Weatherford/lamb, Inc.

Baker Hughes Corporation

Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Patrick G. Maguire

David E. Hirth

David Eugene Hirth

Gerald Dean Pedersen

Tarald Gudmestad

Patrick Glen Maguire

John Lindley Baugh

Douglas James Murray

Mark J Murray

James Stephen Hall

Travis Burke

Srihari Chebolu

Raghavendar Ranganathan

Christiaan D Krauss

A technique facilitates hanging of a liner in a borehole. According to the technique, a liner hanger and a liner may be deployed downhole into a borehole. A wellbore anchoring device of the liner hanger is initially actuated to engage a surrounding surface and to resist downward movement of the liner. Additionally, a hold down anchor is subsequently actuated to resist upward movement of the liner. The hold down anchor may be released via mechanical manipulation of the liner hanger.

Method and apparatus for bi-directionally anchoring a liner in a borehole

Embodiments of the present invention relate to hydraulic tools which may be used to set a liner top packer and/or may be used to resist the lifting forces of cementing pack-offs. One embodiment of a tool string for use in wellbore operations comprises a hydraulic anchor assembly adapted to prevent axial movement of the tool string and a hydraulic packer actuator assembly adapted to set a packer.

Hydraulic tools for setting liner top packers and method for cementing liners

The present invention is a packer for sealing an annular region in a wellbore. The packer includes a packing element which is held through bidirectional forces. The packer first comprises an inner mandrel. Disposed around the inner mandrel are three tubulars: (1) a top sleeve; (2) a bottom sleeve; and (3) a booster sleeve. A packing element is disposed circumferentially around the outer surface of the booster sleeve. The top sleeve and bottom sleeve each include an upper compression member which rides across the booster sleeve in order to compress the packing element. The packing element is expanded outward from the packer to engage a surrounding string of casing through compressive forces provided by the top and bottom sleeves. Thereafter, differential pressure applied above or below the packer acting on the packer element and booster sleeve may provide additional compression of the packer element.

Bi-directionally boosting and internal pressure trapping packing element system

A packer, and operation of the same, which forms elastomeric seals and non-elastomeric seals. The packer may be constructed from a non-elastomeric tubular core having a frustoconical shaped inner diameter. The outer diameter of the core may be substantially smooth and carry one or more elastomeric sealing elements. The packer is set by causing the diametrical expansion of the tubular core. The construction of the tubular core is preferably such that its diametrical expansion causes the formation of radial raised portions (upsets) on the outer surface. These raised portions form the non-elastomeric seals and also prevent extrusion of the elastomeric sealing elements.

Packer with metal sealing element

Embodiments of the present invention relates to hydraulically actuated tools, which may be used to actuate a liner hanger assembly. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a hydraulic setting tool for use in wellbore operations. The setting tool includes a first tubular member and a second tubular member disposed around the outer diameter of the first tubular member. A piston is mechanically attached to an upper portion of the second tubular member and adapted to move axially in relation to the first tubular member. The piston acts to transmit a force to the second tubular member. A slip assembly is operatively connected to the second tubular member and the second tubular member transmits the force to the slip assembly thereby actuating the slip assembly.

Hydraulic setting tool for liner hanger

A plug-dropping container used for releasing plugs or other objects into a wellbore during fluid circulation procedures. In one aspect, the plug-dropping container is used as part of a cementing head. The plug-dropping container comprises an elongated housing, and a canister disposed co-axially within the housing. The canister is configured to receive the plug, such as a drill pipe dart. A valve is disposed below the canister. The valve is movable from a plug-retained position where the plug is blocked, to a plug-released position where the plug may be released into the wellbore there below. In the plug-retained position, fluid is permitted to flow through the canister-housing annulus and around the valve.

Plug-dropping container for releasing a plug into a wellbore

The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for sealing a tubular. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a packer having a body, a sealing element, and a cleaning device operatively connected to the body. In one aspect, the apparatus may clean a surface of the tubular before the sealing element expanded into contact therewith.

Packer with integral cleaning device

The present invention generally relates to a connector arrangement for connecting a first tubular to a second tubular. In particular, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for connecting the tubulars in such a way that the connection is prevented from becoming unmade in response to expansion of the tubulars. A connector mechanically mates a box end and a pin end of the tubulars together to form the connection. Additionally, mating castellations, surface finishes on the pin end and the box end, torque screws, and a variable pitch groove can provide resistance to relative rotation between the tubulars at the connection.

Wire lock expandable connection

A wellbore anchoring device for anchoring a down-hole tool within a string of casing is provided, comprising an expandable cone having at least one annular integral shoulder, defining the large end of at least one conical annular recess on an outer surface of the cone, and at least one resilient slip positioned within the at least one annular recess, wherein axial travel of the at least one slip relative to the cone is actively limited by engagement with at least one integral shoulder on the cone.

Method and apparatus for anchoring downhole tools in a wellbore

A connector arrangement used for connecting and locking tubular members. The connector consists of two tubular members and a coupling member. The tubular members are threaded together to create a threaded connection. The locking arrangement is provided by a pathway formed on the tubular member whereby a locking member can be inserted in to the pathway to lock the threaded connection. The locking arrangement is also provided by a plurality of castellation members disposed on each tubular member. The connector also has a separate coupling member which has opposite right-hand and left-hand threaded ends to threadedly mate with the threads of the two tubular members.

Locking arrangement for a threaded connector

Present invention is a packer for sealing an annular region in a wellbore. The packer includes a packing element which is held through bi-directional forces. The packer first comprises an inner mandrel. Disposed around the inner mandrel are three tubulars: (1) a top sleeve; (2) a bottom sleeve; and (3) a booster sleeve. A packing element is disposed circumferentially around the outer surface of the booster sleeve. The top sleeve and bottom sleeve each include an upper compression member which rides across the booster sleeve in order to compress the packing element. The packing element is expanded outward from the packer to engage a surrounding string of casing through compressive forces provided by the top and bottom sleeves. Thereafter, differential pressure applied above or below the packer acting on the packer element and booster sleeve may provide additional compression of the packer element.

A hydraulic liner hanger comprises a tubular body and a plurality of slips disposed radially around the outer surface of the body. In one arrangement, each slip has wickers for engaging the inner surface of a surrounding string of casing. Each slip is connected to a slip ring, the slip ring also being circumferentially disposed around the outer surface of the body. At least some of the slip members are received upon a wedge surface, or cone(s). In operation, an expander tool such as a hydraulic setting tool acts upon the liner hanger, causing the slips to be expanded into frictional engagement with the surrounding string of casing. The operator is then able to slack off the weight of the liner, allowing multiple slips to engage the casing and to suspend the liner therebelow.

Expansion set liner hanger and method of setting same

A method and apparatus for obstructing the passage of fluid within a fluid flow conduit and subsequently reconfiguring the tool to allow substantially full-bore passage therethrough. Pressure developed upstream of the obstruction can be utilized to operate pressure actuated tools such as liner hangers. Equipment used in subsequent wellbore operations such as drill pipe darts can pass undamaged through the opened port. In an embodiment, the flow through a tubular is obstructed by placing a ball on an expandable ball seat, developing a pressure differential across the ball seat, equalizing the pressure after the hydraulically actuated tool completes its function, and mechanically manipulating the drill string to open the expandable ball seat and allow the ball to pass through.

Mechanically opened ball seat and expandable ball seat

A ball dropping assembly for dropping a plurality of objects, such as spherical balls, into a wellbore. The assembly first comprises a seat for retaining a ball before it is released. The assembly also comprises a ball-feeding channel for feeding additional balls onto the seat. A ball-retaining lever is provided to selectively receive and retain balls onto the seat, and then to release the balls individually into the wellbore. In one embodiment, the assembly is attached to a side bore in fluid communication with a main bore in a cementing head. The ball-retaining lever rotates into the bore when releasing a ball. When a plug is released into the bore from a cementing head, the plug will trip the lever, causing the ball-retaining lever to rotate back towards the ball-retained position. Thus, the ball dropping assembly also serves as a plug release indicator.

Growing community of inventors

Pasadena, TX, United States of America

David Eugene Hirth