Camco International, Inc.

Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Camco Inc.

Dwayne D. Leismer

Ronald E. Pringle

Clay W., Jr. Milligan

Dwayne D Leismer

Ronald E Pringle

Clay W Milligan, Jr

Arthur J Morris

Thomas G Hill, Jr

Youel G Hilsman, Iii

Peter Krawiec

Herve Ohmer

Thomas M Deaton

William A Blizzard, Jr

Rodney J Wetzel

Dennis M Read, Jr

Danny W Wagoner

Margarete C Wong

Jr Milligan Clay W

A subsurface annular safety barrier for controlling fluid flow in the tubing-casing annulus in an annular flow well. The barrier may be positioned proximate the top of a formation to block fluid flow through the annulus upon loss of casing integrity. An embodiment of the annular safety barrier includes a packer and a valve, wherein the valve is operated to a closed position without mechanical manipulation of the tubing.

Subsurface annular safety barrier

A subsurface annular safety barrier including a tubing disposed within a wellbore casing forming a casing-tubing annulus to allow fluid flow from and/or to a subterranean formation, and an annular barrier carried by the tubing and positioned in the casing-tubing annulus proximate the top of a formation, separating communication between the formation and the upper portion of the casing-tubing annulus above the annular barrier, wherein the annular barrier is set in an open position to allow fluid communication between the formation and the upper portion of the casing-tubing annulus and operationally activatable, without mechanical manipulation of a pipe string, to a closed position to prevent undesired fluid flow between the formation and upper portion of the casing-tubing annulus.

An apparatus includes a first member, a second member releasably attached to the first member, and a control line shear mechanism disposed proximate an interface between the first member and the second member. The first and second members can each have a longitudinal bore therethrough and can be moveable in an axial direction to release from one another. The control line shear mechanism may comprise a first shear member attached to the first number and a second shear member attached to the second member, wherein the first and second shear members are adapted to cooperatively shear a control line as the first and second members separate. A method includes separating a first member from a second member and, before or during the separating step, cutting a control line proximal to the paint of separation of the first and second members.

Control line cutting tool and method

A method and apparatus for completing a junction of plural wellbores includes providing a casing junction assembly having plural outlets for communicating with corresponding wellbores. A tool has plural extendable conduits for engaging in the outlets. The casing junction assembly has an integral diverter with guiding surfaces to guide the conduits into the outlets.

Apparatus and method for completing a junction of plural wellbores

An apparatus and technique for use in spacing out tubular strings within a well includes a casing that has an inner wall and at least one profile that is disposed within the inner wall. A tubing hanger is attached to the well tubing and if capable of landing within a target location, such as a wellhead. When the landing tool is seated within the profile, the length of well tubing needed to land the tubing hanger within the target location can be determined. A landing tool is linked to well tubing and is sized so as to seat within the profile.

Apparatus and method for spacing out of offshore wells

In a broad aspect, the present invention is a downhole hydraulic multiplexer, which is comprised of one or more piloted shuttle valves, and method of using. The invention takes one or more input signals from a surface control panel or computer, said signals may be electric or hydraulic, and converts said signals into a plurality of pressurized hydraulic output channels. The invention is shown in a variety of preferred embodiments, including a tubing deployed version, a wireline retrievable version, and a version residing in the wall of a downhole completion tool. Also disclosed is the use of multiple shuttle valves used in parallel or in series to embody a downhole hydraulic fluid multiplexer, controllable by and reporting positions of said shuttle valves to said surface control panel or computer.

Downhole multiplexer and related methods

An actuator assembly includes an operating actuator and a holding actuator that are engageable with an operator member of a device. The operating actuation is cycled between on and off states to move the operator member in incremental steps, and the holding actuator is maintained in an active state to maintain or latch the current position of the operator member. Each of the operating and holding actuators may include one of the following: a solenoid actuator; and an actuator including one or more expandable elements, such as a piezoelectric element, a magnetostrictive element, and a heat-expandable element.

Controlling activation of devices

A device for regulating fluid flow in a well is provided. The device may include: a body member having a central bore extending therethrough, at least one flow port, and a first valve seat; a sleeve member movably disposed within the central bore of the body member, and having a second valve seat adapted for cooperable sealing engagement with the first valve seat; means for selectively controlling movement of the sleeve member to regulate fluid flow through the at least one flow port; and conduit means -or transmitting energy to the movement means. The conduit means may include a first and a second hydraulic control line, a single hydraulic control line, or a single electrical conductor. The movement means may include: a piston connected to the sleeve member and movable in response to a combination of hydraulic fluid, pressurized gas, spring force, and/or annulus pressure; or an electric motor connected to the sleeve member.

Wellbore flow control device

A subsurface valve with a pressure-equalizing mechanism is provided to permit pressure above and below a valve closure member to equalize prior to the opening of the valve closure member. The pressure-equalizing mechanism may be installed, for example, in the valve closure member or in an annular housing in the subsurface valve. The mechanism includes a pilot activator disposed for reciprocal movement within a pilot bore. A flow tube that is disposed for longitudinal movement with a longitudinal bore of the subsurface valve is used to shift the pilot activator within the pilot bore from a closed or sealed position to an open or equalizing position. In the open position, fluid pressure below the valve closure member is allowed to flow through a pilot passageway that establishes fluid communication between the pilot bore and a cylinder within which a pilot piston is moveably disposed. Exposure of the pilot piston to fluid pressure below the valve member moves the pilot piston within the cylinder, which in turn moves an equalizing plug that is disposed for reciprocal movement within a plug bore from a closed or sealed position to an open or equalizing position. Movement of the equalizing plug to its open or equalizing position establishes fluid communication from below the valve closure member to above the valve closure member through an equalizing passageway. Pressure above and below the valve closure member is equalized through the equalizing passageway prior to the opening of the valve closure member by further downward movement of the flow tube.

Pilot-operated pressure-equalizing mechanism for subsurface valve

An apparatus for remotely controlling fluids in a well is provided. The flow control apparatus may include a body member having a flow port in an outer wall of the body member, and a flow aperture spaced inwardly from the outer wall. A remotely shiftable valve member may be disposed for reciprocal movement within the body member to regulate fluid flow through the flow aperture and flow port. An indexing sleeve may be rotatably disposed within the body member and engaged with the shiftable valve member to shift the valve member within the body member. An operating piston may be engaged with the indexing sleeve and movably disposed within the body member in response to pressurized fluid. A locking mechanism may also be included for locking the shiftable valve member in a closed, or sealing, position. Electrically-operated mechanisms for shifting the valve member is also provided.

Apparatus for remote control of wellbore fluid flow

A device for regulating fluid flow in a well is provided. The device may include: a body member having a central bore extending therethrough, at least one flow port, and a first valve seat; a sleeve member movably disposed within the central bore of the body member, and having a second valve seat adapted for cooperable sealing engagement with the first valve seat; means for selectively controlling movement of the sleeve member to regulate fluid flow through the at least one flow port; and conduit means for transmitting energy to the movement means. The conduit means may include a first and a second hydraulic control line, a single hydraulic control line, or a single electrical conductor. The movement means may include: a piston connected to the sleeve member and movable in response to a combination of hydraulic fluid, pressurized gas, spring force, and/or annulus pressure; or an electric motor connected to the sleeve member.

A selective re-entry tool is provided that allows an operator at the earth's surface to perform intervention operations in one or more completion strings by allowing remote discrimination and orientation of a tool string to a target location in a single comingling completion string. The selective re-entry tool may broadly include a carrier body having a navigation port extending longitudinally therethrough, and an orienting key movably connected to the carrier body and releasably engageable with a discriminator groove in a tubing string to align the navigation port with a predetermined one of a plurality of branch tubings in the tubing string. The re-entry tool may further include a locking dog movably connected to the carrier body and releasably engageable with a locking recess in the tubing string to prevent rotation of the carrier body after the navigation port has been aligned with the predetermined one of the plurality of branch tubings. A method of aligning a navigation port and/or tool string with a specific downhole tubing string or lateral well branch is also provided.

Selective re-entry tool for multiple tubing completions and method of using

An improved emergency release tool is provided to releasably connect a coiled tubing to one or more downhole tools. The emergency release tool broadly includes a releasable slip for holding a coiled tubing, the releasable slip being secured to a first end of a slip case, the slip case being disposed within a slip housing and a lower housing, the slip housing being movable from a locked position to a released position; a piston slidably disposed about the slip case and being moveable from a locked position to a released position; a first end of the lower housing being releasably connected to a second end of the slip housing when the slip housing is in its locked position; and, a remotely activated means for moving the piston and the slip housing from their locked positions to their released positions to disengage the releasable slip from the coiled tubing and enable the coiled tubing to be removed from the tool. A quick disconnect coupler is also provided, and broadly includes a pin connector having a series of lugs; a box connector for receiving the pin connector and having a series of recesses to engage and hold the lugs inside the box connector; and, a load ring between the box connector and the pin connector for transmitting compressive loads through the connection.

Emergency release tool

A well anchor having a body with a mandrel movably extending therethrough with first and second slips connected to the mandrel. Each of the slips includes a wedge surface and the wedge surfaces engage each other whereby movement of the first and second slips toward each other will expand the slips outwardly. The wedge surfaces are at an angle to and extend across the longitudinal axis of the body for maximizing expansion.

Growing community of inventors

Pearland, TX, United States of America

Dwayne D Leismer