US 5,176,217 A · Sealing assembly for subterranean well packing unit

Abstract

In subterranean wells, it is common to effect the radial expansion of an annular organic packing element into sealing engagement between a tubular inner body and the inner wall of a well conduit, such as a well casing. Extrusion of the organic material has been encountered between the inner surface of upper and lower cone elements and the exterior of a tubular body portion and also between the inclined surfaces of upper and lower cone elements and the cooperating surfaces of cone rings. The first mentioned extrusion path is eliminated by forming a generally radial surface on the inner end of the upper and lower cones orthogonal to the tubular body and inserting a carbon fiber filled organic material in the resulting annular chamber. The extrusion path between the inclined surface of the cone and the cooperating surface of the cone ring is minimized by utilizing the forces exerted by the compressed sealing material of the packing element in combination with axial movement by the cone element to effect the shearing of the inner vertex portion of a packer ring along a plane that corresponds exactly to the inclined surface of the cone ring.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A sealing assembly for a subterranean well packing unit, comprising, in combination:

a tubular body element;
a packing sleeve formed of a deformable organic material and snugly surrounding an axial portion of the exterior of said tubular body element;
upper and lower cones freely surrounding said tubular body element and at opposite axial ends of said packing sleeve and having oppositely inclined, facing surfaces respectively axially spaced from said packing sleeve;
fluid flow paths exteriorly surrounding said tubular body element;
and
an extrusion resisting means movable across said fluid flow paths during sealing of said assembly in said well and at least in part urged by relative axial movement of said cones toward each other and separably urgeable into said respective fluid flow paths during sealing in said well, said extrusion resisting means including at least one portion which is severable therefrom upon contact with a selected portion of said upper and lower cones as said extrusion resistant means is urged into said fluid flow paths.

3 more elements

A sealing assembly for a subterranean well packing unit, comprising:

a tubular body with an exterior surface, disposed about a longitudinal axis;
a packing sleeve formed of deformable material having upper and lower ends and disposed about at least a portion of said exterior surface of said tubular body;
upper and lower cones disposed about said tubular body element at opposite axial ends of said packing sleeve;
said upper cone having upper and lower ends axially movable relative to said tubular body, and including at said lower end a sliding interface surface and a shearing surface, said sliding interface surface and said shearing surface disposed in different positions relative to said tubular body;
said lower cone having upper and lower ends axially movable relative to said tubular body, and including at said upper end a sliding interface surface and a shearing surface, said sliding interface surface and said shearing surface disposed in different positions relative to said tubular body;
at least one upper spacing ring disposed between said upper end of said packing sleeve and said lower end of said upper cone, and including a sliding interface surface adapted for slidably engaging said sliding interface surface of said upper cone, and a shearable region disposed radially inward from said sliding interface surface;
at least one lower spacing ring disposed between said lower end of said packing sleeve and said upper end of said lower cone, and including a sliding interface surface adapted for slidably engaging said sliding interface surface of said upper cone, and a shearable region disposed radially inward from said sliding interface surface;
wherein during a setting mode of operation said upper cone is moved axially downward relative to said tubular body, and said lower cone is moved axially upward relative to said tubular body, to apply force to said packer sleeve through said at least one upper spacing ring and said at least one lower spacing ring, causing said packing sleeve, said at least one upper spacing ring, and said at least one lower spacing ring to move radially outward relative to said tubular body;
wherein, as said at least one upper spacing ring moves radially outward relative to said tubular body, said sliding interface surface of said at least upper spacing ring slidably engages said sliding interface surface of said upper cone, and said shearable region of said at least one upper spacing ring is engaged by said shearing surface of said upper cone and removed from said at least one upper spacing ring to produce a sealed extrusion path between said upper cone and said at least one upper spacing ring;
and
wherein, as said at least one lower spacing ring moves radially outward relative to said tubular body, said sliding interface surface of said at least one lower spacing ring slidably engages said sliding interface surface of said lower cone, and said shearable region of said at least one lower spacing ring is engaged by said shearing surface of said lower cone and removed from said at least one lower spacing ring to produce a sealed extrusion path between said lower cone and said at least one lower spacing ring.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Sealing assembly for subterranean well packing unit

Life of this patent

Sealing assembly for subterranean well packing unit

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8