US 7,017,682 B2 · Drill string shutoff valve

Abstract

A valve assembly connects into a drill string for opening and closing a passage within the drill string. The valve assembly has an inner valve member for opening and closing an inner passage of the drill string. The valve member moves between the open and closed positions in response to axial movement of the drill string. Lifting the drill string causes the upper portion to move upward relative to the lower portion, bringing along with it the valve member, while the valve sleeve remains stationary with the lower portion, opening the valve. The valve assembly can include an annular valve assembly for opening and closing an annular passage located around the inner passage. The annular valve assembly is opened and closed by increasing the pressure in the annular passage above the annular valve assembly.

Drawings

Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO

Drawings

Claims23

Dependent claims

An apparatus for opening and closing a passageway of a drill string, comprising:

a tubular outer member having upper and lower portions that telescopingly engage one another and are axially movable relative to each other between a retracted position and an extended position, the outer member having a bore through each of the upper and lower portions of the outer member;
a locking mechanism located between the upper and lower portions of the outer member, the locking mechanism selectively locks the upper and lower portions between the retracted and extended positions;
a valve member carried in the bore for blocking upward flow through the bore, the valve member being mounted to one of the upper and lower portions for movement therewith;
and
while the upper and lower portions of the outer member are in the retracted position, the valve member allows upward flow through the bore, and while the upper and lower portions of the outer member are in the extended position, the valve member blocks flow through the bore.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description4,934 words

Summary813 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates in general to safety shutoff valves, and particularly to a safety shutoff valve located in a drill string for drilling a well.

#2. Background of the Invention

Brief description of the drawings11 figures

#FIGS. 1A and 1B comprise a vertical sectional view of a valve assembly constructed in accordance with this invention and shown in an open position.

#FIGS. 2A and 2B comprise a vertical sectional view of the valve assembly of FIGS. 1A and 1B, but shown in a closed position.

#FIG. 3 is a perspective view of part of a lower sub of the outer member of the valve assembly of FIGS. 1A and 1B.

Detailed description3,861 words

#Referring to FIG. 1, valve assembly 11 includes an outer tubular member 13, which is made up of several components. An upper adapter 15 forms the upper end of outer member 13. Upper adapter 15 is a tubular member having threads on its upper end for connection to an outer conduit 17 of a dual passage drill string 19. Drill string 19 preferably has an inner conduit 21 extending through it. An annular passage 23 surrounds inner conduit 21, and an inner passage 25 extends through inner conduit 21. Inner conduit 21 and outer conduit 17 may be made of continuous coiled tubing, which is typically of metal. Alternately, outer conduit 17 may be made up of segments of pipe secured together, and inner conduit 21 could be formed of sections of pipe that stab together.

#Outer member 13 also has an upper sub 27 that secures to the lower end of adapter 15. Upper sub 27 is a tubular member that has a plurality of pins 29 secured to it. Preferably there are two sets of pins 29, each pin 29 in each set being axially aligned with the others in the same set. The sets of pins 29 are spaced 180° apart and extend radially inward. Upper sub 27 also has a plurality of spaced apart downward facing lugs 31 on its lower end. Lugs 31 contact an upper shoulder of a lower sub 33 of outer member 13 when valve assembly 11 is in the retracted position shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

#Lower sub 33 is a tubular member that has an upper reduced diameter portion that inserts into upper sub 27 and contains a pair of slots 35 for engagement by pins 29. Slots 35 are spaced 180° from each other in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, each slot 35 has a plurality of transverse portions 37 that extend circumferentially about 90° and are parallel to each other. Each transverse portion 37 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of lower sub 33 and leads to an axial portion 39 that extends along the length of lower sub 33. Each slot 35 does not extend entirely through the sidewall of lower sub 33, thus does not communicate with the interior of the lower sub 33. Lower sub 33 also has a plurality upward facing lugs 41 that have spaces between them for receiving downward facing lugs 31 (FIG. 1B) of upper sub 27.

Facts

Application

10/677,871Filed 2 Oct 2003 · continuation in part

Priority

17 Dec 2002

Published

US 2004/0112641 A117 Jun 2004

Granted

28 Mar 2006

Term ended

14 Jul 2023

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 209 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification4 codes

E21B 17/07
Between rod or the like and bit or between rod and rod or the like: telescoping joints for varying drill string lengths; Shock absorbers
E21B 17/18
Drilling rods or pipes; Flexible drill strings; Kellies; Drill collars; Sucker rods; Cables; Casings; Tubings: pipes provided with plural fluid…
E21B 34/12
In wells: operated by movement of casings or tubings
E21B
Earth or rock drilling

Family

Application10/321,087Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 17 Dec 2002

US 2004/0112643 A1Pre-grant publication · published 17 Jun 2004

US 6,918,452 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2004/0112641 A1Published application

US 7,017,682 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

17 Dec 2002Priority claimedParent application 10/321,087
2 Oct 2003Application filedUS 10/677,871
2 Oct 2003Assigned to ABB Vetco Gray Inc.assignment of assignor's interest
17 Jun 2004PublishedUS 2004/0112641 A1
16 Dec 2004Assigned to Vetco Gray Inc.change of name
28 Mar 2006GrantedUS 7,017,682 B2
9 Aug 2012Assigned to Presssol Ltd.assignment of assignor's interest
14 Jul 2023Term endedEstimated, includes 209 days of adjustment

Drill string shutoff valve

Life of this patent

Drill string shutoff valve

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims23

Description4,934 words

Drawings

Classification4 codes

Life of this patent

Description4,934 words