Well control apparatus
First Claim
1. Apparatus for controlling wells during drilling operations comprising:
- a. a body for connection in a well string, said body having a longitudinal bore therethrough;
b. reinforced inflatable packer means carried by said body for inflation to seal off the well bore;
c. bore close off means movable through the well string for seating in said body to close off the bore therethrough;
d. control valve means carried on said body and having means responsive to well bore pressure and pressure in the drill string whereby said control valve is movable in one direction in response to increasing pressure differential between the drill string above said bore close off means when seated and the well bore above said packer means to communicate said packer means with a drill string for inflation of said packer means and movable in the opposite direction in response to decreasing pressure differential between the drill string above said bore close off means when seated and the well bore above said inflated packer means to communicate said packer means with the well bore for deflation therefor; and
e. latch means for latching said bore close off means in position in the well string.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tool for running on a well string such as a drill string in a well bore carries inflatable packer means to close off the well bore adjacent the tool. The tool includes a body having a longitudinal bore therethrough with seating means and shock absorbing means for absorbing the shock of seating a bore close off means to close off the bore in the drill string. The bore close off means includes latch means for latching the bore close off means in seated position in the well string.
The tool may be positioned in the drill string near the drilling bit and when pressure is applied in the well string at the earth'"'"'s surface such pressure is conducted through the bore close off means to inflate the inflatable packer means and seal off the well bore beneath the inflated packer means.
The bore close off means includes valve means for selectively controlling flow through the bore close off means, or for preventing flow through the bore close off means, as well as shiftable valve means which enables well bore pressure to be equalized above and below the packer means during deflation of the inflatable packer means.
The tool also includes port means normally closed off by shiftable valve means which may open for circulating fluid in the well bore above the inflated packer means when desired.
The tool also includes valve means responsive to the pressure differential between the drill string and the well bore above the inflatable packer means to sequentially inflate the inflatable packer means when the bore close off means is seated in the well string and to sequentially equalize the pressure above and below the packer means and deflate the packer means.
117 Citations
31 Claims
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1. Apparatus for controlling wells during drilling operations comprising:
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a. a body for connection in a well string, said body having a longitudinal bore therethrough; b. reinforced inflatable packer means carried by said body for inflation to seal off the well bore; c. bore close off means movable through the well string for seating in said body to close off the bore therethrough; d. control valve means carried on said body and having means responsive to well bore pressure and pressure in the drill string whereby said control valve is movable in one direction in response to increasing pressure differential between the drill string above said bore close off means when seated and the well bore above said packer means to communicate said packer means with a drill string for inflation of said packer means and movable in the opposite direction in response to decreasing pressure differential between the drill string above said bore close off means when seated and the well bore above said inflated packer means to communicate said packer means with the well bore for deflation therefor; and e. latch means for latching said bore close off means in position in the well string. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A well bore closure tool for use in a well string having a reinforced inflatable element thereon, control valve means for controlling communication between the well string and reinforced inflatable packer means and a resiliently supported seating sleeve valve means in the well string for receiving the well bore closure tool, the combination including:
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a. an elongated body having a longitudinal bore; b. spring loaded check valve means for closing off flow through the longitudinal bore in one direction; c. therebeing passage means in said body for communicating the bore in said body with the control valve in the well string; and d. spring loaded check valve means normally closing off the passage means, but operable to open the passage when a predetermined pressure exists in the longitudinal bore for communicating well string pressure to act on the control valve and position it to communicate the well string for inflation of the reinforced inflatable element. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification