US2558227A - Side wall core taking apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 26, 951 J. R. YANcEY ETIAL.

n SIDEWALL CORE TAKING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 17, 1945 June 26,1951 J. R. YANcEY ET AL 2,558,227 y SIDEWALL CORE TAKING APPARATUS Filed. Dec. l?, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. R. YANcEY ErAL 2,558,227 sIDEwALL, .CORE TAKINGAPPARA'I'LIS .June 26, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 17, 1945' ria-5.10; 5^( a# www Patented June 26, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF/ICE 2,558,227 SIDE WALL CORE TAKING APPARATUS John R. Yancey and Earl J. Robishaw, Houston, Tex., assignors, by mesne assignments, to A-l Bit & Tool Company, a corporation of rllexas Application December 17, 1945, Serial No. 636,936

8 Claims.

l used in connection with well logging by electrical means in that 1t provides samples of prospective producing formations to be examined after the well has been drilled; the device can also be used to complete coring records in wells where cores have been made by conventional methods.

Another object of the invention is to provide ln core taking apparatus a novel type of whip stock, or deflector, for deflecting the core barrel into the formation.

It is another object of the invention to provide in core taking apparatus a novel type of whip stock which is adapted to engage with the core barrel to withdraw the core barrel from the well should it become detached from the apparatus during the core taking operation.

It is another object of the invention to provide a core taking apparatus including a whip stock, or deleotor, all assembled with a drill stem and wherein the whip stock is suspended from, and the core barrel is driven by, said stem but wherein the core barrel is independently insertable into and withdrawable from the stem while the stem remains in the well bore.

It is a further object of the invention to provide novel means for interrupting the inflow of the drilling fluid through the apparatus to indicate to the operator that the core barrel is fully extended, with means for permitting the resumption of the flow of said drilling fluid, should pressure develop in the well which it becomes necessary to overcome, or for any other reason.

A still further object is to provide a novel method of obtaining side wall cores.

With the above and other objects in View the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, and to a novel method of taking cores, an example of whichV is given in this specication and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are, upper, intermediate and lower sections of the apparatus shown in section.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional View of the core barrel.

in the proper development ofV (Cl. Z55-1.4)

Figure 5 is a lower end view thereof.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 1 1 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional View taken on thev line 8-8 of Figure 3.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 3, and

Figure 10 is a side View of the core taking ap-` paratus in position to begin the operation.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate the same parts in each of the iigures, the numeral I designates a tubular drill stem which extends to the ground surface. The lower end of the drill stem is formed with a special tubularv driving section 2 which is connected thereto by the coupling 3. The section 2 has a plurality o'f inside longitudinal ribs l extending from the upper to the lower ends thereof and spaced apart. Connected to the lower end of the special section 2 there is an inwardly thickened reducing nipple 5 and connected to the lower end of the nipple 5 there is a coupling 6 annular seal ring l for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. Between the nipple 5 and the coupling 6 there is an inside gland 8 which breaks the joint between them. One end of this gland abuts the opposing end of the seal ring 'I and its other end abuts an inside annular shoulupper end is connected to the coupling 6, and the:

der 9 in the nipple 5.

coupling 6 so that when the coupling 6 is screwed onto the nipple 5 the seal ring 'I will be placed under the required compression. The passage-4 coupling 3, nipple 5 and coupling 6 form parts` of the drill stem.

The whip stock, or dei-lector, is designated geni erally by the numeral I I. It has a swivelling connection with the drill stem. This connection is formed between the tubular nipple I2, whose tubular housing I3 whose lower end is connected to the whip stock I I. The lower end of the nipple I2 extends into the housing I3 and within said housing is enlarged forming the external v'annular upwardly facing shoulder `I4 which supports an anti-friction bearing assembly I5 which is retained in place by the gland I6 screwed into the upper end of the housing I3. Countersunk into the gland and surrounding the ,nipple l2 is.

which contains an The opposite end of the' seal ring I abuts an annular shoulder IIJ 'in thev a. seal ring l1 and beneath said seal ring there are the roller bearings I8 mounted in the gland around the nipple l2. The lower end of the nipple I2 is supported on the anti-friction bearing assembly i9, which, in turn, is supported on an inside annular shoulder formed by the inwardly thickened lower end of the housing I3. Between the lower end of the nipple L2 and said housing there are the radial roller bearings 2l which are countersunk into said nipple and countersunk into the inwardly thickened lower end of the housing there are the annular seal rings 22. Screwed into the lower end of the nipple l2 there is an annular stop, or seat, 23 which has a depending sleeve 24 which extends down through and forms seals .with the seal rings 22. An eficient swivel connection is thus formed between the drill stem and the whip stock whereby the latter is supported in the well by the former.

The whipstock, as a whole. is shown in detail in Figures 2, 3, '1., 8,. and 9- It comprises a tubular shell 25 whose lower end isY downwardly tapered and above said taper is provided with a longitudinal side slot 26, which extendsl to said. lower: end.

Secured on the outside of. the: shelll opposite said slot there is a longitudinal rib 21 and on opposite sides of the slot` there are the longitudinal ribs 28, 28 which are secured to the outer side of the shell. TheseV ribs 21 and 28 engage the formation of the well bore to hold the whip stocki centered in the borehole. Within the shell' 2.5: there is a guide which is rectangular' in crosssection, as shown in Figure '7. This guide is fitted downwardly within the shell and is composed of the side plates 25, 29, whose margins are beveled to fit; within theshell, and thev cross plates 3.0, 3B. Theplates 29 and 3d are secured together preferably by welding. IThis guide is preferably fia-red downwardly as indicated in Figures 2` and 3. The plates 29 carry a transverse stop 3| which rests. on a corresponding transverse stop 32 carried by shell 25 to support the guide in the shell. Within the shell, and arranged at the lower endV thereof', is a deflector plate assembly comprising the upper plate 33 which is mounted on the lower plate 34. This assembly is arranged opposite the slot 25T and declines forwardly. It is supported by the transverse upper and lower pins and 35 which extend. transversely through the lower plate 34 and whose ends are anchored to the respective side plates 29. The lower pin 35 is shearabl'e for a purpose to be hereinafter stated. The upper face of this plate assembly is provided with the roller bearings, as 31, as illustrated in Figure 3. At the upper end of the plate assembly there is secured in the guide a transverse filler block 38' which is triangular in vertical cross-section and whose upper face is approximately flush with the upper face of the deflector plate assembly, as also shown in Figure 3.

Anchored to the front plate 30 of the guide, above the slot 26, there is a spring 39 whose lower end is free and is outwardly turned through the upper end of the slot-2E. The slot 25 extends on downand partly across the lower end ofthe shell 25, for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained, and the lower end of said' slot beneath the lower end of the def-lector plate assembly, above described, is closed by a thin metallic skirt- 40, as shown in Figure 3', to prevent the entrance ofv foreignl matter into the whip stock shell beneath saiddeflector plate assembly. The corel taker proper will now bedescribed in detaii:

Generally speaking it comprises a core barrel 4| and a sectional driving stem consisting of the upper tubular section 42 and the lower tubular section 43. These sections are connected by a universal coupling designated generally by the numeral 44 and the core barrel is connected to the lower end of the section 43 by a similar unversal coupling 55. Only one intermediate section of the driving stem is illustrated although it is apparent that this number may be varied if found to be practical. The upper section of the driving stem is formed of the upper and lower tubes 46' and 4T, the latter of which is of slightly less diameter than the former. These tubes are connected by an inside coupling 48 which is formed with an external annular stop 49 of a diameter to land on and be supported by the internal stop 23. Screwed onto the upper end of the tube 45 there is a head 5S which has a 1ongitudinal radially extended driving lug 5| adapted to work between the inside ribs 4 of the driving section 2. The upper end of the head 5B carries a knob 52 provided to be engaged by a grapple which may be lowered through the drill stem by means of a wire line. Screwed into the upper end of the tube 46 there is a valve seat 53 having an axial fluid passagewayr therethrough whose upper end terminates in a lateral port 55. through said head and the ow of fluid through this valve seat is controlled by a downwardly opening valve 55 which is mounted on a strong coi1 spring 5B. This spring is supported on a vertically adjustable spring seat 5l' which has a threaded connection with a spider 58 mounted in the tube 46'.

, The compression of the spring 55 may thus be regulated by adjusting the seat 5l. Beneath the spider 58 the upper end of the tube 46 is. provided with an inlet opening 59. Located within the upper end of the reduced tube i1 there is a tubular screen Si! of smaller diameter than the tube 41 and perforated throughout its length. Its lower end is anchored to and extends through a suitable anchor 6| which is slidably mounted in tube 41. This screen is provided for the purpose of screening out any solid material from the fluid owing downwardly through the driving stem of the core taken. The universal couplings connecting the sections of the driving stem and connecting the driving stem to the core barrel are similar, as hereinabove indicated, and are shown more in detail in Figure 4. Similar flexible tubes, as `t2, extend axially through these couplings and the ends of these flexible tubes are anchored in place by means of wedge shaped jaws, as 63,. whose inner surfaces are toothed to engage the corresponding ends of the tubes 52 and whose outer surfaces are tapered, or wedge shaped, to be contracted by the surrounding inwardly tapering seats, as 64. The ends of the flexible tube 62 are countersunk into glands, as

65, which are screwed into the corresponding parts of the driving stem. The ends cf the flexible tubes 62 are maintained against collapsing by tubular nipples, as 6E, Whose inner ends extend into the corresponding ends of the flexible tubes and whose outer ends are screwed into the corresponding glands 65. The detailed construction of the core barrel is shown in Figure 4. The upper end of the barrel is screwed onto the coupling member 66a and screwed into the lower end of the barrel there is a core forming tool, or drill, 61 having a central core receiving opening 68 and around said central opening there is the annular upwardly facing inside shoulder 6B which supports the sample container. This sample container is andin the present illustration is shown as formed of the upper, intermediate and lower sections 1l),l and 12 which may be assembled together in l any preferred manner so that Vthey may be coni veniently separated. The lower section 12 rests on the shoulder 69 and within it, and also resting on said shoulder, there is a -core catcher which comprises the ring 13 and the upwardly converging flexible fingers 14 whose lower endsv are secured to said ring and whose upper ends are free.

fingers 14. catcher comprising the expansible dogs Y1G whose outer sides are tapered to conform to the taper of and to rest on said seat and whose inner sides are toothed to engage the core enteringthe sample container. These dogs 16 are secured to the lower ends of the corresponding flexible arms 11 which depend from the tubular shell 18. Secured to and upstanding from this shell are the upwardly converging flexible fingers 19 whose upper As the core enters the fingers 14 olf of the seat 15 and allowedto open to permit the passage of the core but upon entrance of the core they will seat and contract and grip the core to prevent it from falling out upon removal of the barrel from the well. Fastened onto the upper end of the sample containei` `there is a cap 8| having a central opening surrounded by an annular seat 32 which is clamped in place on the cap by means of the perforated valve cage 83 which contains an upwardly opening valve .64. This valve normally keeps the upper end of the container closed but will lift to permit the escape of the contents of the chamber 80 as the core, or sample, enters said chamber. The upper endlV of the valve cage 83 abuts the lower end of the gland 65 to prevent the sample container from lifting off of its seat during the core taking process and the lower end of this gland has side slots 85 so that the passageway for the drilling fluid will not be closed by said valve cage.

In operation the operating string may be lowered to the desired location in the well so as to locate the whip stock at-the point where a sampleis to be taken, as shown in Figure 10. The sample taker may then be dropped through the string; or it may be lowered through the string by a wire line. The lower end of the core barrel will land on and be deflected by the deilector plate assembly of the whip stock, asalso indicated in Figure 10. The flexible guide 39 will operate to guide the 'core barrel and hold it in the proper angular relation. When lowered to the position to begin taking a core the operating string may be rotated and the whip stock will be held against rotation by the engagement of the core cutter head 61 with the formation while the core taker will be rotated by the engagement of the driving section 2 with thelug 5| of theA head 50. Fluid pressure may be applied, by a pump at the ground surface, through the operating string and against the head 56 thus gradually forcing the core taker downwardly as it is rotated and a bore will be formed by the drill 61 in the sidewall of the well bore and a core, or sample, will be taken and forced into the chamber 80, as hereinabove eX- preferably cylindrical in shape 1 'I'he intermediate section 1| has an inside downwardly converging seat 15, above the l Above the seat 15 there is a corev `now considered to be a Vention by way of illustration, merely, while the invention will be defined" plained. While the corlng operation is being car-f" ried on fluid will enter the stem 42, of the sample taker, through the opening 59 and pass on down through the stem and drill and carry away the cuttings. Wh-en the sample taker has reached the limits of itsvdownon the seat opening 59 ward movement the stop 49 will land 23 and at the same time the inlet will enter the seal ring l so as to stop the ow of the drilling fluid to stallthe pump and to indicate' to the operator that the core barrel has reached the limit of its downward movement. However.

.. under these conditions should gas pressure be encountered in the well the pressure in the oper-1 ating string may be increased by the pump suii resistance of the spring' 56 and the valve 55 thus opened to permit al ciently to overcome the resumption of the circulation of the drilling fluid under high pressure to overcome the gas pressure in the well. A y

Attention is called to the fact that while taking the core the deflector is suspended from the op--l erating string and is held same level during the coring fore means for anchoring the at substantially the operation and therepensed with. During the coring operation the string is rotated to rotate In carrying on coring operations the core barrel 4| may become detached from the apparatus upper end of said barrel is enlarged forming an external annular shoulder 99 and the lower end of the slot 26 is narrowedr and the lower end of the barrel is of a diameter to 26 will engage the shoulder 99 and the core barrel" 4| will be withdrawn from the well bore.

The drawings and description disclose what is preferred form of the inas the apparatus is removed broad principle ofthe by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a core taking apparatus for wells, a whipstock comprising, a tudinal side slot which extends downwardly to the lower end of the shell, a diagonal deflector in toward the slot, upper and lower means for anchoring the deflector in the shell, the lower anchoring means being frangible to release the loW- er end of the deflector, pressure thereagainst, to

in response to inward shell.

through the screen 60 in the stem and on down around the sample con-y tainer to the drill 61 to lubricate and cool said delector to the walls" of the bore hole are not necessary and are dis-r the coring apparatus but is not moved downwardly in the bore hole. `f

tubular shell having a longisaid slot and which declines-y allow the deector to A Amove to approximately vertical position in ,the

2. Sample taking apparatus for wells compris; ing; a whipstock having a deector, atubular the, string Vinto ing a.channelfor.fluidtherethrough and also having an external stop arranged to land on said internal stop to arrest the downward movement of the sample taker, and means associated with said; stem cooperating with said seal to closev said channel when said sample taker lands in said arrested position.

3. Sample taking apparatus for wells comprising; a deliector, a tubular operating string having a-rotable connection with the deiiector and having an inside stop; a sample taker including a barrel and driving stem adapted to be lowered through the string into-co-operating relation with the deflector to deflect the barrel, said sample taker having a channel for fluid therethrough and also having an external stop arranged to land on said internal stop to arrest the downward movement of the sample taker and :zo-operating means between the string and stem to close said channel when the core taker lands in said arrested position.

4. Sample taking apparatus for wells comprisinga deflector, a tubular operating string having a rotatable connection with the deflector and having an inside stop; a sample taker including a barrel and driving stem adapted to be lowered through the-string into (2o-operating relation with the deflector to deflect the barrel, said sample taker having a channel for fluid therethrough and also having an external stopY arranged to land' on said internal stop to arrest the downwardv movement of the sample taker, co-operating means between the string and stem to close said channel when the core taker lands in said arrested position and valve means responsive to an increase of fluid pressure, exerted through the string, to open said channel and permit a resumption of ow of fluid through said channel.

5. Core taking apparatus for wells comprising: a whipstock adapted to be connected to an operating string and including a shell having a longitudinal side slot which extends downwardly to and at least partially across the lower end thereof; a diagonal deflector within said shell opposite the upper portion of and declining toward said slot, that portion of said slot extending below said deflector being narrowed; means for supporting said deector from said shell for movement into a substantially vertical position adjacent the wall of said shell opposite said slot in response to a predetermined inward force' against said deflector; a core taker including a flexible stem and a barrel having an external rearward enlargement, said core taker being adapted to be lowered, as a unit, into said whipstock and into engagement with said deflector for deflecting said barrel through said slot into the side wall formation of the well, said barrel enlargement being of a size to prevent passage thereof through said narrowed portion of said slot, whereby upward movement of said shell relative to said barrel, when the latter is in its side wall engaged position, is effective to move said barrel into the narrowed portion of said slot and thence into a substantially vertical position within at least the projected periphery of said shell for upward movement by the latt-er.

6. Core taking apparatus for wells compristhe stem, said sample taker hav-I ing: a whipstockadapted to be connected to an operatingl stringA andV including a shell; a downwardly sloping deflector therewithin; means defining a longitudinal side slot in said shell opposite and extending below said deflector and at least partially across the lower end of said shell; means for supporting said deflector for movement into a substantially vertical position adjacent the wall of said shell opposite said slotv in response to a predetermined inward forcee against said deflector; a core taker including a flexible stem and a barrel having an external rearward enlargement, said. core taker being adapted to be lowered into said whipstock and into engagementwith saidy deflector for deflection of said barrel through said slot into the side wall formation of. the Well, said enlargement being of. a size to prevent passage: thereof through said slot and to eiect movement ofsaidv barrel into a substantially vertical position within at least the projected periphery of said shell upon upward movementv of said shell relative to said barrel.

7. Core taking apparatusY for a well comprising: a whipstock having a diagonal deflector; a tubular driving member swivelly connected to said whipstock and adapted tobe lxedly secured to the lower end of a tubular operating string; a core taker including a barrel and a flexible driving stem, saidcore taker being adapted to be lowered, as a unit, through the string and said driving member into engagementwith said deflector for deflection of said barrel into the side wall formation of the well; and intertting means on said stem and said driving member for effecting rotation of said core taker by rotation of the string while permitting relative axial movement between said core taker and said driving member.

8. The structure dened in claim 7 including sealing means about the stem for preventing escape of drilling fluid from the string into the whipstock and means defining a restricted passageway through said stem and barrel for conducting drilling fluid from the string to the side wall engaging face of said barrel, the pressure differential caused by said restricted passageway being effective to exert a force on said stem to urge the core taker against the side wall.

JOHN R. YANCEY. EARL J. ROBISHAW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the -le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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