Well casing running, cementing and flushing apparatus

Claim 2

Hanger apparatus for supporting a tubular string extending into a well bore from a surrounding wellhead having a seat: comprising a hanger body adapted to be moved into engagement with the seat and having a seal portion spaced laterally inwardly from the wellhead to form a seal region therewith, said body having means at its lower portion for connection to the tubular string; a running tool connectible to a running string; means releasably connecting the hanger body to the running tool to enable the hanger body to be lowered to the wellhead seat; and flushing means carried by the running tool and operatively associated with said hanger body to direct a flushing fluid from the interior of said running tool to the exterior of said hanger body at said seal portion and seal region to flush such seal portion and region.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1; said releasable connecting means being responsive to movement of said running tool to release said running tool from said hanger body.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 1; said releasable connecting means comprising a threaded connection between said running tool and hanger body.

Claim 5

Hanger apparatus for supporting a tubular string extending into a well bore from a surrounding wellhead having a seat: comprising a hanger body adapted to be moved into engagement with the seat and having a seal portion spaced laterally inwardly from the wellhead to form a seal region therewith, said body having means for connection to the tubular string; a running tool connectible to a running string; means releasably connecting the hanger body to the running tool to enable the hanger body to be lowered to the wellhead seat; and flushing means carried by the running tool and operatively associated with said hanger body to direct a flushing fluid from the interior of said running tool to the exterior of said hanger body at said seal region to flush such region; said releasable connecting means comprising fluid operated means responsive to fluid pressure in said running tool to release said running tool from said hanger body.

Claim 6

Hanger apparatus for supporting a tubular string extending into a well bore from a surrounding wellhead having a seat: comprising a hanger body adapted to be moved into engagement with the seat and having a seal portion spaced laterally inwardly from the wellhead to form a seal region therewith, said body having means for connection to the tubular string; a running tool connectible to a running string; means releasably connecting the hanger body to the running tool to enable the hanger body to be lowered to the wellhead seat; and flushing means carried by the running tool and operatively associated with said hanger body to direct a flushing fluid from the interior of said running tool to the exterior of said hanger body at said seal region to flush such region; said releasable connecting means comprising fluid operated means responsive to fluid pressure in said running tool to release said running tool from said hanger body.

Claim 7

Hanger apparatus for supporting a tubular string extending into a well bore from a surrounding wellhead having a seat: comprising a hanger body adapted to be moved into engagement with the seat and having a seal portion spaced laterally inwardly from the wellhead to form a seal region therewith, said body having means for connection to the tubular string; a running tool connectible to a running string; means releasably connecting the hanger body to the running tool to enable the hanger body to be lowered to the wellhead seat; and flushing means carried by the running tool and operatively associated with said hanger body to direct a flushing fluid from the interior of said running tool to the exterior of said hanger body at said seal region to flush such region; means preventing passage of flushing fluid from said running tool to said flushing means when said running tool is connected to said hanger body; and passage means establishing fluid communication between the interior of said running tool and said flushing means.

Claim 8

Hanger apparatus for supporting a tubular string extending into a well bore from a surrounding wellhead having a seat: comprising a hanger body adapted to be moved into engagement with the seat and having a seal portion spaced laterally inwardly from the wellhead to form a seal region therewith, said body having means for connection to the tubular string; a running tool connectible to a running string; means releasably connecting the hanger body to the running tool to enable the hanger body to be lowered to the wellhead seat; and flushing means carried by the running tool and operatively associated with said hanger body to direct a flushing fluid from the interior of said running tool to the exterior of said hanger body at said seal region to flush such region; means preventing passage of flushing fluid from said running tool to said flushing means when said running tool is connected to said hanger body; and passage means establishing fluid communication between the interior of said running tool and said flushing means.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 5, said releasable connecting means being responsive to movement of said running tool to release said running tool from said hanger body;

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 5; said releasable connecting means comprising fluid operated means responsive to fluid pressure in said running tool to release said running tool from said hanger body;

Claim 11

Hanger apparatus for supporting a tubular string extending into a well bore from a surrounding wellhead having a seat: comprising a hanger body adapted to be moved into engagement with the seat and having a seal portion spaced laterally inwardly from the wellhead to form a seal region therewith, said body having means for connection to the tubular string; a running tool connectible to a running string; means releasably connecting the hanger body to the running tool to enable the hanger body to be lowered to the wellhead seat; and flushing means carried by the running tool and operatively associated with said hanger body to direct a flushing fluid from the interior of said running tool to the exterior of said hanger body at said seal region to flush such region; said releasable connecting means comprising a groove in said hanger body, lock means on said running tool received in said groove, and fluid operated means shiftable in response to fluid pressure in said running tool to selectively retain said lock means in said groove or permit release of said lock means from said groove.

Claim 12

Hanger apparatus for supporting a tubular string extending into a well bore from a surrounding wellhead having a seat: comprising a hanger body adapted to be moved into engagement with the seat and having a seal portion spaced laterally inwardly from the wellhead to form a seal region therewith, said body having means for connection to the tubular string; a running tool connectible to a running string; means releasably connecting the hanger body to the running tool to enable the hanger body to be lowered to the wellhead seat; and flushing means carried by the running tool and operatively associated with said hanger body to direct a flushing fluid from the interior of said running tool to the exterior of said hanger body at said seal region to flush such region; said releasable connecting means comprising a groove in said hanger body, lock means on said running tool received in said groove, and fluid operated means shiftable in response to fluid pressure in said running tool to selectively retain said lock means in said groove or permit release of said lock means from said groove.

Claim 13

Hanger apparatus for supporting a tubular string extending into a well bore from a surrounding wellhead having a seat: comprising a hanger body adapted to be moved into engagement with the seat and having a seal portion spaced laterally inwardly from the wellhead to form a seal region therewith, said body having means for connection to the tubular string; a running tool connectible to a running string; means releasably connecting the hanger body to the running tool to enable the hanger body to be lowered to the wellhead seat; and flushing means carried by the running tool and operatively associated with said hanger body to direct a flushing fluid from the interior of said running tool to the exterior of said hanger body at said seal region to flush such region; said releasable connecting means comprising a groove in said hangEr body, lock means on said running tool received in said groove, means retaining said lock means in said groove; and means responsive to movement of said running tool to shift said retaining means from retaining relation to said lock means to permit withdrawal of said lock means from said groove.

Claim 14

Hanger apparatus for supporting a tubular string extending into a well bore from a surrounding wellhead having a seat: comprising a hanger body adapted to be moved into engagement with the seat and having a seal portion spaced laterally inwardly from the wellhead to form a seal region therewith, said body having means for connection to the tubular string; a running tool connectible to a running string; means releasably connecting the hanger body to the running tool to enable the hanger body to be lowered to the wellhead seat; and flushing means carried by the running tool and operatively associated with said hanger body to direct a flushing fluid from the interior of said running tool to the exterior of said hanger body at said seal region to flush such region; said releasable connecting means comprising a groove in said hangEr body, lock means on said running tool received in said groove, means retaining said lock means in said groove; and means responsive to movement of said running tool to shift said retaining means from retaining relation to said lock means to permit withdrawal of said lock means from said groove.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 8, and means responsive to movement of said running tool to shift said fluid operated means from retaining relation to said lock means.

Claim 16

Hanger apparatus for supporting a tubular string extending into a well bore from a surrounding wellhead having a seat: comprising a hanger body adapted to be moved into engagement with the seat and having a seal portion spaced laterally inwardly from the wellhead to form a seal region therewith, said body having means for connection to the tubular string; a running tool connectible to a running string; means releasably connecting the hanger body to the running tool to enable the hanger body to be lowered to the wellhead seat; a sleeve carried by said running tool and adapted to surround said hanger body and provide an annular space therewith through which a flushing fluid can be directed to said seal region to flush such region; and means for conducting the flushing fluid from the interior of said running tool to said annular space.

Claim 17

Hanger apparatus for supporting a tubular string extending into a well bore from a surrounding wellhead having a seat: comprising a hanger body adapted to be moved into engagement with the seat and having a seal portion spaced laterally inwardly from the wellhead to form a seal region therewith, said body having means for connection to the tubular string; a running tool connectible to a running string; means releasably connecting the hanger body to the running tool to enable the hanger body to be lowered to the wellhead seat; a sleeve carried by said running tool and adapted to surround said hanger body and provide an annular space therewith through which a flushing fluid can be directed to said seal region to flush such region; and means for conducting the flushing fluid from the interior of said running tool to said annular space.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 11; means for closing said conducting means when said running tool is connected to said hanger body to prevent flow of flushing fluid to said annular space and for opening said conducting means when said running tool is substantially released from said hanger body to permit flow of flushing fluid to said annular space.

Claim 19

Apparatus as defined in claim 11; said conducting means including a port in said running tool extending from the interior to the exterior of said running tool; means for closing said conducting means when said running tool is connected to said hanger body to prevent flow of flushing fluid through said port to said annular space and for opening said conducting means when said running tool is substantially released from said hanger body to permit flow of flushing fluid through said port to said annular space.

Claim 20

Apparatus as defined in claim 11; said conducting means including a port in said running tool extending from the interior to the exterior of said running tool; said hanger body being disposed across said port to close the same when said running tool is connected to said hanger body, said running tool being movable upwardly of said hanger body to release said connecting means and to shift said port to open position permitting flow of flushing flow therethrough to said annular space.

Claim 21

Apparatus as defined in claim 11; said conducting means including a port in said running tool extending from the interior to the exterior of said running tool; said releasable connecting means comprising a threaded connection between said running tool and hanger body; said hanger body being disposed across said port to close the same when said threaded connection is fully established to prevent flow of flushing fluid through said port to said annular space, said running tool being movable upwardly of said hanger body in response to rotation of said running tool and unthreading of said connection to shift said port to open position permitting flow of flushing fluid therethrough to said annular space.

Claim 22

Apparatus as defined in claim 11; said releasable connecting means comprising a groove in said hanger body, lock means on said running tool received in said groove, and fluid operated means shiftable in response to fluid pressure in said running tool to selectively retain said lock means in said groove or permit release of said lock means from said groove.

Claim 23

Apparatus as defined in claim 11; said releasable connecting means comprising a groove in said hanger body, lock means on said running tool received in said groove, means retaining said lock means in said groove; and means responsive to movement of said runNing tool to shift said retaining means from retaining relation to said lock means to permit withdrawal of said lock means from said groove.

Claim 24

Apparatus as defined in claim 11; said running tool including a body and a cage surrounding said body, means securing said cage to said running tool body; said releasable connection comprising a groove in said hanger body, lock means on said cage received in said groove, and fluid operated means shiftable along said cage and running tool body in response to fluid pressure in said running tool body to selectively retain said lock means in said groove or permit release of said lock means from said groove.

Claim 25

Apparatus as defined in claim 11; said running tool including a body and a cage surrounding said body, means securing said cage to said running tool body; said releasable connection comprising a groove in said hanger body, lock means on said cage received in said groove, and fluid operated means shiftable along said cage and running tool body in response to fluid pressure in said running tool body to selectively retain said lock means in said groove or permit release of said lock means from said groove; said securing means being a threaded connection between said cage and running tool body; and means on said running tool body engaging and shifting said fluid operated means from retaining relation to said lock means in response to rotation of said running tool body and its unthreading with respect to said cage.

Claim 26

Apparatus as defined in claim 11; said sleeve being longitudinally movable with respect to said running tool; and means for locking said sleeve to said running tool in response to release of said releasable means and upward movement of said running tool with respect to said hanger body and said sleeve.

Claim 27

Apparatus as defined in claim 11; said sleeve being longitudinally movable with respect to said running tool; spring means on said running tool engaging said sleeve to urge said sleeve downwardly of said running tool; coengageable stop means on said sleeve and hanger body limiting downward movement of said sleeve along said hanger body; and means for locking said sleeve to said running tool in response to release of said releasable means and upward movement of said running tool with respect to said hanger body and said sleeve.

Claim 28

Apparatus as defined in claim 11; said sleeve being longitudinally movable with respect to said running tool; and means for locking said sleeve to said running tool in response to release of said releasable means and upward movement of said running tool with respect to said hanger body and said sleeve; means for closing said conducting means when said running tool is connected to said hanger body to prevent flow of flushing fluid to said annular space and for opening said conducting means when said running tool is substantially released from said hanger body to permit flow of flushing fluid to said annular space.

Claim 29

Apparatus as defined in claim 11; said sleeve being longitudinally movable with respect to said running tool; and means for locking said sleeve to said running tool in response to release of said releasable means and upward movement of said running tool with respect to said hanger body and said sleeve; said releasable connecting means comprising a groove in said hanger body, lock means on said running tool received in said groove, and fluid operated means shiftable in response to fluid pressure in said running tool to selectively retain said lock means in said groove or permit release of said lock means from said groove.

Claim 30

Apparatus as defined in claim 11; said sleeve being longitudinally movable with respect to said running tool; spring means on said running tool engaging said sleeve to urge said sleeve downwardly of said running tool; coengageable stop means on said sleeve and hanger body limiting downward movement of said sleeve along said hanger body; and means for locking said sleeve to said running tool in response to release of said releasable means and upWard movement of said running tool with respect to said hanger body and said sleeve; said releasable connecting means comprising a groove in said hanger body, lock means on said running tool received in said groove, and fluid operated means shiftable in response to fluid pressure in said running tool to selectively retain said lock means in said groove or permit release of said lock means from said groove.