Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Dowell Schlumberger Incorporated

Dowell, a Division of Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Howard L McGill

Lawrence James Leising

Robert Michael Ramsey

David Milton Eslinger

Randolph J Sheffield

James Michael Costley

Larry J Leising

Stephen D Hill

Ervin Randermann

Joseph D Scranton

Peter V Smith

Warren M Zemlak

Olgierd J Musik

A technique of forming perforations in a wellbore. The formation of perforations is carefully controlled by a perforating device to create a series of sequential perforations in a desired arrangement. The perforating device is lowered to a desired location in the wellbore and then moved incrementally to enable sequential perforations in the desired arrangement.

System and method for forming cavities in a well

A technique is provided to form perforations in a wellbore. The formation of perforations is carefully controlled by a perforating device to create a series of sequential perforations in a desired arrangement. The perforating device is lowered to a desired location in the wellbore and then moved incrementally to enable sequential perforations in the desired arrangement.

A connector is provided that enables connection between two parts without rotation of either of the two parts. The connector comprises a first part with N engagement members; a second part with N+1 engagement members; and a sleeve having a first and second end, the first end having N engagement members for engaging the N engagement members of the first part, the second end having N+1 engagement members for engaging the N+1 engagement members of the second end.

Apparatus and method to connect two parts without rotation

A method and apparatus for selectively actuating a dual check valve assembly within a well for a direct circulating operational mode or a reverse circulating operational mode. A tubular housing which may be connected to well tubing is provided with a check valve assembly and may be provided with a rotatable J-slot mode indexing sleeve having an internal J-slot geometry. An inner tubular member which also may be connected to well tubing is linearly movable within the tubular housing to a valve open position, an indexing position and a valve enabled position being controlled by the J-slot geometry of the J-slot indexing sleeve or being controlled by moving the inner tubular element and resisting movement of the tubular housing. Relative positioning of the inner tubular member and the tubular housing to selective valve mode positions may also be achieved responsive to fluid flow, by mechanical compression, or by motion operation.

Selective direct and reverse circulation check valve mechanism for coiled tubing

A tubing conveyed multi-position well treating tool having a tubular housing and a tubular inner member which are relatively positionable at &ldquo;Set&rdquo;, &ldquo;Treat&rdquo;, &ldquo;Dump&rdquo; and &ldquo;Release&rdquo; positions actuated by a mechanical indexing mechanism. The indexing mechanism is loaded by a spring, such as a compressed gas spring or mechanical spring, which urges the tubular housing away from the tubing connection of the inner tubular member, thus requiring no set-down forces for tool actuation or indexing. The treating tool is anchored within the well casing by hydraulic pressure actuated buttons, thus eliminating the typical requirement for anchoring actuation by set-down forces. The treating tool is sealed within the casing by pressure energized packers which are activated by the hydraulic pressure of fluid supplied from the tubing. The tool provides a bypass passage to allow communication of the zones above and below the tool while isolating the straddled interval to be treated.

Tubing conveyed fracturing tool and method

A tool string, such as one used for performing fracturing operations or other types of operations, includes a valve, a valve operator, and a sealing assembly that in one arrangement includes packers to define a sealed zone. The tool string is carried on a tubing, through which fluid flow may be pumped to the sealed zone. The valve operator is actuated in response to fluid flow above a predetermined flow rate. When the flow rate at greater than the predetermined flow rate does not exist, the valve operator remains in a first position that corresponds to the valve being open. However, in response to a fluid flow rate at greater than the predetermined flow rate, the valve operator is actuated to a second position to close the valve.

Flow-operated valve

A releasable connection between the lower end of a running string and a well tool that is subject to being stuck in a well includes inner and outer members movable telescopically between contracted and extended positions, a tension sleeve connecting the members in the contracted position and being disrupted by a predetermined pull to allow telescoping movement, a stop nut to limit such movement in the extended position of the members, and a mechanism responsive to a certain number of cycles of telescoping movement for disabling the stop nut to allow complete release and separation of the members.

Multi-cycle releasable connection

A drilling tool, adapted to drill a wellbore in an earth formation, comprises a weight on bit equalizer shock sub. The weight on bit equalizer shock sub includes a precharged nitrogen chamber and additional chambers, the nitrogen in the nitrogen chamber adapted to telescopically open the equalizer shock sub during the drilling of the wellbore thereby maintaining a constant weight or force on the drill bit during the drilling operation. A force resultant from the pressurized nitrogen exists in the nitrogen chamber and additional forces resultant from a pressurized wellbore fluid exist in the additional chambers. The shock sub is specially designed in a particular manner to cause the sum of the force of the nitrogen in the nitrogen chamber and the additional forces of the wellbore fluid in the additional chambers to be equal solely to the force of the nitrogen in the nitrogen chamber. As a result, the weight or force on the drill bit is constant when the sum of the force in the nitrogen chamber and the additional forces in the additional chambers is equal solely to the force of the nitrogen in the nitrogen chamber. In a preferred, second embodiment, when the additional chambers include an atmospheric chamber, the weight or force on the drill bit is constant when the cross sectional area of the atmospheric chamber is equal to the cross sectional area of the nitrogen chamber. As a result, the only force on the drill bit during drilling is the force of the precharged nitrogen in the nitrogen chamber and consequently a constant weight or force on the drill bit is maintained during the drilling operation.

Pressure compensated weight on bit shock sub for a wellbore drilling tool

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a circulating valve for use in sand control and related well operations includes a mandrel that can be rotated in a housing after a weight-responsive clutch is released. As the mandrel is rotated to the right, a reverse lead groove system engaged by a pawl causes a valve sleeve element to shuttle down and up between positions closing and opening a flow path between the annulus above a packer and a zone in the well below the packer.

Valve apparatus for use in sand control

A packer and service tool assembly for oil or gas well preparation includes a disengageable coupling mechanism which permits the tool to be screwed into and out of the packer and which can be hydraulically disengaged so that the tool can be removed without applying torque to the tool or workstring. A releaseable ratchet mechanism is also provided in the packer for trapping the setting loads when the packer is set in the casing. The ratchet mechanism is releasable by pulling up a housing portion which cammingly engages collapsible ratchet fingers thereby disengaging the ratchet finger trapping teeth from a stationary ratchet ring.

Packer and service tool assembly

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a pressure controlled well tester apparatus having a full-bore ball valve closure element includes valve actuator means responsive to changes in the pressure of fluids in the well annulus for moving the ball valve between its open and closed positions, and bias means responsive to the hydrostatic pressure of fluids in the well bore for assisting in moving the ball valve to its fully closed position.

Full-bore well tester with hydrostatic bias

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a pressure equalizing and packer deflating valve apparatus useful in an inflatable packer straddle testing system included telescopically arranged mandrel and housing member defining test and inflation passages, first valve means for communicating the test passage with the well annulus when said members are extended to maintain pressure equalization as the packer elements are inflated, second valve means for communicating the inflation passage with the well annulus when the members are extended to enable packer element deflation; and third valve means that can be shifted in response to pump outlet pressure when said members are extended to a position preventing packer element deflation even though said second valve means is open. As said members are retracted, the third valve means is shifted to a position closing the inflation passage to maintain the inflation pressure therein.

Deflate-equalizing valve apparatus for inflatable packer formation tester

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a one-way clutch mechanism is incorporated between the mandrel and housing of a rotary-operated pump apparatus that is used to inflate the packers of a drill stem testing system. The mandrel can be freely rotated to the right to operate the pump, however left-hand rotation causes the clutch mechanism to engage and the housing to be rotated with the mandrel to the left to disconnect a safety joint located in the tool string between the pump apparatus and the packers.

Rotary straddle tester apparatus with safety joint back-off clutch

An inflatable well packer apparatus comprises a generally tubular resilient body that is internally reinforced by a plurality of biased plys or layers of tire cording. The ends of the tire cording layers extend beyond the ends of the resilient body where they are secured to end fitting assemblies having gripping engagement therewith.

Inflatable well packer apparatus reinforced with tire cording

A control valve apparatus adapted to be positioned within a subsea blowout preventer stack for controlling the flow of fluid from an offshore well includes a ball valve element provided with the capability of cutting coil tubing typically employed in well workover and completion operations. The ball element has a cutting edge that coacts with the valve seat to shear the tubing, and a relief slot that receives the tubing during cutting to prevent the tubing from being placed in double shear. Hydraulically operable means is provided to assist in closure of the ball valve element and consequent cutting of tubing extending into the well, in case of emergency.

Growing community of inventors

Lufkin, TX, United States of America

Howard L McGill