Stage cementing tool
A stage cementing tool for use in cementing a casing in the well is disclosed. The stage cementing tool includes a housing with a mechanically set packer to seal against the well. A hydraulically actuated opening sleeve will move in the housing to uncover flow ports in the housing, and allow flow therethrough into the well.
When wellbores are prepared for oil and gas production it is common to cement casing in the wellbore. Oftentimes it is desirable to cement the casing in the wellbore in separate stages, typically beginning at the bottom of the well and working upwardly.
The process may be achieved by placing cementing tools, such as for example valved ports in the casing or between casing joints at one or more locations in the wellbore. Cement may be flowed through the bottom of the casing, up the annulus to the lowest cementing tool. Flow to the bottom of the casing can then be shut off. The cementing tool is opened and cement may be flowed through the cementing tool up the annulus to the next upper cementing tool. The process may be repeated until all stages of the well are cemented. Cementing tools are shown for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,038,862 and 5,314,015. The '015 patent discloses a stage cementing tool which utilizes an inflatable packer apparatus. While there are cementing tools available, there is a continuing need for further development of efficient cementing tools and particularly efficient and effective stage cementing tools.
SUMMARYA cementing tool with a housing defining a longitudinal flow passage therethrough is disclosed. The housing has at least one flow port and preferably has a plurality of flow ports disposed in a wall thereof. A mechanically set packer is connected to the housing for sealing against a well. The cementing tool may be used in a cased or uncased wellbore and thus the mechanically set packer will set and seal against a casing and/or an open wellbore in a well. The cementing tool has a hydraulically actuated opening sleeve in the housing that is movable from a closed position that covers the at least one flow port to an open position wherein the at least one flow port is uncovered to communicate the longitudinal flow passage with the well through the flow port. The hydraulically actuated opening sleeve is hydraulically actuated in that simply the application of pressure will open the opening sleeve and there are no additional plugs or setting tools used or needed to apply any moving force to the opening sleeve.
Referring now to
A packer setting sleeve 68 is slidably disposed in housing 40 and has inner surface 70. A packer setting sleeve seat 72 is attached to or alternatively may be formed with packer setting sleeve 68 and extends radially inwardly from a diameter 74 defined by inner surface 70. A plurality of connectors 76 extend from packer setting sleeve 68 through packer setting slots 78 which are defined in housing 40 and into upper end ring 66 so that packer setting sleeve 68 is connected to upper end ring 66. Connectors 76 are movable in packer setting slots 78 which have upper end 80 and lower end 82. Packer setting sleeve 68 sealingly engages housing 40 and may have O-rings 84 positioned above upper end 80 of packer setting slot 78 and O-rings 86 positioned below lower end 82 of packer setting slots 78 to sealingly engage housing 40.
A second stage opening sleeve 90, which may be referred to as a stage cementing sleeve 90, which in the embodiment shown is a hydraulically actuated opening sleeve 90, is positioned in housing 40 above packer setting sleeve 68.
An operating sleeve 120 is slidably and sealably disposed in housing 40. Operating sleeve 120 has upper end 122 and lower end 124 which, prior to movement of sleeve 90, abuts the upper end of second stage cementing sleeve 90. Operating sleeve 120 defines an open bore 126. A plurality of shear pins 128 detachably connect operating sleeve 120 to housing 40. A plurality of connectors 130 may be threadedly attached or otherwise attached to operating sleeve 120 and will extend therefrom through operating slots 132 in housing 40. Operating slots 132 have an upper end 134 and lower end 136. Operating sleeve 120 has an operating seat 138 at or near upper end 122 thereof.
A closing sleeve 140 is slidably disposed about housing 40. Connectors 130 extend into closing sleeve 140 to connect operating sleeve 120 and closing sleeve 140. A seal 142 is disposed in a groove in closing sleeve 140 above upper end 134 of operating slot 132. A seal 144 which may be referred to as a lower seal is disposed in a groove in closing sleeve 140 below lower end 136 of operating slots 132.
The cementing tool thus includes packer assembly 52 which is a mechanically set packer and hydraulically set second stage cementing sleeve 90. Referring now to
Once the packer 52 is in the set position as shown in
Instead of waiting on the first stage cement to set, as is normally required, second stage cementing can take place immediately after packer 52 is set so that packer element 60 seals against the well. Once packer 52 is set, it will hold the hydrostatic pressure from the second stage slurry which will be placed above the set packer element 60.
Thus, it is seen that the apparatus and methods of the present invention readily achieve the ends and advantages mentioned as well as those inherent therein. While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described for purposes of the present disclosure, numerous changes in the arrangement and construction of parts and steps may be made by those skilled in the art, which changes are encompassed within the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A cementing tool for use in a well comprising:
- a housing defining a longitudinal flow passage therethrough, and having at least one flow port disposed in a wall thereof;
- a mechanically set packer connected to the housing for sealing against a well; and
- a hydraulically actuated opening sleeve disposed in the housing, the opening sleeve being movable from a closed position covering the at least one flow port to an open position wherein the at least one flow port is uncovered and communicates the longitudinal flow passage with the well.
2. The cementing tool of claim 1, the mechanically set packer comprising:
- a packer sub connected to the housing;
- a radially expandable packer element supported by the packer sub and disposed about the housing; and
- a packer ring slidable on the housing and positioned so that movement of the packer ring in a first direction will cause the packer element to move to a set position wherein the packer element sealingly engages the well.
3. The tool of claim 2 further comprising a packer setting sleeve disposed in the housing and connected to the movable packer ring, wherein movement of the setting sleeve in the first direction moves the packer ring in the first direction.
4. The tool of claim 3, the housing having packer setting slots in the wall thereof, the setting sleeve being connected to the packer ring with connectors extending through the packer setting slots and movable therein.
5. The tool of claim 4 wherein the packer setting sleeve completely covers the setting packer slots in the set and unset positions of the packer.
6. The tool of claim 3 wherein the packer setting sleeve includes a seat for receiving a setting plug and wherein the setting sleeve will move the packer ring to expand the packer element to the set position when the setting plug is engaged with the seat and pressure in the longitudinal flow passage is increased.
7. The cementing tool of claim 1, wherein the hydraulic setting sleeve has an upper portion with a first outer diameter and a lower portion with a second outer diameter smaller in magnitude than the first outer diameter.
8. The cementing tool of claim 7, further comprising a closing sleeve disposed about the housing and detachably connected thereto for covering the flow ports after the opening sleeve has moved to the open position and cement has been flowed through the flow ports.
9. A cementing tool for use in a well comprising:
- a housing defining a flow passage;
- a packer element disposed about the housing and movable from an unset to a set position wherein the packer element engages the well;
- a hydraulically actuated opening sleeve movable from a closed to an open position, wherein in the open position the opening sleeve uncovers circulating ports in the housing for communicating cement from the flow passage into the well.
10. The cementing tool of claim 9 further comprising a closing sleeve disposed about the housing and positioned above the opening sleeve for covering the circulating ports after cement has been communicated therethrough.
11. The cementing tool of claim 10, further comprising an operating sleeve detachably connected in the housing, the closing sleeve being connected to and movable with the operating sleeve.
12. The cementing tool of claim 11 further comprising a packer setting sleeve disposed in the housing, wherein the packer setting sleeve is adapted to move the packer element to the set position.
13. The cementing tool of claim 12 wherein a first plug is displaced into the tool to move the packer setting sleeve and a second plug is displaced in the tool to move the operating sleeve.
14. The cementing tool of claim 9 the hydraulically actuated opening sleeve comprising an upper portion having a first outer diameter, and a lower portion with a second, smaller diameter, wherein the opening sleeve is detachably connected to the housing in the closed position in which the opening sleeve prevents communication through the circulating ports.
15. A cementing tool for use in a wellbore comprising:
- a housing, the housing and the wellbore defining an annulus therebetween;
- a packer element disposed about the housing for engaging the wellbore;
- a packer setting sleeve for expanding the packer element to engage the wellbore;
- an opening sleeve movable relative to the housing and the packer setting sleeve, wherein in a closed position the opening sleeve blocks communication into the annulus and in the open position permits flow into the annulus through circulation ports in the housing.
16. The cementing tool of claim 15 wherein the opening sleeve is disposed in the housing and movable solely upon the application of hydraulic pressure in the housing.
17. The cementing tool of claim 15, further comprising a packer end ring at the upper end of the packer element wherein the packer setting sleeve is connected to the packer end ring.
18. The cementing tool of claim 17, wherein the housing has slots defined therein, and where connectors extend through the slots to connect the packer setting sleeve to the packer end ring, the packer setting sleeve completely covering the slots.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 4, 2008
Publication Date: Mar 4, 2010
Inventors: Henry E. Rogers (Duncan, OK), Anthony M. Badalamenti (Katy, TX)
Application Number: 12/231,714
International Classification: E21B 33/13 (20060101);