Well fluid sampler

Nov. 22, 1938.

2,137,296

G. A. MACREADY

WELL FLUID SAMPLER

Filed Sept. 14, 1936

Sheets-Sheet 1

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Nov. 22, 1938.

2,137,296

G A. MACREADY

WELL FLUID SAMPLER

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Nov. 22, 1938.

2,137,296

G. A. MACREADY

WELL FLUID SAMPLER

Filed Sept. 14, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3

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inventor.

.^/Le-i^L. &lt;1.

Patented Noy. 22, 1938

2,137496

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,137,296 WELL FLUID SAMPLER George A. Macready, Los Angeles, Calif. Application September 14,1936, Serial No. 109,663

Claims.

My invention relates to bore holes or drilled wells in which it is desired to test formations penetrated by the drill to determine the character of fluid in such formations.

My invention is an improvement over the inventions disclosed in my United Stated Patents Numbers 1,896,492, 1,896,522, 1,921,472 and 2,040,619.

An object of my invention is to provide a tubu10 lar apparatus having a packer or sealing means adjacent its lower end and which can be lowered into a well to seal off fluid above the seal from entering the tube. The apparatus has weight operated valves which be opened to admit a sample 15 of fluid from formations below the level of seal and then closed after admission of the sample to the tube to exclude additionaLfluid from entering the tube after breaking~the seal, weights for operating the valves, means for suspending the 20 weights and dropping them at the desired time, a swivel so that the tube can be rotated while the sample is entering, a detachable bulky member below the seal to displace as much as possible of the fluid from the well below the seal which would 25 otherwise dilute the sample, and an emergency circulation outlet.

An object of my invention is to provide a valve for a well fluid sampler that can be lowered locked in open position and then unlocked by dropping 30 a weight on it to permit it to close.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel emergency circulation port for a well fluid sampler.

An object of my invention is to provide a bulky 35 detachable mud displacer member below the packer of a well fluid sampler that will displace as much of the drilling fluid below the seal as is possible in order to lessen dilution of the sample by drilling fluid and which is made of non-metaliic 40 material that can be destroyed by the drill in the event it becomes stuck in the well when the sampling apparatus is pulled out.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel efficient swivel for a well fluid sampler.

An object of my invention is to provide an efficient and novel means for suspending weights ready to.be dropped when desired through the sampling tube to operate the valves of a well fluid sampler.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and especially pointed out in the appended claims, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, in which similar nu55 merals refer to similar parts throughout the (€3. 166—1) several views, for illustrative embodiment of my invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the upper and lower portions of my apparatus in suspended position,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the upper 5 end of my apparatus showing the means for suspending and releasing weights,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the ball and seat valve for preventing escape of the fluid sample, 10

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the flap valve which is held open until the sample is received and then closed',

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the lower portion of my sample tube showing the valve 15 which excludes fluid from the tube until ready for the sample, the packer, the swivel and the emergency circulation port,

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the mud displacer member below my sample tube showing 20 the longitudinal passages on its-external surface, the releasable swivel connection to the sample tube and perforations admitting sample to tube,

Figure 7 is a cross section at line 7—7' of Figure 6, 25

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of a metal liner which may be used instead of the mud displacer member,

Figure 9 is a longitudinal section of a perforated biill plug or nipple which may be used 30 instead of the mud diplacer member,

Figure 10 is a longitudinal section of an optional construction of the means for suspending and releasing weights adapted to be inserted in the conventional drill column· between the grief 35 stem and main drilling swivel,

Figure 11 is an elevation of tubular member 65, and --

Figure 12 is a cross section at line 12—12' of Figure 10. 40

Referring to the drawings my invention consists of the following major elements shown assembled in elevation in Figure l.and in longitudinal section details in Figures 2 to 6: the sample tube A: the upper element B for suspend- 45 ing and dropping weights: the third or ball valve C for retaining sample against escape from sample tube A: the second or flap valve D which closes the sample tube A against entry of additional fluid after the sample has been taken: 50 the first or toggle valve E which closes sample tube A against entry of fluid until ready to admit sample: the swivel and emergency circulation ports and valves F to insure against the sticking of the sample tube A in the well: the 55 ** 2,137,296 packer or sealing means G: and the tail element H occupying the well hole below the packer.

Described more in detail commencing at the lower end the lowest element is the tail element H. This is illustrated in Figures 1, 6 and 7 as a central solid mud displacer member I of sufficient diameter to almost completely occupy the well hole below the packer-and provided with longitudinal grooves 2 on the external surface ¹ thereof. The mud displacer member may be solid with grooves cut in or it may be built up m sections as by wooden slats 3 attached by nails 4 to the central body 5 and spaced apart so as to leave the longitudinal grooves 2 In the event the length of mud displacer member is long it may be made in units to 'be joined as by screw threads 6 or by selecting random length slats 3 so that the slats overlap the sections of body 5. The ribs 3 of each section may be made short enough so that when sections of the mud displacer member are assembled a gap ¹ is left between the ends of ribs 3 forming passages from each longitudinal groove to the adjacent groove through which in the event of obstruction of any groove by debris the flow of I,™H,-^nay.(^{be to an} adjacent groove to continue its upward travel.

J^{nUd displacer} member I may be made of wood or moulded from plastic material such fi?^er’ ^stucco> Poster of Paris, etc., cut or moSd ^{V connec}tions

During a test fluid entering the well hole from the formation passes upwardly along the annohtr ^SPn7;i^{24 between} tire mud displacer member and the well wall. In the event that the well wall caves the cavings bridge across over f^{rooves whose} Purpose is to profht Hna^ha_f^nnel ·^{ί0Γ upward flow} of fluid inside tne ring of cavings.

The lower end of mud displacer member 1 may be rounded or it may be irregular to resist turning during its ensuing destruction by drilling The upper end of mud displacer member r . attached to perforated tube 8 preSly _bv a . rotatable swivel connection that can easil^be sheared off by pulling in the event the mud d£ placer member sticks in the well a&lt;s by readily destructible thimble 9 threaded into ™^mber ' ^ab-etiffing ooss 10. By making thimble 9 or an adjacent making niud ??^at,^{erlal Jt ca}n be sheared off. By making mud displacer member 1 of nonmetallic material it can easily be destroyed by drSng should ^^me5*^{slons of} mud displacer member I y displacing the fluid in the rathole with my mud displacer member of say 80 square inches cross section the volume of mud fluid remaining in the rathole is only sufficient to cause a rise of

160 feet in the sample tube so that 640 feet of fluid from the formation can follow into the sample tube to cause a rise of 800 feet at the time the rock pressure is balanced with 400 pounds pressure. The result is a sample for inspection _rcontaining 80% of formation fluid when the mud ° displacer member is used in contrast to a sample containing practically no foriqation fluid when the mud displacer member is not used.

Because of the danger of a bulky object such v· as my mud displacer member becoming stuck in ' the well provision is made to detach same from the sample tube and to make it of material that can be destroyed by drilling so that the well may not be obstructed.

For the benefit of operators who prefer to nsh out a liner the liner illustrated in Figure 8 may be used instead of my mud displacer member I. This consists of a perforated liner having sections fl, 12 and perforations 16α which may be joined by collars having left hand threads *3 above righthand threads 14. This is rotatably attached to a perforated tube 8α by means of a thimble 9α riveted to collar 15 above boss iua. if the liner becomes stuck in the well ^sbear when the sample tube is pulled ana. the liner can be recovered by washing over it instead of destroying it by drilling. By using coilars with lefthand threads a long liner may be fished out piecemeal. ^y

Another optional construction is shown by Figure 9 for use where neither liner nor mud displacer member are desired. It consists of the perforated bull plug or nipple 8b having no provision for attachment of mud displace/ member ^Orbper T* K^{USefU1 for short} raSs ^{Γ 35}

Perforated tube 8 (8α or 8b) is provided with perforations 16 (16α or 16B) for admitting the of^mand °· ^for™^ati^{on flu}id ⁱⁿto the interior thereof and is attached by coupling 18 to hollow thread ? ^whl°^h’^ln turn is attached as by screw threads to valve case 20 which is the lowest member of the sample tube A. Threads 123 nro^f° h attachment of instruments such as a moSeJ ^{PreSSUre bomb}’ inclinometer or therder^k,7 on'thjw* n' ^,or_IT”^{allns aialnM} Itestal· consists at T m ^u.^se,?· ^{1116 packer} iiiontrated attached / tubiilar ^mandrel 150 rigidly attached to an upper end piece 21. a Backing medium made up of discs 22 of rubber belting beid^ther material mounted about mandrel 150 is t'Shtenmg screw collar 25. The exon the lower ?nd r °^bSJ^{5 prefer}abiy of bronze on me lower end of mandrel 150 serve as bear mgs to align the mandrel on spindle 19. Springs keS^Vbv kev°^&lt;^StS °^{f an UPPer race 34} s’idably 35 retJtew ⁵ T ^{Splndle 19} and a lower race ^atably mounted about spindle 19 between which rollers 36, either spherical or cylindrical roll to reduce friction. vyunancai,

A projecting shoulder, preferably made by a split ring 37 in an annular recess holds the swivel m longitudinal assembly. Packing 38 is com- 75

2,137,298 pressed between gland 31 and ring 39 to prevent leakage of fluid past the swivel. Cap ring 29 holds the packing and gland in assembly.

The emergency circulation port consists of the 5 outwardly opening check valve 40 in valve case 20 discharging through longitudinal holes 41, annular passage 42 of upper race 34, and longitudinal holes 43 of upper race 34 and thence out into the well between rollers 36. The check valve 10 normally remains closed to prevent fluid from without entering the sample tube but permits fluid circulation to be established outwardly in an emergency.

The first or toggle valve E is similar in con- ¹15 struction to the toggle valve, disclosed in my Patent Number 2,040,619. It is contained in valve case 20 and includes the ball valve 44 seating on seat 45 which is preferably of a renewable type controlling inlet passage 46 of 20 member 47 attached in liquid tight fit to passage 48 through hollow spindle 19. A choke or bean 49 limits flow through passage 46 and may be selected of any desirable bore. Ball valve 44 is attached by bracket 50 to plate 51 and is held 25 tight on its seat when pressure is applied by screwing down clamp ring 52 with toggle link 53 set. When a weight such as weight 54α dropped from its original position 54α past position 54d shown in dotted lines on Figure 5 and 30 strikes target arm 55 the toggle link 53 is moved over dead center to collapse the toggle and plate 51 can raise to lift valve 44 off: its seat. Plate Si, toggle link 53, target arm 55 and their respective pivots are held in assembly by a frame con35 sisting of side plates 56 attached to spacer 57 by screws 58..

A coupling 59 connects valve case 20 to valve case 60 which houses the second or flap valve D.

To facilitate removal for inspection and re49 pairs the flap valve closure 61 is mounted on frame 64 on a liner 62 which in turn is attached internally in liquid tight fit in valve case 60. The valve 61 makes its closure by seating on lip S3 of liner 62 to close the central passage there45 through. When tubular member 65 is depressed against coil compression spring 66 the barbs 67 expand under shoulder 68 by cantilever springs 69 acting on the opposite end of the barb to pivot it about retaining ring or pin 70 fitted into an -3 annular recess or hole in member 65 and in a notch 127 in each barb. The barbs are contained in slots 128 in tubular member 65. When tubular member 65 is depressed as shown in Figure 4 the flap valve 61 is held or locked in open r₅ position by the tubular extension 125 of tubular member 65. The bore of tubular member 65 is large enough to permit weight 54α to pass through pushing valve 61 wide open as it passes.

When it is desired to close valve 61 a second C9 weight 71α is dropped from its original position 71α through sample tube A past position 7id shown in dotted lines on Figure 4. Weight 71α is provided with a wide dart or paddle 75 at its lower end wide enough to engage tubular plunger C5, 72 to depress same against coil spring 73 and spread the lower ends of barbs 67 to retract the upper ends of barbs 67. With barbs 67 retracted the strong spring 66 expands to lift tubular member 65 upwardly out of engagement with valve -₀ 61 and cantilever spring 74 pushes flap valve 61 ‘ onto its seat 63 to close the passage into sample tube A.

The lower end of tubular member 65 is beveled as at 76· and screw.77 operating in longitu75 dinal slot 78 insures proper alignment of the bevel. Screw 79 holds plunger 72 in assembly. Wrench notches 80 provide for tightening liner 62 in position. A guide plate 82 is provided with a passage 81 to center weight 71α over plunger 72 and of sufficient bore to permit passage of both 5 weights 54α and 71α. Rubber washer 83 completes assembly when tool joint pin 84 on the lower end of sample tube A is tightened.

The third or ball check valve C may be installed in any standard drill pipe tool joint pref- 10 erably the lowest above the flap valve D. This valve consists of a ball 85 which is dropped through sample tube A, after dropping weights 54α and 71α, to seat on a disc 86 held by rubber washer 87 in low pressure liquid tight fit between 15 box 89 and pin 98 of a tool joint as illustrated in Figure 3. The passage 88 through disc 86 should be large enough to permit passage of weights 54ά and 71α but small enough to seat ball 85 to close sample tube A against escape of the formation 20 fluid sample. . .

Sample tube A extends up to the top of the well and ordinarily is the drill pipe used in drilling the well.

The uppermost element B for releasably sus- 25 pending weights is illustrated by Figure 2. Element B consists of a tool joint 92 attached by tool joint 91 to sample tube A and contains hollow spindle 93 rotatably mounted within so that the drill pipe may be rotated while the spindle and 30 parts carried by it are not rotated. A stuffing box with packing 94 and gland 95 prevents fluid leakage. A cross 96 is attached by lefthand threads to spindle 93. Take off outlets 97 and 98 provide for discharge of sample fluid and may 35 be controlled by valves or discharge to a line or hose. By anchoring with a rope to a leg of the derrick rotation of the cross and its fittings is prevented during rotation of sample tube A. A gate valve 99 may be provided above cross 96 if 40 desired. A smaller gate valve or suitable clamp (00 is tightened about the second weight 71α as illustrated in Figure 2 to suspend the weight and a bull plug 181 prevents fluid leakage. A first weight as 54α is suspended by a cord 102 knotted 45 through hole 183 in dart 75 of weight 7 Sa passing thence through hole 184 in weight 54α and up along side of weight 71« to be passed outside through a smaller valve 185 and tied as at ί 06.

The first weight 54α is dropped by untying ₅₀cord 102 at 186 and the second weight 71α is dropped by opening valve 100 to unclamp the weight.

An optional weight suspension means is illustrated in Figlire 10. Left hand threaded tool 55 joints 187 and 188 provide for attaching it between grief stem 122 and swivel 121 used in drilling the well. Pins 169-and 118 threaded through holes in hollow spindle HI suspend weights 54b and 71b so that weight 54b may first be go dropped to open toggle valve 44 and weight 71b dropped later to close flap valve 61. A take off casting 112 provided with packing 113, 114 to prevent leakage and with fluid outlets 115, 116 is mounted about spindle HI. Perforations 117 in ₆₅spindle 111 provide for discharge of fluid from the sample through the outlets. A back pressure valve is shown at 128.

Operation

Drilling of a well hole proceeds until a formation is encountered which it is desired to test to determine the character of fluid that it may produce. The well bore is then enlarged by reaming to a level above the formation to be tested 75

3,187,388 leaving a shoulder 27 preferably at a firm impervious stratum above a rathole III and below the iarge size hole 119. The well bore is usually full of the mud fluid used for drilling

The assembly illustrated in the lower part of Figure 1 and in Figures 3 to 7 is then lowered into the well by means of a sample tube which usually is the rotary drill pipe used in drilling ,_n }™^{ering v}alve 44 is locked closed, valve 10 61 is locked open and valve 85 is withheld at the surface.

Packer 22 is firmly seated on shoulder 27 by spudding if necessary. Cord 102 is cut or untied , , , xt^{nd released} permit weight 54α to fall 15 freely through the sample tube to pass through valve seats 86 and 76 to strike target 55 which kicks toggle link 53 over dead center and causes valve 44 to open. If the fluid level outside the sample tube subsides it indicates that the packer ²⁰ V^{s a} Proper seal and the apparatus should be withdrawn for a new trial.

If the fluid level in the well does not subside or the packer settle rotation of the sample tube is commenced. Packer G and the lower swivel race 35χ remain stationary with spindle 19 rotating within. Fluid tight seals are made (1) by packer 22 against shoulder 27, (2) by gland 31 seating in recess 32, and (3) by packing 38 being compressed to seal about the rotating spindle 19 by weight of sample tube applied through the packing to gland 31. The seal prevents fluid in the well above the seal from entering the sample tube or the formation being tested.

When my mud displacer member I is used below the packer most of the mud drilling fluid in the rat hole is displaced to above the packer leaving in the rat hole the small quantity between the mud displacer member and the waff ^the F^{luid from} formation tested eaters the rathole when pressure is relieved £^y«^open£? ^valve ** ^and displaces the ^rathole UP into the sample ^{A f}°^llowing ¹⁴ UP along the annular space between the mud displacer member and the well wall to also enter the sample tube to form the sample of formation fluid brought up for inspec“°^π· x¹?® ^s.^ample Passes through perforations 16 into tube 8 and through passages 41 and 41 through valve 45. During the admission of the 50 sample, the sample tube A can be rotated. Mud displacer member I may or may not rotate and may become stuck depending on the character of the well, because of its swivel connection at IS. Pins 33 lock the packer and lower swivel race 55 against rotation so as not to injure gland 31

Rotation is continued until sufficient sample is believed taken or until difficulty of rotation warns of danger. Weight Ila is then dropped by opening velve 100. By closing valve 100 Immeβ° dlately it can be determined if the weight actually dropped. The weight falls through the sam^pl® ^t.?^L?^{nd strlkes} tubular plunger 72 depressmdp w^rbs V ^to «“tract them from under shoulder 60 and by momentum depresses ^sprIng .·’ jvhich rebounds to lift tubular extension 125 of tubular member IS out of engagement with valve II and cantilever spring 74 then ^p^^b®^{s valve sh}ut, preventing entrance of additional fluid to the sample tube. Hydraulic pressure on the lower side holds the valve dosed

The sample tube is raised after dropping weight 7 la. After taking up the pipe stretch the interne! flange of cap ring 29 engages under shoulder 121 on gland II to lift gland SI off its seat 12 which permits fluid above the packer to rush down between mandrel 20 and spindle 19 through the annular space to equalize the hydrostatic pressure on both sides of the packer.

.. ^Addl*?^onal upward pull brings collar 18 against the bottom of packer mandrel 150 to jar the 5 packer upward. If the packer is stuck it may require lowering and raising the sample tube several times to jar the packer free from its seat. If mud displaces member I (or the liner) is stuck the thimble -9 (or 9α) being of weak material 10 strips or shears off leaving the core (or liner) in the rathole when the sample tube is raised.

When the packer has been puffed free the upper length of the sample tube with the upper connections is disconnected and ball 85 dropped through 15 the sample tube A to seat on its seat 86 and prevent the sample escaping from the sample tube when it gets above the fluid level of the well The sample tube is then removed from the well a section at a time bringing up the sample of forma- 20 tion fluid contained within to. the surface for inspection. The valves and packer are then removed from the well.

The drill is then lowered into the well and mud displacer member I being of soft material is 25 destroyed by drilling. Or the liner if left in the well can be fished out. The operation of drilling the well is then resumed. ⁶

In the event the sample tube itself should become stuck mud fluid or oil may be pumped down 30 through the sample tube and out through the emergency ports 40 to establish circulation to aid in loosening the tube.

The short perforated bull plug or nipple 8b may ^{elther the mud dis}P>acer mem- 35 ber or liner particularly in short rat holes.

~.ⁿ „ ^{ead the} construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 for the upper end of the sample tute the construction shown in Figure 10 may be used. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. 40 That in Figure 10 permits rotating the sample tube while suspended from the main drilling swivel but has the disadvantage that old grief x¹?⁸. ^{stl11 in} use do not have a sufficiently straight passage to permit the weights to drop. 45