Abstract: Methods of and apparatus for plugging a well below a rod pump to permit bleeding off the pressure thereabove so that the pump can be removed from the well for replacement or repairs and reinstalled for further pumping operations, the pump being connected to a valve mechanism in the well in a manner which permits the valve to be closed as a result of lifting the pump, this connection being releasable to permit the pump to be pulled free of the valve and withdrawn from the well after the well pressure has been bled from above the closed valve. When the pump is installed again, the pump automatically reconnects to the valve. This invention is particularly useful in wells which are stimulated by the injection of steam.

Abstract: Standing valves which may be operated as injection valves without removal from a well conduit are disclosed. All disclosed valves permit upward production flow and prevent downward injection flow. One valve form utilizes a ball valve to control production and injection flow, and two valve forms utilize annular valves to control flow. In one annular valve form, production and injection flow is controlled by the annular valve. In the other annular valve form, production flow is controlled by check valve means and injection flow is controlled by the annular valve. These standing valves are opened for injection flow by increasing valve interior fluid pressure to a predetermined pressure to open control check valves permitting the pressured fluid to flow to pressure responsive operators in the valve housings. Opening pressure of the control check valves is variable.

Abstract: An improved running pulling tool utilizing dogs for engaging an internal fishing neck on a well tool. The dogs are locked in fishing neck engaging position on the tool mandrel and are unlocked by jarring downwardly, upwardly and again downwardly and moved to a position on the mandrel retracting the dogs and releasing the improved tool from the fishing neck. The improved structure provides a tool which may be jarred upwardly on or jarred downwardly on as long as required and which may be released from the well tool fishing neck when desired. When the tool is jarred downwardly on, it will operate to release if either the tool skirt or mandrel contact the well tool. The skirt may be positioned to contact shoulders on the dogs and eliminate costly precision machining and provide more area to absorb jarring impact on the tool. On surface the improved tool can be manually released from a fishing neck and manually prepared for further use.

Abstract: Apparatus including a side pocket mandrel for inclusion in a well tubing string for removably receiving an instrument in its offset receptacle bore for monitoring at least one parameter such as pressure, temperature or the like, at a downhole location, there being an electrical conductor wire extending from equipment at the surface downward to the side pocket mandrel and a plug in the lower end of the receptacle for electrically connecting the instrument in the receptacle with the conductor wire extending from the surface so that electrical energy may be transmitted downhole to power the instrument, that the instrument may generate electrical signals representing data sensed in the well and transmit them to the surface for processing and immediate display, printout, or storage. Suitable kickover tools and running tools are also disclosed.

Abstract: In oil and gas production installations, formation sand may pass through sand screens and enter the tubing, causing damage and increasing abrasive wear. Gravel used to prevent this often leaves gaps and lets formation sand pass through. The invention eliminates such gaps by incorporating an ordinary polished bore (11) in the sand screen (4, 7) to land and seal off the wash pipe (9). Two concentric tubes (4a, 4b) are connected to each other by a collar (17) whose inside surface is a polished bore (11) and whose outer side has supports (17a, 17b) for the tubes (4a, 4b) and the upset screens.

Abstract: A seal and seal assembly for use with well tools, such particularly as well packers, for sealing the annulus between the well packer mandrel and the wall of a well tubing such as casing. The seal is fabricated of an elastomeric-like material comprising fluorocarbon resins, poly arylene ketone, and carbon fibers mounted between end retainer assemblies each comprising a mesh anti-extrusion ring, a tapered mesh backup ring, and a metal backup shoe. The seal has internal longitudinally spaced V-shaped recesses to cause the seal to buckle radially outwardly as it is compressed longitudinally to increase the stress along the middle portion of the seal where the seal meets the well casing inner wall. The seal is useful at high temperatures and pressures such as 550 degrees F. and greater than 15,000 psi.

Abstract: A device for releasably connecting well tools together for disconnection thereof downhole in a well without jarring but in response to a series of upward pulls on the cable or flexible line by which the well tools are lowered into the well.

Abstract: A drilling template for multiple wells has a dummy post on the template associate with each wellhead position and a wellhead connector is transferable between the dummy post and wellhead during completion and workover operations. A subsea wellhead is provided with a guide frame on which a dummy post is supported permitting the wellhead connector to be transferred between the dummy post and the wellhead. The wellhead includes a landing nipple and tubing hanger which permit the tubing hanger to tilt relative to the casing head without breaking the seal between the hanger and nipple. The wellhead connector is latched and released from the tubing head by reciprocation of a control sleeve and the connector is held in the unlatched position by a releasable lock. The wellhead connector includes a plug having a metal seal held in compression together with a resilient seal.

Abstract: A well pump suspended from a mandrel in a well which is run on a cable placed in tension after the pump supporting mandrel is landed. The mandrel is latched in the well and a much greater force is required to release the mandrel from the tubing than was required to move the mandrel to the latched position. The cable includes multiple wire drum sockets which are moved laterally into recesses in the supporting mandrel and held in place by a moveable sleeve. A space out is provided between the mandrel and the cable. The conductors of the cable are brought out of the space out structure to the exterior of the mandrel and extend down through a penetrator which forms a part of the mandrel. The space out structure, the connection between the space out structure and cable, and the mandrel and penetrator components, and the pump are all held against relative rotation to avoid damage to the conductors.

Abstract: A drilling template for multiple wells has a dummy post on the template associate with each wellhead position and a wellhead connector is transferable between the dummy post and wellhead during completion and workover operations. A subsea wellhead is provided with a guide frame on which a dummy post is supported permitting the wellhead connector to be transferred between the dummy post and the wellhead. The wellhead includes a landing nipple and tubing hanger which permit the tubing hanger to tilt relative to the casing head without breaking the seal between the hanger and nipple. The wellhead connector is latched and released from the tubing head by reciprocation of a control sleeve and the connector is held in the unlatched position by a releasable lock. The wellhead connector includes a plug having a metal seal held in compression together with a resilient seal.

Abstract: A well tool lock mandrel and running and pulling tools for installing and retrieving the lock mandrel. The lock mandrel is used for supporting a well tool such as a subsurface safety valve at a landing nipple in a well tubing string. The lock mandrel includes a tubular body, locking dogs supported in the body, an expander sleeve for operating the locking dogs, and a latch for releasably locking the expander sleeve when the locking dogs are locked outwardly. The running tool includes a head assembly for connection with a wireline tool string, an upper retainer key assembly for connection with the head of the lock mandrel, and a lower locking lug assembly for engagement with the expander sleeve of the lock mandrel for operating the sleeve. The running tool also includes a spring biased insertion sleeve for operating the lower locking lug assembly permitting the running tool to be installed in the lock mandrel when the locking dogs of the lock mandrel are at inward positions.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved ball valve structure and a well safety valve utilizing the improved ball valve. The improved valve includes a metal seat member having a resilient section and control arms, which may be positioned to initially sealingly engage the seat with the ball and to compress the seat resilient section to control the force sealingly engaging the seat with the metal ball and thereby limit frictional forces opposing opening rotational forces when pushing on the seat to open the valve. The control arms are positioned by rings threaded on the seat above the control arms and below a shoulder in each arm. When the seat is moved down to open the ball valve, opening rotational forces are imparted to the valve ball through both the seat and control arms. The well safety valve utilizing the improved ball valve structure includes an annular metal valve and means increasing the force sealingly engaging the seat with the valve ball as pressure below the closed ball valve increases.

Abstract: A system and method for servicing subsea wells with a flexible riser. The flexible riser can be modified for use either with wireline or through the flow line tools. The flexible riser eliminates the requirement for motion or heave compensating equipment associated with rigid marine riser systems. The flexible riser, lower riser package and associated surface support equipment can be used to obtain vertical access to a subsea well without the need to use a drill ship or semisubmersible.

Abstract: A surface controlled subsurface safety valve for use in a well tubing string including a valve closure member, an operator tube for opening the valve closure member and holding it open, an annular piston on the operator tube operative in response to control fluid pressure conducted from the well surface, a spring biasing the operator tube to a position at which the valve is closed, and a lockout sleeve mounted in tandem with the operator tube for movement simultaneously with the operator tube to a position at which the lockout sleeve holds the valve open. The operator tube and lockout sleeve are engageable by a shifting tool to operate the operator tube and lockout sleeve simultaneously. The lockout sleeve can be returned to an inoperative position by control fluid pressure moving the operator tube to a position which opens the valve closure member. The safety valve is also operable by a modified shifting tool engaging the operator tube.

Abstract: A minimum backlash latch assembly for releasably locking a well tool such as a pilot valve in a bore such as in a side pocket mandrel of a well flow conductor. Also disclosed is a pilot valve system for a subsurface safety valve operated by control fluid pressure from the surface including a pilot valve connected with the control fluid line to the subsurface safety valve and into the well production string immediately above the safety valve to bypass the control fluid pressure directly into the tubing string and dump the control fluid pressure from the subsurface safety valve into the tubing string directly above the valve to minimize the time delay between control fluid pressure reduction and the safety valve closure. Three embodiments of the pilot valve are disclosed. One embodiment is operable by electrical energy from the surface. The other embodiments are operable by acoustic energy and radio waves, respectively.

Abstract: A production sub carrying a plurality of annular locator rings is coupled in series relation with downhole production equipment. A collet latch assembly including fixed and floating collet members is connected to a down hole service tool and is inserted into releasable coupling engagement with the annular locator rings of the production sub. Resilient finger portions of the fixed collet are alternately supported and unsupported by the floating collet to establish positive engagement with a selected one of the annular locator rings or to permit passage of the latch assembly with respect to the locator ring. The foregoing arrangement provides positive restriction to longitudinal movement of a work string which allows a downhole service tool attached to the work string to be selectively positioned at predetermined operating locations relative to downhole equipment.

Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus and method for a system useful in establishing a metal to metal seal between conduit joints in wells. A milling tool having means controlling down force on and positioning the cutter is used to cut and/or finish a seat on a shoulder in a well conduit, which will mate and seal with metal seal surfaces on seal units lowered on conduits into the well. One seal unit has elastomeric seals in addition to the metal seals.

Abstract: A subsurface safety valve. During normal well flowing conditions, the valve is spring biased to its open position. If the difference in fluid pressure flowing through the valve as compared to fluid pressure exterior to the valve exceeds a preselected value, a pressure sensitive bellows will be actuated to close the valve. A latch mechanism is provided to prevent undesired closure of the safety valve by acceptable pressure transients resulting from normal changes in well operating conditions. An alternative embodiment of the valve responds to an electromagnetic signal from the well surface.

Abstract: A system and method for attaching and removing equipment from a subsea wellhead in which equipment is lowered and raised on a flexible riser pipe, cables extend from the equipment to the wellhead and are winched in and out to control movement of the equipment adjacent the wellhead. While the cables are being winched in or out, the cables are maintained in tension by the cable reel or a motion compensator, between the equipment and riser pipe, permits the riser pipe to reciprocate vertically with the vessel in response to wave action, while the equipment is insulated from this action during engagement and disengagement with the wellhead. The equipment may include a guide frame, which may be made in two pieces, so that the upper section of the guide frame together with a riser pipe connector, may be released from the remainder of the frame and connector and lifted off by the riser pipe or by buoyancy means.

Abstract: A hydraulic well pump for operating a pump sucker rod string including a hydraulic cylinder assembly for raising and lowering the sucker rod string and a fluid counterbalancing system for offsetting the combined weight of the reciprocating service equipment, the fluid column above the pump plunger, and the sucker rod string. One counterbalancing embodiment includes an air supported piston on the movable cylinder exposed to an air chamber below the air piston functioning independently of the hydraulic and power and logic system of the pump. Another counterbalancing system embodiment uses a hydraulic fluid accumulator connected into the system fluid power and logic for supercharging the hydraulic power pumps during the lift stroke and providing opposing force during the downstroke.