Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Halliburton Company

Otis Engineering Corporation

David L Reesing

John C Gano

Jimmie Robert Williamson

Perry C Shy

Russell Irving Bayh

Lance Everett Brothers

James R Longbottom

Leo Guadalupe Collins

Bill W Loughridge

Michael P Adams

James Dan Vick, Jr

Marion Dewey Kilgore

Imre I Gazda

John H Yonker

Alan Tancel Jackson

Robert C Hammett

Ewan Ogilvie Robb

Andrew G Cooksey

Gordon K Scott

Ira Gene Tuckness

Ron Van Petegem

Ronald Van Petegem

A downhole circulating valve includes a generally tubular outer housing having an axially extending internal passageway including an internal seat and at least one generally radially extending opening formed through the housing intersecting the internal seat. A valve element is rotatably disposed within the internal passageway. The valve element has an axially extending internal bore and a head portion disposed at least partially within the internal seat. The head portion includes at least one generally radially extending seal element. The valve element has a first position relative to the housing, wherein the seal element is not aligned with the opening, thereby allowing fluid communication between the opening and the internal passageway. The valve element has a second position relative to the housing, wherein the seal element is aligned with the opening and wherein the seal element forms a metal-to-metal seal with the internal seat, thereby preventing fluid communication between the opening and the internal passageway.

Downhole circulating valve having a metal-to-metal seal and method for operating same

A sealing array for positioning in an annular space between tubular members to provide a seal therebetween. The sealing array includes a pair of oppositely disposed backup rings, each defining a primary outer seal member of the sealing array. A pair of rigid cap rings is disposed between the backup rings. Each cap ring has a substantially planar surface and an oppositely disposed surface that engages one of the backup rings to energize the backup rings upon the application of sufficient pressure. The cap rings are sized to form controlled extrusion gaps with both tubular members. An energizing element is disposed between the planar surfaces of the cap rings. The energizing element engages a planar surface of at least one of the cap rings and seals the extrusion gaps associated with the engaged cap ring upon the application of sufficient pressure.

Sealing array for high temperature applications

Downhole circulating valve having a metal-to-metal seal

In a subterranean well a one-trip production zone perforation and proppant fracturing operation is carried out using a workstring-supported perforation gun lowered into a casing nipple located in the production zone. Firing of the gun creates spaced apart aligned sets of perforations extending outwardly through a side wall portion of the workstring, the nipple, the surrounding cement, and into the production zone, after which the gun falls into and is retained in an underlying gun catcher portion of the workstring. While an axial tension or compression force is imposed on the workstring above the aligned perforations to maintain their alignment, a proppant slurry is pumped down the workstring, out its sidewall perforations, and outwardly through the aligned perforation sets formed in the nipple, cement and production zone. After stimulation of the production zone, the workstring and the spent perforation gun that it retains are pulled up, with the upwardly moving workstring positioning a sliding closure device inwardly over the perforations to isolate the stimulated production zone until the well is readied for production. Illustrated alternate embodiments include the use of a low debris casing gun in place of the drop-off type perforating gun, the use of pre-formed perforations in the workstring side wall, and a one-trip perforation and production flow creating method in which the production zone stimulating step is eliminated.

One-trip well perforation/proppant fracturing apparatus and methods

A plug apparatus is provided which includes a dispersible plug member and a fluid barrier. In one embodiment described herein, a fluid barrier is utilized to prevent contamination of fluid contained in a plug apparatus. The fluid is thus available for use in dispersing a plug member of the plug apparatus, regardless of the types of other fluids present in a well in which the apparatus is installed. Various configurations of fluid barriers are also provided.

Plug apparatus having a dispersible plug member and a fluid barrier

A bidirectional disappearing plug member and plug assembly is capable of blocking pressurized fluid flow from opposing axial directions in a flowbore. In a preferred embodiment, the plug member, which blocks flow through the flowbore, may be readily and at least partially dissolved through the application of at least one pressurization and depressurization within a tubing string above the plug assembly. Construction of the plug assembly permits the plug member to be conveniently emplaced in a fluid-filled wellbore by permitting fluid flow around the plug member during the emplacement process. The plug member may then be secured within the plug assembly to block fluid flow from either axial direction. Operation of a plug rupture sleeve or mandrel, for at least partially dissolving the plug member, may be controlled by a ratchet assembly or linear indexing apparatus requiring multiple pressurizations and depressurizations before the plug member is exposed to wellbore fluids and thereby at least partially dissolved.

Bidirectional disappearing plug

An improved full bore nipple and associated lock mandrel provides enhanced sealing capability in tubing strings positioned in subterranean wells. In a described embodiment of the full bore nipple, a nipple body has a recessed seal surface and a latch profile formed on an internal bore of the body. In a described embodiment of the lock mandrel, an expander sleeve radially outwardly expands a circumferential seal to sealingly engage the recessed seal surface, locks a series of keys into the latch profile, and displaces another seal to sealingly engage an outer housing, when the expander sleeve is displaced axially downward relative to an inner mandrel of the lock mandrel.

Full bore nipple and associated lock mandrel therefor

In a subterranean well a one-trip production zone perforation and proppant fracturing operation is carried out using a workstring-supported perforation gun lowered into a casing nipple located in the production zone. Firing of the gun creates spaced apart aligned sets of perforations extending outwardly through a side wall portion of the workstring, the nipple, the surrounding cement, and into the production zone, after which the gun falls into and is retained in an underlying gun catcher portion of the workstring. While an overpull force is maintained on the workstring above the perforations, a proppant slurry is pumped down the workstring, out its sidewall perforations, and outwardly through the aligned perforation sets formed in the nipple, cement and production zone. After stimulation of the production zone, the workstring and the spent perforation gun that it retains are pulled up, with the upwardly moving workstring positioning a sliding closure device inwardly over the perforations to isolate the stimulated production zone until the well is readied for production. Illustrated alternate embodiments include the use of a low debris casing gun in place of the drop-off type perforating gun, the use of pre-formed wide wall perforations in the workstring side wall, and a one-trip perforation and production flow creating method in which the production zone stimulating step is eliminated.

A decentralizer for a diverter, a centralizing guide bushing and a downhole-deployable locating and orienting subsystem. The subsystem is capable of three modes of operation: (a) a running mode in which an actuating mandrel is in a first axial limit position with respect to a common mandrel, the actuating mandrel placing first and second double-acting springs in a stowed position wherein locating and orienting keys are retracted radially inwardly with respect to the common mandrel to shield the locating and orienting keys from substantial contact with a surrounding well flow conductor as the common mandrel traverses therethrough, (b) a locating mode in which the actuating mandrel is in an intermediate axial position with respect to the common mandrel, the actuating mandrel placing the first and second double-acting springs in a deployed position resiliently to bias the locating and orienting keys radially outwardly with respect to the common mandrel to seek a locating and orienting profile on an inner surface of a surrounding honed bore within the surrounding well flow conductor, and (c) a set mode in which the actuating mandrel is in a second axial limit position with respect to the common mandrel, the actuating mandrel directly engaging and stiffly retaining the locating and orienting keys in engagement with the locating and orienting profile thereby to fix the common mandrel in a desired location and orientation with respect to the honed bore.

Decentralizing centralizing locating and orienting subsystems and

Decentralizing, centralizing, locating and orienting subsystems and

A retrievable well lock for use within a subterranean member is used in cooperation with a tool for setting the lock. The lock will include an actuation assembly which is operable in response to longitudinal movement between portions of the lock. The setting tool will preferably include a power source within a housing assembly which can be selectively coupled to or decoupled from the lock assembly. The power source is associated with the setting tool through an activation assembly which will cause movement of a movable mandrel within the setting tool facilitating the selective actuation of the lock.

Plug or lock for use in oil field tubular members and an operating

A running tool useful for installing lock mandrels and other subsurface wireline tools in a well bore, the running tool comprising top sub (12), retainer sleeve (14), bottom setting sleeve (16), core (18), insertion sleeve (44) and lockout sleeve (66). Running tool (10) is adapted to set lock mandrel (22) in landing nipple (60) and thereafter be released by jarring up to disengage lock retainer lug (28) from recess (30) in lock mandrel (22) and to disengage locking sleeve lug (32) from recess (34) in locking sleeve (36). Outwardly biased leaf spring (108) and latching lug (112) are provided to lock running tool (10A) in a fully released position. Emergency shear screws (68) and lockout lugs (90) are provided to permit withdrawal of running tool (10) and lock mandreal (22) from the well bore in case of a misrun.

Running tool

A system and a plug for plugging a well conduit. The plug includes a lock mandrel and a valve. There is a prong releasably connected in the plug. A running tool is adapted to releasably connect to the plug lock mandrel and prong. After the plug is lowered into a well conduit and installed in a landing nipple, upward releasing force on the running tool moves the prong upwardly closing the valve and plug to flow and the prong locks in valve closed position. Later, the prong may be disconnected and raised from the plug to surface, permitting pressure outside and inside the plug to equalize for retrival of the plug.

Growing community of inventors

Irving, TX, United States of America

David L Reesing