US3581820A

US3581820A - Port collar

Info

Publication number: US3581820A
Application number: US829042A
Authority: US
Inventors: Erwin Burns
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: BURNS
Priority date: 1969-05-29
Filing date: 1969-05-29
Publication date: 1971-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 1988-06-01

Abstract

A port collar having a tubular body with a lateral outer port, a valve sleeve rotatable within the body and having a blind side normally overlying the outer port, and an inner port normally spaced circumferentially from the outer port and shiftable into and out of register therewith and sealing means including an Oring groove in the blind side of the sleeve normally occurring in spaced relationship about the outer port and an O-ring seal in the groove and sealing with and between the sleeve and the body.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Erwin Burns c/o Burns Tool Co., 8346 Salt Lake Ave., Bell, Calif. 90201 [21] Appl. No. 829,042 [22] Filed May 29, 1969 [45] Patented June 1,1971

[54] PORT COLLAR 8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 166/226, 251/317 [51] Int. Cl E2lb33/l0, Fl 6k 5/18 [50] Field of Search 166/226, 128,224; l37/625.l7;25l/316, 317

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,510,514 6/1950 Mueller 251/317X 2,844,353 7/1958 Gurries 25 l/317X 2,852,226 9/1958 Wheatley 251/317X 2,907,391 10/1959 166/224 2,943,838 7/1960 251/317 2,970,805 2/ l 961 Pool 25l/317X 3,433,301 3/1969 McEver 166/128 Primary Examiner-David H. Brown Attorney-Georges A. Maxwell ABSTRACT: A port collar having a tubular body with a lateral PORT COLLAR This invention relates to a well tool and is more particularly concerned with an improved port collar.

It is common practice in the course of drilling a well to circulate gravel or sand, or to bypass circulating fluid flowing within a fluid-handling string of tubing laterally through its side and to the exterior thereof, at a point intermediate the ends of said string of tubing. To facilitate such an operation, tools, commonly called port collars, are employed.

The ordinary port collar involves an elongate tubular body engaged between the opposing ends of adjacent stands of pipe, making up the fluid-handling string. The body is provided with a straight cylindrical bore and one or more radial ports. A straight cylindrical valve sleeve having one or more radial ports is slidably engaged in the bore in the body and is provided with tool-engaging parts to facilitate rotating the sleeve in the body to shift the ports therein into and out of engagement with the ports in the body.

Suitable means is provided to prevent axial shifting and displacement of the sleeve in the body.

A suitable tubular operating string, through which a suitable fluid medium, such as sand-or graveI-ladened drilling fluid, can be conducted and which is provided with a setting tool to engage the tool-engaging parts on the sleeve of the port collar, is provided to operate the collar and handle said medium. The operating string is lowered into the tubing string in which the port collar is engaged to a point where the setting tool engages the tool-engaging parts on the sleeve, whereupon the ports in the sleeves can be shifted into and out of register with'the ports in the body, as circumstances require.

To assure proper functioning of the ordinary port collar, suitable working clearance must be provided between the sleeve and the body, which clearance establishes an annulus with which the ports in the body and sleeve communicate when said ports are in alignment or circumferentially spaced and out of alignment with each other. Such clearance requires the provision of suitable sealing means to stop the free flow and escape of fluid through the ports and said annulus.

The sealing means provided by the prior art consists of O- ring seals provided and arranged in radially outwardly opening annular grooves in the sleeve about the ports therein to seal with the bore in the body or a reverse arrangement wherein O- ring seals are arranged in radially inwardly opening grooves in the bore of the body about the ports therein to seal with the exterior of the sleeve. Such arrangements of seals is not desirable and has met with limited success due to the fact that the O- ring seals are in close proximity about the perimeters of the ports in the sleeve member or body member in which they are carried and are exposed in the ports in the other member when the ports in the members are being shifted into and out of register and during that period of time when the ports are in partial register. As a result of the above, when the ports are in partial register and the O-rings are exposed, the flow of fluid through the ports is extremely turbulent and tends to, and frequently does, lift or wash the exposed portions of the rings out of the grooves and in such a manner that, upon further or continued relative shifting of the ports, the O-rings are sheared between the members and rendered useless.

In an effort to overcome the above-noted problem, extremely hard and stiff O-rings are employed. Such rings are less'apt to be washed out of their grooves, but they are less effective and dependable, and the resulting constructions can be best described as being established to strike a compromise between the problem of the seals washing out and functioning effectively to seal.

Another shortcoming to be found in the above-noted practices of the prior art resides in the fact that establishing O-ring grooves in the members about the ports therein tends to weaken the member by the removal of stock about that portions of the member which are already weakened by the ports.

Further, the establishment of sealing grooves and the removal about the ports renders the constructions more susceptible to being rendered inoperative by erosion and the cutting away of stock by the fluids being handled.

Due to the close proximity of the grooves to and about the ports, little erosion and cutting away of stock by fluid flowing through the ports results in intersecting the grooves and resulting failure of the constructions.

In addition to the above-noted sealing means, the prior art also provides sealing means about the opposite ends of the sleeves to seal with the bore and to thereby seal off the upper and lower ends of the annulus. These upper and lower annular seals are intended to prevent the entry of solids, carried by the fluids, into the annulus and resulting sanding up or freezing of the sleeve in the body. In point of fact, it has been found that such seals do not effectively prevent the passage and the collecting of solids in the annulus and that they tend to trap and retain solids in the annulus to the end that they aggrevate rather than eliminate the problem they are intended to correct.

An object of the invention is to provide a port collar of the general character referred to above wherein O-ring seals are arranged in grooves in the exterior of the sleeve, in imperforate or blind sides of the sleeve, circumferentially offset and remote from the ports therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide a structure of the character referred to wherein the O-ring seals carried by the sleeve seal about the ports in the body when the ports in the sleeve and the body are out of register with each other and are so arranged circumferentially of said port that the O-rings are never exposed in the ports in the body when the ports in the body and sleeve are in communication with each other whereby the O-rings are never exposed to the flow of fluids through the ports and cannot be displaced or adversely affected thereby.

It is an object and feature of my invention to establish 0- ring grooves in the sleeve remote from the ports in the sleeve whereby the strength of the sleeve is not weakened about the ports and whereby the grooves are not subject to being intersected and the construction rendered inoperative by the erosion or cutting away of stock about the perimeter of the ports.

It is an-object of the invention to provide a port collar of the character referred to wherein the upper and lower ends of the annulus between the sleeve and body are open and unsealed whereby solids whichflow or migrate into said annulus are free to flow, migrate or be urged out of said annulus open operation of the tool and so that the tool will not freeze or sand up.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a port collar of the character referred to wherein the annulus is open at its ends and so that when the ports are shifted to and from their registered and unregistered positions and fluid is free to enter the annulus through the ports,.the fluid is free to flow axially in said annulus and from the unsealed ends thereof and is not caused to flow circumferentiallyin the annulus between the unregistering ports.

Another object and feature of my invention is to provide a structure of the character referred to wherein the sleeve is provided with and carries circumferentially spaced, axially extending radially outwardly projecting wiper bars between the O-rings and O-ring grooves, which bars wipe the bore in advance of the O-rings when the structure is operated, to displace abrasive solids from the paths of the O-rings, displace solids from the annulus, and impede circumferential flow of fluids in the annulus.

It is an object of my invention to provide a structure of the character referred to which eliminates two seals commonly provided in other structures of the same type or order; a structure which is such that thecharacter and resulting effectiveness of the O-rings need not be compromised to prevent their displacement; and a structure which is comparable with or supen'or to port collars of a similar type in all respects;

The foregoing objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elongate, sectional view of a well structure with my new port collar related thereto;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the structure shown in FIG. 1, with certain parts thereof in different positions',

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 3-3 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing parts in another position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 5-5 on FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 6-6 on FIG. 4', and,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a modified form of the invention.

The port collar A that I provide is adapted to be engaged with the opposing ends of adjacent stands of pipe 10 and ll in a string S of fluid-handling pipe, such as a string of drill pipe, a well liner, or string of production tubing. The string S can, as illustrated, extend freely into a well bore, or can extend through another and larger string of pipe or tubing extending into the well.

The port collar A includes, generally, a ported body B and a ported valve sleeve V within the body.

The body B is an elongate vertically extending unit comprising elongate, axially aligned upper and lower sections and 2!. The upper section 20 is a tubular part having a central flow passage 22, an internally threaded socket or box 23 entering its upper end in which the lower end of the end of the adjacent stand 10 of pipe is engaged and an enlarged bore 24 entering its lower end and terminating in the upper formation of said section to define a downwardly disposed annular shoulder 25.

In addition to the above, section 20 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending and radially inwardly and outwardly opening ports 26 communicating with the bore 24 and, in the case illustrated, is provided with radially outwardly and downwardly opening fluid conducting channels 27 in its exterior surface and extending downwardly from the ports 26.

The lower section 21 is a simple straight, cylindrical tubular port corresponding in inside diameter with and defining a portion of the flow passage and corresponding in outside diameter with the bore 24. The upper end portion of the lower section 21 is slidably engaged in the lower end portion of the bore and is fixed to the section 20 with its upper end in spaced relationship below the upper shoulder to define a lower stop shoulder 28. The lower end of the section 21 depends from the upper section and is externally threaded to establish a pin 29, which pin is engaged in the upper end of the next lower stand of pipe 11.

In the case illustrated l have shown the body provided with two diametrically opposite ports 26. In practice, a single port or a larger number of ports than is shown can be provided without departing from the spirit of this invention.

The valving sleeve V is a simple, straight, cylindrical sleeve corresponding generally in outside diameter with the diameter of the bore 24 and corresponding generally in inside diameter with the flow passage 22. The sleeve V corresponds generally in longitudinal or vertical extent with the distance between the

shoulder

25 and 28 and is rotatably engaged in the bore 24 with its upper and lower ends 30 and 3] in opposing relationship with the

shoulders

25 and 28 and in running clearance therewith.

The sleeve V is provided with two radially extending and radially inwardly and outwardly opening ports 32 at diametrically opposite sides. The ports 32 are the same size as the ports 26 and are spaced or positioned axially of the construction in the same radial plane as the ports 26 and so that upon rotation of the sleeve relative to the body, the

ports

26 and 32 can be shifted into an out of register with each other.

The sleeve V is further provided with a plurality of radially inwardly opening, circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending operating tool engaging channels 33 and a horizontal, circumferentially extending and radially inwardly and outwardly opening stop means slot 34 spaced axially from the plane in which the ports occur.

The slot 34 slidably receives a radially inwardly projecting stop pin 35 carried by the body and is of predetermined circumferential extent and is arranged or positioned relative to the ports so that when the sleeve is rotated in one direction and rotation is stopped by the pin 34, the

ports

26 and 32 are in register and when the sleeve is rotated in the opposite direction and stopped by the pin, the ports are out of register.

In the case illustrated, since there are two diametrically opposed sets of ports, the slot 34 is such that it permits rotation of the sleeve relative to the body.

Finally, the port collar and particularly the sleeve is provided with sealing means M to effectively seal the flow offluid into and out of the construction, through the ports 26 in the body when the construction is in its closed position, that is, when the

ports

26 and 32 are out of register.

It is to be noted that the sealing means only functions to effect a seal when the construction is in its closed position and that no effort and no means is provided to establish seals when the construction is in its open position.

The sealing means M includes circumferentially spaced, radially outwardly opening, annular O-ring grooves 40 in the outer surface of the sleeve, in the blind sides thereof, that is, in those sides of the sleeve that overlie the ports 32 in the body when the construction is in its closed position.

In the case illustrated, the grooves 40 are on axes spaced 90 from the axes of the ports 32 in the sleeve.

The grooves are considerably larger in inside diameter than the diameters of the

ports

26 and 32 and their axes occur on a common radial plane with the axes of the ports, whereby said grooves occur in radial spaced relationship about the ports 26 in the body when the construction is in its open position.

Arranged within each groove 40 is a sealing O-ring 41 which project a predetermined distance outwardly from its groove and establishes sliding sealing engagement with the bore 24 in the body.

With the relationship of parts set forth above, it will be apparent that when the port collar is in its closed position and the blind sides of the sleeve overlie the ports 26 in the body, the O-ring seals occur about the ports and the flow of fluid into and out of the port collar, through the ports 26, is effectively stopped or prevented.

It is to be noted that the seal thus effected does not seal or prevent the entry of fluid into the space or annulus between the sleeve and bore of the body, through the ports 32 and from the upper and lower unsealed ends of the sleeve. Rather, fluids are free to flow into the noted annulus, to and about the exterior of the o-ring seals.

As a result of the above-noted free entry of fluids into the noted annulus, equal and opposite free flow of fluid from said annulus is possible, with the result that no means is provided that will tend to trap fluids, and solids carried thereby, in said annulus and cause sanding up and freezing of the construction.

Further, as a result of the noted free entry of fluids in said annulus, the O-rings are subjected to hydraulic pressure from within the construction and about their exteriors which pressures cause the O-rings to flow and set as O-rings are designed to flow and set, and to thereby effect a positive and dependable seal.

In the art of O-ring seals, such seals when properly employed seal when subjected to hydraulic pressures which cause the rings to flow in a predetermined manner in and between their receiving grooves and their opposing sealing surfaces. Such sealing rings are not properly employed and do not establish that effective sealing action for which they are intended when subjected to mechanical pressures alone.

In light of the above, the absences of seals at the upper and lower ends of the annulus of the instant construction and which would prevent the application ofintemal fluid pressure on the sealing rings is significant.

When the construction is operated and the sleeve is rotated from its closed position to its open position the blind sides of the sleeve and the sealing means M carried thereby are moved by the ports 26, the body and the said sealing means are moved completely out of position around and out of exposure in said ports 26 before the ports 26. Accordingly, at no time are the sealing means exposed and subjected to the direct flow of fluids in and through the construction.

When the seal established by the sealing means about the ports 26 is interrupted upon rotating the sleeve and until com munication is established between the

ports

26 and 32, a

slight, but negligible flow or leakage may occur in the annulus and about andbetween the sleeve and body, but such flow is momentary, is restricted by the close tolerances between the sleeve and body and is spread out or disbursed between the opposing surfaces to such an extent that it can have no detrimental or adverse effects on the sealing means. Instead, such leakage canonly have the effect of moving and flushing out any solids or foreign matter than might have previously collected in the annulus.

In practice, if desired and as illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawing, wiping means W can be carried by the sleeve V to wipe the bore 24'-when the structure is operated between its open and closed positions and to effectively displace solids and foreign matter in the path of the sealing means and which might adversely effect the O-ring 41 The wiper means W is shown as including radially outwardly opening longitudinally extending channels 50 in the exterior of the sleeve between the sealing means M and the ports 32' and wiper bars 51 engaged in the channels and projecting therefrom to establish wiping bearing engagement on the bore 24'. The bars 51 can be relatively stiff rubber barlike inserts, rectangular in. cross section and such that they effect a squeegee action and displace foreign matter in their path.

In addition to clearing the bore 24' in the path of the 0- rings, the bars 51 also serve to prevent the flow of fluids circumferentially between

theports

26 and 32 when the construction is being operated and direct any such flow axially of the sleeve, thereby assuring a wide distribution of any and all flow that might occur in the annulus and prevent the establishment of a flow course that might erode or cut into the surface of the bore or the exterior surface of the sleeve.

With the construction set forth above, it will be apparent that the port collar that I provide, communication between the interior and exterior of the string S, in which the port collar is engaged, can be effectively established as desired and as circumstances require.

To effect operation or opening and closing of the port collar, a suitable setting tool T, engaged on a rotary run in string R is provided. The tool T is provided with means to enter and establish rotary driving engagement in the channels or grooves 33 provided in the interior of the sleeve C and so that when said means are engaged in the grooves, the sleeve can be rotated by rotation of the string R.

In the case illustrated, the string R is shown as a string of small diameter fluid conducting tubing and the tool T is shown as including an elongate fluid conducting body 60 fixed to the lower end of the's'tring R. The tool body is provided with vertically spaced upper and lower sets of packing

cups

61 and 62 to seal with and between the body 60 and the interior of the string S of tubing. The body is of sufficient length and the sets of cups 6l and 62 are spaced apart sufficiently to seal in the string S above and below the port collar.

The body 60 of the tool T is provided with a block 63 intermediate the sets of cups, which block carries a plurality of circumferentially spaced, elongate, axially extending and radially outwardly projecting spring-loaded keys 64. The keys 64 are equal in number and in circumferential spacing with the grooves 33 in the sleeve V and are slightly less in lateral and longitudinal extent than said grooves.

The keys manually establish yielding sliding bearing engagement on the exterior of the string S and shift radially outwardly into driving engagement in the grooves 33 of the sleeve when the tool T is loweredlinto the string S and the port collar and rotated to effect registering of said grooves and keys.

It will be apparent that when the tool T engages the sleeve V in the manner set forth Z/FOVC, rotation of the sleeve to effect opening on a closing of the port collar can be accomplished by rotating the string G.

The body of the tool T is provided with radial flow ports between the sets of packers and the block so that fluid conducted downwardly'through the string R is conducted into the annulus between the sets of packer cups and between the body 60 and the interior of the string S and port collar for subsequent discharge through the ports in said port collar when said port collar is open.

In practice, the tool T can vary widely in form and construction and the particular construction shown and described above is for the purpose of illustration only.

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any modifications and/or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art.

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A port collar of the character referred to comprising an elongate, cylindrical vertically extending tubular body with means at its upper and lower ends to connect with adjacent ends of sections ofa string ofpipe, said body having a radially opening outer port intermediate its ends, an elongate, cylindrical, vertically extending fluid-conducting valve sleeve concentric with and rotatably engaged in and carried by the body for free relative rotation and having a blind side normally overlying the port in the body and having a radially opening inner port spaced circumferentially from said blind side, said sleeve being rotatable to shift said blind side circumferentially from engagement over said outer port and to shift said inner port into register with said outer port and sealing means to manually seal between the sleeve and body about said outer port and including an annular, radially outwardly opening groove in the blind side of the sleeve and and O-ring seal in the groove and scaling in and between said groove and the body.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is provided with an enlarged bore intermediate its ends and defining upper and lower stop shoulders, said sleeve corresponding in longitudinal and outside diametric extent with said bore and arranged in said bore between the said shoulders.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 1 including stop means to stop rotation of the sleevein said normal closed position and in its open position, said means including a circumferentially extending stop slot in the sleeve and a stop pin carried by the body and projecting into the slot.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is provided with an enlarged bore intermediate its ends and defining upper and lower stop shoulders, said sleeve corresponding in longitudinal and outside diametric extent with said bore and arranged in said bore between the said shoulders, including stop means to stop rotation of the sleeve in said normal closed position and in its open position, said means including a circumferentially extending stop slot in the sleeve and a stop pin carried by the body and projecting into the slot.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 1 including wiping means to wipe the interior of the body in advance of said sealing means when said sleeve is rotated, said wiping means including a radially outwardly opening, axially extending channel in the sleeve to occur between the outer port and thesealing means when the inner and outer ports are in register and an elongate wiper bar in the channel and projecting therefrom and establishing wiping engagement with the body.

6. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body provided with an enlarged bore intermediate its ends and defining upper lower stop shoulders, said sleeve correspondingin longitudinal and outside diametric extent with said bore and arranged in said bore between the said shoulders, wiping means to wipe the bore of the body in the path of said sealing means when said sleeve is rotated, said wiping means including a radially outwardly opening, axially extending channel in the sleeve between the outer port and the sealing means when the inner and outer ports are in register and an elongate wiper bar in the channel and projecting therefrom and establishing wiping engagement with the bore.

7. A structure as set forth in claim 1 including stop means to stop rotation of the sleeve in said normal closed position and in its open position, said means including a circumferentially extending stop slot in the sleeve and a stop pin carried by the body and projecting into the slot, said structure further including wiping means to wipe the interior of the body in the path of said sealing means when said sleeve is rotated, said wiping means including a radially outwardly opening, axially extending channel in the sleeve between the outer port and the sealing means when the inner and outer ports are in register and an elongate wiper bar in the channel and projecting therefrom and establishing wiping engagement with the body.

8. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is provided with an enlarged bore intermediate its ends and defining upper and lower stop shoulders, said sleeve corresponding in longitudinal and outside diametric extent with said bore and arranged in said bore between the said shoulders, including stop means to stop rotation of the sleeve in said normal closed position and in its open position, said means including a circumferentially extending stop slot in the sleeve and a stop pin carried by the body and projecting into the slot, said structure including wiping means to wipe the bore of the body in the path of said sealing means when said sleeve is rotated, said wiping means including a radially outwardly opening, axially extending channel in the sleeve between the outer port and the sealing means when the inner and outer ports are in register and an elongate wiper bar in the channel and projecting therefrom and establishing wiping engagement with the bore.

Claims

1. A port collar of the character referred to comprising an elongate, cylindrical vertically extending tubular body with means at its upper and lower ends to connect with adjacent ends of sections of a string of pipe, said body having a radially opening outer port intermediate its ends, an elongate, cylindrical, vertically extending fluid-conducting valve sleeve concentric with and rotatably engaged in and carried by the body for free relative rotation and having a blind side normally overlying the port in the body and having a radially opening inner port spaced circumFerentially from said blind side, said sleeve being rotatable to shift said blind side circumferentially from engagement over said outer port and to shift said inner port into register with said outer port and sealing means to manually seal between the sleeve and body about said outer port and including an annular, radially outwardly opening groove in the blind side of the sleeve and and O-ring seal in the groove and sealing in and between said groove and the body.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 1 including stop means to stop rotation of the sleeve in said normal closed position and in its open position, said means including a circumferentially extending stop slot in the sleeve and a stop pin carried by the body and projecting into the slot.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 1 including wiping means to wipe the interior of the body in advance of said sealing means when said sleeve is rotated, said wiping means including a radially outwardly opening, axially extending channel in the sleeve to occur between the outer port and the sealing means when the inner and outer ports are in register and an elongate wiper bar in the channel and projecting therefrom and establishing wiping engagement with the body.

6. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body provided with an enlarged bore intermediate its ends and defining upper lower stop shoulders, said sleeve corresponding in longitudinal and outside diametric extent with said bore and arranged in said bore between the said shoulders, wiping means to wipe the bore of the body in the path of said sealing means when said sleeve is rotated, said wiping means including a radially outwardly opening, axially extending channel in the sleeve between the outer port and the sealing means when the inner and outer ports are in register and an elongate wiper bar in the channel and projecting therefrom and establishing wiping engagement with the bore.