Baker Hughes Corporation

Welldynamics, Inc.

Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Downhole Technologies Co., L.l.c.

Alfred R Curington

Daniel S Bangert

Timothy Rather Tips

L Cameron White

Richard Paul Rubbo

Daniel George Purkis

Napoleon Arizmendi

Mark W Brockman

Robert J McNair

Kirby Glen Schrader

Floyd John Bradford, Jr

Jeffrey D Cockrell

F T Tilton

Scott Carpenter

A A Mullins

Forrest Howard

Bharathwaj Kannan

A valve for use in a tubular string in a subterranean well includes a sleeve having first and second opposite ends, the sleeve being displaceable between open and closed positions to thereby selectively permit and prevent flow through a sidewall of a housing assembly, and a first and second pistons at the respective first and second ends of the sleeve. Pressure differentials applied to the first and second pistons are operative to displace the sleeve between its open and closed positions.

Casing valves system for selective well stimulation and control

A metal to metal seal for downhole tools. A sealing device includes a metal seal. A nonmetal seal may be used to bias the metal seal in a radial direction in response to a pressure differential applied to the sealing device. A well tool includes a housing assembly, a closure member and the sealing device. Both of the metal and nonmetal seals contact a selected one of the housing assembly and closure member when the closure member blocks flow through the housing assembly. A method of sealing between the housing assembly and closure member includes the step of displacing the closure member to relieve the pressure differential, the metal seal continuing to seal against the pressure differential until the nonmetal seal no longer seals between the housing assembly and the closure member.

Metal to metal seal for downhole tools

Casing valves for selective well stimulation and control. A well system includes at least one valve interconnected in a casing string operable via at least one line external to the casing string to selectively control fluid flow between an exterior and interior of the casing string, and the casing string, valve and line being cemented in a wellbore. A method of selectively stimulating a subterranean formation includes: positioning a casing string in a wellbore, the casing string including spaced apart valves operable via a line to selectively control fluid flow between an interior and exterior of the casing string; and for each of multiple intervals of the formation in sequence, stimulating the interval by opening a corresponding one of the valves, closing the remainder of the valves, and flowing a stimulation fluid from the casing string into the interval.

Operation of casing valves system for selective well stimulation and control

A well system includes a valve interconnected in a casing string and selectively configurable between first and second configurations via a line external to the casing string, the valve in the first configuration being operable to selectively permit and prevent fluid flow between the casing string exterior and interior, and in the second configuration to selectively filter and prevent fluid flow between the casing string exterior and interior. A method of selectively stimulating a formation includes: positioning a casing string in a wellbore intersecting the formation, the casing string including a valve operable via an external line to selectively permit and prevent fluid flow between the casing string interior and exterior; and stimulating an interval set of the formation by opening the valve, flowing a stimulation fluid from the casing string into the interval set, and then configuring the valve to filter formation fluid which flows into the casing string.

Screened valve system for selective well stimulation and control

A control system for use in controlling actuation of tools in a subterranean well. In a described embodiment, a control system includes a well tool, an actuator for the well tool and a control module interconnected between the actuator and first and second fluid lines. The control module is operative to meter a predetermined volume of fluid from the actuator to the second line in response to pressure applied to the first line.

Hydraulically actuated control system for use in a subterranean well

A rodless pump is disclosed which is connected to a pressure source via a conduit. In a common oilfield application the pump would be connected to the bottom of a tubing string within the reservoir fluid to be produced. A pressure source such as a hydraulic pump would be connected at the surface to the tubing string so as to selectively apply pressure via fluid in the conduit to the pump, raising the plunger assembly in the pump drawing reservoir fluid into the pump. When pressure via the surface pressure source is released, a gas source in the pump urges the plunger assembly downward in the pump urging the reservoir fluid in the pump into the tubing and to the surface. Preferably, the pump includes dampening mechanisms at both the top and bottom of the plungers stroke so as to reduce metal to metal impact within the pump. This dampening mechanism may include but is not limited to elastomer barriers, springs, and other dampening mechanisms such as discussed further below.

Rodless pumping system

A slip release system is disclosed which undermines support for slips by virtue of selective weakening of a structural element supporting the slips in a set position.

Slip release mechanism

In accordance with the present invention, a plurality of methods and devices are provided for solving important and serious problems posed by lateral (and especially multilateral) completion in a wellbore including methods and devices for sealing the junction between a vertical and lateral well. Several methods are disclosed which utilize a novel guide or mandrel which includes side pockets for directing liners into a lateral wellbore. Other methods include the use of extendable tubing and deflector devices which aid in the sealing process.

Method and apparatus for sealing the juncture between a verticle well

In accordance with the present invention, a plurality of methods and devices are provided for solving important and serious problems posed by lateral (and especially multilateral) completion in a wellbore including methods and devices for re-entering selected lateral wells to perform completions work, additional drilling, or remedial and stimulation work. Methods and devices are described for assisting in the location and re-entry of lateral wells using a guide or mandrel structure. Preferably, the re-entry methods of this invention permit the bore size of the lateral wells to be the same or substantially the same bore size as the vertical wells.

Method and apparatus for locating and re-entering one or more horizontal

In accordance with the present invention, a plurality of methods and devices are provided for solving important and serious problems posed by lateral (and especially multilateral) completion in a wellbore including methods and devices for isolating a lateral well from other lateral branches in a multilateral well so as to prevent migration of fluids and to comply with regulations regarding the separate production of different production zones. Various methods and devices are provided for fluid isolation of a lateral well from other lateral wells and for separate production from a lateral well without commingling the production fluids. These methods include the use of a side pocket mandrel, whipstocks with sealable bores and valving techniques wherein valves are located at the surface or downhole at the junction of a particular lateral.

Method and apparatus for isolating one horizontal production zone in a

An apparatus and method are provided for completion of a horizontal section of a subterranean well. The apparatus comprises a first packer assembly which is settable in the well by longitudinal manipulation of a tubular workstring. A second packer is carried into the well on the workstring and is settable by application of hydraulic pressure through the workstring. A perforating gun is carried into the well on and in communication with the workstring, together with a gun retractor for telescopically retracting the perforating gun. A valve is also provided for selective communication between the exterior and the interior of the apparatus and is manipulatable to the open position to effect, for example, a fluid flow path from the production zone to the top of the well for transmission of production fluids in the well.

Method and apparatus for completion of a well

A packer assembly is provided for use in a subterranean well and settable only by longitudinal manipulation of a tubular workstring. The assembly has an outer housing and a seal assembly with anchoring slips carried by the housing in retracted position and movable to expanded position along the wall of a casing or the like. A longitudinally extending central mandrel telescopes within the housing. Orienting and setting pins are provided for initial receipt within orienting and setting slots with the setting pins being moved to the orienting slot to permit setting of the packer. The seal assembly and anchoring slips are maintained in retracted position and are responsive to a variation in internal diameter between a first and second tubular conduit to thereafter permit the manipulating device to move the seal assembly and the anchoring slips to expanded position within only the second tubular conduit which has a diameter less than that of the first tubular conduit.

Packer assembly and means for activating same only in smaller diameter

A packer for a subterranean well conduit providing an electrical conduit bypass comprises a top sub having a first eccentric bore connectable between a tubing string and a mandrel and a second eccentric passage sealingly receiving an electrical conduit. A tubular body assembly is shearably connected to the top sub and mounts an annular packing element, an annular cylinder and piston unit and an annular slip and cone assemblage in axially stacked, abutting relationship. A support block secured to the lower end of the mandrel supports the electrical conduit and secures the lower cone against relative movement so that extension of said cylinder and piston effects setting of the packer. Upward movement of the top sub effects unsetting and retrieval of the packer.

Growing community of inventors

The Woodlands, TX, United States of America

Alfred R Curington