US2992841A - Traveling kelly packer - Google Patents

Description

July 18, 1961 R. J. STEINBERGER TRAVELING KELLY PACKER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1956 INVENTOR.

0 Ralph J. Steinberger July 18, 1961 R. J. STEINBERGER TRAVELINGKELLY PACKER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 1, 1956 N I M r 0 a s z w w, m IVs, w mm m mm k a A WWW m v xyy xw J. m h f m, R w

u y 18, 1961 R. J. STEINBERGER 2,992,841

TRAVELING KELLY PACKER Filed May 1. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.4

A I 23 34 j Fig.6

Ralph J. Steinberger INVENTOR.

United States Pa 2,992,841 Patented July 18, 1961 This invention comprises a novel and useful traveling kelly packer and more particularly relates to an apparatus for sealing off the space between the kelly bar and an inner well casing by a floating packer to permit the use of reverse circulation in rotary drilling operations.

In the normal circulation of drilling fluid, in rotary drilling rigs, the drilling fluid is supplied under pressure down the drill pipe, out across the face of the bit, and returns to the surface through the annular space be tween the drill pipe and the wall of the bore or casing, carrying with it the cuttings removed from the formation by the drill bit. For numerous reasons, it is now conventional practice to at times employ a reverse circulation of the drilling fluid. Reverse circulation of the drilling fluid comprises the introduction of the fluid into the top of the annular space between the drill pipe and the wall of the hole or casing to the formation below the drill bit, with the return of the fluid up through the drill bit and drill pipe, carrying with it the cuttings from the drill bit. In effecting reverse circulation, it is necessary to seal off the kelly from the wall of the bore, in order to force the drilling fluid to return to the surface through the drill pipe. Heretofore, such packing means for the kelly usually comprise a stationary packing member through which the kelly slides and rotates. Such sealing means has a number of important disadvantages, which need not be here enumerated.

It is therefore the primary purpose of this invention to provide a sealing means whereby the kelly may be sealed from the wall of the bore by means of a traveling kelly packer carried by the kelly and which slides within the inner tubing or casing usually provided for reverse circulation.

Additional objects of the invention are to provide a kelly packer, especially adapted for use with reverse circulation drilling operations, in which the wear between the packer and the kelly and adjacent surfaces with which the packer seals, shall be greatly reduced, and whereby the novel kelly packer of this invention may be readily applied to or removed from a kelly.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing in vertical elevation and in vertical section portions of a drilling rig of the usual rotary type but with reverse circulation of the drilling fluid, and showing a preferred manner in which the improved method and apparatus of the present invention is applied to the kelly of a rotary drilling rig;

FIGURE .11: is a view indicating a medial portion of the well bore with the inner and outer tubes and the drill pipe disposed therein;

FIGURE 1b is a view similar to FIGURES 1 and la and showing the lower portion of the well bore with the inner and outer tubes, the drill pipe and the drill bit therein;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged View in vertical section of the upper end of a well bore showing the inner and outer casings or tubes and the drill pipe therein, and with a are applied thereto.

packer applied to seal off the outer casing or tubing from the well bore;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the lower end of the kelly and the traveling kelly packer carried thereon in accordance with this invention applied thereto and operatively associated with the inner casing or tubing;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are horizontal sectional views taken substantially upon the planes indicated by the section lines 44 and 5-5 of FIGURES 2 and. 3, respectively; and

FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of the kelly packer assembly in accordance with this invention.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown a conventional rotary drilling rig in operative relation with a well bore, and illustrating the manner in which the traveling kelly packer and the method of this invention The drilling rig includes: the usual derrick 10 having the conventional rotary table 12 by means of which rotation is imparted to the kelly 14, and through the latter to the drill pipe 16 and to the drilling bit 18 carried thereby, for drilling a hole or well bore 20 in a suitable formation. Also indicated at 22 is the usual mud pump by means of which the drilling mud is delivered under pressure through the pipe 24 for travel into the well bore, while the pipe 26 returns the drilling fluid, with the drill cuttings carried thereby, through the usual settling tank, strainers and other equipment to the mud pump 22 for recirculation.

Indicated generally by the numeral 28 is the usual swivel, carried by the traveling block 30 of the drilling rig which supports the kelly and through the kelly the drill pipe during the rotation of the drill pipe by the rotary table, the swivel 28 having the usual flexible hose 32 communicating thereby with the interior of the kelly and drill pipe and also with the return pipe 26.

When reverse circulation is being effected, there is inserted into the well bore 20 concentric inner and outer casings or tubings 34 and 36 respectively, there being thus provided, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, concentric annular passages between the kelly 14 and the drill pipe 16 and the inner tubing 34, between the inner and outer tubings 34 and 36 and between the outer tubing 36 and the wall of the bore 20. A packing member 38 is customarily employed between the outer tubing 36 and the wall of the bore 20 for sealing this annular passage. The drilling fluid from the conduit 24 passes downwardly into the well bore through the annular passage between the inner and outer tubing, for discharge at the bottom of the well bore adjacent the bit 18 as shown in FIGURE 1b. A further packing comprising the kelly packing assembly 40 in accordance with this invention is provided between the drill pipe 16 and the inner tube 34, and since the packings 38 and 40 seal off the space between the kelly and the well bore, the circulating drilling fluid returns to the surface through the drill pipe 16, the swivel 28, the flexible hose 32 and conduit 26. Such circulation is shown by the arrows in the various figures of the drawings.

Referring now primarily to FIGURE 2 it will be observed that the packer 38 is in the form ofan elastic sleeve which surrounds and is sealed to the outer tubing 36, the sleeve having its upper and lower ends firmly secured to and embracing the tubing in any desired manner as by welding or the like. By means of suitable apertures 42 in the outer tubing between the upper and lower limits of the packer sleeve 38, the pressure of the drilling fluid supplied to the annular space between the inner and outer tubes serves to inflate the sleeve into sealing engagement with the wall of the bore 3 20, thereby preventing any fluid from the well bore from passing upwardly therethrough.

Shown particularly in FIGURES 3 and 6 is the traveling packer assembly indicated generally by the numeral 40. This assembly comprises a tubular section 41 having a cylindrical diametrically reduced central portion 44, comprising a journal whose lower end is provided with tapered threads 46, and whose upper end is internally threaded as at 48 for the reception of the externally threaded lower portion 50 of the kelly 14. As will be apparent from FIGURE 3, the external surface of the member 41 forms a smooth continuation of the external surface of the kelly, while the internal diameters of the bores through the kelly and member 41 are identical.

A sleeve 51, as shown in FIGURE 3, is rotatably received upon the diametrically reduced portion 44, and has its upper end received in the circumferential groove 52 formed in the undersurface of the shoulder at which the diametrically reduced portion 44 joins the upper portion of the member 41. A packing or sealing ring or cup 54 of any suitable material such as rubber or the like is secured to the sleeve 51 and surrounds the same, and is of suflicient diameter to have a fluid tight but slidable engagement with the internal surface of the inner tubing 34. The sleeve 51 thus comprises a means for journaling the packer ring 54 on the journal 44.

The assembly further includes a connecting member 56 having a diametrically reduced, tapered externally threaded lower portion 58 adapted to be engaged in the complementary internally threaded bore of the upper end of the adjacent section of the drill pipe 16, while the upper end of the connector 56 has an internally threaded bore 60 for receiving the previously mentioned externally threaded portion 46 of the member 41. There is also provided a circumferential groove 62 upon the upper surface of the connector 56 for receiving the lower end of the sleeve 51.

It should be observed that the cross-sectional shape of the member 41 may be identical with that of the kelly 14, which as shown in FIGURE 4 is preferably non-circular. However the reduced portion 44 is cylindrical and has journaled thereon the sleeve 51 as above recited.

To apply the traveling kelly packer of this invention, it is merely necessary to connect the portion 58 of the connector 56 with the upper end of the pump section of the drill pipe, and then introduce the same with the packing member and the member 41 attached thereto into the inner tubing. Thereafter, the lower end of the kelly is then engaged in the internally threaded bore 48, and it will thereupon be apparent that as the kelly is raised and lowered by the action of the traveling block -30, the packer 54 will slide vertically in the inner tubing 34, but will be relatively rotationally stationary with respect thereto.

It will thus be apparent that the packer 54 slides vertically in the inner tubing, but because of friction does not rotate relative thereto, while the member 41 forming an operative part of the kelly has rotary movement within the sleeve 51 upon which the packer 54 is mounted. Accordingly, as the kelly performs its normal functions in drilling, in efiecting circulation of the drilling fluid, and in supporting the drilling pipe, it is evident that relative rotation of the packer with respect to the kelly or to the inner tubing has been eliminated, so that only relative motion causing wear upon the packing is the vertical sliding movement of the same during vertical travel of the kelly.

: The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and opera-tion shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A kelly packer assembly comprising a tubular section having open upper and lower ends, means for securing said upper and lower ends to and in communication with a kelly and a drill pipe respectively, a journal on said section, an elongated packer adapted for sliding and sealing engagement within a tubing section, means comprising a sleeve journaling said packer on said journal for relative rotation on the latter whereby said packer may be rotationally stationary relative to said tubing section, said tubular section having its lower portion diametrically reduced and providing a radially extending annular shoulder at its junction with its upper portion whereby said sleeve can be slid on and off said journal from said lower portion, said shoulder having an annular recess receiving and retaining the adjacent end of said sleeve therein, means on said lower end engaging and retaining the adjacent end of said sleeve thereon whereby said sleeve may be rotatable upon said journal but abutted at its ends by said shoulder and retaining means against axial movement on said journal.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said retaining means has an annular surface with a recess therein confronting the adjacent end of said sleeve and receiving and retaining the latter.

3. A kelly packer assembly including a kelly, a drill pipe and a packer assembly disposed therebetween, said packer assembly comprising a tubular section having open upper and lower ends, first and second means securing said upper and lower ends to and in communication with said kelly and drill pipe respectively, said tubular section having a diametrically enlarged upper portion and a diametrically reduced cylindrical lower portion joined by an annular shoulder, said packer assembly including a sleeve rotatably journaled upon said lower portion and positionable thereon by slidable axial movement upon the lower end of said lower portion, and a resiliently deformable packer body fixedly mounted upon said sleeve, said packer body being engageable with and rotationally stationary relative to a tubing section in which said kelly packer assembly is disposed, said lower end of said packer assembly comprising a retainer having an annular surface opposed to the adjacent end of said sleeve, said annular shoulder and said annular surface abutting the ends of said sleeve and retaining the latter against axial movement, at least one of said annular shoulder and surface having an annular recess therein receiving, overlapping and retaining therein the adjacent end of said sleeve.

4. A kelly packer assembly including a kelly, a drill pipe and a packer assembly disposed therebetween, said packer assembly comprising a tubular section having open upper and lower ends, first and second means securing said upper and lower ends to and in communication with said kelly and drill pipe respectively, said tubular section having a diametrically enlarged upper portion and a diametrically reduced cylindrical lower portion joined by an annular shoulder, said packer assembly including a sleeve rotatably journaled upon said lower portion and positionable thereon by slidable axial movement upon the lower end of said lower portion, and a resiliently deformable packer body fixedly mounted upon said sleeve, said packer body being engageable with and rotationally stationary relative to a tubing section in which said kelly packer assembly is disposed, said lower end of said packer assembly comprising a retainer having an annular surface opposed to the adjacent end of said sleeve, said annular shoulder and said annular surface abutting the ends of said sleeve and retaining the latter against axial movement, each of said annular shoulder and surface having an annular groove therein in which is seated and retained the adjacent end of said sleeve 5 6 whereby the sleeve may rotate relative to the tubular 2,233,692 Bryant Mar. 4, 1941 section but is restrained against relative axial movement. 2,572,307 Brown et a1 Oct. 23, 1951 2,696,367 Robishaw Dec. 7, 1954 References Clted m theqfile of thls patent 2,758,891 Kammerer Aug 14 1956 UNITED STATEb PATENTS 5 2,767,795 Bush Oct. 23, 1956 1,824,257 Bull Sept. 22, 1931

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