Production tubing joint

1. A tubing joint for a well including a well bore, a well head at the top of the well bore, and a production tubing string extending along the well bore from the well head, the tubing joint comprising:

a tubing hanger suspending the production tubing string from the well head;

a barrel forming an upper tubing section of the production tubing string and connected to the tubing hanger;

a tubing connector within the barrel and having a lower end connected to a lower tubing section of the production tubing string;

a lower locking means having:

a first lower lock component secured to the barrel; and

a second lower lock component secured to the tubing connector and selectively engageable with the first lower lock component, for suspending the tubing connector and the lower tubing section from the barrel;

an adapter bar for connection to a rod string; and

an upper locking means having:

a first upper lock component secured to the tubing connector; and

a second upper lock component secured to the adapter bar and selectively engageable with the first upper lock component such that with the upper locking means engaged, the adapter bar may be manipulated to disengage the lower locking means so as to separate the lower tubing section from the barrel and suspend the tubing connector and the lower tubing section from the adapter bar.

2. A well including a tubing joint according to claim 1 and further including a downhole pump connected to the production tubing string and the rod string along the production tubing string for driving the downhole pump, the adapter bar being adapted for insertion between an upper portion of the rod string and a lower portion of the rod string.

3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the lower locking means comprise:

a sub connected to the barrel;

a slot in the sub with an upwardly inclined entrance section and an axial locking section; and

a pin secured to and projecting laterally from the tubing connector and engageable in the slot.

4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the upper locking means comprise:

a slot in the tubing connector with a downwardly inclined entrance section and an axial locking section; and

a pin secured to and projecting laterally from the adapter bar and engageable in the slot.

5. A method of flushing a well including a well bore, a well head at the top of the well bore, and a production tubing string extending along the well bore from the well head comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a tubing joint in the production tubing string;

(b) inserting a rod string including an adapter bar into the production tubing string;

(c) attaching the adapter bar to the tubing joint;

(d) manipulating the adapter bar to manipulate the tubing joint and separate the production tubing string into an upper tubing section suspended from the well head and a lower tubing section suspended from the adapter bar;

(e) flushing the production tubing string and the well bore; and

(f) manipulating the adapter bar to manipulate the tubing joint and reconnect the upper tubing section suspended from the well head and the lower tubing section suspended from the adapter bar.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the well includes a downhole pump connected to the production tubing string and the rod string along the production tubing string for driving the downhole pump, and including the steps of pulling the rod string and inserting the adapter bar between an upper portion of the rod string and a lower portion of the rod string before the step of inserting the rod string into the production tubing string.

7. A method according to claim 5 including lowering the rod string during the flushing of the production tubing string and the well bore.

8. A method according to claim 6 including lowering the rod string during the flushing of the production tubing string and the well bore.