Dual packer apparatus and method
First Claim
1. Dual packer apparatus comprising:
- a tubular outer assembly having an inner diameter which varies along its length and comprisingan upper packer,a lower packer,and tubular spacer means interconnecting said upper and lower packers and longitudinally spacing said packers from each other;
said outer assembly further defining a respective packer set chamber associated with each of said packers for receipt of fluid whereby said packers may be set;
and a tubular inner assembly having an interior throughbore and an exterior periphery, said inner assembly having an outer diameter which varies along its length, said inner assembly being disposed generally coaxially within said outer assembly and interconnected with said outer assembly for relative telescopic movement of said assemblies between a plurality of relative positions, said inner assembly being adapted for coaxial connection to a well conduit whereby fluid may be directed through such well conduit into said interior throughbore, and said inner assembly defining fluid passage means communicating the interior throughbore with the exterior periphery of said inner assembly, and said fluid passage means further being selectively communicatable with said packer set chambers;
and wherein for each of said relative positions, the inner diameter of said outer assembly, at each point along its length, is greater than the outer diameter of said inner assembly at an adjacent point along its length and all points therebelow.
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Abstract
A dual packer apparatus comprises a tubular outer assembly including upper and lower packers interconnected and spaced apart by tubular spacers. Ports in the outer assembly provide for communication with a well zone between the two packers and a well zone below the lower packer. A tubular inner assembly may be separately assembled and inserted into the outer assembly as assembled. The apparatus may be alternately placed in a number of different operating positions downhole by manipulation of an operating string attached to the inner assembly. Various design features provide special protection for annular seals between the two assemblies. An improved sensor and method of installing the sensor in the inner assembly are also provided.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. Dual packer apparatus comprising:
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a tubular outer assembly having an inner diameter which varies along its length and comprising an upper packer, a lower packer, and tubular spacer means interconnecting said upper and lower packers and longitudinally spacing said packers from each other; said outer assembly further defining a respective packer set chamber associated with each of said packers for receipt of fluid whereby said packers may be set; and a tubular inner assembly having an interior throughbore and an exterior periphery, said inner assembly having an outer diameter which varies along its length, said inner assembly being disposed generally coaxially within said outer assembly and interconnected with said outer assembly for relative telescopic movement of said assemblies between a plurality of relative positions, said inner assembly being adapted for coaxial connection to a well conduit whereby fluid may be directed through such well conduit into said interior throughbore, and said inner assembly defining fluid passage means communicating the interior throughbore with the exterior periphery of said inner assembly, and said fluid passage means further being selectively communicatable with said packer set chambers; and wherein for each of said relative positions, the inner diameter of said outer assembly, at each point along its length, is greater than the outer diameter of said inner assembly at an adjacent point along its length and all points therebelow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. Packer apparatus comprising:
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a tubular outer assembly comprising an upper packer, a lower packer, and tubular spacer means interconnecting said upper and lower packers and longitudinally spacing said packers from each other, said outer assembly further defining a pair of packer set chambers each associated with a respective one of said packers for receipt of fluid whereby the packers may be set, and said outer assembly further having port means including upper port means communicating the interior with the exterior of said outer assembly above said upper packer, mid port means communicating the interior with the exterior of said outer assembly between said packers, and lower port means communicating the interior with the exterior of said outer assembly below said lower packer; a tubular inner assembly disposed generally coaxially within said outer assembly and defining fluid passage means communicating the interior with the exterior of said inner assembly; and a plurality of longitudinally spaced annular seal means carried by at least one of said assemblies for sealing between said assemblies; said inner and outer assemblies being connected for telescopic relative movement between a plurality of positions varying the interrelation of said assemblies, said positions including an inflation position wherein said fluid passage means of said inner assembly communicates with said packer set chambers; and wherein said assemblies, in said inflation position, define a first annular pressure relief bypass therebetween communicating said mid port means with said upper port means, and a second annular relief bypass therebetween communicating said lower port means with said mid port means. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Dual packer apparatus comprising:
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a tubular outer assembly comprising an upper packer, a lower packer, and tubular spacer means interconnecting said upper and lower packers and longitudinally spacing said packers from each other, a tubular inner assembly disposed generally coaxially within said outer assembly; annular seal means carried by at least one of said assemblies for sealing between said assemblies; and means interconnecting said inner and outer assemblies for telescopic relative movement between a plurality of operational positions, said interconnecting means comprising mating projecting and receiving formations relatively longitudinally and circumferentially movable and defining indexing means for determining at least some of said relative positions of said two assemblies; wherein said inner assembly comprise swivel means permitting relative rotation between portions of said inner assembly respectively adjacent and below said interconnecting means whereby relative circumferential movements of said mating projecting and receiving formations may be affected without rotation of said portion of said inner assembly below said interconnecting means. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. Packer apparatus comprising:
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a tubular outer assembly including at least one packer and defining a packer set chamber associated with said packer for receipt of fluid whereby said packer may be set, said packer set chamber having an inlet opening to the interior of said outer assembly; a tubular inner assembly disposed generally coaxially within said outer assembly and interconnected with said outer assembly for relative telescopic movement of said assemblies between a plurality of relative positions including a first position in which said packer may be inflated or deflated and a second position in which said packer may be maintained in an inflated condition, said inner assembly having a packer set port extending therethrough from the interior to the exterior thereof, and said packer set port, in said first position, being disposed for communication with said chamber inlet; a set of annular packer seals disposed coaxially between said inner and outer assemblies and including a first packer seal disposed longitudinally to one side of said packer set port and chamber inlet in said first position, a second packer seal disposed longitudinally to the opposite side of said packer set port and said chamber inlet in said first position, and an auxiliary packer seal disposed longitudinally across said second packer seal from said packer set port and said chamber inlet in said first position; wherein movement of said assemblies from said first position to said second position causes movement of one of said packer set port or said chamber inlet toward said auxiliary packer seal; and wherein said assemblies are dimensioned to provide, in said first position sealing engagement of said first packer seal between said assemblies, sealing engagement of said auxiliary packer seal between said assemblies, and clearance preventing sealing engagement of said second packer seal between said assemblies. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A method of assembling a dual packer apparatus comprising the steps of:
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assembling a tubular outer assembly comprising upper and lower packers interconnected and longitudinally spaced apart by tubular spacer means; supporting said outer assembly on first support means; assembling a tubular inner assembly, through which said packers may be inflated, separately from said outer assembly; supporting said inner assembly on second support means as assembled; lowering said inner assembly generally coaxially into said outer assembly as assembled; interconnecting said inner and outer assemblies after the entirety of said inner assembly has been so lowered; and releasing said first support means and supporting said interconnected inner and outer assemblies on said second support means. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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Specification