US3507329A - Locating and anchoring device for well tools - Google Patents

Description

April 21, 1970 D. c. STONE, JR 3,507,329

LOCATING AND ANCHORI-NG DEVICE FOR WELL TOOLS Filed Nov. 25, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 60 5 5 wT T 4 62 4 I N VENTOR.

Dewey C. J! 09, 07'.

BY E

ATTORNEV April 21, 1970 D. c. STONE, JR

LOGATING AND ANCHORING DEVICE FOR WELL TOOLS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1968 r m J, W e 7 flw h J ml W a 2; a I f f R NAAAVVvE ya A W Q g T J 4 M Z 3 April 21, 1970 c, STONE, JR 3,507,329

LOCATING AND ANCHORING DEVICE FOR WELL TOOLS Filed NOV. 25, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I N VEN TOR.

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ATTOFNV United States Patent 3,507,329 LOCATING AND ANCHORIYG DEVICE FOR WELL TOOLS Dewey C. Stone, Jr., Houston, Tex., assignor to Harold Brown Company, a corporation of Texas Filed Nov. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 778,610 Int. Cl. E21b 23/02 US. Cl. 166214 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tool anchor assembly for insertion in well pipes including a level selector sub-assembly and an anchor subassembly, the level selector sub-assembly being adapted to position the anchor sub-assembly at a selected location in the well pipe and thereafter to be released from the anchor sub-assembly for removal from the well pipe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the oil and gas industry, operations to be conducted in the well often require the positioning of tools, such as pressure regulating or choke devices and the like, at different levels inside the well pipes, generally the production tubing. The installation of such tools is made usually after the tubing has been installed and the production characteristics observed so that the proper level for installation of the tools may be determined.

In anticipation of the necessity for such equipment the tubing string will be equipped initially with one or more landing nipples at different levels, having grooves for receiving the latching elements and also having locator grooves of ditfering shape or dimensions for cooperation with correspondingly shaped locator keys on the anchor device, whereby to enable anchoring the tools at a preselected level or location in the tubing string.

An assemblage of apparatus for thus anchoring well tools is disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,673,614. In this patent, as in other prior art devices for the same purpose, the locator elements and the anchor elements are made parts of a unitary structure which is required to remain in its entirety in the well pipe when the anchor elements have been actuated. As a result, a considerable mass of equipment remains in the well pipe and forms a substantially undesirable restriction in the path of flow of the well fluids through the pipe.

Where, as is often the case, it is desired to install several control devices at different levels in the production tubing, each installation requires the positioning in the well of a corresponding number of such unitary locator-anchoring assemblages, which adds greatly to the cost of the installation, as well as increasing the number of undesirable constrictions in the production string.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an improved anchor device comprising separable anchor and locator sub-assemblies operable to position the anchor assembly at a selected level in the well pipe, and to thereafter enable release of the locator sub-assembly to permit its with drawal from the well pipe while leaving the anchor subassembly in its anchored position.

The anchor sub-assembly includes means, forming part of the releasable connection to the locator sub-assembly, which is engageable by a suitable fishing tool for releasing the anchor sub-assembly from anchoring engagement with the well pipe so that it also may be withdrawn from the well when desired.

With the arrangement in accordance with this invention only the anchor sub-assembly will be left in the well pipe during production. The cost of the tools for equipping a 'ice well is thus greatly reduced as compared with more conventional systems, such as described above, and flow restrictions will be reduced to minimal proportions.

Other and more specific objects and advantages of this invention will be come more readily apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which illustrates useful embodiments in accordance with this invention.

In the drawing:

FIGS. 1A and 13, together, comprise a longitudinal, partly sectional view of an anchor assemblage in accordance with this invention disposed in a well tubing, the parts being shown in the positions occupied before the anchor elements are actuated but after positioning by the locator sub-assembly;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal, partly sectional View showing the anchor sub-assembly actuated and the locator subassembly in process of being removed;

FIG. 3 is a view generally similar to FIG. 2 showing the anchor sub-assembly in process of being retrieved;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken alongline 4--4 of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken alongline 55 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal, partly sectional view of a modification of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the assemblage includes a tubular body, designated generally by the letter B, connectible by its opposite ends between adjacent sections of a tubing string T to form a part thereof. In the embodiment, as illustrated, body B comprises atubular locator nipple 10, the lower end of which is threadedly connected to the upper end of alanding nipple 11, the free ends of the nipples are provided with threadedpins 10a and 1012, respectively, for connecting them into the tubing string.

The anchor structure comprises an upper locator subassembly, designated generally by the letter L, a lower anchor sub-assembly, designated generally by the letter A, and a connector sub-assembly, designated generally by the letter C, releasably connecting sub-assemblies A and L to each other.

Atubular mandrel 12 extends axially through the bore of body B and forms a common support for the several sub-assemblies. The upper end ofmandrel 12 is threadedly connected to afishing neck 13 connectible at its upper end to a generally conventional string of Wire line tools W, which will ordinarily include a set of jars (not shown), for performing the various manipulations required for operation of the anchor assemblage as will appear subsequently.

Locator sub-assembly L includes a generallytubular locator body 15 having abore 16 appreciably larger in diameter thanmandrel 12, the annular space thus provided therebetween being occupied by asleeve 17 through whichmandrel 12 is slidable. The upper end ofsleeve 17 has an enlargedhead 18 engageable with anupper retainer ring 15a spaced abovebody 15. At a point spaced a short distance above itslower end sleeve 17 is provided with a section ofexternal threads 19 receivable in a section ofthreads 20 inbore 16 at a point spaced from the lower end ofbody 15. Thethread sections 19 and 20permit sleeve 17 to be screwed tightly tobody 15.Sleeve 17 has its lowermost end portion formed to define a downwardly and inwardly tapering smooth-surfacedtip 47 to define with the inner end surface ofbody 15 below threads 20 a downwardly divergingannular space 48.

Locator body 15 andretainer ring 15a are provided with a plurality of angularly spaced, registeringslots 21 arranged to receive and retain the opposite ends ofelongate locator keys 22 each of which is biased outwardly of the body by a spring 23- bearing against the exterior ofsleeve 17. The exterior shape ofkeys 22 is made to cooperate with a locator recess 24 of substantially identical complementary shape provided in the bore Wall of locator nipple 10. This complementary arrangement is a well known indexing device by which tools may be landed at a particular location in a pipe string. The aforementioned U.S. Patent No. 2,673,614 illustrates such a locator device, the details of which do not form a part of this invention. As illustrated,keys 22 have a downwardly and outwardly bevelledupper end 25, a downwardly facingsquare shoulder 26 spaced from its lower end, the latter being formed belowshoulder 26 with an outwardly extendingenlargement 27. The upper end of the latter is defined by an unwardly and inwardly slopingend face 28 and its lower end by a downwardly and inwardly slopingend face 29.

As noted, the shape of locator recess 24 is of substantially identical complementary-shape to the exterior shape ofkeys 22 and accordingly has a downwardly and inwardly slopingupper end surface 30 matchingend surface 25; an upwardly facing internalsquare shoulder 31 forming an abrupt stop for the locator subassembly upon engagement bykey shoulder 26; and anannular groove 32 matching inshape enlargement 27 and its slopingend surfaces 28 and 29.

With the described construction of the locator subassembly and its cooperatinglocator nipple 10, it will be evident that when the assemblage is lowered to a pointopposite recess 24, the locator keys will snap into the recess and further downward movement will be stopped abruptly by abutment ofshoulder 26 withshoulder 31. Thebevelled end surface 28 ofenlargement 27 will cooperate with the related portion ofgroove 32 to forceenlargement 27 inwardly when upward pull is applied to the locator sub-assembly to thereby compresssprings 23, forcing the keys inwardly to allow the locator subassembly to be pulled upwardly out of locator nipple for purposes to be described hereinafter.

Anchor sub-assembly A includes atubular anchor cage 35 having abore 36 and provided with a plurality of angularly spacedwindows 37 in each of which alocking dog 38 is mounted for radial movement into and out of anannular locking groove 39 in the bore wall oflanding nipple 11 when the dogs have been positioned in registration withgroove 39 which has bevelledend Walls 39a and 3912.

Beginning a short distance belowwindows 37,bore 36 is provided with three successively lower, axially spacedcircumferential latching grooves 40, 41 and 42, each having bevelled end walls. The lower end ofcage 35 belowlowermost latching groove 42 is reduced in diameter externally to provide aseat 43 forseal packing 44 adapted to seal between the cage and the wall ofnipple 11. The lower end ofcags 35 is externally threaded at 45 for reception in a threaded socket of atool part 46 which serves as a gland for retaining the packing and which may be a part of a tool which is to be anchored in the tubing.

The upper end ofcage 35 has an internally threadedsocket 50 adapted to receive the externally threadedpin 51 having anaxial bore 52 carried by the lower end of atubular extension 53. The upper end ofextension 53 is formed with an internal downwardly and inwardly slopingshoulder 54 which forms a part of connector sub-assembly C. Other parts of the latter include a number of angularly spacedlatch fingers 55 havinghinge knobs 56 at their upper ends received in ahinge groove 57 formed in the bore wall of the lower end of body oppositetip 47. The lower ends offingers 55 are thickened to form outwardly projecting latching heads 58 having downwardly sloping, upwardly facingshoulders 59 adapted to be engaged beneathshoulder 54 when urged outwardly by anannular enlargement 60 having a bevelledupper surface 61 formed on a thickwalled section 62 defining the lower end portion ofmandrel 12 and sometimes hereinafter referred to as a stinger or prong.

It will be evident from the foregoing description of the parts of connector sub-assembly C, that whenmandrel 12 is in its fully inserted position, as seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B,enlargement 60 will be thrustingfingers 55 outwardly, placing latchingshoulders 59 on latchingheads 58 beneathshoulder 54, thereby maintaining a connection between locator sub-assembly L and anchor sub-assembly A. Whenstinger 62 is moved downwardly from the position shown in FIG. 1B for a distance placing bevelledsurface 61 below latching heads 58, latchingfingers 55 will be free to swing inwardly releasing the engagement betweenshoulders 59 and 54 whereby to permit the locator sub-assembly to be released from the anchor subassembly for withdrawal from the tubing, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

Slidably mounted inbore 36 of the anchor cage is atubular latching sleeve 65, having an intermediate portion thickened outwardly to form anannular expander 66 having a downwardly and inwardly slopingexpander surface 67 merging into a generallycylindrical recess 68 in the outer surface ofsleeve 65. The lower end ofrecess 68 is defined by an outwardly extendinglip 69.Recess 68, when disposed opposite lockingdogs 38 will permit inward movement of the latter suflicient to clear lockinggroove 39, as seen in FIG. 1B. Downward movement ofsleeve 65 relative tocage 35 will urgedogs 38 outwardly into lockinggroove 39 through coaction ofexpander surface 67 withdogs 38. When expander 66- is disposed behinddogs 38, the latter will be held in locked position ingroove 39.

The bore ofsleeve 65 is counterbored from its upper end to a point intermediate the ends ofexpander 66 to define an upwardly facing shoulder 70' which is engageable by thelower end 71 ofstinger 62. Theportion 72 ofsleeve 65 aboveexpander 66 is also reduced in thickmess to extend into the annular space between the exterior ofstinger 62 and bore 52 ofcage extension 53, when the parts are in the positions shown in FIG. 1B.

The lower end ofsleeve 65 carries a collet which is split longitudinally at a plurality of angularly spaced points to form a plurality of resilient detents orfingers 73, the lower ends of which are formed with outwardly projectinglips 74 adapted to be received in latching engagement in the several latchinggrooves 40, 41 and 42, during the operation of the device to be described subsequently.

When the anchor assemblage is initially inserted in the tubing, one or more shear screws 75 will be mounted inbody 15 to extend radially throughsleeve 17 andmandrel 12 to initially hold the anchor sub-assembly in the unactuated position illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

OPERATION In operation of the above described device, tubing T will be equipped with one or more of the bodies B located at different elevations depending upon where it may be desired to land tools of the general type previously mentioned. As is common practice, it will be understood that theseveral locator nipples 10 will usually be provided with locator recesses 24 of varying dimensions to enable indexing of the tools at a desired location by the employment of a locator sub-assembly of appropriate configuration to match that of the landing recess. The toolassemblage having mandrel 12 connected tofishing neck 13 and the latter, in turn, suspended from a string of wire line tools will be run into the well tubing. The wire line tools will usually include suitable jar elements (not shown) by which appropriate jarring blows may be applied to the tool string when required in the course of operation.

As indicated previously, the parts of the assemblage are initially in the positions illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. As the assemblage is lowered through tubing T and locator sub-assembly L comesopposite recess 24 inlocator landing nipple 10, springs 23' will urgekeys 22 outwardly, causingshoulders 26 to engage onshoulders 31, stopping further downward movement of the assemblage, the parts of the locator sub-assembly then occupying the positions illustrated in FIG. 1A.

At this stage, it will be understood that the tool dimensions will have been selected and arranged so that lockingdogs 38 will be disposed opposite lockinggrooves 39 in theanchor landing nipple 11. When the locator subassembly L has been landed, the wire line jars will be operated to apply downwardly directed jarring blows to mandrel 12 sutlicient to break shear screws 75, thereby releasing the mandrel for downward movement relative to the connector sub-assembly C, and the anchor subassembly A. The downward movement ofmandrel 12, eflected by the jarring blow, will causestinger 62, acting onshoulder 70, to driveexpander sleeve 65 downwardly,rn'oving expander 66 behinddogs 38 and pushing the latter outwardly into lockinggroove 39, as illustrated in FIG. 2. This downward movement ofexpander sleeve 65 will forcelips 74 ofcollet fingers 73 out ofuppermost groove 40 into the nextlower latching groove 41, which will be spaced sufiiciently below latchinggroove 40 to positionexpander 66 behinddogs 38, again as shown in FIG. 2.

Also, the downward movement of stinger "62 relative tocage 35 and itsextension 53 will moveenlargement 60 belowlatches 58, allowing the latter to swing inwardly andclear shoulder 54. This will result in the release of any further connection between the locator sub-assembly and the anchor sub-assembly. Upward pull may now be applied to the wire linestring causing mandrel 12 to be pulled upwardly out ofextension 53 and causingshoulder 61 onenlargement 60 to engage beneathlatches 55, enabling upward pull to be applied to the locator subassembly. This upward pull will be applied through the coaction of the bevelled ends ofenlargements 27 withbevelled end walls 28 ofgroove 32 to forceenlargements 27 out ofgroove 32, urging thekeys 22 inwardly against the force ofsprings 23 sufliciently to allow the entire locator sub-assembly to be pulled out oflocator landing nipple 10, and thence upwardly through the tubing string to the surface. This movement isillustrated, in part, in FIG. 2, which also shows latchingsleeve 65 in holding position againstdogs 38 withcollet fingers 73 latched intogroove 41, thereby anchoring the tools supported by the anchor sub-assembly in the desired position.

To withdraw the anchor sub-assembly, the wire line string carrying acatcher head 80 will be run back into the tubing to insert a releasing prong 8011 into the bore ofexpander sleeve 65, as seen in FIG. 3, until lower end 71a of the releasing prong againcontacts shoulder 70 of the latching sleeve. The wire line operating string will be equipped with catcher head orspear 80 screwed to the upper end of prong 80a.Spear 80 will include latchingfingers 81 having shoulderedheads 82 disposed to engage beneathshoulder 54 onextension 53 when upward pull is to be applied to the anchor sub-assembly.

With the lower end 71a of the releasing prong now bearing againstshoulder 70, a downward jarring blow through the wire line string will drivesleeve 65 downwardly sufliciently to moveexpander 66 belowdogs 38, placing the relativelythin sections 72 of the upper end of the latching sleeve behind dogs 38, thereby permitting the latter to move inwardly out of lockingrecess 39. Downward movement of the latching sleeve to thus release dogs 38 will forcecollet fingers 73 out of latchinggroove 41 and move them downwardly until they engage inlowermost latching groove 42, thereby holding the latching sleeve in the dog-releasing position. Upward pull may now be applied through the wire line string tocatcher head 80 and this upward movement will actuatespear 80 to cause latching heads 82 to engage beneathshoulder 54, thereby again securing the running string to the anchor sub-assembly and permitting the latter to be pulled out of the tubing in response to further upward pull applied to the wire line string.

FIG. 6 illustrates a modification of the device hereinbefore described, in which the locator sub-assembly is dispensed with and only the anchor sub-assembly is to be positioned in the tubing. This situation arises where it is desired to anchor a tool at only one location in the well bore. In this modification, anchor sub-assembly A is substantially identical with that previously described; instead, however, of the latching type connector sub-assembly previously employed,extension 53 is secured directly to amandrel 112 by means of shear pins 75. Thecage 35 is provided at the base ofwindows 37 with an outwardly projectinglip 76 adapted to engage thelower end wall 39a ofrecess 39 forming what is termed in the art a no go shoulder which limits downward movement of the anchor assembly to a position placing lockingdogs 38opposite groove 39 and preventing further downward movement of the locking dogs oncage 35 relative to landingnipple 11. In this modification, therefore, landingnipple 11 also functions as the locator nipple. The portion of landing nipple belowrecess 39 is made to slightly greater thickness than that above the recess, thus causingend wall 39a to form an inwardly extending projection for abutting engagement bylip 76.

To advance the dogs into locking engagement ingroove 39, downward jarring through the wire line string will be applied to breakshear pin 75, thereby driving latchingsleeve 65 downwardly by reason of the engagement oflower end 71 of the stinger onshoulder 70 on the latching sleeve and movingcollet fingers 73 out of latchingrecess 40 into latchingrecess 41, whereupon the anchor sub-assembly will assume the anchored position as illustrated in FIG. 2.

Removal of the anchor sub-assembly will be effected much the same way as previously described, except the wire line string will be equipped with a suitable catcher device of well-known construction, such ascatcher head 80, adapted to engageshoulder 54 ofcage extension 53 after prong 80a has jarred the expander sleeve downwardly a sufficient distance to releasedogs 38 and bringcollet fingers 73 into engagement with latchinggroove 42, also as previously described.

It will be understood that various other alterations and modifications may be made in the details of the illustrative embodiments within the scope of the appended claims but without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for releasably anchoring a well tool at a selected level within a well pipe, comprising:

(a) a support member;

(b) a locator sub-assembly mounted on the support member for positioning the device at a selected level in the Well pipe;

(0) an anchor sub-assembly mounted on the support member below the locator sub-assembly for anchoring the well tool in the well pipe at said selected level, said anchor sub-assembly comprising:

(i) a tubular cage carrying anchor elements radially movable into and out of engaging positions relative to an opposed locking recess in the well pipe;

(ii) an expander sleeve axially movable in the bore of the cage between positions actuating and releasing said anchor element; and

(iii) cooperating latch means on said sleeve and said cage for holding said sleeve in each of said positions;

(d) connector means releasably connecting the anchor subassembly to the locator sub-assembly; and

(e) means operable in response to longitudinal movement of the support member relative to said anchor sub-assembly to actuate the latter while simultaneous releasing said connector means whereby to 7 permit Withdrawal of said locator sub-assembly said well pipe independently of said anchor sub-assembly.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said cooperating latch means comprises:

(a) a plurality of angularly spaced detents carried by the lower end of said sleeve; and

(b) a plurality of axially spaced annular detent-receiving recesses in the opposed bore wall of said cage.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said detentreceiving recesses are three in number, and spaced to hold said sleeve in a first release position, an actuating position, and a second release position.

4. A device for releasably anchoring a well tool at a selected level within a well pipe comprising;

(a) a support member;

(b) a locator sub-assembly mounted on the support member for positioning the device at a selected level in the well pipe;

(c) an anchor sub-assembly mounted on the support member below the locator sub-assembly for anchoring the well tool in the well pipe at said selected level;

(d) connector means releasably connecting the anchor sub-assembly to the locator sub-assembly and including:

(i) radially movable latch elements extending between the locator sub-assembly and a latchengaging part on said anchor sub-assembly; and

(ii) an annular enlargement on said support member longitudinally movable thereby between latch-holding and latch-releasing positions with respect to said latch-engaging part; and

(e) means operable in response to longitudinal movements of the support member relative to said anchor sub-assembly to actuate the latter while simultaneously releasing said connector means whereby to permit withdrawal of said locator sub-assembly from said well pipe independently of said anchor subassembly.

5. The device according toclaim 4, including frangible means extending between said support member and a part of said locator sub-assembly to initially hold said support member against downward movement relative to said anchor sub-assembly.

6. The device according to claim 2, including an upwardly facing internal shoulder in the bore of said sleeve engageable by downward movement of said support member to move said sleeve between said positions.

7. In combination with a tubular landing section adapted to form a part of a well pipe, said landing section having in the bore wall thereof an annular upper locator recess and a lower annular anchor groove, a well tool anchoring device insertible-through the well pipe into said landing section including:

(a) a tubular support member;

(b) a locator sub-assembly mounted on the support member and carrying means projectible into said locator recess to position the anchoring device at a selected level in the well pipe;

(c) an anchor sub-assembly mounted on the support member below the locator sub-assembly and carrying radially expansible anchor elements projectible into said anchor groove for releasably anchoring the device to the landing section; said projectible means and said expansible anchor elements being so spaced that when said projectible means are in said locator recess, said anchor elements are positioned opposite said anchor groove;

(d) connector means releasably connecting the anchor sub-assembly to the locator sub-assembly; and

(e) means operable in response to longitudinal movement of said support member relative to said anchor sub-assembly to project said anchor elements into said anchor groove while simultaneously releasing said connector means whereby to permit withdrawal of said locator sub-assembly from said well pipe independently of said anchor sub-assembly.

8. In combination with a tubular landing section adapted to form a part of a well pipe and having an annular anchor groove in the bore well thereof, a well tool anchoring device insertible through the Well pipe into said landing section including:

(a) a tubular support member;

(b) an anchor sub-assembly mounted on the support member including a tubular cage carrying radially expansible anchor elements projectible by relative axial movement of said support member into said anchor groove;

(c) stop means carried by said sub-assembly for landing the sub-assembly in said landing section at a first position at which said anchor elements are in registration with said anchor groove;

(d) means initially securing said support member to said cage in non-projecting relation to said anchor elements and releasable by downward force on the support member to permit downward movement of the latter to a second anchor-element projecting position; and

(e) cooperating latch means on said support member and said cage for holding said support member in each of said positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,698,056 12/ 1954 Marshall et al. l66-123 2,816,613 12/1957 Minter et al. l66214 2,953,206 9/1960 Brown 166l25 2,976,931 3/1961 Dafiin 166217 X 2,989,122 6/1961 Kenneday 166-l23 X 3,074,485 1/1963 McGowen 166-217 3,207,222 9/1965 Tamplbn 166l23 X 3,319,719 5/1967 Decuir 166217 3,446,281 5/1969 Watkins 166-214 CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner I. A. CALVERT, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 166217

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