US3311170A - Multiple pipe string two-way anchor-and-seal packer - Google Patents

Description

March 28, 1967 c. c. BROWN 3,311,170

MULTIPLE PTFE STRING TWO'WAY ANCHOR"ANDSEAL PACKER Filed oct. 29, 1964 e sneetsheet 1 @/cfa c. Wow/v L INVENTOR.

March 28, 1967 c. c. BROWN MULTIPLE PIPE STRING TWO-WAY ANCHOR-AND-SEAL PACKER 6 Sheetsheet Filed Oct. 29, 1964 C/CEO C. BROWN INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY March 28, 1967 c. c. BROWN 3,311,170

SEAL PACKER MULTIPLE PIPE STRING TWO-WAY ANCHOR-AND 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 29, 1964 UVW yf/ZO Gld/560 C. H/POWN INVENTOR.

TTQf/VEY March 28, 1967 C, C, BROWN 3,311,170

MULTIPLE PIPE STRING TWO-WAY ANCHOR-AND-SEAL PACKER Filed Oct. 29, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 C. C. BROWN MULTIPLE PIPE STRING TWO-WAY ANCHOR-AND-SEAL PACKER 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 28, 1967 Filed oct. 29, 1964 March 2s, 1967 C. c. BOWN 3,311,170

MULTIPLE PIPE STRING TWO-WAY ANCHOR-AND-SEAL PACKER Filed Oct. 29, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet G A7' TURA/Ey United States auPatent 3,311,170 MULTIPLE PIPE STRING TWO-WAY ANCHOR- AND-SEAL PACKER Cicero C. Brown, Brown Oil Tools, Inc., R0. Box 19263, Houston, Tex. 77024 Filed Oct. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 407,351 19 Claims. (Cl. 166-120) This invention relates to multiple string packers and particularly to multiple string packers adapted to anchor and seal off a well pipe against pressure differentials whether from above or below the seal. Such packers are commonly referred to as two-way packers.

More conventional two-way packers normally involve relatively complex apparatus arrangements or various and often undesirable manipulations of operating strings in order to set and release the packer. Further, such more conventional packers commonly require two separate sets of anchor slips usually arranged to act in opposition to one another, and which, therefore, involve a relatively complicated apparatus which is subject to numerous difculties, particularly in releasing the packer.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a multiple string packer which is adapted to hold pressure both from above and below the seal and which is relatively simple in construction and operable for ysetting and release with a minimum amount of manipulation of an operating string or the like.

A further object is to provide a multiple string twoway anchor-and-seal packer which is set by hydraulic means and released by mechanical means.

A further object is t-o provide a packer of the type described employing a single set of pipe gripping slips and supporting elements adapted to anchor the packer to hold against pressure differentials from above or below the seal and which are readily releasable to permit withdrawal of the packer from the well pipe in which it is set.

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

In the drawing:

FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are similar longitudinal, sectional views of the packer structure showing the parts thereof at several successive stages in the operation thereof;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 to 4 showing the relation of the parts at full release of the packer;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views taken generally along lines 7-7, 8 8 and 9--9, respectively of FIG. l; FIGS. 9 and l0 are enlarged fragmentary, longitudinal sectional views illustrating different positions of the anchor elements during the operation of the packer;

FIGS. l1, 12, 13 and 14 are longitudinal sectional views taken generally respectively along lines 11-11, 12-12, 13-13 and 14-14 of FIGS. l to 4, respectively; and

FIG. 15 is a View generally similar to FIG. 14, but showing the relation of the parts at a stage of operation intermediate those illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Referring to the drawing, the packer in accordance with this invention comprises an upper body and a lower body 21, both of generally cylindrical form, mounted in longitudinally spaced relation on a first string tubular mandrel, designated generally M1, and a second string tubular mandrel, designated generally M2. Upper body 20 is provided with a pair of parallel bores 22 and 23 extending from end to end thereof, and lower body 21 is -provided with a pair of parallel bores 24 and 2S registering, respectively, with bores 22 and 23, bores 22 and 24 receiving mandrel M1 and bores 23 and 25 receiving Ffice mandrel M2. Mandrel M1 comprises a two-part member including an upper section 26 and a lower section 27. The upper end of the latter carries a section of specialized criss-cross threads 28, described in detail in my U.S. Pat. No. l3,083,767, and comprising right and left-hand thread segments. The threaded section is received in a threaded a socket portion 29 formed in the lower end of upper mandrel section -26 and provided with internal left-hand threads 29a adapted to mate with the corresponding segments of threads 28. Socket 29 is slidably disposed in a counterbore 30 extending from the lower end of bore 22 and defining therein la downwardly facing annular shoulder 31. The exterior of socket portion 29 is provided with an external annular shoulder 32 and a bearing ring 33 is mounted about mandrel section 26 lbetween shoulders 31 and 32, whereby to provide for free rotation of upper mandrel section 26 in bore 22 and counter-bore 30 for purposes to be explained subsequently. At its lower end counterbore 30 receives a bearing ring 35 adapted to provide an anti-friction bearing for the lower end of upper mandrel section 26 and is held in place against the lower end of socket portion 29 by means of a threaded gland ring 36 screwed into the lower end of counterbore 30. An O-ring `seal 37 is disposed about the exterior of socket portion 29 to seal between the latter and the wall of counterbore 30 below shoulder 32. Lower mandrel section 27 has a length such as to normally project below body 21 and is provided near its lower end with an external shoulder 3S which forms `a stop limiting downward movement of lower body 21 on the mandrel section. The free ends of both mandrel sections 26 and 27 are provided with thread means for connecting the mandrel and the packer structure supported thereon into an operating pipe string 1 which is commonly referred to as the number one string by which the .packer is run into the well and which is employed to operate the packer.

The lower end portion of bore 23 in the upper body is reduced in diameter and internally threaded to form the socket 40 which is adapted to threadedly receive the upper end of mandrel M2. The latter has a length such as to normally project -below body portion 21 and is provided near its lower end portion with an external shoulder 41 adapted to be engaged by lower body 21 to limit relative upward movement of mandrel M2. The latter is :also provided adjacent its lower end with an internal annular seat 42 to receive a plug of any suitable form, such as the ball B shown in FIG. 2, for closing-oif the bore of mandrel M2 against fluid flow downwardly therethrou-gh. The upper portion of bore 23 forms a -socket for slidably receiving a latching sleeve or stinger 43 fitted with external packing 44 in order to seasl between the stinger and the wall of bore 23. The socket formed by bore 23 is provided with a pair of opposed, inwardly projecting J-lugs 45 which are adapted to cooperate with l -slots 46 formed in the lower end of stinger 43. I-lugs 45 `and J-slots 46 form a bayonet-type releasable connection between the stinger yand upper body 20 of the packer. Stinger 43 is adapted to be connected, .as by means of the crolla/r 47, to a second pipe string 2, commonly referred to as the number two string, which normally is inserted into bore 23 after the packer structure has been lowered into the well on operating string 1. A snap ring 48 is mounted in the exterior of mandrel M2 at a point la short distance above shoulder 41 and normally projects radially into a recess 49 formed in the upper end of bore 25 of the lower body to limit upward movement of the latter relative to mandrel M2 while -permitting the latter to move upwardly relative to body 21 for purposes which will appear subsequently. O-frin- g seals 50 and 51 are positioned in bores 24 and 25, re-

spectively, to provide fluid-tight seals between the bores and the mandrels extending therethrough.

A seal-and-anchor assembly, designated generally by the letter A, is slidably mounted about both mandrels between upper and lower bodies 20 and 21. Assembly A comp-rises a series of elements which considered in succession from top to bottom, includes an annular seal element S, an upper slip expander member El, a lower slip expander member E2, a `slip carrier or cage C connecting the expander members to each other, a set of angularly spaced pipe gripping slips G mounted in cage C and operatively engaged with both expander members, 'and a pressure fluid-operated packer actuator means H, disposed between lower expander member E2 and lower body 21. Seal element S, expander members El and E2 and lactautor means H are all provided with parallel bores coaxial with each other yand with bores 22, 23 and 24, 25 in upper and lowe-r bodies 2t) and 21, respectively, the several bores being adapted to slidably receive mandrels M1 and M2.

Seal element S, which is mounted between upper expander member El and the lower end -of upper body 20, comprises upper and lower seal . rings 52 and 53 constructed of exible resilient material separated by a metallic spacer and support ring 54. A metallic compression ring 55 is mounted between lower seal ring 53 and the upper end of expander E1. The latter is secured thereto by a plurality of studs 100 which extend through the expander member and screw into 'ring 55. As best seen in FIGS. i6 to 15, inclusive, expander member E1 comprises a cylindrical body 56, the external diameter lof which is somewhat smaller than compression ring 55, thereby dening the downwardly facing shoulder 57 formed by the lower end of ring 55 surrounding expander body 56. The lower end of the latter is formed with an annular radially enlarged flange 58 which denes an upwardly facing shoulder 59 about the lower end of expander body 56. Expander body 56 has the parallel bores 60 and 61 for receiving mandrels M1 and M2, respectively. Bore 61 is provided near its lower end with a counterbore 62 defining a downwardly facing shoulder 63 which cooperates with a snap ring 64 mounted in the exterior of mandrel M2 to project therefrom and arranged to be slidahly received in counterbore 62 in abutting engagement with shoulder 63 vfor purposes to be explained hereinafter.

Lower expander member E2 com-prises la cylindrical body 65 terminating at its upper end in van annular radialily extending flange 66 defining a downwardly facing annular shoulder 67 surrounding the upper portion of expander bodyk 65. Slip cage C comprises a tubular shell 68 adaptedto surround flanges 58 and 66 of upper and lower expander members E1 and E2 and is provided at its upper end with an inwardly projecting flange 69 defining a downwardly facing annular shoulder 70 adapted to rest on shoulder 59 of the upper expander member. The lower end of shell 68 is internally threaded to receive a tubula-r collar 71 sunrounding body 65 of the lower expander member and forming at its upper end an upwardly facing internal shoulder 72 abuttable with shoulder 67 `on lower expander member E2.

As best :seen in FIGS. 6 to l5, inclusive, slip cage C is provided with generally rectangular windows or openings 73 in which `slips G are mounted for generally radial movement. Slips G, cage C and expander rmembers El and E2 constitute a form of two-way anchor structure constructed and arranged, when radially expanded, to anchor the packer structure to a surrounding well pipe W against pressure differentials whether from above or below the packer seal, and to be readily released by upward pull on the supporting mandrels. Such an anchor construction is fully described and illustrated in my copending U.S. application Ser. No. 299,982, led Aug, 5, l1963. Slips G are sometimes yherein referred to as twoway slips.

As employed in the present application, the anchor structure includes longitudinally registering slip-receiving slots 74 and 75 in the opposed portions of expander bodies 56 and 65, respectively. Tshese slots have inwardly sloping bottom surfaces 74a and 75a, respectively, adapted to slidahly engage the opposite end portions of the 'back faces of slips G which extend across the space between the opposed ends of the expander bodies and have sloping surfaces 76 and 77, respectively, generally complementary to bottom surfaces 74a and 75a. Sloping surfaces 76 and 77 merge with a mid-portion 76a on the back faces of the slips. The outer face of each of the slips is formed to provide a lower generally smooth-surfaced area 78 and an upper portion provided with pipe-engaging teeth 78a which project outwardly with respect to areas 78 so that when the toothed portions are in gripping engagement with the wall of well pipe W, a clearance space will be provided betweenV the smooth-surfaced areas of the slips and t-he surrounding wa-ll of well pipe W (FIG. 9). This space will permit rearward rocking movement of the toothed upper portions of the slips when upper expander El is moved upwardly out of engagement with sloping back surfaces 76 of the slips and upward pressure is exerted against the lower ends of the slips. The longitudinal margins of the back faces of the slips are provided with laterally projecting ribs or flanges 79 disposed to prevent outward dislodgement of the slips from windows 73 while permitting the limited amount of radial or rocking movement of the slips noted previously and as will be more Ifully described hereinafter.

Fluid pressure actuator H comprises a cylindrical piston 80 slidable on mandrels M1 and M2 and xedly secured to the lower end of lower expander member E2 by means of the studs 101. The exterior of the piston has a diameter substantially equal to that of lower expander body 65. Collar 71 which surrounds lower expander body -65 extends downwardly la short distance below the latter to slidably enclose the upper portion of piston '80. The lower portion of the latter is enlarged externally to form the piston head l81 and a cylinder sleeve 82 surrounds head 81, the lower end of collar 71 and the upper portion of lower body 21. 'The lower end of cylinder sleeve 82 is fixedly secured .to lower body 21 and its upper end is initial-ly releasably secured to the :lower end of collar 71 Iby means of one or more shear screws 83. A seal ring 84 is disposed lin the exterior of piston head 81 to form a Aslidable seal between the latter and cylinder sleeve 82. Packing rings 85, 86 seal between piston head 81 and mandrels M1 and M2, respectively. A packing ring -87 forms a seal between the exterior of lower body 21 and cylinder sleeve 82. The space between the :lower end of piston head v81 and the upper end of lower -body 21 defines an expanstible pressure chamber '88 which is in communication with the ybore of mandrel M2 by means of a plurality of ports 89 extending. through the wall of mandrel M2 at points adjacent the lower end of piston head 81. Collar 71 is initially releasably secured to body 65 of lower expander mem-ber E2 by means of one or more shear screws 91 and the upper end of cage C is likewise initially releasalbly secured to body 56 of the upper expander mem-ber E1 'by means of one or more shear screws 90. Shear screws 83, and 91 are selected to be of successively greater strength, that is, the combined breaking strength of shear screws 83 will be less than that of shear screws 90, and the latter, in turn, will be of lesser strength than shear screws 91, these relative strengths 'being required in connection with the operation of the device as will appear hereinafter.

As seen in FIGS. 8 and 1l to 15, piston Sil' is connected to lower body 21 :by a plurality of parallel cylindrical setting rods 92 which have their upper ends screwed into piston head 81 and their lower ends extending through spaced parallel openings 93 in lower body 21. Openings 93 are formed to a downwardly tapering conical shape adapted to receive a plurality of small buttress-.toothed wedges 94 surrounding rods 92. Small sealed ring pistons 95 are seated in openings 93 surrounding rods 92 on top of f Y wedges 94 and are held in place -by snap rings 96. With this arrangement, 4it will be evident that when lluid pressure is introduced into chamber `88 forcing piston 8) upwardly relative to lower body 21, rods 92 will, at the same time, be pulled upwardly through openings 93 and wedges 94, lbut the latter under the pressure applied to the upper ends thereof through the small ring pistons and through the reaction between .the taper of openings 93-and wedges 94 will be caused to grip rods 92 and prevent retractive movement of piston V80 relative to lower body 21.

Operation of the device iis as follows: The structure shown in FIG. 1 and mounted on tubing string 1, will be lowered into well pipe W ito the point at which it is -to be set. The second pipe string 2 carrying stinger 43 will be lowered into the well and inserted into bore 23 and rotated slightly to the extent required to engage I -slots 46 with J -lugs 45, to thereby securely lock the tubing string 2 into upper body 20. In this initial stage of the operation, it will be noted that all sets of shear screws 83, 96 and 91 wil-l Ibe in a position whereby to hold the upper and lower expander members E1 and E2 in their relatively retracted relation, slips G Ibeing accordingly retracted as best seen in FIG. 11.

A plug, such as ball B, will be dropped or pumped through tubing string 2 to engage seat 42 and close the bore of mandrel M2 (FIG. 2). Thereupon, the pressure will Ibe increased on fluid pumped into tubing string 2 and will enter pressure chamber `88 through ports `89. As lower `body 21 will be held against downward movement on shoulder 38, the pressure will -be exerted against piston 80 and will be increased until it attains a force necessary to rupture shear screws 83, the weakest in the several series of screws (FIG. 2). Upon rupture of -shear screws 33, piston 80 will continue upward movement, urging lower expander member E2 upwardly which will raise slip cage C and through the connection formed by shear screws 91, will also urge upper expander member Elv upwardly, compressing seal member S and ex- ,panding it into sealing engagement with the wall of well pipe W. As this compressive force increases, shear screws 90, being somewhat weaker than shear screws 91, will then rupture (FIG. 3), 4permitting lower expander member E2 to continue its upward movement while upper expander member E1 remains stationary. This upward movement' of lower expander member E2 will carry slips -G upwardly along with slip cage C (FIG. 13), moving the upper inclined portions of the slips over the corresponding inclined surfaces of upper expander member E1 and moving the slips radially into gripping engagement with the wall of well pipe W. As the slips bite into the wall of well pipe W, continued increasing upward force 'being applied to piston 80, will attain a force sufricient to -break shear screws 91. This will then permit lower expander member E2 to move upwardly relative to slip cage C (FIGS. 4 and 14), moving the lower expander member E2 into engagement with the lower inclined surfaces 77 of the slips, .thereby additionally urging the latter outwardly into ever tighter .gripping engagement with the wall of well pipe W.

Also, as piston S0 moves upwardly in performing the above-described sequence of operations, setting rods 92 will tbe Ipulled upwardly through openings '93 and over the toothed faces of wedge slips 94. When piston Si) has Vcompleted its sequence of upward movements, which results in compression of seal member S and the setting of slips G, at which point the packer will be set, rods 92, through their engagement with wedge slips 94, will prevent retraction of piston 80, and thereby will hold the packer in the set position which it has attained.

Since upper and lower expander members E1 and E2 are both in full engagement with slips G and in opposing relation, it will be seen that the packer will now be held firmly against pressure differentials Whether exerted from above or below the packer.

When i-t is desired to release the packer, the following sequence of steps is conducted: Tubing string 2 will be released by movements sulicient to disen'gage the I- connection and withdrawn from the Well. Pipe string 1 will then be rotated in the right-hand direction. This will cause upper section 26 of mandrel M1 to rotate in counterbore 3) and by reason of the engagement of lefthand threads 29a with the left-hand thread segments of criss-cross threads 28, lower mandrel section 27 will be caused to move downwardly, since the upper mandrel section `cannot move upwardly, until the upper end of lower mandrel section 27 has been completely unscrewed from the upper section. Thereupon, an upward pull is applied to tubing string 1 to lift upper body 2@ of the packer. This will allow seal element S to retract and will also apply upward pull to upper expander member E1, causing the latter to move upwardly relative to slips G and providing a clearance space behind the upper portions of slips G. Continued upward movement of upper expander member E1 will bring shoulder 59 into engagement with shoulder 7l) of the slip cage, transferring the upward movement to the latter which will, in turn, move upwardly until the lower end walls of openings 73 strike the lower ends of slips G. The upward force thus exerted against the lower ends of the slips will cause the latter to rock about a fulcrum formed between the upper ends of inclined surfaces 7551 and the adjacent portions of the slips. Because of the clearance between the smooth surfaced area 78 of the slips and the surrounding well wall, the rocking movement will be accommodated by allowing the lower portion of the slips to swing outwardly while the upper portion will swing inwardly toward inclined surface 74a of the upper expander member, thereby pulling the slip teeth 78 out of engagement with the wall of pipe W and freeing the slips from engagement with the latter (FIGS. l0 and 15). With the slips thus released and seal element S retracted, as described, the packer is now free to be withdrawn completely from the well and this can be done as illustrated particularly in FIG. 5, from which it will be noted that lower section 27 of mandrel M1 remains in the well attached to the tubing string 1 and to any other packers or other equipment mounted thereon and positioned in the well. It will be noted also that when the packer is thus fully released and pulled upwardly, lower ibody 21 will be held against falling olf of mandrel M2 by engagement with shoulder 38 (FIG. 5). i

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a multiple pipe string packer, in accordance with this invention, provides a two-way packer which may be set hydraulically and may be released mechanically by minimum amount of rotation of the operating string, thereby reducing the amount of manipulation for setting and releasing the packer -to a minimum. Moreover, by providing in a multiple pipe string packer of the kind illustrated, the arrangement com- 'prising the opposed expander members in cooperation with the two-way slips, the complexity of the packer is greatly reduced as compared with more conventional twoway packers, and the operation thereof is not only greatly simplied but rendered substantially trouble-free.

It will be understood that when the packer has been withdrawn from the well, as described above, a conventional overshot or the like can be run into the well to be coupled to mandrel M1 by conventional right-hand rotation, so that tubing string 1 remaining in the well and its attached equipment may also be withdrawn, as required. I

The relative strengths of the several shear screws will be selected, as will be evident to those skilled in the art, to assure the breaking of the screws in their proper order and shear screws of various strengths may be selected for this purpose, depending on conditions to be anticipated and the nature of the equipment. By way of example, shear screws 83 may comprise three V16 NC, SAE 4140, shear screws having a combined shear strength of 13,230 pounds. With an effective area of the cylinder 82 of 14.54 sq. in., a pressure of 910 lbs/in.2 would shear these screws. Shear screws may comprise live 1/2 NC shear screws having a combined shear strength of 30,000 pounds. These screws would shear upon the lapplication of about 2,060 lbs./in.2. Shear screws 9i may comprise five NC shear screws having a combined strength of 39,000 pounds. These screws would shear upon application 2700 lbs/in.2 pressure.

It will be understood that in operation, the increases in presure will occur rapidly and the breaking of the shear screws will occur in succession also quite rapidly, so that the setting of the packer will occur in a very brief period of time once the liuid pressure has begun to be increased.

While the illustrative embodiment shows the packer construction in accordance with this invention adapted for use with two pipe strings, it will be understood that the same construction `can be readily adapted for use with more than two pipe strings, as will be apparent to those familiar with this art.

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

What I claim and desi-re to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A multiple pipe string two-way well packer, including, a packer body comprising longitudinally spaced upper and lower body sections having axially registering parallel first and second bores extending longitudinally therethrough, first and second tubular mandrels having their upper ends secured respectively in the first and second bores of the upper body section and extending slidably through the registering bores in the lower body section, a seal-and-anchor assembly mounted about both mandrels between said body sections, said assembly including a resilient seal element disposed in abutting relation to the lower end of said upper body section for radial expansion by end-wise compression thereagainst, upper and lower longitudinally spaced slip expander members disposed beneath said seal element and longitudinally slidable on said mandrels, a slip cage having angularly spaced openings therein disposed about said expander ,members for limited longitudinal sliding movement relative thereto, pipe-gripping slips mounted in said openings for radial movement therein and having upper and lower end portions disposed for wedging engagement respectively with said upper and lower expander members whereby axial movement of said expander members toward each other will urge said slips outwardly into pipegripping position, fiuid pressure-operated actuating means disposed about the mandrels between the lower expander member and said lower body section, means for supplying pressure fluid from said second mandrel to said actuating means, and a series of separate retainer elements initially holding said actuating means and said upper and lower expander elements in non-actuating positions, said retainer elements being operable by progressive pressure increase on said actuating means to sequentially release said actuating means, said upper expander member and said lower expander member for relative longitudinal movement to positions actuating said seal-and-anchor assembly.

2. A well packer according to claim 1 wherein said first mandrel comprises coaxial upper and lower sections, said upper mandrel section being rotatable in said first bore in vsaid `upper body section, and left-hand thread means connecting said mandrel sections.

3. A well packer according to claim 1 wherein said :actuating means includes a piston member longitudinally :slidable on said mandrels, and cooperating means car- -ried by said piston member and said lower body section constructed and arranged to permit only upward movement of sa-id piston member on said mandrels.

4. A multiple pipe string two-way well packer, including, a packer body comprising longitudinally spaced upper and lower body sections having axially registering parallel first and second bores extending longitudinally therethrough, first and second tubular mandrels having their upper ends secured respectively in the first and second bores of the upper body section and extending slidably through the registering bores in the lower body section,

a seal-an-anchor assembly mounted about both mandrels Y between said body sections, said assembly including a resilient seal element disposed in abutting relation to the lower end of said upper body section for radial expansion by end-wise compression thereagainst, upper and lower longitudinally spaced slip expander members disposed beneath said seal element and longitudinally slidable on said mandrels, a slip cage having angularly spaced openings therein disposed about said expander members for limited longitudinal sliding movement relative thereto, pipe-gripping slips mounted in said openings for radial movement therein and having upper and lower end portions disposed in wedging engagement respectively with said upper and lower expander members whereby axial movement of said expander members toward each other will urge said slips outwardly into pipe-gripping position, fluid pressure-operated actuating means disposed about the mandrels between the lower expander member and said lower body section, means for supplying pressure fluid from said second mandrel to said actuating means, and a series of separate retainer elements initially holding said actuating means and said upper and lower expander elements in non-actuating positions, said retainer elements having different holding strengths such as to be operable by progressive pressure increase on said actuating means to sequentially release said actuating means, said upper expander member and said lower expander member for relative longitudinal movement to positions actuating said seal-and-anchor assembly.

5. A well packer according to claim 4 wherein said retainer elements comprise shear screws means.

6. A well packer according to claim 4 wherein said retainer elements comprise first shear screw means connecting said actuating means to the lower body section, second shear screw means connecting said slip cage to said upper expander member, and third shear screw means connecting said slip cage to said lower expander member.

7. A well packer according Ito claim 4 wherein said first mandrel comprises coaxial upper and lower sections, said upper mandrel section being rotatable in said first bore in the upper body section, and left-hand thread means connecting said mandrel sections.

8. A multiple pipe string two-way well packer, including, a packer body comprising longitudinally spaced upper and lower body sections having axially registering parallel `lirst and second bores extending longitudinally therethrough, first and second tubular mandrels having their upper ends secured respectively in the first and second bores of the upper section and extending slidably through the registering bores in the lower body section, a sealand-anchor assembly mounted :about both mandrels between said body sections, said assembly including a resilient seal element disposed in abutting relation to the lower end of said upper body section for radial expansion by end-wise compression thereagainst, upper and lower longitudinally'spaced slip expander members disposed beneath said seal element and longitudinally slidable on said mandrels, a slip cage having angularly spaced openings therein disposed about said expander members for limited longitudinal sliding movement relative thereto, pipe-gripping slips mounted in said openings for radial movement therein and having upper and .lower end portions disposed in wedging engagement respectively with said upper and lower expander members whereby axial movement of said expander members toward each other will urge said slips outwardly into pipe-gripping position, cooperating means on the slip cage and said slips operable in response to upward movement of the upper expander member relative to the lower expander member to move said slips out of pipe-gripping position, liuid pressure-operated actuating means disposed about the mandrels between the lower expander member and said lower body section, means for supplying pressure fluid from said second mandrel to said actuating means, and a series of separate retainer elements initially holding said actuating means and said upper and lower expander elements in non-actuating positions, said retainer elements having diterent holding strengths such as to be operable by progressive pressure increase on said actuating means to sequentially release said actuating means, said upper expander member and said lower expander member for relative longitudinal movement to positions actuating said seal-and-anchor assembly.

9. A well packer according to claim 8 wherein said first mandrel comprises coaxial upper and lower sections, said upper mandrel section being rotatable in said rst bore in said upper body section, and left-hand thread means connecting said mandrel sections.

l10. A well packer according to claim 9 wherein said actuating means includes a pistonmember longitudinally slidable on said mandrels, and cooperating means carried by said piston member and said lower body section constructed and arranged to permit only upward movement of said piston member on said mandrels.

11. A well packer according to claim 10 wherein said reta-incr elements comprise shear screw means.

12. A well pac-ker according to claim 10 wherein said retainer elements comprise first shear screw means connecting said piston member to said lower body section, second shear screw means connecting said slip cage to said upper expander member, and third shear screw means connecting said slip cage to said lower expander member.

13. A multiple pipe string two-way well packer, including, a packer body comprising longitudinally spaced upper and lower body sections having axially registering parallel rst and second bores extending longitudinally therethrough, first and second tubular mandrels having their upper ends secured respectively inthe iirst and second bores of the upper body section and extending slidably through the registering bores in the lower body section, a seal-and-anchor assembly mounted about both mandrels between said body sections, said assembly including a resilient seal element disposed in abutting relation to the lower end of said upper body section for radial expansion by end-wise compression thereagainst, upper and lower longitudinally spaced slip expander member disposed beneath said seal element and longitudinally slidable on said mandrels, said expander members having opposed inwardly inclined wedging surfaces, a slip cage having angularly spaced openings therein disposed about said expander members `for limited longitudinal sliding movement relative thereto, pipe-gripping slips mounted in said openings for radial movement therein and having on their back faces upper and lower inclined end portions disposed for wedging engagement respectively with said wedging surfaces on said upper and lower expander members whereby axial movement of said expander members toward each other will urge said slips outwardly into pipegripping position, the outer faces of said slips having a lower non-gripping area and an upper pipe-gripping sur- `face projecting outwardly relative to said non-gripping area, cooperating means on the slip cage and said slips operable in response to upward movement of the upper expander member relative to said lower expander member to rock said pipe-gripping surfaces rearwardly out of pipe-gripping position, duid pressure-operated actuating means disposed about the mandrels between the lower expander member and said lower body section, means for supplying pressure iiuid from said second mandrel to said actuating means, and a series of separate retainer elements initially holding said actuating means and said upper and lower expander elements in non-actuating positions, said retainer elements having different holding strengths such as to be operable by progres-sive pressure increase on said actuating means to sequentially release said actuating means, said upper expander member and said lower expander member for relative longitudinal movement to positions actuating said seal-and-anchor assembly.

14. A well packer according to claim 1.3 wherein said -first mandrel comprises coaxial upper and lower sections, said upper mandrel section being rotatable in said first bore in said upper body section, and left-hand thread means connecting said mandrel sections.

15. A well packer according to claim 14 wherein said actuating means includes a piston member longitudinally slidable on said mandrels, and cooperating means carried by said piston member and said lower lbody section constructed and `arranged to permit only upward movement of said piston member in said mandrels.

16. In a well packer according to claim 15, means securing said upper expander member to said seal element, and means securing said piston member to said lower expander member.

17. A well packer according to claim 15 wherein said retainer elements are shear screw means.

18. A well packer according to claim 15 wherein said retainer elements comprise first shear screw means connecting said piston member to said lower body section, secondshear screw means connecting said slip cage to said upper expander member, and third shear screw means connecting said slip cage to said lower expander member.

19. A multiple pipe string two-way well packer, including, a packer body comprising longitudinally spaced upper and lower body sections having axially registering parallel rst and second bores extending longitudinally therethrough, iirst and second tubular mandrels havin-g their upper ends -secured respectively in the rst and second bores of the upper .body section and extending slidably through the registering bores in the lower body section, a seal-and-anchor assembly mounted about both mandrels between said body sections, said assembly including a resilient seal element disposed in abutting relation to the lower end of said upper body section for radial expansion by end-wise compression thereagainst, upper and lower longitudinally spaced slip expander members disposed beneath said seal element and longitudinally slidable on said mandrels, a slip cage having angularly spaced openings therein disposed about said expander members for limited longitudinal sliding movement relative thereto, pipe-gripping slips mounted in said openings for radial movement therein and having upper and lower end portions disposed Ifor wedging engagement respectively with said upper and .lower expander members whereby axial movement of said expander members toward each other will urge said slips outwardly into pipegripping position, uid pressure-operated actuating means disposed about the mandrels between the lower expander ymember and said lower body section, and means for supplying pressure fluid from said second mandrel to said actuating means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 25,846 8/1965 Campbell 16d-122 2,121,050 6/1938 Ragan et al. 166-134 3,191,682 6/1965 Cochran 16d-L20 3,224,508 lil/1965 Cochran 1616- CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

J. A. -IJEPPINK, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

19. A MULTIPLE PIPE STRING TWO-WAY WELL PACKER, INCLUDING, A PACKER BODY COMPRISING LONGITUDINALLY SPACED UPPER AND LOWER BODY SECTIONS HAVING AXIALLY REGISTERING PARALLEL FIRST AND SECOND BORES EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THERETHROUGH, FIRST AND SECOND TUBULAR MANDRELS HAVING THEIR UPPER ENDS SECURED RESPECTIVELY IN THE FIRST AND SECOND BORES OF THE UPPER BODY SECTION AND EXTENDING SLIDABLY THROUGH THE REGISTERING BORES IN THE LOWER BODY SECTION, A SEAL-AND-ANCHOR ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ABOUT BOTH MANDRELS BETWEEN SAID BODY SECTIONS, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A RESILIENT SEAL ELEENT DISPOSED IN ABUTTING RELATION TO THE LOWER END OF SAID UPPER BODY SECTION FOR RADIAL EXPANSION BY END-WISE COMPRESSION THEREAGAINST, UPPER AND LOWER LONGITUDINALLY SPACED SLIP EXPANDER MEMBERS DISPOSED BENEATH SAID SEAL ELEMENT AND LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLE ON SAID MANDRELS, A SLIP CAGE HAVING ANGULARLY SPACED OPENINGS THEREIN DISPOSED ABOUT SAID EXPANDER MEMBERS FOR LIMITED LONGITUDINAL SLIDING MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO, PIPE-GRIPPING SLIPS MOUNTED IN SAID OPENINGS FOR RADIAL MOVEMENT THEREIN AND HAVING UPPER AND LOWER END PORTIONS DISPOSED FOR WEDGING ENGAGEMENT RESPECTIVELY WITH SAID UPPER AND LOWER EXPANDER MEMBERS WHEREBY AXIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID EXPANDER MEMBERS TOWARD EACH OTHER WILL URGE SAID SLIPS OUTWARDLY INTO PIPEGRIPPING POSITION, FLUID PRESSURE-OPERATED ACTUATING MEANS DISPOSED ABOUT THE MANDRELS BETWEEN THE LOWER EXPANDER MEMBER AND SAID LOWER BODY SECTION, AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING PRESSURE FLUID FROM SAID SECOND MANDREL TO SAID ACTUATING MEANS.

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