Rotatably releasable casing hanger and packing running apparatus

Abstract

Casing hanger and packing running apparatus is lowered on a tubular running string to locate the casing hanger and packing in a surrounding housing beneath a body of water. The apparatus is responsive to fluid pressure supplied to the housing to expand the packing in the annular space between the hanger body and the housing and to actuate a wedge-type lock which retains the packing in the packed off condition. The apparatus is releasable from the casing hanger by rotation of the running string and the packing is released from the running tool upon retrieval of the running tool.

Description

The present invention relates to well apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for running a casing hanger into a well head housing and effecting a seal in the region between the hanger body and the surrounding wellhead housing disposed at the upper end of the well bore.

In the drilling and completion of subaqueous or subsea well bores extending downwardly from the floor of a body of water, apparatus has been provided for lowering a casing string through a wellhead housing at the top of the well and into the well bore, and for landing a hanger body secured to the upper end of the casing string in the wellhead housing. A sealing region or space is present between the hanger body and housing. The casing string is cemented in place and a suitable seal structure is then disposed in the sealing region to provide an effective seal between the hanger body and the surrounding wellhead. An apparatus employed in the performance of the above operation is illusteated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,492,026.

In the present invention, the casing hanger and the packing assembly are lowered from a drilling barge or platform into position within the wellhead through use of a running string secured to a running and setting tool apparatus releasably connected to the casing hanger and to the packing assembly. Fluid pressure is operable on the setting and running tool to effect deformation of the packing to form a seal between the housing and the casing hanger and the locking of a wedge-lock device which prevents the packing from recovering and breaking the seal. Thereafter, the running and setting tool is released from the casing hanger and from the packing and wedge-lock for recovering or retrieval to the drilling rig.

In accordance with the present invention the setting and running tool is operable by the weight of the running string to energize the packing initially, and the tool enables the use of fluid pressure applied through the usual kill line or choke of the subsurface blowout preventer to pressure set the packing and test the efficacy of the packing. The test pressure applied releases the locking wedge ring from its support and actuates the wedge-lock mechanism.

More particularly, the wedge-lock device for holding the packing packed off comprises a normally expanded resiliently contractable locking ring engageable with a tapered shoulder externally of the casing hanger body and a wedge ring normally held in a position allowing the lock ring to be in its expanded position, but releasable to be moved axially to circumferentially deform the lock ring inwardly into locking co-engagement with a locking recess or tapered shoulder of the casing hanger. The wedge ring and the lock ring have cooperative locking wedge surfaces whereby the locking action is maintained to hold the packing in a packed off condition.

In the event it becomes necessary to release the packing the locking wedge ring can be pulled from its locking position by a suitable pulling tool.

Among the objectives of the invention is the provision of a tool or apparatus for running a casing hanger and a packing and a locking wedge device for holding the packing in a packed off condition in the annular space between a casing hanger and the surrounding wellhead or housing.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a running and setting tool operable in response to the weight of the running string to initially deform the packing and packoff the annular space and thereafter, in response to applied test pressure, to further deform the packing and actuate the wedge lock to the locked position prior to removal of the setting and running tool from the casing hanger.

In accomplishing the foregoing, the running tool includes an inner, upper body connectable to the running string and supporting a packing carrier body, and a lower body is connected to the casing hanger. Means releasable in response to rotation of the running string initially hold the carrier sleeve and packing in a position enabling the performance of the usual cementing and circulating operations, and upon rotation of the running string the releasable means is released enabling the weight of the running string to apply an initial downward force to set the packing and expand a casing hanger locking ring. Thereafter, pressure applied through the usual blowout preventer kill line or choke line, acts on a differential area of the carrier sleeve to add packing setting force to the weight of the running string. Ultimately, such pressure not only tests the efficacy of the seal, but also actuates a piston which causes the locking wedge to be actuated to a locking position.

In one form the tool is operable before release from the packing to pressure test the efficacy of the seal while the weight of the running string is supported by the device.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other purposes which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of the forms in which it may be embodied. These forms are shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. They will now be described in detail, for the purpose of illustrating the general principals of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed descriptions are not to be taken in a limiting sense.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view partly in longitudinal section and partly in elevation showing the apparatus of the invention with a casing hanger and packing thereon and landed in a subsurface wellhead housing;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal quarter section, as taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 showing the upper portion of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal quarter section, as taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 1, showing the lower portion of the apparatus and including a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 2 common to the line 2--2 and the line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal quarter section, showing the packing initially set between the casing hanger and the wellhead housing;

FIG. 5 is a view corresponding with FIG. 4, but showing the packing locked in place;

FIG. 6 is a further view corresponding with FIG. 4, but showing the running tool released from the packing for retrieval of the running tool;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section, as taken on the line 7--7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary horizontal section, as taken on the line 8--8 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal section, as taken on the line 9--9 of FIG. 7, showing the components on an enlarged scale and in the condition of FIG. 4, with the packing initially set in place;

FIG. 10 is a view corresponding with FIG. 9, but showing the packing locked in place, as in FIG. 5;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of another form of the invention, with the casing hanger landed in the subsurface wellhead housing;

FIG. 12 is a view corresponding with FIG. 11, but showing the packing initially set in place between the casing hanger and the wellhead housing;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary detail view in horizontal section, as taken on the line 13--13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a view corresponding with FIG. 12, but showing the packing locked in place; and

FIG. 15 is a further view corresponding with FIG. 12, but showing the running tool released from the packing and in condition for further pressure testing of the packing.

In the drilling and completion of wells, such as oil and gas wells, from vessels on a body of water, the blowout preventer equipment and casing hanger equipment are located and supported in a base mounted on the floor of a body of water. The well casing is supported by a wellhead housing, and a marine riser pipe extends downwardly from the vessel to the blowout preventer which is connected to the wellhead housing, all as is well known.

As seen in the drawings, referring first to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 10, the wellhead housing H has a casing hanger body C landed therein and supported upon an upwardly facing seat or shoulder 10. The casing hanger C has suitable passages 13 whereby circulating and cementing operations can be conducted in the usual manner by the displacement of cement downwardly through the casing, fluid in the well being displaced upwardly through the passages 13 and through an annular space 14 defined between the cylindrical inner wall 15 of the housing H and the opposing cylindrical wall 16 of the casing hanger C.

A seal is provided between the opposing cylindrical walls 15 and 16 after the cementing operation is completed by setting a packing P in the annular space 14 in sealing engagement between the opposing cylindrical walls 15 and 16 and securely locking the packing in packed off condition by locking means L. The casing hanger C, the packing means P, and the locking means L are lowered from the drilling vessel on a running and setting tool T which is connected at 17 to a running pipe string R.

The casing hanger C supports at 18 a string of casing 19 which is adapted to extend downwardly into the well and be supported by the casing hanger which has a support collar 20 threadedly connected at 21 to the casing hanger body and engageable with the upwardly facing tapered seat 10 in the wellhead housing H. Above the seat 10 the wellhead housing H has a circumferentially extended locking groove 23 adapted, as will be later described, to receive a locking ring 24 above the seating collar 20, whereby the casing hanger is locked against upward movement in the housing H. Typically, the casing hanger C comprises a main body 25 provided with an internal cylindrical bore 26 above which is a left hand thread 27. Another thread 28 extends about the upper end of the upper body section 29 of the casing hanger C. Either of the threads 27 or 28 is adapted for engagement by suitable running tools. In the present case, the running tool T has a lower body section 30 provided with a thread 31 engaged with the internal left hand thread 27 within the casing hanger C, whereby, as will be later described, the casing hanger with the casing 19 depending therefrom can be lowered into the well and seated in the wellhead housing H on the running tool T. The body section 30 of the tool T also has a cylindrical section 30a provided with side ring seals 32 engageable in the bore 26 of the casing hanger C. The running tool T not only supports the casing hanger C, but also the packing means P and the locking means L.

The packing P includes a lower abutment ring or collar 33 and an annular body 34 of resiliently deformable elastomeric sealing material connected by a dove-tailed connection 35 to the lower ring 33, and by a corresponding upper dove-tailed connection 36 with a packing support sleeve 37. The packing body 34 is deformable outwardly and inwardly into sealing engagement with the opposed cylindrical walls 15 and 16, respectively, of the housing H and the casing hanger C upon axial deformation of the packing body. Such a packing is more fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,864, granted Mar. 18, 1974, for COMBINED METAL AND ELASTOMER SEAL.

The packing support sleeve 37, at a location above the packing 34, has an internal upwardly facing shoulder or seat 38 on which rests a split resilient lock ring 39 which is normally of such diameter as to pass downwardly over the upwardly extended annular section 29 of the casing hanger C. This casing hanger section 29 is undercut on its outer periphery at 40 to provide a groove, or, as shown in this specific embodiment, a downwardly and inwardly tapered annular surface adapted to receive the correspondingly downwardly and inwardly tapered side 41 of the lock ring 39, when the latter is deformed inwardly from its normally expanded condition of FIG. 3 to its contracted or locking position of FIG. 5. In order to effect locking contraction of the lock ring 39 a lock ring actuator 42 is provided. This lock ring actuator is in the form of an annular wedge having an outer cylindrical wall 43 slidably disposed within the packing support sleeve 37 and an inner downwardly and outwardly tapered wedge surface 44 opposed to and engageable with the outer downwardly and outwardly tapered surface 45 of the lock ring 39, whereby upon downward movement of the actuator 42 within the support sleeve 37 the lock ring 39 will be wedged or cammed circumferentially inwardly to the locking position with the locking surface 40 of the casing hanger C. The angles of the surfaces 44 and 45 of the actuator ring 42 and the lock ring 39, respectively, are selected to be locking wedge angles, so that once the wedge action has deformed and locked the lock ring in place, the actuator 42 must be forcefully retracted before the lock ring can be released. Accordingly, the actuator 42 has an internally undercut neck 46 at its upper extremity and an internal fishing or retrieving shoulder 47 adapted to be engaged by a pulling tool.

During the lowering of the packing and the locking assembly through the riser pipe and into the wellhead housing H, and during the initial packing off of the packing P, the actuating wedge 42 is held in an upper inoperative position by releasable means such as one or more shear pins 48 which interconnect the actuator 42 to the packing support sleeve 37, and this sleeve 37 is connected by shear pins 49 to the running tool T. These shear pins 48 are selected so that they will retain the actuator 42 in the initial position until the packing is fully set, and a downward force is applied to the actuating wedge 42 to shear the pins 48 enabling downward locking movement of the actuator wedge 42. The shear pins 49 are selected to retain the packing on the tool until after the packing has been set and locked and the tool is to be retrieved.

The running tool T, as previously indicated, is connected to the casing hanger C by the left hand threaded connection 27, 31 in the hanger and on the lower tool body section 30. This body section 30 is elongated and has an upper hollow section 50 reciprocably connected to an elongated tubular inner and upper body 51 which has the threaded connection 17 with the running string R. A splined connection is provided between the bodies 50 and 51 by a suitable number of internal ribs 52 on the body 50 slideably disposed in companion longitudinally extended grooves 53 in the inner body 51, whereby rotation of the running string effects rotation of the bodies 50 and 51 together to effect operation of the tool as later described.

An outer carrier sleeve 54 has an upper head flange 54a revolvably supported between a pair of collars 55 and 56 threaded at 57 and 58 onto the upper end of the inner body. Suitable bearings 59 and 60 are disposed between the collars and the flange to minimize drag. The top flange 54a has an internal seal ring 61 sealingly engaging the inner body 51, and another seal ring 62 is spaced below the seal ring 61 and slideably engages the lower body section 50. The lower body section 50 has another seal ring 63 slideably engaging the lower end of the inner body 51 in downwardly spaced relation to the seal ring 62. These spaced seal rings 61, 62, and 63 prevent the entry of dirty fluid into the telescopic body and carrier sleeve assembly, and the space 64 between the bodies 50 and 51 and this carrier sleeve 54 isolated by these seals is preferably filled with clean oil which, upon telescopic contraction of the bodies, is discharged through an orifice fitting 65 in the sleeve 54 and a check valve 66 which prevents entry of dirty fluid into the space 64. The orifice fitting 65 provides a restricted passage 67 whereby the retarded discharge of oil from the space 64 dampens telescopic contraction of the bodies from the position at which the packing means P is held from the annular space 14 to be sealed to the packed off position, under the influence of the weight of the running string R and any additional weight of a pipe string W which may be connected to the lower end of the body 51, as at 68.

Means 70 are provided for initially holding the body telescopically extended with the carrier sleeve 54 in an upper position and holding the packing means P spaced above the annulus 14 between the casing hanger C and the housing H, until the holding means 70 are released. In the form now being described, the holding means 70 comprises a plurality of collet fingers or abutment fingers 71 spaced circumferentially about the lower body section 50 and carried by a support ring 72 which abuts with the upper end 29 of the casing hanger body when the tool T is made up with the casing hanger. The collet fingers 71 have at their upper ends inwardly projecting lugs 73 which are initially opposed to and engaged with an annular land 74 on the body section 50, whereby the fingers are resiliently flexed outwardly to stop positions beneath a downwardly facing shoulder 75 formed on an inner sleeve section 76 of the carrier sleeve 54. Beneath the land 74 on the body section 50 is a circumferential groove 77 adapted, as will be later described, to receive the finger lugs 73 upon operation of the tool to release the holding means 70.

The collet fingers 71 and their supporting ring 72 are fixed against rotation with respect to the carrier sleeve 54 and casing hanger C by a number of elongated keys 78 (FIGS. 7, 9, and 10) fixed in slots 79 in the sleeve section 76 of the carrier sleeve 54. As shown, there are a pair of such keys 78 spaced diametrically and disposed between adjacent collet fingers 71, the keys being substantially the width of a collet finger 71 which is removed during the production of the collet unit. In addition, the collet support ring 72 and the casing hanger C are pinned against rotation of the collet ring by axially extended pins 80.

The above mentioned sleeve section 76 of the carrier sleeve 54 is threadedly connected at 81 to the sleeve 54 in inwardly spaced relation to a skirt portion 82 of the carrier sleeve 54. Between the sleeve section 76 and the skirt 82 of the sleeve 54 is an annular piston 83 having an upper side ring seal 84 slideably engaging a reduced diameter cylindrical portion 85 of the sleeve section 76 and a lower seal ring 86 slideably engaging a larger cylindrical portion 87 of the sleeve section 76. Thus, the piston 83 has a differential area responsive to fluid pressure in the housing H tending to force the piston downwardly. Between the piston seals 84 and 86, there is an annular chamber 88 adapted to be pressurized with gas through a filler valve 89 and porting 89a in the sleeve section 76 of the carrier sleeve 54 before the apparatus is run into the housing. The gas pressure in the chamber 88 acts on the differential internal area of the piston 83 to hold the piston in its upper position until pressure of fluid in the housing H, as will be later described, is increased to lock the packing P in place.

The skirt portion 82 of the carrier sleeve 54 extends downwardly into abutting contact at 90 with the sleeve section 76 and the sleeve section 76 bears at 90a with the upper end of the packing support sleeve 37. The shear pins 49 connect the packing support sleeve 37 to a downward extension 91 of the sleeve section 76. At a plurality of circumferentially spaced locations, the sleeve section 76 is longitudinally slotted at 92 to reciprocably receive a corresponding number of actuator fingers 93 which are formed on and extend downwardly from the actuator piston 83 into contact with the upper end of the wedge locking sleeve 42 to actuate the locking means L.

In operation, the running tool I with the packing means P and locking means L assembled thereon is threadedly connected to the body of the casing hanger C. The holding means 70 is positioned, as seen in FIG. 3, with the upper ends of the collet fingers 71 holding the running tool body assembly telescopically extended by engagement with the lower end of the carrier sleeve section 76. When the apparatus is to be run into the well, the upper tool body 51 is connected with the running string R which is made up of suitable heavy drill collars and drill pipe adapted to apply a downward force to the body 51 upon release of the holding means 70 to effect the initial pack off of the packing means p in the annulus 14 between the housing wall 15 and the casing hanger wall 16.

After the casing hanger C is landed on the housing shoulder 10, the running string is rotated to the right, such rotation being transmitted through the splined connection 52, 53 between the tool bodies 50 and 51 to the lower body 50, and the threaded connection 27, 31 is broken, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 9. As the lower body 50 moves upwardly, however, the thread 31 thereon engages within an internal thread 72a in the collet finger support ring 72. In addition, as the lower body 50 moves upwardly, the annular land 74 on this body moves upwardly with respect to the end lugs 73 on the collet fingers 71, locating the lugs 73 in the body groove 77, allowing the collet fingers to flex inwardly, and thereby releasing the carrier sleeve section 76, its supporting carrier sleeve 54, and the interconnected upper body 51 to move downwardly under the influence of the weight of the running string R and any additional weight which may be provided by the lower weight string W. As the carrier sleeve 54 and the tool body 51 move downwardly, the packing P is moved into the annulus 14 and the lower end ring 33 cams the locking ring 24 of the casing hanger C outwardly into the locking groove 23 in the housing H. Such downward movement also effects the weight responsive initial pack off of the packing means P. Rapid downward movement of the body 51 and the carrier sleeve 54 is prevented by the dashpot effect of the fluid within the space 64 defined between the respective bodies 50 and 51 and the carrier sleeve 54, since the discharge of fluid from the space 64 is retarded by the restricted orifice 67, as previously described.

With the packing P in the initially packed off condition of FIG. 4, test fluid pressure is applicable to the housing H through the usual choke or kill line of the blowout preventer associated with the housing H, as is well known, after the blowout preventer rams are closed on the running string R. This test pressure is applicable to the differential area of the carrier sleeve 54 and the body 51 between its seal 62 with the lower body 50 and the seal formed by the blowout preventer rams with the running string R. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 10, the test pressure is also applicable to the differential actuator piston 83, and when the test pressure exceeds the gas pressure within the internal piston chamber 88 the actuator piston 83 is forced downwardly to move its depending fingers 93 downwardly against the locking wedge ring 42 shearing the shear pins 48 and driving the locking wedge ring downwardly. Thus, the locking ring 39 is wedged inwardly into locking engagement with the casing hanger surface 40. Thereafter, the running tool T can be released from the packing P by further rotation of the running string to the right, whereby to further elevate the carrier sleeve 54, shearing the shear pins 49 which connect the packing support sleeve 37 to the carrier sleeve 54. Alternatively, the shear pins 49 can be sheared by simply pulling upwardly on the running string R.

Referring to FIGS. 11 through 15, a modified form of the invention is shown. In this embodiment, the inner tool body designated 100 is connected to the running string R, as in the previously described embodiment, and may have a lower weight string W depending therefrom. The lower body 101 has a thread 102 engageable in the casing hanger thread 27 to connect the casing hanger C to the tool body 101 with a sealing extension 103 having side ring seals 104 engaged within the sealing bore 26 of the casing hanger C.

A carrier sleeve 105 has its upper end flange 106 rotatably supported between a lower stop ring 107 engaged on a seat 108 of the body 100, and an upper stop collar 109 which is threadedly connected to the body 100. Suitable bearings 110 and 111 are disposed between the flange 106 and the stop ring 107 and stop collar 109. Between the body 101 and the support flange 106 is a side ring seal 112, and the upper end 113 of the lower body 101 has an inner side ring seal 114 engaged with the cylindrical outer wall 115 of the body 100 and another side ring seal 116 engaged with the cylindrical inner wall 117 of the carrier sleeve 105. The bodies 100 and 101 and the carrier sleeve 105, between these seal rings 112, 114, and 116 define a chamber 118 adapted to be filled with fluid through a passage 119 leading from an orifice fitting 120 having a backflow preventing valve 121, whereby telescopic contraction of the bodies 100 and 101 is retarded during operation of the apparatus.

In this form the carrier sleeve 105 supports the external skirt portion 122 on an upper flange 123 which is mounted on the carrier sleeve 105 between an upwardly facing shoulder 124 and a retainer ring 125.

As in the previously described embodiment, the skirt portion 122 on the carrier sleeve extends downwardly into abutting engagement with the carrier sleeve 105 at 105a, and the lower end of carrier sleeve 105 contact at 105b the upper end of the packing support sleeve 37 which is connected to the carrier sleeve 105 by the shear pins 49. In addition, the carrier sleeve 105 is longitudinally slotted at 126 at a plurality of circumferentially spaced locations to reciprocably accommodate the downwardly extended actuator fingers 127 which are part of the differential actuator piston 128 of annular form which is slideably disposed between the carrier sleeve 105 and the skirt portion 122 on the carrier sleeve. This piston 128 has an upper side ring seal 129 engaged with a reduced diameter cylindrical wall 130 of the carrier sleeve 105 and a lower side ring seal 131 engaged with the larger diameter cylindrical wall 131 of the carrier sleeve 105. Accordingly, the piston 128 operates with the carrier sleeve 105 to provide an annular chamber 132 therebetween adapted to be filled through a valve 133 with gas under pressure to normally hold the piston 128 in the upper position of FIG. 11.

In this embodiment, the holding means 70 which initially holds the telescopic body construction in the extended condition comprises an internal buttress thread 134 on the body 101 and a resiliently contractible externally threaded split ring 135 disposed in an annular channel 136 formed in the body 100 and keyed by a lug 136a to the body 100 for rotation therewith. The thread between the ring 135 and the thread 134 is left handed so that upon right hand rotation of the running string R the holding ring 135 will be threaded from engagement with the body thread 134 when the packing means P is to be set.

Adjacent to the lower end of the body 100 is a suitable number of circumferentially spaced drive keys 137 in the form of elongated blocks radially reciprocable in the longitudinal extended slots 138 in the body 100. A number of coiled compression springs 139 engage in seats 140 in the blocks 137 and normally bias the blocks outwardly. At the lower end of the body 101 is a number of longitudinally extended inwardly opening slots 141 complemental to the drive keys 137 and adapted to receive the drive keys to enable release of the running tool T from the casing hanger C.

In the operation of this form of the apparatus, after the running tool T has been made up with the casing hanger C, the assembled apparatus is lowered into the housing H on the running string R, and the casing hanger C landed in the housing. After the completion of the cementing operations, the running string is rotated in a right hand direction, the body 101 being held stationary with respect to the casing hanger C by a suitable number of shear pins 101a which interconnect the body 101 with the casing hanger body. Right hand rotation of the running string R disengages the upper body 100 from the internal thread 134 of the lower body. The upper body 100 is then free to move downwardly to move the carrier sleeve 122 downwardly. This motion of the carrier sleeve 122 forces the weight-set packoff assembly P into the sealing position in the annulus 14 between the casing hanger body and the wellhead housing H. Thus, the weight of the running string T will pre-load the weight-set seal P. The blowout preventer is then closed on the running string R. Pressure applied to the housing H through the choke or kill line tests the efficacy of the energized seal. There is a differential piston area between the inside of the carrier sleeve 105 and the running string R through the blowout preventer rams, exposed to the test pressure and providing additional load on the weight-set seal P. When the test pressure builds up to a certain point, the wedge sleeve actuating piston 128 overcomes the precharged gas pressure in the chamber 132 and puts a load on the wedge sleeve 42 to shear the pins 48 and to drive the wedge sleeve downwardly relative to the lock ring 39. This locks the packoff assembly P with a maximum test pre-load on the seal. Upon completion of the test, the running string R is rotated to the right with the drive keys 137 engaging the mating slots 141 in the lower body. Torque on the lower body will shear the pins 101a which hold the lower body from rotation with respect to the casing hanger body. When the body 101 is disengaged from the casing hanger body, the running string and running tool assembly is pulled back to the drilling rig. During this pulling operation, the shear pins 49 that retained the weight set pack-set packoff assembly P to the carrier sleeve are sheared.

An optional feature of this form of the invention for those rig operators who have a motion compensator means to maintain substantially constant running string tension is to proof test the weight-set seal P without any pre-load. After setting the packing and locking and testing the packoff assembly, the running string is lifted. The compensator is set for a load slightly heaver than the running string and running tool. The upward movement shears the pins 49 between the carrier sleeve and packoff assembly. It is then possible to lift up on this running string to cause the automatic engagement between the threaded collar 135 and the lower body thread 134. Then close the blowout preventers on the running string R and pressure through the choke or kill line. The pressure will test the seal P and verify that it can withstand the rated pressures without any pre-load. Upon completion of this test, release the pressure, open the blowout preventer and rotate the running string to the right to disengage the collar 135 from the thread 134. Next, the inner body 100 is lowered down until the drive keys 137 of the inner body engage into the mating slots of the lower body and removal of the running tool is as before.

Claims

I claim:

1. Apparatus for effecting a seal between a wellhead and a hanger disposed in the wellhead for supporting a tubular pipe string extending into the well bore comprising: a running tool having a body structure connectable to a running pipe string; means releasably connecting said body structure to said hanger; packing means; means releasably connecting said packing means to said body structure to enable said packing means to be set in sealing relation to said hanger; locking means for locking said packing means in sealing relation to said hanger including a locking member actuatable said packing means to to lock said locking means; said body structure having means responsive to fluid pressure outside said running pipe string to set said packing means in sealing relation to said hanger; and said body structure having means responsive to fluid pressure outside of said running pipe string for actuating said locking member longitudinally.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for releasably connecting said body structure to said hanger includes a threaded connection.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises a resiliently deformable locking ring engageable with a downwardly facing surface of said hanger upon deformation of said locking ring to lock said packing means in place.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises a resiliently deformable locking ring engageable with a downwardly facing surface of said hanger upon deformation of said locking ring to lock said packing means in place, said locking member and said locking ring having means for deforming said locking ring upon longitudinal movement of said locking member.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises a resiliently deformable locking ring engageable with a downwardly facing surface of said hanger upon deformation of said locking ring to lock said packing means in place, said locking member being in the form of a wedge shaped ring for deforming said locking ring upon longitudinal movement of said locking member.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises a resiliently deformable locking ring engageable with a downwardly facing surface of said hanger upon deformation of said locking ring to lock said packing means in place, said locking member being the form of a wedge shaped ring for deforming said locking ring upon longitudinal movement of said locking member, said locking ring and said locking member having coengageable locking wedge surfaces.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said packing means comprising a support sleeve, a resilient elastomeric packing element supported on said support sleeve, means releasably connecting said locking member to said support sleeve, and said locking means including a resiliently deformable lock ring carried by said support sleeve and engageable by said locking member to be deformed thereby.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said packing means comprising a support sleeve, a resilient elastomeric packing element supported on said support sleeve, means releasably connecting said locking member to said support sleeve, and said locking means including a resiliently deformable lock ring carried by said support sleeve and engageable by said locking member to be deformed thereby, said locking member and said lock ring having companion wedge surfaces formed on locking wedge angles for deforming said lock ring upon longitudinal movement of said locking member.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means responsive to fluid pressure outside said running pipe string to set said packing means in sealing relation to said hanger includes a carrier sleeve longitudinally shiftable on said body structure and having a differential area exposed to said fluid pressure.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means responsive to fluid pressure outside said running pipe string to set said packing means in sealing relation to said hanger includes a carrier sleeve longitudinally shiftable on said body structure and having a differential area exposed to said fluid pressure, and releasable holding means initially holding said carrier sleeve against movement relative to said body structure.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means responsive to fluid pressure outside said running pipe string to set said packing means in sealing relation to said hanger includes a carrier sleeve longitudinally shiftable on said body structure and having a differential area exposed to said fluid pressure, and releasable holding means initially holding said carrier sleeve against movement relative to said body structure, said releasable holding means comprising a threaded connection releasable upon rotation of said running pipe string.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means responsive to fluid presssure outside said running pipe string to set said packing means in sealing relation to said hanger includes a carrier sleeve longitudinally shiftable on said body structure and having a differential area exposed to said fluid pressure, and said means responsive to fluid pressure outside said running pipe string for actuating said locking member longitudinally includes a differential area actuator piston engageable with said locking member.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means responsive to fluid pressure outside said running pipe string to set said packing means in sealing relation to said hanger includes a carrier sleeve longitudinally shiftable on said body structure and having a differential area exposed to said fluid pressure, and said means responsive to fluid pressure outside said running pipe string for actuating said locking member longitudinally includes a differential area actuator piston engageable with said locking member, said carrier sleeve having means supporting said actuator piston for longitudinal movement relative to said carrier sleeve.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means responsive to fluid pressure outside said running pipe string to set said packing means in sealing relation to said hanger includes a carrier sleeve longitudinally shiftable on said body structure and having a differential area exposed to said fluid pressure, and said means responsive to fluid pressure outside said running pipe string for actuating said locking member longitudinally includes a differential area actuator piston engageable with said locking member, said carrier sleeve having means supporting said actuator piston for longitudinal movement relative to said carrier sleeve, and means for normally holding said actuator piston against such longitudinal movement.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means responsive to fluid pressure outside said running pipe string to set said packing means in sealing relation to said hanger includes a carrier sleeve longitudinally shiftable on said body structure and having a differential area exposed to said fluid pressure, and said means responsive to fluid pressure outside said running pipe string for actuation said locking member longitudinally includes a differential area actuator piston engageable with said locking member, said carrier sleeve having means supporting said actuator piston for longitudinal movement relative to said carrier sleeve, said cylinder sleeve and said actuator piston having means defining a chamber containing a compressible fluid for normally holding said actuator piston against such longitudinal movement.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said means responsive to fluid pressure outside said running pipe string to set said packing in sealing relation to said hanger including a carrier sleeve shiftably carried by said body structure and having a differential area exposed to said fluid pressure, said packing means including a support sleeve, said means releasably connecting said packing means to said body structure connecting said support sleeve to said carrier sleeve.

17. Apparatus as defined In claim 1, said means responsive to fluid pressure outside said running pipe string to set said packing in sealing relation to said hanger including a carrier sleeve shiftably carried by said body structure and having a differential area exposed to said fluid pressure, said packing means including a support sleeve, said means releasably connecting said packing means to said body structure connecting said support sleeve to said carrier sleeve and including shear pins shearable upon removal of said body structure from said hanger.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said body structure comprises an inner body having seal means engageable in said casing hanger.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said body structure includes an inner elongated body, an outer elongated body telescopically engaged with said inner body, means for transmitting torque between said bodies, a carrier sleeve carried by said inner body and axially shiftable relative to said outer body, said means releasably connecting said packing to said body structure connecting said packing means to said carrier sleeve, and including releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition and releasable upon rotation of said inner body and said outer body relative to said carrier sleeve.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said body structure includes an inner elongated body, an outer elongated body telescopically engaged with said inner body, means for transmitting torque between said bodies, a carrier sleeve carried by said inner body and axially shiftable relative to said outer body, said means releasably connecting said packing to said body structure connecting said packing means to said carrier sleeve, and including releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition and releasable upon rotation of said inner body and said outer body relative to said carrier sleeve, said releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition comprising a plurality of elongated flexible collet fingers having portions engageable with said carrier sleeve, said fingers and said outer body having means for holding said finger portions in positions for engagement with said carrier sleeve and means enabling movement of said finger portions to positions releasing said carrier sleeve upon rotation of said bodies relative to said fingers and said carrier sleeve.

21. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said body structure includes an inner elongated body, an outer elongated body telescopically engaged with said inner body, means for transmitting torque between said bodies, a carrier sleeve carried by said inner body and axially shiftable relative to said outer body, said means releasably connecting said packing to said body structure connecting said packing means to said carrier sleeve, and including releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition and releasable upon rotation of said inner body and said outer body relative to said carrier sleeve, said releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition comprising a plurality of elongated flexible collet fingers having portions engageable with said carrier sleeve, said fingers and said outer body having means for holding said finger portions in positions for engagement with said carrier sleeve and means enabling movement of said finger portions to positions releasing said carrier sleeve upon rotation of said bodies relative to said fingers and said carrier sleeve, and means for holding said fingers and said carrier sleeve against rotation with said bodies.

22. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said body structure includes an inner elongated body, an outer elongated body telescopically engaged with said inner body, means for transmitting torque between said bodies, a carrier sleeve carried by said inner body and axially shiftable relative to said outer body, said means releasably connecting said packing to said body structure connecting said packing means to said carrier sleeve, and including releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition and releasable upon rotation of said inner body and said outer body relative to said carrier sleeve, said releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition comprising a plurality of elongated flexible collet fingers having portions engageable with said carrier sleeve, said fingers and said outer body having means for holding said finger portions in positions for engagement with said carrier sleeve and means enabling movement of said finger portions to positions releasing said carrier sleeve upon rotation of said bodies relative to said fingers and said carrier sleeve, and means for holding said fingers and said carrier sleeve against rotation with said bodies including key means between said carrier sleeve and said fingers and between said fingers and said hanger.

23. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said body structure includes an inner elongated body, an outer elongated body telescopically engaged with said inner body, means for transmitting torque between said bodies, a carrier sleeve carried by said inner body and axially shiftable relative to said outer body, said means releasably connecting said packing to said body structure connecting said packing means to said carrier sleeve, and including releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition and releasable upon rotation of said inner body and said outer body relative to said carrier sleeve, said releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition comprising a threaded connection between said bodies.

24. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said body structure includes an inner elongated body, an outer elongated body telescopically engaged with said inner body, means for transmitting torque between said bodies, a carrier sleeve carried by said inner body and axially shiftable relative to said outer body, said means releasably connecting said packing to said body structure connecting said packing means to said carrier sleeve, and including releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition and releasable upon rotation of said inner body and said outer body relative to said carrier sleeve, said releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition comprising a threaded connection between said bodies, and including means releasably holding said outer body against rotation relative to said hanger.

25. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said body structure includes an inner elongated body, an outer elongated body telescopically engaged with said inner body, means for transmitting torque between said bodies, a carrier sleeve carried by said inner body and axially shiftable relative to said outer body, said means releasably connecting said packing to said body structure connecting said packing means to said carrier sleeve, and including releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition and releasable upon rotation of said inner body and said outer body relative to said carrier sleeve, said releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition comprising a threaded connection between said bodies and including means releasably holding said outer body against rotation relative to said hanger, said means for transmitting torque between said bodies including spring loaded drive keys carried by one of said bodies and keyways in the other of said bodies for receiving said drive keys upon telescopic contraction of said bodies following release of said threaded connection between said bodies.

26. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said body structure includes an inner elongated body, an outer elongated body telescopically engaged with said inner body, means for transmitting torque between said bodies, a carrier sleeve carried by said inner body and axially shiftable relative to said outer body, said means releasably connecting said packing to said body structure connecting said packing means to said carrier sleeve, and including releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition and releasable upon rotation of said inner body and said outer body relative to said carrier sleeve, said releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition comprising a threaded connection between said bodies including a thread on one of said bodies and a resilient complementally threaded ring carried by the other of said bodies and expansible and retractible to engage said thread on said one of said bodies.

27. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said body structure includes an inner elongated body, an outer elongated body telescopically engaged with said inner body, means for transmitting torque between said bodies, a carrier sleeve carried by said inner body and axially shiftable relative to said outer body, said means releasably connecting said packing to said body structure connecting said packing means to said carrier sleeve, and including releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition and releasable upon rotation of said inner body and said outer body relative to said carrier sleeve, and including means for dampening telescopic contraction of said bodies.

28. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said body structure includes an inner elongated body, an outer elongated body telescopically engaged with said inner body, means for transmitting torque between said bodies, a carrier sleeve carried by said inner body and axially shiftable relative to said outer body, said means releasably connecting said packing to said body structure connecting said packing means to said carrier sleeve, and including releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition and releasable upon rotation of said inner body and said outer body relative to said carrier sleeve, and including means for dampening telescopic contraction of said bodies including spaced sealing portions on said bodies and said carrier sleeve defining a chamber containing a body of liquid and restricted passage means for retarding discharge of said liquid from said chamber during telescopic contraction of said bodies.

29. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said body structure includes an inner elongated body, an outer elongated body telescopically engaged with said inner body, means for transmitting torque between said bodies, a carrier sleeve carried by said inner body and axially shiftable relative to said outer body, said means releasably connecting said packing to said body structure connecting said packing means to said carrier sleeve, and including releasable means initially holding said bodies in telescopically extended condition and releasable upon rotation of said inner body and said outer body relative to said carrier sleeve, and including means for dampening telescopic contraction of said bodies including spaced sealing portions on said bodies and said carrier sleeve defining a chamber containing a body of liquid and restricted passage means for retarding discharge of said liquid from said chamber during telescopic contraction of said bodies and check valve means to prevent entry of fluid into said chamber upon telescopic extension of said bodies.

30. A running and operating tool for setting a packing and locking assembly between a wellhead housing and a hanger for a tubular well conduit comprising: a body structure including an upper tubular body connectable to a running pipe string and a lower tubular body telescopically disposed on said upper body and having means for rotatably releasably connecting the body structure to the hanger, a carrier sleeve, means rotatably mounting said carrier sleeve on said upper body, packing means, means releasably connecting said packing means to said carrier sleeve, locking means associated with said packing means actuatable for locking said packing means between the wellhead and the hanger, holding means for releasably holding said bodies telescopically extended, said carrier sleeve having a differential area responsive to fluid pressure outside of said bodies for causing telescopic contraction of said bodies to set said packing between the wellhead and the hanger, and actuator piston means carried by said carrier sleeve and shiftable responsive to fluid pressure outside of said bodies for actuating said locking means to a packing locking condition.

31. A running and operating tool as defined in claim 30, said carrier sleeve and said actuator piston means defining a chamber and a differential piston area exposed in said chamber, and inlet means for filling said chamber with pressurized gas to resist shifting of said actuator piston means.

32. A running and operating tool as defined in claim 30, including means for dampening telescopic contraction of said bodies upon release of said holding means.

33. A running and operating tool as defined in claim 30, including means for dampening telescopic contraction of said bodies upon release of said holding means including spaced sealing portions on said bodies and said carrier sleeve defining a chamber containing a body of liquid and restricted passage means for retarding discharge of said liquid from said chamber during telescopic contraction of said bodies.

34. Apparatus as defined in claim 27, said holding means comprising a plurality of elongated flexible collet fingers having portions engageable with said carrier sleeve, said fingers and said lower body having means for holding said finger portions in positions for engagement with said carrier sleeve and means enabling movement of said finger portions to positions releasing said carrier sleeve upon rotation of said bodies relative to said fingers and said carrier sleeve, and rotary drive means between said bodies.

35. Apparatus as defined in claim 27, said holding means comprising a plurality of elongated flexible collet fingers having portions engageable with said carrier sleeve, said fingers and said lower body having means for holding said finger portions in positions for engagement with said carrier sleeve upon rotation of said bodies relative to said fingers and said carrier sleeve, rotary drive means between said bodies, and means for holding said fingers and said carrier sleeve against rotation with said bodies.

36. Apparatus as defined in claim 27, said holding means comprising a plurality of elongated flexible collet fingers having portions engageable with said carrier sleeve, said fingers and said lower body having means for holding said finger portions in positions for engagement with said carrier sleeve upon rotation of said bodies relative to said fingers and said carrier sleeve, rotary drive means between said bodies, and means for holding said fingers and said carrier sleeve against rotation with said bodies including key means between said carrier sleeve and said fingers and between said fingers and said hanger.

37. Apparatus as defined in claim 27, said holding meand comprising a threaded connection between said bodies.

38. Apparatus as defined in claim 27, said holding means comprising a threaded connection between said bodies and including means releasably holding said lower body against rotation relative to said hanger.

39. Apparatus as defined in claim 27, said holding means comprising a threaded connection between said bodies and including means releasably holding said lower body against rotation relative to said hanger, said rotary drive means including spring loaded drive keys carried by one of said bodies and keyways in the other of said bodies for receiving said drive keys upon telescopic contraction of said bodies following release of said threaded connection between said bodies.

40. Apparatus as defined in claim 27, said holding means comprising a threaded connection between said bodies including a thread on one of said bodies and a resilient complementally threaded ring carried by the other of said bodies and expansible and retractible to engage said thread on said one of said bodies.