Well completion apparatus

Claim 2

A seal assembly for closing off an annular space between the bore of a casing head and a casing hanger supported in the bore, said seal assembly comprising a first tubular member having means adapted to be supported on and connected to the hanger, said first member having first seal means carried thereon for sealably engaging between the first member and the hanger, when said first member is so supported and connected, and an upwardly facing shoulder on its outer side, second seal means supported on the upwardly facing shoulder on the first member, a second tubular member having a downwardly facing shoulder above the second seal means and being movable downwardly with respect to said first member, whereby the shoulders on said members may be moved toward one another to expand said second seal means into engagement between the first member and the bore of the casing head, ratchet means on the first And second member for carrying said first member from said second member and latching said second member in a plurality of vertically spaced positions as it is moved downwardly with respect to said first member, said ratchet means comprising grooves in one and radially expandible and contractible rings on the other of said members, and said grooves being equally vertically spaced apart distance different than the equal vertical spacing between the rings, and means on the second member connectible to a tool for transmitting a downward force thereto for causing it to move downwardly with respect to the first member, when said first member is supported on the hanger.

Claim 3

A seal assembly for closing off an annular space between the bore of a casing head and a casing hanger supported in the bore, said seal assembly comprising a first tubular member including a first tubular portion having means adapted to be supported on and connected to the hanger, said first portion of the first member having first seal means carried theron for sealably engaging between said first portion and the hanger, when said first portion is so supported and connected, and an upwardly facing shoulder on its outer side, second seal means supported on the upwardly facing shoulder of said first portion, and a second tubular portion threadedly connected to the first portion, a second tubular member having a downwardly facing shoulder above the second seal means and being movable downwardly with respect to said first portion of the first member, whereby said second seal means may be expanded between said shoulders into sealing engagement between said first portion and the bore, means on the second member and the second portion of the first member for carrying said first member from said second member and latching said second member in at least one vertical position as it is moved downwardly with respect to said first portion of the first member, means for limiting rotation of the second member with respect to the second portion of the first member, as the second member moves downwardly with respect to said first portion, whereby the threaded connection therebetween is effective to lower said second member with the second portion of the first member relative to the first portion of the first member in response to rotation of said second member, and means on the second member connectible to a tool for transmitting a downward force to and rotating said second member.

Claim 4

A seal assembly for closing off an annular space between the bore of a casing head and a casing hanger supported in the bore, said seal assembly comprising a first tubular member including a first tubular portion having means adapted to be supported on and connected to the hanger, said first portion of the first member having first seal means carried theron for sealably engaging between said first portion and the hanger, when said first portion is so supported and connected, and an upwardly facing shoulder on its outer side, second seal means supported on the upwardly facing shoulder of said first portion, and a second tubular portion threadedly connected to the first portion, a second tubular member having a downwardly facing shoulder above the second seal means and being movable downwardly with respect to said first portion of the first member, whereby said second seal means may be expanded between said shoulders into sealing engagement between said first portion and the bore, means on the second member and the second portion of the first member for carrying said first member from said second member and latching said second member in at least one vertical position as it is moved downwardly with respect to said first portion of the first member, means for limiting rotation of the second member with respect to the second portion of the first member, as the second member moves downwardly with respect to said first portion, whereby the threaded connection therebetween is effective to lower said second member with the second portion of the first member relative to the first portion of the first member in response to rotation of said second member, and means on the second member connectible to a tool for transmitting a downward force to and rotating said second member.

Claim 5

A seal assembly of the character defined in claim 2, wherein the means preventing relative rotation between the second member and the second portion of the first member comprises a groove in one and a spline on the other slidable within the groove.

Claim 6

Apparatus for closing off an annular space between the bore of a casing head and a casing hanger supported in the bore, said apparatus comprising a seal assembly including a first tubular member having means adapted to be supported on and connected to the hanger, said first member having first seal means for sealably engaging between said first member and the hanger, when the first member is so supported, and an upwardly facing shoulder on its outer side, second seal means supported on the upwardly facing shoulder, a second tubular member having a downwardly facing shoulder above the second seal means and being movable downwardly with respect to said first member, whereby said second seal means may be expanded between said shoulders into sealing engagement between the first member and the bore, means on the first and second members for carrying said first member from said second member and latching said second member in at least one vertical position as it is moved downwardly with respect to said first member, a tool having a body adapted to be suspended on a running string, said body having means releasably connectible with the second member for transmitting a downward force thereto, and a dog responsive to manipulation of the body for selectively engaging between portions of the firsT and second tubular members, so as to prevent the second member from moving downwardly to latching position with respect to the first member, and disengaging from between said portions, so as to permit the second tubular member to be moved downwardly to said latching position.

Claim 7

Apparatus for closing off an annular space between the bore of a casing head and a casing hanger supported in the bore, said apparatus comprising a seal assembly including a first tubular member having means adapted to be supported on and connected to the hanger, said first member having first seal means for sealably engaging between said first member and the hanger, when the first member is so supported, and an upwardly facing shoulder on its outer side, second seal means supported on the upwardly facing shoulder, a second tubular member having a downwardly facing shoulder above the second seal means and being movable downwardly with respect to said first member, whereby said second seal means may be expanded between said shoulders into sealing engagement between the first member and the bore, means on the first and second members for carrying said first member from said second member and latching said second member in at least one vertical position as it is moved downwardly with respect to said first member, a tool having a body adapted to be suspended on a running string, said body having means releasably connectible with the second member for transmitting a downward force thereto, and a dog responsive to manipulation of the body for selectively engaging between portions of the firsT and second tubular members, so as to prevent the second member from moving downwardly to latching position with respect to the first member, and disengaging from between said portions, so as to permit the second tubular member to be moved downwardly to said latching position.

Claim 8

Apparatus of the character defined in claim 4, wherein the portions of the first and second tubular members comprise oppositely facing surfaces on the inner sides thereon, the dog is normally urged outwardly from the tool body to engage between said surfaces, in one rotative position of the tool body, and there are means on the seal assembly for urging the dog inwardly to disengage between said surfaces, when said tool body is moved to another rotative position.

Claim 9

A running tool for activating an annular seal assembly disposed with a bore of a casing head for closing off an annular space between the bore and a casing hanger supported therein, said tool comprising a body having means for connection to the lower end of a running string to permit it to be moved vertically within the well bore for fitting within the seal assembly, said body having upper and lower concentric cylindrical portions of enlarged and reduced diameter, respectively, pins extending outwardly from the enlarged portion of the body, a recess in the reduced portion, a dog guidably slidable within the recess between a retracted position and an extended position in which its outer end is within the vertical projection of the upper portion of the body, means yieldably urging the dog to its extended position, and means for limiting outward movement of the dog to its extended position.

Claim 10

A running tool for activating an annular seal assembly disposed with a bore of a casing head for closing off an annular space between the bore and a casing hanger supported therein, said tool comprising a body having means for connection to the lower end of a running string to permit it to be moved vertically within the well bore for fitting within the seal assembly, said body having upper and lower concentric cylindrical portions of enlarged and reduced diameter, respectively, pins extending outwardly from the enlarged portion of the body, a recess in the reduced portion, a dog guidably slidable within the recess between a retracted position and an extended position in which its outer end is within the vertical projection of the upper portion of the body, means yieldably urging the dog to its extended position, and means for limiting outward movement of the dog to its extended position.

Claim 11

A running tool of the character defined in claim 6, wherein the dog has a hole therethrough, the limiting means comprises a rod extending through the hole to connect at its inner end with said body within said recess and having an enlargement on its outer end, and the urging means comprises a rubber sleeve surrounding the rod on the inner side of the dog in position to be expanded against the recess as the dog is moved inwardly.

Claim 12

A seal assembly for closing off an annular space between the bore of a casing head and a casing hanger supported in the bore, said seal assembly comprising a first tubular member having means adapted to be supported on and connected to the hanger, said first member having first seal means carried thereon for sealably engaging between said first member and the hanger, when said first member is so supported and connected, and an upwardly facing shoulder on its outer side, second seal means supported on the upwardly facing shoulder of said first member, and a second tubular member having a downwardly facing shoulder above the second seal means and being movable downwardly with respect to said first member, whereby said second seal means may be expanded between said shoulders into sealing engagement between the first member and the bore, means on the first and second members for carrying said first member from said second member and latching said second member in at least one vertical position as it is moved downwardly with respect to said first member, means on the second member connectible to a tool for transmitting a downward force to the second member, said first and second tubular members having oppositely facing surfaces adapted to engage upper and lower surfaces on an outwardly urged dog on the tool, whereby said second member may be held by said dog from movement downwardly relative to the first member to said position for expanding said second seal means, and cam means on one of said members for forcing said dog inwardly and out of engagement from between said surfaces on the members as the tool is rotated relative thereto.

Claim 13

A seal assembly for closing off an annular space between the bore of a casing head and a casing hanger supported in the bore, said seal assembly comprising a first tubular member having means adapted to be supported on and connected to the hanger, said first member having first seal means carried thereon for sealably engaging between said first member and the hanger, when said first member is so supported and connected, and an upwardly facing shoulder on its outer side, second seal means supported on the upwardly facing shoulder of said first member, and a second tubular member having a downwardly facing shoulder above the second seal means and being movable downwardly with respect to said first member, whereby said second seal means may be expanded between said shoulders into sealing engagement between the first member and the bore, means on the first and second members for carrying said first member from said second member and latching said second member in at least one vertical position as it is moved downwardly with respect to said first member, means on the second member connectible to a tool for transmitting a downward force to the second member, said first and second tubular members having oppositely facing surfaces adapted to engage upper and lower surfaces on an outwardly urged dog on the tool, whereby said second member may be held by said dog from movement downwardly relative to the first member to said position for expanding said second seal means, and cam means on one of said members for forcing said dog inwardly and out of engagement from between said surfaces on the members as the tool is rotated relative thereto.

Claim 14

Well completion apparatus for use in closing off an annular space between the bore of a casing head and a casing hanger supported in the bore, said apparatus comprising a seal assembly, including a first tubular member having means adapted to be supported on and connected to the hanger, said first member having first seal means carried thereon for sealably engaging between the first member and the hanger, when said first member is so supported and connected, and an upwardly facing shoulder on its outer side, second seal means supported on the upwardly facing shoulder on the first member, a second tubular member having a downwardly facing shoulder above the second seal means and being movable downwardly with respect to said first member, whereby the shoulders on said members may be moved toward one another to expand said second seal means into engagement between the first member and the bore of the casing head, ratchet means on the first and second members for carrying said first member from said second member and latching said second member in a plurality of vertically spaced positions as it is moved downwardly with respect to said first member, and a tool including a body having means thereon releasably connectible to the second member for lowering the seal assembly within the well bore and transmitting a downward force to the second member to move it downwardly relative to said first member, and a packer for sealably engaging between the body and the hanger beneath the seal assembly so that test pressure may be supplied to the annular space above said seal assembly for testing the effectiveness of its seal, said body and packer also being movable downwardly relative to said hanger in response to said test pressure, whereby said second member may be moved downwardly to a still lower position.

Claim 15

Well completion apparatus for use in closing off an annular space between the bore of a casing head and a casing hanger supported in the bore, said apparatus comprising a seal assembly, including a first tubular member having means adapted to be supported on and connected to the hanger, said first member having first seal means carried thereon for sealably engaging between the first member and the hanger, when said first member is so supported and connected, and an upwardly facing shoulder on its outer side, second seal means supported on the upwardly facing shoulder on the first member, a second tubular member having a downwardly facing shoulder above the second seal means and being movable downwardly with respect to said first member, whereby the shoulders on said members may be moved toward one another to expand said second seal means into engagement between the first member and the bore of the casing head, ratchet means on the first and second members for carrying said first member from said second member and latching said second member in a plurality of vertically spaced positions as it is moved downwardly with respect to said first member, and a tool including a body having means thereon releasably connectible to the second member for lowering the seal assembly within the well bore and transmitting a downward force to the second member to move it downwardly relative to said first member, and a packer for sealably engaging between the body and the hanger beneath the seal assembly so that test pressure may be supplied to the annular space above said seal assembly for testing the effectiveness of its seal, said body and packer also being movable downwardly relative to said hanger in response to said test pressure, whereby said second member may be moved downwardly to a still lower position.

Claim 16

Apparatus of the character defined in claim 9, wherein the means of the tool releasably connectible to the second member includes means for rotating said second member, and said first and second members have means thereon responsive to rotation of said second member for lowering the second tubular member and thus the shoulder thereon with respect to the shoulder on said first member.