US3710862A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for treating and preparing wells for production
Assignee: Otis Engineering Corp
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Filing: 1971-06-07
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Granted: 1973-01-16
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Expires: 1991-06-07
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for setting a packer supporting a screen, treating the well to stimulate production from the formation or for other purposes, gravel packing the well bore around the screen, all without removing the setting string from the well bore, then removing the setting string and installing a producing string in the packer to produce the well; together with apparatus for carrying out the method. In addition, the method and apparatus contemplates successive treatment of a plurality of producing formations one above the other in the well bore without affecting the previously treated and gravel packed formation.
Inventors
- 👤 C Young
- 👤 H James
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:39
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/14; E21B23/00; E21B23/06; E21B33/00; E21B33/10; E21B33/12; E21B43/02; E21B43/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of treating a well for production which includes: lowering an operating tool string having connected thereto a packer having a screen supported therebelow into the well bore; seating the packer in sealing position in the well bore above a producing formation therein with the screen in communication with the producing formation; opening a flow path for circulation downwardly past the packer and the screen to the producing formation and upwardly past the screen and the packer to the well surface for treating the well formation; introducing gravel through said circulation flow path into the well bore below the packer exteriorly of the screen to fill the annular space between the screen and the well bore to a point above the screen; removing the operating tool string from the well bore; and establishing a production flow course from the packer to the well surface for conducting well fluids entering said flow course from the producing formation through the gravel pack and screen.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of treating a well for production which includes: lowering an operating tool string having connected thereto a packer having a screen supported therebelow into the well bore; seating the packer in sealing position in the well bore above a producing formation therein with the screen in communication with the producing formation; opening a flow path for circulation downwardly past the packer and the screen to the producing formation and upwardly past the screen and the packer to the well surface for treating the well formation; introducing gravel through said circulation flow path into the well bore below the packer exteriorly of the screen to fill the annular space between the screen and the well bore to a point above the screen; removing the operating tool string from the well bore; and establishing a production flow course from the packer to the well surface for conducting well fluids entering said flow course from the producing formation through the gravel pack and screen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 1 including: opening the circulation path through the packer and screen by longitudinal movement only of the operating string; removing the operating string from the well bore after the gravel pack has been installed; and introducing a production tubing string into the well bore to sealed engagement with the packer to form the production flow course from the packer to the surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 including the additional step of introducing treating fluids under pressure into the well producing formation through the packer and screen prior to establishing the circulation path through said packer and screen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
116 words
The method of claim 1 including: the step of installing a lower well packer in said well bore above a lower producing formation and below an upper producing formation prior to installing the packer having the screen thereon in the well bore; sealing between the lower end of the screen and the lower packer to provide a circulating flow course through the lower packer and the screen and upper packer; seating the upper packer above the upper formation in sealing relation with the well bore above said upper producing formation; and sealing the bore of the lower packer below the screen supported by the upper packer to isolate the power formation from the circulating flow course.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 including: circulating fluids through the operating tool string in a reverse direction to remove excess gravel from the operating tool string after the annular space has been filled to a point above the screen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method of the character set forth in claim 1 including: circulating treating fluids through the circulation path to remove foreign matter therefrom and through the screen to remove foreign matter therefrom prior to establishing the production flow course from the packer to the well surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 including: reconnecting the operating tool string to the packer for reestablishing a flow path past the packer and screen to the producing formation for additional treatment of said formation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the step of reconnecting the operating tool string to the packer to reestablish circulation past the packer and screen to the producing formation for treating the same is performed after the production flow course from the packer to the surface has been established and discontinued.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
363 words
A method of treating a well having a plurality of producing formations therein which includes: lowering a first packer and screen into the well bore by means of an operating tool string; seating said first packer above a first lower producing formation and below a second producing formation thereabove; estaBlishing a circulation path through the packer and screen for circulating fluids to said first producing formation and from said first producing formation to the surface; installing gravel in the well bore below the packer exteriorly of the screen through the circulation path to gravel pack the annular space between the packer and the well bore to a point above the screen; disconnecting the operating tool string from said first packer and screen; removing said operating tool string from the well bore; supporting a second packer and second screen on said operating string and lowering the same into the well bore to seal above said second formation above the first packer with said second screen in communication with said second formation; sealing between said second screen and the first packer to provide a flow course from the first packer through said second screen and said second packer; closing off said flow course below said second screen and above said first packer; establishing a circulation path through said second packer and second screen for circulating fluids from the surface through the operating string to the second formation under pressure while isolating such pressure fluids from said first formation; installing a gravel pack through said circulation path past said second packer and screen into the annular space above said first packer exteriorly of said second screen to fill the annular space between said second screen and the well bore above said first packer to a point above said second screen; disconnecting said operating tool string from said second packer and second screen; removing said operating tool string from the well bore; installing a first flow conductor producing string communicating with the bore of said first packer; and installing a second flow conductor producing string in the well bore communicating with said second formation through the second screen and separated from the first flow conductor producing string.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
363 words
A method of treating a well having a plurality of producing formations therein which includes: lowering a first packer and screen into the well bore by means of an operating tool string; seating said first packer above a first lower producing formation and below a second producing formation thereabove; estaBlishing a circulation path through the packer and screen for circulating fluids to said first producing formation and from said first producing formation to the surface; installing gravel in the well bore below the packer exteriorly of the screen through the circulation path to gravel pack the annular space between the packer and the well bore to a point above the screen; disconnecting the operating tool string from said first packer and screen; removing said operating tool string from the well bore; supporting a second packer and second screen on said operating string and lowering the same into the well bore to seal above said second formation above the first packer with said second screen in communication with said second formation; sealing between said second screen and the first packer to provide a flow course from the first packer through said second screen and said second packer; closing off said flow course below said second screen and above said first packer; establishing a circulation path through said second packer and second screen for circulating fluids from the surface through the operating string to the second formation under pressure while isolating such pressure fluids from said first formation; installing a gravel pack through said circulation path past said second packer and screen into the annular space above said first packer exteriorly of said second screen to fill the annular space between said second screen and the well bore above said first packer to a point above said second screen; disconnecting said operating tool string from said second packer and second screen; removing said operating tool string from the well bore; installing a first flow conductor producing string communicating with the bore of said first packer; and installing a second flow conductor producing string in the well bore communicating with said second formation through the second screen and separated from the first flow conductor producing string.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method of the character set forth in claim 9 including: treating the second well producing formation under pressure to stimulate production therefrom prior to establishing the circulation path past the packer and screen to the producing formation; and cleaning the producing formation of the treating fluids before installing the gravel pack.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 9 including longitudinally moving said operating tool string only establishing the circulation path through the first packer, and subsequently establishing a circulation path through the second packer and second screen isolated from the first packer and first screen.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
132 words
A method of the character set forth in claim 9 including: reverse circulating treating fluids through the operating tool string connected to the first packer to remove excess gravel from the operating tool string after the annular space between the first screen and the well producing formation has been filled to a point above the screen; isolating the first producing formation from the circulating flow course through the second upper packer and screen; reverse circulating treating fluids through said operating tool string and the annular space above the first packer and exteriorly of the screen thereabove to remove excess gravel from the operating tool string after the annular space exteriorly of the second screen above the first packer has been filled to a point above the upper end of the second screen.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
271 words
Apparatus for treating a well including: a packer having a screen supported therebelow and connected to the packer by a tubular conductor; means providing a lateral flow path to the exterior of the tubular flow conductor between the packer and the screen; and a service seal tool unit for setting the packer and carrying on treating operations in the well therebelow including: means for releasably connecting the service seal unit to the packer; upper seal means sealing between the service seal unit and the packer bore; lower seal means sealing between the service seal unit and the coNductor connecting the screen with the packer below the lateral flow course in said conductor; means providing a first flow path through the service seal unit from a lateral opening therein above the lower seal means to the upper end thereof; means providing a second flow path from a point below the lower seal means to the upper portion of the service seal tool unit; cross-flow directing valve means connected in flow communication to the upper end of said second flow path and having a lateral outlet opening; sleeve valve means having a lateral outlet therein movable longitudinally with respect to said cross-flow valve means; means for moving said sleeve valve means longitudinally with respect to said cross-flow direction valve means between a position closing off the lateral outlet opening of said cross-flow directing valve means and a position communicating said lateral flow outlet of said sleeve valve means with the lateral outlet opening of the cross-flow directing valve means for establishing a circulation path through the service seal unit to the exterior thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
271 words
Apparatus for treating a well including: a packer having a screen supported therebelow and connected to the packer by a tubular conductor; means providing a lateral flow path to the exterior of the tubular flow conductor between the packer and the screen; and a service seal tool unit for setting the packer and carrying on treating operations in the well therebelow including: means for releasably connecting the service seal unit to the packer; upper seal means sealing between the service seal unit and the packer bore; lower seal means sealing between the service seal unit and the coNductor connecting the screen with the packer below the lateral flow course in said conductor; means providing a first flow path through the service seal unit from a lateral opening therein above the lower seal means to the upper end thereof; means providing a second flow path from a point below the lower seal means to the upper portion of the service seal tool unit; cross-flow directing valve means connected in flow communication to the upper end of said second flow path and having a lateral outlet opening; sleeve valve means having a lateral outlet therein movable longitudinally with respect to said cross-flow valve means; means for moving said sleeve valve means longitudinally with respect to said cross-flow direction valve means between a position closing off the lateral outlet opening of said cross-flow directing valve means and a position communicating said lateral flow outlet of said sleeve valve means with the lateral outlet opening of the cross-flow directing valve means for establishing a circulation path through the service seal unit to the exterior thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 13 including indexing means on said service seal unit and said sleeve valve means co-engageable to limit movement of said sleeve valve means longitudinally of said service seal tool means to indicate the position of the lateral flow outlet of said sleeve valve means with respect to the lateral outlet opening of said cross-flow directing valve means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
117 words
Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 14 wherein said indexing means comprises means operable by longitudinal movement only of an operating string connected to said sleeve valve means for controlling movement of said sleeve valve means longitudinally; and means for alternately stopping longitudinal movement of said sleeve valve means after a short longitudinal movement at a first position wherein the lateral flow outlet is closed of said cross-flow directing valve means and after a second longitudinal movement of a greater distance at a second position wherein said lateral flow outlet is disposed in communication with the lateral outlet of the sleeve valve means, said means being actuatable by reciprocating movement of the sleeve valve means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 13 wherein means is provided on the upper end of said service seal tool unit for connecting the same to an operating string for movement of the service seal unit sleeve valve means longitudinally in the well from the surface of the well with the packer in place in said well.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 13 wherein the means for releasably connecting the service seal unit to the packer includes: coengageable means on said packer and said service seal unit for releasably reconnecting said service seal unit to said packer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
110 words
An operating tool for setting a packer and screen in place in a well and establishing a circulation path through the packer and screen in place including: means for connecting said operating tool to said packer for setting the same in the well; means for establishing a flow path through the packer and screen to the exterior of the screen; means for establishing a circulation path through the packer and the screen downwardly from the surface and upwardly to return to the surface; means for closing off the circulation path; and means for opening the circulation path by longitudinal movement only of an operating string connected to the operating tool.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
110 words
An operating tool for setting a packer and screen in place in a well and establishing a circulation path through the packer and screen in place including: means for connecting said operating tool to said packer for setting the same in the well; means for establishing a flow path through the packer and screen to the exterior of the screen; means for establishing a circulation path through the packer and the screen downwardly from the surface and upwardly to return to the surface; means for closing off the circulation path; and means for opening the circulation path by longitudinal movement only of an operating string connected to the operating tool.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
An operating tool of the character set forth in claim 18 wherein said means for connecting said operating tool to said packer includes: means releasably reconnectable with said packer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-16 | 1976-07-17 | 1977-01-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-16 | 1980-07-17 | 1981-01-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-16 | 1984-07-17 | 1985-01-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |