U.S. patent number 3,913,670 [Application Number 05/474,019] was granted by the patent office on 1975-10-21 for apparatus for setting and locking packing assemblies in subsurface wellheads.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Vetco Offshore Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Arthur G. Ahlstone.
United States Patent |
3,913,670 |
Ahlstone |
October 21, 1975 |
Apparatus for setting and locking packing assemblies in subsurface
wellheads
Abstract
Setting and locking apparatus is connected to a packing
assembly, the combination being lowered on a tubular running string
to locate the packing and locking assembly between a casing hanger
body and a surrounding housing beneath a body of water. The
apparatus is weighted and responsive to fluid pressure 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
packing and wedge-lock for retrieval.
Inventors: |
Ahlstone; Arthur G. (Ventura,
CA) |
Assignee: |
Vetco Offshore Industries, Inc.
(Ventura, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
23881887 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/474,019 |
Filed: |
May 28, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
166/182;
285/123.12; 285/18 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B
33/043 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E21B
33/043 (20060101); E21B 33/03 (20060101); E21B
033/12 (); F16L 035/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;166/182,208,138,140,216,217 ;285/421,18,142,143 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Leppink; James A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kriegel; Bernard
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 a well bore comprising: a running tool having a body
structure connectable to a running pipe string; packing means;
means releasably connecting said packing means to said body
structure to enable saaid packing means to be set in sealing
relation to the hanger in response to longitudinal movement of said
body structure and released from said body structure; locking means
for locking said packing means in sealing relation to the hanger
including a locking member actuatable longitudinally to lock said
locking means; said body structure having an area responsive to
pressure in said wellhead to move said body structure
longitudinally to set said packing means; and said body structure
having actuator means movable longitudinally relative to said
packing means to move said locking member longitudinally.
2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said locking means comprising a
resiliently deformable locking ring, and means providing a
downwardly facing surface engageable by said locking ring upon
deformation of the latter to lock said packing means in place.
3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said locking means comprising a
resiliently deformable locking ring, and means providing a
downwardly facing surface engageable by said locking ring upon
deformation of the latter 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.
4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said locking means comprising a
resiliently deformable locking ring, and means providing a
downwardly facing surface engageable by said locking ring upon
deformation of the latter 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.
5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said locking means comprising a
resiliently deformable locking ring, and means providing a
downwardly facing surface engageable by said locking ring upon
deformation of the latter 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, said locking member and said locking ring having
coengageable locking wedge surfaces.
6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said locking means comprising a
resiliently deformable locking ring, and means providing a
downwardly facing surface engageable by said locking ring upon
deformation of the latter 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, said locking member and said locking ring having
coengageable locking wedge surfaces, said locking member having
fishing neck means engageable by a pulling tool to release the
locking member from said locking ring.
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, said body structure comprising
lower and upper telescopic body section, one of said body section
having said area responsive to pressure, the other of said body
sections having another area responsive to pressure in said
wellhead for moving said actuator means longitudinally relative to
said packing means to move said locking member longitudinally.
10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means movable
longitudinally relative to said packing means to move said locking
member longitudinally comprising piston means longitudinally
shiftable relative to said body structure.
11. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means movable
longitudinally relative to said packing means to move said locking
member longitudinally comprising piston means longitudinally
shiftable relative to said body structure, and means initially
holding said piston means against movement relative to said body
structure.
12. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means movable
longitudinally relative to said packing means to move said locking
member longitudinally comprising piston means longitudinally
shiftable relative to said body structure in response to the
pressure of fluid in said wellhead.
13. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means movable
longitudinally relative to said packing means to move said locking
member longitudinally comprising piston means longitudinally
shiftable relative to said body structure in response to the
pressure of fluid in the running pipe string.
14. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said body structure comprising
lower and upper telescopic body sections, said lower body section
having seal means engageable in the casing hanger, said packing
means including a support sleeve releasably connected to said lower
body section, said locking member being supported by said sleeve,
said lower body section having said area responsive to pressure in
said wellhead, and said upper body having another area responsive
to fluid pressure in said wellhead for actuating said actuator
means to move said locking member.
15. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said body structure having
seal means engageable in the casing hanger on a diameter larger
than the running string to provide said area responsive to the
pressure of fluid in said wellhead.
16. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said body structure having
seal means engageable in the casing hanger on a diameter larger
than the running string to provide said area responsive to the
pressure of fluid in said wellhead, said actuator means also having
an area responsive to the pressure of fluid in said wellhead for
shifting said actuator means longitudinally.
17. In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means
comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and
engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in
an initial position with said locking member in a position at which
said locking means are released, said piston having an area
responsive to fluid pressure to release said holding means and move
said piston longitudinally to move said locking member
longitudinally to lock said locking means.
18. In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means
comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and
engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in
an initial position with said locking member in a position at which
said locking means are released, said piston having an area
responsive to fluid pressure to release said holding means and move
said piston longitudinally to move said locking member
longitudinally to lock said locking means, means defining a piston
chamber communicating with said running string, and said piston
area being in said piston chamber.
19. In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means
comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and
engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in
an initial position with said locking member in a position at which
said locking means are released, said piston having an area
responsive to fluid pressure to release said holding means and move
said piston longitudinally to move said locking member
longitudinally to lock said locking means, means defining a piston
chamber communicating with said running string, said piston area
being in said piston chamber, and closure means movable through
said running string and into said body to divert fluid pressure to
said piston chamber.
20. In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means
comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and
engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in
an initial position with said locking member in a position at which
said locking means are released, said piston having an area
responsive to fluid pressure to release said holding means and move
said piston longitudinally to move said locking member
longitudinally to lock said locking means, means defining a piston
chamber communicating with said running string, said piston area
being in said piston chamber, said means holding said piston in an
initial position comprising means defining a pressure chamber
between said body and said piston and having surfaces responsive to
pressure in said pressure chamber to hold said piston in said
initial position.
21. In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means
comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and
engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in
an initial position with said locking member in a position at which
said locking means are released, means defining a piston chamber,
said piston having a portion exposed in said chamber for moving
said piston longitudinally in response to the pressure in said
chamber to move said locking member longitudinally to lock said
locking means, means defining another piston chamber having a
piston therein exposed to the pressure of fluid in said running
string, said piston chambers being in communication.
22. In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means
comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and
engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in
an initial position with said locking member in a position at which
said locking means are released, means defining a piston chamber,
said piston having a portion exposed in said chamber for moving
said piston longitudinally in response to the pressure in said
chamber to move said locking member longitudinally to lock said
locking means, means defining another piston chamber having a
piston therein exposed to the pressure of fluid in said running
string, said piston chambers being in communication, said means
holding said piston in an initial position comprising means
defining a pressure chamber between said body and said first
mentioned piston and having surfaces responsive to pressure in said
pressure chamber to hold said first mentioned piston in said
initial position.
23. In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means
comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and
engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in
an initial position with said locking member in a position at which
said locking means are released, means defining a piston chamber,
said piston having a portion exposed in said chamber for moving
said piston longitudinally in response to the pressure in said
chamber to move said locking member longitudinally to lock said
locking means, means defining another piston chamber having a
piston therein exposed to the pressure of fluid in said running
string, said piston chambers being in communication, said means
holding said first-mentioned piston in an initial position
including spring means interposed between said body and said
piston.
24. A packing and locking structure adapted to be positioned in an
annular space between a wellhead and a casing hanger body and
deformed and locked in sealing engagement therewith, comprising: a
support sleeve having an abutment engageable by a setting tool to
shift said sleeve longitudinally, said sleeve also having means for
initially connecting said sleeve to said setting tool; an annular
elastomeric packing sleeve supported at an end of said sleeve; and
lock means for locking engagement between said sleeve and one of
said wellhead and casing hanger, said lock means including a
resiliently deformable lock ring, and an actuator ring releasably
connected to said support sleeve and for movement therewith and
actuatable longitudinally of said sleeve to deform said lock ring
after longitudinal movement of said sleeve.
25. A packing and locking structure as defined in claim 24, wherein
said lock ring and said actuator ring have wedge surfaces for
deforming said lock ring.
26. A packing and locking structure as defined in claim 24, whrein
said lock ring and said actuator ring have wedge surfaces for
deforming said lock ring, said wedge surfaces being on locking
wedge angles.
27. A packing and locking structure as defined in claim 24, wherein
said sleeve has fishing neck means at its other end.
28. Apparatus for effecting a seal between a well-head and a hanger
disposed in the wellhead for supporting a tubular pipe string
extending into a well bore comprising: a running tool having a body
structure connectable to a running pipe string; packing means;
means releasably connecting said packing means to said body
structure to enable said packing means to be set in sealing
relation to the hanger and released from said body structure;
locking means for locking said packing means in sealing relation to
the hanger including a locking member actuatable longitudinally to
lock said locking means; said packing means including a support
sleeve; said locking member being releasably carried by said
support sleeve; said body structure including a first body member
abutting with said support sleeve and a second body member; said
body members being relatively shiftab;e means releasably connecting
said support sleeve to said second body member; means for
relatively shifting said body members so that the abutting of said
first body section with said support sleeve releases said support
sleeve from said second body member and sets said packing means in
sealing relation to said hanger; and means on said second body
member for actuating said locking member to release said locking
member from said support sleeve and locking said locking means.
Description
The present invention relates to well apparatus, and more
particularly to apparatus for effecting a seal in the region
between a hanger body and a surrounding wellhead housing disposed
at the upper end of the well bore.
In the drilling of oil and gas wells at an underwater location, a
casing string is run into a well bore, the casing string being
supported by a hanger body resting on a companion seat in a
surrounding wellhead. The casing string is cemented in place and a
suitable packing or seal assembly actuated to packoff the annular
region between the hanger body and wellhead. Apparatus for
performing the above method is illustrated in a number of United
States Patents, including Applicant's Pat. Nos. 3,468,558,
3,468,559, 3,489,436, and 3,492,026.
In the present invention, the packing assembly is lowered from a
drilling barge into position within the wellhead through use of a
running string secured to a running and setting tool releasably
connected to the packing assembly. The running string is weighted
by the use of heavy drill collars below or above the running and
setting tool to initially deform the packing in the annular space
between the casing hanger and wellhead housing, and fluid under
pressure can be applied to test the efficacy of the seal. Such
applied fluid pressure also provides a force tending to effect
further deformation of the packing, if necessary or possible. Fluid
pressure is also operable on the setting and running tool to effect
the locking of wedge-lock device which prevents the packing from
recovering and breaking the seal. Thereafter, the running and
setting tool is released from the packing and wedge-lock for
recovery or retrieval to the drilling rig.
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, for
example, by the pulling tool which is the subject of my copending
application for U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 475,586, filed June 3, 1974,
entitled, RETRIEVING TOOL FOR WELLHEAD PACKING.
In accordance with the present invention a number of forms of
setting and running tool are shown each of which utilizes the fluid
pressure applied through the usual kill line or choke of the
subsurface blowout preventer to test the efficacy of the packing.
The applied fluid pressure acts on the setting and running tool to
release the locking wedge ring from its support and to actuate the
wedge-lock mechanism. In two forms fluid pressure can be supplied
through the running string from the drilling rig to further expand
the packing and actuate the wedge-lock.
Among the objectives of the invention is the provision of a locking
wedge device for holding a packing in a packed off condition in the
annular space between a casing hanger and a surrounding wellhead or
housing which is positive in its locking action. Another objective
of the invention is to provide a running and setting tool operable
in response to the weight of the running string and any
supplemental weight added to the running string to initially deform
the packing and packoff the annular space and thereafter in
response to applied test pressure or to pressure applied through
the running string to more tightly packoff the packing and actuate
the wedge lock to the locked position prior to removal of the
setting and running tool.
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 fragmentary longitudinal section showing a packing
initially set between a casing hanger and a wellhead housing and
connected to one form of running and setting tool made in
accordance with the invention prior to the actuation of the
wedge-lock;
FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1, but showing the
wedge-lock in a locked condition prior to release of the running
and setting tool;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section, as taken on the line
3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section, as taken on the
line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section, as taken on the
line 5--5 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing another form
of running and setting tool prior to actuation of the
wedge-lock;
FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 6, but showing the
wedge-lock actuated to the locking condition prior to release of
the running and setting tool;
FIG. 8 is a view partly in longitudinal section and partly in
elevation showing still another form of running and setting tool
prior to actuation of the wedge-lock;
FIG. 9 is a view generally corresponding to FIG. 8, but showing the
wedge-lock actuated to the locking condition prior to release of
the running and setting tool;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section, as taken on
the line 10--10 of FIG. 9; and
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary vertical section, as taken on the line
11--11 of FIG. 10.
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 5, 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.
The present invention is directed towards forming a seal 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 packing means P and the locking means L being
lowered from the drilling vessel on a running and setting tool T
which is connected at 17 to a running pipe string R. Beneath the
tool T and connected thereto at 18 is a suitable weight pipe string
W of heavy drill collars which supplements the weight of the
running string R, in a manner hereinafter to be more fully
described, in packing off the packing P.
The packing P is shown in an initially packed off condition and
includes a lower abutment ring or collar 20 which is in abutting
engagement with a split-lock ring 21 shown as expanded outwardly
into a locking groove 22, whereby the casing hanger C is locked in
the housing H, as is customary. In addition, the packing P includes
an annular body 23 of resiliently deformable elastomeric sealing
material connected by a dove-tailed connection 24 to the lower ring
20, and by a corresponding upper dove-tailed connection 25 with a
packing support sleeve 26. The packing body 23 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 26, at a location above the packing 23,
has an internal upwardly facing shoulder or seat 27 on which rests
a split resilient lock ring 28 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 30 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 31 of the lock ring 28, when the latter is
deformed inwardly from its normally expanded condition of FIG. 1 to
its contracted or locking position of FIGS. 2 and 4. In order to
effect locking contraction of the lock ring 28 a lock ring actuator
32 is provided. This lock ring actuator is in the form of an
annular wedge having an outer cylindrical wall 33 slidably disposed
within the packing support sleeve 26 and an inner downwardly and
outwardly tapered wedge surface 34 opposed to and engageable with
the outer downwardly and outwardly tapered surface of the lock ring
28, whereby upon downward movement of the actuator 32 within the
support sleeve 26 the lock ring 28 will be wedged or cammed
circumferentially inwardly to the locking position with the locking
surface 30 of the casing hanger C. The angles of the surfaces 34
and 35 of the actuator ring 32 and the lock ring, 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 32 must
be forcefully retracted before the lock ring can be released.
Accordingly, the actutor 32 has an internally undercut neck 36 at
its upper extremity and an internal fishing or retrieving shoulder
37 adapted to be engaged by a pulling tool, such as the wedge lock
pulling tool of the above referenced co-pending application.
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 32 is
held in an upper inoperative position by releasable means such as
one or more shear pins 38 which interconnect the actuator 32 to the
packing support sleeve 26. These shear pins are selected so that
they will retain the actuator 32 in the initial position until the
packing is fully set, and a downward force is applied to the
actuating wedge 32 to shear the pins 38 enabling downward locking
movement of the actuator wedge 32.
The running and setting tool T of FIGS. 1 through 4 is constructed
so as to first set or pack off the packing P in the annular space
14 and then actuate the wedge lock means. More particularly, the
running and setting tool T comprises a lower body 39 having the
connection 18 with the weight string W. An intermediate portion 40
of the lower body section 39 is provided with a number of outer
peripheral seal rings 41 adapted for sealing engagement within an
internal bore 42 of the casing hanger C. In addition, the lower
body 39 comprises an outer upwardly extending tubular section 43
and an annular upwardly opening channel 44 which slidably receive
the upper tool body section 45.
This upper body section 45 has the threaded connection 17 with the
running string R. Adjacent its upper end of the body 45 has a
radially outwardly projecting flange 46 provided with a number of
circumferentially spaced downwardly extended legs 47 which are
reciprocable in complemental longitudinally extended grooves in the
lower body section 43 (see FIG. 3). Threaded into the upper end of
the lower body section 43 above the upper body flange 46 is a stop
ring 49 providing a downwardly facing shoulder 50, whereby the
lower tool body 39 is suspended on the flange 46 during running of
the apparatus. The packing support sleeve 26 is suspended on the
lower body 39 by releasable means such as a number of
circumferentially spaced shear pins 51 which extend through the
upper end of the packing support sleeve 26 and into the lower body
39 in an upper flange section 52 of the support sleeve 26, this
flange 52 being provided with circumferential slots 53 adapted to
accommodate the circumferentially spaced legs 47 of the upper body
45 upon downward movement of the upper body 45 to set the packing P
and lock the locking wedge means L.
The upper body 45 of the setting tool T has a central annular body
section 54 reciprocable within the annular chamber 44 of the lower
body 39, the upper body section 54 having external sealing ring
means 55 slidably and sealingly engaged with the outer cylindrical
wall 56 of the body 39 which defines the cavity 44. A vent passage
57 is provided in the body 39 to vent the cavity 44 upon telescopic
contraction of the bodies 39 and 45. To enable free movement of the
running and setting tool T and the packing means P downwardly
through fluid in the housing H as the apparatus is being run,
suitable bypass flow passages are provided at 58 in the lower body
39 and 58a in the upper body 45 at suitable angularly spaced
locations.
In use the apparatus is run into the wellhead housing H through the
blowout preventer (not shown), the packing P moving into the
annular space 14 and being initially axially deformed by the weight
string W which is transmitted downwardly to the packing support
sleeve 26 at the downwardly facing shoulder 26a of the upper end of
the lower body section 39 and the weight of the running string R is
lowered onto the upper end of the actuator wedge 32 through the leg
47, as seen in FIG. 2, shearing the shear pins 38 and moving the
actuator wedge 32 downwardly to wedge the lock ring 28 inwardly to
the locking position. At this time the blowout preventer rams (not
shown) are closed about the running string R to form a seal
therewith, as is well known, and thereafter a pressure test may be
conducted by admitting pressure fluid to the annular space A
between the running string R and the housing H, the testing fluid
pressure being supplied viathe usual choke or kill line of the
blowout preventer. Such pressurized fluid acts to supplement the
weight of the weight string W in packing off the packing P and
locking the locking wedge means L due to differential pressure
responsive areas of the running tool T which are exposed to the
presure of fluid in the annulus A and which create a force acting
downwardly on the lower body 39 to assist in deforming the packing
ring 23 and downwardly on the upper body 45 to assist in locking
the wedge-lock means L.
The differential area A1 of the lower body section 39 is the
annular area between the lower body seals 41 within the casing
hanger bore 42 and the seals 55 within the cavity 44 of the weight
string the lower body. The differential area of the upper body is
the area A2 between the seals 55 in the cavity 44 of the lower body
and the outside diameter of the running string R which is sealed by
the blowout preventer rams as mentioned above. The extent to via
the which the packing ring 23 can be deformed as a result of the
application of the weight of the weight string W and the pressure
of fluid in the annulus A acting on the differential area A1 is
limited by reason of the fact that downward movement of the lower
body 39 with respect to the casing hanger C is limited. In this
connection it will be noted that the upper end 29a of the casing
hanger body section 29 provides an abutment confronting the lower
surface 39a of the lower body 39. Thus, the packing ring 23 cannot
be overly compressed, but can be compressed to the extent necessary
to effect a seal with the opposing walls 15 and 16 of the housing H
and the casing hanger C, respectively.
After it has been determined that such a seal has been effected by
the packing ring 23 the running string is elevated until the flange
46 of the upper body section 45 again abuts with the shoulder 50
provided by the stop ring 49. Further upward movement of the
running string will then shear the shear pins 51 releasing the
running and setting tool T from the packing supporting sleeve 26 so
that the tool T can be retrieved to the surface.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 a modified form of running and setting
tool is illustrated. In this form the tool is adapted to be
responsive to the pressure of test fluid in the annulus A and to
the weight of the weight string W to set the packing means P and
the locking wedge means L. In addition the locking wedge means L is
responsive to the application of pressure fluid through the running
string R to effect the locking of the packing in the packed off
condition. The running tool T of FIGS. 6 and 7 comprises a body
section 100 connected to the weight string W at 101 and having
external side ring seals 102 engageable within the internal
cylindrical sealing wall 103 of the casing hanger C. An enlarged
upper portion or section 104 of the body 100 receives the
circumferentially spaced wedge-lock actuating legs 105 in companion
longitudinally extended grooves 106. In this form, these legs
depend from a piston 107 disposed about the upper body section 109
which is connected at 110 to the running string R.
More particularly, the piston 107 has a piston body 111 of annular
form from which the legs 105 depend. The piston body 111 has a
cylindrical inner wall 112 slidably disposed about a cylindrical
portion 113 of the inner body 100 which has a resilient seal ring
114 slidably and sealingly engaged with the piston wall 112.
Extending upwardly from the piston body 107 is a cylindrical piston
section 115 which is sealingly engaged at its inner cylindrical
surface 116 by a resilient sealing ring 117 carried by the inner
body 100 in axially spaced relation to the seal ring 114. Between
the seal rings 114 and 117 is an annular chamber 118 adapted to be
pressurized with gas or air through a suitable filler (not shown),
whereby the gas in the chamber 118 can act on an annular piston
area 119 of the piston 107 to normally hold the piston in an upper
position as seen in FIG. 6.
An annular stop collar 120 is threaded at 121 into the upper end of
the body 100 and has passages 122 communicating with passages 123
in the piston body 111 and passages 124 in the body 100 through
which fluid can pass as the running and setting tool T is run into
the well with the packing support sleeve 26 connected to the body
100 by the shear pins 51 as in the previously described
embodiment.
Above the piston sleeve cylinder surface 116 is an enlarged bore
defined by a cylindrical surface 125 slidably and sealingly engaged
by a resilient seal ring 126 carried by a cylinder head nut 127
which is threadedly connected at 128 to the body 100. Between the
seals 117 and 126 is a piston chamber 129 in which the differential
piston area 130 of the sleeve 115 is exposed to fluid pressure when
supplied, as later described, through radial ports 131 in the upper
section 109 of the body 100.
As seen in FIG. 6 the tool T has been run into the housing H and
the packing sleeve 23 has been initially expanded by the weight of
the running string R and the weight string W which is transmitted
to the packing support sleeve 26. The piston 107 is held in its
upper position by means of the confined pressure in the chamber 118
acting upwardly on the piston area 119, or by other suitable
holding means, and by the shear pins 38 which connect the wedge
lock ring 33 to the packing support sleeve 26.
When pressure is applied to the annulus A through the choke or kill
line of the blowout preventer, as previously described, the test
pressure acts downwardly on the differential tool area between the
body seals 102 and the running string R which is sealed by the
blowout preventer rams, thereby more firmly setting the packing
sleeve 23 in the annular space 14 between the opposed walls 15 and
16 of the housing and the casing hanger. This same test pressure
also acts, after setting of the packing 23, upon the differential
area corresponding to the piston area 130 between the seals 117 and
126 to overcome the initial holding means provided by the pressure
in the body chamber 118 and shears the shear pins 38. Thereupon,
the wedge-lock means L are actuated through the legs 105 to the
position of FIG. 7 at which the packing means P is set and locked
in place. The tool T can then be retrieved, shearing the pins 51,
so that the packing means P is left in place.
As previously described the chamber 129 between the upper seal 126
and the intermediate seal 117 can be pressurized through the ports
131 to also provide a downward force on the piston 107 to actuate
the wedge-lock means L. As seen in FIG. 7, the body section 109 has
an upwardly facing seat 135 circumscribing the central passage
through the body 100 above a bore 136. A dart 137 has side seals
138 adapted to be seated in the bore 136 to close off the body
passage below the ports 131, whereby pressure fluid can be supplied
through the pipe string R to the chamber 129 to force the piston
107 downwardly and actuate the locking means L to the locked
condition.
Referring to FIGS. 8 through 11 another form of running and setting
tool is shown, wherein test pressure applied to the annulus A
assists in setting the sealing assembly and fluid pressure can be
supplied through the running string R to actuate the locking
means.
As seen in FIG. 8, the packing means P and the locking means L have
been run into the wellhead housing H on the running and setting
string R and the packing sleeve 23 has been initially deformed to
seal off the annulus 14 by being sealingly engaged with the opposed
cylindrical walls 15 and 16 of the housing H and the casing hanger
c, respectively. In this form the tool T comprises a body 200 to
the lower end of which the weight string W is connected at 201.
Adjacent its lower end the body 200 has sealing rings 202 sealingly
engaged within the cylindrical bore 203 of the casing hanger C.
Accordingly, with the blowout preventer rams closed about the
running string R, as previously described, fluid under pressure can
be supplied to the annulus A between the housing H and the running
string R through the usual choke or kill line, and the fluid
pressure in the annulus will act upon the differential area of the
tool T to further effect the deformation of the packing sleeve 23
as in the case of the previously described embodiments.
In this form the tool T is provided with means responsive to
pressure fluid supplied through the running string R to actuate the
wedge-lock means L. More particularly, the body 200 is provided
with a cylinder sleeve 204 reciprocably mounted upon the body 200.
Means are provided for normally holding the cylinder sleeve in an
upper position as seen in FIG. 8. Accordingly, the body 200 has a
stop ring 205 threaded on the body at 206 and provided with a
number of circumferentially spaced spring seats 207 on which the
lower ends of a number of circumferentially spaced coiled springs
208 are seated with the upper ends of the springs 208 engaged with
and acting upwardly upon the cylinder sleeve 204. In addition, the
cylinder sleeve 204 has an inner cylindrical wall 209 slidably and
sealingly engaged with a seal ring 210 carried by the body 200
below a chamber 211 extending circumferentially of the body 200.
The cylinder sleeve 204 has an internal piston flange 212 provided
with a seal ring 213 which slidably and sealingly engages a
cylinder wall 214 of the body 200, the wall 214 being of a lesser
diameter than the wall 209 of the cylinder sleeve 204. Pressure
fluid, such as gas or air, can be supplied through a filler 215 in
the cylinder sleeve 204 to pressurize the chamber 211 and provide
an upward force as a result of the pressure in the chamber 211
acting upwardly on the piston 212 thereby supplementing the springs
208 in holding the cylinder sleeve 204 in its upper position.
The body 200 has at its upper end a hollow neck 216 internally
threadedly connected at 217 to a top cylinder 218 and externally
threaded at 219 to an upper stop ring 220, Preferably, the stop
ring 220 is connected by a number of suitable circumferentially
spaced shear pins 221 with an upper cylinder section 222 of the
cylinder sleeve 204. The stop ring has a lower skirt or cylinder
head portion 223 having an external sealing ring 224 slidably
engaged with an internal cylinder wall 225 of the cylinder sleeve
204, the body neck 216 having a sealing ring 226 engaged with the
inner periphery of the cylinder head portion 223 of the stop ring
220. Thus, there is defined between the piston 212 in the cylinder
sleeve 204 and the cylinder head portion 223 of the stop ring 220
carried by the body 200 an annular pressure chamber 227 to which
fluid pressure is applicable to actuate the lock means L as will be
later described. The body 200 has a suitable number of radial ports
228 communicating with the chamber 227 and with a cylinder 229
formed in the top cylinder 218. Reciprocable in the cylinder 229 is
a piston 230 having a side ring seal 231 slidably engageable within
the cylinder 229. A coiled compression spring 232 is interposed
between a lower seat 233 in the body 200 and an upper seat 234
beneath the piston 232. A clean fluid such as oil is admitted to
the chamber 227, via a filler 235, and the oil is confined against
leakage from the cylinder 229 by a suitable sealing ring 236
engaged in a bore in the body 200.
Accordingly, when it is desired to actuate the locking means L,
fluid under pressure is supplied through the running string R and
acts upon the piston 230 in the top cylinder 218 to overcome the
spring 232 and displace fluid from the cylinder 229 into the
chamber 227 to act downwardly upon the cylinder sleeve piston 212
thereby shifting the cylinder sleeve 204 to the position of FIG.
9.
The cylinder sleeve 204 has a suitable number of circumferentially
spaced downwardly extending legs 238 reciprocable in longitudinally
extended slots 239 in an upwardly extended cylindrical section 205a
of the body ring 205 which has a number of circumferentially spaced
upstanding legs 240 reciprocably disposed in slots 241 in the
cylinder sleeve 204 whereby the proper orientation of the cylinder
sleeve on the body is maintained. The lower ends of the legs 238 of
the cylinder sleeve 204 are in abutting engagement with the upper
end of the wedge ring 32 of the wedge-lock means L. Accordingly,
downward movement of the cylinder sleeve 204, under the influence
of fluid pressure acting on the piston 212, first shears the shear
pins 221, which initially connect the cylinder sleeve 204 to the
body 200, and when the effect of fluid pressure on the piston 212
overcomes the springs 208 and the pressure in chamber 211 acting
upwardly on the piston 212, the cylinder sleeve is moved downwardly
shearing the shear pins 38 which connect the wedge ring 32 to the
packing support sleeve 26. Downward movement of the wedge ring 32
effects contraction of the locking rings 28 into locking engagement
with the tapered surface 30 of the casing hanger C. Thereafter,
when the running tool T is retrieved the shear pins 51, which
connect the body 200 to the packing support sleeve 26, are sheared
and the packing means P is locked in place by the lock means L and
remain in the casing hanger C.
* * * * *