Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Halliburton Company

Arnold G Edwards

Klaus B Huber

Joe C Hromas

David Michael Haugen

Nolan C Lerche

Edward G Smith, Jr

Kenneth Edmund Rozek

Charles W Kinney

A hydraulically controlled apparatus responsive to changes in well annulus pressure is disclosed. The apparatus is run into a well bore intersecting an oil and gas reservoir with perforations communicating the oil and gas reservoir with the well bore. The apparatus has an associated packer to effectively seal off the perforations in the well bore. The apparatus contains a cylindrical housing with ports on the top end and bottom end, and an operating mandrel is disposed therein. A disengaging sleeve operably connected with the operating mandrel allows the ports contained on the lower portion of the cylindrical housing below the packer to be opened and closed selectively, thereby allowing communication of the reservoir pressure through the apparatus. The disengaging sleeve and operating mandrel are activated by either an increase or decrease in annulus pressure.

Hydraulically actuated downhole valve apparatus

A new method of standalone perforating comprises the steps of lowering a perforator part-way into a borehole on a tubing string; when perforating is desired, connecting a wireline to the perforator; disconnecting the perforator from the tubing string; lowering the perforator into the borehole to the desired depth; attaching the perforator to the borehole casing or formation by setting an anchor on the perforator; disconnecting all wireline and associated apparatus from the perforator; withdrawing the wireline apparatus to the well surface; with the perforator standing alone in the well, firing the perforator into the surrounding formation; and dropping the perforator to the bottom of the well. A new apparatus for releasing the perforator from the tubing string includes a neutral release latch mechanism, and a new anchoring apparatus includes two interleaved coil springs having beveled shaped surfaces. Compression of an inner coil spring forces a radial expansion of an outer slip coil spring until the slip coil spring contacts the borehole wall and sets the anchor.

Anchor apparatus for a tubing and wireline conveyed method and apparatus

An exploding foil bubble activated detonator, adapted for use in a perforating gun, includes an exploding foil, the exploding foil including as neck section which vaporizes when a current of sufficient magnitude and duration flows therethrough, a layer of polyimide material deposited over said foil, and a spacer layer deposited over said layer of polyimide material, the spacer layer including a guiding hole disposed directly over the neck section of the foil. When the current flows through the neck section of the foil, a turbulence is caused to occur directly above the neck section. This turbulence causes a portion of the polyimide material to expand to form a bubble. The bubble is shaped and sized by the guiding hole in the spacer layer which is disposed directly over the neck section of the foil. The shaped and sized bubble in the polyimide material impacts an explosive thereby detonating the explosive. A selective gun firing system may include the bubble activated detonator and functions to allow an operator to selectively fire, in a predetermined sequence, a plurality of perforators in the perforating gun, such as from bottom gun to top gun. A hall effect sensor disposed in a well truck is connected to a wireline to which the perforating gun is connected and senses a current in the wireline. A novel safety barrier is inserted into a hole in a barrel of a prior art exploding foil initiator (EFI) detonator for blocking a flying plate flying in the hole and thereby preventing accidental detonations of the EFI detonator.

Method and apparatus for safe transport handling arming and firing of

Coupling apparatus for a tubing and wireline conveyed method and

A new method of standalone perforating comprises the steps of lowering a perforator part-way into a borehole on a tubing string; when perforating is desired, connecting a wireline to the perforator; disconnecting the perforator from the tubing string; lowering the perforator into the borehole to the desired depth; attaching the perforator to the borehole casing or formation by setting an anchor on the perforator; disconnecting all wireline and associated apparatus from the perforator; withdrawing the wireline apparatus to the well surface; with the perforator standing alone in the well, firing the perforator into the surrounding formation; and dropping the perforator to the bottom of the well. A new apparatus for releasing the perforator from the tubing string includes a neutral release latch mechanism, and a new anchoring apparatus includes two interleaved coil springs having beveled shaped surfaces. Compression of an inner coil spring forces a radial expansion of an outer slip coil spring until the slip coil spring contacts the borehold wall and sets the anchor.

Tubing and wireline conveyed perforating method and apparatus

Apparatus for setting in a bore a well tool of the type having radially expandable anchor means and a mandrel-actuated slidable valve for permitting flow through the tool. Inner and outer sleeves are telescopically interengaged for suspension from a conduit string for lowering into a well bore. A shearable tension sleeve connects the tool to the lower end of the inner sleeve. A vertically shiftable mandrel having a longitudinal bore therethrough is received within the inner sleeve for engaging the well tool valve. A ball is received within a slot in the inner sleeve and is urged into a groove formed in the mandrel by a locking collar disposed about the inner sleeve. Annular pistons are provided between the inner and outer sleeves for moving the inner sleeve upwardly responsive to pressurization of the conduit string. Such upward movement shifts the mandrel downwardly with respect to the inner sleeve and shifts the locking collar to effect locking of the inner sleeve to the mandrel in its shifted position.

Growing community of inventors

Hockley, TX, United States of America

Arnold G Edwards