Apparatus for gravel-packing inclined wells

Claim 2

Apparatus for forming a bed of granular material in the annulus of a well surrounding a perforate tubular liner, which comprises: tool means adapted for connection with a tubing string and placement in said well in sealable engagement with the interior of said liner to separate said well into an upper and lower section and to provide fluid communication between said tubing string and the well annulus exterior of the perforate liner and between the interior of the liner in said lower section of the well and the well annulus in said upper section; a stinger pipe connected to said tool means and adapted to extend downwardly on the interior of said liner for conducting fluids from the interior of said liner to said tool means; and a plurality of annular yieldable baffles slidably mounted at spaced intervals on said stinger pipe, each of said baffles being adapted to offer substantial resistance to fluid flowing in said liner past said baffles.

Claim 3

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said baFfles are mounted on said stinger pipe in groups of about 1 to 5 baffles, and wherein said groups are spaced on said stinger pipe at intervals of about 2 feet to 10 feet.

Claim 4

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal movement of said baffles on said stinger pipe is constrained to about 3 inches to about 3 feet.

Claim 5

Apparatus for forming a bed of granular material in the annulus of a well surrounding a perforate tubular member, which comprises: tool means adapted for connection with a tubing string and placement in said well in sealable engagement with the interior of said liner to separate said well into an upper and a lower section and to provide fluid communication between said tubing string and the well annulus exterior of the perforate liner and between the interior of the liner in said lower section of the well and the well annulus in said upper section; a stinger pipe connected to said tool means and adapted to extend downwardly on the interior of said liner for conducting fluids from the interior of said liner to said tool means, said stinger pipe comprising threadably connected tubular members, alternate of said members having a uniform, close-tolerance outside diameter; and at least one annular yieldable baffle slidably mounted on each of said tubular members having uniform, close-tolerance outside diameters, said baffles being adapted to make a yieldable sealing engagement with the interior of said liner whereby each baffle offers substantial resistance to fluid flowing in said liner past said baffles.

Claim 6

Apparatus for forming a bed of granular material in the annulus of a well surrounding a perforate tubular member, which comprises: tool means adapted for connection with a tubing string and placement in said well in sealable engagement with the interior of said liner to separate said well into an upper and a lower section and to provide fluid communication between said tubing string and the well annulus exterior of the perforate liner and between the interior of the liner in said lower section of the well and the well annulus in said upper section; a stinger pipe connected to said tool means and adapted to extend downwardly on the interior of said liner for conducting fluids from the interior of said liner to said tool means, said stinger pipe comprising threadably connected tubular members, alternate of said members having a uniform, close-tolerance outside diameter; and at least one annular yieldable baffle slidably mounted on each of said tubular members having uniform, close-tolerance outside diameters, said baffles being adapted to make a yieldable sealing engagement with the interior of said liner whereby each baffle offers substantial resistance to fluid flowing in said liner past said baffles.

Claim 7

The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein from about 1 to 5 of said baffles are mounted on each of said alternate tubular members, and wherein the uniform close-tolerance section of said tubular members is from about 3 inches to 3 feet in length.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said baffles are comprised of a rigid cylindrical inner hub having a uniform, close-tolerance inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of said tubular member, and an outer member molded of resilient material having a hub portion adapted to fit over said cylindrical inner hub and a flexible annular flange extending outwardly from the hub portion, said hub portion being bonded to said cylindrical inner hub so as to provide a unitary structure.