Method and apparatus for controlling a well during drilling operations

Claim 2

A downhole blowout preventer system for use in a well comprising: a well casing; a drill string in said well casing; a drill bit on the lower end of said drill string; tubular mandrel means forming a portion of said drill string; packer means carried by said mandrel means; drilling fluid to circulate in the well; valve assembly means initially providing for normal, parallel drilling fluid circulation; said valve assembly means selectively changing the circulation of said drilling fluid from normal parallel circulation through the drill string and through the annulus to controlled circulation by-passing said packer means when said packer means is actuated; means for actuating said packer means to seal the annulus between said drill string and the well; and means for controlling said valve assembly means.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein said mandrel is located within said casing so that said packer means, when actuated, will seal the annulus between said drill string and said well casing.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 wherein said valve assembly means includes means for preventing controlled drilling fluid circulation flowing to the exterior of said drill string above said packer means.

Claim 5

The blowout preventer system of claim 1 wherein the means for actuating said packer means and the means for controlling said valve assembly means is one actuator control tool means.

Claim 6

The blowout preventer system of claim 1 wherein the controlled circulation by-passing said packer means is crossover circulation flowing from the exterior of said drill string above said packer means to the interior of said drill string below said packer means and flowing from the exterior of said drill string below said packer means to the interior of said drill string above said packer means.

Claim 7

A downhole blowout preventer system for use in a well comprising: a well casing; a drill string in said casing; a drill bit at the lower end of said drill string; tubular mandrel means forming a portion of said drill string; drilling fluid to circulate in the well; packer means carried by said mandrel; valve assembly means for selectively changing the circulation of said drilling fluid from normal, parallel circulation through said drill string and through the annulus to controlled circulation by-passing said packer means after said packer means has been actuated including: communicating means through the wall of said mandrel means having exterior ports on opposite sides of said packer means, valve means to control said communicating means, said valve means initially providing normal, parallel drilling fluid circulation, and control tool means which engages the valve means and controls the valve assembly means to provide for controlled drilling fluid circulation; means for transmitting said control tool means through the drill string until it engages and controls said valve means; and means for actuating said packer means.

Claim 8

A downhole blowout preventer system for use in a well comprising: a well casing; a drill string in said casing; a drill bit at the lower end of said drill string; tubular mandrel means forming a portion of said drill string; drilling fluid to circulate in the well; packer means carried by said mandrel; valve assembly means for selectively changing the circulation of said drilling fluid from normal, parallel circulation through said drill string and through the annulus to controlled circulation by-passing said packer means after said packer means has been actuated including: communicating means through the wall of said mandrel means having exterior ports on opposite sides of said packer means, valve means to control said communicating means, said valve means initially providing normal, parallel drilling fluid circulation, and control tool means which engages the valve means and controls the valve assembly means to provide for controlled drilling fluid circulation; means for transmitting said control tool means through the drill string until it engages and controls said valve means; and means for actuating said packer means.

Claim 9

The system of claim 6 wherein said mandrel is located within said casing so that said packer means, when actuated, will seal the annulus between said drill string and said well casing.

Claim 10

The system of claim 6 wherein said valve assembly means includes means for preventing controlled drilling fluid circulation flowing to the exterior of said drill string above said packer means.

Claim 11

The blowout preventer system of claim 6 wherein said control tool means and said means for actuating said packer means is one actuator control tool means.

Claim 12

The blowout preventer system of claim 6 wherein the controlled circulation by-passing said packer means is crossover circulation flowing from the exterior of said drill string above said packer means to the interior of said drill string below said packer means and flowing from the exterior of said drill string below said packer means to the interior of said drill string above said packer means.

Claim 17

The method of claim 12 wherein controlling the drilling fluid circulation involves crossing over the fluid circulation so that drilling fluid flows from the exterior of the drill string above the packer means to the interior of the drill string below the packer means and flows from the exterior of the drill string below the packer means to the interior of the drill string above the packer means.

Claim 18

The method of claim 12 including the step of preventing drilling fluid circulation flowing to the exterior of the drill string above said packer means at all times after actuating said packer means.

Claim 21

The method of claim 15 including the step of preventing drilling fluid circulation flowing to the exterior of the drill string above said packer means after actuating said packer means.

Claim 24

The method of claim 17 including the step of preventing crossover drilling fluid circulation flowing from the interior of the drill string below said packer means to the exterior of the drill string above said packer means after actuating said packer means.

Claim 27

A method of claim 19 including the step of preventing crossover drilling fluid circulation flowing from the interior of the drill string below said packer means to the exterior of the drill string above said packer means.

Claim 28

A method of claim 19 including the steps of circulating fluid down the exterior of said drill string, crossing it over and continuing circulating down the interior of said drill string until it flows up around the exterior of said drill string, is crossed over again and flows up the interior of said drill string.

Claim 29

A downhole blowout preventer system for use while drilling a well comprising: one structure adapted to be located downhole in a well including: tubular mandrel means adapted to be located in a wall drill string, packer means carried by said mandrel means, communicating means through the wall of said mandrel means having exterior port means on opposite sides of said packer means, and valve assembly means including valve means controlling said communicating means and initially in a position closing said communicating means; a second structure adapted to be pumpable down a drill string to said one structure including: elongate body means, first, second and third seal means spaced along said body means providing two seal areas intermediate two end sections of said body means, first passageway means communicating between the exterior of said body means at one seal area and one end section of said body means, check valve means disposed in said first passageway means, and second passageway means communicating between the exterior of said body means at the other seal area and the other end section of said body means; and a system for launching said second structure into the stream of flowing drill fluid comprising: conduit means for confining the stream of drilling fluid, tool receiver means positioned within said conduit and spaced therefrom to provide a fluid passage so that the stream of drilling fluid may pass around said tool receiver in the annulus between said tool receiver and said conduit means, said tool receiver means and said second structure being adapted so that said second structure may be positioned within said tool receiver means, releasable maintaining means maintaining said second structure within said tool receiver means, said tool receiver means having an opening at its downstream end for ejection of said second structure from said tool receiver means, ejection means between said second structure and said tool receiver means upstream from said tool receiver means opening, and means for pressurizing said ejection means; and said second structure, after being pumped to said one structure, providing a portion of said valve assembly means and coacting with both of said valve means and said communicating means to control flow of fluid by-passing said packer means.

Claim 30

A downhole blowout preventer system for use while drilling a well comprising: one structure adapted to be located downhole in a well including: tubular mandrel means adapted to be located in a wall drill string, packer means carried by said mandrel means, communicating means through the wall of said mandrel means having exterior port means on opposite sides of said packer means, and valve assembly means including valve means controlling said communicating means and initially in a position closing said communicating means; a second structure adapted to be pumpable down a drill string to said one structure including: elongate body means, first, second and third seal means spaced along said body means providing two seal areas intermediate two end sections of said body means, first passageway means communicating between the exterior of said body means at one seal area and one end section of said body means, check valve means disposed in said first passageway means, and second passageway means communicating between the exterior of said body means at the other seal area and the other end section of said body means; and a system for launching said second structure into the stream of flowing drill fluid comprising: conduit means for confining the stream of drilling fluid, tool receiver means positioned within said conduit and spaced therefrom to provide a fluid passage so that the stream of drilling fluid may pass around said tool receiver in the annulus between said tool receiver and said conduit means, said tool receiver means and said second structure being adapted so that said second structure may be positioned within said tool receiver means, releasable maintaining means maintaining said second structure within said tool receiver means, said tool receiver means having an opening at its downstream end for ejection of said second structure from said tool receiver means, ejection means between said second structure and said tool receiver means upstream from said tool receiver means opening, and means for pressurizing said ejection means; and said second structure, after being pumped to said one structure, providing a portion of said valve assembly means and coacting with both of said valve means and said communicating means to control flow of fluid by-passing said packer means.

Claim 31

The blowout preventer system of claim 22 wherein said valve assembly means includes means for preventing fluid circulation flowing to the exterior of said mandrel means above said packer means.

Claim 32

The downhole blowout preventer system of claim 22 wherein said mandrel means is adapted to be located within a well casing so that said packer means, when actuated, will seal an annulus between a drill string and a well casing.

Claim 33

The downhole blowout preventer system of claim 22 wherein the controlled fluid circulation is cross-over fluid circulation flowing from the exterior port means above said packer means to the bore of said mandrel means below said packer means and flowing from the exterior port means below said packer means to the bore of said mandrel means above said packer means.

Claim 34

The down hole blowout preventer system of claim 22 wherein: said second structure functions as a portion of the means for actuating said packer means upon said second structure being pumped to said one structure.

Claim 35

The downhole blowout preventer system of claim 22 including shoulder means on said body means for engaging stop means in a tubing.

Claim 36

The downhole blowout preventer system of claim 22 including means in said second passageway means for selectively preventing fluid flow through said second passageway means and permitting fluid flow through said second passageway means.

Claim 37

The downhole blowout preventer system of claim 22 including: stop nipple means associated with, said one structure; selector stop means associated with said second structure cooperable with a selected stop nipple means to stop movement of said second structure; with a plurality of said one structures being adapted to be located downhole in a well in spaced relationship and a selected second structure being adapted to be pumpable down the well to engage a selected one of said one structures.

Claim 38

A down hole blow out preventer system for use in a well comprising: a well casing; a drill string in said well casing; a drill bit on the lower end of said drill string; tubular mandrel means forming a portion of said drill string; packer means carried by said mandrel means; drilling fluid to circulate in the well; valve assembly means initially providing for normal, parallel drilling fluid circulation; said valve assembly means selectively changing the circulation of said drilling fluid from normal parallel circulation through the drill string and through the annulus to controlled circulation by-passing said packer means when said packer means is actuated; and means for actuating said packer means to seal the annulus between said drill string and the well and for controlling said valve assembly means.

Claim 39

A down hole blow out preventer system for use in a well comprising: a well casing; a drill string in said well casing; a drill bit on the lower end of said drill string; tubular mandrel means forming a portion of said drill string; packer means carried by said mandrel means; drilling fluid to circulate in the well; valve assembly means initially providing for normal, parallel drilling fluid circulation; said valve assembly means selectively changing the circulation of said drilling fluid from normal parallel circulation through the drill string and through the annulus to controlled circulation by-passing said packer means when said packer means is actuated; and means for actuating said packer means to seal the annulus between said drill string and the well and for controlling said valve assembly means.

Claim 40

The system of claim 30 wherein said mandrel means is located within said casing so that said packer means, when actuated, will seal the annulus between said drill string and said well casing.

Claim 41

The system of claim 30 wherein said valve assembly means includes means for preventing controlled drilling fluid circulation flowing to the exterior of said drill string above said packer means.

Claim 42

The blow out preventer system of claim 30 wherein the controlled circulation by-passing said packer means is cross-over circulation flowing from the exterior of said drill string above said packer means to the interior of said drill string below said packer means and flowing from the exterior of said drill string below said packer means to the interior of said drill string above said packer means.

Claim 43

A down hole blow out preventer system for use in a well comprising: a well casing; a drill string in said casing; a drill bit at the lower end of said drill string; tubular mandrel means forming a portion of said drill string; drilling fluid to circulate in the well; packer means carried by said mandrel means; valve assembly means for selectively changing the circulation of said drilling fluid from normal, parallel circulation through said drill string and through the annulus to controlled circulation by-passing said packer means after said packer means has been actuated, said valve assembly means including: communicating means through the wall of said mandrel means and having exterior port means on opposite sides of said packer means, valve means for controlling said communicating means, said valve means initially providing normal, parallel drilling fluid circulation, and control tool means for engaging said valve means, for moving said valve means from its initial position, and for controlling said valve assembly means to provide for controlled drilling fluid circulation; and means for transmitting said control tool means through the drill string until it engages and controls said valve means.

Claim 44

A down hole blow out preventer system for use in a well comprising: a well casing; a drill string in said casing; a drill bit at the lower end of said drill string; tubular mandrel means forming a portion of said drill string; drilling fluid to circulate in the well; packer means carried by said mandrel means; valve assembly means for selectively changing the circulation of said drilling fluid from normal, parallel circulation through said drill string and through the annulus to controlled circulation by-passing said packer means after said packer means has been actuated, said valve assembly means including: communicating means through the wall of said mandrel means and having exterior port means on opposite sides of said packer means, valve means for controlling said communicating means, said valve means initially providing normal, parallel drilling fluid circulation, and control tool means for engaging said valve means, for moving said valve means from its initial position, and for controlling said valve assembly means to provide for controlled drilling fluid circulation; and means for transmitting said control tool means through the drill string until it engages and controls said valve means.

Claim 45

The system of claim 34 wherein said mandrel means is located within said casing so that said packer means, when actuated, will seal the annulus between said drill string and said well casing.

Claim 46

The system of claim 34 wherein said valve assembly means includes means for preventing controlled drilling fluid circulation flowing to the exterior of said drill string above said packer means.

Claim 47

The blow out preventer system of claim 34 wherein said control tool means additionally functions as a portion of the means for actuating said packer means.

Claim 48

The blow out preventer system of claim 34 wherein the controlled circulation by-passing said packer means is cross-over circulation flowing from the exterior of said drill string above said packer means to the interior of said drill string below said packer means and flowing from the exterior of said drill string below said packer means to the interior of said drill string above said packer means.