King Southwest & Consulting of Cypress

Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Hunting Titan, Inc.

George R King

Santos D Ortiz

Randy C Tolman

Pavlin B Entchev

Renzo Moises Angeles Boza

Gene McBride

Sridhar Rajaram

Garrett M Hohmann

Jason Z Gahr

Elton Winemiller

Peter W Sauermilch

John D Holodnak

Robert C Stanton

Michael C Romer

Gene Mcbride

A disconnect tool can include an electrical motor and a weak link. The electrical motor can be configured to part the weak link in response to electrical power applied to the electrical motor. A method of disconnecting sections of a tool string from each other in a well can include connecting a disconnect tool in the tool string, the disconnect tool including an electrical motor and a weak link, conveying the tool string into the well, and then applying electrical power to the electrical motor, thereby parting the weak link and disconnecting the tool string sections.

Disconnection of tool string sections in a subterranean well

A release tool can include an inner mandrel, an electric motor assembly, and an engagement member. The inner mandrel is displaceable by the electric motor assembly between a position in which the inner mandrel supports the engagement member and prevents separation of portions of the release tool, and another position in which the engagement member is not supported by the inner mandrel and separation of the portions of the release tool is permitted. A method of separating portions of a release tool in a well can include transmitting an electrical signal to an electrical motor assembly of the release tool, displacing an inner mandrel of the release tool in response to the transmitting, and separating the portions of the release tool after the displacing.

Electro-mechanical release tool and associated methods

A cable head can include an upper connector configured to connect the cable head to a wireline, a lower connector configured to connect the cable head to a well tool, and a weak link configured to transmit tensile force between the upper and lower connectors. The weak link can include a shock absorber connected in series with a weak point. A method of connecting a wireline to a well tool can include securing the wireline to an upper end of a weak link, and securing the well tool to a lower end of the weak link. The weak link includes a wire rope, and end links secured at respective opposite ends of the wire rope. One end link includes a weak point. A weak link for use with a cable head can include a weak point and a shock absorber connected in series with the weak point.

Wireline cable head with weak link including shock absorber

A lock mandrel is described herein. The lock mandrel includes an upper connector and a lower connector. The upper connector includes locking keys configured to attach the lock mandrel to a landing nipple on a tubing within a hydrocarbon well. The upper connector also includes a spring-loaded locking collar configured to prevent the locking keys from disengaging from the landing nipple by pressing radially against the locking keys from the inside when in a seated position, and allow the locking keys to disengage from the landing nipple by retracting away from the locking keys when in an unseated position. The lower connector includes a tool adaptor configured to attach a downhole tool to the lock mandrel.

Lock mandrel with spring-loaded locking collar

An apparatus can include a cable head assembly with a cable head stinger connected to a weak link, and a release assembly including a bushing that radially outwardly supports a dog in engagement with an internal groove formed in an outer housing. A method can include connecting a bottom hole assembly to a wireline, the connecting including connecting the wireline to a cable head stinger of a cable head assembly; deploying the wireline and bottom hole assembly into the well; applying a tensile force to the wireline, thereby breaking a weak link of the cable head assembly; and then displacing the cable head stinger into engagement with a bushing of the release assembly, thereby permitting a dog to displace radially inwardly out of engagement with an internal groove in the release assembly.

Retrieval of bottom hole assembly components from a subterranean well

A releasable tool using an electronic motor to drive a differential to engage or release a quick change sub that may be coupled to additional downhole tools, such as a perforating gun string.

Electronic releasing mechanism

A releasable tool using an electronic motor to drive a collet and associated collet arms to engage or release a quick change sub that may be coupled to additional downhole tools, such as a perforating gun string.

Electronic release tool

A tool assembly for performing a wellbore operation including an actuatable tool, a location device, and on-board controller are together dimensioned and arranged to be deployed in the wellbore as an autonomous unit. The actuatable tool, such as a perforating gun having associated charges, perforates a wellbore along a selected zone of interest. The location device, such as casing collar locator, senses the location of the actuatable tool based on a physical signature provided along the wellbore. The on-board controller or micro-processor is configured to send an activation signal to the actuatable tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the tool based on the physical signature. The tool assembly further includes a multi-gate safety system. The safety system prevents premature activation of the actuatable tool.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

George R King