Apparatus and method for installing and removing well tools in a tubing string

Abstract

Abstract A WELL TOOL SYSTEM FOR INSTALLING AND RETRIEVING WELL TOOLS, SUCH AS GAS LIFT VALVES, IN A TUBING STRING. A TUBULAR LATCH IS PROVIDED FOR LOCKING EACH WELL TOOL AT A LANDING NIPPLE IN THE TUBING STRING. THE LATCH HAS LOCKING KEYS WITH OPERATOR MEMBERS MANIPULATED RESPONSIVE TO A SUPPORTING PROBE FOR LOCKING AND RELEASING EACH LATCH AT A LANDING NIPPLE. ONE OR A PLURALITY OF THE LATCHES WITH CONNECTED WELL TOOLS ARE SUPPORTED ON THE PROBE IN TANDEM. THE PROBE AND SUPPORTED LATCHES AND WELL TOOLS ARE CONNECTED IN A TOOL TRAIN WHICH MAY INCLUDE WIRELINE OR PUMP DOWN HANDLING TOOLS WITH SLEEVE VALVE OPERATORS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING SLIDING SLEEVE VALVES AT THE LANDING NIPPLES WHEN INSTALLING AND REMOVING THE LATCHES AND WELL TOOLS. THE TOOL TRAIN IS RUN IN A TUBING STRING TO A DEPTH BELOW THE LOWEST LANDING NIPPLE AND IS THEN RETURNED TO THE SURFACE SEQUENTIALLY RELEASING AND LOCKING THE LATCHES AT THE LANDING NIPPLES SPACED ALONG THE TUBING STRING. THE LATCHES AND TOOLS ARE RETRIEVED BY RUNNING THE TOOL TRAIN WITH A PROBE DOWNWARDLY SEQUENTIALLY RELEASING THE LATCHES AND ENGAGING THEM ON THE PROBE IN END-TO-END ARRAY. WHEN ALL OF THE LATCHES AND WELL TOOLS ARE RELEASED AND ON THE PROBE, THE TOOL TRAIN IS RETURNED TO THE SURFACE. DURING BOTH INSTALLING AND REMOVING THE LATCHES AND TOOLS, THE SLEEVE SHIFTING UNITS IN THE TOOL TRAIN OPEN AND CLOSE THE SLEEVE VALVES AS REQUIRED.

Inventors

• 👤 Harry E Schwegman

Bibliographic Details