Western Atlas International, Inc.

Jacques Maissa

Otto N Fanini

Robert William Gissler

Abbas Arian

Marcelo F Civarolo

Lowell R Milligan

Derryl G Schroeder

Peter Rellinger

H Wade Bullock

An adjustable valve for controlling fluid flow between an inlet and an outlet in a valve. A compressed spring biases a valve member against the valve inlet to prevent fluid flow until the fluid pressure reaches a certain level. One end of the spring contacts a hydraulic plunger which is moved with a hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic fluid pressure can be raised to increase the spring force acting against the valve element, and the hydraulic fluid pressure can be reduced to decrease the spring force acting against the valve element. The flow rate at the valve outlet can be monitored, and flow rate signals can be transmitted to a controller for adjusting the hydraulic fluid pressure in response to the flow rate detected.

Adjustable hydraulic control valve module

An apparatus for measuring the resistivity of earth formations penetrated by a wellbore having a conductive conduit. The apparatus includes an elongated sonde mandrel, a plurality of electrodes positioned at axially spaced apart locations along the mandrel, the electrodes being electrically insulated from the mandrel and from each other, the electrodes adapted to electrically contact the conduit and positioned collinearly so that the electrodes contact the conduit when the mandrel is radially displaced towards the wall of the conduit. Some electrodes are for injecting electrical current into the conduit, other electrodes are for measuring voltage drop along the conduit at axially spaced apart locations. The mandrel includes selectively extensible locking arms for urging the mandrel into contact with the conduit. The arms are radially positioned opposite to the electrodes. The apparatus includes a source of electrical current connected to the current injector electrodes, a circuit for measuring output of the source of electrical current, voltage measuring circuits connected to the voltage drop electrodes, and means for recording measurements of current and voltage drop.

Apparatus for measuring formation resistivity through a conductive

An improved check valve for selectively controlling the flow of fluid through a valve seat. A spring biases a plunger against the valve seat when the fluid is stationary. Movement of the fluid pushes the valve plunger against the spring to open the aperture of the valve seat. An actuator selectively exerts a force against the plunger to close the plunger against the valve seat. In one embodiment of the invention, the actuator directs a pressurized fluid against a second end of the plunger, and a seal prevents leakage of such fluid toward the plunger first end in contact with the valve seat. A cavity between the seal and the plunger first end can be vented to the atmosphere to maintain the pressure differential created by the pressurized fluid against the plunger second end.

Pressure isolated pilot check valve

A sidewall coring tool for wireline use in an earth bore hole is provided which includes an elongated tool body adapted for suspension within the bore hole by the wireline cable at a selected depth, low speed high torque rotary coring bit apparatus mounted within the elongated tool body and cooperating therewith for advancing and retracting a rotary coring bit transversely therefrom for drilling and recovering a large core sample from the sidewall of the bore hole, and decentralizing arm apparatus mounted in the tool body on the side opposite the side of the body from which the rotary coring bit is advanced, the decentralizing arm apparatus spaced above and below the location of the rotary coring apparatus for deploying decentralizing arms from the tool body into contact with the bore hole walls and forcing the side of the tool body from which the rotary coring bit will be advanced into contact with the bore hole wall and for maintaining the tool body in rigid contact during the coring operation. In addition, the sidewall rotary coring tool further includes an electrical control circuit disposed on the earth's surface for permitting control of preselected functions of the rotary coring apparatus, and monitoring apparatus and circuitry disposed in the tool body and cooperating with the rotary coring bit apparatus for permitting continuous surface visual indication of the travel of the coring bit with respect to the tool body during the coring operation.

Sidewall rotary coring tool

A method and apparatus for acquiring a plurality of sidewall cores from an earth formation intersected by a wellbore while a coring tool is located downhole. A sidewall coring tool is provided having an internal core receptacle for receiving and storing sidewall cores in serial orientation. The coring tool incorporates a movable bit box providing rotary support and linear coring and retracting movement of a rotary coring bit. A bit box tilting and rotation actuator is incorporated within the coring tool for achieving breaking at the core sample from the formation and for selectively positioning of the bit box and rotary coring bit at a coring position where the bit is oriented in normal relation with the axis of the wellbore and a core ejecting position where the rotary coring bit is positioned in registry with the internal core receptacle for deposit of cores in serially oriented relation therein. Another actuator is provided for accomplishing lateral coring and retracting movement of the rotary coring bit for acquiring a core and for retracting the bit and core within the coring tool. A third actuator is provided within the coring tool for displacing cores from the rotary coring bit into the core receptacle after the rotary coring bit has been positioned in registry with the core receptacle. A mechanism is also provided for locking the coring bit against inadvertent extension during bit box rotation. The sidewall coring mechanism further incorporates a reduction gear transmission permitting slow speed, high torque rotation of the coring bit, which transmission is automatically disengaged when the bit box is rotated from the coring position.

Method and apparatus for acquiring and identifying multiple sidewall

Apparatus for positioning a detector at a plurality of depth locations within a borehole includes an elongated body member having a pair of diametrically opposed hydraulic pad displcement members mounted thereon. A pad mounting member is pivotally attached to each pad displacement member and a pair of borehole wall contacting members are pivotally attached to each pad mounting member. A signal detector is mounted behind one or more of the pad members. At each test depth a hydraulic power system deploys the pad displacement members from the body to an extended position and extends the wall engaging pad members into contact with the borehole wall. A redundant hydraulic safety system is provided in case of electrical system failure for releasing the pad member. The safety system includes, in addition to an electrically operated release valve, a clock operated release valve and a tension actuated release valve, all able to release hydraulic pressure on the displacement members in case of the failure of another, allowing withdrawal of the apparatus from the borehole.

Hydraulic release system for use in a borehole apparatus

Apparatus for positioning a detector at a plurality of depth locations within a large diameter borehole includes an elongated body member having a pair of diametrically opposed hydraulic pad displacement members mounted thereon. A pad mounting member is pivotally attached to each pad displacement member and a pair of borehole wall contacting members are pivotally attached to each pad mounting member. A signal detector is mounted behind one or more of the pad members. At each test depth a hydraulic power system deploys the pad displacement members from the body member to an extended position and extends the wall engaging pad members into contact with the borehole wall.

Growing community of inventors

Roswell, NM, United States of America

Jacques Maissa