Packer Retrieval

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

1
 Packer Retrieval

Overview.
• Packer retrieval is one of the most common occurrences in fishing.
• You should be proficient at the process.
• Examples of packer retrieving spears and milling tools :
• Shear pin type packer retriever run with a rotary shoe, or bladed mill
• Weatherford slick bore packer retriever.

Topics
What is a Packer
Shear Pin Type Packer Retrieving Tool
Slick Bore Packer Retrieving Tool
Packer retrieval Examples
Example: Dual Packer Retrieval
Exercise

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

2
 Packer Retrieval

Description:
A packer is a production tool which, when properly set, creates a pressure-tight seal
between the production tubing and the casing wall. When the packer is set, it prevents
fluid or gas movement past the packer and diverts the flow of fluid or gases into the
production string.

Types of packers:
•Permanent
•Retrievable

•Permanent packers are made of a softer metal (e.g., magnesium or cast iron)
•Permanent are designed to be milled or drilled up.
•Retrievable packers are 90% releasable if there is no sand or junk on top of them.
•Retrievable packers are designed to be removed from the wellbore when the tubing is
pulled or by running a retrieving device to manipulate the release of the packer.
Note: Every effort should be made to recover a retrievable packer intact.  
.

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

3
 Packer Retrieval
Main Packer Components:
•slips to grip the casing and keep the tool from moving after it is set
•packing elements to seal against the ID of the casing
•drag pads to grip the casing and permit tool manipulation
•mandrel which serves as the central tube or chassis within the tool.

•Packers have some sort of gripping device which anchors it to the casing wall, thereby
restricting or eliminating movement of the packer.
•The sealing device, called an elastomer or rubber, seals off the space between the casing
and the tubing. This seal isolates the area above the packer from the area below the
packer.
•All packers have a hole through them called the mandrel, which allows the flow of fluid
or gases up through the packer via the tubing to the surface.

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

4
 Packer Retrieval
Selecting the Correct Packer milling equipment:

•The type of packer retrieving tool that you use will be determined by the depth and angle
of the hole, the correct application for a given packer, operator preference, and availability
of tools. Tool selection will also depend on whether or not a mill-out extension was
installed in the well below the packer

No Extension

Mill Out Extension

Seal Bore Extension

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

5
 Recovering Permanent Production Packers
with Mill Out Extension

Shear Pin Type for packers with Millout Extensions.

•The Shear Pin Type Packer Retrieving Tool is designed to recover drillable packers in a
one-trip milling and recovery operation.

•The shear type packer retriever may be run with a packer mill or a burning shoe.

•The spear is run below a mill or shoe spaced out on Packer Retriever Tools (PRT)
extensions.

•This enables the grapple to be below the packer inside the millout extension bore during
milling, spaced out to ensure it does not enter into the restricted ID of the crossover below
the mill out extension.

•The sequence for retrieving the packer with the spear is as follows:

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

6
 Recovering Permanent Production Packers
with Mill Out Extension
Stage Description

1 As the spear / grapple enters the packer bore, the grapple moves up the
mandrel, off the shear sleeve allowing the fingers to collapse as it passes
through the reduced ID in the packer.
2 Once the grapple is through the packer, a spring returns it to the catch
position. The grapple remains in the catch position during the milling
operation.

3 Pick up and take check overpull on the grapple to confirm engagement.

Move the string down to place the grapple free inside the millout extension.
Before starting to rotate the string. Continue down placing necessary weight
on the mill head to mill the packer

4 If it is necessary to release the spear from the packer, the work string is
picked up to a load predetermined to shear the pins in the shear sleeves. The
shear value can be adjusted depending on the casing size, deviation, depth
and calculated overpull on the work string.
© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.
7
Recovering Permanent Production Packers
with Mill Out Extension

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

8
 Recovering Permanent Production Packers
with Smooth bore

Slick Bore Packer retriever type for packers with seaL bore extensions or slick ID.
(no millout extension.)

•The Slick Bore Retrieving Spear is designed to catch packers with tailpipe assemblies
where there is no shoulder to lift on at the base of the packer. The slick bore packer
retriever can be used when milling the slips alone or when milling the entire packer

•The spear is run below a mill or shoe and if necessary spaced out on Packer Retriever
Tools (PRT) extensions.

•This enables the grapple to be placed anywhere inside the packer / seal bore or slick
completion. This assumes no restriction below the packer / seal bore.

•The sequence for retrieving the packer with the spear is as follows:

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

9
 Recovering Permanent Production Packers
with Smooth bore
Stage Description

1 Lower the string until the packer mill sets down on top of the packer.

2 Pick up and take check overpull on the grapple to confirm engagement.

Go down to mid stroke / length of the catcher mandrel.

3 Start rotating and mill the packer out. The non-rotating grapple will
move down inside the packer.

4 When the milling is complete, the packer will drop and the grapple will
catch the packer remnants.

5 If it is necessary to release the spear from the packer, the work string is
picked up to a load predetermined to shear the pins in the shear
sleeves. The shear value can be adjusted depending on the casing size,
deviation, depth and calculated overpull on the work string
© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.
10
Recovering Permanent Production Packers
with Smooth bore

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

11
Milling and Recovering Permanent Production
Packers
What Do We Need to Know about the completion, planning for success?

1.Tubing size, weight, connections, type, and special clearances

2.Variations in the size of tubing in the completion
3.Detailed specifications of all completion components.
4.Is the packer permanent or retrievable?
5.Can completion be disconnected from Production Packer
6.Make, type, model, ID of the packers.
7.Mill out extension?
8.Slick bore?

What is the current condition of the well, Why is the well being worked over?
1.Plugged tubing?
2.Corroded parted completion?
3.Sanded up Completion?
4.Historical issues encountered when working over similar wells in the same field?
5.Any Surface equipment limitations?

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

12
Packer Retrieval Examples

• Shown on the following pages are three common completion

schematics.

• Following each schematic is a flow chart showing how the job

should proceed and what turns the job can take.

• The flow chart is very useful in determining a backup fishing

tool list.

• Outline Tool list is also included

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

13
Schematic # 1_ with Millout Extension

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

14
Schematic # 1_ with Millout Extension

• 2 x PMT Spear dressed with 3.875 Spear grapple w/ 3 1/8 PRT Box
• 2 x 6" Carbide Insert Type Packer Mills w/ 3 ½ IF Box
• 2 x 3 ½ IF x 3 1/8 PRT Pin x 3 ½ Reg Pin Bushing
• 6 x PRT Spear Extensions 3 1/8 PRT pin x Box
• 2 x 5" O.D. Boot Baskets w/ 3 ½ Reg Connections
• 2 x 4 ¾ Oil Jars w/ 3 ½ IF Connections
• 2 x 4 ¾ Bumper subs w/ 3 ½ IF Connections
• 2 x 4 ¾ Accelerator Jars w/ 3 ½ IF Connections
• 1 x 3 ½ IF x 3 ½ Reg Bit Sub
• 4 ½ O.D. Tubing spear to catch 5 ½" 20# w/ 3 ½ Reg Box
• 3 ½ Reg Pin x 3 ½ IF Box X-over
• 1 x 3 ¼ Shoulder Type Itco Spear w/ 3 ½ IF Box
• 2 x 3.875" Nominal catch Spear Grapples
• 5 7/8 Slim hole Overshot w/ 3 ½ IF Box
• 2 x 5" Spiral Grapples w/ Type “A” Packer and Controls
• 2 x 4 7/8" Spiral Grapples w/ Type “A” Packer and Controls
• 5 ¾ Series 150 Overshot w/ 3 ½ IF Box
• 5 ¾ Overshot Extension
• 2 x each of the following Grapples w/ controls and packers:
• 4 ¾, 4 ¼, 4 1/8, 3 7/8, 3 ¾, 3 ½
• 2 x 6" O.D. Flat Bottom Junk Mills w/ 3 ½ Reg Pin
• 2 x 7" 29# Casing scrapers w/ 3 ½ Reg Connections
© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.
15
Schematic # 1_ with Millout Extension

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

16
Schematic # 2_ with Seal Bore Extension
DEPTH DESCRIPTION O.D. I.D.

7" 29# S-95 Casing 7.00 6.059

3 1/2" 9.3# L-80 New Vam 3.803 2.992

448 3 1/2" 9.3# L-80 New Vam Flow Coupling 3.803 2.992

450 3 1/2" x 2.81" "TE-5" TRSCSSV 5.380 2.810

459 3 1/2" 9.3# L-80 New Vam Flow Coupling 3.803 2.992

12,133 3 1/2" x 2.75" CMD 3.803 2.750

12,147 80-40 G-36 CTSA 3.978 2.992

12,150 85-40 "FB3 36 RC B&C 5.875 4.000

12,153 80-40 x 20' seal Bore Extension 5.500 4.000

12,173 80-40 SBX x 3 1/2 9.3# New Vam X-over 5.500 2.992
12,174 3 1/2" x 10' Pup Joint 3.803 2.992
12,184 3 1/2" x 2.56" "F" Nipple 3.803 2.560

12,194 3 1/2 Perforated Joint 3.803 2.992

12,246 3 1/2" x 2.56" "R" Nipple 3.803 2.560

12,247 3 1/2 Wireline Entery Guide 4.500 450
12,300

12,345

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

17
Schematic # 2_ with Seal Bore Extension

• 2 x 6" Carbide Insert Type Packer Mills w/ 3 ½ IF Box

• 2 x Complete slick Bore catcher assemblies, dressed to catch 4”
• 2 x 5" O.D. Boot Baskets w/ 3 ½ Reg Connections
• 2 x 4 ¾ Oil Jars w/ 3 ½ IF Connections
• 2 x 4 ¾ Bumper subs w/ 3 ½ IF Connections
• 2 x 4 ¾ Accelerator Jars w/ 3 ½ IF Connections
• 1 x 3 ½ IF x 3 ½ Reg Bit Sub
• 2 ½ O.D. Shoulder Type Itco Spear w/ 3 ½ IF Box
• 2 x 2.992 Nominal catch Spear Grapples
• 1 x 3 ¼ Shoulder Type Itco Spear w/ 3 ½ IF Box
• 2 x 4" Nominal catch Spear Grapples
• 5 ¾ Series 150 Overshot w/ 3 ½ IF Box
• 5 ¾ Overshot Extension
• 2 x each of the following Grapples w/ controls and packers:
• 4 ¾, 4 ¼, 4 1/8, 3 7/8, 3 ¾, 3 ½
• 2 x 6" O.D. Flat Bottom Junk Mills w/ 3 ½ Reg Pin
• 2 x 7" 29# Casing scrapers w/ 3 ½ Reg Connections

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

18
Schematic # 2_ with Seal Bore Extension

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

19
Schematic # 3_ Dual Retrievable Completion

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

20
Schematic # 3_ Dual Retrievable Completion
• 2 x 6" x 4 ¾ Packer milling Shoes w/ 5 ¾ TSS Box
• 2 x 5 ¾ Wash pipe w/ 5 ¾ TSS
• 5 ¾ TSS x 3 ½ Reg Pin Drive Sub
• 2 x 5" O.D. Boot Baskets w/ 3 ½ Reg Connections
• 2 x 4 ¾ Oil Jars w/ 3 ½ IF Connections
• 2 x 4 ¾ Bumper subs w/ 3 ½ IF Connections
• 2 x 4 ¾ Accelerator Jars w/ 3 ½ IF Connections
• 2 x 6 ½ Oil Jars w/ 4 ½ IF Connections
• 2 x 6 ½ Bumper subs w/ 4 ½ IF Connections
• 2 x 6 ½ Accelerator Jars w/ 4 ½ IF Connections
• 1 x 3 ½ IF x 3 ½ Reg Bit Sub and 4 ½ Reg x 4 ½ IF Bit Sub
• 4 ½ O.D. Tubing spear to catch 5 ¾ WP w/ 3 ½ Reg Box
• 3 ½ Reg Pin x 3 ½ IF Box X-over
• 2 ½ O.D. Shoulder Type Itco Spear w/ 3 ½ IF Box
• 2 x 2.992 Nominal catch Spear Grapples
• 8 1/8 FS Overshot w/ 4 ½ IF Connections
• 8 1/8 Overshot Extension
• 4" Grapple stop ring
• 2 x each of the following Grapples, controls and packers: 6 ½, 6 3/8, 5 1/2, 5 3/8, 4 ½, 3 5/8, and 3 ½
• 5 ¾ Series 150 Overshot w/ 3 ½ IF Box
• 5 ¾ Overshot Extension
• 2 x each of the following Grapples w/ controls and packers: 4 ¾, 4 ¼, 4 1/8, 3 7/8, 3 ¾, and 3 ½
• 2 x 6" O.D. Flat Bottom Junk Mills w/ 3 ½ Reg Pin
• 2 x Each Casing Scrapers , 7" 29# w/ 3 ½ Reg Connections and 2 x 9 5/8 47# w/ 4 ½ Reg
• 2 x 8 ½" O.D. Flat Bottom Junk Mills w/ 4 ½ Reg Pin

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

21
Schematic # 3_ Dual Retrievable Completion

© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.

22
 Exercise

Exercise
Q without
answers
© 2005 Weatherford. All rights reserved.
23