Abstract: The combination of a subsurface well safety valve which is controlled through a hydraulic fluid line extending from the well surface to the safety valve of a hydraulic strainer including a chamber positioned above the actuating hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly of the safety valve. A fluid passageway adapted to be connected to receive hydraulic control fluid from the well surface extends into the chamber and an outlet fluid passageway adapted to be connected to the hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly of the safety valve extends into the chamber. The lower end of the inlet fluid passageway is positioned between the upper end of the outlet fluid passageway for protecting the piston and cylinder assembly from debris. A filter may be provided in the chamber between the lower end of the inlet fluid passageway and the upper end of the outlet fluid passageway.

Abstract: A subsea test assembly securable in a subsea blowout preventer stack is used in methods for performing wellbore tests and for disconnecting a tubular string from a subsea wellhead. The test valve assembly includes an upper subassembly releasably latched to a lower subassembly. Dog members are latched and unlatched in a corkscrew manner requiring only a slight rotation, and are held in the locked position by an axially movable sleeve. Nominal rotation of the latch within the upper subassembly is required to latch and unlatch the dogs, and a relatively short stroke of the movable sleeve locks and unlocks the dog members. The latch may be hydraulically or mechanically deactivated. The valving of the test assembly preferably comprises a ball member having both a metallic and elastomeric seal for sealing the passageway through the assembly. The elastomeric seal is carried by the ball and engages a metallic sleeve axially movable below the ball for sealing engagement against the ball.

Abstract: A tubing retrievable completion assembly includes a surface-controllable, safety control valve interposed between the production tubing string and a production seal unit. A gas-lift safety valve is carried within a side pocket mandrel connected in the upper production string. The upper production string, production flow safety valve and gas-lift safety valve are run in and removed as a single unit from a single-bore hanger packer which is releasably anchored within the well casing. Separate concentric flow passages are provided through the packer bore for the upward flow of formation fluid through a production stinger conduit which extends through the packer bore, and for downward flow of lift gas through the annulus between the packer bore and the stinger conduit. The completion assembly is locked into place below the hanger packer by a latch having fixed and movable collets.

Abstract: A surface controlled subsurface well safety valve for use in a well tubing string including a flapper valve member, an operator tube for opening the flapper valve member and holding it open, an annular piston on the operator tube operative in response to control fluid pressure conducted from the surface, a spring biasing the operator tube to a position at which the flapper valve is closed, and a temporary lockout sleeve mounted in tandem with the flapper valve operator tube for movement simultaneously with the operator tube to a position at which the operator tube is inoperative and the temporary sleeve holds the flapper valve open, the operator tube and flapper valve having means for engagement of a lockout tool to operate the operator tube and lockout sleeve simultaneously. The lockout sleeve can be returned to inoperative position by control fluid pressure return of the operator tube to a position in which the tube holds the flapper valve open.

Abstract: A communication joint for use in a well is disclosed. The communication joint includes a one-piece tubular body having an exterior surface adapted to form a slidable fluid seal with a wellhead member of the well. The tubular body includes first and second fluid conduits extending axially along and positioned in the tubular body, each conduit providing a fluid passageway independent of the other fluid conduit. Preferably, the first and second fluid conduits extend axially above and below the exterior surface of the body.

Abstract: A hydraulically actuated well subsurface safety valve having a tubular member telescopically movable in the housing for controlling the movement of a flapper valve closure member in which a seal is telescopically movable in the housing and positioned in the path of travel of the lower end of the tubular member for sealing against the lower end of the tubular member. A spring urges the seal towards the tubular member for sealing when the valve is in the open position for limiting damaging fluid flow across the valve closure member.

Abstract: There are disclosed several alternate embodiments of wellhead apparatus of the type in which hydraulic fluid may be transmitted to and/or from a subsurface safety valve or other hydraulically operable device within the well through an annular space formed between the production tubing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for converting an oil well with natural effluent rise to one with gas-lift of the effluent column, wherein the oil well has a nipple in the production tube provided with a stop-groove and smooth bearing surfaces between which a hydraulic control line comes out. For conversion an inner tube is lowered inside the production tube, the inner tube being provided with a locking system for locking the inner tube to the nipple, and with a safety valve assembly capable of closing both the passage inside the inner tube and the annular passage between the latter and the production tube, under the action of a control fluid supplied by the control line which opens between two seals on the inner tube and which bear against the smooth bearing surfaces when locking is effected.

Abstract: An assembly including a tubing safety valve and annulus safety valve mounted within nipples incorporated within an inner conduit is disclosed for use in conjunction with the injection of material, such as gas, through the center of the inner conduit. The injected material can be used to stimulate production of fluids from the formation through the annulus between the inner conduit and an outer concentric conduit. This outer concentric conduit normally comprises an existing producting tubing string having existing safety valve nipple and external control fluid lines. Nipples incorporated within the inner conduit provide means for sealing the annulus between the inner and the outer conduit and for positioning the inner conduit relative to the outer conduit to provide communication between the tubing safety valve and the annulus safety valve and the external existing source of control fluid pressure.

Abstract: A well tool for running, cementing and washing a well housing or casing hanger including a tubular body, a cementing stinger on the lower end of the body, a well housing releasably supported on the body, a hollow skirt having inwardly facing ports and positioned in surrounding relationship to the upper end of the housing, a washing fluid supply to the skirt, a pressure responsive valve in the washing fluid supply, the support for the well housing including a pressure responsive release and the pressure responsive valve and the release are connected so that the supply of washing fluid under pressure to the connection opens the valve and actuates the release for the washing step and the step of retrieving the well tool.

Abstract: A well controlled by two hydraulically operated subsurface safety valves made up in the tubing string. A first valve is mechanically locked in open position and the second valve is utilized to control flow through the string. Upon malfunction of the second valve it is locked in open position and the first valve is released from its locked open position and is utilized to control flow through the string.

Abstract: A valve apparatus for use in an intermittent gas lift subterranean well, having a reservoir with insufficient pressure for continuous delivery of produced fluids to the top surface of the well is disclosed. A valve apparatus carriable on a fluid transmission conduit has a flow passage for permitting produced fluids to flow through the transmission conduit from the reservoir. The valve is responsive to pressure to open the valve in the presence of a greater pressure exerted by the reservoir below the valve, and to close the valve in response to an even greater pressure generated by intermittent gas injection. A second flow passage selectively communicating with a radially extending port permits the flow of injected fluids from the tubing into the reservoir. A second valve, for selectively opening and closing the second flow passage, is spring biased in the closed position so that it remains closed when subjected to reservoir pressure, intermittent gas pressure, or their sum.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydraulic method and apparatus for the remote hydraulic control of a device connected to a hydraulic fluid source by means of at least one flexible line filled with hydraulic fluid.Hydraulic energy is accumulated in the flexible line by increasing the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the line so that the line increases in volume. The pressure is maintained in the line so that the hydraulic energy thus accumulated by the expansive deformation of the line may be used rapidly to control the device.The invention finds particular application in the control of an underwater valve in the petroleum industry.

Abstract: A test assembly is provided for incorporation within a blowout preventer stack above a subterranean well and provides inner and outer latching connections between upper and lower portions of a tubular conduit extendible to a production zone within the well. The test assembly has valve means in the lower conduit portion manipulatable between open and closed positions by a reciprocable actuator to control flow of fluid within the conduit. Retaining means are provided for each of the inner and outer latches to insure that such latches may not be disengaged when the valve means is in other than an open position. The retaining means are operable by either the application of fluid pressure or through mechanical manipulation of the tubing string to be shifted to a non-retaining position relative to both the inner and outer latches, thus permitting selective disconnection and reconnection of the upper and lower portions of the tubular conduit.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus for controlling flow through both a tubing string suspended within a well bore and the space within the well bore about the tubing string. The illustrated embodiment of the apparatus comprises a body made up of a pair of mandrels and having a first bore therethrough adapted to be connected as part of the tubing string, whereby it may be lowered with the string into the well bore, a second bore therethrough parallel to the first bore for connection at its upper and lower ends with the space about the tubing string, and closure members mounted on the body for opening and closing the first and second bores. The body has first and second pockets therein each having one end opening to the first bore, a first tool is adapted to be run on a wire line through the tubing string and first bore into and out of the first pocket, and a second tool is adapted to be run on a wire line through the tubing string and first bore into and out of the second pocket.

Abstract: A surface controlled subsurface safety valve for deep well service. Communication of control fluid to the subsurface safety valve is controlled by a pilot valve at a subsurface location in close proximity to the safety valve. Responsiveness of the subsurface safety valve to decrease in control fluid pressure is thereby increased and the safety valve's closure speed is also increased. The pilot valve controllably communicates pressurized control fluid to open the safety valve and allows control fluid to be displaced into the flow path through the safety valve during valve closure.

Abstract: A subterranean well valve assembly includes a valve mounted within an annular housing which is actuated by an annular plunger co-axially mounted within the housing. The plunger is longitudinally shiftable to open the valve, in response to a fluid pressure signal. Within the housing, releasable latches are provided for engaging an annular groove, thereby temporarily locking the plunger in its lower position. The valve assembly also includes a permanent lock open mechanism comprising an annular locking mandrel, including a latch element. Longitudinal movement of the mandrel locks the mandrel in place, thereby interfering with subsequent retraction of the plunger from locked position.

Abstract: A well production apparatus for fluid production through a pair of downhole safety valves to both well tubing and the tubing annulus includes a packer with a dual bore head connected to the lower end of the tubing. Primary and secondary packer mandrels depending from connections with said head serve as conduits for directing production fluid to the safety valves with the secondary mandrel also serving as a conduit through which a power conductor extends for connecting with a motor beneath the packer. A set of hydraulically movable slips slidable between retracted and deployed positions are carried on the mandrels on opposite sides of a packing element and a setting cylinder secured to one of said packer mandrels defines a pressure chamber containing a setting piston which is movable from a retracted position to an extended position to compress said packing element and deploy said slips for anchoring said packer in the casing.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for isolating the producing zone of a well during workover operations, particularly where the well is equipped with a production string and a submersible electric pump suspended thereon. A packer and isolation valve are set in the well above the producing zone, and a hydraulically operable control suspended on the pipe string below the pump is releasably coupled to the valve and arranged to enable remote control of the valve from the surface by adjusting the pressure of fluids in the production string or in the well annulus.