US3173486A - Apparatus for gravel packing wells - Google Patents

Description

March 16, 1965 Filed Oct. 5, 1961 J. F. SMITH APPARATUS FOR GRAVEL PACKING WELLS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JOHN F. SMITH KENDRICK,SCHRAMM 8STOLZY ATTORN Y,

March 16, 1965 J. F. SMITH APPARATUS FOR GRAVEL PACKING WELLS Filed Oct.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN F. SMITH BYKENDRICK,SCHRAMM 8| STOLZY ATTORNEY.

March 16, 1965 J. F. sMrrH APPARATUS FOR GRAVEL PACKING WELLS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 3, 1961 INVENTOR. JOHN F. SMITH KENDRICK,SCHRAMM 8STOLZY ATTORzEY.

United States Patent() APPARA'IUS FR GRAVE-L PACKING WELLS .lohn F. Smitl1,4208 Country Club'lDrive, Bakersfield, Calif.

Filed Oct. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 142,595 1 Claim. (CL 16d-116) This invention relatesto the art of carrying out operations in `Wel-1 bores, and more particularly to a tool 'for use in awell- The present invention will have a scope of application largerl than that specifically described herein. For example, the invention may be useful in carryingout lacidizing, Waterinject-ion, or gasinjection operations in most any type of uid, such as a water or gas well, although the invention is not-'to be vlimited to such uses in these environments. However, the presentinvention has been found to'be especially usefl when employed in gravel packing and cementing oil wells.

In the past, it has been the practice to drill a well, lower casing into it, and cement the casing-in place. Following this procedure, a method of underreaming the hole belowthe` casing has been performed to provide a space bel-owthe casing larger in diameter than the inside diameter ofthe casing in order that gravel may be deposited in such a space. This underreamingoperation takes va. rather long length of time to perform and can be accomplished onlywith considerable difliculty.

The present invention overcomes the above described and other `disadvantages ofthe prior art by provid-ing an apparatus for-use in a method orf completing a well including the steps of lowering pipe `of-an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of' the well bore to a lirst depth therein, setting a packer in the space between the external surface of the p-ipe and the well bore at a seconddepthftherein above the rst depth to prevent iiow of fluid in the space fromy -a position on one side of the packer to a position on the other side thereof, and packingV gravel 'in'th'e space between the pipe in the well bore below the second depth. By the use of such a method, underreamingeismade unnecessary because cementing can be limited to the depth -of the packer and the space'belowfthe packer filled with gravel. Note will also' be taken' that gravel packing may` be conveniently performed prior in time to-cementing, the packer and the ygravel thusproviding a lower support for a column' of cement between the 'well' casing pipe and the well bore. One outstandingfeature of thepresent invention involves the use ofthe self-same tool Vnot only to set the packer, but also to perform an additional operation'suchasgravei packing or cementingor both of these additional operations.

According to another feature of the present invention-7 apacker assembly is provided including a'length of pipe, an inatabletoroidal-shapedflexible membrane fixed to the pipe therearound, Vthe pipehaving an -opening therethrough providing free and 'open communication between the interior-thereof andtheinterior of the membrane, and means'for providing avuid tight seal for the opening By using'a valveseat on the external surface of the easing pipe around 'theopening therein into the membrane, and a valve torest on the seat biased by aI spring in a direction to close the casing opening, the packer may be easily and quicklyiset by the use offexactly the same apparatus that is employed in gravel packing and cementing. T'hat is,

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means may be employed to directuid pumped into the upperend lof a pipe inside the'casingthrough the casing opening to inate' and expand th'epacker to seal oif the spaceV between thev casing' yandthe Vwell bore above the packer from 'the' space between the casing and the well bore belowit.

The above `described and other-advantages of the present invention will-be better understood from` the following description when considered in'connecti'on with the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings, which are `to be"regarded"`as mereily illustrative FIG: lis a broken side elevational View of'apparatus constructed in accordance Withthe 'present invention;

Fifi. 2` iswa longitudinal sectional view ltakenon the line 2 2 of the-apparatusshownl in FIG. l;

FIG; 3 is a longitudinall sectional view ofa sleeve employed -in a port collartaken on Ythe line 3 3 shown in FIG. 2g

FIG; 4 is a longitudinal sectional view Vof apparatus which Amay be employed inside astrin'g of casing'shown in FIGS. 1 and'2 inl accordance'lwith the invention, the casing -and Well bore in F-IG. 4' being illustrated diagramatically;

FIG: 5 isa sectional view taken'on the line 5 5 of 'the apparatus shown in FIG.' 4;

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are transverse sectional views of the tool-taken on the' lines 6 6, 7 7, 8 8`and 9 9 respectively shown in IFIGr. 5;

FIG; 10 is alongitudina'l sectional view taken on the line10 1tl"of the toolshown in' FIG. 5;'

FIG; ll'is a'side elevationalview of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4 in a different positioninside a string ofcasing-illlustrated 'schematically therein; and

FIG; 12' is a'sidel elevational" View of the' apparatus shown Vin FlG; 4 in still vanother anddiiferent position inside a string of ycasing `shown diagramatioally therein.

Some of thei apparatus of the present invention is illustrated'in'FIG.' l-including` a derrick lihaving means thereonE including a'kelly 11tol raise and lower a pipe 12 downwardly inside astring'ofcasing 13er' raising it outward-ly therefrom. A mud pump 11i-2l is also shown in FIG. l for circulating a fluid downwardly through pipe 12 and receiving a return ofthe same,A if'the samev does return, outwardly fromltherspace at theto'p of the' string of casingl between that string and the pipe 12S At-theflowerend -of-the string ofcasing 13, valves 15 :are shown which cover upperopenings 16` through th'e wall ofcasing 13, asshownin FIG: 2, valves 15'being biasedfto'their closedpositions by leaf springs A17. Four valves 15, four open-ings 16-'and four'springs 17"-are employed, only three 'valves 15 being-indicated in FIG. 1 due to the view taken. The valves-15 are located 90" apart :around the circumferenceof casing 413.l

Abag packerV 1S is providedlaronnd the circumference of cas-ing 13 below valves 15 asshown in FIG. l.

CasingIB-Lalsoincludesa port collar 19 which `is provided with openings Zdtherethrough which may-be opened andfclosedbyrotatio-n'offasleeve 21sh`own in FIG. 2; The lower-end of casing I3 includes a section-ofpipe 22 which is threaded onto-the lowerend of port collar 19; the lower endY of pipe section Z2 being covered with a screen 23. Screen 23 may'be, for example, an 80-mesh Wire screen.

As shown in FIG. 2, bag packer 18 may include a flexible or elastic membrane 24. Membrane 24 is shown in a deilated condition in FIG. 2, but may be inflated to the dotted line position indicated at 24 in FIG. 4 to a toroidal-shape by introducing iluid under pressure through an intermediate opening 25 through the wall of casing 13. The upper rim of membrane 24 is retained between a tlange 26 and the upper end 27 of a pipe section 28 threaded onto a pipe section 29 of casing 13. The upper rim of membrane 24 may be provided with metal rings 30 bonded to opposite sides thereof.

The lower rim of membrane 24 is retained between a ange 31 on pipe section 28 and the upper end 32 of a pipe section 33 of casing 13 threaded onto pipe section 28. Membrane 24 may be provided with rings 34 on opposite sides of the lower rim thereof identical to rings 30. As shown in FIG. 2, opening 25 is provided with a valve 35 to control the flow of Huid therethrough. Valve 35 is biased by a leaf spring 36 to keep opening 25 closed unless the pressure in casing 13 thereat exceeds the pressure between the casing 13 and membrane 24.

Also, as shown in FIG. 2, port collar 19 comprises a body portion 37 threaded onto pipe section 33 in which sleeve 21 is rotatable. A slot 38 is provided in sleeve 21 in which a pin 39 fixed with body 37 slides to limit rotational movement of sleeve 21 inside body 37 to a predetermined angle. In the position shown, openings 40 in sleeve 21 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 lie in registry with openings 20, whereby fluid inside casing 13 may pass outwardly of lower openings 20 therein. When sleeve 21 is rotated to its limit of travel in a right hand direction as viewed from the top of the well which has a bore indicated at 41 in FIG. l, openings 40 will not lie in register with any portion of openings 2t) shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and iluid flow into or out of casing 13 through openings 20 from or into the bore 41 of the well will be prevented.

That apparatus shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 3 is only a portion of the apparatus of the present invention. In actual practice, an internal construction indicated generally at 42 in FIG. 4 is also employed inside casing 13, the control of which is effected by manipulation of pipe 12. The internal construction 42 was not illustrated in FIG. 2 for the sake of clarity. However, construction 42 is in fact employed inside casing 13 in the vicinity of those structures shown in FIG. 2. Casing 13 is indicated generally in FIGS. 4, 1l and 12. However, casing 13 is indicated only diagrammatically in FIGS. 4, l1 and 12 for the sake of clarity. In FIG. 4, openings 16 are indicated by breaks in casing 13 as well as openings 25 and 20. Note will be taken that all of the openings 16, 25 and 20 are provided with closure means at 15, 35 and 21. The structure of such closure means themselves and their open or closed states are not illustrated in any of FIGS. 4, 11 and 12 for clarity; however, the open or closed states of these closure means will be specically set out in the description to follow for each of the FIGS. 4, ll and l2 individually.

Construction 42 includes a tool joint 43 into which pipe 12 is threaded. A threaded pipe section 44 is connected from the bottom of tool joint 43 to a stinger 45 at the lower end of the construction 42. Pipe 44 is threaded only at its upper and lower ends and not at the center thereof. Upper and lower Guiberson cups 46 and 47 are held in fixed spaced positions on pipe 44 by means of assemblies 48 and 49. Assembly 43 includes a retaining ring 50 and a lock nut 51. Assembly 49 includes a retaining ring 52 and a lock nut 53. The upper end of pipe 44 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed ports or openings 54. Pipe 44 is also Provided with a pair of oppositely disposed openings 55 therethrough between cups 46 and 47 as shown in both FIGS. 4 and 5.

A mounting bracket 56 is xed with each side portion of pipe 44 between cups 46 in a position midway between ports or openings 55 around the circumference of pipe 44, a pawl 5'7 slidable in brackets 56 is also provided.

Although the direction of cups 46 and 47 are reversed in both FIGS. 4 and 5, assemblies 48 and 49 are otherwise identical. For this reason, a sectional view of only assembly 4S has been illustrated and will be described. Cup 46 is provided with a metal backing plate 58 bonded thereto between cup 46 and retaining ring 50. Pipe 44 is provided with a ilange 59. Cup 46 is thus retained effectively between nut 51 and flange 59. Shims may be employed between flange 59 and cup 46 to determine the axial position of cup 46 on pipe 44, one such shim 66 being shown in FIG. 5.

Substantially, all the structure shown in FIG. 4 is again shown in FIG. 5. However, ports 54 through opposite sides of pipe 44 are not shown in FIG. 5 because the sectional view of FIG. 5 is taken on the line 5-5 shown in FIG. 4 and a baille assembly 61 is employed inside pipe 44 between a position slightly above por-ts 54 to the position of a plate indicated at 62 to cover the only port 54 which otherwise could be seen in the view of FIG. 5.

Batlle assembly 61 includes a pair of angle irons 63 and 64 which are welded together tothe interior of pipe 44 to provide four separate longitudinal passageways from the position of plate 62 to a second plate 65. Angle irons 63 and 64 have their longitudinal edges located in four corresponding longitudinal slots 66 in the bore of pipe 44. Plate 65 is welded to the upper edges of both legs of each angle iron 63 and 64 as shown in FIG 6, whereby iluid pumped downwardly through pipe 12 will enter only the longitudinal passageways between the legs of angle irons 63 and 64 indicated generally at 67 in FIG. 6. Fluid entering passageways 67 cannot escape from these passageways except through ports 55 in pipe 44 because no opening is provided through angle irons 63 or 64 or through pipe 44 except at ports 55. Fluid ow in passageways 67 cannot continue past ports 55 because passageways 67 are closed by plate 62 of a construction identical to plate 65, but located at a position from that shown in FIG. 6. Fluid rising upwardly in pipe 44 can enter in a pair of oppositely disposed passageways 68 4as shown in FIG. 9, but the upper end of these passageways 68 are closed by plate 65. Ports 54 are located below plate 65 through the wall of pipe 44 into passageways 68. Hence, tluid can ow outwardly of ports 54 should the same rise to the position thereof to a position below plate 62, such circulation being through passageway 68.

As used hereinbefore, what is meant by the fact that plate 65 covers passageways 68 is that plate 65 is welded to the upper edges of both legs of each of the flanges 63 and 64 as well as to the bore of pipe 44. Similiary, plate 62 is welded to the lower edges of both legs of each of angle irons 63 and 64 as well as to the bore of pipe 44.

The fact that openings 54 provide free and open communication between the upper ends of passageways 68 and the exterior of pipe 44 is illustrated in FIG. 7. Similarly the fact that openings 55 permit free and open communication between passageways 67 and the exterior of pipe 44 is illustrated in FIG. 8.

In FIG. 10, it will be noted that pawls 57 are biased outwardly by means of a pair of springs 69 from inside brackets 56.

The operation of the apparatus of the present invention is perhaps best illustrated in FIGS. 4, l1 and l2. After the well is drilled to the depth of bore 41 shown in FIG. 1, casing 13 is lowered therein to the position shown. Pipe 12 with construction 42 attached is then lowered to the position shown in FIG. 4. In this position, fluid flow out of ports 55 is prevented from entering the space above cup 46 or below cup 47 by the uid tight fit thereof with the bore of casing 13, cups 46 and 47 being made of rubber. In the position shown in FIG. 4, construction 42 is employed to inflate membrane 24 by pumping circulation lluid thereinto to extend the same to the position 24 shown in FIG. 4. As this is being done, valve membrane 424.

maintain opening? ltclosed andsleeve 21' is rotated to a position such'v that-no' parto'f. openings 4llie in registry with yopenings 291i Thug-openings '`are closed. Circulation ffluid is pumped downwardlythrough pipe` 12. This fluid enters passageways 67 .and escapes from pipe 44 throughp'orts'552'l Fu'rthermovement-of this fluid in casing 13 isfipreve'nted by'cups 461 andf 47. Thus, this fluid is driven outwardly of opening 25, the forceof the fluid overcoming the'force ofspringand opening valve 35'; Theiluidpumpedthrough'opening 25' then enters the space betweencasing"13 and'membrane 24 and fills Membrane 24 thus isl expandedy to fthe position 24 shown in FIG. 4. The expansion of membrane to the position of 24 thus seais off the space between casing 13 and well bore 41 thereabove from the space between casing 13 and well bore 41 therebelow. When circulation fluid is no longer pumped downwardly through pipe 12, the preponderance of pressure between casing 13 and membrane 24 over the pressure inside casing 13 between cups 46 and 47 then closes valve 35 and the same remains closed throughout the other operations to be described hereinafter. It is to be noted that valve 35 is especially important to the extent that the same, in accordance with an outstanding feature of the present invention, should provide a fluid tight seal to prevent fluid between casing 13 and membrane 24 from flowing through opening back into the interior of casing 13. Any conventional type of valve 35 may be employed so long as it performs this function satisfactorily.

In accordance with the present invention, the next operating procedure is to lower pipe 12 to the position shown in FIG. 11 such that pawls 57 lie in an elongated slot 70 of openings 40 shown in FIG. 3. Pipe 12 is then turned until openings 40 in sleeve 21 lie in registry with openings 20. Sleeve 21 is in fact turned with pipe 12 because pawls 57 fall into slots 70. Pawls 57 can be removed from slots 70 in that lowering or raising of pipe 12 will cause pawls 57 to be placed inwardly of bracket S6.

After the foregoing preparations have been taken, well circulation fluid including gravel of a size larger than the meshes in screen 23 is pumped downwardly through pipe 12. This mixture enters passageway 67 and is pumped outwardly o-f ports 55 in the same manner that fluid for inflation of membrane 24 was circulated, as described previously. As before, cups 46 and 47 limit circulation of the gravel fluid mixture vertically in casing 13. The same therefore flows outwardly of openings 2t). Flow of the fluid gravel mixture upwardly between casing 13 and well bore 41 above packer 18 is prevented by the pressure fit thereof between casing 13 and well bore 41. The fluid gravel mixture thus fills the space below packer 18, the gravel and fluid mixture initially being drawn downwardly from ports 20 to the bottom o-f bore 41. In particular, this flow characteristic takes place because stinger 45 extends downwardly contiguous to the bottom of screen 23 and circulation fluid, after it exits ports 2@ as indicated by arrow 72, enters the open lower end of stinger 45 as indicated at arrows 73. Circulation uid then travels upwardly through stinger 45 and pipe 44. Circulation fluid in the lower end of pipe 44 then enters passageway 68 and is pumped upwardly and outwardly of ports 54 in the space between casing 13 and pipe 12 above cup 46, flow being indicated by arrows 74 in FIG. l1.

When the foregoing operations are carried out with the construction 42 positioned as shown in FIG. 11, openings 20 are thus open while openings 16 and 25 are closed.

After gravel indicated at 75 in FIG. 12 is packed up near packer 18, pipe 12 is manipulated at the top of the well to again cause pawls 57 to lie in slots 70 of sleeve 21. Openings '70 are then closed by rotation of pipe 12, the same causing rotation of sleeve 21 to a position such that no portion of openings 49 lie in registry with openings 20. Construction 42 is then moved to the position shown in FIG. 12. In the position shown in FIG. 12, construction'` `42-is employed `to direct' cement through openings 16? into the' space betweencasingl 'and-well bore 41 above packer 18 in the samev mannerthatcirculation fluidwasfpumped into-packer!l 18." Inparticular, openingsfZ-are closed aswell as openin-gsi25f. A'preponder'- ance of pressurebetween cups-46"and-f47inside casing-'16 opens valves 15 and fcement flows outwardly of l openings 16 A's before, cement-'reaches openings! 16 bybpum-ping thefsame'4 downwardly-in -pipe 12lthrough-passageways 67 and outwardly of i ports '55"iintof the 'space-f between pipe 441and @casing 13"1bfelow `cup l 46 vand above cup. 47;

From-1 the?V foregoing it will bel` appreciatedl 1 that A the prior art method of underreaming has been obviated in accordance with the present invention in that the well in which the apparatus of the invention is employed may be drilled of a substantially uniform bore throughout its length. In particular, the extent of cement in the well is limited to the depth of packer 18. The space below packer 18 can also be filled with gravel since circulation of the gravel fluid mixture introduced into space between well bore 41 and casing 13 out of openings 20 cannot rise in the bore 41 beyond the height of packer 1S therein. Note will also be taken that gravel packing may be conveniently performed in accordance with the present invention at a time prior to the time that cementing is performed. The packer 18, when filled with a circulation fluid and distended as indicated at 24 in FIG. 12 thus providing a lower support for cement pumped into the space between casing 13 and well bore 41 above packer 18 as indicated at arrow 76.

From the foregoing, it will also be noted that one outstanding feature of the present invention involves the use of the self-same casing 13 and construction 42 not only to set packer 18, but also to perform an additional operation such as gravel packing as illustrated in FIG. 1l or cementing as illustrated in FIG. l2 or both of these additional operations.

According to another feature of the invention, packer 18 with flexible or elastic membrane 24, opening 25, and valve 35 biased shut by leaf spring 36 can be easily and quickly set by exactly the same apparatus including the particular structure of casing 13 and construction 42 employed in gravel packing illustrated in FIG. ll and cementing as illustrated in FIG. 12.

Although only one specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, many changes and modifications thereof will of course suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. The invention is therefore not to be limited to the embodiment selected for the disclosure herein, the true scope of the invention being defined only in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

Well completion apparatus comprising: a string of casing, said casing having screen means covering its lower end; an inflatable toroidal-shaped elastic packer mounted on the external surface of said casing actuable to provide a fluid tight seal between the casing and the external surface of a well bore, said casing also having lower and upper openings therethrough respectively below and above said packer and an intermediate opening therethrough providing free and open communication between the interior of said casing and the interior of said packer, said casing also having means thereon actuable to open said intermediate and upper openings when the pressure thereat internally of said casing is greater than that externally thereof and to provide a fluid tight seal for said upper and intermediate openings when the pressure thereat inside said casing is less than that externally thereof, said casing also having a port collar for said lower opening; a pipe in said casing having fluidcontrol means at the lower end thereof, said fluid control means including means on said pipe to provide upper and lower fluid tight seals between said pipe and said casing respectively at correspondingly spaced upper and lower positions, said upper and lower positions being spaced a distance less '7 than the minimum vertical distance between any two of said upper, lower and intermediate openings, said pipe having a rst opening from the interior thereof to the exterior thereof between said spaced positions, said pipe also having means forming a rst passageway providing free and open communication from the interior of said pipe at the upper end thereof t0 said rst opening, said pipe also having a second opening therethrough above said upper fluid tight seal, said pipe also having means forming a second passageway separate and apart from said first passageway providing free and open communication from the interior of said pipe at the lower end References Cited in the lle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,641,915 Boynton Sept. 6, 1927 2,177,601 Smith Oct. 24, 1939 2,858,107 Colmerauer Oct. 28, 1958 2,905,245

De Priester Sept. 22, 1959

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