Wells – Processes – Operating valve – closure – or changeable restrictor in a well
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-06
2001-07-03
Tsay, Frank (Department: 3672)
Wells
Processes
Operating valve, closure, or changeable restrictor in a well
C166S191000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253856
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to wellbore packers and methods of their use; in certain particular aspects, to an hydraulically set wellbore straddle pack-off system and methods of its use; and in one particular aspect to such a system that is set and released without mechanically pulling or pushing on the system.
2. Description of Related Art
Often in wellbore operations it is desirable to “straddle” an area of interest in a wellbore, e.g. a formation or part thereof or a zone or location in a wellbore packing off the wellbore above and below the area of interest. Typically a packer is set above and another packer is set below the area of interest.
A variety of prior art straddle pack-off tools are available which include two selectively-settable spaced-apart packing elements. Several such prior art tools use a piston or pistons movable in response to hydraulic pressure to actuate packer element setting apparatus. Debris or other material can block or clog the piston apparatus, inhibiting or preventing setting of the packer elements (and preventing un-setting/release of the packer elements.
Various prior art tools have no emergency pressure release feature, useful, e.g. when a formation goes to vacuum.
Many prior art pack-off systems require the application of tension and/or compression to parts of the system (mechanical pulling and/or pushing), to actuate parts of the system. Such systems cannot be used on coiled tubing.
There has long been a need for an efficient and effective wellbore straddle pack-off system. There has long been a need for such a system without a piston that could be clogged by debris. There has long been a need for such a system which can be selectively released in an emergency situation. There has long been a need for such a system which does not require pulling or pushing for actuation. There has long been a need for such a system useful on coiled tubing.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention, in certain aspects, discloses a wellbore pack-off system with selectively-settable spaced-apart packing elements. The packing elements are on a tubular member that is interconnected with one or more additional tubular members so that when fluid (e.g introduced to the pack-off system and/or pumped under pressure, e.g. from an earth surface pumping apparatus or from an apparatus within the wellbore) is applied to the tubular members, they telescope apart. Then a movable tubular setting sleeve is moved to set the packing elements. Such a system may be used in an open hole or in a tubular string (tubing, casing, liner, etc.) in a wellbore. It can be set, e.g. (but not limited to): across a formation or part thereof; across a zone of interest; within a gravel pack screen; across a sliding sleeve; and across two previously-set packers.
In certain embodiments such a system is used with tubulars with alignable orifice(s) and exit port(s) or with an injection sub to treat a formation. The tubulars or injection sub may be any suitable length so that the spaced-apart packers, when set, effectively isolate the area of interest between them. Treating fluid is pumped through one or more orifices and/or exit ports into the area of interest in a formation.
A system according to the present invention may be located, set, and used in a wellbore operation (e.g., but not limited to, formation treatment and setting of an external casing packer) and then released and moved to another location in a wellbore without retrieval to the surface.
In certain aspects, fluid under pressure flowing into the system following setting of the packing elements pushes against parts of the system which “boost” the packing elements, enhancing their sealing effect.
In certain aspects a selectively acutatable flow control apparatus or valve is used in a system according to the present invention to provide for the release of fluid under pressure from within the system to equalize pressures inside and outside the system so the packing elements can be selectively released.
Such systems may be run on any suitable tubular string, e.g., coiled tubing, fiber optic line system, slick line, electrically conductive wireline, electrically non-conductive wireline, casing, or tubing.
What follows are some of, but not all, the objects of this invention. In addition to the specific objects stated below for at least certain preferred embodiments of the invention, other objects and purposes will be readily apparent to one of skill in this art who has the benefit of this invention's teachings and disclosures. It is, therefore, an object of at least certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide new, useful, unique, efficient, nonobvious wellbore pack-off systems and methods of their use;
Such systems without pistons involved in the setting of packing elements, pistons which could be clogged or blocked by debris;
Such system useful in formation treatment operations;
Such systems with a pressure equalizing valve to permit selective release of the packing elements;
Such systems which are releasable and movable within a bore without the necessity of retrieval to a top of the bore;
Such systems which do not require mechanical pushing or pulling on the system to set and release packer elements; and
Such systems which boost the sealing effect of packing elements.
Certain embodiments of this invention are not limited to any particular individual feature disclosed here, but include combinations of them distinguished from the prior art in their structures and functions. Features of the invention have been broadly described so that the detailed descriptions that follow may be better understood, and in order that the contributions of this invention to the arts may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional aspects of the invention described below and which may be included in the subject matter of the claims to this invention. Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this invention, its teachings, and suggestions will appreciate that the conceptions of this disclosure may be used as a creative basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out and practicing the present invention. The claims of this invention are to be read to include any legally equivalent devices or methods which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The present invention recognizes and addresses the previously-mentioned problems and long-felt needs and provides a solution to those problems and a satisfactory meeting of those needs in its various possible embodiments and equivalents thereof. To one skilled in this art who has the benefits of this invention's realizations, teachings, disclosures, and suggestions, other purposes and advantages will be appreciated from the following description of preferred embodiments, given for the purpose of disclosure, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detail in these descriptions is not intended to thwart this patent's object to claim this invention no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form or additions of further improvements.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2177601 (1939-10-01), Smith
patent: 3035639 (1962-05-01), Brown et al.
patent: 3044553 (1962-07-01), Bradley
patent: 3270814 (1966-09-01), Richardson et al.
patent: 3436084 (1969-04-01), Courter
patent: 3437142 (1969-04-01), Conover
patent: 3503249 (1970-03-01), Dumond
patent: 3542127 (1970-11-01), Malone
patent: 3749166 (1973-07-01), Young
patent: 3797572 (1974-03-01), Mignotte
patent: 3876000 (1975-04-01), Nutter
patent: 3876003 (1975-04-01), Kisling, III
patent: 4216827 (1980-08-01), Crowe
patent: 4224987 (1980-09-01), Allen
patent: 4279306 (1981-07-01), Weitz
patent: 4421165 (1983-12-01), Szarka
patent: 4482086 (1984-11-01), Wagner et al.
patent: 4485876 (1984-12-01), Speller
patent: 4492383 (1985-01-01), Wood
patent: 4499947 (1985-02-01), Zsoka et al.
patent: 4519456 (1985-05-01), Cochran
patent: 4569396 (1986-02-01), Brisco
patent: 4840231 (1989-06-01), Berzin
Hoffman Corey Eugene
Ingram Gary Duron
McClung Guy
Tsay Frank
Weatherford / Lamb, Inc.
LandOfFree
Pack-off system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Pack-off system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Pack-off system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2486586