Patent ID: 6364024
Filing Date: 2002-04-02
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
An apparatus for protecting a blowout preventer from exposure to fluid pressures, abrasives and corrosive fluids used in a well treatment to stimulate production and for supporting a tubing string in a wellbore so that the tubing string is accessible during the well treatment, the apparatus including a mandrel adapted to be inserted down through the blowout preventer to an operative position, the mandrel having a mandrel top end and a mandrel bottom end, the mandrel bottom end including an annular sealing body for sealing engagement with a bit guide at a top of a casing of the well when the mandrel is in the operative position, and, a base member adapted for connection to a wellhead, the base member including fluid seals through which the mandrel is reciprocally movable, comprising:a fracturing head including a central passage in fluid communication with the mandrel and at least one radial passage in fluid communication with the central passage; a tubing adapter mounted to a top end of the fracturing head, the tubing adapter supporting the tubing string while permitting fluid communication with the tubing string; and a lock mechanism for locking the apparatus in a fixed position to inhibit upward movement of the mandrel induced by fluid pressures in the wellbore and downward movement of the mandrel induced by a weight of the tubing string supported by the tubing adapter.