Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
HANGER MECHANISM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to well completion
equipment and techniques and specifically to a universal
liner hanger apparatus for hanging a liner in a well bore
and a hanger mechanism therefor.
2. Prior Art
A liner is a section of casing or tubing which is
suspended in a well without normally extending to the
surface. Liners are used for many purposes including well
control and reducing the initial cost of casing. Liners
may be installed entirely within outer casing strings or
partially within the casing and partially within an open
hole.
In one type of liner hanging operation, the liner is
set or hung by first lowering the liner and a setting tool
connected to an operating string into the well bore. The
liner is hung, usually on slips, and the setting tool is
usually then released from the liner.
Prior liner hanger tools are also known which utilize
reciprocating motion between an outer tubular sleeve and
an inner tubular body. The hanger slips are retracted as
long as dog springs attached to the slips are restrained
by a stop. Upon reachiny the setting depth, the hanger
tubular body is raised enough to engage the dog springs on
a sliding trip ring. The tubular body is then lowered,
causing the dog springs to move over both the trip ring
and the stop. The greater relative movement allowed by
the dog springs riding over the stop causes the slips to
move along cone segments and wedge against the casing to
support the liner.
In U.S. Patent No. 3,195,646 to C.C. Brown, issued
July 20, 1965, a liner hanger is shown in which a pin on
the tubular body is carried in a J-shaped slot on the
outer tubular sleeve. By lifting and rotating the tuking
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string at the surface, the pin can be manipulated in the
J-shaped slot, thereby allowing relative movement between
th~ sleeve and tubular body to activate the slip setting
mechanism.
In drilling and completin~ wells in offshore areas,
particularly where operations are conducted from a
~loating vessel as is now frequently done, the operating
string is necessarily sub~ected to vertical movements due
to the rise and fall of the vessel from which the operat:ions
are conducted. As a result, it is difficult to utilize
mechanical manipulation of the operating string in setting
of liners since vertical pushing and pulling movements,
when using the reciprocation set and J-pin type setting
mechanism, may result in premature setting of the liner
hanger and other difficulties. U.S. Patent No. 3,223,170
to James D~ Mott, issued December 14, 1965, shows a hydraulic
pressure-set liner hanger designed to reduce the necessity
of mechanical manipulation of the drill string. In the
hydraulic setting mechanism, a hydraulic piston actuated
by pressure in the tubing string engages the liner setting
mechanism to set the slips. U.S~ Patent Nos. 3,291,220
to James D. Mottl issued December 13, 1966, and 3,60~,63
to Chudleigh B. Cochran, issued September 28, 1971, also
show hydraulically actuated liner hanger tools.
Prior liner llanger tools generally lacked versatility
in that each tool was unique and designed to meet a
particular need or operating condition. Thus, the
hydraulically set liner hanger tool did not normally
operate by mechanical manipulation or vice-versa. In
addition to lacking versatility, there were few common
parts between liner hanger tool designs thereby increasing
the manufac~uring costs and inventory requirements.
There exists a need for a universal tool which can be
adapted to be set by any o~ the conventional methods and
which has fewer specialized parts to stock.
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SUMMARY OF THE IN~ENTION
The present invention is a uni~ersal liner hanger
apparatus for hanging a liner in a well bore casing which
includes an elongated tubular body having upper connecting
means on the upper end thereof and lower connecting means
on the lower end thereof. Expander means are carried on
the tubular body. Gripping means carried on the tuhular
body are engageable with the expander means for shifting
the gripping means into gripping engagement with the well
bore casing. Interchangeable setting means are provided
which are adapted to engage a selected one of the upper
and lower connecting means. The interchangeable setting
means are actuable to engage the gripping means with the
expander means responsi~e to each of mechanical manipula-
tion and fluid pressure.
Preferably, the expander means comprises a pluralityof longitudinally spaced sets of conically shaped cone
elements extending circumferentially around the exterior
of the tubular body. The g~ripping means comprises a
plurality of interconnected slip elements having outwardly
protruding teeth thereon or gripping engagement on the
casing. Pxeferably, the interchangeable setting means is
actuable to engage the gripping means with the expander
means responsive to actuation by a mechanism selected of
the group consisting of a reciprocating sleeve, a
hydraulic piston, a J-pin, and a setting tool.
Most preferably, the gripping means is a plurali-ty of
longitudinal bars having spaced integrally formed slip
elements, each of the longitudinal bars having a guide
portion adapted to be received within guide tracks formed
in selected ones of the conically shaped cone elements on
the exterior of the tubular body. Each longitudinal bar
is provided with connectors at either end thereof for
connection to a selected one of the interchangeable
setting means to move the slip elements along the
conically shaped cone elements to engage the casing.
Additional objects, features, and advantages will be
apparent in the description which follows.
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BRIEF DE5CRIPTION OF THE ~R~WINGS
Fig. 1 is a side~ partial cross-sectional view oE the
universal liner hanger tubular hody, expander means and
gripping means of the invention.
Fig. 2 is a side, partial cross-sectional view of the
universal body of Fig. 1 with a liner tie back sleeve
connected to the upper end thereof.
Fig. 2A is a side, partial cross-sectional view of
the device of Fig~ 2 showing the downward continuation
thereof and showing a reciprocating sleeve setting
mechanism connected to the lower end thereof.
Fig. 3 is a side, partial cross-sectional view of a
liner tie back sleeve similar to that shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 3A is a side~ partial cross~sectional view of
the device of Fig. 3 showing the downward continuation
thereof and showing the universal hanger body with a
hydraulically actuated setting mechanism connected to the
lower end thereof.
Fig. 4 is a side, partial cross-sectional view of a
liner tie back sleeve similar to Fig. 3.
Fig. 4A is a side partial cross-sec~ional view of the
device of Fig. 4 showing the downward continuation thereof
and showing the liner hanger body with a J-pin actuated
setting mechanism connected to the lower end thereof.
Fig. 5 is a side, partial cross-sectional view of a
tie back se-tting sleeve of the type used with a running
tool setting mechanism.
Fig. 5A is a downward continuation of Fig. 5 showing
the universal hanger body connected to the tie back
setting sleeve~ the universal body having a standard
internally threaded connector sub connected to the lower
end thereof.
Fig. 6 is an isolated view of the gripping means of
the universal liner hanger showing the connectors thereof.
Fig. 6A is a partially broken away cross-sectional
view of the universal liner hanger tubulax body of Fig. 1
taken along lines VI~VI in Fig. 6.
~ 5 --
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Turning now to Fig. 1~ there is shown a portion of a
universal liner hanger tool of the type used for hanging a
liner in a well bore casing. The liner hanger tool
includes an elongated tubular body 11 having an internally
threaded upper end 13 and an externally threaded lower end
15 at the opposite end thereo~. The upper external
surface of elongated tubular body 11 is provided with an
O-ring groove 12 and upper and lower circumferential
grooves 19, 21 respectively adapted for receiving a
suitable liner tie back sleeve/liner tie bac~ setting
sleeve as will be more fully described later The
circumferential grooves 19, 21, internally threaded upper
end 13 and e~ternally threaded lower end 15 comprise upper
and lower connecting means, respectively, for connecting
the tubular body 11 in a pipe string to make-up the
universal liner hanger tool as will be presently described.
Tubular body 11 has an internal bore 17 which communicates
between ends 13, 15 of the body 11 ~or conducting well
fluids and the like.
Formed on the external surface of body 11 below lower
circumferential groove 21 are a plurality o~ longitudinally
spaced slip expander means 27, 29 (see Fig. 6) Slip
expander means, 27, 29 preferably comprise two longitudinally
spaced sets of conically-shaped cone elements having inward-
ly sloping surfaces 2~, 26 made to co-operably engage upper
and lower sets of toothed pipe-gripping wedges or slips 311
33. Slips 31, 33 are carried on body 11 and are engageable
with expander means 27, 29 for shifting the gripping slips
31, 33 radially outwardly into gripping engagement with the
surrounding well casing in response to relative longitudinal
movement between the expander means and the related slips.
As shown in Figs. 6 and 6A, the expander means or
cones 27, 29 can be provided as longitudinally spaced sets
on tubular body 11, each set having -three cones located
120 degrees apart at each of two locations along the longi-
tudinal axis o~ the tubular body 11. The cones 27~ 29 are
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stationary and can be milled from the tubular body 11.
Each cone 27, 29 in addition to having a sloping surface
24, 26 for receiving a slip 31, 33, has a milled-out guide
track or slot 28, 18 formed in the mid por~ion thereof
and parallel to the longitudinal axis of tubular body 11
for recei~ing a guide portion 30 of the gripping means.
The guide tracks 28, 18 as shown in Figs. and 6A are cut
the entire depth of the cones 27, 29 and include an upper
retaining lip 16.
The gripping means, designated generally as 32 in
Fig. 6 is made up of three identical longitudinal bars 34,
each of which is received within a respective aligned pair
of cone guide tracks 18, 28. It should be understood that
a greater or lesser number of longitudinal bars 34 could
be used as well. Longitudinal bars 34 have spaced,
integrally formed slip elements 31 ! 33 formed therein.
Slip 31 has a rear edge 36 which is joined to a
generally rectangular mid section 38 which is adapted to
be received within a guide ~rack 18 milled out of cone 29.
The top surface 44 of mid section 38 is joined by a
downwardly sloping surface 25 to an extension 48 of slip
33. Extension 48 has an upwardly sloping portion 50 which
is joined by a top surface 52 to slip 33O Slip 33 is
generally wedge-shaped having a serrated outer surface 54
and a central "T"-shaped slot 20 formed in the lower edge
56 thereof.
Slip 31 is similar to slip 33 and has an extension 58
at the end thereof opposite rear edge 36. Extension 58
has a top surface 52 and downwardly sloping portion 60
similar to extension 48 which portion Ç0 is joined by an
upwardly sloping portion 23 of an upper section 64 of the
longitudinal bar 34. The upper section 64 of bar 34 is
similar to mid section 38 and is adapted to be recei~ed
within a guide track 28 in cone 27. Upper section 64 of
bar 34 terminates in a t'T'-shaped head connector 70 as
best seen in Fig. 6.
As shown in Figs. 6 and 6AI the guide portion 30
~ 7 ~
formed in the longitudinal bar 34 is suitably shaped to be
slidingly received within the guide tracks 28, 18 in cones
27, 29. Also, the width of the guide portion 30 of the
bars 34 is narrower at the sloping portions 60, 50 than at
the ends o~ the sloping portions 23, 25 opposite the
junction thereof with portions 60, 50. The width of
sloping portions 60, 50 is selected to be narrower than
the openings 90, 92 in grooves 18, 28. The narrower
width of sloping portions 60, 50 allows the bar 34 to be
slidingly engaged on the exterior of the tubular body 11
by inserting the section 38 of bar 34 into the groove 28
and pushing the bar 34 in the direction of cone 29.
In the running in position shown in Fig. 6, the retaining
lips 16 hold the bar 39 inward against ~he tubular body
11. Because of the slope of the cones 27, 29, sliding
movement of the guide portions 30 within the respective
guide tracks 28, 18 caused by pulling on the "T"-head 70
or pushing on the "T"-slot 20 causes the spaced slip
elements 31, 33 to ride up over the cone elements 27, 29
to move the slip elements radially outward to enyage the
surrounding casing.
Elongated tubular body 11 is adapted to engage
interchangeable setting means on a selected one of the
upper and lower connecting means 13, 15, the s~tting means
being actuable to engage the pipe gripping slips 31, 33
with the expander means 27, 29 responsive to each of
mechanical manipulation and fluid pressure. The inter-
changeable setting means .is preferably actuable to engage
the gripping means 31, 33 with the expander means 27, 29
responsive to actuation by a mechanism selected from the
group consisting of a reciprocating sleeve, a hydraulic
piston, a J-pin, and a setting tool. As shown in Figs.
2-4A, a conventional liner tie ba~k sleeve 35 normally
engages the upper circumferential groove 19 in tubular
body 11 when the reciprocating sleeve, hydraulic piston~
and J-pin type interchangeable setting means are connected
to the lower connecting means 15, of the tubular body 11.
-- 8 --
The tie back sleeve 35 is joined to the tubular body 11
by means of a collar 37. Collar 37 has a cylindrical
base portion 42 with an inner shoulder 40 ~Jhich is
received within groove 19. An externally threaded ring
79 matingly engages internal threads in the tie back
sleeve 35 to retain the collar 37 in place and thereby
engage the tie back sleeve 35 and tubular body 11. The
tie back sleeve 35 is "inoperable" in the sense that it
does not move relati~e to the tubular body 11 to set the
pipe gripping slips 31, 33. As shown in Figs. 5 and 5A,
a tie back setting sleeve 129 of the type used with a
running tool setting mechanism can be connected to the
lower circumferential groove 21 of tubular body 11. The
tie back setting slee~e 129 is "operable" in the sense
that it can be used with a conventional running tool
setting mechanism to provide relative movement between
the sleeve 129 and tubular body 11 for setting the pipe.
When a tie back setting sleeve 129 i5 used with the
elongated tubular body 11, a standard bottom connector
sub 133 is connected to the lower connecting means 15
of tubular body 11.
Turning now to Figs. 2 and 2A, the reciprocating
sleeve setting configuration of the tool will be described
in greater detail. As shown in Fig. 2, elongated tubular
body 11 is run into position into the well bore with a tie
back sleeve 35 in place which engages the upper circumfer-
ential groove 19 by means of collar 37. Tie back sleeve
35 and/or tubular body internally threaded upper end 13
can in turn be connected in a running string Inot shown)
which runs to ~he surface of the well bore.
Tubular body 11 has 51ip expander means ~7, 29
extending circumferentially around the exterior o~ the
tubular body 11 and gripping means 31, 33, for gripping
engagemen~ on the well bore casing as has been described.
An interchangeable setting means comprising a tubular
member ~5 is connected to the lower connecting means 15 of
tubular body 11 and extends downwardly therefrom. Tubular
- 9 ~
member 45 has an annular sleeve 47 slidably received on
the exterior surface thereof. Tubular member 45 is
connected to a spring ring 55 which is slidable on the
exterior surface of member 45.
Drag springs 51, 53 on tubular member 45 below
annular sleeve 47 provide su~ficient frictional force to
allow the tubular member 45 to be shifted longitudinally
or "stroked'l relative to annular sleeve 47. Drag spring
51 connects spring ring 55 to a sliding spring retainer 59
which is connected by means of sleeve 61 to upper spring
retaining ring 63 of spring 53. The lower end o~ spring
53 is connected to a lower spring retainer 65~
Spring retainer 65 includes a dog member 74 which, as
shown in Fig. 2A, is recei~ed in a stop groove 94 on the
exterior of tubular members 45. The construction of dog
member 74 allows the tubular member 45 to be shifted
upward relative to sleeve 47 but resists rela-tive movement
in the opposite sense. However, once the tubular member
45 is stroked upwardly far enough to engage and pick up
trip ring 76, downward movement of the tubular member 45
relative to the sleeve 47 results in dog member 74 and
trip ring 76 riding over the stop groove. This movement
also allows sleeve 61 to ride upward under a second dog
member 96 which, in turn, allows the dog member 96 to ride
over the stop groove 94O This allows the upper end 73 of
sleeve 47 which is engaged to slip 33 by the T-head
connection 75 to move the gripping means 31, 33 upwardly
along the expander means 27, 29 to set the slips. The up
and down movement ~hich has been described is,referred to.
The bottom end 67 of tubular member 45 has an
externally threaded surface 69 on which is received a
bottom sub connection 71. Connector sub 71 can be the top
section of a liner to be hung in the well bore or can
comprise means or connection to the liner.
The operation of the reciprocating sleeve setting
mechanism will now be described in greater detail.
Tubular body 11 is run into position in the well bore as
oe~
-- 10 --
shown in Fig. 2 on tie back sleeve 35. Once the tool is
positioned at the desired location in the well bore, the
pipe string is pulled upwardly from the surface to shift
tubular member ~5 relative to sleeve 47. The frictional
resistance provided by springs 51, 53 acting against the
side of the well bore or casiny holds annular sleeve 47 in
place bringing lower spring retainer 65 over trip ring 76
and sleeve 61 under upper spring retainer 59. Setting
weight down on the pipe string from the surface now shifts
member 45 downwardly relative to sleeve 47. The greater
relative movement allowed by dog members 7~, 96 riding
over the stop groove 94 allows the upper end 73 of annular
sleeve 47 to apply an upward force to gripping slip 33
thereby engaging gripping slips 31, 33 with expander means
25, 23 to cause slips 33, 31 to be extended ou~wardly into
gripping engagement with the surrounding casing.
Turning now to Figs. 3 and 3A, the hydraulic piston
actuated setting mechanism for the universal liner hanger
tool will now be descxibed. Tubular body 11 is once again
run into position with a tie back sleeve 35 in place which
is connected at upper circumferential groove 19, collar 37
as has been previously described. Collar 37 is held in
place by an externally threaded retainer ring 79 which
threadedly engages the interior surface of the lower end
of the tie back sleeve 35.
Tubular body 11 is identical to ~hat previously
described in Figs. 1, 2, and 2A. In the configuration
shown in Fig. 3A, however, a hydraulic piston actuated
setting mechanism 81 has an internally threaded upper end
83 which threadedly engages the lower connecting means 15
of tubular body 11. The setting means 81 comprises a
tubular member 85 having an annular sleeve 87 slidably
received on the upper end thexeof. Sleeve 87 is initially
connected to the external surface of upper end 83 by means
of a shear pin 89. The lower end 91 of annular sleeve 87
is threadedly connected to the upper end of a hydraulic
piston member 93. Piston member 93 is a ring-shaped
member slidably received between the exterior surface of
tubular member 85 and a surrounding cylindrical body 95
which is fixedly connected to the lower end of member~85.
The internal diameter of cylindrical body 95 is such that
piston 93 is slidably received between body 95 and tubular
member 85 with a space 97 left at the lower end thereof
which communicates by means o~ a port 99 with the internal
diameter 101 of member 85. An internally threaded connector
sub 103 is connected to the externally threaded connection
105 of member 85A Connector sub 103 can be the top section
of a liner to be hung in the well bore or can comprise means
for connection to the liner.
Operation of ~he hydraulic piston actuated setting
means for the universal liner hanger tool will now be
described. The tubular body 11 is run into position in
the well bore with tie back sleeve 35 in place. Once the
desired depth and location have been reached, the internal
bore or the pipe string below port 99 is closed using
known techniques, such as by dropping a ball into a ball
catching sub (not shown). The tubing string is then
pressured up with an appropriate fluid from ~he surface
and the fluid acts through port 99 on the lower side of
hydraulic piston 93 causing shear pin 89 to shear. Once
the predetermined increase in internal pressure in the
tubing string has sheared pin 89, annular sleeve 87 is
allowed to shift upwardly relative to tubular member l:L
and acts through the "T"-head connection 78 to engage the
gripping means 31, 33 with the expander means 27, 29 to
grip the well casing.
E'igs. 4 and 4A show the J-pin actuate~ setting
mechanism for the universal liner hanger tool. The
tubular body 11 is once again run into position with a tie
bac~ sleeve 35 in place having a collar 37 which engages
the upper circumferential groove 13 in tubular body 11 as
previously described. Tubular body 11 is id~ntical to
that shown in Fig. 1 and has gripping means 31, 33 and
slip expander means ~7, 29~ The J-pin actuated setting
- 12 -
mechanism comprises a tubular member 109 connected to the
lower connecting means 15 of tubular body 11 and extending
downwardly therefrom. Tubular member 109 has an externally
threaded lower end 125 which is engaged hy a bottom
connector sub 127 which can form the upper por-tion of the
liner string to be hung. Tubular member 109 has an annular
sleeve 111 slidably received on the exterior surface thereQf.
As shown in Fig. 4A, annular sleeve 111 has a lower extension
115 connected thereto which carries a transverse pin 117.
Pin 117 is received within a longitudinal slot 119 for
sliding movement therein which slot has a J portion 123
at the lower end thereof for receiving pin 117 in the known
manner~ J-pin mechanisms are known in the art and are
shown, for example, in U.S. Paten-t No. 3,195~646 to
C.C. Brown. Lower extension 115 has drag means comprising
bow spring 113 carried for resisting longitudinal travel
of sleeve 111 in the well bore.
The operation of the J-pin actuated setting mechanism
will now be described. The tubular body 11 is first run
into position in the well bore with a tie back sleeve 35
in place. Once the desired depth and location have been
reached, the pin 117 is moved from the J-portion into slot
119 by rotating the liner running tool from the s~rface.
Pin 117 is then free to move longitudinally within slot
119 as weight is set down on the tubing string from the
surface. Drag means 113 resist longitudinal movement of
sleeve 111 in the well bore thereby allowing tubular body
11 to shift relative to annular sleeve 111 to contact
pipe gripping means 33 with expander means 29 to set the
slips. Sleeve 111 is once again joined to slip 33 by a
"T"-head connection 80.
Turning now to Figs 5 and 5A, there is shown the
running tool actuated setting mechanism for the uni~ersal
liner hanger tool. Tubular body 11 has a tie back setting
sleeve 129 connected by means of a frangible connection
131 to the lower circumferential groove 21. The tie back
setting sleeve 129 has a "T"-slot at the lower end thereof
- 13 -
which engages the "T"-head 70 of the gripping means. The
tie back setting sleeve 129 ~lso has an annular groove 82
in the interior thereof. The lower connec~ing means 15 of
tubular body 11 has a bottom connector sub 133 threadedly
engaged thereon. Connector sub 133 has an upper extent
135 which forms a ledge 137 which is located adjacent the
lower end 139 of gripping means 33 in the position shown.
Connector sub 133 can be the top section of a liner to be
hung in the well bore or can comprise means for connection
to the liner.
The operation of the running tool actuated setting
mechanism will now be described. The tubular body 11 is
first run to the desired depth and location in the well
bore. A conventional runn:ing tool setting mechanism (not
shown~ would be engaged on the threaded upper end 13 of
tubular body 11 and on the annular groove 82 in tie back
setting sleev~ 129. By appropriate manipulation of the
running tool, the frangible connection 131 is sheared
allowing the tie back setting sleeve 129 to be shifted
upwardly relative to tubular body 11. Since tie back
setting sleeve 129 has a "T"-head slot which engages the
slip "T"-head connector 70, the gripping means is moved
upwardly to cause slips 31, 33 to ride up on cones 27, 29.
The running tool setting mechanism has been discussed
in its simplest form and any of a number of running tool
setting mechanisms can be utilized to practice the
invention. A suitable running tool which can be used with
the tie back setting sleeve 129 is shown, for instance, in
U.S. Patent No. 3,608,634 to Cochran, issued September 2~,
1972, entitled "Hydraulic Set Liner Hanger".
Comparing Figs~ 5 and 5A to Figs. 2-4A, it can be
seen that in the reciprocation set, hydraulic piston, and
J pin setting mechanisms, the gripping means is pushed
upwardly from the lower slip end 33. In the running tool
3S setting mechanism of Figs 5 and 5A, the setting mechanism
is pulled upwardly from the upper slip end 31. In both
cases, the tubular body 11, gripping means and expander
~ 14 -
means are identical.
An inventior has been provided with significant
advantages. The universal liner hanger tool of the
invention comprises a universal body with upper and lower
connecting means for connecting interchangeable setting
means. The universal tool has a greater number of common
parts than prior designs, thereby reducing the manufac-
turing costs and replacement part inventory needed. The
universal tool is more versatile than prior designs in
that the tool can accommodate all of the basic setting
mechanisms depending upon the particular situation
encountered at the well site.
