US2959227A - Means for installing and pulling well tools - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. (42m: 2 (44 44/20 E a a .0 a m -m 2.: 2 w. #I

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ifTOP/Vi? Nov. 8, 1960 c. R. CANALIZO MEANS FOR INSTALLING AND PULLING WELL TOOLS Filed June 2, 1958 Nov. 8, 1960 c. R. CANALIZO MEANS FOR INSTALLING AND PULLING WELL TOOLS F'ile'd June 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. (4240: 2 6214 42/20 MEANS FOR INSTALLING AND PULLING WELL TOOLS Carlos R. Canalizo, Dallas, Tex., assignor to Otis Engineering Corporation, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed June 2, 1958, Ser. No. 739,013

Claims. Cl. 166-218) This invention relates to means for installing and pulling flow control devices 'such as gas lift valves, in and from a pocket in an oil well tubing string outwardly of the axial center of the tubing string.

It has been the practice in the industry to date to use relatively complicated devices to install and pull flow control devices and the like in a pocket laterally off center in a tubing string. In addition to increasing the cost of such operations, the use of such devices has maintained at a high level the possibility of faulty flow control device installations.

A primary object of this invention is to provide simple, reliable means for installing a flow control device in an offset pocket in a tubing string after the tubing string has been installed in the well, said means being an integral part of the device.

Another object is to eliminate the necessity for using additional complicated devices other than the conventional running tool and wire line for installing the flow control device in the offset pocket.

An additional object is to provide means attached to the flow control device for locking the flow control device in place in the offset pocket.

A further object is to provide simple, reliable means for pulling a flow control device from the offset pocket of an offset mandrel.

Another object is to provide such pulling means which functions solely as aresult of its co-operation with the interior of the offset mandrel in which the flow control device is installed.

Yet another object is to provide such a pulling tool which is employed to selectively pull one of a plurality of flow control devices, each of which is installed in an offset mandrel vertically spaced from the others in atubing string.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description.

In the drawings, forming a part of this application and in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the same.

Fig. 1 is an elevational sectional view of the invention, illustrating the manner in which a well tool is directed towards the offset pocket of an offset mandrel to 'be installed therein.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the well tool seated in the pocket.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the offset mandrel, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a pulling tool being run through the offset mandrel past the well tool disposed in the oflfset pocket.

Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the pulling tool is directed towards the offset pocket so that it may engage Figs. l-3, an elongated offset mandrel 10 having a vertical main bore 11 in alignment with its threaded bores 12 and 13 is made up in a string of well tubing 14 which, in turn, is conventionally installed in a cased well (not shown). In normal practice, a number of these offset mandrels 10 may be installed in the tubing string.

Fabricated into one side of the offset mandrel 10 and laterally off center of main bore 11 is an offset well tool receiving pocket 15 which is fully open at its upper end 16. As shown in Fig. 1, the offset pocket 15 is designed to receive a cylindrical gas lift valve 17 with a minimum of clearance between the pocket wall and the exterior surface of the gas lift valve. The wall 18 of the offset pocket is integrally connected to the offset mandrel wall and does not encroach upon the interior boundary of main bore 11. This latter feature is necessary in order to permit full utilization of the main bore for the passage of tools through the tubing string during operations such as those conducted by wire lines. (It is to be noted at this time that the offset mandrel and gas lift valve have a number of features such as inlet and outlet ports and packing seals shown in the drawings but not discussed here since they have no bearing on this invention. These features may be of the type shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of, and described fully in, my co-pending patent application No. 633,735, filed January 11, 1957.)

The cross-sectional area of offset mandrel 10 intermediate its ends is greater near its lower end than near its upper end. Also, the longitudinal axis of oifset pocket 15 slopes downwardly and outwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of main bore 11. This feature facilitates the entrance of gas lift valve 17 into the offset pocket as hereinafter described.

The inner wall 19 of the upper end of the offset mandrel 10 is recessed to form a longitudinally extending groove 20 terminating at its lower end in the shoulder.21 immediately above the offset portion 22 of the mandrel. As is seen in Fig. 3, the groove 20 extends approximately half way around the inner wall 19 and blends smoothly therewith. The center lines of groove 20, offset pocket 15 and main bore 11 of the mandrel all lie in a common plane and the shoulder 21 does not protrude into the main bore of the mandrel so that the main bore is unrestricted thereby for passage of well tools therethrough.

The elongated well tool 17 is illustrated as one of a number of well-known makes of gas lift valves and has an integrally attached flange 23, to which a conventional running tool can be connected. A plurality of elongated resilient arcuate deflector springs 25 are mounted at one end on, and spaced circumferentially around, the outer and upper surface of the main body of the gas lift valve below the upper neck 26 thereof, and extend generally longitudinally upwardly along the main body of the valve. Each spring 25 has a portion 27 thereof projecting outwardly from the axis of the valve and the upper free end 28 thereof projects back inwardly towards the upper end of the valve. When at rest, i.e., uncompressed, the distance from the most outwardly extending portion 27 on one of the deflector springs to a like point on the diametrically opposed spring is considerably greater than the diameter of main bore 11. The distance from the lower end of the valve 17 to the outwardly projecting portion 27 of the spring is slightly less than the distance from the open top of the offset pocket 15 to the bottom of groove 20. I

When gas lift valve 17 is installed in the offset pocket 15 (Fig. 2), the deflector springs 25 engage groove 29 and thus serve as a friction type lock to hold the gas lift valve in place therein.

In operation, a running tool is attached to valve flange 23, and gas lift valve 17 is run into the tubing string by wire line. The gas lift valve is lowered down the main bore 11 until one of the deflector springs 25 springs outwardly into groove 20 and engages the upper face of shoulder 21. At this time the diametrically opposite deflector spring has expanded outwardly along surface 31 of themandrel which blends with groove 20 to produce an elliptical cross section through groove 20 and surface 31. The gas lift valve now pivots about shoulder 21, thereby directing its lower end toward the upper entrance 16 of offset pocket 15. Further movement of the gas lift valve downwardly by wire line jarring, or other means, places it in the offset pocket as shown in Figure 2. The deflector springs 25 removably secure the gas lift valve in place in the pocket. The running tool is detached in the usual manner and removed from the tubing spring.

In the usual case, a plurality of flow control valves 17 areinstalled in the tubing string. After the first valve is installed in the highest mandrel, a second identical valve is run into the tubing until it approaches the position shown in Figure 1. Its lower end cannot enter the pocket of this highest mandrel due to the presence of the first valve installed therein. Instead, it slides off the protruding upper end of the first installed valve and continues downwardly to the next highest mandrel where it is installed in the same manner as was the first valve. Additional valves are installed in the lower mandrels in like manner. All of the offset mandrels are identical with one another, and all of the valves 17 are identical with one another.

Figs. 4-7 illustrate the pulling tool 40 used in the selective removal of a desired valve 17 from any one of the oiiset mandrels in tubing string 14. The lower portion of the elongated main body 41 may be any conventional pulling tool adapted to engage the external flange 23 of the valve 17. An example of such apulling tool may be that shown on page 4159 (type R Otis pulling tool) of the Composite Catalog of Oil Field Equipment and Services, 1957 edition.

. Mandrel 42 is integrally connected to main body 41 and has annular grooves 43 and 44, an external flange 45 and a bifurcated upper end 46. The lower end of joint 47 is inserted between the bifurcated ends 46 of mandrel 42 and secured thereto by pin 48. The mandrel and the joint are thus free to rotate about this pin 48. The upper end of joint 47 is bifurcated and the lower end of sub 49 is inserted between these bifurcated upper ends of joint 47. A pin 51) extends through the interdigitated upper ends of joint 47 and lower end of sub 49 so that the joint and sub. can rotate relative to one another about pin 50. It is to be noted that the longitudinal axes of pins 48 and 50 are perpendicular to one another so that a universal connection is formed between the main body 41 and the sub 49. In practice, a wire line and associated equipment are secured to the top sub by means of the threads 51.

Tubular spring carrier 52 slidably encircles mandrel 42 with its uppermost and lowermost displacement thereon being defined by flange 45 and shoulder 53, respectively. A plurality of springs 55 are spaced about and attached to the outer surface of the spring carrier in a manner similar to the springs 25 on valve 17. Again, the springs have arcuate upper ends 56 similar to springs 25, and, as

is the case with springs 25, the distance between the outer- I most portions of two diametrically opposed springs 55 is greater than the diameter of bore 11 of mandrel 10 when the springs are uncompressed or at rest. A pin 57 is fixedly attached to each spring and passes through an adjacent opening in the spring carrier so as to protrude into either groove 44 or groove 43 when the spring carrier is in either its lowermost or uppermost position, respectively,

with respect to the mandrel 42 and when the springs are compressedtowards the axis of the pulling tool 40;. (as shown in Fig. 6). The spring carrier 52 is shown in its uppermost .position in Figs. 4- and 6 and in its lowermost position in Fig. 5. It is to be noted that when the spring carr er- 1s mits uppermost position, the di .-.b l? t6 the lower end of the pulling tool 40 and the outermost portion 56 of the springs 55 is greater than the distance between the open end 16 of the offset pocket and the shoulder 21.

In use the selective pulling tool is attached to a Wire line and associated toolsasmentioned above, the spring carrier is placed in its uppermost position, and the entire assembly is lowered into the tubing string. When the pulling tool reaches the position shown in Fig. 4, it can either continue downwardly to a lower mandrel, or it can be maneuvered as follows to retract the valve 17 shown installed. To pull the valve, the pulling tool 40 is forced downwardly until the springs 55 are below the shoulder 21. The springs may now expand outwardly until the pins 57 are free of the groove 43. The tool is now pulled upwardly, and, since the springs 55 are expanded and cannot move upwardly with the tool, the spring carrier is forced downwardly with respect to the mandrel until its lower end abuts the shoulder 53. In this position, the pins 57 are opposite the groove 44. Continued upward movement of the pulling tool forces the springs 55 inwardly, and the tool is allowed to come to the position shown in Fig. 5, with the lower end of the pulling tool 49 swinging over to a point above the valve 17 automatically as described above in connection with the installationof the valve 17 In this position, the lower end of the pulling tool has pivoted about either pin 48, pin 50, or both, and the tools associated with the wire line equipment remain in a vertical position. Downward jarring of the wire line equipment now forces the lower tubular end of the pulling tool 40 around the flanged upper end 23 of the valve, and the pulling tool locks in engagement therewith. upward strain is now taken on the wire line, the valve is removed from the offset mandrel pocket, and the entire assembly of valve, selective pulling tool 40 and wire line is removed from the vtubing string.

' Should it be desired to pull a valve installed in a mandrel lower than the one just encountered, the pulling reel is forced downwardly when it reaches the position shown in Fig. 4 and proceeds to a lower mandrel. It is to be noted that the pulling tool will not engage an installed valve until the springs 55 have been. forced below the shoulder 21, retracted thereabove, and then forced therebelow a second time. i

As may be seen, the same pulling tool 40 may be used to remove any desired .one of the identical valves 17 from any one of the identical offset mandrels 10. After removal of the selected valve, the same valve or a new valve may be replaced by simply lowering the valve through the tubing string 14, and the valve will go automatically into the empty pocket 15, whether this pocket is the uppermost, lowermost or any inbetween pocket.

It is to be realized that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the attached claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated offset mandrel adapted to be connected in a tubing string and having a vertical main bore therethroughymeans forming an open-topped well tool receiving pocket within said offset mandrel and laterally offset from said main bore, said offset mandrel having a longitudinal groove in the upper end of said main bore, said groove terminating in a shoulder at the lower end thereof, said shoulder being spaced vertically above the open top of said pocket, and the centerlines of said main bore, said pocket and said groove lying in a common plane, an elongated well tool, and a plurality of elongated resilient spring members mounted on and spaced circumferentially around the upper end of said el t ol. ea h of said spring members havingaportion thereof projecting outwardly from the axis of said well tool, the distance between the outwardly projecting portions of diametrically opposed spring members bcing greater than the diameter of the main bore of said offset mandrel when said spring members are at rest, and the distance from the lower end of said well tool to the outwardly projecting spring member portions thereof being slightly less than the distance from the top of said pocket to the bottom of said groove.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated offset mandrel adapted to be connected in a tubing string and having a vertical main bore therethrough, means forming an open-topped well tool receiving pocket within said offset mandrel and laterally olfset from said main bore, said offset mandrel having a longitudinal groove in the upper end of said main bore, said groove terminating in a shoulder at the lower end thereof, said shoulder being spaced vertically above the open top of said pocket, and the centerlines of said main bore, said pocket and said groove lying in a common plane, an elongated well tool, and a plurality of elongated resilient spring members mounted on and spaced circumferentially around the upper end of said well tool, each of said spring members having a portion thereof projecting outwardly from the axis of said well tool and a free end projecting inwardly towards the upper end of said well tool, the distance between the outwardly projecting portions of diametrically opposed spring members being greater than the diameter of the main bore of said ofiset mandrel when said spring members are at rest, and the distance from the lower end of said well tool to the outwardly projecting spring member portions thereof being slightly less than the distance from the top of said pocket to the bottom of said groove.

3. Apparatus of the character describe/.1 comprising an elongated offset mandrel adapted to be connected in a tubing string and having a vertical main bore therethrough, means forming an open-topped well tool receiving pocket within said offset mandrel and laterally offset from said main bore, said offset mandrel having a longitudinal groove in the upper end of said main bore, said groove terminating in a shoulder at the lower end thereof, said shoulder being spaced vertically above the open top of said pocket, and the centerlines of said main bore, said pocket and said groove lying in a common plane, the inner surface of said main bore being inclined downwardly and outwardly from the axis of said main bore at a point generally opposite to said shoulder to form a horizontally elliptical cross section of said bore immediately above said shoulder, an elongated well tool, and a plurality of elongated resilient spring members each mounted at one end on said well tool and extending generally longitudinally therealong, said spring members being spaced circumferentially around the upper end of said well tool, each of said spring members having a portion thereof projecting outwardly from the axis of said well tool and a free end projecting inwardly towards the upper end of said well tool, the distance between the outwardly projecting portions of diametrically opposed spring members being greater than the diameter of the main bore of said offset mandrel when said spring members are at rest, and the distance from the lower end of said well tool to the outwardly projecting spring member portions thereof being slightly less than the distance from the top of said pocket to the bottom of said groove.

4. Apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated offset mandrel adapted to be connected in a tubing string and having a Vertical main bore therethrough, means forming an open-topped well tool receiving pocket within said offset mandrel and laterally ofiset from said main bore, said ofiset mandrel having a longitudinal groove in the upper end of said main bore, said groove terminating in a shoulder at the lower end thereof, said shoulder being spaced vertically above the open top of said pocket, and the centerlines of said main bore, said pocket and said groove lying in a com mon plane, the inner surface of said main bore being inclined downwardly and outwardly from the axis of said main bore at a point generally opposite to said shoulder to form a horizontally elliptical cross section of said bore immediately above said shoulder, a well tool comprising an elongated mandrel, a spring carrier mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on the upper end of said tool mandrel between first and second positions relative thereto, a plurality of elongated resilient spring members mounted on and spaced circumferentially around said spring carrier, each of said spring members having a portion thereof projecting outwardly from the axis of said tool mandrel, the distance between the outwardly projecting portions of diametrically opposed spring members being greater than the diameter of the main bore of said offset mandrel when said spring members are at rest, first and second annular grooves formed around said tool mandrel, and a pin mounted on each of said spring members for unitary movement therewith, said pins being receivable within said first groove when said spring carrier is in its first position and said spring members are compressed by said main bore and being receivable within said second groove when said spring carrier is in its second position and said spring members are compressed by said main bore, said pins being free from said first and second grooves when said spring members are uncompressed by said main bore, the distance from the lower end of said tool to the outwardly projecting spring member portions being greater than the distance from the bottom of said offset mandrel groove to the open top of the offset pocket when said spring carrier isv in its first position and being less when said spring carrier is in its second position.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated ofiset mandrel adapted to be connected in a tubing string and having a vertical main bore therethrough, means forming an open-topped well tool receiving pocket within said offset mandrel and laterally offset from said main bore, said offset mandrel having a longitudinal groove in the upper end of said main bore, said groove terminating in a shoulder at the lower end thereof, said shoulder being spaced vertically above the open top .of said pocket, and the centerlines of said main bore, said pocket and said groove lying in a common plane, the inner surface of said main bore being inclined downwardly and outwardly from the axis of said main bore at a point generally opposite to said shoulder to form a horizontally elliptical cross section of said bore immediately above said shoulder, a pulling tool for removing a well tool from said offset mandrel pocket comprising an elongated mandrel, means on the lower end of said pulling tool mandrel for engaging the upper end of said well tool, a spring carrier mounted for longi-' tudinal sliding movement on the upper end of said pulling tool mandrel between first and second positions relative thereto, a plurality of elongated resilient spring members mounted on and spaced circumferentially around said spring carrier, each of said spring members having a portion thereof projecting outwardly from the axis of said pulling tool mandrel, the distance between the outwardly projecting portions of diametrically opposed spring members being greater than the diameter of the main bore of said offset mandrel when said spring members are at rest, and means carried by said spring carrier for locking said spring carrier against longitudinal movement relative to said pulling tool mandrel when said spring members are compressed by said offset mandrel main bore and for unlocking said spring carrier for longitudinal movement relative to said pulling tool mandrel and said spring members are uncompressed by said main bore, the distance from the lower end of said pulling tool to the outwardly projecting spring member portions being greater than the distance. from the bot tom of said offset mandrel groove to the upper end of said well tool in the offset pocket when said spring carrier is in its first position and being less when said spring carrier is in its second position.

6. Apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated offset mandrel adapted to be connected in a tubing string and having a vertical main bore therethrough, means forming an open-topped well tool receiving pocket within said offset mandrel and laterally offset from said main bore, said olfset mandrel having a longitudinal groove in the upper end of said main bore, said groove terminating in a shoulder at the lower end thereof, said shoulder being spaced vertically above the open top of said pocket, and the centerlines of said main bore, said pocket and said groove lying in a common plane, the inner surface of said main bore being inclined downwardly and outwardly from the axis of said mainbore at a point generally opposite to said shoulder to form a horizontally elliptical cross section of said bore immediately above said shoulder, a pulling tool for removing a well tool from said ofifset mandrel pocket comprising an elongated mandrel, means on the lower end of said pulling tool mandrel for engaging the upper end of said well tool, a spring carrier mounted. for longitudinal sliding movement on the upper end of said pulling tool mandrel between first and second positions relative thereto, a plurality of elongated resilient spring members mounted on and spaced circumferentially around said spring carrier, each of said spring members having a portion thereof projecting outwardly from the axis of said pulling tool mandrel and a free end projecting inwardly towards the upper end of said pulling tool mandrel, the distance between the outwardly projecting portions of diametrically opposed spring members being greater than the diameter of the main bore of said ofiset mandrel when said spring members are at rest, first and second annular grooves formed around said pulling tool mandrel, and a pin mounted on each of said spring mem bers for unitary movement therewith, said pins being receivable within said first groove when said spring carrier is in its first position and said spring members are compressed by said main bore and being receivable within said second groove when said spring carrier is in its second position and said spring members are compressed by said main bore, said pins being free from said first and second grooves when said spring members are uncompressed by said main bore, the distance from the lower end of said pulling tool to the outwardly projecting spring member portions being greater than the distance from the bottom of said oifset mandrel groove to the upper end of said well tool in the offset pocket when said spring carrier is in its first position and being less when said spring carrier is in its second position.

7. Apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated offset mandrel adapted to be connected in a tubing string and having a vertical main bore there through, means forming an open-topped well tool receiving pocket within said offset mandrel and laterally offset from said main bore, said offset mandrel having a longitudinal groove in the upper end of said main bore, said groove terminating in a shoulder at the lower end thereof, said shoulder being spaced vertically above the open top of said pocket, and the centerlines of said main bore, said pocket and said groove lying in a common plane, the inner surface of said main bore being inclined downwardly and outwardly from the axis of said main bore at a point generally opposite to said shoulder to form a horizontally elliptical cross section of said bore immediately above said shoulder, a pulling tool for removing a well tool from said oiTset mandrel pocket comprising an elongated mandrel, means on the 10W?! cndof said pullingtool mandrelfor engagingthe upper end of said well tool, a spring carrier mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on the upper end of said pulling tool mandrel between first and second positions relative thereto, a plurality of elongated resilient spring members each mounted at one end on said spring carrier andextending, generally longitudinally upwardly along said pulling tool mandrel, said spring members being spaced circumferentially around said spring carrier, each of said spring members having a portion thereof projecting outwardly from the axis of said pulling tool mandrel and a free end projecting inwardly towards the upper end of said pulling tool mandrel, the distance between the outwardly projecting portions of diametrically opposed spring members being greater than the diameter of the main bore of said ofisetmandrel when said spring members are at rest, first and second annular grooves formed around said pulling tool mandrel, and a pin mounted on each of said spring members for unitary movement therewith, said pins being receivable within said first groove when said spring carrier is in its first position and said spring members are compressed by said main bore and being receivable within said'second groove when said spring carrier is in its second position and said spring members are compressed by said main bore, said pins being free from said first and second grooves when said spring members are uncompressed by said main bore, the distance from the lower end of said pulling tool to the outwardly projecting spring member portions being greater than the distance from the bottom of said offset mandrel groove to the upper end of said well tool in the offset pocket when said spring carrier is in its first position and being less when said spring carrier is in its second position.

8. Apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated offset mandrel adapted to be connected in a tubing string and having a vertical main bore therethrough, and means forming an open-topped Well tool receiving pocket within said offset mandrel and laterally offset from said main bore, said offset mandrel having a longitudinal groove in the upper end of Said main bore, said groove terminating in a shoulder at the lower end thereof, said shoulder being spaced vertically above the open top of said pocket, and the centerlines of said main bore, said pocket and said groove lying in a common plane.

9. A well tool comprising an elongated mandrel, means on the lower end of said mandrel for engaging the upper end of a well tool, a spring carrier mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on the upper end of said mandrel between first and second positions relative thereto, a plurality of elongated resilient spring members mounted on and spaced cireumferentially around said spring carrier, each of said spring members having a portion thereof projecting outwardly from the axis of said mandrel and a free end projecting inwardly towards the upper end of said mandrel, the distance between the outwardly projecting portions of diametrically opposed spring members being greater than the diameter of said mandrel when said spring members are at rest, first and second annular grooves formed around said mandrel, and a pin mounted on each of said spring members for unitary movement therewith, said pins being receivable within said first groove when said spring carrier is in its first position and said spring members are compressed toward the axis of said mandrel and being receivable within said second groove when said spring carrier is in its second position and said spring members are compressed, said pins being free from said first and second grooves when said spring members are at rest.

10. A well tool comprising an elongated mandrel, means on the lower end of said mandrel for engaging the upper end of a well tool, a spring carrier mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on the upper end of said mandrel between first and second positions relative thereto, a plurality of elongated ,resilient. spring members mounted on and spaced circumferenti-ally around said spring carrier, each of said spring members having a portion thereof projecting outwardly from the axis of said mandrel, the distance between the outwardly projecting portions of diametrically opposed spring members being greater than the diameter of said mandrel when said spring members are at rest, and means for locking said spring carrier against longitudinal movement relative to said mandrel when said spring members are compressed towards the for longitudinal movement relative to said mandrel when said spring members are at rest.

References Cited in the file of this patent axis of said mandrel and for unlocking said spring carrier 10 2,856,008

UNITED STATES PATENTS Wagner Feb. 9, 1943 McGowen et a1 June 1, 1954 Bryan Apr. 1, 1958 Spencer Oct. 14, 1958

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