Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
TM16
HOW005
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APPLICATION FOR PATENT
INVENTORS: WILLIAM B. CRAWFORD
PERRY J. DECUIR, SR.
TITLE: T-SLOT MANDREL AND KICROVER TOOL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to side pocket
mandrel and kickover tool apparatu~ for placing and removing
flow control device~ in wells, and particularly to a new and
improved side pocket mandrel having a unique channel and
orientinq sleeve combination for positively orienting and
actuating a kickover tool being moved through the mandrel.
The present invention also provides a new and improved
kickover tool having an arm assembly that is oriented and
pivoted outwardly due to cooperative engagement with a
channel and sleeve in the mandrel.
BACKGROUND OF T~E INVENTION
Side pocket mandrel are used extensively in producing
oil wells in connection with artificial lift operations such
as gas lift. A serie~ of mandrels are spaced vertically in
the production ~tr~ng of tubing that extends down into the
well, and each mandrel ha~ an offset pocket that is arranged
to receive a gas lift valve that can be placed therein, and
removed therefrom , through use of a wireline kickover tool.
The kickover tool generally has an articulated arm assembly
that is pivotally attached to an elongated tray, and an
orienting and trigger mechanism that cooperates with a slot
and shoulder in a "mule-shoe~ orienting sleeve to
rotationally orient the arm assembly with respect to the
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side pocket, and to relea~e the arm a~sembly to pivot
outward so that 8 flow control de~ice coupled thereto can be
inserted into the pocket. Once the flow control i~ latched
in place, the arm a~sembly i~ released therefrom to permit
the kickover tool to be removed from the well. Various
United State~ Patents which illu3trate typical prior device~
are 2,824,525, 3,268,006, 3,741,299, 3,802,503, 4,106,503
and 4,106,564.
In thiC art, reliability of tool performance downhole
is of critical lmportance. Since the mandrel may be located
many thousands of feet below the earth'~ surface, a kickover
tool malfunct$on which re~ult~ in an in~bility to set or
remove a flow control device can cause very tlme consuming
and costly wor~over proc~dure~ to have to be undertaken. As
in many other mech~nical art3, reli~bility of downhole
performance is often directly related to the degree of
simplicity of tool design, becau~e the number of poss$ble
malfunctions usually increase~ w1th complexity. Thus there
is a continuing need in thi~ art for equipment of simple and
reliable de~ign.
An object of the present invention i~ to provide a new
and improved side pocket mandrel having an orienting sleeve
and channel construction that provides improved reliability
of XicXover tool operation and performance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a
new and improved kickover tool having a unique arm assembly
that co-acts with an orienting sleeve and channel in a side
pocket mandrel to a~sure positive and reliable setting and
retrieval of a flow contrQl device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other ob~ects ~re attained in ~ccordance with
the concepts of the pre~ent inventlon through the prov~sion
of a side pocket mandrel having an open bore aligned with
the bore of the tubing, and an elongated internal recess, or
pocket, laterally offset from ~uch open bore. A seal or
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polish bore at the upper end of the pocket extends through
the wall of the mandrel and is arranged to receive the
packing of a valve body that is in~erted through the bore by
operation of a kickover tool. An orienting sleeve having
helical lower guide surfaces that lead to a vertical slot in
the sleeve wall is fixed in a lower end section of the
mandrel, and a longitudinal reces~ or channel i3 formed that
is wider than the slot to provide an eqsentially "T-shaped~
vertically extending recess.
The kickover tool has an upwardly extending, outwardly
biased arm assembly that is pivotally mounted on an
elongated tray. The arm assembly includes a lower arm
having a locator finger on its upper end, and oppositely
directed projections located immediately below the finger.
The lower arm is biased outward, ~o that as the tool is
moved upward through the mandrel, the finger engages one or
the other of the helical surfaces on the orienting sleeve to
cause the arm to be rotationally oriented to a predetermined
position. The projections then enter the channel which
extends outside of the sleeve slot so that the arm is
positively held in an outer position during further upward
movement. With the arm in such outer position, the nose of
a flow control device coupled thereto is very precisely
aligned with the seal bore at the upper end of the pocket,
and is inserted therethrough as the tool is moved upward in
the mandrel. After the flow control device is latched in
place, jarring forces can be applied to disconnect from the
latch on the flow control, and to release a wedge-type lock.
As the kickover tool is moved downward in the mandrel, the
arm is forced inward and locked in an inner position by such
wedge. Then the kickover tool can be retrieved from the
tubing. A secondary lock actuating mechanism also is
provided to allow the arm assembly to be locked in its
pivotally retracted position during such removal.
The present invention eliminates the various power
springs, cores, tr~gger assemblies and the like which
typically have been u ed in prior devices of this type. The
result is an overall substantial simpllfication in kickover
tool design, with greatly increased reliability.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present inventlon has other objects, advantages and
unique features which will become more clearly apparent in
connection with the following detailed description of
preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the
appended drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a longitudinal ~ectional view of a side
pocket mandrel in accordance with this invention7
Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional
view of the channel and slot arrangement;
Figure 3 i5 an enlarged sect$on taken on line 3-3 of
Figure 1:
Figure 3A is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing
another embodiment of a T-slot;
Figures 4A through 4C are longitudinal sectional views,
with some portions in side elevation, of the kickover tool
of the present ~nvention;
Figure 5 is a side elevation view on lines 5-5 of
Figure 4~;
Figures 6-8 are respective sections taken on lines 6-6,
7-7 and 8-8 of Figures 4A and 4B;
Figure 9 is a cross-section Rhowing the projecting ears
on the lower arm of the kickover tool;
Figure 10 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the
arm assembly of the kickover tool being positively oriented
and positioned by cooperation of projections thereon with
the channel and slot arrangement of the mandrel; and
Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 4B ~howing the
arm assembly locked in retracted position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERR~D EMBODIMENTS
Referring initially to Figure 1, a side pocket mandrel
in accordance with the present invention includes an
elongated body section 11 that is generally tubular, and
which defines a main bore 12 and a side pocket region 13
that is offset laterally to the side of such main bore. A
short-length valve seating sub 14 is welded at 15 to the
upper end of the body 11, and has a polish bore receptacle
16 that opens to the outside of the mandrel 10 through an
outer inclined surface 17 thereof. An enlarged diameter
section 18 at the lower end of the bore 1~ provides a latch
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recess, and an inwardly directed, arcuate shoulder 20 is
arranged to cooperate with a latch mechanism to hold a flow
control device (not shown) that extends through the bore 16.
The packing on the flow control device engage~ the wall~ of
the bore 16 to prevent fluid leakage. The axis 22 of the
bore 16 can be inclined downward and inward toward the axis
23 of the bore 12 at a small angle, for example 1-3. A
tubular nipple 24 has it lower end welded at 25 to the
upper end of the seating sub 14, and is provided with
internal threads 26 at its upper end for connection to the
tubing. If desired, an outwardly directed lug 27 can be
provided to protect the nose of the flow control device from
damage due to impact during pipe handling.
A swage nipple 30 is welded at 31 to the lower end of
the main body section 11. The nipple 30 has internal
threads 32 at its lower end for connection to the tubing
string. An orienting sleeve 33 is fixed in a suitable
manner inside the bore 34 of the lower portion 35 of the
swage nipple 30, and has a pair of helical lower surfaces 36
that lead upward to an open-ended slot 37 in the sleeve 33.
As shown in enlarged detail in Figures 2 and 3, the slot 37
is rotationally oriented so as to overlay an elongated,
vertically disposed recess 38 that is formed in the wall of
the lower portion 35. The recess 38 has a generally
semi-circular cro~s-section to provide a concave outer wall
surface 40, and the width of the inner portion of the recess
is substantially greater than the width of the sleeve 310t
37. The arrangement of parts provides a generally T-shaped,
elongated channel whose walls are defined by the outer wall
surface 40, the outer surfaces 41, 42 of the sleeve 33 to
the sides of the slot 37, and the opposed wall surfaces 43,
44 of the lot 37. As shown in Figure 2, the upper end of
the channel 38 opens into the side pocket region 13 above
the inclined upper end 3urface 45 of the ~leeve 33, and the
lower end portion 47 of the channel extend a distance d
below t~e lower end of the slot 37. If desired, the lower
end surface of the channel 38 can be inclined downward and
inward toward the axis of the lower portion 35 of the swage
nipple 30.
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Another structural arrangement forming a T-~haped
channel is ~hown in Figure 3A. In this case the orienting
sleeve 133 fits in an eccentrically arranged counterbore 110
in the swage nipple 130, the centerline of the cylindrical
inner wall surface 111 of the sleeve being aligned with the
axis 23 of the mandrel bore 12. The longitudinal slot 137
in sleeve 133 i5 widened to the outside as shown to provlde
a pair of transverse wall surfaces 141, 142 and a second
pair of side wall ~urfaces 112 that extend parallel to the
side walls 144 of the slot 137, These wall surfaces,
together with the ad~acent inner wall surface 140 of the
swage nipple 130 provide a T-shaped channel similar to that
shown in Figure 3, except that there are no acute corners in
which a wireline might become lodged.
A kic~over tool 50 in accordance with the present
invention is shown in Figures 4A, 4B and 4C. The tool 50
includes an elongated body or tray 51 having a threaded
connector sub 52 for a wireline socket at its upper end.
The sub 52 can be threaded at 53 to the upper end of the
tray body 54. The body 54 is provided with an elongated
recess 55 that receives a flow control device 56 as shown in
phantom lines, which can be a ga~ lift valve, a dummy, or
the like. A kickover arm assembly indicated generally at 57
in Figure 4B is attached by a transverse pivot pin 58 near
the lower end of the reces~ 55.
The arm a~sembly 57 includes a lower arm 60 having an
upper arm 61 pivotally attached thereto by a pin 62. The
lower arm 60 has an elongated slot 63 through which the
mounting pin 58 extend~ to enable a degree of upward
movement of the the tray 51 relative to the lower arm. The
lower portion of the arm 60 has an inclined rear surface 64,
and a lower end surface 65 that i~ rounded on a large
radius. As shown in Figure 5, the upper portion 66 of the
arm 60 has a reduced wall thickness and terminates in a
rounded end portion or finger 67. The upper outer edge of
the portion 66 is inclined upward and inward as shown.
Suitable means such as a leaf spring 74 i~ secured to the
arm 60 above the pin 58 in a manner such that the free end
of the leaf spring slidably engages a back wall surface of
the recess 55. Thus arranged, the leaf spring 74 urges the
arm 60 to pivot in a clockwise direction about the pin 58,
as viewed in Figure 4B.
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A pair of oppositely projecting ears 70, 71 are formed
on the upper portion 66, with each ear having oppositely
inclined upper and lower end surfaces 72, 73. A transverse
section through the end portlon 66 and the ears 70, 71 has a
T-shaped configuration as shown in Figure 9. The width of
the leg of the "T" is slightly less than the width of the
slot 37 in the orienting sleeve 33, and the height and
transverse dimensions of the top of the ~T" is sized such
that it will fit with somewhat loose tolerance within the
channel 38 in the swage nipple 30.
As shown in Figure 5, the upper arm 61 of the assembly
57 has a pair of legs 75 that are spaced apart so as to
receive the upper portion 66 of the lower arm 60
therebetween. An outer ~urface 76 of each leg 75 is formed
to have substantially the same radius a~ the inner wall
surface of the orienting sleeve 33. Aligned apertures 77 in
the legs 75 receive the respective ends of the pivot pin 62.
A ledge 68 on the upper arm 61 has a shallow depression 69
that receives the inner end of a compressed coil spring 80
that reacts against an inwardly facing surface 81 on the
upper end portion 67 of the lower arm 60. Since the spring
80 i9 located above the pivot pin 62 the spring functions to
urge the upper end of the arm 61, and thus the upper end of
the flow control device 56, to pivot toward the tray 51.
The upper section 82 of the arm 61 is provided with an
internally threaded socket 83 to which a typical running or
retrieving head (not shown in detail) i~ attached. Of
course the head is coupled to a latch mechanism that is
attached to the lower end o~ the flow control device 56.
In order to lock the arm assembly 57 in its inner
position once the setting of a flow control device has been
accomplished, a mechanism indicated generally at 85 in
Figure 4B is secured to the lower end of the tray 51. The
mechanism 85 includes a tubular housing 86 having its upper
end threaded to the tray 51 at 87, and it~ lower end closed
by a bottom plug 88 (Figure 4C). A wedge 8.9 having an
upward and inwardly inclined surface 90 is mounted on the
upper end of a rod 91 that is slidably received in a central
opening 92 in the upper section 93 of the housing 86. The
lower end of the rod 91 is threaded to a plunger 94 that is
13VZ8~
biased upward by a coil spring 95 which reacts between a
downwardly facing shoulder 96 on the plunger 94 and an
upwardly facing shoulder 97 on the bottom plug 88. As shown
in Figures 4B and a the wedge 89 is releasably coupled to a
blocX 98 on the lower end portion of the tray 51 by a shear
pin 100. The upper surfaces of the block 98 are concave as
shown, and slldably engage the companion curved lower
surface of the arm 60. The wedge 89 fits within a
longitudinal slot 101 in the block 98. A tubular sleeve 99
can be arranged on the lower portion of the tray 51 to
provide a guide for the block 98. The lower end surface of
th~ block 98 normally is spaced upward with respect to the
upper surface of the housing 86 by a distance that is less
than the major length of the pin slot 63 in the lower arm
60.
A release rod 102 (Figure 4C) extends through a central
opening 103 in the bottom plug 88 in a manner such that the
lower end portion 104 thereof projects below the lower end
of the plug. Another hear pin 105 is used to releasably
attach the release rod 102 to the bottom plug 88. The upper
section 106 of the rod 102 has an enlarged diameter to limit
downward movement w~th respect to the plug 88.
OPERATION
In operation, a number of the side pocket mandrels 10
are connected in the well production tubing at selected,
vertically ~paced locations. To set a flow control device
56, such as a gas lift valve, in one of the mandrel~ 10, the
kickover tool 50 is assembled as shown in the drawings, and
the valve and latch are attached by a running head to the
upper end 82 of the arm 61. The kickover tool 50 then is
attached by sinker bars and a set of jar~ to the end of the
wireline, and lowered into the tubing. As the tool enters
the top joint of the tubing, the arm assembly 57 is tucked
in so that the arms and the valve lie within the elongated
recess 55 of the tray body 54. The leaf spring 74 causes
the upper outer surface 67 of the lower arm 60 to slide
gently along the inner wall of the tubing a~ the tool 50 is
lowered into the well.
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When the kickover tool 50 has been lowered to a point
below the mandrel 10 in which the valve 56 is to be set, the
tool is stopped, and then raised slowly upward. The upper
end portion 67 or "finger~ of the lower arm 60 will engage a
helical lower surface 36 on the orienting sleeve 33, which
cause~ the entire kickover tool 50 to rotationally index
until the finger is aligned with the 510t 37 ~or 137 in the
case of the embodiment shown in Figure 3A). As the finger
67 enters the slot 37, the spring 74 causes the upper end of
the arm 60 to pivot further outward so that the ears 70,71
enter the lower end of the T-shaped channel 38 as shown in
Figure 10. As this occurs, the upper end, or nose, of the
gas lift valve 56 is tilted outward into precise alignment
with the seating bore 16 due to sliding en~agement of the
outer wall surfaces 76 of the upper arm 6t with the inner
wall surfaces of the orienting sleeve 33 to either side of
the slot 37. ~he nose of the valve enters ~uch bore as the
ears 70,71 transverse the channel 38. In this manner, the
valve 56 is positively po~itioned and held in the proper
alignment duringlsuch entry. The tool 50 is raised further
upward to complete the valve setting operation, and until
the latch automatically engage~ in the region 18 above the
shoulder 20. An upward jarring blow then $s applied to
shear the pin 100 that secures the wedge 89 to the block 98.
When this occurs, the blocX 98 moves relatively downward and
against the upper end surface of the hou~ing 86, which
positions the nose of the wedge 89 against the lower surface
64 of the arm 60. The coil spring 95 biase~ the plunger 94,
the rod 91 and wedge 89 upward, however upward movement
temporarily is prevented ~y engagement of the wedge with the
arm surface 65. A downward jarring blow is applied to shear
one or more shear pins that connect the running head to the
latch assembly.
To remove the kickover tool 50 from the tubing with the
arm assembly 57 locked in its inner position, the tool is
lowered in the mandrel 10 untll the arm engages the inner
inclined surface of the swage nipple 30. Further downward
movement causes the arm 60 to pivot inward about the pin 58
until ~t is approximately aligned with the axis of the body
54. As such pivoting occurs, the wedge 89 is forced upward
by the spring 95 to position the inclined surfaces 90 and 64
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in contact with one another as shown in Figure 11. The ears
~0,71 force the upper arm 61 inwardly to a retracted
position, so that both arms are locked in the inner po~ition
by the wedge 89. ~he kickover tool 50 then can be raised to
the surface in a condition such that neither arm can hang up
on any shoulder that may be pre~ent in the tubing.
Another means of locking the arms 60, 61 in retracted
position is to lower the kickover tool 50 until the bottom
plug 88 encounters a stop that normally i8 placed in the
tubing in preparation for a wireline operation. When the
lower rod 104 engages the stop, the pins 105 and 100 are
sheared, which allow~ the power spring 95 to extend and
force the wedge 89 upward. At this point, the arms 60, 61
are being held retracted by the inner wall of the tubing.
The inclined surface 90 of the wedge 89 ~nterc behind the
lower end portion of the lower arm 60 as described above,
and functions to lock the arms 60 and 61 in their inner or
retracted po~itions. In such condition, the kickover tool
50 can be removed from the tubing well with ample clearance
between the outer suxfaces of the arms and the inner wall
surfaces of the tubing.
It now will ~e recognized that a new and im~roved side
pocket mandrel and kickover tool have been provided. The
apparatus is relatively simple in construction and
operation, to greatly enhance downhole rel~ability. Since
the T-shaped projection of the lower arm of the kickover
tool engage~ and slides in a channel in the mandrel, the arm
assembly and valve are positively po~itioned in accurate
alignment with the valve seating bore. During setting, the
lower arm rests on the block, which engages the kickover
tool body, so that impact jarring blows are not applied to
the lower pivot pin. After setting has been accomplished,
the arms are locked in retracted position by lowering the
tool in the mandrel, or by engagement with a stop in the
tubing.
Since various changes or modification~ may be made in
the disclosed embodiment~ without departing from the
concepts involved, it is the aim of the appended claims to
cover all such changes and modification~ falling within the
true spirit and scope of the present invention.
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