Packer construction for oil well tools

March 13, 1956

J. LYNES

2,738,017

PACKER CONSTRUCTION FOR OIL WELL TOOLS

Filed Aug. 18, 1953

Sheets-Sheet 1

<img file="US2738017A_D0001.tif" />

A TTONNtYS

March 13, 1956 j. lynes 2,738,017

PACKER CONSTRUCTION FOR OIL WELL TOOLS Filed Aug. 18, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US2738017A_D0002.tif" />

March 13, 1956 j. lynes 2,738,017

PACKER CONSTRUCTION FOR OIL WELL TOOLS Filed Aug. 18, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3

<img file="US2738017A_D0003.tif" />

<img file="US2738017A_D0004.tif" />

United States Patent Office

2,738,017

Patented Mar. 13, 1956

2,738,017

PACKER CONSTRUCTION FOR OIL WELL TOOLS

John Lynes, Albuquerque, N. Mex., assignor to OH Recovery Corporation, Albuquerque, N. Mex., a corporation of New Mexico

Application August 18, 1953, Serial No. 374,888

Claims. (CI. 166—196)

This invention relates to a new and improved packer construction for oil well tools useful in the sealing off of oil bearing formations for the purposes of treating them in order to render them productive, and to recover the oil therefrom.

The present specification covers a tool which, generally speaking, has objects and advantages common to those mentioned iri my prior copending application Serial No. 307;958 filed September 5, 1952, entitled “Oil Well Tool,” and in my prior copending application Serial No. 341,896 filed March 12, 1953, entitled “Oil Well Treating and Production Tool,” of which applications this application constitutes a continuation-in-part. The disclosures of said applications are hereby incorporated herein by this reference.

As previously explained, many valuable oil bearing formations are never successfully exploited after their discovery because of the great difficulty of gaining access to them. According to modem rotary drilling methods a column of drilling fluid or mud is present in the well which presents a formidable barrier to the driller in sealing off and gaining access to a productive formation which would produce if the proper conditions were present. Many packer tools have been devised to produce conditions favorable to recovery, but these have failed to keep pace with the progress made in drilling deep wells where pressures and temperatures deter the successful operation of such tools and make them short-lived.

Packer tools usually are designed to seal off a formation from the well liquids above and below it, by means of locating expansible members above and below the selected formation. When actuated, these members are intended to enlarge into contact with the bore hole to effect the seals. If this operation is successful, the formation may be relieved of the inhibiting pressures presented by fluid in the bore hole, and the oil induced to flow into ducts contained in the tool between the packers, then to the surface. Preliminarily, treating fluids, such as acids, may be injected into the selected formation to break it down.

Providing a tool which will operate accordingly has proved exceedingly difficult.

A particular object of the present invention relates to important improvements in the packer construction which renders such packers more rugged arid capable of successful and sure operation.

As will be understood from rhy prior application Serial No. 307,958 the packer component must comprise a resilient element of rubber or a rubber-substitute, preferably constructed according to my invention. The resilient element must be enlarged with great force against the bore hole walls in order to provide an effective seal. In so doing the resilient element itself has insufficient strength to resist rupture, and hence must be confined between other elements. For such elements, I have devised expansible metallic collars of various types. In connection with Figs. 15-17 of my application Serial No. 307,958 I show a collar construction most nearly similar to the present invention, and whereof this invention constitutes a modification and an improvement.

More precise advantages of the invention will be explained hereinafter:

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows in perspective two views of a tool embodying the invention, as they would appear if located in bore holes of oil wells adjacent a formation selected for operations;

Fig. 2 is an elevation with parts in section, of a packer unit embodying the invention, said unit being in collapsed or inoperative condition; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the packer unit in actuated condition.

The device in general consists of one or more packer units, generally used in pairs, coupled one beneath anther in spaced relationship and supported in the bore hole from a string of pipe.

Fig. 1 depicts two bore holes on section. In the left hand bore hole 20 is located the tool as it would appear prior to actuation with upper and lower packer units in collapsed condition. The tool as shown is intended to be operated after the manner described either in my application Serial No. 307,958 or 341,896, the disclosures whereof are incorporated herein by reference. The controls and related operating means will therefore not be described herein in detail.

It suffices to say that the tool in bore hole 20 suspended from supporting pipe 27, is lowered into the well and located opposite a selected formation 22, with the packer units 23 and 24 in collapsed condition, but with the control means in such condition that fluid pressure pumped from the surface will actuate pistons which compress the packers longitudinally (axially of the tool), causing the lateral enlargement of the flexible elements thereof into engagement with the walls of the bore hole.

This condition of actuation is shown in the tool in bore hole 21 of Fig. 1, in this position, by vertical shifting of internal pipe 25 relative to the packer units, access to the selected formation may be accomplished by exposing the ports 26 thereto.

In Figs. 2 and 3, a packer unit 23 according to the invention is shown in enlarged scale, it being understood that the construction of the invention is common to the packer unit 24 of Figure 1. Such a packer unit is suspended from inner pipe 25 which in turn is coupled to supporting pipe 27. The packer unit is shiftable relative to the pipe 25 by means such as shown in my prior apr plications for control purposes which include the shifting of ports 26, as will be further described.

Each packer unit comprises an upper body member 28 and a lower body member 29 held in spaced relationship on the mandrel 30 externally of pipe 25. The lower body member is formed with an internal recess which constitutes a ring-type cylinder 31 in which is mounted a ring-type piston 32 having the configuration shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Cylinders 31 are supplied with fluid pressure through internal ducts 33 leading to the external walls of pipe 25. It will thus be seen from a comparison Of Figs. 2 and 3 that when the packer unit is in the Fig. 2 position, ports 26 are in register with ducts 33 and the unit is in condition for fluid pressure to be delivered to cylinder 31 to actuate piston 32. In Fig. 3, however, pipe 25 having been shifted relative to the packer unit, ports 26 have been closed off from ducts 33 leaving the cylinders sealed full of fluid pressure. In the case of packer 23, ports 26 are shifted externally of the tool and may then serve as treating or production ports, as shown in Fig. 3. Safety vents 43 are provided to prevent excessive movement of piston 32.

2,738,017 to the upper body member and the piston, to travel axially of the tool a predetermined distance away from the point of maximum expansion of packer 34, after which they come into contact and seat upon the upper body mem5 ber and piston, as seen in Fig. 3. This movement accomplishes several purposes: it avoids any shearing action between the material of packer 34 which is bonded to the plates 45, 46, and it permits springs 50, 51 to be compressed axially as they become uncoiled. While this 10 movement is taking place the inner ply layers of packer 34 beneath the plates are afforded an . increased wadding action. The compression of springs 50, 51 by the action of the hook-shaped noses 47, 48 enhances the strength of the springs as the packer is actuated, particularly since 15 the overlapping of the coils will take place to a greater extent in the coils of the springs adjacent the center of the packer, where the most strength is needed to encounter the internal forces in the packer which seek to escape through the collar assemblages.

Finally when the tool has been actuated to its fullest extent, as in Fig. 3, the material of packer 34 will be firmly held in engagement with the bore hole walls, and supported in this position by the bearing plates whose hook-shaped noses will contact the bore hole walls, these 25 plates, together with the coil springs providing metallic collars of improved design which will confine and protect the resilient packer material with improved results.

The drawings are not intended to show precise scale. To give an example, however, of a typical packer unit for 30 a five inch well, the resilient packer element may be nine feet, overall and four inches diameter prior to actuation, the bearing plates fifteen inches long, and the piston and cylinder constructed for a five foot maximum stroke. The coil springs of highly resilient carbon steel may be twenty 35 inches prior to axial compression by the bearing plates, with a substantial overlap which is increased when the packer is actuated.