Annulus pressure controlled testing apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for performing a drill stem test in a well bore traversing an earth formation in which casing is set comprising: a test string adapted to be connected to a string of pipe and run into the well casing, said test string including a packer having anchor means and packing means expansible into anchoring and sealing engagement with said well casing above said earth formation to anchor said test string in said casing and separate said formation from the casing above said packer, test instrument means associated with said packer and in communication with said earth formation, and shut-in valve means above said packer for controlling the flow of fluid from said formation through said test string, said shut-in valve means including a body connected in said test string, said body having therein a tubular mandrel shiftable longitudinally of said body, valve means including a valve member carried by said mandrel and shiftable therewith to a plurality of successive open and closed positions for enabling and for shutting off the flow of fluid from said formation through said mandrel a plurality of times as said tubular mandrel is shifted longitudinally in one direction, and escapement control means responsive to the pressure of fluid in said well casing above said packer for controlling the progressive movement of said mandrel and said valve member in said one direction through said plurality of successive posItions.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said control means comprises escapement means on said mandrel and in said body.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said control means comprises escapement means on said mandrel and in said body, including stops on said mandrel and detent means carried by said body and engageable with said stops, means responsive to said fluid in said well casing for releasing said detent means, and spring means normally biasing said detent means to a mandrel stopping position.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said control means comprises escapement means on said mandrel and in said body, including stops on said mandrel and detent means carried by said body and engageable with said stops, means responsive to said fluid in said well casing for releasing said detent means, and spring means normally biasing said detent means to a mandrel stopping position, said spring means comprising a plurality of Belleville springs stacked in concentric relation in edge-to-edge peripheral engagement.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said control means comprises escapement means on said mandrel and in said body, including stops on said mandrel and detent means carried bu said body and engageable with said stops, means responsive to said fluid in said well casing for releasing said detent means, and spring means normally biasing said detent means to a mandrel stopping position, said spring means comprising a plurality of Belleville springs stacked in concentric relation to edge-to-edge peripheral engagement, and adjustable means for preloading said springs.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said mandrel is sealed in said body and exposed to the pressure of fluid in said formation to urge said mandrel through said positions.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said mandrel is sealed in said body and exposed to the pressure of fluid in said formation to urge said mandrel through said positions, and including energizing means responsive to the pressure of fluid in said casing above said packer also urging said mandrel through said positions.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said mandrel is sealed in said body and exposed to the pressure of fluid in said formation to urge said mandrel through said positions, and including energizing means responsive to the pressure of fluid in said casing above said packer also urging said mandrel through said positions, and means for dampening such movement of said mandrel.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said control means comprises escapement means on said mandrel and in said body, including stops on said mandrel and detent means carried by said body and engageable with said stops, means responsive to said fluid in said well casing for releasing said detent means, and spring means normally biasing said detent means to a mandrel stopping position, and including energizing means responsive to the pressure of fluid in said casing above said packer for urging said mandrel through said positions when said detent means are released.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said control means comprises escapement means on said mandrel and in said body, including stops on said mandrel and detent means carried by said body and engageable with said stops, means responsive to said fluid in said well casing for releasing said detent means, and spring means normally biasing said detent means to a mandrel stopping position, and including energizing means responsive to the pressure of fluid in said casing above said packer for urging said mandrel through said positions when said detent means are released, and means for dampening such movement of said mandrel.

Claim 12

A shut-in valve for use in performing drill stem tests in a well bore, comprising: an elongated tubular body, an elongated tubular mandrel axially shiftably disposed in said body, said body and said mandrel having valve means successively openable and closeable a pluraLity of times upon longitudinal movement in one direction of said mandrel relative to said body to enable and to prevent the flow of fluid through said mandrel, escapement means for controlling said longitudinal movement of said mandrel within said body and limiting said movement of said mandrel to successive positions at which said valve means is opened and closed, and fluid pressure operated means for operating said escapement means to enable successive movements of said mandrel in said body.

Claim 13

A shut-in valve for use in performing drill stem tests in a well bore, comprising: an elongated tubular body, an elongated tubular mandrel axially shiftably disposed in said body, said body and said mandrel having valve means successively openable and closeable a pluraLity of times upon longitudinal movement in one direction of said mandrel relative to said body to enable and to prevent the flow of fluid through said mandrel, escapement means for controlling said longitudinal movement of said mandrel within said body and limiting said movement of said mandrel to successive positions at which said valve means is opened and closed, and fluid pressure operated means for operating said escapement means to enable successive movements of said mandrel in said body.

Claim 14

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said escapement means comprises successive stops on said mandrel and detent means carried by said body, said means for operating said escapement means including fluid pressure responsive means for releasing said detent means.

Claim 15

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said escapement means comprises successive stops on said mandrel and detent means carried by said body, said means for operating said escapement means including fluid pressure responsive means for releasing said detent means, and spring means normally biasing said detent means to a mandrel stopping position.

Claim 16

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said escapement means comprises successive stops on said mandrel and detent means carried by said body, said means for operating said escapement means including fluid pressure responsivve means for releasing said detent means, and spring means normally biasing said detent means to a mandrel stopping position, said spring means comprising a plurality of Belleville springs stacked in concentric relation in edge-to-edge peripheral engagement.

Claim 17

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said escapement means comprises successive stops on said mandrel and detent means carried by said body, said means for operating said escapement means including fluid pressure responsive means for releasing said detent means, and spring means normally biasing said detent means to a mandrel stopping position, said spring means comprising a plurality of Belleville springs stacked in concentric relation in edge-to-edge peripheral engagement, and adjustable means for preloading said springs.

Claim 18

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said fluid pressure operated means comprises differential piston and cylinder means in said body, and means including a bladder exposed externally of said body and confining a quantity of oil for actuating said piston means responsive to external pressure applied to said bladder.

Claim 19

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said fluid pressure operated means includes a cylinder sleeve in said body having differential internal diameters, an annular piston slideably engaged with said sleeve and defining therewith a pressure chamber, said piston having differential areas exposed to the pressure of fluid in said chamber.

Claim 20

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said fluid pressure operated means includes a cylinder sleeve in said body having differential diameters, an annular piston slideably engaged with said sleeve and defining therewith a pressure chamber, said piston having differential areas exposed to the pressure of fluid in said chamber, and means removably mounting said cylinder sleeve and said piston in said body.

Claim 21

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said mandrel is sealed in said body to be responsive to the pressure of fluid in said body to move said mandrel.

Claim 22

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, including energizing means for moving said body responsive to applied fluid pressure.

Claim 23

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, including energizing means for moving said body responsive to applied fluid pressure, said energizing means comprising an annular piston on said mandrel and a cylinder sleeve encircling said annular piston and defining with said mandrel a pressure chamber, and means for applying pressure to fluid in said chamber.

Claim 24

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, including energizing means for moving said body responsive to applied fluid pressure, said energizing means comprising an annular piston on said mandrel and a cylinder sleeve encircling said annular piston and defining with said mandrel a pressure chamber, and means for applying pressure to fluid in said chamber including a bladder exposed at the exterior of said body.

Claim 25

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, including energizing means for moving said body responsive to applied fluid pressure, said energizing means comprising an annular piston on said mandrel and a cylinder sleeve encircling said annular piston and defining with said mandrel a pressure chamber, and means for applying pressure to fluid in said chamber, and said body and said mandrel having cylinder and piston meanse for dampening movement of said mandrel.

Claim 26

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said escapement means comprises a plurality of circumferential lands spaced longitudinally of said mandrel and each having an upwardly facing stop shoulder, a ball cage surrounding said mandrel and having vertically spaced ball detents radially shiftably carried thereby, an axially shiftable indexing guide disposed about said ball cage and having internal axially spaced ball detent engaging surfaces and intermediate clearance spaces for receiving said ball detents, said fluid pressure operated means including means acting on said indexing guide to shift the latter axially in one direction, spring means acting on said indexing guide to force the latter axially in the other direction, said shoulders, said ball detents, said ball detent engaging surfaces and said relief spaces being axially spaced so that said ball detents alternately are held radially inwardly for engagement by one of said shoulders and are free to move radially outwardly upon axial movement of said indexing guide in opposite directions to open and close said valve means successively upon each increment of movement of said mandrel.

Claim 27

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said escapement means comprises a plurality of circumferential lands spaced longitudinally of said mandrel and each having an upwardly facing stop shoulder, a ball cage surrounding said mandrel and having vertically spaced ball detents radially shiftably carried thereby, an axially shiftable indexing guide disposed about said ball cage and having internal axially spaced ball detent engaging surfaces and intermediate clearance spaces for receiving said ball detents, said fluid pressure operated means including means acting on said indexing guide to shift the latter axially in one direction, spring means acting on said indexing guide to force the latter axially in the other direction, said shoulders, said ball detents, said ball detent engaging surfaces and said relief spaces being axially spaced so that said ball detents alternately are held radially inwardly for engagement by one of said shoulders and are free to move radially outwardly upon axial movement of said indexing guide in opposite directions to open and close said valve means successively upon each increment of movement of said mandrel, said fluid pressure operated means further including a cylinder sleeve in said body having differential internal diameters, an annular piston slideably engaged with said sleeve and defining therewith a pressure chamber, said piston having differential areas exposed to the pressure of fluid in said chamber, and means removably mounting said cylinder sleeve and said piston in said body.

Claim 28

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said escapement means comprises a plurality of circumferential lands spaced longitudinally of said mandrel and each having an upwardly facing stop shoulder, a ball cage surrounding said mandrel and having vertically spaced ball detents radially shiftably carried thereby, an axially shiftable indexing guide disposed about said ball cage and having internal axially spaced ball detent engaging surfaces and intermediate clearance spaces for receivinG said ball detents, said fluid pressure operated means including means acting on said indexing guide to shift the latter axially in one direction, spring means acting on said indexing guide to force the latter axially in the other direction, said shoulders, said ball detents, said ball detent engaging surfaces and said relief spaces being axially spaced so that said ball detents alternately are held radially inwardly for engagement by one of said shoulders and are free to move radially outwardly upon axial movement of said indexing guide in opposite directions to open and close said valve means successively upon each increment of movement of said mandrel, said fluid pressure operated means further including a cylinder sleeve in said body having differential internal diameters, an annular piston slideably engaged with said sleeve and defining therewith a pressure chamber, said piston having differential areas exposed to the pressure of fluid in said chamber, and means removably mounting said cylinder sleeve and said piston in said body, said mandrel and said body having means defining an energizing piston chamber, and said mandrel having a piston area exposed to the pressure of fluid in said energizing piston chamber to move said mandrel longitudinally as aforesaid.

Claim 29

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said escapement means comprises a plurality of circumferential lands spaced longitudinally of said mandrel and each having an upwardly facing stop shoulder, a ball cage surrounding said mandrel and having vertically spaced ball detents radially shiftably carried thereby, an axially shiftable indexing guide disposed about said ball cage and having internal axially spaced ball detent engaging surfaces and intermediate clearance spaces for receiving said ball detents, said fluid pressure operated means including means acting on said indexing guide to shift the latter axially in one direction, spring means action on said indexing guide to force the latter axially in the other direction, said shoulders, said ball detents, said ball detent engaging surfaces and said relief spaces being axially spaced so that said ball detents alternately are held radially inwardly for engagement by one of said shoulders and are free to move radially outwardly upon axial movement of said indexing guide in opposite directions to open and close said valve means successively upon each increment of movement of said mandrel, said fluid pressure operated means further including a cylinder sleeve in said body having differential internal diameters, an annular piston slideably engaged with said sleeve and defining therewith a pressure chamber, said piston having differential areas exposed to the pressure of fluid in said chamber, and means removably mounting said cylinder sleeve and said piston in said body, said mandrel and said body having means defining an energizing piston chamber, and said mandrel having a piston area exposed to the pressure of fluid in said energizing piston chamber to move said mandrel longitudinally as aforesaid, said pressure chamber of said fluid pressure operated means and said energizing piston chamber being filled with oil and including bladders exposed externally of said body and confining said oil in said chamber.

Claim 30

A shut-in valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said mandrel is sealed in said body to be responsive to the pressure of fluid in said body to move said mandrel, and said escapement means normally limits movement of said mandrel to a position at which said valve means is closed.