US3329007A

US3329007A - Tubing tester valve

Info

Publication number: US3329007A
Application number: US416039A
Authority: US
Inventors: Martin B Conrad
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-12-04
Filing date: 1964-12-04
Publication date: 1967-07-04
Anticipated expiration: 1984-07-04

Description

July 4,` 1967 M. B. CONRAD 3,329,007

TUBING TESTER VALVE #www Arm/Vaas M. B. CONAD 3,329,007

July 4, 1967 y TUBING TESTER VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. 4, 1964 INVENTOR 5 CdA/Q40 BY MKM United States Patent O 3,329,007 TUBING TESTER VALVE Martin B. Conrad, P.0. Box 1026, N. Downey Station,l Downey, Calif. 90240 Filed nec. 4, 1964, ser. N0. 416,039 19 Claims. (Cl. 73-40.5)

ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A flap valve pivoted at one side within a tubular housing closes against a transverse seat, and is swung -to one side by movement of the seat carrying member. Initial movement equalizes pressure 4across the valve, and final movement engages a ratchet mechanism which prevents relative reverse movement of the member and housing, thereby holding the valve open.

The present invention relates to valves, and more particularly to a valve useful in the running of Oilfield pipe or tubing to enable the testing of the pipe or tubing as it is being run into a well whereby to determine the existence of leaks.

In certain oil and gas well treatments subsurface packers are run into the well casing or Well bore on a string of Well pipe, drill pipe or tubing, hereinafter generically referred to as tubing, and such packers are actuated to effect a seal between the tubing and the well casing, so that fluid under pressure may be pumped down the tubing string through the packer and into the subterranean earth formation. Such practices prevail, for example in the hydraulic fracturing o'r acidizing of the formation, or in cementing.

During running of the tubing string it is made up in lengths or stands by means of threaded joints, and the tubing string may be a number of thousands of feet in length. Therefore, it is desirable to periodically test the tubing as it is being run to determine the existence of a leak, either at a joint or otherwise. To enable this, tubing tester valves are employed which should be so constructed as to enable repetitive testing, say after a desired number of lengths or stands of pipe have been added to the string. Testing involves closing the valve in the tubing string and pressurizing the tubing above the valve to determine whether it is pressure tight. In addition, the valve should be compatible with the packer, that is, the packer should be operable through the tubing tester valve, and such packers typically may require rotation of the tubing string as well as longitudinal m-ovement'of the tubing string.

Inasmuch as the tubing tester valve is in the path of well treating fiuids, it is also desirable that the valve be so constructed as to not cause a restriction to the flow of fluid, or for that matter, the passage of any tool that can pass through the tubing. In addition, since the valve may be closed under high pressure, as for example when the valve is beneath the hydrostatic pressure of a column several thousand feet deep, it is desirable that the valve be easily opened independently of fiuid, or for that matter, the passage of any tool In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to provide a tubing tester valve assembly having a full opening valve which offers no obstruction to. the passage of well tools therethrough and causes no restriction in the flow path of well treating uids.

Another object is to provide such a tubing tester valve which is easy t-o open, and which in the furtherence of this object is constructed so that as an initial stage of its opening the pressure differential across the valve is balanced, and thereafter the valve is fully opened.

Still another object is to provide a tubing tester valve that not only has the above features, but which also is compatible with packers therebelow which require tubing rotation and/ or longitudinal movements to effect setting of the packer.

More particularly, the invention contemplates a simple valve which is operative in combination with a seat to permit the unobstructed passage of fluid through a pair of telescopic tubular parts for one direction, but being constructed to prevent flow in the other direction, the seat being moved away from the valve when the same is to be opened to permit flow in the other direction, While the valve is temporarily supported, thereby allowing the balancing of the pressure in the housing.

Another object is to provide such a valve wherein upon telescopic movement of the tubular parts to a predetermined limit the valve will be held displaced wholly'to one side of the parts and the latter will be interlocked to enable operation of the packer therebelow by manipulation of the tubing string.

More particularly, the invention contemplates tubular bodies mounted one within the other for relative rotation upon rotation of the upper section of the runningin string of pipe or tubing, such relative rotation causing longitudinal movement within one of said bodies of a part which engages and shifts the valve laterally to one side of the assembly, and holds it securely against vi- Ibration.

Another object is to provide a valve assembly according to the preceding object in which preliminary to shifting of the valve laterally the pressure across the valve is balanced by retraction of the valve seat, the valve being held against movement with the seat by the member which subsequently effects lateral movement of the valve.

While the valve has been characterized above and will be described hereinafter as being useful in the testing of tubing it will be understood that the valve also has other utility. For example, another operation conducted in oil and gas wells in which a valve may be subjected to substantial differential pressure when closed is a formation testing operation in which a string of tubing or pipe is runinto a body of fluid standing in the well bore and in which it is desired that the tubing be maintained internally dry until such time as a sample of formation fluids is to be obtained. The valve of the present invention is useful in such an application simply by inverting the assembly in the tubing string so that the valve will be held closed by fluid pressure within the well bore as the tubing string is being run into the well.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described or will become apparent to those skilled in the art, and the novel features of the invention will be defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. l is a longitudinal sectional View through a tubing tester valve made in accordance with the invention, shown in condition for running and testing pipe;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section showing the seat retracted from beneath the valve to enable balancing of pressure across the valve;

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. l but showing the valve in the laterally displaced position to one side of the body;

FIG. 4 is a view in transverse section as taken on the line 4 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view in transverse section as taken on the line 5 5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view in transverse section as taken on the line 6 6 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a View in transverse section as taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 3.

Like reference characters in the several views of the drawings and in the following description designate corresponding parts.

The tubing tester Valve of the present invention is illustrated as including an upper and outer tubular body 1 in which is disposed a lower and inner tubular body 2. At its upper end the body 1 has means 3 for connecting the body 1 to an upward section of tubing T. The lower end of body 2 has a means 4 for connection to a downwardly extended length of the tubing T which may lead to a well packer (not shown) as is well known in the art.

Tubular body 1 has a bore 5. Tubular body 2 has its upper end extending into the bore 5 and retained in the bore by a bushing 6 which is threaded into the lower end of body 1 as at 7. Sealing means are preferably provided between the bushing 6 and the body 1 and between the bushing 6 and the body 2, such sealing means comprising O-rings 8 carried by one part and sealingly engaging the other.

Body 2 has an inner end face 9 circumscribing the passage 10 through the body 2, this end face constituting a valve seat. This valve seat 9 is adapted to be sealingly engaged by a valve or flap 11 pivotally supported within body 1 for movement between a first position in engagement with the seat 9 (see FIG. 1) and a second position laterally displaced so as to be disposed wholly to one side of the body bore 5 (see FIG. 3). If desired, the ap 11 may be provided with a resilient sealing element 12 for sealing engagement with the seat 9. Interposed between the valve ap 11 and the inner wall of the body 1 is a spring 11a. The purpose of this spring is to assure that the valve ap 11 will be moved from the laterally displaced position as shown in FIG. 3 when the valve assembly is to be used to maintain the tubing string dry as referred to above. It is preferred that the spring be so constructed as to bias the valve flap 11 into sealing engagement with the seat 9 so as to prevent the initial ow of fluid therebetween. Accordingly, in the illustrative embodiment, the spring 11a is shown as comprising a pair of spring arms 11b and 11c having an intermediate spring coil, the arm 11b slidably contacting the valve ap 11 and the arm 11C being connected to the body 1.

Means are provided within the bore 5 whereby upon relative rotation of the bodies 1 and 2 the valve 11 is effective to separate the valve 11 and seat 9 (see FIG. 3). Thus, differential pressure across the closed Valve may be balanced during an intial stage of actuation of the valve to cause its movement from said rst or closed position to said second or open position.

Such means includes a valve shifter or slide 13 which extends longitudinally within the bore 5 of body 1 and extends circumferentially partially around the upper or inner end of body 2. (See FIGURE 6.) Internally, the slide 13 is formed with a thread 14 engaged with a complemental thread 15 provided externally on the body 2. These

threads

14 and 15 constitute means for causing telescopic or longitudinal movement of the slide 13 within the body 1, as well as to cause initial movement of the body 2 and seat 9 away from valve flap 11. In the latter connection it will be noted that the upper end of slide 13 has a ange 16 which projects inwardly into sliding relation with the body 2 adjacent the seat 9, the flange constituting an abutment engageable by the valve 11 as shown in FIGURE 2 and having flow passages 17 to allow fluid ow between ange 16 and valve 11.

Means are provided for holding slide 13 against rotation in body 1, that is to cause rotation of body 1 and slide 13 as a unit, while allowing sliding movement of slide 13 within the body 1 between a first position as shown in FIG. l in which the slide 13 is wholly located below the upper end of or seat 9 of body 2 and a second position at which the slide is longitudinally extended upwardly past the seat 9. This means, in the illustrative embodiment, comprises an elongated key 18 provided in the body 1 and slidably engaged in a complemental key- Way 19 extending longitudinally of the slide 13.

Typically, key 18 may be formed as a part of a spacer block 20 located at the upper extremity of the bore 5 in body 1. Spacer block 20 is arcuate so as to afford no obstruction in the passage through the assembly and projects inwardly for abutting contact by the upper end of slide 13 to limit upward movement of the latter in bore 5. Block 20 and key 18 may be welded in place in the body 1, as at 20 and 18', or may be otherwise suitably fixed therein.

As previously mentioned, body 2 is adapted to be moved longitudinally away from the closed valve 11, and therefore, means are provided for enabling such movement during an initial stage of rotation of the body 1 relative to body 2. Hence, adjacent the inner end of bushing 6, the body 2 has an outwardly projecting radial flange 21 which abuts with the inner end of bushing 6 to prevent axial separation of the bodies 1 and 2 and which is engageable with an inwardly projecting ange 22 in a split-ring 23. Flange 22 and the inner end of bushing 6 are spaced apart a distance sufficient to provide an axially extended space 24 in which ange 21 is allowed a range of axial movement sufficient to allow the seat 9 to project through flange 16 of slide 17 for seating of the valve 11 and to allow the seat 9 to be retracted to the position shown in FIG. 2, as referred to above.

Split ring 23 is connected to bushing 6 by means of

interfitting flanges

25 and 26, the ring segments being shown as semicircular and abutting at 27. It will be understood that the segments of ring 23 are assembled on the body 2 and the bushing or retainer 6 prior to insertion of the body 2 into the body 1.

Means for supporting valve 11 within body 1 is provided on one segment of ring 23 and is shown as including an elongated support arm 28, which extends between the circumferentially spaced edges 29 of slide 13, as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. At the upper end of arm 28 is -a head 30 to which the valve 11 is connected. Head 30 is slotted at 31 to receive an ear 32 on valve 11, a pivot pin 33 extending through the head across the slot 31 and through an elongated slot 34 in ear 32, whereby the valve 11 is free to partake of free motion, `as will hereinafter appear.

It will now be understood that rotation of the body 1 relative to the body 2 in either direction will cause telescopic movement of slide 13 in the body 1 and relative to the bodies 1 and 2, but since the valve assembly is to be employed with a torque operated well packer in the tubing string below the valve, it is desired that the valve assembly may be conditioned to transmit torque in either direction while the valve remains in an open condition. Therefore, as best seen in FIG. 7, means are provided to latch the valve open, that is, to prevent left-hand rotation of body 1 relative to body 2 after right-hand rotation has caused

threads

14 and 15 to move slide 13 into engagement with the spacer block 20.

The illustrative locking means includes a ratchet element 35 carried by slide 13 and co-operative teeth 36 on the body 2. Ratchet 35 includes an arcuate spring 37 disposed in a groove 38 adjacent the lower end of slide 13. At the ends of the spring 37 are drive lugs 39 having angularly disposed surfaces 40 which engage the longitudinal edges 29 of slide 13, the support arm 28 extending between the lugs 39. On the inner wall of the spring 37 is a ratchet tooth 41 engageable with the teeth 36 on body 2 during the last few turns of body 1 relative to body 2, it being notable that teeth 36 are located adjacent the lowermost thread helix on body 2. As rotation of the body 1 causes movement of the slide 13 upwardly to the extent that ratchet tooth 41 is engageable with teeth 36, reverse rotation will be prevented and torque may be transmitted through the assembly by means of the ratchet teeth. However, continued right-hand rotation of body 1 relative to body 2 is permitted by the ratchet until slide 13 shoulders on spacer 20, and thereafter right-hand torque may be transmitted through the assembly.

In use, the valve assembly is made up in ,a running-in string of tubing, and is run into a well in the condition shown in FIG. 1. The valve 11 is free to swing upwardly as fluid passes through the assembly during lowering of the string. When downward movement of the tubing is arrested, valve 11 will assume the full line position, spring 11a assuring displacement of the valve from the laterally displaced position shown in broken lines. When it is desired to test one or more joints of tubing, the valve will be in position to prevent flow of' fluid through the assembly so that the tubing may be pressurized. If a leak is detected and it is desired to pull the tubing, the valve may be partially opened by rotating the string a number of turns to cause partial opening of the valve. If no leak'is detected and it is desired to set the packer in the tubing below the valve assembly, rotation of the string to the right will cause full opening of the valve and engagement of the ratchet so that the valve assembly may transmit torque in either direction as well as longitudinal movement, either or both of which may be necessary toset the packer in the tubing.

In order to reduce the stress applied to the valve 11 and more particularly to the pivot therefor, as the slide 13, in moving from the. position shown in FIG. l'to the position shown in FIG. 3, engages and moves the valve laterally to the out-of-the-way position shown in FIG. 3, the initial stage of rotation of body 1 relative to body 2 results in balancing of pressure across the valve while the valve is supported on the slide 13. Such initial rotation causes rotation of slide 13 which, due to the

threads

14 and 15 on the slide and on the body 2, will cause telescopic movement of body 2 downward in body 1 until flange 21 contacts the upper end of bushing 6, as shown in FIG.L 2. Responsive to such rel-ative movement, the valve 11 will move downward on its lost-motion pivot into abutting relation with the upper end of the slide 13, and the seat 9 will break contact with the Valve 11, pressure balancing across the valve through end slots or passages 17 in the end of slide 13. Thereafter, continue-d rotation of the body-1 relative to body 2 will cause the slide 13 to be fedaxially relative to body 2 and along drive key 18,

the sl-ide camming the Avalve aside to the FIG. 3.

When the spring ratchet ring 37, moving axially of the body 2, comesA into coengaging relation to the teeth position shown in 36, the ratchet spring will expand to allow further simil-ar rotation of the body 1, but ratchet

teeth

36 and 41 will coengage to prevent opposite rotation, and the assembly will be latched substantially in the position shown in FIG. 3, with the valve full open.v

While the specific details of the invention have been herein shown and described, ch-anges and alterations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

.1. A tubing tester valve, comprising: an outer tubular body, an inner tubular :body disposed in said outer body, said inner body having an inner end surface forming a valve seat, a valve pivoted on the outer body for movement into and out of engagement with said seat, means for moving said valve about its pivot and wholly to one side of said bodies upon relative movement of said bodies, and means for holding said valve during an initial stage of movement of said lbodies to allow movement of said seat away from said valve.

2. A tubing tester valve as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for moving said valve includes -a slide threadedly mounted on one of said bodies and slidably connected to the other of said bodies for telescopic movement in the latter upon relative rotation of said bodies. i

3. A tubing tester valve as defined in claim 2, wherein said means for holding said valve during an initial stage of rotation of said bodies includes an abutment on said slide, said bodies having means interconnecting the same for relative axial movement in said initial stage of rotaltion of said bodies to move said seat away from said tive movement of said bodies, and means for initially holding said valve ap to allow movement of said seat away from said flap during an initial stage of relative movement of said bodies.

5. A tubing tester valve as defined in claim 4, including means for latching said bodies against opposite relative movement during the final stage of relative movement of said bodies.

6. A tubing tester valve, comprising: an outer tubular body, an inner tubular body disposed in said outer body, means interconnecting said bodies for relative rotation, sai-d inner body having an inner end surface forming a valve seat, a valve iiap pivota-lly mounted on the outer body adjacent said seat for pivotal movements between a first position engaging said seat and a second position laterally displaced wholly to one side of said bodies, means coengaged with said bodies for moving said valve flap from said first position to said second position upon relative rotation of said bodies, and means for initially holding said valve flap to allow movement of said seat away from said flap during an initial stage of relative rotation of said lbodies.

7. A tubing tester valve as defined in claim 6, wherein said means for moving said flap comprises a member slidably connected to one of said bodies and threadedly engaged with the other of said bodies so as to move telescopically relative to said bodies upon relative rotation of said bodies, said member having a portion engageable with said flap to cam the latter to one side of said bodies upon movement of said member in one direction.

8. A tubing tester valve as defined in claim 6, wherein said means for moving said flap comprises a mem-ber slidably connected to one of said bodies and threadedly connected to the other of said bodies, said inner body and said member having means interconnecting the same for initial longitudinal movement of said inner body away from said iiap in the initial stage of relative rotation of said bodies, and said member having means providing an abutment for holding said iiap against movement with said inner member, whereby to initially balance pressure across said fiap during the initial stage of relative rotation of said bodies.

9. A tubing tester valve, comprising: an outer tubular body, an inner tubular body disposed in said inner body, means interconnecting said bodies for relative rotation, a valve flap, means pivotally mounting said flap in said outer body at one side thereof and adjacent the inner end of said inner body, said inner body having at said end a transverse surface forming a seat for said flap, a slide interposed between said bodies, means connecting said slide to one of said bodies for longitudinal sliding movement, means connecting said slide to the other of said bodies to effect sliding movement of said slide upon relative rotation of said bodies, and a portion on said slide movable with said slide from a first position at one side of said seat to a second position at the other side of said seat, said portion constituting means engageable with said flap to cam the latter pivotally to one side of said bodies.

10. A tubing tester valve as defined in claim 9, wherein said means interconnecting said bodies for relative rotation includes means for permitting initial relative longitudinal movement of said bodies, whereby said seat is moved relative to said portion of said slide to a position at which said portion engages said flap.

11. A tubing tester valve, comprising: an outer tubular body, an inner tubular body disposed in said outer body, a support removably disposed in said outer body, a valve flap pivoted on said support, a valve seat extended transversely of one of said bodies, connector means on said support and connected to said outer body for revolvably mounting said inner body in said outer body, and slide means interengaged with said bodies and telescopically movable relative thereto upon rotation of said bodies, for engaging and causing pivotal movement of said flap from a position engaged with said seat to a 4laterally displaced position to one side of said ybodies upon relative rotation of said bodies in one direction.

12. A tubing tester valve as defined in claim 11, whereing said connector means includes an arcuate member on said support extending about said inner body, said arcuate member and said inner body having radial flanges projecting into yoverlapped relation, and a bushing removably connected to said outer body and having means interconnected with said arcuate member.

13. A tubing tester valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said support includes an elongate section extending longitudinally of said outer body at one side thereof, said slide means including an elongate member disposed between said bodies and having longitudinal edges slidable along said elongate section of said support.

14. A tubing tester valve as deiined in claim 11, wherein said support includes an elongate section extending longitudinally of said `outer body at one side thereof, said slide means including an elongate member disposed between said bodies and having longitudinal edges slidable along said elongate section of said su-pport, said slide member having threads thereon, one of said bodies baving threads coengaged with the threads on said slide member, and the other of said bodies and said slide member having longitudinally extended key and slot means, whereby to cause sliding movement of said slide member upon relative rotation of said bodies.

15. A tubing tester valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said slide means and one of said bodies have cooperative latch -means coengageable upon movement of said slide to a position with said flap in said laterally displaced position to prevent opposite relative rotation of said bodies.

16. A tubing tester valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said slide means and one of said bodies have cooperative ratchet means coengageable upon movement of said slide to a position with said iiap in said laterally displaced position to prevent opposite relative rotation of said bodies, said ratchet means including a tooth ycarried by `one of said bodies and an arcuate spring connected to said slide and having a tooth engageable with said tooth on said one of said bodies.

17. A tubing tester valve, comprising: an elongate tubular body having a valve seat at one end, a radial flange intermediate the ends of said body, a thread on said body between said seat and said flange, an elongate support member extending along one side of said body, an outer tubular body having an end disposed about said first-mentioned body, connector means including a second flange and a bushing surrounding said first-mentioned body and connected to said outer body for rotatably connecting said flange on said first mentioned body, a valve ap pivotally connected to said support member adjacent said seat to normally engage said seat, a slide between said bodies having a thread engaged with said thread on said first-mentioned body, longtiudinal key and slot means slidably connecting said slide to said outer body, said slide having an end engageable with said flap upon movement of said slide :longitudinally of said bodies responsive to relative rotation of said bodies to cause said valve to be pivoted to a laterally displaced position wholly to one side of said bodies.

18. A tubing tester valve as defined in claim 17, wherein said second flange and said bushing are spaced apart a distance greater than the thickness of said flange on said first-mentioned body, whereby said first-mentioned body is free to =move longitudinally of said outer body during an initial stage of relative rotation of said bodies to retract said seat from engagement with said liap while said ap is supported on said end of said slide to balance the pressure across said ap.

19. A tubing tester valve as defined in claim 18, wherein said slide and one of said bodies have cooperative means for holding said bodies against relative rotation when said flap is laterally displaced.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,099,479 11/1937 Heinkel et al. 137--369 X 2,841,171 7/1958 Baker et al. 166-224 X 2,853,265 9/1958 Clark 166-226 2,874,927 2/ 1959 Conrad 166-226 X 2,921,601 1/1960 Fisher 251-339 X 3,086,594 4/ 1963 Keithahn 166-226 LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner.

I. NOLTON, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A TUBING TESTER VALVE, COMPRISING: AN OUTER TUBULAR BODY, AN INNER TUBULAR BODY DISPOSED IN SAID OUTER BODY, SAID INNER BODY HAVING AN INNER END SURFACE FORMING A VALVE SEAT, A VALVE PIVOTED ON THE OUTER BODY FOR MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SEAT, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID VALVE ABOUT ITS PIVOT AND WHOLLY TO ONE SIDE OF SAID BODIES UPON RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID BODIES, AND MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID VALVE DURING AN INITIAL STAGE OF MOVEMENT OF SAID BODIES TO ALLOW MOVEMENT OF SAID SEAT AWAY FROM SAID VALVE.