Wireline grease injection apparatus having removable grease injection tubes

Abstract

Replaceable grease injection tubes permit removal and replacement of such tubes without requiring wireline and associated tools to be removed from a well, or wireline tools to be removed from wireline and thereafter spliced or re-threaded on such wireline. Replaceable grease injection tubes include opposing semi-cylindrical members that can be joined together to form a central bore for receiving wireline and facilitating a pressure seal using injected grease or other fluid having desired pressure sealing characteristics.

1 . A wireline grease injection apparatus comprising:
 a) a housing having an internal chamber, an inlet and an outlet;   b) at least one grease tube disposed within the chamber of said housing comprising:
 i) a first semi-cylindrical member having a top, a bottom, a longitudinal channel extending from said top to said bottom, and a plurality of apertures extending through said first semi-cylindrical member and oriented substantially perpendicular to said channel; and 
 ii) a second semi-cylindrical member having a top, a bottom, a longitudinal channel extending from said top to said bottom, and a plurality of apertures extending through said second semi-cylindrical member and oriented substantially perpendicular to said channel, wherein said channels of said first and second semi-cylindrical members are aligned to form an elongate bore extending through said grease tube, and said apertures of said second semi-cylindrical member are aligned with the apertures of said first semi-cylindrical member; and 
 iii) a plurality of fasteners disposed through said aligned apertures of said first and second semi-cylindrical members. 
   
   
   
       2 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of the  claim 1 , wherein said elongate bore is substantially cylindrical. 
   
   
       3 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apertures of said first or second semi-cylindrical members are threaded. 
   
   
       4 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said fasteners comprise threaded bolts. 
   
   
       5 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one pressure seal between said first and second semi-cylindrical members. 
   
   
       6 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said at least one pressure seal further comprises at least one sealing member disposed along each side of said elongate bore. 
   
   
       7 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said sealing members comprise at least one elastomer. 
   
   
       8 . A wireline grease injection apparatus comprising:
 a) a housing having a chamber, an inlet and an outlet;   b) at least one grease tube disposed within the chamber of said housing comprising:
 i) a first semi-cylindrical member having a top, a bottom, a longitudinal channel extending from said top to said bottom, and at least one extension disposed on one side of said channel and a slot disposed on the opposite side of said channel; and 
 ii) a second semi-cylindrical member having a top, a bottom, a longitudinal channel extending from said top to said bottom, at least one extension disposed on one side of said channel and a slot disposed on the opposite side of said channel, wherein said at least one extension of said first semi-cylindrical member is slidably received within the slot of said second semi-cylindrical member, said at least one extension of said second semi-cylindrical member is slidably received within the slot of said first semi-cylindrical member, and said channels of said first and second semi-cylindrical members are aligned to form an elongate bore extending through said grease tube. 
   
   
   
       9 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one pressure seal between said first and second semi-cylindrical members. 
   
   
       10 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one pressure seal further comprises at least one sealing member disposed along each side of said elongate bore. 
   
   
       11 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said sealing members comprise at least one elastomer. 
   
   
       12 . A wireline grease injection apparatus comprising:
 a) a housing having an internal chamber, an inlet and an outlet;   b) at least one grease tube disposed within the chamber of said housing comprising:
 i) a first semi-cylindrical member having a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side, a longitudinal channel extending from said top to said bottom, and flanges extending from said first and second sides, wherein a plurality of apertures extend through said flanges and are oriented substantially perpendicular to said channel; and 
 ii) a second semi-cylindrical member having a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side, a longitudinal channel extending from said top to said bottom, and flanges extending from said first and second sides, wherein a plurality of apertures extend through said flanges and are oriented substantially perpendicular to said channel, wherein said channels of said first and second semi-cylindrical members are aligned to form an elongate bore extending through said grease tube, and said apertures in the flanges of said second semi-cylindrical member are aligned with the apertures in the flanges of said first semi-cylindrical member; and 
 iii) a plurality of fasteners disposed through said aligned apertures in the flanges of said first and second semi-cylindrical members. 
   
   
   
       13 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of the  claim 12 , wherein said elongate bore is substantially cylindrical. 
   
   
       14 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said fasteners comprise threaded bolts. 
   
   
       15 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising at least one pressure seal between said first and second semi-cylindrical members. 
   
   
       16 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one pressure seal further comprises at least one sealing member disposed along each side of said elongate bore. 
   
   
       17 . The wireline grease injection apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said sealing members comprise at least one elastomer.