US1812943A - Means for locating leaks in well tubing - Google Patents

Description

FIDM

Filed Sept. l26, 1928 s. W J., 1M MWA W, fA

a. V a 7.9 6 s .5 l5@ /VVA/IAV M M, l/ d l :fi Hua .W ...Mw A a m s l A Y This invention relates to improvements in means for locating leaks in well tubingiand themain object ofthe-invention issto provide a1le'akf' indicator which'. will notbeliable to u I 5 5 ejection or displacement by accumulation A,of

gasor. uid pressurelbelow the same.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention, Fig. 1 being a vertical section ot' thennproved leak locating means and 4the 1Q adjacent'portionof a well tubing, and Fig.

2f being a section on line 2 2 in Fig. 1.

' My improved leak locating means comprises a body member 1 which is adapted to nor- -mally operate as a plug in the Well tubing,

d-lfgl5 said member 1 having packing means 3 and t at the upper and lower portions thereof,

adapted to makel a gas tight joint with the walls of the well tubing, indicated at 5 `in Fig. 1. Said packing means may comprise 9 packing cups or rings 6 of leather or other suitable yielding material, each cup being clamped on member 1 between collar 7 and nut 8, and preferably having its free edge la reentorced and drawn in by Wire lacing, as -v25windicated at 9: The packing means' being flexible and cup shaped with their open ends V; directed upwardly in the case of the upper packing means and downwardly in the case of the lower packing means, so that pressure 0 ot liquid in the well tubing, exerted downf wardly in the upper packing means andupwardly in the lower packing means, tends to "expand the cups into tight engagement with thewell tubing.

In normal o eratiomnmthe member 1, when Y .-/.dropped into a we Y gravity, aided by the weight of a column ot liquid supplied to the tubing above the in tubing, descends by strument, whi-ch'operates as a plug or clo- 9 sure means in the tubing in such manner that iii-siren; rats l ,PAUL rt.y enen-reunion Los oiimronnin, y

essenssiseks-s rfEfsf'fssINGf-g l 'ApplicationledSeptember-ZG, 1928." Serial 1\lo.`3 0S,495.-;

wise, and the position ofthe leak thus ascertained,.witlioutwithdrawing the .tubing from the well. lt has been foundthanlusing the leak: indicator in. this Lmanner, -conditions sometimes arise in whichaccumulation ofgas pressure in the well forces the instrument upwardly and causes sudden ejectionof the same fromithetubing orwupward displacement ot' the indicator from positionopposite theopen-i ing. To 'avoid such undesirable result Iv providel the-member 1,'or exampleat its..z upper. end, with slips "10 slidingv iii-inclinedguide.- ways'll in member :lfand providedon their outer :faces with: gripping 4teeth on serrations 12, adapted to 'engage'the wall of the well tubing in suchA manner-ns topeimit the member 1-;to slide' freely =downthe well .tubing but toi'pre'vent any upwardm'ovement vof member; l inA the well tubing.` 'Ilhe indicatormeme. Y

ber 1`.will,'therefore, remain iii--positi'oii-'oncel it'rhasi reachedfthellowermost leak.A A nut 13 .onfmember 1-` retainsthe slpson: said4 member s Incasebt ac um lation gas atlliiglifpressure whenrthe tube`--sectionA containing the instrument Ais withdrawn .andf

.high i -sureiben'eath the'instrument above decribed,

uncoupled. For this purposelgmayprovide.- A. A the member 1 with a longitudinal boreorp'as-f- 1 sage 14, extendinggthrough the: said member valve 15"which`isnormally held' closed by-a spring V16, exertingA a pressure osay 25 or static pressure mayber made to substantial.-`

it continue v s endnasalungwaiibraiw. f YL mf-gcvjgmttng escape of Huid, '"ly balance the gas pressure below the instru u 1s arres e when-the leak, or the lowest of a number of leak's, is passed by the lower i raf-f5 packing means 4, it being understood that y the bottom of the tubing has previously been closed or plugged in any suitable manner, so

rthat Huid cannot escape therethrough. The

`'depth of the inicator ember 1 nis deteigh t Q mine v nesrino p pmb-v inefgr ot ierinent, but as the tubing is withdrawn and un-4v reached, the excess of gas presslire below the instrument is wholly relieved, and that section can be uncoupled without danger of violent escape or blow eff of gas.

In regard to operation of relief valve, it may be stated that during the time of the descent of the indicator and. until same has reached the lowermost leak this,A valve d's not open and interfere with the successful operation of the indicator for the following reasons: First, the spring that holds the ball" y on its seat has a greater tension4 thanj the fweight of the instrument. Second, that'tl'i"` pressure above is always increasing` due to the rapidity with which it is entering the pipe: Therefore, the resulting pressure below; the indicator cannot; atf any vtime more' thaniequal the pressurezabove until said indi"- cator-has reachedthe lowermost leak'. aiidth operation off removing the. pipe has .beerr commencedg.:Vv n; c -;A a i While Ilia've shown the' passage 14T as exs tending to the? top and bottom of member-11 itwill be understood that' itis sufcientgfor the purpose ofzthis. invention, that'the pas! sage shall communicate with the space aroundr member land within the well tubef at any point above the upper packing means and at an-y point below.the 1lower packing-Vmeans.- v -lThere'is ai cooperative-relation between the' slip devices for preventing upward movementv ofI the` instrument andthe reliefval've-ar-'f4 Y ranged in the longitudinal passage. i Without l f3 thefslip devices the relief valve wiouldfnoti serve its intended' purposeiwhenbucking oci curs in the well tubing;V The slipdevices'peJ vent upward movement vof theiinstrument s'd i that the relief valve can perform its function: of Vpermitting iiuid'to pass therethroughfand f tliefwell tubing fronidisplacing the instru- *I ment whenV in: indicating osition at afleak .'girr the tubing. J This com vinationy .serwesrar newfandfusefulf result gA i'zfe., enablin'gfthe inistrument'to''friivea true indication oftliep'o- ,siticnl of theileak:Y i If'claim'z f' fn, An instrument adapted tolfallibygrav '-c. ty in a well tubeffor locating-leaksinthe-wellV tube, comprising a` body-.member provided- ,Y with-upper cup shaped packingmeans adapte, v

f edtoexpandunder pressurevfrom above and prevent' any surging or bucking condition-.nr

inclined guideways on which said slip devices slide.

3. An instrument adapted to fall by gravi# ty in a well tubing for locating leaks in the Well tubing, comprising a body member provided with upper cup-shaped packing means adapted to expand under pressure from above and lower cup-sha'ped'packing means adapted to expand under pressure from below to act as closure means for the well tubing, said body member` Having ai longitudinal passage, and withlan upwardlvopening valve in saidv passagepr'vided wiiiimeans for normally holding it ,in closed.NV position, and means mpuntd on said body member to grip the walls of the s tubing to'prevent `upward -miementofftli'e dev'icaf rfi Inl testimony whereofl have' hefgre-u'n'tosub-,- scribed my name this 18tl'day" ofS'epterirbr'f 1928; 1; fz `7 lower cup shaped packing means adapted tq i expand under pressure fromr below,` so as to actas closureimeansvfor the well tube, and slip devices. niovably mounted on said Vmein"- ber adapted to engage the walls of the tubing f to automatically move'said slip device'tcpoi sition toA grip the tubing'and prevent'upw rd movement ofthe instrument in theftub'` '.5 body member having a longitudinally passage andr 'anl 'upwardly 'l ribvable b' viil'ff'e therein/M instrument a'si'set forthn'fclaimVli ini which said-body' memberr'is provided' withn

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