Patent GB-1019250-A (GB)
Title: Hydraulically operated well packer apparatus
IPC: E21B33/1295
Filed: 1963-08-30
Abstract: 1,019,250. Wells &c. BAKER OIL TOOLS Inc. Aug. 30, 1963 [Nov. 5, 1962], No. 34387/63. Heading E1F. A well packer comprises a body, means on the body adapted to be expanded outwardly into engagement with the wall of the well, fluid actuated means operated by the head of fluid in the well to expand the means on the body and having high and low pressure sides, means for preventing flow of fluid from the fluid actuated means upon reduction of head, means maintaining pressure in the fluid actuated means, and passages for equalizing the head on the high and low pressure sides. The packer comprises a head 17, packing structure 42, expander 43, slip structure 44, hydraulic slip actuating mechanism 45, and body members 13, 14. The packer is lowered by string G into the well and a second string is latched into passage 18 of the head 17. To set the packer a ball 156 is pumped down the second string to move a valve sleeve 151 to uncover an inlet port 150. Fluid from the well bore flows through the port to pass a balanced valve 126 (Fig. 5) and a check valve 125 into the cylinder 110 (Fig. 4) above pistons 111 to move the pistons downwardly and spring loaded cylinder heads 114 upwardly. The movement of the pistons move a connector plate 101 downwardly shearing the screws 102, 103, 104 fixing the plate to the member 13 The movement of the plate 101 firstly frees latches 98 attaching the members 13, 14 to a slip ring 60 and then moves member 14 downwardly within the ring to shift the head 17 towards the slip ring which is fired to the member 13 through a sleeve 64, hydraulic housing 67, cam sleeves 80, 83 and a shear ring 86. The shifting of the head 17 first sets the slips to prevent downward movement of the packer and then expands the packing structure against the well wall. The check valve prevents fluid leaving the cylinders in the event of decrease in head of the well fluid and the spring loaded heads 114 ensure further movement of the pistons, plate 101 and head 17 in the event of packing elements 46 extruding around spacer rings 46 and gauge rings 35, 49. The packer is released by an upward pull on the string G and member 13 which disrupts ring 86 to permit break plugs 134 to fracture and allow pressure on the opposite sides of the pistons to be equalized. Upward movement of the string G moves the members 13, 14, the head 17 and the parts above the packing structure 42 to retract the packing structure, and further upward movement of the string causes a ring 52 on the member 14 to shift the expander so that the slips are retracted and the packer may be removed. The plugs may be fractured by twisting the string G, the cams 80, 83 shearing the ring 86 to permit the necessary movement of the member 13. The packer may be anchored against upward movement by grippers 222 pressed outwardly by well fluid from the passage 18 and released by disconnecting the second string. In an arrangement for producing from three formations two packers according to the invention are placed above a further packer having a single flow passage connected to the member 13 of the intermediate packer which has its members 13, 14 connected by strings to the members 13, 14 of the upper packer and a sleeve valve is fixed in the string connecting the members 14, the setting of the valve determining which of the upper formations are produced.