Method of and Apparatus for Positioning Retrievable Landing Nipple in a Well Bore String

It has been common practice to provide a landing nipple in a tubular member in a well bore so that a plug could be moved through the tubular member and seated in the landing nipple and thereafter removed when desired. However, there is no arrangement, so far as known to applicant, at the present time available to enable a plug to be moved downwardly through a tubular member having a smaller internal diameter (I.D.) than a liner therebelow in which the plug is to be seated. The present invention provides an arrangement whereby a plug may be moved through a tubular well string having a smaller I.D. than the portion of the well string therebelow in which the plug is to be received to close off communication into the production string above the plug. If necessary or desirable the production string can be removed from sealing engagement with the receptacle without the necessity of killing the well while desired operations are carried out in the well bore above the retrievable plug. Also, the retrievable landing nipple can be removed for access to the liner and well bore therebelow if desirable.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of positioning a retrievable landing nipple with recess means therein in a well bore well string having a larger diameter than the diameter of a production string thereafter positioned in the well string whereby retrievable plug means may be seated in the landing nipple to block flow from the well bore to the production string comprising the steps of lowering an upwardly open receptacle into the well bore and securing it to the well string, lowering a retrievable landing nipple into and securing it in position adjacent the lower end of the upwardly open receptacle and lowering a production string into the well string and sealably engaging it within the upwardly open receptacle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of positioning a retrievable landing nipple in a well bore well string which has a larger diameter than the diameter of a production string thereafter positioned in the well string whereby a retrievable plug may be moved through the production string and then seated in the landing nipple to block flow from the well bore to the production string comprising the steps of lowering an upwardly open receptacle into the well bore and securing it to the well string, lowering a retrievable landing nipple into and securing it in position in the upwardly open receptacle, lowering a production string into the well string and sealably engaging it within the upwardly open receptacle and lowering a retrievable plug through the production string to engage in the retrievable landing nipple beneath the production string for blocking flow from the well bore to the production string.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of positioning a retrievable landing nipple with recess means therein in a well bore well string having a larger diameter than the diameter of a production string thereafter positioned in the well string whereby retrievable plug means and/or instrument means may be seated in the landing nipple to selectively and instrumentally measure well bore condition and/or block flow from the well bore to the production string comprising the steps of lowering an upwardly open receptacle into the well bore and securing it to the well string, lowering a retrievable landing nipple into and securing it in position adjacent the lower end of the upwardly open receptacle and lowering a production string into the well string and sealably engaging it within the upwardly open receptacle.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of positioning a retrievable landing nipple with recess means therein in a well bore well string having a larger diameter than the diameter of a production string thereafter positioned in the well string whereby retrievable plug means and/or instrument means may be seated in the landing nipple to selectively and instrumentally measure well bore condition and/or block flow from the well bore to the production string comprising the steps of lowering an upwardly open receptacle into the well bore and securing it to the well string, lowering a retrievable landing nipple into and securing it in position adjacent the lower end of the upwardly open receptacle, lowering a production string into the well string and sealably engaging it within the upwardly open receptacle, and positioning retrievable plug means in the landing nipple to enable desired operations to be performed in the well bore above the receptacle including repair, replacement or modification of the equipment associated with the well string.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of positioning and testing the seals of a retrievable landing nipple in a well bore well string having a larger diameter than the diameter of a production string thereafter positioned in the well string whereby a retrievable plug may be seated in the landing nipple to block flow from the well bore to the production string comprising the steps of lowering an upwardly open receptacle into the well bore and securing it to the well string, lowering a retrievable landing nipple into and sealably securing it in position adjacent the lower end of the upwardly open receptacle and applying fluid pressure to the sealably secured landing nipple to test for leaks.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of positioning a retrievable landing nipple in a well bore well string having a larger diameter than the diameter of a production string thereafter positioned in the well string whereby a retrievable plug may be seated in the landing nipple to block flow from the well bore to the production string comprising the steps of lowering an upwardly open receptacle into the well bore and securing it to the well string, lowering a retrievable landing nipple into and sealably securing it in position in the upwardly open receptacle, applying fluid pressure to the sealably secured landing nipple to test for leaks and lowering a production string into the well bore and sealably engaging it within the upwardly open receptacle, lowering a retrievable plug through the production string to engage in the retrievable landing nipple beneath the production string to block flow from the well bore to the production string, elevating the production string to sealably disengage it from the upwardly facing receptacle and circulating fluid above the plug between the well string and production string.

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the casing, upwardly open receptacle, retrievable landing nipple and retrievable plug of the present invention in position in the well bore;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view with the production string of FIG. 1 withdrawn from the upwardly facing receptacle;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the retrievable landing nipple positioned in the liner of a well string;

FIG. 4 illustrates the running and retrieving tool used to position the landing nipple of the present invention in the liner of the well string;

FIG. 5 shows the running tool actuating the landing nipple to engage it in the recess of a liner in a well bore;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are longitudinal sectional views illustrating actuation of the running and retrieving tool to disengage it from the landing nipple after the landing nipple has been seated in the liner;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of the present invention showing the production string removed from the open receptacle for circulating fluid in the well bore above the plug or for conducting other operations as may be desired;

FIG. 11 is a schematic drawing showing an alternate form of retrievable landing nipple with retrievable plug means and retrievable instrument means seated therein showing the production string removed from the open receptacle for circulating fluid in the well bore above the plugs or for conducting other operations as may be desired; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic drawing showing instrument means seated in the retrievable landing nipple while flow from the formation is conducted through the nipple and to the earth's surface.

Attention is first directed to FIGS. 1, 9-12 of the drawings wherein a well bore is represented by the numeral 10 with a casing 11 secured therein by cement C or in any other well known manner.

A liner referred to generally by the numeral 12 is connected with the casing 11 by means of which is commonly called hanging the liner as shown schematically at T in FIGS. 9 and 10. The liner 12 extends downwardly from the casing 11 as shown in the drawings and includes an upwardly facing or open receptacle portion 13 which receptacle extends longitudinally within the casing 11 any desired extent. Perforations P are provided through the lower end of liner 12 and the surrounding cement C so that fluids may flow from a producing formation. The retrievable landing nipple referred to generally at 14 includes a hollow tubular body referred to generally at 15 having seal means such as illustrated at 16 for sealing between the liner 12 and the landing nipple.

Recess means 17 are provided in the liner for receiving the radially movable members 18 carried by the landing nipple to releasably secure the landing nipple 14 within the liner 12. By referring to FIGS. 9-12 it will be noted that the retrievable landing nipple 14 is seated in the liner 12 at the lower end of the upwardly facing open receptacle portion 13.

The casing 11 extends longitudinally of the well bore to the earth's surface and a production string referred to generally at 20 extends from the earth's surface and is provided with seal means 21 and 22 for slidably and sealably fitting within the receptacle portion 13 of the liner 12 above the retrievable landing nipple 14 as shown in the drawings. A plug 24 may be moved through the production string on a wire line or any other suitable lowering arrangement and is adapted to be releasably seated in the landing nipple 14 by means of the radially movable members 25 engaging in the recess 26 formed in the landing nipple. It will be noted that when the production string 20 is sealably engaged within the upwardly facing receptacle 13 as illustrated in the drawings, the inside diameter of the liner 12 therebeneath, when the landing nipple 14 is not seated therein, is larger than the inside diameter of the production string 20. Thus, it would be impossible to move a member through the production string 20 and releasably seat it in the liner 12 therebeneath having a larger diameter. However, by means of the retrievable landing nipple 14, which is seated within the liner 12 and which effectively reduces the diameter of the liner 12, the plug 24 may be lowered through the production tubing 20 and engaged in the landing nipple 14. FIGS. 11 and 12 show an alternate form of retrievable landing nipple which will be described hereinafter.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrates the invention when the production tubing 20 has been withdrawn from the receptacle 13 so that circulation may be effected between the casing 11 and the production string 20 to circulate fluids above the plug 24 to accomplish desired well functions without the necessity of killing the well.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but shows the landing nipple 14 in position within the liner 12 at the lower end of the receptacle 13. In use of the present invention after the casing has been set and the liner 12 secured therewith by the customary liner hanging arrangement T, the retrievable nipple 14 is then lowered through the well string to seat within the liner 12 at the lower end of the receptacle 13.

FIG. 4 illustrates a running and retrieving tool 30 with which the retrievable nipple 14 may be secured at the earth's surface and then lowered by any suitable means such as a tubular well string into the casing C or well string in the well bore so that the nipple may be positioned in releasable seating relationship within the liner 12 at the lower end of the receptacle 13 as previously described.

The retrievable landing nipple 14 includes a hollow longitudinal body 15 as previously mentioned which longitudinal body is provided with apertures 14b in which the members 14a are radially movable for engaging in the recess 17 formed in the liner 12 for seating the retrievable nipple 14 in the liner 12. A longitudinally extending annular member 14c is supported by spring means 14d within the body 15 and includes a tapered surface 14e and an annular surface 14f for actuating the members 14a to either retain them in retracted position as the retrievable landing nipple is lowered through the well string and liner, or to enable the members 14a to move radially outward to seat within the recess 17 in the liner 12. As shown in FIG. 4 the running tool 30 is arranged to engage the longitudinally extending annular member 14c so that the members 14a are positioned adjacent the cylindrical surface 14f to retain the members 14a in retracted position as the running tool 30 lowers the retrievable landing nipple in the well string.

FIG. 5 illustrates the next sequence of operation of the running and retrieving tool 30 for positioning the retrievable landing nipple 14 in the recess 17 of the liner 12. It will be noted that the retrievable running tool includes a mandrel 31 having a housing 31 thereon. When the running and retrieving tool 30 is engaged with the retrievable landing nipple 14 as shown in FIG. 4, they will move simultaneously down through the casing 11 in the well bore until the retrievable landing nipple 14 engages the shoulder 12a on the liner as shown in FIG. 5. When this occurs, further downward movement of the mandrel 30 causes the shear pin 33 to shear thereby releasing enlargement 34 for longitudinal upward movement on the lower end of the mandrel 31. When the pin 33 is sheared the force of the spring means 14d will cause the enlargement 34 to move up and at the same time the annular longitudinally extending member 14c will move upwardly whereupon the annular tapered surface 14e engages the members 14a and moves and maintains them radially outward in the recess 17 of the liner as illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings. They will remain in this position until the retrieving tool 30 moves member 14c against spring 14d so that members 14a can withdraw into the body 25 as the nipple is pulled out of the liner 12.

After the members 14a have moved radially to seat in the recess 17 to position the retrievable landing nipple 14 sealably within the liner 12 as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, further downward movement of the mandrel 31 relative to the housing 32 will cause the pin 36 to shear as shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. When this occurs shoulder 37 on the housing engages the expandable lock nut 38 having one way acting rachet teeth 39 thereon which engage rachet teeth 40 on the outer surface of the mandrel 31. Upward movement of the housing 32 relative to the mandrel 31 causes the locking nut 39 to rachet up on the mandrel and to retain or lock the housing 32 in such elevated position. This upward movement will cause the circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending members 42 having enlargements 43 thereon to disengage from the recess 44 of the retrievable mandrel 4 and to withdraw into the annular recess 45 on the mandrel 31 of the tool 30. They will be retained in this position since the mandrel 31 is retained in position relative to the housing 30 by reason of the expandable lock nut 39 threadedly engaged with the mandrel 31 as previously described.

This then permits the running and retrieving tool to be withdrawn from the retrievable mandrel 14 as illustrated in FIG. 8 of the drawings.

Thereafter the production string 20 may be lowered into the well bore and sealably and slidably engaged with the receptacle 13 on the liner 12 for receiving flow from the well bore through the liner and upwardly through the production string. Should it become necessary to perform any type of operation on the well, the plug 24 may be lowered through the production string and seated in the landing nipple by reason of the members 25 engaging in recesses 26 of the retrievable landing nipple as previously described. Thereafter, desired operations may be performed in the well bore above the receptacle including repair, replacement or modification of the equipment connected to the well string. Also, if desired the production string 20 may be elevated upwardly out of the receptacle 13 with which it is slidably engaged and into the casing annulus so that fluid may be circulated from the top of the well bore at the earth's surface down between the casing annulus and the production string to accomplish desired well operations without causing such fluids to come in contact with the producing formation in the well bore beneath the plug 24.

It will be noted that the members 42 extend downwardly from the annular member 42a carried between the housing 32 and the mandrel 31 of the tool 30. Spring means as illustrated at 42b abut the housing and the annular member 42a to tend to urge the longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced members 42 outwardly of the housing 32 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 8 of the drawings. The pin 42c extending through the housing 32 and into the mandrel 31 prevents the member 42a from being pushed out from between the housing and mandrel by the spring 42b and also serves to maintain alignment of the members 42b relative to the annular reduced portion 45 on the mandrel 41.

If desired, the seals 16 on the retrievable landing nipple 14 may be tested before the running tool 30 is removed and before the production string 20 is positioned, or sealably seated, in the receptacle 13. This may be done since an annular seal X is provided on the running tool 30 which seals within the longitudinal bore formed in hollow tubular body 15 of the landing nipple 14 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Fluid pressure may be applied in the annulus A between the casing C and tool 30 within the liner 12 and the pressure instrumentally noted at the earth's surface. If the applied pressure remains the same, there is no leakage between the seals 16 on the retrievable landing nipple 14 and the liner 12. If the pressure decreases, this indicates a probable leak by seals 16.

This enables the seals 16 to be tested before the expense of running and sealably seating the well string 20 in the receptacle 13, and before the running tool 30 is disengaged from the retrievable landing nipple 14.

If it is desired to remove the landing nipple 14, the production string 20 is removed from the well bore. The tool 30 is then lowered on a tubular string or other means such as a wire line so that enlargements 43 engage in recess 44 of the landing nipple. The enlargement 34 is pinned on mandrel 31 by shear pin 33 and engages member 14c and moves it down so that radial members 14a can move radially into body 25, thereby permitting 14 to be pulled out of the liner 12 to the earth's surface.

As noted previously, in FIGS. 11 and 12 the well bore is again represented by the numeral 10 with a casing 11 secured thereby by cement C or by any other suitable means in any manner well known in the art.

The liner referred to generally at 12 is connected with the casing C by means of the tie back T and the liner 12 extends downwardly from the casing into the well bore as shown in the drawings. The liner 12 includes the upwardly facing or open receptacle 13 which receptacle extends longitudinally within the casing 11 any desired extent and also is provided with perforations P for communicating with the producing formation. The production string referred to at 20 extends downwardly from the earth's surface and may be sealably engaged within the upwardly facing receptacle 13 by any suitable means such as the seals 21 and 22 as previously described. In FIG. 12, the production string 20 is shown above the receptacle 13 for conducting desired operations after a retrievable plug 24 has been seated in nipple 14. Thus, the producing formation communicating with the liner 12 by perforations P is protected as such operations are carried out.

The retrievable landing nipple referred to generally at 14 includes the tubular body 15 having seal means 16 thereon for sealing between the liner 12 and the retrievable landing nipple 14. Recess means 26 are provided therein.

The liner means 12 includes the recess means 17 for receiving the radially movable members 18 carried by the retrievable landing nipple 14 to releasably secure the retrievable landing nipple 14 within the liner 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 9-12 inclusive.

In FIGS. 11 and 12 the retrievable landing nipple 14 is shown as also including a tubular extension 14' secured thereto by any suitable means such as the threads 14a shown in FIG. 4. The tubular extension 14' includes recess means 14j and 14k which are spaced longitudinally from each other and from recess 26 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Port means 141 are provided in extension 14 between the spaced recesses 14j and 14k to accommodate the flow of well fluids from the producing formation through perforations P and into the lower end of liner 12 beneath extension 14' as will be described.

As shown in FIG. 11, suitable retrievable instrument means such as a pressure bomb or temperature bomb is illustrated by the letter M and is shown as including radially projecting members M' for seating in the recess 14k.

Retrievable plug means 24 is shown as having the radially movable members 60 thereon for engaging within the annular recess 14j above the instrument means M as shown in FIG. 11. When the plug means 24 is seated as shown, flow through the ports 14f from the producing formation is shut off.

In FIG. 12 the invention is illustrated when it is desired to monitor the well as it produces by means such as a pressure or temperature bomb designated as M and shown as being retrievably seated in the recess 14k in the tubular extension 14' forming part of the retrievable landing nipple 14 by the means M'. In this condition, flow may occur from the producing formation through the ports 141 and into liner 12 and then to production string 20 sealably seated in upwardly facing receptacle 13 on the upper end of liner 12 as indicated by the arrows designated at 75.

It will be noted that the tubular extension 14' has an internal bore of a first reduced diameter represented at 61 beneath recess means 14j and a second, smaller reduced diameter illustrated at 62 beneath the recess means 14k each of which is smaller in diameter than the bore through body 15 of the nipple 14.

It can be seen from the foregoing that the present invention provides an arrangement whereby a retrievable seating nipple can be seated in a liner having a larger diameter than the production string which is received in the open end receptacle of the liner. This permits plug means and/or instrument means to be moved downwardly through the smaller diameter production string for seating in the retrievable landing nipple. Well operations may be performed above the retrievable landing nipple without the necessity of killing the well as would be otherwise required.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape, and materials as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.