Abstract: A tubular member is provided with seals thereon for sealing in a liner receptacle supported in a well string in a well bore. Expandable seal means are provided on the tubular member with actuating means for expanding the expandable members into engagement with the well string above the receptacle, and releasable retaining means engage the actuating means with the tubular member to retain the actuating means in a non activated position until the releasable retaining means are actuated. Additional means secure the actuating means on the tubular member to inhibit premature release of the releasable retaining means as the seal nipple packer is lowered through the well string to be positioned in the receptacle. Slip segments are releasably connected to an expander cone, with both being mounted on the tubular member in longitudinal spaced relation to the actuating means at the other end of the expandable seal means.

Abstract: A hanger for supporting dual tubing strings in a well casing from hanger mandrels which can swivel to facilitate threadedly connecting each mandrel to its associated tubing string. The hanger includes an orienting sleeve for receiving safety shut-off valves, the sleeve being adapted to swivel with respect to the rest of the hanger, making it easier to assemble the hanger onto the running and setting tool used for setting the hanger in the casing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a retrievable, weight set well packer which may be tightened in set configuration by rotation of the tubing string, and which may be released from set configuration by longitudinal movement of the tubing string. Locking means maintain the packer set when the tubing string is raised slightly to open a bypass between the tubing string and the set packer. Continued raising of the tubing string releases the locking means to permit the packer to be retrieved. Dual opposed spreader cones keep the packer set against well pressure differentials acting from either above or below the packer. Pressure responsive means are also employed to increase the forces anchoring the tubing string against movement to open the bypass as differential well pressures tend to so move the tubing string.

Abstract: Precompletion apparatus for use in air drilling and casing a problem formation in a well including a casing landing nipple at the lower end of a first string of solid well casing installed by suitable conventional techniques, an expendable plug for engagement in the casing landing nipple to plug a well bore after air drilling below the casing landing nipple to control the well during inserting of a slotted liner, an expending shoe for engaging and displacing the plug downwardly from the landing nipple, a slotted well bore casing for lining a well bore along a problem formation which has been air drilled, and a casing hanger for supporting the slotted liner along the air drilled portion of the well bore from the landing nipple. The plug and hanger each have locking keys engageable with a casing landing nipple and expandable seals for sealing with a seal surface along the casing landing nipple.

Abstract: A retrievable packer is lowered into a well casing on a tubular string, the packer having expanders and coengageable slips expandable outwardly by fluid pressure into anchoring engagement with the well casing to prevent packer movement in both upward and downward directions. After the slips are set, the packing assembly for the packer is expanded by fluid pressure into sealing engagement with the well casing. Differential pressure in the tubing-casing annulus above the packing assembly, operates over booster areas to increase the pack-off force of the packing elements of the packing assembly against the casing to insure against leakage, providing a self-energizing system, the pack-off force on the packing elements being trapped to prevent its subsequent dimunition. Forces applied to the tubing string, either tensile or compressive, are transmitted directly to the slips and into the casing without passing through the packing, thereby having no effect on the latter.

Abstract: A seal apparatus adapted to be set in packed-off condition in the annular region between the hanger body and the surrounding wellhead housing disposed at the upper end of a well bore, the seal apparatus then being locked in its packed-off condition by a locking ring and a locking ring actuator. A retrieving tool is employed to release the lock ring, such tool having resilient fingers engageable with the actuator to elevate it from wedging relation to the lock ring and permitting the latter to expand from its locked condition, whereupon the retrieving tool can elevate the seal apparatus, lock ring, and actuator from the region between the hanger body and wellhead housing. The retrieving tool includes a body having passages from which washing fluid can discharge to clean the region between the hanger body and wellhead housing. In one form of retrieving tool, the resilient fingers may be released from the actuator in response to fluid pressure supplied through a running string secured to the retrieving tool.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for running a compression-type annulus packoff on a drill or other pipe string into an oil or gas well, setting the packoff without rotating the drill string, and then shifting the axial load of the drill string from the packoff to a casing hanger or other suitable well element so that the packoff can be pressure tested under conditions closely simulating normal service conditions. The apparatus comprises an hydraulically actuated well tool that functions both as a means for connecting the packoff to the drill string on which the tool and packoff are run as an assembly into the well, and also as a means for converting hydraulic pressure in the drill string into torque and then transmitting this torque to the packoff for rotating its seal-compressing element, thereby compressing its seal into fluid-tight engagement with the adjacent well elements.

Abstract: Disclosed is a retrievable, weight set well packer which is set and released by longitudinal movement of the tubing string. Locking means are provided for keeping the packer set when the tubing is raised slightly to open a bypass between the tubing and set packer. Continued raising of the tubing releases the lock means to permit the packer to be retrieved. Dual opposed spreader cones keep the packer set against pressure induced forces in either direction. Differential sealing areas are also employed to prevent such forces from opening the bypass.

Abstract: A releasable well anchor adapted to be set on a wire line with a running tool attached which comprises an internal and an external mandrel which are slidably mounted with respect to one another having a set of slips on the exterior which slips have two positions, one position being recessed and the other position being radially outwardly of the first to engage the well pipe thereabout in an anchoring positon. The slips are set on movement of an enlargement on the internal mandrel. A set of flexible collet fingers is attached to the internal mandrel, and positioned near first and second internally located receptacles separated by a surface within said external mandrel. The collet fingers flex outwardly into said first or second receptacles on relative movement between said mandrels wherein relative positioning of said collet fingers in said first or second receptacles define a running in position, a setting position, and a retrieval position.

Abstract: Disclosed is a well packer which is set by pressure applied through a tubing string which supports the packer within a surrounding well conduit. Once set, the packer is retrievable by either longitudinal or rotary movement of the supporting tubing string. Setting pressure drives opposed cone assemblies longitudinally toward each other to cause slip segments to move radially outwardly into anchoring engagement with the surrounding well conduit. The lowermost cone assembly is constructed in the form of a split ring and is equipped with friction teeth along its internal surface to retain the packer in its set position. A helical retrieving component secures the packer assembly to the central mandrel of the packer. Righthand rotation of the tubing string causes the outer body of the packer to unthread from the helical retrieving component secured to the mandrel which in turn unsets the packer.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for cementing a liner in a well bore in which the apparatus may comprise: a setting tool having a tubular mandrel connected in a pipe string for extension through the liner; a liner wiper releasably disposed within the liner near one end of the mandrel; a plug member for effecting a movable seal behind cement as it is pumped through the pipe string into the liner; a seal assembly sealingly engaging the exterior of the mandrel and the interior of the liner above the liner wiper; and a latch assembly releasably connecting the seal assembly to the liner so as to permit limited axial movement of the mandrel without disturbing the axial position of the seal assembly. In the method of cementing a liner using the apparatus, the force due to pressure applied to the seal assembly, during pumping of cement, is transferred to the liner without transfer to the mandrel.

Abstract: Running apparatus is releasably connected to a packing assembly, the combination being lowered on a tubular running string until the packing assembly is disposed between a hanger body and a surrounding wellhead underlying a body of water. The apparatus is responsive to weight to effect setting of the packing in the annular space between the hanger body and wellhead. Test pressure is applied to the packing and more firmly sets it. The apparatus is rotated relative to the packing to shift a locking nut to lock the packing in place, the apparatus then being retrieved to the drilling rig at the water surface.