Abstract:
Devices and methods related to setting and testing a packer in a single trip are disclosed. Embodiments disclosed herein provide a tubing engagement element for applying longitudinal force to expand the packer element, such as by compressing an elastomeric element longitudinally to cause radial expansion. Further, upon application of longitudinal force, a second packer element, inside of the first, also sets, isolating the interior of the packer form the exterior. The isolation on the interior of the packer, or tubing attached thereto, permits formation of a pressure differential across the installed packer, facilitating a pressure test to ensure that the packers is adequately set.

Description:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
         [0002]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/209,595, filed on Aug. 25, 2015 and entitled Device and Method for Applying Force to a Tubular and sealing the Passage Therethrough, which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The embodiments disclosed herein and the invention as claimed relates to the installation of tubulars in a well or wellbore and particularly the installation and pressure testing of packer elements mechanically set by force applied to the top of the tubulars. Certain embodiments may be used with liner hangers having or connected with such mechanical set packers, the packers having sealing elements radially expanded by force applied to the top of the liner hanger assembly. 
         [0004]    Field 
         [0005]    The use of liners and liner hangers is well known in the art. A tubing string may be run into a well, often through a previously installed string or strings of casing, and secured to the previously installed casing once the tubing string reaches its desired position. Upon actuation of the liner hanger, slips or other holding devices radially expand to engage the casing. Such holding devices grip the casing and secure the liner, or other string, at the desired location and may hold the weight of the tubing string, which may exceed several hundred thousand pounds, so that the liner does not fall further down the well. 
         [0006]    Another feature which may be incorporated into a liner hanger, such as the Sentinal™ liner hanger by Peak Completion Technologies, Inc., is a packer. Such packer is in place to prevent fluid communication between the annulus surrounding the liner and the region of the wellbore above the liner hanger. In some liner hangers, the packer is set by mechanical force applied to the top of the liner hanger assembly, such as to the top of a polished bore receptacle, or PBR, longitudinally compressing an elastomeric packer element between setting rings and/or thimbles and thereby radially expanding the elastomeric element out against the casing. 
         [0007]    One challenge with such mechanical set liner hanger packers is ensuring that the packet is set. Once the packer is set, or believed to be set, the tubing string on which the liner was previously suspended is removed from the well. Removal of this travel string may also remove the setting assembly for applying setting force to the packer. Because the travel string may be thousands of feet long, it is desirable to pressure test the liner hanger packer before removing the travel string and the setting assembly connected to it. By verifying whether the packer is adequately set, the operator may avoid additional runs with a travel string and setting tool, thereby saving substantial time and money. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an improved system and assembly for installing a liner hanger packer or other mechanically set packers by facilitating a pressure test of such packers prior to removing the setting assembly from within the well. 
         [0008]    Embodiments of the present disclosure may facilitate pressure testing mechanical set packers by sealing off the interior of the tubing string on which such liner hanger packer is mounted. Specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a setting assembly for applying longitudinal force to the top of the packer, either directly or through intermediate tubing. Application of the longitudinal force may also set a second packer inside the liner hanger, intermediate tubing, or other tubing to prevent fluid communication on the inside of the liner hanger. With the second packer set, fluid pressure may be applied to the top of the liner hanger and a leak off test, or other appropriate test, performed to verify that the liner hanger packer has established an adequate seal. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a sectional elevation of an embodiment setting tool according to the disclosure herein. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2A  is an enlarged sectional elevation of a portion of the embodiment setting tool of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 2B  is an enlarged sectional elevation of a portion of the embodiment setting tool of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a sectional elevation of an embodiment setting tool in a run-in position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a sectional elevation of an embodiment setting tool in an actuated position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5A  is an enlarged cross section more clearly showing the packer section of the embodiment in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 5B  is an orthogonal view of the element mandrel of the embodiment of Fig. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]      FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B  show an embodiment tool  100  for applying a force to a tubing string, such as a liner, while sealing the interior of the tubing string against fluid communication. In one aspect, the tool may be used to set a mechanical portion of a liner hanger by applying downward force on a PBR while simultaneously sealing against the internal walls of the PBR. 
         [0017]    Setting mandrel  110  extends through the tool  100  and may connect to additional devices above and below the tool  100 . For example, setting setting mandrel  110  may be connected to the surface via a travel string (not shown) at upper connection  112  and to a hydraulic setting tool (not shown) via lower connection  114 . Collet support  120 , element mandrel  150  and lower thimble  180 , may be arranged around the setting mandrel  110 . Collet  130 , collet shroud  135 , and spring  145  may be arranged around collet support  120 . Upper thimble  166 , thimble retainer  164 , and element  170 , may be arranged around element mandrel  150 . Thimble retainer  162  and upper thimble  164  may be connected via threads. Seals  116   a  and  116   b  prevent fluid communication between the outer surface of setting mandrel  110  and the inner surface of element mandrel  150 . Pins  162  may connect the thimble retainer  162  and upper thimble  164  to the setting mandrel  110 , passing through a portion of element mandrel  150 . Lower thimble  180  may be connected to the lower end of element mandrel  150  and is slidingly arranged around the setting mandrel  110 . 
         [0018]    In some embodiments, the end of collet  130  may contain friction pads  132 , shown in  FIG. 2A . Friction pads  132  may be comprised of brass or other material such that a PBR or other tubing against which the friction pads slide is not unacceptably marred, scratched or otherwise affected during operation of the tool. 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  shows a run in position of one embodiment with the tool inside of a PBR  190 . Spring  145  is compressed, providing a force that would tend to push the upper portion of collet  130  out of the PBR  190 . Collet  130  is held in a retracted position by engagement of friction pads with the interior wall of the PBR. Further, the friction pads may collectively serve as a centralizer, positioning the tool within the PBR such that collet support  120 , collet shroud  135 , thimble retainer  162 , upper thimble  164 , and other portions of the tool do not engage the inner wall of the PBR. 
         [0020]    In some embodiments, tool  100  may be connected to a hydraulic setting tool, such as through lower connection  114 . During run in of the liner, such hydraulic setting tool may be connected with the liner hanger and in communication with the slips such that fluid pressure applied to the hydraulic setting tool causes radial expansion of slips, setting the slips and securing the liner hanger into the surrounding casing. At a sufficiently high pressure, the hydraulic setting tool is released from the liner hanger, which frees the travel string, including tool  100 , to move relative to the liner and liner hanger, including the liner hanger packer and PBR. 
         [0021]    It will be appreciated that, in the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , PBR  192  functions to hold the collet  130  in the unset position and removal of the tool  100  from within the PBR allows the collet  130  to move to the actuated position. Thus, PBR  192  functions as a retainer element, holding the collet in a retracted position until the operator pulls up on the traveling string so that collet  132  is outside of PBR  190 . Other retainer elements releasably holding the collet in a retracted position are within the scope of the present disclosure. 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  shows an embodiment tool in an engaged position, with the fingers of collet  130  engaged on an end  192  of PBR  190  and on a shoulder of collet support  120 . The force of spring  145  may assist in pushing the fingers of collet  130  onto, and up, the shoulder of collet support  120 . Spring stop  125  prevents movement of the collet  130 , together with its attached collet shroud  135 , past the engagement point of the collet fingers on the shoulder of collet support  120 . Collet shroud  135  may have penetrations therethrough adjacent to the spring stop  125  in order to prevent fluid between spring stop  125  and the lower end of collet  130  from resisting movement of the collet  130  towards and onto collet support  120 . 
         [0023]    It will be appreciated that, in the configuration illustrated by  FIG. 4 , downward force applied to collet support  120  will push against collet  130 , which in turn will turn push against PBR  190 , or other tubing, providing downward mechanical force thereto, which may, for example, be used to set a mechanical set packer against casing below the PBR  190 . For example, shoulder  118  of mandrel  110  may engage collet support  120  to apply such setting force. In this manner, collet support  120  and collet  130  may serve as a tubing engagement element for transferring longitudinal force from the travel string to the liner hanger or other tubing, though other tubing engagement elements are within the scope of the present disclosure. 
         [0024]    As can be seen in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , it is possible the setting mandrel  110  will not apply force to the collet support  120  until the packer elements  170  have been set. Specifically, pin  162  transfers the downward force of the mandrel to upper thimble  160 . Element mandrel  150  is connected to collet support  120  so that engagement of collet fingers on the PBR  190  or other tubing, prevents movement of the collet support  120 , element mandrel  150  and lower thimble  180  relative to the PBR  190 . As setting mandrel  110  moves downward relative to the collet support  120  and element mandrel  150 , pins  162  move within slots  154 , causing thimble retainer  164  and upper thimble  166  to move as well. It will be appreciated that pins  162  do not require any specific form or shape and any embodiment pin—including without limitation balls, pegs, screws, dogs or other shapes—that sufficiently connect the setting mandrel  110  to the upper thimble assembly and may slide within the slots  154  of the element mandrel—may be used as a pin. 
         [0025]    Collet support  120  may be connected to element mandrel  150  by threading, screws or other connections. Further, lower thimble  180  may be connected to element mandrel  150  as well. In such arrangements, movement of the setting mandrel  110  relative to the collet support  120 , collet  130  and PBR  190  moves the thimble retainer  164  and upper thimble  166  at least partially independently of element mandrel  150  and lower thimble  180 . This may occur due to engagement of collet  130  on end  192  of PBR  190 , causing setting mandrel  110  to slide relative to the collet support  120 , element mandrel  150 , element  170  and bottom thimble  180 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 5A  illustrates the relationship between the setting mandrel  110 , element mandrel  150 , and an upper thimble assembly, which may comprise thimble retainer  164  and upper thimble  166  with a plurality of pins  162 . Element mandrel  150 , also shown in  FIG. 5B , has an upper end  152  connected to the collet support  120 , slots or passages  154 , a sealing section  156  for engaging element  170  and a lower thimble connector  158 . Pins  162 , positioned in a plurality of slots or passages  154  through the element mandrel  150 , engage a groove in the setting mandrel  110 . Pins  162  connect the setting mandrel  110  to the upper thimble assembly. Thus, movement of the setting mandrel  110  in the downward direction moves the pin  162 , and therefore the thimble retainer  164  and upper thimble  166 , without moving the element mandrel  150  and consequently the lower thimble  180 . This causes the upper thimble  166  to move towards the lower thimble  180 , compressing element  170  therebetween. Such compression sets the element  170  against an interior wall of PBR  190  creating a fluid seal therewith. 
         [0027]    It will be appreciated that creation of a fluid seal inside the PBR  190  or other tubing may permit selectively flowing fluid around the outside of the PBR  190  or other tubing with which the tool  100  is engaged. For example, after setting the mechanical set packer, it may be desirable to test the integrity of the seal of such liner hanger packer against the casing into which it is set. If the packer is not sufficiently sealed, collet  130  is still engaged with the PBR  190  and additional force can be applied to the PBR  190  to further set the liner hanger packer. Thus, the embodiments herein provide a means for testing the set of such mechanically set packers before the traveling string, with the packer setting tool, is withdrawn from the hole. 
         [0028]    The present disclosure includes preferred or illustrative embodiments in which specific tools are described. Alternative embodiments of such tools can be used in carrying out the invention as claimed and such alternative embodiments are limited only by the claims themselves. Other aspects and advantages of the present invention may be obtained from a study of this disclosure and the drawings, along with the appended claims. Further, it will be appreciated that, while embodiments described herein relate to tools installed in an unactuated position, embodiment tools having tubing engagement elements not requiring expansion to engage the selected tubing are within the scope of the present disclosure. Further, while the embodiment packer element is described as being compressed by two thimbles, other rings or devices may be used to set the packer element by movement of the setting mandrel relative to the element mandrel, including elements be swedging or other means of expansion.