Baker Hughes Corporation

Baker Hughes, a Ge Compnay, LLC

Charles C Johnson

James G King

Justin C Kellner

Edward O'Malley

Paul Madero

Jason Charles Mailand

Marcus A Avant

James C Doane

Steve Rosenblatt

James Scott Sanchez

David B Ruddock

Robert W Putch

Michael H Johnson

Matthew D Solfronk

Jeffery Kitzman

Charles Thomas Kirkpatrick

Maria M O'Connell

Jeffery D Kitzman

Mailand C Jason

Joshua Hoffman

A shifting sleeve has differential piston areas so that applied pressure displaces the sleeve against spring bias, which preferably is a series of Belleville washer stacks associated with modular mandrel components, to obtain the desired opposing force to the movement initiated with pressure applied to differential piston areas. An indexing feature is located between the sleeve and the mandrel passage wall and on a predetermined number of cycles disables the Belleville washer stacks from biasing the sleeve in an opposed direction as when pressure is applied. At this time the pressure in the mandrel acting on the differential piston area simply shifts the sleeve to open a lateral port so that fracturing through the cement that was earlier placed with the port closed can take place.

Pressure actuated ported sub for subterranean cement completions

Methods for preparing a wellbore casing for stimulation operations comprise the steps of cementing a wellbore casing in a wellbore, the wellbore casing having a downhole tool comprising a valve and an apparatus for restricting fluid flow through the valve, such as a ball seat, disposed above the valve. Actuation of the valve opens the valve to establish fluid communication between the wellbore casing and the formation. A plug element is disposed on a seat of the ball seat and a casing pressure test is performed. The plug element then dissolves or disintegrates over time increasing fluid communication between the wellbore casing and the formation, thereby preparing the wellbore casing for stimulation operations without additional wellbore intervention after the casing pressure test. In certain embodiments, during or after dissolution of the plug element, clean-out of the bore of the valve is performed by the plug element.

Wiper plug elements and methods of stimulating a wellbore environment

A cement masking system includes a tubular having a wall with at least one radial port. At least one swellable member is arranged to cover the at least one port. The at least one swellable member is configured to at least partially displace cement radially of the tubular during radial expansion of the at least one swellable member. A method of masking ports in a tubular from cement employs the cement masking system.

Cement masking system and method thereof

A tubing pressure operated sliding sleeve is used in cementing a tubular string. The sleeve is configured to hold closed as pressure builds to a predetermined value. When pressure is further raised a rupture disc blows and provides access to an integral piston disposed outside the sleeve. The back side of the piston is exposed to a low pressure or atmospheric chamber located between upper and lower seals. The sleeve thickness near the chamber can be made relatively thick to avoid flexing or bending under differential pressure because the net force to shift the sleeve is from differential pressure on the piston rather than the piston areas created by the upper and lower seals.

A downhole system including a tubular having a wall with at least one port there through. At least one member arranged to cover the at least one port in a compressed condition thereof. Configured to at least partially displace cement pumped on an exterior of the tubular in a radially expanded condition of the at least one member. Also included is a method of non-ballistically opening ports in a tubular of a downhole system.

Downhole system having compressable and expandable member to cover port and method of displacing cement using member

The removable plug features a solid material that is housed in a porous container that has its shape changed to transition from the run in shape to the set shape. A swage is moved through a passage in the container to enlarge the passage and move the container to a borehole wall. The passage is then closed such as with a flapper valve or by moving in a mandrel into the expanded passage and lodging the mandrel in the expanded passage. Various release techniques are described.

Removable fracturing plug of particulate material housed in a sheath set by expansion of a passage through the sheath

An assembly for monitoring a fluid operation including a plug member operatively arranged to impede fluid flow past the plug when the plug member is engaged with a seat. A conveyor is coupled to the plug and operatively arranged for positioning the plug at a desired location. A signal conductor is disposed with the conveyor. At least one sensor is coupled with the signal conductor for monitoring one or more parameters related to the fluid operation. A method of monitoring a fluid operation is also included.

Monitoring system for borehole operations

The removable plug features a solid material that is housed in a porous container that has its shape changed to transition from the run in shape to the set shape. A running string and setting tool that creates relative movement deliver the plug and pull on its lower end while holding the top stationary against a backing plate. The container is pulled into itself as the radial dimension grows for the set. There can be a mandrel that remains in position and can lock to the backing plate or alternatively there can be no mandrel or a removable mandrel. The porous container can be removed in a variety of ways to let the solid material escape to be removed with fluid circulating in the wellbore. Alternatively the mandrel can be undermined to let the solid material escape for recovery.

Removable fracturing plug of particulate material housed in a sheath set by relative end movement of the sheath

A dissolvable tool includes a body having at least a portion configured to dissolve in a fluid, and a barrier connected to the body. The barrier is configured to slidably fluidically seal to a structure that the body and the barrier are movable within to maintain a volume of the fluid between the barrier and the body while the barrier and the body are moved through the structure.

Dissolvable tool and method of dissolving same

An interval can be divided into zones by inserting a series of plugs that register with specific profiles at predetermined intervals along a section of pipe. Each plug supports a releasable perforating gun that can release from the plug and perforate an interval for treatment such as fracturing or acidizing. A subsequent plug then isolates the just treated zone and the process is repeated working up toward the surface. When the full interval is treated the plugs can then be removed by making their cores disappear using a reaction or dissolving techniques. Mechanical alternative that push all the plugs to hole bottom or that retrieve them together or individually are possible alternative techniques for removal of the plugs from the treated interval before production is initiated.

Isolation of zones for fracturing using removable plugs

Apparatuses for restricting fluid flow through a well conduit comprise a housing having a longitudinal bore and a seat disposed within the bore. The seat has a first position when the apparatus is in the run-in position and a second position when the apparatus is in the set position. The seat comprises an arcuate member comprising a plurality of slits defining a plurality of segment members having a gap there-between. Each of the gaps are variable such that movement of segment members inwardly causes the gaps to be narrowed or closed off completely when a plug element is disposed into the bore and landed on the arcuate member to move the arcuate member from the first position to the second position, causing restriction of fluid flow through the bore and the well conduit.

Ball seat having segmented arcuate ball support member

Apparatuses for restricting fluid flow through a well conduit comprise a housing having a longitudinal bore and a seat disposed within the bore. The seat has a first position when the apparatus is in the run-in position and a second position when the apparatus is in the set position. A plug element support member has a retracted position when the apparatus is in the run-in position and an extended position when the apparatus is in the set position. A plug element adapted to be disposed into the bore and landed on the seat to restrict fluid flow through the bore and the well conduit is used to move the plug element support member from the retracted position to the extended position, thereby providing support to the plug member landed on the seat.

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League City, TX, United States of America

Charles C Johnson