Coiled tubing hanger assembly

• US 6,192,981 B1
• Filed: 06/07/1999
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: True Turn Machine, LLC (Cactus Wellhead, LLC)
• Original Assignee: True Turn Machine, Inc.
• Inventors: Mathias, Michael J. Sr., Boquet, Lee J., Deville, Billy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): SUCHFIELD, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US09/327,427
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 166/75.11, 166/75.13, 166/75.14, 166/77.2, 166/88.2, 166/384, 188/67, 294/86.1, 294/102.2
• US Class Current: 166/75.13
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/10 Slips; Spiders ; Catching devices rotary tables with master bushing or kelly bushing E21B3/04
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/0422 a suspended tubing or casing being gripped by a slip or an internally serrated member

Abstract

A coiled tubing hanger assembly for supporting coiled tubing in a well including, as a first element, a mechanically-assisted slip assembly characterized by multiple slip segments inserted in a tapered slip bowl located in the midsection of a coiled tubing head. The conical slips are constrained to move in concert in the tapered throat of the tubing head midsection by means of a slip retainer ring and rest on a rack cylinder slidably positioned in the bore of the midsection beneath the slips. The rack cylinder is typically fitted with lands and grooves that engage a pinion gear attached to a slip-operating mechanism to facilitate manually raising and lowering the rack cylinder and the slips together, causing the slip teeth to selectively engage and disengage the segment of coiled tubing extending through the slips and the bore of the rack cylinder, into the well. A pack-off assembly is located in the bore of a lower body secured to the midsection of the tubing head for sealing the coiled tubing against well pressure and pack-off screws are radially seated in the lower body to apply pressure to the pack-off assembly for achieving this purpose. A top bonnet is bolted to the top of the midsection and seats a slip cone shaped to engage the top inside surfaces of the slips to maintain the slips in the proper configuration in the midsection.

Claims

1. A coiled tubing anchor assembly for supporting tubing in a well, comprising a tubing head having an internal bore for receiving the tubing and a tapered throat provided in said bore;

a plurality of slips provided in said bore, said slips having tapered surfaces sidably engaging said tapered throat and slip teeth provided on said slips, said slip teeth facing inwardly of said bore adjacent the tubing;

a rack element slidably disposed in said bore beneath said slips and rack projections provided on said rack element;

a gear disposed for rotation in said tubing head and gear teeth provided on said gear for engaging said rack projections on said rack element; and

a rotatable slip-operating mechanism extending into said tubing head and engaging said gear, wherein said rack element and said slips are slidably displaced in said bore and said tapered throat, respectively, and said slip teeth selectively engage and disengage the tubing responsive to rotation of said slip-operating mechanism and said gear.

2. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 1 comprising a slip cone provided in said bore of said tubing head above said slips for limiting the upward travel of said slips in said bore.

3. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 1 comprising a landing ring provided in said bore of said tubing head below said rack element for limiting the downward travel of said rack element in said bore.

4. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 1 comprising:

a slip cone provided in said bore of said tubing head above said slips for limiting the upward travel of said slips in said bore; and

a landing ring provided in said bore of said tubing head below said rack element for limiting the downward travel of said rack element in said bore.

5. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 1 wherein said rack element comprises a rack cylinder having a longitudinal bore for receiving the tubing and wherein said rack projections comprise lands and grooves for engaging said gear teeth of said gear.

6. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 5 comprising a slip cone provided in said bore of said tubing head above said slips for limiting the upward travel of said slips in said bore.

7. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 5 comprising a landing ring provided in said bore of said tubing head below said rack element for limiting the downward travel of said rack element in said bore.

8. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 5 comprising:

a slip cone provided in said bore of said tubing head above said slips for limiting the upward travel of said slips in said bore; and

a landing ring provided in said bore of said tubing head below said rack element for limiting the downward travel of said rack element in said bore.

9. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 1 comprising a pack-off assembly provided in said bore beneath said rack element for sealing said rack element and said slips from well pressure.

10. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 9 comprising:

a slip cone provided in said bore of said tubing head above said slips for engaging said slips and limiting the upward travel of said slips in said bore; and

a landing ring provided in said bore of said tubing head below said rack element for engaging said slips and limiting the downward travel of said rack element in said bore.

11. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 10 wherein said rack element comprises a rack cylinder having a longitudinal bore for receiving the tubing and wherein said rack projections comprise lands and grooves for engaging said gear teeth of said gear.

12. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 9 comprising at least one pack-off screw extending through said tubing head to said pack-off assembly for applying pressure to said pack-off assembly and securing said pack-off assembly against the well pressure.

13. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 12 comprising:

a slip cone provided in said bore of said tubing head above said slips for engaging said slips and limiting the upward travel of said slips in said bore; and

a landing ring provided in said bore of said tubing head below said rack element for engaging said slips and limiting the downward travel of said rack element in said bore.

14. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 13 wherein said rack element comprises a rack cylinder having a longitudinal bore for receiving the tubing and wherein said rack projections comprise lands and grooves for engaging said gear teeth of said gear.

15. A coiled tubing anchor assembly for supporting tubing in a well, comprising a tubing head having an internal bore for receiving the tubing and a tapered throat provided in said bore;

a tapered slip cone provided in said bore;

a plurality of slips provided in said bore beneath said slip cone, said slips having tapered outer surfaces slidably engaging said tapered throat and tapered inner surfaces slidably engaging said slip cone and slip teeth provided on said slips, said slip teeth facing inwardly of said bore adjacent the tubing;

a rack element sidably disposed in said bore beneath said slips and rack projections provided on said rack element;

a gear disposed for rotation in said tubing head and gear teeth provided on said gear for engaging said rack projections on said rack element; and

a rotatable slip-operating mechanism extending into said tubing head and engaging said gear, wherein said rack element and said slips are slidably displaced in said bore and said tapered throat, respectively, and said slip teeth selectively engage and disengage the tubing responsive to rotation of said slip-operating mechanism and said gear.

16. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 15 comprising a landing ring provided in said bore of said tubing head below said rack element for limiting the downward travel of said rack element in said bore.

17. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 16 comprising a slip cone flange provided on said slip cone for engaging said slips and limiting the upward travel of said slips in said bore.

18. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 17 wherein said rack element comprises a rack cylinder having a longitudinal bore for receiving the tubing and wherein said rack projections comprise lands and grooves for engaging said gear teeth of said gear.

19. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 18 comprising a pack-off assembly provided in said bore beneath said rack element for sealing said rack element and said slips from well pressure and at least one pack-off screw extending through said tubing head to said pack-off assembly for applying pressure to said pack-off assembly and securing said pack-off assembly against the well pressure.

20. A coiled tubing anchor assembly for supporting tubing in a well, comprising a tubing head having an internal bore for receiving the tubing and a tapered throat provided in said bore;

a slip cone provided in said bore, said slip cone having a flange and a tapered base extending from said flange;

a plurality of slips provided in said bore, said slips having tapered outer surfaces sidably engaging said tapered throat and tapered inner surfaces sidably engaging said tapered base of said slip cone and slip teeth provided on said slips, said slip teeth facing inwardly of said bore adjacent the tubing;

a rack cylinder sidably disposed in said bore beneath said slips and lands and grooves provided on said rack cylinder;

a gear disposed for rotation in said tubing head and gear teeth provided on said gear for engaging said lands and grooves on said rack cylinder; and

a rotatable slip-operating mechanism extending into said tubing head and engaging said gear, wherein said rack cylinder and said slips are sidably displaced in said bore and said tapered throat, respectively, and said slip teeth selectively engage and disengage the tubing responsive to rotation of said slip-operating mechanism and said gear.

21. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 20 comprising a landing ring provided in said bore of said tubing head below said rack cylinder for limiting the downward travel of said rack cylinder in said bore.

22. The coiled tubing anchor assembly of claim 21 comprising a pack-off assembly provided in said bore beneath said rack cylinder for sealing said rack cylinder and said slips from well pressure and at least one pack-off screw extending through said tubing head to said pack-off assembly for applying pressure to said pack-off assembly and securing said pack-off assembly against the well pressure.