US1737248A - Well apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 26, 1929. F. c. KELLEY WELL APPARATUS Filed March 24. 1926 f Il atto/www sible.

Patented Nov. 26, 1929 UNITED STATES PATsT ICE FRANK C. IKELLEY, 0F LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ON-HALF TO ELMER l W. RGGLE, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA l WELL APPARATUS Application led March 24, 1926. Serial No. 97,019.

This invention relates to well apparatus of the type which is useful in oil well practice and has for a particular object the provision of novel means for preventing sanding of the various pump parts and so that circulation of oil from the oil-bearing sands through the tubing and casing may be at all times maintained.

At the present time considerable difficulty is experienced in the sanding up of wells, the sand bein so heavy as'to prevent proper operation of the standing and working valves, with the result that the pumping enliciency of the well is decreased, which of course would decrease the normal flow of oil at the surface of the well.

This invention particularly relates to the type of pump known as the macaroni style in which the fluid is pumped through tubular pump or sucker rods and delivered at the surface through a flexible or jointed connection to storage.

An object of the present invention is the provision of means whereby pressure is built up within the tubing in accordance with use and requirements so that a continuous circulation is maintained down through the tubing and up through the hollow pump rods and sanding of the well is practically impos- The in -ventor is aware that certain methods are now in use in oil well practice which utilize steam pressure, butsuch devices are open to the objection that they are not automatic and require the attention of an operator to build up the steam pressure 1n case the oil does not flow properly.

With the present invention the device will build its own pressure in accordance with requirement, and to that end the device may be considered automatic. For instance, if a pressure of 600 pounds is required to maintain free circulation, it may so happen that after a certain period of use greater pressure 1s required, say 1400 pounds,.and with the present device the pressure would be built up to the required amount so that a free Vcirculation of the oil would be maintained. Obviously, if 1400 pounds were required for a duration of time kand then the well owner required pounds, vthe device would function automatically for this reduced pressure, and without the necessity of the operator being on the ground. A Y

Other objects of the invention will appear as the specification proceeds and the invention contemplates among its objects th-e provision of well apparatus which is fool-proof in operation, automatic, and which will .effectively prevent sanding of a well.

With the above and other objects in view,

the invention consists in the novel and useful.

provision, formation, construction, association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as shown in certain embodiments in the accompanying drawing, described generally7 and finally pointed out in the claims. Y V

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation showing a well derrick, tank and casing associated with my invention;

Figure 2 is afragmentary vertical 'sectional view showingdetails of my invention; and,

Figure 3 is a further detail of the invention.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are designated by the sam-e reference characters.

In the drawing, A designates as an entirety, an oil well rig with the usual pumping means and casing within a well hole, and B designates as an entirety the improved meansifor maintaining a high pressure circulating system in the well casing, tubing and sucker rods, the means B embodying the invention.

The usual well casing 1, of which there are several strings as shown in Figure 1,.is provided, and within the well casing is tubingQ, as well as hollow pump orsucker rods 3. The

casing is joined with the usual casingihead" in a well derrick 5, and piping 6 is flexibly connected with'the pump orsucker rodsl asV i shown at 7, whereby oil pumpedto the surface of the well may be conductedto asuitable reservoir 8. The usual yplunger pumps maybe utilized, and in this connection walking beam 9 mounted on a Samson post 10 is driven bymeans 11 to raise and lower'the hollow sucker rods through the connecting rod vv12.V All'of this is old and 'in general use at the present time, and the part of the invention .that is new' relates to themeansB whichincludes a ico v pump a adapted to be actuated by movement y walking beam 9, as shown at 22.

Vterior the cage,.as shown at 35 and 36.

of the walking beam 9. This pump a is of ordinary construction including acylinder 13, one end of which is provided with a valve 14 with a valved piston 15 within the cylinder. The end of the cylinder adjacent the valve 14 is screw-threaded as at 16 for reception of apipe 17 andpiping 18 connects with thepipe 17 and 'enters thereservoir 8 with an open end of saidpipe adjacent the top surface of any oil within the said reservoir as shown at 19. In fact, a float 2O is adapted to carry such open end and a pipe length is mounted for inove ment in accordance with oil level. This open y' end of the pipe is maintained adjacent the top Vsurface so that oil which is pumped through the piping 6 will allow the sand within the same to settle and fresh oil will be received in thepiping 18. The piston 15 is provided with apiston arm 21, which arm is joined with the Thus up and down movement of the walking beam will actuate the pump, an upward movement of the walking beam drawing oil through thepiping 18 past the valve 14 and downward movement of the walking beam closing the valve in the piston 15 so that upon a reverse movement of the piston oil above the valve piston 15 will bepumped from thecylinder 13, throughpiping 23, which piping communicates with atubing head 24 above ythe casin head.

Referring particularly' to Figure 2 the tubing head is of the usual construction and acts as an anchorage for thetubing 2, with thehollow sucker rod 3 passed through such tubing head, andthe usual packer orgland 25 surrounding the periphery of the hollow sucker rod where it passes through the tubing head. The tubing extends downwardly within the well and is joined to acollar 26 which in turn carries apump barrel 27 Vithin the pump casing is aliner 28 spaced from the pump casing slightly and the liner in turn has received within the same aplunger 29. This `plunger has connected thereto a plunger valve 3() constituting the working valve and the.cage 31 of such plunger valve is slightly spaced from the inner'surface of theliner 28. A: rod orbarV 32 transversely spans the gap in thecage 31 so as to limit upward movement of theball 33 of such valve. Above therbar 32 is ahollow rod 34 which spans the gap of.,

suoli cage and likewise has communication eX! Secured to this hollow tube is asmall valve 37.

v This valve is similar to the standing valve Vwith thebore inthe vtube 34. @The hollow sucker rodis secured .by vscrew threading or through thepiping 23. This control valve' comprises "the following elements: avalve housing 45 having a valve seat upon which is a Vballvalv'e 46,piping 47 communicating with the T,' and A with such valve, and above the valve isother piping 48 which may lead back to thereservoir 8. At one side ofthe valve housing or casing is anarm 49, and pivoted to:

such arm 49 is a lever 50 adapted to carry a seat and allow the fluid being pumped to be passed through the .piping 48.

. The-operation of the device is as follows:` Vlien the walking beam is in operation andv luid is being pumpedfrom the well, freshv oil isconstantly being pumped through. thepiping 18 past the pump a, throughvthe piping 23 and down within the.tubing 2.

This oilin turn is pumped under pressure.

into the space included between the cage l31 of the working valve and the liner, and liliewise through theopenings 42y to the space included between the barrel and the liner."

This oil is fresh and clean and thed oilthat is received between the barrel and the liner is Y allowedto contact with theplunger 29 to` lubricate `the surface between the plunger and the liner through the mediumof open ings 53fin the said liner. Likewisefresh oil under pressure is passed inwardly of thehollow rod 34 and lraises the ball'of thevalve 37 so that fresh oil inv turn-is pumped `up-rl wardlythrouglitlie-hollow sucker rod along:

with the oil being lifted from the-oil-bearing sands.` Itis thus evident that av sanding up of the Vworking valve is .practically impossible of accomplishment. If .we assume that the oil being lifted is very` sandy, and there is a tendency for the sandte settle and closeY theworking valve, pressurewill gradually build up in the line as the walking beam op-Y erates, sorthat the fresliuoil `being .forced-` through the pipe23 and downwardly Vwithin the tubing, will'finally reach a pressure sufficient to force the sand thaty has accumulated upwardly, and thus relieve thesandedcondition of the hollow sucker rods andrpermit the working valve to again function properT ly. To this'end theweight 51 can be adjusted so that any degree of-pressure desired may be attained, and it is obvious vthat such a device would be automatic, not requiring the attention of the operator, as the Weight may be placed at a point Where an excess of pressure beyond the setting of the Weight might be suiicient to burst a pipe so that if a certain pressure is exceeded, the valve Would open to prevent the piping being broken. In any event, a high pressure circulating system for Wells is detailed by the construction just described, and one that will function continuously and Without attention. lt is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in practicing the invention, in departure from the particular showing of the drawing, Without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

Having thus disclosed my invention, l: claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent: l. Improvements in oilf Well apparatus, having a tubing Within a Well hole, a pump Within said tubing and Working and standing valves associated with Vthe tubing and said pump, including a Walking beam adapted to actuate said pump, a second pump associated With the Walking beam and a con nection between said second pump and the space above said Working valve, there being means for supplying fresh oil to said second pump and Wherebyvvhen the Walking beam is operated the said pumps are operated, the first pump to lift oil from the oil-bearing sands and the second pump to force clean oil above the Working valve to maintain the Working valve operative and prevent a sanding up thereof.

2. lmprovements in oil Well apparatus, having a tubing Within a Well hole, a pump Within said tubing and Working and standing valves associated With the tubing and said pump, and a Walking beam adapted to actuate said pump, including a second pump associated With the Walking beam and a connection between said second pump and the space above said Working valve, there being means for supplying fresh oil to said second pump and whereby when the Walking beam is operated the said pumps are operated, the first pump to lift oil from the oil-bearing sands and the second pump to force clean oil above the Working valve to maintain the Working valve operative and prevent sanding up thereof; there being automatic means for regulating the pressure of oil pumped by the second named pump.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANK C. KELLEY.

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