Abstract: A remotely operable connector having releasably connectable male and female members. The male member sealingly engages the female member on connection. The female member houses radially moveable dogs which may be locked in connecting engagement in a groove on the male connector by a lock sleeve longitudinally moveable over the dogs. The sleeve, which is biased to dogs locked position, moves to dogs unlocked position in response to pressure applied to a first inlet and may be retained in dogs locked position by continued application of pressure to a second inlet. The female connector houses a pressure lock which prevents movement of the lock sleeve from locked position on application of pressure to the first inlet, if there is pressure in the connector bore. The connector is unlocked for disconnect when there is no pressure in the connector bore and pressure is applied through the first inlet, moving the sleeve to dogs unlocked position.

Abstract: A connector useful in releasably connecting well servicing equipment to wellheads. A male connector member houses resilient seals sealingly engageable in the female member on connection. The female connector member houses radially moveable dogs which may be locked in connecting engagement in a groove on the male connector by a lock sleeve longitudinally moveable over the dogs. The sleeve is longitudinally moveable in response to pressure and is biased toward dogs locked position and may be retained there by application of pressure through a first inlet in the sleeve. The female connector houses a pressure lock which prevents movement of the lock sleeve on application of pressure to a second lock sleeve inlet, if there is pressure in the connector bore.

Abstract: Disclosed is a safety system for well testing, utilizing a new and novel bleedoff tool in the subsea test tree handling string, which provides rapid pressure reduction in the handling string and assures mechanical disconnect of the subsea test tree if the test tree cannot be disconnected hydraulically. The bleedoff tool is operated and opened to bleed pressure from the handling string by applying a predetermined torque. This tool may be extended by pull to transmit higher than opening torque and will transmit torque after opening. The bleedoff tool contains an internal valve, which closes when the bleedoff tool is opened, and retains fluids in the handling string. The bleedoff tool operating torque values are not changed by high internal pressures or great axial tension or compressive loads on the tool.

Abstract: Disclosed is a safety and kill valve device useful in tubing above a packer set above a producing formation in a well, operable to shut off tubing flow and open wall flow passages to the well annulus through which heavy formation killing fluid may be pumped into the tubing. A lower ball valve is used to shut off tubing flow and an upper sleeve valve, cooperable with the ball valve, controls flow through the wall flow passage. An operating tube moves downwardly, opening the ball valve and closing the sleeve valve while compressing a spring. The compressed spring furnishes operating force to move the operating tube upwardly, closing the ball valve and opening the sleeve valve. Two embodiments operate automatically in response to higher well annulus pressures. Another embodiment may be controlled through conduit from the surface or operate automatically in response to higher annulus pressures. All embodiments may operate repeatedly without retrieving from a well.

Abstract: A molded resilient ring seal with support rings mold bonded or bonded and connected to both ends. The molded resilient material portion of the seal utilizes unique contouring to reduce internal resilient material stresses during use, enabling the seal to seal higher pressures at elevated temperatures for longer periods of time. A number of support ring configurations are also disclosed, which further enhance sealing ability of the resilient material.

Abstract: A hydraulically set retrievable well packer, with dual mandrels connectable into well tubing, for sealing the tubing to and anchoring the packer body in well casing utilizing a unique C-ring slip anchoring system. The mandrels are slidably connected for limited longitudinal movement in the packer body, which eliminates tubing spacing-out and temperature length change problems. There is a separate mandrel through the packer body for conducting flow from the casing annulus below the set packer. An internal lock system is provided to retain the packer in set position. If tubing parts above the set packer, the mandrels are supported and metal-to-metal sealed in the packer preventing tubing below the packer from falling. The packer may be retrieved by cutting one or both mandrels above the packing elements and picking up to release an internal connector which allows the slips and packing element to retract and the packer to be retrieved from the well.

Abstract: A hydraulically operated slip assembly, connectible to a well head or well pipe handling machine and useful to intermittently grip pipe being run into or pulled from the well. The slip assembly has upper and lower plates with passages for pipe. Wedges, carrying unique slip systems, are positioned around the passages and slidably mounted for radial movement between guide plates extending from the upper and lower plates. The wedges are moved radially inward to grip pipe and radially outward to release pipe by a hydraulic cylinder, pivotally mounted aside the lower plate. When actuated to extend, the hydraulic cylinder rotates an inner bearing race and attached camming segments, which move the wedges inwardly to grip pipe. When the cylinder is actuated to contract, the bearing race and camming segments are rotated to pull the wedges outward radially, releasing pipe. The bearing outer race is housed in ring segments between and connecting the slip assembly upper and lower plates.

Abstract: A lubricator section, useful for servicing wells, requiring no welds or threads to connect the box and pin union portions to the tubular body. The box and pin union portions are formed on the tubular body ends. A shoulder, retaining the connecting collar on the pin end, is provided by circular segments lockable between the collar and tubular body. A valve may be connected to the body to permanently lock the segments between the collar and body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a safety and kill valve device useful in tubing above a packer set above a producing formation in a well, operable to shut off tubing flow and open wall flow passages to the well annulus through which heavy formation killing fluid may be pumped into the tubing. A lower ball valve is used to shut off tubing flow and an upper sleeve valve, cooperable with the ball valve, controls flow through the wall flow passage. An operating tube moves downwardly, opening the ball valve and closing the sleeve valve while compressing a spring. The compressed spring furnishes operating force to move the operating tube upwardly, closing the ball valve and opening the sleeve valve. Two embodiments operate automatically in response to higher well annulus pressures. Another embodiment may be controlled through conduit from the surface or operate automatically in response to higher annulus pressures. All embodiments may operate repeatedly without retrieving from a well.

Abstract: A cylinder for a valve actuator wherein the cylinder body has lugs connectable to and disconnectable from like cylinder head lugs by less than one turn rotation. Resilient seals seal the head to the body when connected, and the connection is releasably lockable.

Abstract: A hydraulically set retrievable well packer, with dual mandrels connectable into well tubing, for sealing the tubing to and anchoring the packer body in well casing utilizing a unique c-ring slip system. The mandrels are slidably connected for limited longitudinal movement in the packer body, which eliminates tubing spacing-out and temperature length change problems. There is a separate mandrel through the packer body for conducting flow from the casing annulus below the set packer. An internal lock system is provided to retain the packer in set position. If tubing parts above the set packer, the mandrels are supported and metal-to-metal sealed in the packer preventing tubing below the packer from falling. The packer may be retrieved by cutting one or both mandrels above the packing elements and picking up to release an internal connector which allows the slips and packing element to retract and the packer to be retrieved from the well.

Abstract: Disclosed is a ram assembly for a wireline blowout preventer, not requiring wireline guides, and having an improved inner seal and outer seal. The improved inner seal utilizes molded in layered fabric reinforcement and a unique retainer plate configuration to enable a closed blowout preventer or preventer closed on wireline to seal extremely high pressures with less closing force and no damage to the wireline.

Abstract: Disclosed is a well system, particularly adapted to pumpdown operation in which lowering an easily retrievable tool string, including an improved standing valve, into an improved foot valve opens the foot valve for production flow. The standing valve prevents flow into the producing formation when the foot valve is open. Lifting the tool string from the foot valve closes the foot valve to protect the producing formation when the tool string is retrieved. Means are provided retaining the foot valve in open or closed positions. Provisions are made for pumping into the formation around both the standing valve and foot valve when closed.

Abstract: A well system for injection into a selected formation in each tubing string in a multiple formation dual string well completed for through flow line/pumpdown operation, utilizing a string of tools which may be pumped down tubing to open selected tubing sleeve valves between packers. Each tool string includes a pressure openable injection valve which seals across the open sleeve valve and is opened for formation injection flow at preselected pressures by application of tubing pressure at the surface. One type of injection valve closes to flow through when pressure opened for injection flow. The other injection valve is closed to injection flow on insertion of a closing prong having a through flow passage. Both injection valves and their respective tool strings may be individually retrieved closing sleeve valves in each tubing and the formations to injection.

Abstract: A cylinder for a valve actuator wherein the cylinder body has lugs connectable to and disconnectable from like cylinder head lugs by less than one turn rotation. Resilient seals seal the head to the body when connected, and the connection is releasably lockable.

Abstract: A molded resilient ring seal with support rings mold bonded or bonded and connected to both ends.The molded resilient material portion of the seal utilizes unique contouring to reduce internal resilient material stresses during use, enabling the seal to seal higher pressures at elevated temperatures for longer periods of time.A number of support ring configurations are also disclosed, which further enhance sealing ability of the resilient material.

Abstract: A retrievable well safety valve in a cased well system including a tubing string, a dual packer downhole around the tubing sealing with the casing and submersible pump in the tubing string below the packer.The safety valve controls flow of pumped fluids through the tubing to surface and directs gas flow into the casing annulus above the packer. When the safety valve is landed in cooperating tubing nipples above the packer, separated central annular flow passages are formed for pumped fluids and gas respectively.A ball valve in the central flow passage controls pumped fluid flow therethrough and an annular valve coupled to the ball valve controls gas flow from below the packer through the annular flow passage around and by the ball valve.When the ball valve is in the down and open position, the valve ball member engages a lower seat, which maintains the central and annular flow passages separate and prevents comingling flow of fluids and gas.

Abstract: A well system in which a dual annular type valve with wall flow ports, operable by ambient pressures, is utilized as part of the well tool string to provide an unrestricted flow path for production through and prevent excess back pressure on the producing formation. The valve has outside seals and internal valves above and below the wall ports controlling flow therethrough. Higher pressure outside the valve will open the biased closed lower sleeve valve to production flow through the wall ports into the flow path through the well production tubing. If pressure in the flow path through increases, both valves close preventing flow out through the wall ports. Increasing flow path pressure to a predetermined value shears lower valve seat positioning pins to open wall flow ports to high volume flow pumped into the formation to kill the well and to two-way flow afterward.

Abstract: An improved shifting tool connectable in a well tool string and useful to engage and position a slidable sleeve in a sliding sleeve device in a well flow conductor. The selectively profiled shifting tool keys provide better fit with and more contact area between keys and slidable sleeves. When the engaged slidable sleeve cannot be moved up and the shifting tool is not automatically disengaged, emergency disengagement means may be utilized by applying upward force to the shifting tool sufficient to shear pins and cause all keys to be cammed inwardly at both ends to completely disengage for removal of the shifting tool from the sliding sleeve device.

Abstract: A valve to control flow between outside and inside a tubular member. The valve is housed concentrically in an annular body around a tubular member and may be utilized mounted on an outside mandrel or in a side pocket mandrel which may be included in a well tubing string to control injection or lift gas flow from the well annulus into the tubing. Variable and staged flow restrictors upstream and downstream protect the resilient valve seal from flow cutting and opening closing stresses. The valve is balanced and is not urged to open by increasing outside pressure. The balanced valve minimizes difference between open and close pressures as opening pressure is very near closing pressure. An operating piston, in communication with outside and inside pressures, senses differential pressure and moves the valve axially to open when outside pressure is sufficiently higher than inside pressure. A compressed spring holds the valve closed and opening and closing pressures may be adjusted.