Well completion apparatus for use under pressure and method of using same

Apparatus adapted for use in connection with wellbore operations in a wellbore, comprising assembling means for assembling a tool string of any desired length which is adapted to be disposed in said wellbore and for lowering said tool string into said wellbore when said tool string is assembled, said tool string performing said wellbore operations when said tool string is lowered into said wellbore, said tool string including a first part and a second part said assembling means including

• holding means for holding said first part of said tool string in a work string said first part including a first connector, and
• lowering means for lowering said second part of said tool string having a second connector into said work string until said second connector of said second part contacts said first connector of said first part,
• said holding means allowing said second connector of said second part to be connected to said first connector of said first Dart when the lowering means lowers said second connector of said second part into contact with said first connector of said first part,
• said holding means releasing the hold on said first part of said tool string when said holding means connects said second connector of said second part to said first connector of said first part,
• said lowering means lowering said second part and said first part of said tool string into said wellbore when said holding means releases the hold on said first part of said tool string, said second part and said first part of said tool string performing the wellbore operations when said lowering means lowers said second part and said first part of said tool string into said wellbore,
• wherein said tool string includes said first part, said second part, and a firing head,
• said first part of said tool string including a first perforating gun where the first perforating gun includes said first connector,
• said second part of said tool string including a second perforating gun where said second perforating gun includes a further connector interconnected between said second perforating gun and a cable of a winch and said second connector adapted to mate with said first connector,
• said lowering means including said winch for lowering said second perforating gun and said second connector into said work string, the winch including a winch housing, a rotatable center piece enclosed within the winch housing, and a cable connected on one end to said center piece and rolled around said center piece within the winch housing and connected on the other end to said second perforating gun for unrolling from said center piece and lowering said second perforating gun into said work string, and
• said holding means includes a snaplock operator connection means for holding said first perforating gun and said first connector and allowing said second connector of said second perforating gun to be connected to said first connector of said first perforating gun when said winch unrolls said cable from said center piece and lowers said second connector of said second perforating gun into contact with said first connector of said first perforating gun, said snaplock operator connection means including a slip adapted to rotate into contact with a first part of said first connector of said first perforating gun and a rack adapted to contact and twist a second part of said first connector relative to said first part of said first connector, said second connector of said second perforating gun being connected to said first connector of said first perforating gun when said rack twists said second part of said first connector while said slip contacts said first part of said first connector of said first perforating gun,
• wherein said assembling means further comprises
• a lubricator housing connected to said winch housing adapted to receive and enclose said second perforating gun and said second connector which is lowered into said lubricator housing by said winch;
• and
• a valve adapted to open and close connected to said lubricator housing, said lubricator housing adapted to be pressurized when said valve is opened,
• said snaplock operator connection means being connected to said valve.

A method of perforating long length intervals of a wellbore during a single run into the wellbore, comprising the steps of:

• (a) holding a first perforating apparatus in a hold apparatus,
• (b) connecting a second perforating apparatus to the first perforating apparatus,
• (c) releasing the first perforating apparatus from the holding apparatus,
• (d) holding the second perforating apparatus in said holding apparatus,
• (e) connecting a firing head apparatus to the second perforating apparatus,
• (f) releasing the second perforating apparatus from the holding apparatus,
• (g) lowering the first and second perforating apparatus and the firing head apparatus downhole, and
• (h) perforating the long length interval of the wellbore;
• wherein said first perforating apparatus includes a first perforating gun and a first connector connected to the first perforating gun, said first connector including a first section and
• a second section connected to the first section, said holding apparatus including a first means for holding said first section and a second means for twisting said second section while said first means holds said first section of said first connector,
• the holding step (a) for holding the first perforating apparatus in the holding apparatus comprising the steps of:
• (a1) grasping, by said first means said first section of said first connector of said first perforating gun;
• and
• (a2) twisting, by said second means, said second section of said first connector while said first means grasps said first section;
• wherein said first means includes a slip adapted to swivel about a center, said second means including a slot, a ring slidable in said slot, and a rack adapted to expand into contact with said second section in response to the sliding of said ring in said slot, the grasping step (a1) including the steps of:
• (a11) swiveling said slip about said center, and
• (a12) grasping by said slip said first section of said first connector of said first perforating gun.

An apparatus for perforating long length intervals of a wellbore during a single run into the wellbore, comprising:

• an assembly apparatus adapted for assembling uphole and interconnecting together a tool string of any desired length, said tool string including a plurality of perforating guns interleaved with a respective plurality of connectors adapted for perforating long length intervals of said wellbore, each of the connectors including a first connector adapted to be connected to a first perforating gun and a second connector adapted to be connected to a second perforating gun, said assembly apparatus including,
• snaplock operator connection means adapted to be sequentially connected to the first and second connectors of each of said connectors of said tool string for connecting the first connector to the second connector of each connector and disconnecting the first connector from the second connector of each connector, the first connector and the second connector connecting the first perforating gun to the second perforating gun when the connection means connects the first connector to the second connector, the first connector and the second connector disconnecting the first perforating gun from the second perforating gun when the connection means disconnects the first connector from the second connector;
• and
• means for lowering said tool string downhole into said wellbore, the means for lowering including a lubricator adapted to be pressurized and a winch enclosed within said lubricator adapted for lowering said tool string downhole.