Ball insertion device for use in oil and gas wells

Abstract

In one illustrative embodiment, the ball inserter device comprises, among other things, a body having a ball insertion opening and a ball drop opening, wherein the ball drop opening intersects the ball insertion opening, a ball inserter piston that is attached to the body and an inserter cavity isolation valve coupled to the body wherein the valve element, when closed, blocks the ball insertion opening and partially defines an insertion cavity between the inserter cavity isolation valve and the ball inserter piston and a pressure relief valve coupled to the body that is in fluid communication with the insertion cavity. In this example, the device also comprises a ball input device coupled to the body that includes a plug, a removable cap and an opening that is axially aligned with the ball drop opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ball inserter device for inserting a ball into a well, comprising:
 a body;   a ball insertion opening defined in the body;   a ball drop opening, wherein the ball drop opening intersects the ball insertion opening;   a ball inserter piston that is attached to the body, wherein a rod of the piston is axially aligned with the ball insertion opening;   an inserter cavity isolation valve coupled to the body, the inserter cavity isolation valve having a valve element that, when closed, blocks the ball insertion opening and partially defines an inserter cavity between the inserter cavity isolation valve and the piston;   a pressure relief opening defined in the body, the pressure relief opening being in fluid communication with the inserter cavity;   a pressure relief valve coupled to the body, the pressure relief valve being in fluid communication with the pressure relief opening; and   a ball input device coupled to the body, the ball input device comprising a removable plug, a removable cap and an opening that is axially aligned with the ball drop opening.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ball insertion opening and the ball drop opening have the same diameter. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the pressure relief opening has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the ball insertion opening and the ball drop opening. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the inserter cavity isolation valve is one of a gate valve or a ball valve. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a ball engagement device coupled to an end of the rod of the ball inserter piston, the ball engagement device having an engagement face that is adapted to engage a ball when a ball is positioned within the inserter cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the engagement face is a substantially planar face. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the body is removably coupled to a spool and wherein the ball insertion opening is in fluid communication with a bore defined in the spool. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , further comprising an opening in the spool that is in fluid communication with the bore in the spool, wherein the opening in the spool has a diameter that is equal to a diameter of the ball insertion opening in the body. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ball is a ball that is adapted to be used in fracturing operations. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the spool is a tee. 
     
     
         11 . A ball inserter device for inserting a ball into a well, comprising:
 a tee having a bore defined therein and an opening in the spool that is in fluid communication with the bore;   a body removably coupled to the tee;   a ball insertion opening defined in the body, the ball insertion opening being in fluid communication with the opening in the tee;   a ball drop opening defined in the body, wherein the ball drop opening intersects the ball insertion opening;   a ball inserter piston that is attached to the body, wherein a rod of the piston is axially aligned with the ball insertion opening;   an inserter cavity isolation valve coupled to the body, the inserter cavity isolation valve having a valve element that, when closed, blocks the ball insertion opening and partially defines an inserter cavity between the inserter cavity isolation valve and the piston;   a ball engagement device coupled to an end of the rod of the ball inserter piston, the ball engagement device having an engagement face that is adapted to engage a ball when a ball is positioned within the inserter cavity;   a pressure relief opening defined in the body, the pressure relief opening being in fluid communication with the inserter cavity;   a pressure relief valve coupled to the body, the pressure relief valve being in fluid communication with the pressure relief opening; and   a ball input device coupled to the body, the ball input device having a removable plug and a removable cap and an opening that is axially aligned with the ball drop opening.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the ball insertion opening and the ball drop opening have the same diameter. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the pressure relief opening has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the ball insertion opening and the ball drop opening. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the inserter cavity isolation valve is one of a gate valve or a ball valve. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the engagement face is a substantially planar face. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the opening in the tee has a diameter that is equal to a diameter of the ball insertion opening in the body. 
     
     
         17 . A method of inserting a ball into a well bore, the method comprising:
 closing at least a lower master valve so as to isolate a ball inserter device positioned vertically between an upper master valve and the lower master valve from pressure within the well bore;   opening a relief valve so as to relieve pressure within an inserter cavity that is located in a body of the ball inserter device between a closed inserter cavity isolation valve and a ball inserter piston that is coupled to the body;   after relieving the pressure within the inserter cavity, removing a removable plug from a ball input device so as to allow communication with a ball drop opening defined in the body, wherein the ball drop opening intersects a ball insertion opening defined in the body;   inserting a ball through the ball input device so as to position the ball within the inserter cavity between the ball inserter piston and the closed inserter cavity isolation valve;   with the inserter cavity isolation valve in its closed position, coupling the removable plug to the ball input device;   after coupling the removable plug to the ball input device, opening the inserter cavity isolation valve;   actuating the ball inserter piston from a retracted position to an extended position so as to move the ball through the open inserter cavity isolation valve and the ball insertion opening and into the well bore;   after inserting the ball into the well bore, actuating the ball inserter piston so as to cause it to return toward the retracted position;   closing the inserter cavity isolation valve so as to block the ball insertion opening; and   after closing the inserter cavity isolation valve so as to block the ball insertion opening, opening at least the lower master valve.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein closing at least a lower master valve comprises closing both the lower master valve and the upper master valve so as to isolate a ball inserter device.