Apparatus for setting and locking packing assemblies in subsurface wellheads

Claim 2

Apparatus for effecting a seal between a wellhead and a hanger disposed in the wellhead for supporting a tubular pipe string extending into a well bore comprising: a running tool having a body structure connectable to a running pipe string; packing means; means releasably connecting said packing means to said body structure to enable saaid packing means to be set in sealing relation to the hanger in response to longitudinal movement of said body structure and released from said body structure; locking means for locking said packing means in sealing relation to the hanger including a locking member actuatable longitudinally to lock said locking means; said body structure having an area responsive to pressure in said wellhead to move said body structure longitudinally to set said packing means; and said body structure having actuator means movable longitudinally relative to said packing means to move said locking member longitudinally.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said locking means comprising a resiliently deformable locking ring, and means providing a downwardly facing surface engageable by said locking ring upon deformation of the latter to lock said packing means in place.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said locking means comprising a resiliently deformable locking ring, and means providing a downwardly facing surface engageable by said locking ring upon deformation of the latter to lock said packing means in place, said locking member and said locking ring having means for deforming said locking ring upon longitudinal movement of said locking member.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said locking means comprising a resiliently deformable locking ring, and means providing a downwardly facing surface engageable by said locking ring upon deformation of the latter to lock said packing means in place, said locking member being in the form of a wedge shaped ring for deforming said locking ring upon longitudinal movement of said locking member.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said locking means comprising a resiliently deformable locking ring, and means providing a downwardly facing surface engageable by said locking ring upon deformation of the latter to lock said packing means in place, said locking member being in the form of a wedge shaped ring for deforming said locking ring upon longitudinal movement of said locking member, said locking member and said locking ring having coengageable locking wedge surfaces.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in cLaim 1, said locking means comprising a resiliently deformable locking ring, and means providing a downwardly facing surface engageable by said locking ring upon deformation of the latter to lock said packing means in place, said locking member being in the form of a wedge shaped ring for deforming said locking ring upon longitudinal movement of said locking member, said locking member and said locking ring having coengageable locking wedge surfaces, said locking member having fishing neck means engageable by a pulling tool to release the locking member from said locking ring.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said packing means comprising a support sleeve, a resilient elastomeric packing element supported on said support sleeve, means releasably connecting said locking member to said support sleeve, and said locking means including a resiliently deformable lock ring carried by said support sleeve and engageable by said locking member to be deformed thereby.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said packing means comprising a support sleeve, a resilient elastomeric packing element supported on said support sleeve, means releasably connecting said locking member to said support sleeve, and said locking means including a resiliently deformable lock ring carried by said support sleeve and engageable by said locking member to be deformed thereby, said locking member and said lock ring having companion wedge surfaces formed on locking wedge angles for deforming said lock ring upon longitudinal movement of said locking member.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said body structure comprising lower and upper telescopic body section, one of said body section having said area responsive to pressure, the other of said body sections having another area responsive to pressure in said wellhead for moving said actuator means longitudinally relative to said packing means to move said locking member longitudinally.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means movable longitudinally relative to said packing means to move said locking member longitudinally comprising piston means longitudinally shiftable relative to said body structure.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means movable longitudinally relative to said packing means to move said locking member longitudinally comprising piston means longitudinally shiftable relative to said body structure, and means initially holding said piston means against movement relative to said body structure.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means movable longitudinally relative to said packing means to move said locking member longitudinally comprising piston means longitudinally shiftable relative to said body structure in response to the pressure of fluid in said wellhead.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means movable longitudinally relative to said packing means to move said locking member longitudinally comprising piston means longitudinally shiftable relative to said body structure in response to the pressure of fluid in the running pipe string.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said body structure comprising lower and upper telescopic body sections, said lower body section having seal means engageable in the casing hanger, said packing means including a support sleeve releasably connected to said lower body section, said locking member being supported by said sleeve, said lower body section having said area responsive to pressure in said wellhead, and said upper body having another area responsive to fluid pressure in said wellhead for actuating said actuator means to move said locking member.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said body structure having seal means engageable in the casing hanger on a diameter larger than the running string to provide said area responsive to the pressure of fluid in said wellhead.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said body structure having seal means engageable in the casing hanger on a diameter larger than the running string to provide said area responsive to the pressure of fluid in said wellhead, said actuator means also having an area responsive to the pressure of fluid in said wellhead for shifting said actuator means longitudinally.

Claim 18

In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in an initial position with said locking member in a position at which said locking means are released, said piston having an area responsive to fluid pressure to release said holding means and move said piston longitudinally to move said locking member longitudinally to lock said locking means.

Claim 19

In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in an initial position with said locking member in a position at which said locking means are released, said piston having an area responsive to fluid pressure to release said holding means and move said piston longitudinally to move said locking member longitudinally to lock said locking means, means defining a piston chamber communicating with said running string, and said piston area being in said piston chamber.

Claim 20

In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in an initial position with said locking member in a position at which said locking means are released, said piston having an area responsive to fluid pressure to release said holding means and move said piston longitudinally to move said locking member longitudinally to lock said locking means, means defining a piston chamber communicating with said running string, said piston area being in said piston chamber, and closure means movable through said running string and into said body to divert fluid pressure to said piston chamber.

Claim 21

In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in an initial position with said locking member in a position at which said locking means are released, said piston having an area responsive to fluid pressure to release said holding means and move said piston longitudinally to move said locking member longitudinally to lock said locking means, means defining a piston chamber communicating with said running string, said piston area being in said piston chamber, said means holding said piston in an initial position comprising means defining a pressure chamber between said body and said piston and having surfaces responsive to pressure in said pressure chamber to hold said piston in said initial position.

Claim 22

In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in an initial position with said locking member in a position at which said locking means are released, means defining a piston chamber, said piston having a portion exposed in said chamber for moving said piston longitudinally in response to the pressure in said chamber to move said locking member longitudinally to lock said locking means, means defining another piston chamber having a piston therein exposed to the pressure of fluid in said running string, said piston chambers being in communication.

Claim 23

In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in an initial position with said locking member in a position at which said locking means are released, means defining a piston chamber, said piston having a portion exposed in said chamber for moving said piston longitudinally in response to the pressUre in said chamber to move said locking member longitudinally to lock said locking means, means defining another piston chamber having a piston therein exposed to the pressure of fluid in said running string, said piston chambers being in communication, said means holding said piston in an initial position comprising means defining a pressure chamber between said body and said first mentioned piston and having surfaces responsive to pressure in said pressure chamber to hold said first mentioned piston in said initial position.

Claim 24

In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said actuator means comprising a piston shiftably carried by said body structure and engageable with said locking member, means holding said piston in an initial position with said locking member in a position at which said locking means are released, means defining a piston chamber, said piston having a portion exposed in said chamber for moving said piston longitudinally in response to the pressure in said chamber to move said locking member longitudinally to lock said locking means, means defining another piston chamber having a piston therein exposed to the pressure of fluid in said running string, said piston chambers being in communication, said means holding said first-mentioned piston in an initial position including spring means interposed between said body and said piston.

Claim 25

A packing and locking structure adapted to be positioned in an annular space between a wellhead and a casing hanger body and deformed and locked in sealing engagement therewith, comprising: a support sleeve having an abutment engageable by a setting tool to shift said sleeve longitudinally, said sleeve also having means for initially connecting said sleeve to said setting tool; an annular elastomeric packing sleeve supported at an end of said sleeve; and lock means for locking engagement between said sleeve and one of said wellhead and casing hanger, said lock means including a resiliently deformable lock ring, and an actuator ring releasably connected to said support sleeve and for movement therewith and actuatable longitudinally of said sleeve to deform said lock ring after longitudinal movement of said sleeve.

Claim 26

A packing and locking structure adapted to be positioned in an annular space between a wellhead and a casing hanger body and deformed and locked in sealing engagement therewith, comprising: a support sleeve having an abutment engageable by a setting tool to shift said sleeve longitudinally, said sleeve also having means for initially connecting said sleeve to said setting tool; an annular elastomeric packing sleeve supported at an end of said sleeve; and lock means for locking engagement between said sleeve and one of said wellhead and casing hanger, said lock means including a resiliently deformable lock ring, and an actuator ring releasably connected to said support sleeve and for movement therewith and actuatable longitudinally of said sleeve to deform said lock ring after longitudinal movement of said sleeve.

Claim 27

A packing and locking structure as defined in claim 24, wherein said lock ring and said actuator ring have wedge surfaces for deforming said lock ring.

Claim 28

A packing and locking structure as defined in claim 24, whrein said lock ring and said actuator ring have wedge surfaces for deforming said lock ring, said wedge surfaces being on locking wedge angles.

Claim 29

A packing and locking structure as defined in claim 24, wherein said sleeve has fishing neck means at its other end.

Claim 30

Apparatus for effecting a seal between a well-head and a hanger disposed in the wellhead for supporting a tubular pipe string extending into a well bore comprising: a running tool having a body structure connectable to a running pipe string; packing means; means releasably connecting said packing means to said body structure to enable said packing means to be set in sealing relation to the hanger and released from said body structure; locking means for locking said packing means in sealing relation to the hanger including a locking member actuatable longitudinally to lock said locking means; said packing means including a support sleeve; said locking member being releasably carried by said support sleeve; said body structure including a first body member abutting with said support sleeve and a second body member; said body members being relatively shiftab;e means releasably connecting said support sleeve to said second body member; means for relatively shifting said body members so that the abutting of said first body section with said support sleeve releases said support sleeve from said second body member and sets said packing means in sealing relation to said hanger; and means on said second body member for actuating said locking member to release said locking member from said support sleeve and lockinG said locking means.

Claim 31

Apparatus for effecting a seal between a well-head and a hanger disposed in the wellhead for supporting a tubular pipe string extending into a well bore comprising: a running tool having a body structure connectable to a running pipe string; packing means; means releasably connecting said packing means to said body structure to enable said packing means to be set in sealing relation to the hanger and released from said body structure; locking means for locking said packing means in sealing relation to the hanger including a locking member actuatable longitudinally to lock said locking means; said packing means including a support sleeve; said locking member being releasably carried by said support sleeve; said body structure including a first body member abutting with said support sleeve and a second body member; said body members being relatively shiftab;e means releasably connecting said support sleeve to said second body member; means for relatively shifting said body members so that the abutting of said first body section with said support sleeve releases said support sleeve from said second body member and sets said packing means in sealing relation to said hanger; and means on said second body member for actuating said locking member to release said locking member from said support sleeve and lockinG said locking means.