Abstract: A liner hanger running tool (10) and method are provided for positioning a liner in a well bore. A tool mandrel (24) is supported from a running string, and a housing (44) surrounds the tool mandrel. A flow annulus between the mandrel and the housing allows fluid to pass upward through the running tool to a position above the liner. A hydraulic release mechanism (78, 79) is activated by fluid pressure within the mandrel to axially move a piston (50) positioned radially outward of the mandrel to release the running tool from the liner.

Abstract: A liner hanger running tool (10) and method are provided for positioning a liner in a well bore. A tool mandrel (24) is supported from a running string, and a housing (44) surrounds the tool mandrel. A flow annulus between the mandrel and the housing allows fluid to pass upward through the running tool to a position above the liner. A hydraulic release mechanism (78, 79) is activated by fluid pressure within the mandrel to axially move a piston (50) positioned radially outward of the mandrel to release the running tool from the liner.

Abstract: A deflection apparatus is provided. In one described embodiment, the apparatus includes a torque resistant retrievable whipstock sealingly attached to a packer. The whipstock may be separated from the packer by applying an axial force to a first housing and thereby releasing a sleeve sealingly disposed between the first housing and a second housing for displacement relative to the second housing. The first housing and sleeve may then be removed from within the second housing, leaving a relatively large diameter seal bore attached above the packer.

Abstract: In a parent wellbore casing, full bore access to the portion of the casing beneath a lateral bore liner portion therein is provided using a specially designed tubular retrievable anchor assembly hydraulically set within the casing above the liner portion and having a depending mill guide portion. A milling pipe with a first rotary mill is extended through the anchor assembly, with the mill being laterally deflected by the guide to mill a partial opening through the bottom side wall of the liner portion. The milling pipe is then withdrawn from the casing, the first mill replaced with a second rotary mill, and a specially designed tubular retrieval collet coaxially secured to the milling pipe. The milling pipe is then extended downwardly through the anchor assembly, the second mill used to enlarge the initial liner opening, and the collet snapped into the anchor assembly. The anchor assembly is then retrieved by pulling up on the milling pipe to release the anchor assembly which is removed from the casing.

Abstract: In a parent wellbore casing, full bore access to the portion of the casing beneath a lateral bore liner portion therein is provided using a specially designed tubular retrievable anchor assembly hydraulically set within the casing above the liner portion and having a depending mill guide portion. A milling pipe with a first rotary mill is extended through the anchor assembly, with the mill being laterally deflected by the guide to mill a partial opening through the bottom side wall of the liner portion. The milling pipe is then withdrawn from the casing, the first mill replaced with a second rotary mill, and a specially designed tubular retrieval collet coaxially secured to the milling pipe. The milling pipe is then extended downwardly through the anchor assembly, the second mill used to enlarge the initial liner opening, and the collet snapped into the anchor assembly. The anchor assembly is then retrieved by pulling up on the milling pipe to release the anchor assembly which is removed from the casing.

Abstract: In a parent wellbore casing, full bore access to the portion of the casing beneath a lateral bore liner portion therein is provided using a specially designed tubular retrievable anchor assembly hydraulically set within the casing above the liner portion and having a depending mill guide portion. A milling pipe with a first rotary mill is extended through the anchor assembly, with the mill being laterally deflected by the guide to mill a partial opening through the bottom side wall of the liner portion. The milling pipe is then withdrawn from the casing, the first mill replaced with a second rotary mill, and a specially designed tubular retrieval collet coaxially secured to the milling pipe. The milling pipe is then extended downwardly through the anchor assembly, the second mill used to enlarge the initial liner opening, and the collet snapped into the anchor assembly. The anchor assembly is then retrieved by pulling up on the milling pipe to release the anchor assembly which is removed from the casing.

Abstract: A retrievable mill guide and anchor assembly is provided for use in forming a side wall window in a vertical subterranean well casing for subsequent connection to the casing of a lateral bore liner member extending through the casing window. The mill guide extends upwardly from the top end or the anchor. With the assembly in its run-in orientation, a milling pipe with a first mill bit on its lower end is releasably locked within the upper mill guide end, and pressurized fluid within the milling pipe is used to hydraulically set the anchor in the casing. After the anchor is set, the first mill bit is rotated, lowered and deflected by the mill guide to engage and form an initial opening in the casing side wall. The milling pipe is then removed from the casing, the first mill bit is replaced with a second mill bit, and a specially designed retrieval collet is installed on the milling pipe.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for creating a multilateral well and improved multilateral well structures.

Abstract: A concentric wet connector system useful for connecting, disconnecting and reconnecting small diameter fluid lines (40, 42, 44) and electrical lines (46) downhole in oil and gas wells, the system comprising first and second slidably engageable well tubulars (32, 38) coaxially disposed around a longitudinal bore, each well tubular having a circumferentially extending wall section containing at least one auxiliary conduit leading to a connector port 64 paired and communicating with a connector port 66 of the other tubular. The connector ports in each well tubular are preferably spaced apart both circumferentially and longitudinally.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for creating a multilateral well and improved multilateral well structures.

Abstract: A packer set safety valve assembly for controlling annular and tubing flows within a subterranean wellbore is disclosed. The packer set safety valve assembly controls the annular and tubing flows through dual flow paths. The assembly includes a means, that is remotely actuatable, to secure the assembly within the wellbore, a means, also remotely actuatable, the allows selective control of fluid flow in the dual flow paths, and a means, remotely actuatable as well, to unsecure the assembly from within the wellbore. The packer set safety valve assembly is a "fail closed" design which prevents flows through the dual flow paths when the fluid flow control means is not actuated to allow flow.

Abstract: A torque-resistant hydraulically settable packer is coaxially positionable within a subterranean well flow conductor and has a tubular body that carries a circumferentially spaced series of radially outwardly movable slip anchors having, on outer side surfaces thereof, gripping teeth with lengths that are sloped relative to the longitudinal axis of the tubular and to a plane perpendicular. Inner side surfaces of the slip anchors are engaged by circumferentially spaced flat outer side surface areas formed on the facing frustroconical ends of an opposed pair of annular setting wedge members coaxially carried by the tubular body and being axially drivable to radially outwardly shift the slip anchors to their setting positions.

Abstract: A liner hanger and a method of hanging a liner.

Abstract: An annular safety system for an oil well. The annular safety system is in the form of a hanger mechanism. The hanger mechanism is particularly effective in an oil well equipped for gas lift operation where gas is injected into an annular space between the well casing and the production tubing in order to aerate produced oil migrating up the wellbore through the production tubing. The hanger mechanism includes a casing nipple which is run into the well with the casing and a stationary threaded tubing holder which is run into the well with tubing. The hanger mechanism includes a device which, upon running the stationary threaded tubing holder into the well through the casing nipple, secures the stationary threaded tubing holder in a particular position relative to the casing nipple and prevents upward and downward movement of the stationary threaded tubing holder relative to the casing nipple.

Abstract: An annular safety system for a well produced by gas lift includes a packer, a landing nipple below the packer and an operating seal unit to which primary and secondary well tubings and a control line are connected. There is an inline valve in the secondary tubing and safety valve operated by the control line in a primary flow conduit in the operating seal unit. After the operating seal unit is inserted through the packer to automatically land and be locked in the landing nipple and the packer operated to anchor and seal in a well casing, flow passages are formed for conveying lift gas from the secondary tubing to around the landing nipple for lifted flow upward through the primary conduit and tubing. When the well is being produced by lift gas, and pressure in the control line is reduced purposely or by rupture of the control line, the safety valve operates to prevent upward lifted flow in the primary tubing.

Abstract: A combination packer/safety valve assembly is connectable to the bottom end of a tubing string and lowerable therewith into the casing string portion of a gas storage well to control the upward flow through the casing string of pressurized gas stored in a subterranean cavern below the casing string. In response to the delivery through the tubing string to the interior of the assembly of control fluid at a first predetermined pressure a normally closed, axially extending interior passage of the assembly is opened to permit upward flow therethrough of pressurized gas for delivery to the well surface through the casing string.

Abstract: A packing assembly which is connectable to reeled tubing and which can be inserted in and pushed through a wellbore tube by the reeled tubing. The packing assembly is hydraulically set in a locking and sealing position in the wellbore by fluid introduced from the reeled tubing and, after use, is hydraulically released and removed from the wellbore. An actuating apparatus is provided for hydraulically actuating the packing assembly and can be converted in a manner to pull the packing assembly from the wellbore. Prior to the removal of the packing assembly from the wellbore, the wellbore fluid pressure is equalized across the packing assembly.

Abstract: A compact, retrievable packer has a unitary mandrel body which is intersected by one or more longitudinal production bores. The running length of the packer is reduced and premature set/release are prevented by a lock assembly which releasably locks the lower setting wedge to the packer mandrel. The lock assembly includes one or more locking dogs mounted within mandrel pockets for radial extension and retraction. The locking dogs are extended into an annular slot formed between a retainer collar and the packer mandrel. The lower setting wedge is secured by threaded engagement with the retainer collar. When the locking dogs are extended, the lower setting wedge is blocked against longitudinal displacement, thereby opposing setting forces applied to anchor slips. The locking dogs are held in the locked position by brace rods which are releasably blocked by a shifting sleeve mounted in one of the packer mandrel bores.

Abstract: A compact, retrievable packer has a unitary mandrel body which is intersected by one or more longitudinal bores. The effective running length of the packer is reduced by an improved arrangement of packer components which serve multiple functions. The hydraulic actuator includes a cylinder housing which also serves as an internal slip housing, a lower element retainer, a piston extension, and a part of the release apparatus. A release sleeve serves as a part of the release apparatus, as a mandrel for engaging a locking slip, and forms a fixed boundary of the hydraulic pressure chamber. The effective running length of the packer is further reduced by making the upper wedge for reacting the setting forces as an integral part of the packer mandrel body.

Abstract: A well packer for sealing an annular space within a well bore around a tubing string including a tubular mandrel, an expandable seal assembly on the mandrel for sealing around the mandrel with a well bore wall, a slip assembly on the mandrel for releasably locking the packer with the well bore wall, a drag spring and slip carrier assembly around the slip assembly, and an interlock assembly for selectively coupling the drag spring and slip carrier assembly with the mandrel for operating the packer through running, set, and release modes. The interlock assembly includes running segments movable a limited distance on the mandrel to prevent jamming of the packer parts in response to mandrel rotation in a non-setting direction. The interlock assembly also includes locking segments having structure to fully seat the segments on the mandrel under load and to minimize packer element compression loss during setting.