Torque transmitting expansion joint and a hanger assembly incorporating same

Claim 1

A torque transmitting telescoping joint for incorporation on a conduit carrying downhole well components, comprising: a first sleeve assembly having means on one end thereof for connection to the conduit; a second sleeve assembly having one end telescopingly, slidably insertable in the other end of said first sleeve assembly; means on the other end of said second sleeve assembly for connection to the conduit; a radially projecting first key fixedly mounted on one of said sleeve assemblies; an axially extending slot of predetermined length formed in the other of said sleeve assemblies and slidably receiving said first key, thereby transmitting torque between said sleeve assemblies in all relative axial positions permitted by the length of said axial slot; a key support means rotatably mounted on said one sleeve assembly in a fixed axial position, a second radially projecting key secured to said key support means; and a peripherally extending slot in said other sleeve assembly of a configuration having an effective axial length substantially less than the length of said axially extending slot, said peripherally extending slot receiving the end of said second key, whereby successive axial contraction and expansion movements of said sleeve assemblies relative to each other produce a unidirectional rotation of said key support means and said second key relative to said sleeve assemblies, said axially extending slot communicating with a trough portion of said peripherally extending slot, whereby said second key limits the relative axial movements of said sleeve assemblies to the axial extent of said peripherally extending slot until said second key is rotated into alignment with said axially extending slot.

Claim 8

An apparatus for producing a well from productive zones penetrated by the well bore in which casing is set below the top of the well, said apparatus comprising: a downhole tubing hanger means secured to an upper level of the casing and supporting at least one lower production tubing string communicating with a production zone; a surface tubing hanger arranged to seat in a hanger bowl in the top portion of the casing; at least one space-out tubing string extending from said downhole hanger to said surface hanger and removably sealingly connectable in said downhole hanger to said lower production string to transmit production fluid from said lower production tubing string to the surface, each said space-out tubing string including a safety valve and a torque transmitting telescoping joint, said joint including means operable by successive reciprocations of said space-out tubing string for selectively limiting the axial contraction movement of said telescopic joint to facilitate seating of said space-out tubing string in said downhole tubing hanger.

Claim 9

An apparatus for producing a well from productive zones penetrated by the well bore in which casing is set below the top of the well, said apparatus comprising: a downhole tubing hanger means secured to an upper level of the casing and supporting at least one lower production tubing string communicating with a production zone; a surface tubing hanger arranged to seat in a hanger bowl in the top portion of the casing; at least one space-out tubing string extending from said downhole hanger to said surface hanger and removably sealingly connectable in said downhole hanger to said lower production string to transmit production fluid from said lower production tubing string to the surface, each said space-out tubing string including a safety valve and a torque transmitting telescoping joint, said joint including means operable by successive reciprocations of said space-out tubing string for selectively limiting the axial contraction movement of said telescopic joint to facilitate seating of said space-out tubing string in said downhole tubing hanger.

Claim 12

An apparatus for producing productive zones penetrated by a well bore in which casing is set below the top of the well, said apparatus comprising: a downhole tubing hanger means secured to an upper level of the casing and supporting a plurality of production tubing strings respectively communicating with production zones of the well; a surface tubing hanger arranged to seat in a tubing bowl in the top portion of the casing; a plurality of space-out tubing strings extending from said downhole hanger to said surface hanger and respectively sealingly connectable in said downhole hanger to said lower production strings to transmit production fluid from the respective lower production tubing string to the surface, each said space-out tubing string including a safety valve and a torque transmitting telescoping joint, said joint including means operable by successive reciprocations of said space-out tubing string for selectively limiting the axial contraction movement of said telescoping joint to faciliate simultaneous seating of each said space-out tubing string in said downhole tubing hanger.

Claim 13

An apparatus for producing productive zones penetrated by a well bore in which casing is set below the top of the well, said apparatus comprising: a downhole tubing hanger means secured to an upper level of the casing and supporting a plurality of production tubing strings respectively communicating with production zones of the well; a surface tubing hanger arranged to seat in a tubing bowl in the top portion of the casing; a plurality of space-out tubing strings extending from said downhole hanger to said surface hanger and respectively sealingly connectable in said downhole hanger to said lower production strings to transmit production fluid from the respective lower production tubing string to the surface, each said space-out tubing string including a safety valve and a torque transmitting telescoping joint, said joint including means operable by successive reciprocations of said space-out tubing string for selectively limiting the axial contraction movement of said telescoping joint to faciliate simultaneous seating of each said space-out tubing string in said downhole tubing hanger.