Combination down hole tool
A series of down hole tools are assembled from a common subassembly to which are added various specialty parts to make a flow back plug, a bridge plug or a plug with a disintegratable check valve. The subassembly may be used, as is, as a ball drop plug. The components may be added through either end of the subassembly without having to take the subassembly apart. The subassembly and specialty parts may be shipped to the customer so the end user may customize the subassembly to provide a plug operable to provide a variety of functions.
1 . A down hole well tool comprising
a mandrel having an upper end, a lower end and a passage between the ends;
a slips/seal section movable on an exterior of the mandrel from a running in position to an expanded position for sealing against a production string;
a setting assembly assisting in moving the slips/seal section from the running in position to the expanded position, the setting assembly including
a setting device rigid with the mandrel having a partible section adjacent an upper end of the mandrel and distant from the lower end of the mandrel for failing at a predetermined load to separate the setting device from the mandrel, and
a setting rod connected to the setting device so that tensioning on the setting rod parts the setting device, expands the slips/seal section into sealing engagement with the production string and removes the setting rod from the mandrel, the arrangement of the setting device and setting rod being that removal of the setting rod from the tool unblocks the mandrel passage.
2 . The down hole tool of claim 1 wherein the partible section includes a reduced thickness section of the mandrel.
3 . The down hole tool of claim 2 wherein the reduced thickness section includes a tapered section on the mandrel acting as a seat for a ball check.
4 . The down hole tool of claim 1 wherein the mandrel passage includes a cavity below the partible section and further comprising a ball check assembly captivated in the cavity allowing upward flow through the mandrel passageway and preventing downward flow therethrough.
5 . The down hole tool of claim 1 wherein the mandrel passage provides a tapered section below the partible section acting as a seat for a ball check.
6 . The down hole tool of claim 5 further comprising a ball check seated against the tapered section preventing downward flow into the production string.
7 . The down hole tool of claim 1 wherein the mandrel passageway provides a cavity and further comprising an obstruction in the cavity below the partible section preventing upward flow through mandrel passage and preventing downward flow therethrough.
8 . The down hole tool of claim 1 wherein the setting rod is a solid member having no passage therethrough.
9 . The down hole tool of claim 1 wherein the mandrel passageway provides a cavity having threads and a threaded obstruction connected to the cavity threads converting the down hole tool to a bridge plug.
10 . The down hole tool of claim 1 wherein the setting rod is removably attached to the mandrel and, upon removal from the mandrel, exposes a cavity having a check valve assembly therein.
11 . The down hole tool of claim 1 wherein the setting rod is removably attached to the mandrel and, upon removal from the mandrel, exposes a cavity having an obstruction therein blocking the mandrel passage and converting the down hole tool into a bridge plug.
12 . The down hole tool of claim 1 wherein the setting rod is removably attached to the mandrel and, upon removal from the mandrel, exposes a cavity having a ball check converting the down hole tool into a ball drop plug.
13 . A method of distributing a combination down hole well tool having a plurality of functions, comprising
shipping to a customer a subassembly including a mandrel having an upper end, a lower end and a passage between the ends, a slips/seal section movable on an exterior of the mandrel from a running in position to an expanded position for sealing against a production string and a setting assembly assisting in moving the slips/seal section from the running in position to the expanded position;
shipping to the customer a container having therein specialty parts comprising a check valve assembly for converting the subassembly into a flow back plug and an obstruction for converting the subassembly into a bridge plug; and
after the subassembly and the container are shipped to the customer, customizing the subassembly by opening the container and retrieving one of the specialty parts and installing the specialty part in the subassembly.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the subassembly and the container are shipped to the customer in a single package.
15 . The method of claim 13 wherein the subassembly includes a setting rod for actuating the setting assembly, the setting rod being assembled on the subassembly when it is shipped to the customer.
16 . The method of claim 13 wherein the container includes therein a setting rod for actuating the setting assembly, the setting rod being assembled on the subassembly after the container is opened.
17 . The method of claim 13 wherein the container further comprises a ball check separate from the check valve assembly.
18 . The method of claim 13 wherein the container further comprises a disintegratable check.