Casing hanger assembly and operating tools therefor

Claim 2

A casing hanger comprising, a body having a landing shoulder for landing on a shoulder in a wellhead, a longitudinally movable seal sleeve carried by the body and including a seal for sealing between the body and the wellhead, said sleeve having an upwardly facing shoulder, a movable locking ring positioned between the body and the sleeve and above the sleeve shoulder, said body including a locking recess for receiving the locking ring, an actuator positioned between the sleeve and the body and above the locking ring whereby on longitudinal downward movement of the actuator the ring is moved downwardly against the sleeve shoulder for moving the seal into sealing engagement between the body and the wellhead and the ring is moved into the recess, and locking means for holding the seal in a sealed position.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the top of the locking ring and the top of the recess include tapering coacting faces.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the actuator and the locking ring include tapering coacting faces.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the locking means include releasable coacting ratchet means between the actuator and the sleeve.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the locking means include self-locking tapering coacting faces between the actuator and the locking ring.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 including a hydraulic setting tool for moving the actuator and setting the seal comprising, a running string, a piston and cylinder assembly connected to the running string and adapted to be positioned in engagement with the actuator, said assembly being in fluid communication with the interior of the running string whereby fluid pressure applied to the interior of the running string may longitudinally move the actuator.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the locking means includes, upwardly directed ratchet teeth on the exterior of the actuator, downwardly directed ratchet teeth segments carried by the sleeve for coacting with the ratchet teeth on the actuator, yieldable urging means carried by the sleeve yieldably urging the segments inwardly into contact with the teeth on the actuator, and segment releasing elements carried by the actuator which when moved outwardly move the segments away from the teeth on the actuator.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the actuator includes a downwardly directed retrieving shoulder and including a seal retrieving tool comprising, a mandrel, an engaging surface on the mandrel for engaGement with the segment releasing elements for moving the elements outwardly when the mandrel is inserted into the actuator, and a spring loaded retrieving lug on the mandrel for engagement with the retrieving shoulder on the actuator for retrieving the actuator, the sleeve and the locking ring.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the well mandrel includes a groove for releasably securing a bowl protector therein and including, a running tool releasably secured to the casing hanger body, a bowl protector positioned above the sleeve, a split latch ring carried by the bowl protector, a pin in the well mandrel groove for mating in the gap of the split latch ring of the bowl protector, and shear means between the running tool and the bowl protector for rotating the bowl protector and split ring to allow the pin to mate in the gap and allow the ring to seat in the groove.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the well mandrel includes a groove above the landing shoulder for releasably securing a bowl protector thereto and including, a bowl protector adapted to be positioned in the well mandrel above the casing hanger, a latch ring carried by the bowl protector for releasably engaging the groove in the mandrel, a tool engaging opening in the protector, one side of the opening including a tapered face, and a bowl running tool including, a spring loaded lug for engaging the opening in the protector for running the protector, said lug including a locking notch on the inwardly extending end, a lug locking sleeve carried by the tool, and spring means yieldably urging the sleeve towards the lug and engaging the locking notch after the protector is set and the tool is rotated against the opening tapered face moving the lug inwardly.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 10 including, locking screws in the tool positioned to hold the locking sleeve out of engagement with the lug whereby the tool may retrieve the bowl protector from the mandrel by longitudinal movement after the lug engages the bowl protector opening.

Claim 13

A circulating casing hanger comprising, a a body having a landing shoulder for landing on a shoulder in a wellhead mandrel, a seal sleeve carried by and longitudinally movable relative to the body and including a seal for sealing between the body and the interior of the wellhead, said sleeve having an upwardly facing shoulder, a longitudinally movable locking ring positioned between the body and the sleeve and above the sleeve shoulder, said body including a locking recess for receiving the locking ring after the locking ring is longitudinally moved downwardly, a longitudinally movable actuator positioned between the sleeve and the body and above the locking ring whereby on longitudinal downward movement of the actuator the ring is moved downwardly against the sleeve shoulder moving the seal into engagement between the body and the wellhead, said actuator and the locking ring include tapering coacting faces, and directed downwardly and outwardly, and the top of the locking ring and the top of the recess include coacting tapering faces directed downwardly and inwardly.

Claim 14

A circulating casing hanger comprising, a a body having a landing shoulder for landing on a shoulder in a wellhead mandrel, a seal sleeve carried by and longitudinally movable relative to the body and including a seal for sealing between the body and the interior of the wellhead, said sleeve having an upwardly facing shoulder, a longitudinally movable locking ring positioned between the body and the sleeve and above the sleeve shoulder, said body including a locking recess for receiving the locking ring after the locking ring is longitudinally moved downwardly, a longitudinally movable actuator positioned between the sleeve and the body and above the locking ring whereby on longitudinal downward movement of the actuator the ring is moved downwardly against the sleeve shoulder moving the seal into engagement between the body and the wellhead, said actuator and the locking ring include tapering coacting faces, and directed downwardly and outwardly, and the top of the locking ring and the top of the recess include coacting tapering faces directed downwardly and inwardly.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the coacting faces between the ring and the actuator includes a self-locking taper.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 12 including releasable locking means between the actuator and the sleeve.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the coacting faces between the locking ring and the recess is approximately forty five degrees from vertical.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the coacting faces between the actuator and locking ring are approximately 7* from the vertical.

Claim 19

A longitudinally set circulating casing hanger comprising, a body having a landing shoulder for landing on a shoulder in a wellhead, said body including a fluid passageway, a seal sleeve longitudinally movable relative to and carried by the body and including a seal initialLy held above the passageway but longitudinally movable into and sealing said passageway, said sleeve including an upwardly facing actuating shoulder which when moved downwardly carries the sleeve downwardly and moves the seal into a sealing relationship in the passageway, a longitudinally movable locking ring positioned between the body and the sleeve and above the actuating shoulder, said body including a locking recess for receiving the locking ring as the ring is longitudinally moved downwardly, a longitudinally movable actuator positioned between the sleeve and the body and above the locking ring whereby on longitudinal downward movement of the actuator the ring is moved downwardly against the sleeve shoulder for moving the seal into a sealing relationship in the passageway, the top of the locking ring and the top of the recess include coacting tapering faces directed inwardly and downwardly, and the actuator and the locking ring include tapering coacting faces directed downwardly and outwardly, and releasable locking means between the actuator and the sleeve for holding the set seal in an engaged position.

Claim 20

A longitudinally set circulating casing hanger comprising, a body having a landing shoulder for landing on a shoulder in a wellhead, said body including a fluid passageway, a seal sleeve longitudinally movable relative to and carried by the body and including a seal initialLy held above the passageway but longitudinally movable into and sealing said passageway, said sleeve including an upwardly facing actuating shoulder which when moved downwardly carries the sleeve downwardly and moves the seal into a sealing relationship in the passageway, a longitudinally movable locking ring positioned between the body and the sleeve and above the actuating shoulder, said body including a locking recess for receiving the locking ring as the ring is longitudinally moved downwardly, a longitudinally movable actuator positioned between the sleeve and the body and above the locking ring whereby on longitudinal downward movement of the actuator the ring is moved downwardly against the sleeve shoulder for moving the seal into a sealing relationship in the passageway, the top of the locking ring and the top of the recess include coacting tapering faces directed inwardly and downwardly, and the actuator and the locking ring include tapering coacting faces directed downwardly and outwardly, and releasable locking means between the actuator and the sleeve for holding the set seal in an engaged position.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 1 including energy storage means positioned to exert a sealing force on the seal and held in an energy storing position by the locking means.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 1 including, spring means positioned above the actuator and adapted to be compressed upon setting of the seal, said spring means held in a compressed position by said locking means.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 14 including, energy storage means positioned between the actuator and the locking means.