Retrievable well packers

A well tool adapted to be lowered in a well conduit disposed in a well bore, comprising body means, expander means on said body means, normally retracted slip means coacting with said expander means, normally retracted packing means on said body means, actuating means on said body means for effecting relative longitudinal movement between said expander means and slip means to expand said slip means into anchoring engagement with the well conduit, said actuating means including means for expanding said packing means against the well conduit, and releasable means for preventing said actuating means from expanding said packing means against the well conduit until said slip means have first been expanded against the well conduit;

• said packing means being above said slip means and including one or more elastomer packing elements, said actuating means including upper sleeve means engaging the upper end of said one or more elements, lower sleeve means engaging the lower end of said one or more elements, and intermediate sleeve means between said upper and lower sleeve means extending within and surrounded by said one or more elements, said releasable means initially interconnecting said upper sleeve means and intermediate sleeve means and said intermediate sleeve means and lower sleeve means.

A well tool adapted to be lowered in a well conduit disposed in a well bore, comprising body means, expander means on said body means, normally retracted slip means coacting with said expander means, normally retracted packing means on said body means, actuating means on said body means for effecting relative longitudinal movement between said expander means and slip means to expand said slip means into anchoring engagement with the well conduit, said actuating means including means for expanding said packing means against the well conduit, and releasable means for preventing said actuating means from expanding said packing means against the well conduit until said slip means have first been expanded against the well conduit;

• said packing means being above said slip means and including one or more elastomer packing elements, said actuating means including upper sleeve means engaging the upper end of said one or more elements, lower sleeve means engaging the lower end of said one or more elements, and intermediate sleeve means extending within and surrounded by said one or more elements, said releasable means comprising a shear device interconnecting said upper sleeve means and intermediate sleeve means and a shear device interconnecting said intermediate sleeve means and lower sleeve means.

A well tool adapted to be lowered in a well conduit disposed in a well bore, comprising body means, expander means on said body means, normally retracted slip means coacting with said expander means, normally retracted packing means on said body means, actuating means on said body means for effecting relative longitudinal movement between said expander means and slip means to expand said slip means into anchoring engagement with the well conduit, said actuating means including means for expanding said packing means against the well conduit, and releasable means for preventing said actuating means from expanding said packing means against the well conduit until said slip means have first been expanded against the well conduit;

• and fluid operable means for shifting said actuating means downwardly of said body means to expand said slip means and packing means.

A well tool adapted to be lowered in a well conduit disposed in a well bore, comprising body means, expander means on said body means, normally retracted slip means coacting with said expander means, normally retracted packing means on said body means, actuating means on said body means for effecting relative longitudinal movement between said expander means and slip means to expand said slip means into anchoring engagement with the well conduit, said actuating means including means for expanding said packing means against the well conduit, and releasable means for preventing said actuating means from expanding said packing means against the well conduit until said slip means have first been expanded against the well conduit;

• means including a threaded connection between said expander means and body means for securing said expander means to said body means which is releasable in response to rotation of said body means to release said slip means and packing means from the well conduit.

A well tool adapted to be lowered in a well conduit disposed in a well bore, comprising body means, expander means on said body means, normally retracted slip means coacting with said expander means, normally retracted packing means on said body means above said expander means and slip means, actuating means on said body means for effecting relative longitudinal movement between said expander means and slip means to expand said slip means into anchoring engagement with the well conduit, said packing means including one or more elastomer packing elements, said actuating means including an upper sleeve means engaging the upper end of said one or more elements, lower sleeve means engaging the lower end of said one or more elements, intermediate sleeve means within and surrounded by said one or more elements, said packing means being expanded against the well conduit in response to relative longitudinal movement of said upper sleeve means toward said lower sleeve means, said intermediate sleeve means comprising an upper booster sleeve slidably sealed against said body means and engageable with said upper sleeve means, said intermediate sleeve means further comprising a lower booster sleeve slidably sealed against said body means and engageable with said lower sleeve means.

A well tool adapted to be lowered in a well conduit disposed in a well bore, comprising body means, normally retracted packing means on said body means including one or more elastomer packing elements, upper sleeve means engaging the upper end of said one or more elements, lower sleeve means engaging the lower end of said one or more elements, intermediate sleeve means within and surrounded by said one or more elements, means for shifting said upper sleeve means relatively toward said lower sleeve means to expand said packing means against the well conduit, said intermediate sleeve means comprising an upper booster sleeve slidably sealed against the body means and engageable with said upper sleeve means, said intermediate sleeve means further comprising a lower booster sleeve slidably sealed against said body means and engageable with said lower sleeve means.

A well tool adapted to be lowered in a well conduit disposed in a well bore, comprising body means, expander means on said body means, normally retracted slip means coacting with said expander means, normally retracted packing means on said body means, actuating means on said body means for effecting relative longitudinal movement between said expander means and slip means to expand said slip means into anchoring engagement with the well conduit, said actuating means including means for expanding said packing means against the well conduit, and releasable means for preventing said actuating means from expanding said packing means against the well conduit until said slip means have first been expanded against the well conduit, said expander means comprising an upper expander means and a lower expander means between which said slip means are positioned, said actuating means being connected to said upper expander means to shift said upper expander means toward said lower expander means to expand said slip means into anchoring engagement with the well conduit, means releasably connecting said lower expander means to said body means, release of said connecting means enabling said lower expander means to move downwardly of said body means to effect release of said slip means from the well conduit.

A well tool adapted to be lowered in a well conduit disposed in a well bore, comprising body means, expander means on said body means, normally retracted slip means coacting with said expander means, normally retracted packing means on said body means, actuating means on said body means for effecting relative longitudinal movement between said expander means and slip means to expand slip means into anchoring engagement with the well conduit, said actuating means including means for expanding said packing means against the well conduit, and releasable means for preventing said actuating means from expanding said packing means against the well conduit until said slip means have first been expanded against the well conduit;

• first fluid operable means for shifting said actuating means downwardly of said body means to expand said slip means and packing means, said first fluid operable means being adapted to act upwardly on said actuating means in response to fluid pressure externally of said body means and above said packing means, and second fluid operable means adapted to act downwardly on said actuating means in response to said external fluid pressure to offset said external fluid pressure acting upwardly on said first fluid operable means.