Hybrid Liner Hanger and Setting Tool

Abstract

A setting mechanism for a liner hanger to be secured within the casing of an oil/gas well includes an expandable hydraulic chamber a portion of which is connected to a setting collar positioned around the liner hanger. Expansion of the chamber will cause the setting collar to radially move one or more slips having a gripping surface into contact with an inner surface of the casing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of setting a liner hanger within a casing of an oil/gas well comprising:
 a. providing a running tool and a liner setting assembly, wherein the running tool comprises a housing and an inner tubular, and wherein the running tool is connected to the liner setting assembly;   b. running the running tool and the liner setting assembly into the oil/gas well to a desired location;   c. catching a ball in a restriction of the inner tubular;   d. introducing a fluid under pressure into an inner sleeve of the running tool;   e. shearing pins to allow the inner sleeve to move downhole;   f. dropping locking pins into an outer groove of the inner sleeve, thereby allowing fluid to enter a hydraulic chamber of the running tool through ports located about the inner sleeve;   g. expanding the hydraulic chamber, thereby causing an outer sleeve of the running tool to move uphole; and   h. setting the liner hanger as a result of the outer sleeve moving uphole.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the setting comprises shifting a collar, one or more fingers, one or more fingers of an annular collar, one or more dog slides, or one or more locking dogs of the running tool, or combinations thereof, from a first position to a second position. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the setting further comprises causing one or more slips of the liner setting assembly to expand radially outwardly, thereby driving one or more gripping surfaces of each of the one or more slips into the surrounding casing of the oil/gas well. 
     
     
         4 . A method of withdrawing a running tool from a liner hanger, comprising:
 a. providing a running tool disposed in a liner hanger, wherein the liner hanger has been set in an oil/gas well;   b. applying a pulling force to the running tool, thereby shearing one or more pins of the running tool which lock one or more locking dog slides of the running tool in a first position;   c. shifting the one or more locking dog slides in an uphole direction, thereby causing the one or more locking dogs to slide inwardly down one or more ramps of the one or more locking dog slides;   d. disengaging the one or more locking dogs from an inner groove of an annular setting collar of the liner hanger, thereby freeing the running tool to be withdrawn from the liner hanger; and   e. withdrawing the running tool from the liner hanger.   
     
     
         5 . An outer anti-preset mechanism for a liner hanger running tool, comprising:
 an outer housing connected to a mandrel;   an inner flow sleeve axially movable within the mandrel; and   a plurality of freely mounted locking pins extending through radially spaced holes of the mandrel;   wherein the inner flow sleeve includes a groove located on an outer surface of the inner flow sleeve and adapted to receive the plurality of freely mounted locking pins;   wherein the locking pins are initially positioned over a plurality of ports provided through a wall of the inner flow sleeve and extend into a groove located on an inner surface of an outer sleeve of the running tool which is axially movable along an outer surface of the mandrel; and   wherein the outer anti-preset mechanism prevents premature setting of the liner hanger.