Suntech, Inc.

Sun Oil Company

John D Bennett

Thomas W Gallier

A pulling tool apparatus for helping equipment descend down a wellbore, such as logging tools being dropped into a deviated wellbore. A first embodiment employs a mass slidably located inside the pulling tool which is acted on so that it is propelled in an upward direction at a fast rate and then propelled in a downward direction at a slow rate so that the net effect of the moving mass on the logging cable is to pull it in a downward direction because of the reaction forces exerted on the tool itself by the moving mass. An alternative embodiment is provided wherein the mass is driven downward against a stop plate to create the downward force for the pulling tool. An additional feature to improve performance is a set of fins surrounding the outside of the pulling tool which will fold when the tool moves in a downward direction and will open up to offer resistance to motion in an upward direction.

Apparatus for pulling tools into a wellbore

A tool for use on sections of a drill string which utilizes the 'journal bearing effect' to minimize the possibility of the drill string becoming stuck against the side of the wellbore due to differential pressures between the wellbore and the formation. The anti-sticking tool is designed to surround part of a section of the drill string, and to have holes passing therethrough, so that the pressure of the drilling fluids within the wellbore in combination with the rotation of the drill string against the inside surface of the tool causes the drilling fluids to be pushed out through these openings to prevent drill string contact and sticking against the side of the wellbore. The anti-sticking tool can take the shape of a plurality of collars spaced along a drill string section or one continuous helical spring extending part of the length of a section of drill string.

Anti-sticking tool for drill pipe

A buoyant, cylindrical metal drum, having a plurality of elongate teeth protruding outwardly from the periphery thereof is mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis in a generally U-shaped framework. The frame is pivotally attached to the front of a tug vessel and the drum may be steered, with respect to the boat, by moving the mounting frame about the pivot point. An internal power source and an eccentric counterweight, which may include a fuel storage container for the power source, are stationarily mounted within the drum which is rotated about the counterweight as an inertial reference. When the drum is rotated by its internal power source and moved against the water/ice interface of a floating arctic ice sheet, the moving teeth on the drum cut the ice and clear a path for movement of the drum and the tug boat through the ice covered water. In an embodiment of the invention wherein substantial heat is generated by the drum power source, for example where a gas turbine engine is employed, the heat is preferably directed into the region surrounding the drum and in front of the tug to prevent the cut ice from immediately refreezing upon contact with the sub-zero air temperatures. The tug mounted rotating cutter can be used to tow a drilling rig in arctic waters, and subsequently operated to cut an annular channel around the resulting 'ice island' to isolate the rig from the movement of the surrounding ice sheet.

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Denton, TX, United States of America

John D Bennett