Method and apparatus for sub-surface deformation of well pipe

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein a punching head is carried to be outwardly displaced by the plunger against a pipe into which the tool is received in the bore hole and including the step of controlling said Fluid pressure transmission to effect local outward punch perforation of the pipe.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein a flow bean is carried to be outwardly displaced by the plunger, and including the step of controlling said fluid pressure transmission to effect penetration of said bean into said structure in an outward direction.

Claim 7

The method of claim 3 wherein said structure comprises casing in said bore hole, and said pressure is controlled to effect penetration of the bean through the casing.

Claim 8

The method of claim 4 wherein said casing extends generally downwardly in the earth to a hydrocarbon fluid producing formation, and including the steps of withdrawing said tool following said casing penetration and recovering said fluid that flows into the casing via said bean.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 wherein a cutter is carried to be outwardly displaced by the plunger against pipe into which the tool is displaced, and including the step of controlling said fluid pressure transmission to effect local penetration of the cutter into the pipe in an outward direction.

Claim 10

The method of claim 6 that includes the step of circularly cutting said pipe by repeatedly displacing the cutter through the pipe at circularly spaced locations between which the cutter is rotated.

Claim 11

The method of claim 7 that includes the steps of retracting the cutter from the pipe at each of said locations following cutter penetration through the pipe, and rotatably indexing the retracted cutter between said circularly spaced locations.

Claim 14

The method of claim 9 wherein the inner pipe is annularly swaged outwardly against the outer pipe by repeating said outward displacement of the swage at circularly spaced locations.

Claim 17

The method of claim 11 including the step of carrying bore engaging slip means on the string, and setting said slip means to engage the bore thereby to enable said displacement of the string relative to the actuator.

Claim 18

The method of claim 12 wherein the string is lowered relative to the actuator to effect valve operation to control outward displacement of the plunger in response to fluid pressure application to the actuator.

Claim 19

The method of claim 13 wherein the string is raised relative to the actuator to effect valve operation to control retracting displacement of the plunger in response to fluid pressure application to the actuator.

Claim 20

Apparatus for applying laterally directed deformation force to structure at a selected location in a longitudinal bore hole, comprising a. a tool sized for lengthwise running in the bore hole on a pipe string and to said selected location, the tool including a fluid pressure responsive actuator having a laterally displaceable piston and plunger, b. means to control application to the actuator piston of sufficient fluid pressure transmitted within the string to effect displacement of the plunger laterally toward said structure outwardly of the tool and deformation of said structure to which deforming force is transmitted by the plunger, the piston diameter being substantially greater than the plunger diameter, and c. means for sensing a sudden dip in said fluid pressure indicating the occurrence of said deformation.

Claim 21

Apparatus for applying laterally directed deformation force to structure at a selected location in a longitudinal bore hole, comprising a. a tool sized for lengthwise running in the bore hole on a pipe string and to said selected location, the tool including a fluid pressure responsive actuator having a laterally displaceable piston and plunger, b. means to control application to the actuator piston of sufficient fluid pressure transmitted within the string to effect displacement of the plunger laterally toward said structure outwardly of the tool and deformation of said structure to which deforming force is transmitted by the plunger, the piston diameter being substantially greater than the plunger diameter, and c. means for sensing a sudden dip in said fluid pressure indicating the occurrence of said deformation.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 15 including a punching head carried by the tool to be outwardly displaced by the plunger through a pipe into which the tool is run in the bore hole.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 15 including a cutter carried by the tool to be outwardly displaced by the plunger locally against said structure in the form of pipe.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the cutter has advanced and retracted positions at each of a circularly series of tool locations into which the tool is rotatably indexed during severing of the pipe by said cutter.

Claim 25

Apparatus for applying laterally directed deformation force to structure at a selected location in a longitudinal bore hole, comprising a. a tool sized for lengthwise running in the bore hole on a pipe string and to said selected location, the tool including a fluid pressure responsive actuator having a laterally displaceable piston and plunger, there being a flow bean carried by the tool to be outwardly displaced by the plunger, the bean being elongated in the bore hole longitudinal direction and having a longitudinally elongated tapered nose to penetrate said structure in an outward direction, the bean containing lateral through porting intersecting said taper, b. means to control application to the actuator piston of sufficient fluid pressure transmitted within the string to effect displacement of the plunger laterally toward said structure outwardly of the tool and deformation of said structure by the bean to which deforming force is transmitted by the plunger, the piston diameter being substantially greater than the plunger diameter.

Claim 26

Apparatus for applying laterally directed deformation force to structure at a selected location in a longitudinal bore hole, comprising a. a tool sized for lengthwise running in the bore hole on a pipe string and to said selected location, the tool including a fluid pressure responsive actuator having a laterally displaceable piston and plunger, there being a flow bean carried by the tool to be outwardly displaced by the plunger, the bean being elongated in the bore hole longitudinal direction and having a longitudinally elongated tapered nose to penetrate said structure in an outward direction, the bean containing lateral through porting intersecting said taper, b. means to control application to the actuator piston of sufficient fluid pressure transmitted within the string to effect displacement of the plunger laterally toward said structure outwardly of the tool and deformation of said structure by the bean to which deforming force is transmitted by the plunger, the piston diameter being substantially greater than the plunger diameter.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 19 including said structure in the form of well casing into which said bean penetrates.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 19 including a magazine carried by the tool to sequentially supply flow beans for outward displacement by the plunger.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said magazine is carried at one side of the tool to contain a vertical stack of flow beans adapted to drop into position laterally opposite the tip of said plunger.

Claim 30

Apparatus for the words applying laterally directed deformation force to structure at a selected location in a longitudinal bore hole, comprising a. a tool sized for lengthwise running in the inner pipe on a supporting pipe string and to said selected location, the tool including a fluid pressure responsive actuator having a laterally displaceable plunger, the tool including a swage carried to be outwardly displaced by the plunger against the inner pipe, and b. means to control application to the actuator of sufficient fluid pressure transmitted within the string to effect displacement of the plunger and swage laterally towaRd said inner pipe to effect said local swaging.

Claim 31

Apparatus for the words applying laterally directed deformation force to structure at a selected location in a longitudinal bore hole, comprising a. a tool sized for lengthwise running in the inner pipe on a supporting pipe string and to said selected location, the tool including a fluid pressure responsive actuator having a laterally displaceable plunger, the tool including a swage carried to be outwardly displaced by the plunger against the inner pipe, and b. means to control application to the actuator of sufficient fluid pressure transmitted within the string to effect displacement of the plunger and swage laterally towaRd said inner pipe to effect said local swaging.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 23 including said inner and outer pipes.

Claim 33

Apparatus for applying laterally directed deformation force to structure at a selected location in a longitudinal bore hole, comprising a. a tool sized for lengthwise running in the bore hole on a pipe string and to said selected location, the tool including a fluid pressure responsive actuator having a laterally displaceable plunger, and b. means to control application to the actuator of sufficient fluid pressure transmitted within the string to effect displacement of the plunger laterally toward said structure outwardly of the tool and deformation of said structure to which deforming force is transmitted by the plunger, and c. said means including a valve carried by the tool to be operated in response to displacement of the string relative to the actuator to control fluid pressure transmission to the actuator in plunger advancing and retracting operating modes.

Claim 34

Apparatus for applying laterally directed deformation force to structure at a selected location in a longitudinal bore hole, comprising a. a tool sized for lengthwise running in the bore hole on a pipe string and to said selected location, the tool including a fluid pressure responsive actuator having a laterally displaceable plunger, and b. means to control application to the actuator of sufficient fluid pressure transmitted within the string to effect displacement of the plunger laterally toward said structure outwardly of the tool and deformation of said structure to which deforming force is transmitted by the plunger, and c. said means including a valve carried by the tool to be operated in response to displacement of the string relative to the actuator to control fluid pressure transmission to the actuator in plunger advancing and retracting operating modes.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said valve comprises inner and outer tubular members with ports relatively movable into and out of registration in response to said string displacement to control fluid pressure transmission to the actuator.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 26 including well bore engaging slip means on the string and settable to engage the bore to enable said string displacement relative to the actuator.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said tool extends vertically with said slip means extending below the actuator and control means.