US 4,044,827 A · Apparatus for treating wells

Abstract

A method and apparatus for incrementally treating a section of an earth formation around a well to improve fluid flow into the well. The method includes the steps of installing a well casing provided with spaced landing nipples, perforating and treating a bottom portion of the formation by suitable standard procedures including employing a packer in the casing above the location of perforation and treating, running a retrievable plug into the well bore, releasably locking the plug at one of the landing nipples above the first location of perforation and treating, running a perforator into the well above the plug and perforating the casing above the plug, treating the formation through the perforations above the plug, and thereafter sequentially treating the formation at selected depths up the hole by engaging the plug with a combination overshot handling tool and perforator to lift the plug upwardly and install the plug at the next landing nipple above the previously perforated and treated zone, releasing the combination tool from the plug and perforating the casing above the plug, removing the combination tool from the well bore and introducing treating fluid into the formation through last perforations made above the plug, and reintroducing the combination tool to lift the plug to the next landing nipple up the well above which perforating and treating is desired.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A retrievable well plug for use in temporarily plugging a well bore comprising:

a body mandrel having a longitudinal bore therethrough;
an annular seal assembly on said body mandrel for sealing around said mandrel with a wall surface along a well bore;
radially movable locating and locking keys on said body mandrel for releasably locking said plug at a locking recess along a well bore;
retainer means on said body mandrel for restraining said keys inwardly at non-locking positions on said body mandrel;
operator finger means on said body mandrel for engaging a coupling recess to activate said key locking means to release said keys for expansion to locking positions on said body mandrel;
means for actuating said retainer means to release said keys and for retracting and latching said operator finger means inwardly at an inoperative position responsive to an upward force on said body mandrel;
a handling head coupled with said body mandrel for engaging and supporting said plug in a well bore;
and valve means connected with said handling head and operable in said bore of said body mandrel to permit fluid bypass through said body mandrel when said plug is lifted in said well bore and to close said bore through said body mandrel when said plug is landed and locked in said well bore.

5 more elements

A retrievable well plug for use in temporarily closing a well bore at a selected depth comprising:

an elongated body mandrel having a bore therethrough;
an annular seal assembly supported on said body member for sealing around said body mandrel with a seal surface in a landing nipple along said well bore;
radially movable locating and locking keys on said body mandrel;
a longitudinally movable annular key keeper slidably mounted on said body mandrel below said keys for releasably engaging the lower ends of said keys to hold said keys at retracted positions;
a tubular operator member slidably mounted within the bore of said body mandrel coupled at an upper end thereof with said key keeper;
a slidable sleeve mounted on said body mandrel coupled at an upper end with said tubular operator member within said body mandrel;
an operator finger pivotally mounted in said body mandrel on a shaft connected with said slidable sleeve, said sleeve and said body mandrel having alinged slots therein permitting an operating end of said finger to extend outwardly of said sleeve for engagement with a coupling recess along said well bore to effect movement of said body mandrel relative to said tubular operator member, said slidable sleeve, and said key keeper to release said keys for expansion to locking positions and to retract and latch said operator finger at an inoperative position responsive to engagement of said operator finger in a recess along said well bore upon applying an upward force to said well plug in said well bore;
latch means between said slidable sleeve and said body mandrel for latching said body mandrel at a longitudinal position to hold said operator finger retracted at an inoperative position;
a longitudinally movable valve member slidably coupled with said body mandrel and having a lower valve head adapted to shut off flow through the bore of said body mandrel at the lower end of the stroke of said valve in said body mandrel and adapted to permit upward flow through said body mandrel bore at an upper end position in said body mandrel;
and a handling head connected with the upper end of said valve member for releasably supporting said well plug from a running tool in said well bore.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for treating wells

Life of this patent

Apparatus for treating wells

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5