Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Dale E Meek

Julian J Pop

Steven G Villareal

Kent David Harms

Thomas D MacDougall

Alain P Dorel

Jeremy Murphy

Robert Wayne Sundquist

Gary L Rytlewski

Keith A Moriarty

Lawrence James Leising

Vladimir Vaynshteyn

James M Upchurch

John David Rowatt

Raphael Gadot

Erik Quam

Bernard Doremus

Merlin D Hansen

A system for measuring and control of shock and vibration is disclosed. The system may include a bottomhole assembly having a downhole end and an uphole end opposite the downhole end. A drill bit may be located at the downhole end of the bottomhole assembly and a powered rotary steering system may be located in the bottomhole assembly. The system may also include a first drilling mechanics module located in the bottomhole assembly, proximate the powered rotary steering system and the drill bit. The first drilling mechanics module may be coupled in electronic communication to the power rotary steering system. The system may also include a plurality of drilling dynamics measurement units distributed along a length of the bottomhole assembly, between the downhole end and the uphole end. The plurality of drilling dynamics measurement units may be coupled in electronic communication with the first drilling mechanics module.

Measurement and control of shock and vibration

Formation fluid sample container apparatus are described. An example apparatus includes a downhole tool having a body including an opening and a cavity extending into the body from the opening. The sample container includes an elongated container for holding a formation fluid sample and a sheath coupled to an outer surface of the elongated container and at least partially surrounding the elongated container. The sample container is fixed in the cavity and the sheath is to increase the mechanical integrity of the elongated container in a downhole environment.

Formation fluid sample container apparatus

A system and a method are disclosed herein that relate to powering a pumping system within a downhole tool. The system may include a turbine having a shaft extending therefrom, in which the turbine is configured to convert energy from a fluid received therein into rotational energy for the shaft. The system may further include a pumping system coupled to the shaft of the turbine, in which the pumping system includes one or more driving devices coupled to one or more displacement units. The displacement units may have a cavity formed therein, in which the cavity is configured to receive a fluid therein. The driving devices may then be configured to drive the displacement units such that the fluid is received within the cavity of the displacement units.

Power pumping system and method for a downhole tool

A downhole tool includes a body including an opening and a cavity extending into the body from the opening. A sample container is fixed in the cavity and includes an elongated container for holding a formation fluid sample and a sheath coupled to an outer surface of the elongated container and at least partially surrounding the elongated container.

A system for testing a subterranean formation penetrated by a well includes a downhole tool configured to be coupled to a work string that includes a tool body having a longitudinal bore for circulating a fluid and at least one aperture configured to receive at least one module. The system further includes a plurality of modules that are each configured to engage the at least one aperture and at least one cavity configured for receiving a probe, and a plurality of probes that each include at least one orifice configured for testing the formation, wherein a first of the plurality of probes has a first configuration and a second of the plurality of probes has a second configuration.

Apparatus and methods to perform downhole measurements associated with subterranean formation evaluation

A system for testing an underground formation penetrated by a well includes a downhole tool that is configured to be coupled to a work string and that includes an outer surface, a connection for coupling a stabilizing sub to the downhole tool, and at least one portion configured to receive a frame. The system further includes a plurality of stabilizing subs that are configured to be coupled to the downhole tool, a plurality of frames configured to be detachably mounted on the at least one portion of the downhole tool, and at least one measuring device configured to be secured in at least one of the plurality of frames. The stabilizing subs each have an outer surface that defines an offset relative to the outer surface of the downhole tool, wherein a first of the plurality of stabilizing subs has a first stabilizing sub offset, and the plurality of frames each have an offset relative to the outer surface of the downhole tool and an aperture for receiving a measuring device, wherein a first of the plurality of frames has a first frame offset determined by the first stabilizing sub offset.

An orienter, particularly on coiled tubing or small diameter drill pipe, includes a motor, turbine, or other device for selectively converting the rotational kinetic energy produced from fluid flow through the device to mechanical power, and applying the mechanical power to a downhole tool through a gear train for orienting the downhole tool. The orienter is utilized during directional drilling and other operations such as well intervention, fishing, and multilateral re-entry operations. The downhole tool preferably includes a steerable mud motor. In one embodiment, the direction of the borehole is controlled by azimuthal rotation of the orienter of the present invention in response to downlink commands from the surface by changing fluid flow rate through the orienter in a predefined series of steps.

Apparatus and method for orienting a downhole tool

A new zonal isolation method and apparatus perforates a plurality of zones of a formation, while isolating each perforated zone from every other zone, with one trip into wellbore, and without requiring the circulation of a kill fluid throughout the wellbore following perforation to kill the well so that a packer and/or a perforating gun may be removed from the well. The new zonal isolation apparatus includes a perforating gun and a plug or packer connected to the perforating gun. The new zonal isolation method includes detonating the perforating gun thereby creating a set of perforations in the formation; moving the perforating gun and plug/packer uphole until the plug/packer is situated at a particular position in the wellbore which is disposed directly above the set of perforations in the formation; and setting the plug/packer at the particular position in the wellbore. The perforated zones located below the plug/packer are isolated from annulus fluids, pressure, or kill fluids which are normally introduced above the plug/packer in the wellbore.

Zonal isolation method and apparatus

A multiple wellbore tool apparatus consisting of a plurality of microprocessor implemented wellbore tools is disposed in a fluid filled wellbore, and an input stimulus having a predetermined signature propagates down the wellbore fluid to all of the wellbore tools. The plurality of wellbore tools each include a microprocessor implemented controller board as well as an included wellbore tool and an acoustic receiver transmitter transducer connected to an output of the controller board. In addition, each of the microprocessors of each controller board include a memory which stores its own unique microcode programming. In response to the input stimulus, the controller board of a first wellbore tool determines that a correspondence exists between the signature of the stimulus and information stored therein and generates an output signal. The output signal may operate an included wellbore tool, or, in response to the output signal, the acoustic transmitter may transmit a first acoustic signal either through an outer housing of the multiple wellbore tool apparatus, or through the wellbore fluid, to all of the other wellbore tools. In response to the first acoustic signal, the controller board of a second wellbore tool will operate its included wellbore tool. When its operation is complete, that included wellbore tool will transmit a signature confirmation signal back to its controller board indicative of completion of its operation. That controller board will respond By instructing its acoustic transmitter to propagate a second acoustic signal through the outer housing or the wellbore fluid. A controller board of a third wellbore tool will respond to the second acoustic signal by operating its included wellbore tool. The above operational sequence is repeated until all of the included wellbore tools of the plurality of wellbore tools of the multiple wellbore tool apparatus are automatically operated in a pre-programmed manner as defined by the microcode programming encoded in the plurality of microprocessors.

Multiple wellbore tool apparatus including a plurality of microprocessor

A bridge plug for sealing a well casing comprises a plurality of cups which tightly interfit together when a compressive load is applied to both opposite ends of the plurality of cups. Application of the compressive load to both opposite ends of the cups forces a first cup to fit into a second cup, the second cup to fit into a third cup, and the third cup to fit into a fourth cup, etc., thereby producing a single unitary plug which includes a plurality of tightly interfit cups. Further application of the compressive load to both opposite ends causes transverse expansion of the plurality of interfit cups to occur. When the cups contact the well casing wall, a permanent seal is achieved between the cups and the well casing wall. Anchor elements on both sides of the cups contact the well casing wall and permanently hold the interfitting cups in their compressed condition.

Multiple cup bridge plug for sealing a well casing and method

In the representative embodiments of the new and improved methods and apparatus disclosed herein, a full-bore reversing and circulating valve is cooperatively arranged to be tandemly coupled in a typical string of drillstem testing tools including a pressure-actuated test valve. Pressure-actuated valve means are arranged within the housing of the new and improved apparatus of the present invention and adapted for movement therein in an extended span of travel between spaced upper and lower port-opening positions in response to changes in the direction of the pressure differential acting on the valve means. Indexing means are provided which include a sleeve member rotatably arranged on the valve means and ratchet-and-pawl means cooperatively arranged for incrementally advancing the sleeve along multiple angular positions around the valve means in response to the longitudinal movements of the valve means. Stop means are also provided on the valve means and sleeve for blocking the movement of the valve means to its port-opening positions until the sleeve has been advanced to a predetermined angular position in relation to the valve means.

Methods and apparatus for selectively controlling fluid communication

In accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention, a new and improved subsea test tree includes a hydraulically operable control unit and shut-in valve unit that are releasably latched together. The control unit includes an integral retainer valve system at the upper end thereof. The main shut-in valve, which is a ball valve, is a fail-close device under the influence of a spring and nitrogen pressure. Additional assistance in closing the valve may be provided if needed by hydraulic pressure applied to a surface control line. Internal pressure may be vented prior to unlatching the control unit in case of an emergency.

Subsea master valve for use in well testing

In the representative embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, upper and lower valve means including rotatable ball members cooperatively seated on axially-movable annular seats are spatially arranged within a tubular housing and independently controlled by upper and lower valve-actuator means. Pressure-responsive means maintain the valve seats sealingly engaged with the ball members regardless of whether the pressure within the sample chamber is greater than or less than the exterior pressure. Reset means coupled to the valve-actuator means allow the valve means to be manually opened and closed while the new and improved sample-collecting tool is at the surface without having to disassemble the tool.

Bottom hole sampler and safety valve and valve therefor

In the representative embodiments of the new and improved apparatus disclosed herein, a string of full-bore well tools are arranged to be suspended from a pipe string in a well bore penetrating an earth formation in flow communication with the well bore. A full-bore packer coupled to the pipe string is operated from the surface for isolating the well bore interval below the packer from the fluids in the well bore thereabove. To test the formation, a test valve coupled to the pipe string is selectively operated from the surface for opening the pipe string to the flow of formation fluids from the isolated well bore interval. Thereafter, when it is desired to obtain a sample of the formation fluids flowing in the pipe string, the new and improved full-bore sample-collecting apparatus coupled to the pipe string is selectively operated from the surface to admit the fluids in the pipe string into an annular sample chamber within the new and improved apparatus. The sample collecting apparatus is further operable only in response to the admission of formation fluids into the sample chamber to regulate the flow rate at which these fluids are admitted into the sample chamber so as to not disturb the fluid sample any more than is necessary. Thereafter, this apparatus operates only in response to filling of the sample chamber for trapping the fluid sample.

Growing community of inventors

Missouri City, TX, United States of America

Dale E Meek