US2942666A - Wireline plugging device - Google Patents

Description

June 28, 1960 M. E. TRUE ET AL WIRELINE PLUGGING DEVICE s Sheets-Sheet'i Filed Dec. 27, 1956 NVENTORS. Martin E. True,

George Boer, BY A ATi'ohNEY.

June 28, 1960 M. E. TRUE ETAL 2,942,666

WIRELINE PLUGGING DEVICE;

Filed Dec. 27, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F IG. 5

l3 FlG.3A FIG. 3B

lLQL l Pk we? June 28, 1960 M. E. TRUE EI'AL WIRELINE PLUGGING DEVICE Boer,

INVENTORS. Murfm E. True,

ATTORNEY George 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I, H ,/w///// Filed Dec. 27, 1956 United States atent Oh ice 2,942,565 Patented June 28, 1960 WIRELINE PLUGGING DEVICE Martin E. True and George Boer, Houston, Tex, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Jersey Production Research Company, Tulsa, Okla, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 27, W55, Ser. No. 630,846

8 Claims. (Ci. 166-435) This invention is directed to a device for plugging elf well casing. More particularly, it is directed to a plugging device for well casing adapted to be lowered through tubing on a wireline.

when performing permanent well completion operations, it is desirable to isolate lower producing formations from upper producing zones by setting a plug in the well casing. In order to set the plug, it is necessary to lower the plugging device through the permanently set tubing and expand the plug in the casing below the tubing. Conventional practice for accomplishing such operation is, generally, to employ cement or other materials that set, which materials are dumped by a bailer or pumped through the permanent well completion tubing. extension.

This invention provides a device whereby the plugging of the casing is effected without the necessity for employing a bailer or without requiring the pumping of cementitious material through the tubing string. In permanent well completion operations, a tubing string is set permanently during the life of the well above a plurality of producing intervals or zones and workover operations are performed through this tubing string. A complete discussion of permanent well completion techniques appears in Permanent Type Well Completion, World Oil, March 1954.

Hence an object of this invention is to provide a plug ging device for easing which is adapted to be lowered through tubing in a retracted position and expanded into a plugging position below the lower open end of a tubing string.

Briefly, the invention comprises a mandrel provided with a passageway therethrough. A chamber is positioned on the lower end of the mandrel. A piston is positioned in the chamber and a piston rod is connected to the piston. Anchoring means is operatively connected to the piston rod whereby movement of the piston moves the anchoring means to engage the walls of the casing. The mandrel is formed to provide an opening intermediate its length and an inflatable packer means is arranged about the mandrel and surrounds the opening in the mandrel. A check valve is provided above the packer in the passageway. With this arrangement fluid enters the passageway through the check valve and inflates the packer member into engagement with the wall of the casing and fluid passes through the lower end of the passageway into the chamber to actuate the piston and connected piston rod to actuate the anchoring means to secure the device in the well. Various forms of anchoring means are provided. In one modification, the packer member is provided with reinforcing means and is movably mounted at one end of the mandrel. In another modification, the lower end of the mandrel is provided with a spiral groove in which is arranged a member connected to the lower end of the packer member. This member is rotatably and vertically movable on the mandrel. This arrangement permits the packet member tohave a spiral or twisted position on the mandrel when retracted.

The invention also contemplates employing releasable setting fools connected to a tubular extension member whereby the plugging device may be lowered through the tubing by means of a wire line connected to the tubular extension and released from the tubular extension by means of one of the setting tools.

For a more complete description of the operation of this device, reference is now made to the figures wherein,

Fig. 1 is a schematic showing of the device positioned on a tubular extension member in a well bore;

Fig. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the plugging device in expanded position;

Fig. 2B is an elevational view, partly in section, of the plugging device in retracted position;

Figs, 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views of a modified plugging device in retracted and expanded positions respectively;

Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view of an additional modification in expanded position;

Fig. 4B is an elevational View, partly in section, of the additional modification in retracted position;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a setting tool adaptable for use with the plugging device of our invention, and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of another type setting tool that may be employed with this invention.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail for a 'more complete description of the operation of our invention, Fig; 1 shows a borehole 9 penetrating a plurality of producing intervals A and B and in which is positioned a casing it and a tubing 11 permanently set therein according to permanent well completion operation techniques. Tubing 11 is set above a plurality of formations such as A and B' and provided with a nipple 12 upon which is mounted a tubular extension member 13. The tubular extension member 13 is provided with a fishing head 14 to which is secured a wire line 15 Winch is employed to raise and lower the tubular extension member through tubing 11. A setting tool 17 is screw threadedly' connected to the lower end of the tubular extension member as at 18 and the lower end of the setting tool is releasably connected to the plugging device 26.

In Figs. 2A and 2B one type of plugging device that may be employed is shown. Herein a mandrel 21 is provided with an internal passageway 22 extending through the length of the mandrel 21. The passageway 22 is provided with an enlarged portion 23 adjacent the upper end thereof in which is positioned a valve member which comprises a spring 24 and a ball 25. Ball 25 seats to close oft the upper end of passageway 22, as shown. The outer surface of mandrel 21 adjacent the upper end is provided with a shoulder portion 26 and the outer uppermost is tapered as at 27. The function of these elements will be described later in conjunction with the operation of the releasable setting tools. Themandrel 21- is provided with a plurality of openings or passageways 29 intermediate the length thereof and an inflatable packermember 28 surrounds the openings. A collar 39 is slidably arranged on mandrel 21 above openings 29 and a-packer retainer member 31 is screw threadedly connected to collar 30. Mandrel 21 is formed with a tapered portion as at 21 in order to provide a stop for collar 38. Packer retainer member 31 is provided with a cylindrical sleeve 32 which forms a slot or chamber with the collar 30. The upper end of a packer member 28 is secured in the slot formed thereby by means of a ring member 33. Similarly, acollar retainer member 35 provided with a. cylindrical sleeve 36 is screw threadedly connected to the lower end of mandrel 21. The cylindrical sleeve forms a slot with mandrel 21 and the lower lh e'operation of 2,9423 1 K w m it end of thepacker member 28 is retained in the slot by means of a ring member 37. A cylindrical member 38, formed to provide an open-ended chamber 40, is screw threadedly connected to packer retainer member 35. The threaded connection'therebetween is provided with a seal 39 to prevent leakage of fluid therethrough. The lower open end of passageway 22 fluidly communicates with the upper end of chamber 40. An imperforate'pision 41 is slidably arranged in chamber 40 and has connected thereto a piston rod 42 which extends through the lower end of chamber 40. A spring 43 is arranged about rod 42 between the piston and the lower wall of chamber 40.- The lower end of rod 42 is provided with gear teeth 44 and a plurality of dogs 45 are pivotly arranged on pins 46 which are mounted on the lower extension of cylindrical member 38. The dogs 45 are provided with gear teeth 47 at the inner ends thereof which engage with teeth 44 of piston rod 42. Additional dogs 48 are also pivotly arranged on the lower extension of Cylindrical member 38 by means of pins 49 mounted on cylindrical member 38. Dogs 48 are provided with gear teeth 50 which engage'with teeth 47 of dogs 45. Dogs 45 and 48 are retractable in slots formed in cylindrical member 38. In this modification the packer is provided with longitudinally extending reinforcing means 51.

In the operation of this device fluid pressure applied through the upper open end of passageway 22 moves ball 25 downwardly against the bias of spring 24 permitting fluid to pass through openings 29 in'mandrel 21 to thereby 1 inflate the packer member 28. Upon movement or expansion of the packer member 28'outwardly, the collar moves downwardly on mandrel 21 until the packer has plugged ofi the casing by engaging with the wall of casing 10.

In the meantime, fluid pressure passes through the lower open end of passageway 22 and into chamber where the fluid moves piston 41 downwardlyprovided with reinforcement and each end of the Packer member is secured to the mandrel to prevent relative movement between the packer member and the mandrel.

In Figs. 4A and 48 another modification is shown. Herein, a tubular mandrel 81 is provided witha passageway 82 and openings or passageways 83. The upper portion of the mandrel 81 is similarly arranged as in the previous embodiments, being provided with a valve comprising a spring 84 and ball 85 adapted to close ofi upwardly directed flow through the upper end of passage- Way 82. 'Also. a shoulder 86v and tapered surface 87 are provided. The upper end of the mandrel has secured thereto a collar 88 provided with a cylindrical sleeve 89, which forms in conjunction with the mandrel 81 a slot in which is positioned the upper end of an inflatable packer member 90 which surrounds openings 83; This packer'member is provided with longitudinally extending reinforcing means 91' which extend a portion of thelength of the packer, as shown. The lower end of the mandrel has sealingly positioned thereon a movable cylindrical member 91 to which is screw threadedly connected a collar 92 having upper and lower cylindrical sleeve portions 93 and 94, respectively. Sleeve 94 is provided with a pin member 95. The lower end of the mandrel is screw threadedly secured to a cylindrical member 96 which is formed to provide a chamber 97. Between chamber 97 and collar 92, mandrel 81.is formed to pro vide an enlarged section which is provided with a spiral groove 98. An imperforate piston 99 is slidably arranged in chamber 97 and has connected thereto a piston rod 100. A spring member 101 is arranged about piston rod 100 in chamber 97 adapted to urge piston 99 upwardly. A plurality of linking members are secured to the lower end of piston rod 100, the link members comprising a. plurality of links pivoted at 102 ,to- 109. Intermediate links between pivots 103, 104 and 107, 108are provided a mandrel is provided with a passageway 61 and ports i l ,or passageways 62 similarly as in the embodiment of Figs. 2A and 2B. Also, the passageway 61 is provided with an enlarged portion 63 in which is positioned a spring 64 and ball 65 which latter is adapted to close ofi .the'upper'end of passageway 61; The upper end of mandrel 60, similarly as in the'previous embodiment, is provided with a shoulder portion 66anda tapered upper surface 67. I In this instance, the mandrel has screw threadedly connected thereto upper and lower collar members 68 and 69, respectively, which are provided with cylindrical sleeve portions 70 and 71, respectively, which cooperate with-themandrel to provide slots in which are positioned the upper and lower ends of an inflatable packer member 72. This packer member is not provided with reinforcing means. formed to provide a chamber which is 'screwthreadedly connected to collar-member 69. Animperforate piston is slidably arranged in chamber 74 and hasconnected thereto a piston rod 76 which extends through the lower end of chamber-74. A spring 75' is arranged about piston rod 76 in chamber'74 and is adapted to urge piston 75 upwardly. Piston rod 76 is provided with gear teeth '77. A plurality of dogs 78Vare pivotly'arranged on pivots 80 which are secured to-cylindrical engage withteeth77 of piston rod 76. When retracted A cylindricalmember 73 is Y withserrated surfaces in order to provide frictional contact with thewall of the casing 10, as shown. As seen more clearly in Fig. 413 when initially positioned in the running-in position, the packer member is twisted or wound when in retracted position. Cylinder 91 is rotatable and vertically movable on mandrel 81 permitting pin 95 ,to move in slot 98. Thus when it is desired to inflate the packer member, fluid is pumped through valve 85, 84 in passageway 82 and through openings 83 which causes the packer member to expand. This, in turn, causes the packer to untwist or unwind causing cylindrical member 91 and connected'collar 92 to rotate and move upwardly as pin 95 moves upwardly in slot or groove 98. At the same time the fluid moves piston 99 downwardly causing piston rod 100 connected thereto to move downwardly, which causes the connecting link members to pivot about their respective pivots and move the serrated links outwardly into engagement with the casing. The links, when retracted are positioned in slots in the lower portion of cylindrical member 96. .1 V

7 Suitable setting tools for use with the plugging'devices are seen in Figs. 5 and 6. As shownin Fig. 5, 'a mandrel 109 is screw threadedly connected as at 18 to the lower end of tubular extension member 13; a second mandrel 110 is arranged below mandrel 109. The mandrel 110 is provided with a passageway 111 whichfluidly communicates the interior of the tubular extension 13 via mandrel 109 and the upper end of the passageways in the packer mandrels when the setting tool is connected to the upper end of the packer mandrel as seen in'Fig. 5. For

dogs 78 are positioned in slots formed cylindrical 7 member 73.

9 85 a e-provided; the packer member is not 7 this'device is similar to the operation of the previous embodiment; however, as noted above,

with a beveledsurface 112 which engages with the beveled surface 27 of 'mandrel -21. Suitable sealing means 113 is provided adjacent these adjoining surfaces. The lower end of mandrel 110 is also provided with a plurality of retaining arms 114 which are pivotly connected to the mandrel as at 115. These arms may be made of resilient material whereby they are. biased outwardly or a spring arrangement may be provided between the upper end of the arms adjacent the pivot point and the lower end of the mandrel to pivotally bias the arms outwardly. In either event, the arms are formed with tapering shoulder portions 116 adjacent the lower ends thereof which are adapted to engage the shoulder 26 on the upper end of mandrel 21 when the arms are in retracted position. A cylindrical sleeve 117 when in one position holds arms 114 in retracted position. The upper end of sleeve 117 is connected to mandrel 1119. A spring 118 is arranged between the mandrel 119 and the sleeve 117 and a collar 119 may be provided on mandrel 110 to provide a stop or seat for the upper end of spring 118.

In operation, when it is desired to release the setting tool from engagement with the plugging device, an upward pull on the tubular extension member 13 by means of wireline 15 causes the mandrel 169 and connected sleeve 117 to move upwardly. Upward movement of sleeve 117 from the arms retaining position shown permits outward-1y biased arms 114 to move outwardly away from engagement with shoulder 26 of mandrel 21 thereby permitting the setting tool to be removed from the plugging device. When arms 114 have moved beyond the upper end of the plugging device, spring 118 will move sleeve member 117 downwardly to once again retract arms 114 which facilitates removal of the setting tool through tubing 11. As readily seen, this setting tool is adaptable for use with any of the plugging devices disclosed.

In Fig. 6, a modified type setting tool is shown. Herein, instead of a single cylindrical member or mandrel 110, two cylindrical members, 121 and 122, are arranged below mandrel 109, which, in turn, is connected to tubular member 13, similarly as in the previous embodiment. A piston 123 is arranged in the lower cylinder 122 and in runningin position the interior of the cylinder 122 below piston 123 is filled with a fluid to be employed in inflating the packer member and setting the anchoring means. The tubular sleeve member, designated 117 in the previous embodiment, may be made in two sections, 124 and 125, screw threadedly connected as at 126 or they may be made integral. The operation of this embodiment is similar to the setting described relative to Fig. 5. For example, when it is desired to release the setting tool from the mandrel 21 an upward pull on the tubular extension moves the mandrel and connected sleeves 124 and 125 upwardly to thereby permit outwardly biased arms 114 to move outwardy from engagement with shoulder 26 of mandrel 21. Sleeve 124 moves upwardly against the bias of spring member 113. Once arms 114 have cleared the upper end of the plugging device, the sleeve 124 moves downwardly under the bias of spring 118 to thereby move the arms 114 into retracted position.

In the operation of the plugging device, when employed with the setting tool of Fig. 5, the tubular extension and connected setting tool and plugging device are lowered through tubing 11 and tubular extension 13 is landed on nipple 12 as shown. Then pressure is applied through tubing 11 from the earths surface which fluid pressure enters and passes through tubular extension 13 into mandrels 199 and 11% (Fig. embodiment). The fluid pressure then passes through the check valve into the interior of the packer member to thereby expand the packer member into engagement with the wall of the casing and to move the piston anchor actuating means to set the anchoring dogs.

This latter operation, of course, is the same for each of the plugging device embodiments.

As noted, the operation of Fig. 6 is similar to the operation of Fig. 5; however, in this instance a desirable type fluid is located within the lower cylindrical member 122 below piston 123. Upon application of fluid pressure through tubular extension 13 and into cylinder 121, piston 123 moves downwardly to force fluid contained within cylinder 122 into the passageway in the mandrel of the plugging device and thence into the interior of the packer member and into the piston chamber, as previously described relative to the operation of Fig; 5.

The fluid to be used to actuate the packer and the piston of the anchoring means may be water or any liquid, or it may be material that sets after being inje'cted into the packer members; For example materials such as a plugging type plastic which has a cont-rolled set ting time may be employed for this latter application or any desirable type cement may be used. When water, gas or any non-setting material is employed for expanding the packers, the plugging device may be retrieved by any desirable releasing tool. Instead of employing the setting tools described herein, a setting tool as described in US. patent application Serial No. 430,116, new Patent No. 2,784,790, filed May 17, 1954, by George Boer, Wallace M. OReilly and Martin E. True, entitled Wireline Setting Tool and Well Plug, may be employed. Such a tool supplies gas pressure sufiiciently great to expand the packer and actuate the anchoring means. The packer may be suitably formed of rubber, reinforced rubber etc.; however, any flexible material sufliciently strong to hold or retain the fluid pressure contemplated herein, may be used.

Having fully described the nature, objects and operation of our invention, we claim:

1. A wireline well casing plugging device adapted to be lowered through tubing and expanded in casing comprising a mandrel provided with a first vertically extending passageway therethrough and at least one second passageway fluidly communicating said first passageway and the exterior of said mandrel intermediate the length thereof; an inflatable sleeve-type packer connected at its ends to said mandrel and surrounding the exterior end of said second passageway and adapted to be lowered through tubing when deflated and adapted to plug said casing when inflated; an expansi'ble pressure chamber arranged on the lower end of said mandrel; the lower end of said first passageway only fluidly communicating with the upper end of said expansible chamber; an imperforate piston sealing off the lower end of said pressure chamber and being movable from an upper to a lower position and vice versa; a piston rod connected to said piston and movable therewith; biasing means adapted to urge said piston to said upper position; anchoring means pivotally mounted on said mandrel having a first retracted position adapted to permit lowering of said anchoring means through tubing and a second expanded position adapted to engage said anchoring means with said casing, said anchoring means operably engaging with said piston rod such that when said piston moves from said upper to said lower position, said anchoring means moves from said first to second position and when said piston moves from said lower to said upper position, said anchoring means moves from said second to said first position; and a check valve positioned in said first passageway above said second passageway adapted to permit fluid to flow under pressure through said first and second passageways to inflate said packer and to permit fluid to flow under pressure through said first passageway into said expansible chamber to move said piston from said upper to said lower position to thereby move said anchoring means from said first to said second position and to prevent fluid flow from said first passageway to maintain said packer inflated and said anchoring means in said second position; said biasing means moving said piston from said lower to said upper position and thereby said anchoring means from said second to said first position upon release of fluid pressure from said expansible chamber through said first passageway and said check valve.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein said anchoring means includes a plurality of pivotal linkages connected to said piston rod whereby movement of said piston downwardly moves at least one of said linkages outwardly into engagement with the wall of said casing.

. SJA'deviceas recited in claiml wherein said'anch'oring'means. includes first teeth on said piston rod,v

and a plurality.ofpivotaldogs provided with second teeth engaging with said first'teeth o'n said piston rod whereby movement of saidpiston rod downwardly moves said dogs'outwardly into engagement with the wall of said casing. a

6. A device as recited in claim 5 wherein said anchoringmeans includes additional dogs provided with third teeth adapted to engage with said second teeth whereby movement of said piston 'rod downwardly actuates said dogs outwardly into engagement with the wall of the casing. 1 V a g 7. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein one end of said packer is arranged on said mandrel in a manner suchthat there is relative movement therebetween.

v, 8. A device as recited in claim 7 including said mandrel being provided with a spiral groove adjacent the movable end of said packer, apin member positioned on the movable end of said packer and arranged to, slide in said groove when said packer isinflate'd and deflated, said packer being wound about said mandrel when deflated. i

References Cited in the tile of this" patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,286,365 Lane June 16, 1942 2,568,944 Brigham Sept. 25, 1951 2,638,165 Barber May 12, 1953 2,643,722 Lynes et al. June 30, 1955 2,751,011 Johnston June 19,1956 2,781,852 Rumble Feb. 19, 1957 2,781,853 Rumble et al. Feb. 19, 1957 2,781,854 Boer et al.- Feb. 19, 1957 2,784,790 Boer et al. Mar. 12, 1957

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