Fluid circulating and retrieving apparatus for oil wells

Abstract

Abstract A RETRIEVING APPARATUS FOR PICKING UP DEBRIS FROM THE BOTTOM OF OIL WELLS COMPRISES A HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL BODY COMMUNICATING AT ITS UPPER END WITH THE LOWER END OF A DRILL PIPE STRING AND TERMINATING AT ITS LOWER END IN AN ENTRANCE OPENING. IN THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT THERE IS SUPPORTED IN THE BODY A CYLINDRICAL BASKET OF SMALLER DIMENSIONS THAT THE BODY TO DEFINE AN ANNULUS BETWEEN THE EXTERIOR OF THE BASKET AND THE INTERNAL WALLS OF THE BODY ITSELF. THIS ANNULUS COMMUNICATES BETWEEN THE LOWER END OF THE DRILL PIPE STRING AND THE LOWER ENTRANCE OPENING OF THE BODY. A ONE-WAY CATCHER ASSEMBLY IS LOOSELY MOUNTED AT THE LOWER END OF THE BASKET. OIL WELL FLUID IS CIRCULATED DOWN THE OIL WELL BETWEEN THE EXTERIOR WALLS OF THE DRILL PIPE STRING AND APPARATUS AND THE INTERIOR WALLS OF THE WELL AND THENCE UP THROUGH THE ENTRANCE OPENING, CATCHER ASSEMBLY, BASKET AND ANNULUS TO THE INTERIOR OF THE DRILL PIPE STRING. THIS REVERSE CIRCULATION FORCES DEBRIS AND THE LIKE UP THROUGH THE CATCHER ASSEMBLY AND INTO THE BASKET WHERE IT IS HELD BY THE CATCHER ASSEMBLY. WHEN THE BASKET IS FILLED, CIRCULATION CAN BE MAINTAINED THROUGH THE ANNULUS TO THEREBY WASH OUT REMAINING SMALL DEBRIS AND SAND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WALL. IN OTHER EMBODIMENTS, THE BASKET CAN BE ELIMINATED.

Inventors

• 👤 Donald P Hammon

Bibliographic Details