ln such situations, it would then be impossible to circulate through the mandrel port or valve open ing at the lower end of the tool.

To overcome this diiculty, the opening in the mandrel 9 at the lower end thereof is constructed so as to inhibit clogging of the tubular member 9, and attention is directed to Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings which show a preferred contiguration and arrangement of the lower mandrel opening or valve opening l5. As shown, the opening l5 is approximately the same size as the internal diameter of mandrel 9 or is substantially the same area as the internal transverse area of the hollow mandrel 9 and the opening l5 may be inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel 9, as shown in the drawings.

Another difficulty encountered with operating well tools is in providing a sealing arrangement between relative movable members which will withstand pressure ditiierentials up to several thousand pounds per square inch. As shown in the drawings, seal means 3h and 3l are provided on the sleeve valve 19 arranged on the hollow mandrel or tubular member 9. As previously discussed, such sleeve valve is adapted to cover and uncover the mandrel opening or valve opening 15 upon predetermined `relative movement between the mandrel and the body.

As the seals move over opening 1S, such seals may be cut out by reason of the pressure differential on each side of the seal. lt is therefore necessary to provide suitable leak passage means on each side of the opening l5 so that pressure on each side of the seals St) or 31 is equalized prior to passing such seals over the valve opening 15.

As illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, one form of such leali passage means is shown as including a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves titl which intersect the valve opening 15 on each side thereof so that the pressure on the seals in the sleeve valves may be equalized before passing such seals over the main opening. T he grooves 60 bleed the pressure by the seal rings as such seal rings move thereover and the cross-sectional area of such grooves, being relatively small, will not permit enough force to be exerted against the seal ring so as to cut the exposed portion of the seal ring out.

However, it can be appreciated that in the absence of such provision for equalizing the pressure on each side of the seals before passing such seals over opening 15, the exposed area of the seal rings` under operating pressures encountered, will cause such` seal rings to quickly cut out. l

The ends of the grooves, as illustrated at 60', have a very small cross-sectional area so that as the seal means contacts such grooves, a very small portion thereof is subjected to pressure action.

An alternate arrangement of the valve opening 15 and leal: passage means @il is illustrated in Fig. 9. The valve` opening l5 is located centrally with respect. to a plurality of graduated ports or mandrel openings dil on each side thereof. The graduated ports serve the same purpose as the longitudinally extending grooves or leak passage grooves, or leak passage means 6h and equalize pressure on the seals in the valves without exposing too large an area of such seals, whereby cutting action of the seals by the high pressures normally encountered in using the tool are eliminated.

The slide valve illustrated at 19 is of sufcient length so as to span the graduated mandrel openings when the valve is in covering position yover opening 15.

Broadly, the invention relates to a well packer tool including a mandrel and body with inilatable elements thereon, and more particularly the invention relates to a valve arrangement in such tool for controlling communication between the mandrel and body either above, between, or below the inflatable elements.

What is claimed is:

l. ln an inflatable packer tool, a body including spaced inflatable elements thereon, a mandrel slidably mounted in said body and extending through said elements, there being openings in said mandrel and in said body, and valve means mounted on said mandrel and movable therewith for closing off communication between said mandrel openings and said body openings, and stop means for engaging said valve whereby movement of said mandrel relative to said valve slides said valve along said mandrel so as to uncover said mandrel openings to establish communication between said mandrel and body openings.

2. In an inflatable packer tool, a body including spaced inilatable elements thereon, a mandrel slidably mounted in said body and extending through said elements, there being openings in said mandrel and in said body, valve means slidably mounted on said mandrel for closing off communication between said mandrel openings and said body openings, and additional means for engaging said valves whereby movement of said mandrel relative to said body slides said valves along said mandrel so as to uncover said mandrel openings to establish communication between said mandrel and body openings.

3. ln an inflatable packer tool having a body with spaced inflatable elements thereon, and a mandrel slidably mounted in said body and extending through said elements, and there being openings in said mandrel and body for communication, cylindrical valve means in said body and on said mandrel for closing olf communication between said mandrel and body openings, stop means associated with said tool for engaging said valve means whereby movement of said mandrel relative to said valve slides said valve along said mandrel so as to uncover said mandrel openings to establish communication between said mandrel and body openings.

4. In an inflatable packer tool having a body with spaced inflatable elements thereon, and a mandrel slidably mounted in said body and extending through said elements, there being openings in said mandrel and. body for communication, cylindrical valve means slidzable relative to said mandrel for closing olf communication between said mandrel and body openings, and stop means associated with said tool for engaging said valve whereby movement of said mandrel relative to said`valve slides said valve along said mandrel so as to uncover said. mandrel openmay be moved relative thereto to open or close said mandrel openings, said mandrel opening means being inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of said mandrel and of substantially the same area as the internal transverse area of said hollow mandrel to inhibit clogging thereof.

6. In a well tool, a body, there being openings in said body, a hollow mandrel slidably mounted in said body, there being opening means in said mandrel for communieating with said body openings, sleeve valve means surrounding said mandrel and slidable thereon, means in said body for engaging said valve whereby said mandrel may be moved relative thereto to open or close said mandrel openings, said mandrel opening means being inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of said mandrel and of substantially the same size as the internal diameter of said hollow mandrel to inhibitelogging thereof, said valve means including seal means sealably engaging said mandrel, and said mandrel port means including leak passage means for equalizing pressure on said seal means to inhibit cutting thereof by movement across said port means.

7. In a well tool, a body, there being openings in said body, a hollow mandrel slidably mounted in said body, there being opening means in said mandrel for communi eating with said body openings, valve means surrounding said mandrel and slidable thereon, means in said body for engaging said valve whereby said mandrel may be moved relative thereto to open and close said mandrel openings, said valve means including seal means sealably engaging said mandrel, and said mandrel port means including leak passage means for equalizing pressure on said seal means to inhibit cutting thereof by movement across said port means.

8. in a well tool, a body, there being openings in said body, a hollow mandrel slidably mounted in said body, there being opening means in said mandrel for eommunieating with said body openings, a sleeve valve mounted on said mandrel, seal means between said valve and mandrel and maintaining said valve in position on said mandrel whereby they may be moved together, and stop means mounted on said body whereby said sleeve valve may be engaged thereagainst and upon relative movement between said mandrel and said sleeve valve, said mandrel opening may be covered or uncovered by said sleeve valve, said mandrel opening means being inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of said mandrel and of substantially the same size as the internal diameter of said hollow mandrel to inhibit clogging thereof.

9. in a well tool, a body, there being openings in said body, a hollow mandrel slidably mounted in said body, therebeing opening means in said mandrel for communieating with said body openings, a sleeve valve mounted on said mandrel, seal means between said valve and mandrel and maintaining said valve in position on said mandrel whereby they may be moved together, and stop means mounted on said body whereby said sleeve valve may be engaged thereagainst and upon relative movement between said mandrel and said sleeve valve, said mandrel opening may be covered or uncovered by said sleeve valve.

10. In an inflatable packer tool for a well bore, a body including a pair of spaced inflatable packer elements thereon, there being opening in said body for communicating with the well bore located above, between and below said elements, a hollow mandrel slidably mounted in said body and extending through said elements, there being opening means in said mandrel for communicating with said body opening means, separate valve means within said body and surrounding said mandrel for selectively closing off said mandrel opening means relative to said body opening means, and co-engageable means on said mandrel and body eooperable to selectively position said mandrel relative to said valve means to selectively open and close said mandrel openings for communication with said body opening means.

11. In a well tool, a body, there being openings in said body, a hollow mandrel slidably mounted in said body, there being opening means in said mandrel for communieating with said body openings, a sleeve valve mounted on said mandrel, and stop means mounted on said body whereby said sleeve valve may be engaged thereagainst and upon relative movement between said mandrel and said sleeve valve, said mandrel opening may be covered or uncovered by said sleeve valve, said mandrel opening means being inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of and mandrel and of substantially the same size as the internal diameter of said hollow mandrel to inhibit clogging thereof, said vvalve means including seal means sealably engaging said mandrel, and there being leak passage means on each side of said mandrel opening means to leak iluid around said seal means for equalizing pressure on said seal means prior to moving it across said mandrel opening te inhibit cutting of said seal means.

12. In a well tool, a body, there being openings in said body, a hollow mandrel slidably mounted in said body, there being opening means in said mandrel for communicating with said body openings, a sleeve valve mounted on said mandrel, and stop means mounted on said body whereby said sleeve valve may be engaged thereagainst and upon relative movement between said mandrel and said sleeve valve, said mandrel opening may be covered or uncovered by said sleeve valve, said valve means including seal means sealably engaging said mandrel, and said mandrel opening means including leak passage means on each side of said mandrel opening to leak fluid around said seal means for equalizing pressure on said seal means prior to moving it across said mandrel opening to inhibit cutting of said seal means.

13. A valve arrangement including a tubular member, there being port means in the wall thereof of substantially the same area as the transverse area of said member, there being a plurality of longitudinal grooves in the outer wall of said member and intersecting said port on each side thereof, and slide valve means arranged on said member for covering and uncovering said port, seal means on said valve means for sealably engaging said member, stop means whereby said slide valve means may be engaged thereagainst and upon relative movement between said member and valve means said opening in said member may be covered or uncovered, said grooves forming leak passage means for leaking fluid around said seal means for equalizing pressure on said seal means prior to moving it across said opening in said member to inhibit cutting of said seal means.

14. A valve arrangement including a tubular member, there being a port in the wall thereof substantially the diameter of said member, and being inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of said member, there being a plurality of longitudinal grooves in the outer wall of said member and intersecting each side of said port, and slide valve means arranged on said member for covering and uncovering said port, seal means on said valve means for sealably engaging said member, stop means whereby said slide valve means may be engaged thereagainst and upon relative movement between said member and valve means said opening in said member may be covered or uncovered, said grooves forming leak passage means for leaking fluid around said seal means for equalizing pressure on said seal means prior to moving it across said opening in said member to inhibit cutting of said seal means.

l5. A valve arrangement including a tubular member, there being port means in the wall thereof, said port means including leak passage means on each side thereof in the wall of said member, and slide valve means arranged on said member for covering and uncovering said port means, seal means on said valve means for sealably engaging said member, stop means whereby said slide valve means may be engaged thereagainst and upon relative to moving it across said opening in said member to inhibit 5 cutting of said seal means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lynes Jan. 7, 1941 Taylor et al Nov. 20, 1951 Lynes Sept. 23, 1952 Humason 2.----.. Mar. 31, 1953 Lynes June 30, 1953

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