Claims
- 1. A dual annulus production tool for use in a casing of a well extending downward from ground surface through an underground fluid production zone and having an interior bore extending downward from the ground surface to the production zone and an opening in said casing adjacent to the production zone allowing flow of fluid from the production zone into the bore of the casing, said tool comprising:
- (a) an upper annular seal for placing in the bore of the casing of the well spaced below ground surface and above the opening in the casing of the well and in a sealing relationship with the casing;
- (b) an elongated outer tubing for placing in the bore of the casing of the well extending from the ground surface downward through and in a sealing relationship with said upper annular seal to an lower end of said outer tubing located below said upper annular seal, said outer tubing having an imperforate tubular sidewall and a diameter sufficiently smaller than a diameter of the casing of the well to define an outer annulus therebetween for holding an annular volume of a static fluid therein extending from above said upper annular seal to the ground surface to impede corrosion of the casing of the well;
- (c) an elongated inner tubing for placing in the bore of the casing of the well within said outer tubing extending from the ground surface downward to a lower end of said inner tubing located below said upper annular seal, said inner tubing having an imperforate tubular sidewall and a diameter sufficiently smaller than said diameter of said outer tube to define an inner annulus therebetween being non-communicative with said outer annulus for routing flow of fluid from below said upward annular seal upward through said inner annulus to ground surface without and due to said imperforate sidewalls of said outer and inner tubings being prevented from entering said outer annulus; and
- (d) an annular housing for placing in the bore of the casing of the well below said upper annular seal and adjacent to the production zone, said annular housing being couplable to at least one of said respective lower ends of said outer and inner tubings, said annular housing having at least one fluid entry hole disposed above the opening in the casing for enabling flow of fluid from the casing into and upward through said inner annulus to the ground surface and thereby avoiding the flow of fluid entering said outer annulus and contacting the casing.
- 2. The tool of claim 1 further comprising:
- a lower annular seal provided in said annular housing below said entry hole in said annular housing so as to block flow of fluid from said inner annulus downward below said annular housing.
- 3. The tool of claim 1 wherein said annular housing has a plurality of said entry holes formed therein.
- 4. The tool of claim 3 wherein said entry holes are spaced from one another circumferentially about said annular housing.
- 5. The tool of claim 1 wherein said inner tubing has an interior passageway and said lower end of said inner tubing is open for allowing passage of an elongated member downward through said inner tubing and upper annular seal from the ground surface to below said lower end of said inner tubing.
- 6. The tool of claim 5 wherein said annular housing has an interior chamber and an open bottom end for allowing passage of the elongated member downward through and to below said annular housing.
- 7. The tool of claim 1 wherein said lower end of said outer tubing is externally threaded and spaced above said lower end of said inner tubing, said annular housing having an internally threaded open top end and being coupled to said outer tubing by being threadably secured at said open top end about said lower end of said outer tubing.
- 8. The tool of claim 7 wherein said entry hole in said annular housing is located below said lower end of said outer tubing.
- 9. The tool of claim 8 wherein said annular housing has a plurality of said entry holes formed therein and located below said lower end of said outer tubing.
- 10. The tool of claim 9 wherein said entry holes are spaced from one another circumferentially about said annular housing.
- 11. The tool of claim 7 further comprising:
- a lower annular seal provided between said inner tubing and said annular housing below said entry hole in said annular housing so as to block flow of fluid from said inner annulus downward below said lower end of said inner tubing.
- 12. In a casing of a well extending downward from ground surface through an underground fluid production zone and having an interior bore extending downward from said ground surface to below said production zone and an opening in said casing adjacent to said production zone allowing flow of fluid from the production zone into said bore of said casing, a dual annulus production tool, comprising:
- (a) an upper annular seal provided in said bore of said casing of said well spaced below ground surface and above said opening in said casing of said well and in sealing relationship with said casing;
- (b) an elongated outer tubing provided in said bore of said casing of said well extending from said ground surface downward through and in a sealing relationship with said upper annular seal to an lower end of said outer tubing located below said upper annular seal, said outer tubing having an imperforate tubular sidewall and a diameter sufficiently smaller than a diameter of said casing of said well to define an outer annulus therebetween for holding an annular volume of a static fluid therein extending from above said upper annular seal to said ground surface to impede corrosion of said casing of said well;
- (c) an elongated inner tubing provided in said bore of said casing of said well within said outer tubing extending from said ground surface downward to a lower end of said inner tubing located below said upper annular seal, said inner tubing having an imperforate tubular sidewall and a diameter sufficiently smaller than said diameter of said outer tube to define an inner annulus therebetween being non-communicative with said outer annulus for routing flow of fluid from below said upward annular seal upward through said inner annulus to ground surface without and due to said imperforate sidewalls of said outer and inner tubings being prevented from entering said outer annulus; and
- (d) an annular housing provided in said bore of said casing of said well below said upper annular seal and adjacent to said production zone, said annular housing being coupled to at least one of said respective lower ends of said outer and inner tubings, said annular housing having at least one fluid entry hole disposed above said opening in said casing for enabling flow of fluid from said casing into and upward through said inner annulus to said ground surface and thereby avoiding the flow of fluid entering said outer annulus and contacting said casing.
- 13. The tool of claim 12 further comprising:
- a lower annular seal provided in said annular housing below said entry hole in said annular housing so as to block flow of fluid from said inner annulus downward below said annular housing.
- 14. The tool of claim 12 wherein said annular housing has a plurality of said entry holes formed therein.
- 15. The tool of claim 14 wherein said entry holes are spaced from one another circumferentially about said annular housing.
- 16. The tool of claim 12 wherein said inner tubing has an interior passageway and said lower end of said inner tubing is open for allowing passage of an elongated member downward through said inner tubing and upper annular seal from said ground surface to below said lower end of said inner tubing.
- 17. The tool of claim 16 wherein said annular housing has an interior chamber and an open bottom end for allowing passage of the elongated member downward through and to below said annular housing.
- 18. The tool of claim 12 wherein said lower end of said outer tubing is externally threaded and spaced above said lower end of said inner tubing, said annular housing having an internally threaded open top end and being coupled to said outer tubing by being threadably secured at said open top end about said lower end of said outer tubing.
- 19. The tool of claim 18 wherein said entry hole in said annular housing is located below said lower end of said outer tubing.
- 20. The tool of claim 19 wherein said annular housing has a plurality of said entry holes formed therein and located below said lower end of said outer tubing.
- 21. The tool of claim 20 wherein said entry holes are spaced from one another circumferentially about said annular housing.
- 22. The tool of claim 18 further comprising:
- a lower annular seal provided between said inner tubing and said annular housing below said entry hole in said annular housing so as to block flow of fluid from said inner annulus downward below said lower end of said inner tubing.
Parent Case Info
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/023,866, filed Aug. 13, 1996.
US Referenced Citations (3)