Spear guide mechanism for use in multiple tubing well casings

Claim 2

A spear guide mechanism for establishing connection with a separated tubing string within a well having a casing and having a plurality of tubing strings disposed within said casing for production of well fluid from a plurality of production zones, said spear guide mechanism comprising: a tubing retrieval element adapted to be lowered into said casing; means for raising and lowering said tubing retrieval element relative to said casing; guide means adapted to position said tubing retrieval element within said casing and being received in guided engagement by an unseparated tubing string within said well; separated tubing locating means being defined by said tubing retrieval element and being positioned for receiving said separated tubIng string by guided co-engagement of said guide means and said unseparated tubing string; and spear means being carried by said tubing retrieval element and being disposed in oriented relation with said separated tubing locating means, said spear means moving into secured relation with said separated tubing string upon movement of said separated tubing locating means into receiving relation with said separated tubing.

Claim 3

A spear guide mechanism as recited in claim 1, including: guide means being formed at the lower extremity of said tubing retrieval element and guiding said tubing retrieval element into proper rotative position for receiving said separated tubing into said separated tubing locating means.

Claim 4

A spear guide mechanism as recited in claim 1, wherein said guide means comprises: elongated slot means formed in said tubing retrieval element in position for receiving said unseparated tubing therein, said elongated slot means being of sufficient dimension to allow passage of the collars of said unseparated tubing therethrough.

Claim 5

A spear guide mechanism as recited in claim 1, wherein said separated tubing locating means comprises: elongated guide channel means being formed in said tubing retrieval element and being disposed in generally parallel relation with said first guide means; and cam surface means being defined at the lower portion of said elongated guide channel means and being operative to cam said tubing retrieval element into position for receiving said separated tubing within said elongated guide channel means.

Claim 6

A spear guide mechanism as recited in claim 1, wherein: said guide means is an elongated passage defined by said tubing retrieval element and having the general cross-sectional configuration of said unseparated tubing, said guide means being of a size to allow passage of the collars of said unseparated tubing therethrough; said separated tubing locating means comprises an elongated guide channel being disposed in generally parallel relation with said elongated passage and being of a size to receive the separated tubing in close fitting relation therein; and said spear means is located within said elongated guide channel and is operative to become inserted within said separated tubing upon receipt of said separated tubing within said elongated guide channel.

Claim 7

A spear guide mechanism as recited in claim 5, wherein: said tubing retrieval element is of generally cylindrical cross-sectional configuration and is movably received in close fitting relation within said casing; and said elongated passage and said elongated guide channel generally conform respectively, to the cross-sectional configuration and size of the collars of said unseparated tubing and to the outer diameter of said separated tubing.

Claim 8

A spear guide mechanism as recited in claim 5, wherein said tubing retrieval element includes: internal shoulder means being defined at the upper portion of said elongated guide channel; and said spear means being disposed in supported engagement with said shoulder means and being manipulated for gripping engagement within said separated tubing upon movement of said shoulder means into forcible engagement with the upper extremity of said separated tubing upon full movement of said spear guide mechanism into receiving relation with said separated tubing.

Claim 9

A spear guide mechanism as recited in claim 7, wherein said internal shoulder means includes: a downwardly facing shoulder being defined by said tubing retrieval element, said shoulder being located at the upper extremity of said elongated guide channel; and an upwardly facing shoulder being defined by said spear means and establishing supported engagement with said downwardly facing shoulder of tubing retrieval element as said spear means is raised following connection thereof with said separated tubing.

Claim 10

A spear guide mechanism as recited in claim 8, including: guide means being forMed at the upper portion of said tubing retrieval element and preventing hanging of said tubing retrieval element on any internal obstruction of said casing as said tubing retrieval element is withdrawn from said casing after having become connected with said separated tubing.

Claim 11

A spear guide mechanism for establishing connection with a separated tubing string within a well having a well casing and having a plurality of tubing strings within said casing for production of the well from a plurality of production zones, said spear guide mechanism comprising: a tubing retrieval element of generally cylindrical cross-sectional configuration and being of slightly smaller external dimension than the internal dimension of said casing; first guide channel means being formed within said tubing retrieval element corresponding to the location of unseparated tubing strings within said casing, said first guide channel means being slightly larger than the connection collars of said unseparated tubing strings; second guide channel means being formed within said tubing retrieval element in generally parallel relation with said first guide channel means and corresponding to the location of said separated tubing string relative to said unseparated tubing strings and said casing; cam means being formed on said tubing retrieval element and, upon engagement thereof with the upper extremity of said separated tubing string, causing movement of said tubing retrieval element into position for receiving said upper extremity of said separated tubing string therein; spear means being disposed within said second guide channel means and being inserted into said separated tubing string upon movement of said tubing retrieval element into full receiving relation with said separated tubing string; and means for manipulating said spear means to cause gripping engagement of said separated tubing string.

Claim 12

A spear guide mechanism for establishing connection with a separated tubing string within a well having a well casing and having a plurality of tubing strings within said casing for production of the well from a plurality of production zones, said spear guide mechanism comprising: a tubing retrieval element of generally cylindrical cross-sectional configuration and being of slightly smaller external dimension than the internal dimension of said casing; first guide channel means being formed within said tubing retrieval element corresponding to the location of unseparated tubing strings within said casing, said first guide channel means being slightly larger than the connection collars of said unseparated tubing strings; second guide channel means being formed within said tubing retrieval element in generally parallel relation with said first guide channel means and corresponding to the location of said separated tubing string relative to said unseparated tubing strings and said casing; cam means being formed on said tubing retrieval element and, upon engagement thereof with the upper extremity of said separated tubing string, causing movement of said tubing retrieval element into position for receiving said upper extremity of said separated tubing string therein; spear means being disposed within said second guide channel means and being inserted into said separated tubing string upon movement of said tubing retrieval element into full receiving relation with said separated tubing string; and means for manipulating said spear means to cause gripping engagement of said separated tubing string.

Claim 13

A spear guide mechanism as recited in claim 10, wherein said first guide channel means comprises: at least one elongated slot extending through said tubing retrieval element, said elongated slot being offset relative to the axis of said casing and being oriented to receive said unseparated tubing strings.

Claim 14

A spear guide mechanism as recited in claim 11, wherein: said elongated slot is of generally cylindrical cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 15

A spear guide mechanism as recited in claim 11, wherein said spear means includes: downwardly facing internal shoulder means being defined at the upper portion of said spear means and moving into spear manipulating engagement with the upper extremity of said separated tubing string upon movement of said spear guide mechanism into full receiving relation with said separated tubing string and causing said spear means to establish gripping engagement with the internal surface of said separated tubing string.

Claim 16

A spear guide mechanism as recited in claim 13, wherein: said tubing retrieval element includes a downwardly facing shoulder being defined by an elongated element, said shoulder being located at the upper extremity of said second guide channel means; and said spear means includes an upwardly facing shoulder establishing supported engagement with said downwardly facing shoulder of said tubing retrieval element as said spear means is raised following connection thereof with said separated tubing.

Claim 17

A spear guide mechanism as recited in claim 14, wherein said mechanism includes: guide means being formed at the upper portion of said tubing retrieval element and preventing hanging of said tubing retrieval element on any internal obstruction of said casing as said tubing retrieval element is withdrawn from said casing after having become connected with said separated tubing string.