Baker Hughes Corporation

Pathfinder Energy Services, Inc.

Weatherford/lamb, Inc.

Western Atlas International, Inc.

Michael J Moody

John M Michaels

William C Paluch

Wei Xu

Simon John Harrall

Albert C Odell, Ii

David J Brunnert

Frederick Thomas Tilton

Haoshi Song

Thomas M Redlinger

Andrew Antoine

Houman Michael Shammai

Tommy Laird

Christopher M Vreeland

Phillip Wills

Daniel T Georgi

Jay Milton Eppink

James Cernosek

Michael Yesudas

James T Cernooek

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to extendable cutting tools for use in a wellbore. In one embodiment, a tool for use in a wellbore includes a tubular body having a bore therethrough, an opening through a wall thereof, and a connector at each longitudinal end thereof; and an arm. The arm is pivotally connected to a first piston and rotationally coupled to the body, is disposed in the opening in a retracted position, and is movable to an extended position where an outer surface of the arm extends outward past an outer surface of the body. The tool further includes the first piston. The first piston is disposed in the body bore, has a bore therethrough, and is operable to move the arm from the retracted position to the extended position in response to fluid pressure in the piston bore exceeding fluid pressure in the opening. The tool further includes a lock operable to retain the first piston in the retracted position; and a second piston operably coupled to the lock.

Extendable cutting tools for use in a wellbore

A method for forming and sealing a hole in a sidewall of a borehole may include conveying a bit and a sealer into the borehole using a carrier, forming a hole in the sidewall using the bit, and introducing a sealant from the sealer to the hole along a surface portion of the bit. An apparatus for forming and sealing a hole in a sidewall of a borehole includes a carrier conveyable into the borehole, a bit disposed on the carrier that forms the hole in a sidewall, and a sealer operable to introduce a sealant to the hole along a surface portion of the bit.

Method and apparatus for forming and sealing a hole in a sidewall of a borehole

Apparatus and methods for forming and sealing a hole in the sidewall of a borehole are provided. The method may include conveying a carrier into the borehole, forming the hole in the sidewall using a bit, and sealing at least a portion of the hole by leaving at least a portion of the bit in the hole. An apparatus includes a carrier conveyable into the borehole, and a bit disposed on the carrier that forms the hole in a sidewall, the bit including a sealing portion that seals at least a portion of the hole.

Method and apparatus for sealing a hole made with a cased hole formation tester

A method and apparatus for maintaining the single phase integrity of a deep well formation sample that is removed to the surface comprises a vacuum jacket insulated single working cylinder divided by two free pistons into three variable volume chambers. The intermediate chamber is pre-charged with a fixed quantity of high pressure gas. Wellbore fluid freely admitted to one end chamber bears against one free piston to further compress the gas. The formation sample is pumped into the other end chamber to first, displace the wellbore fluid from the first end chamber and, sequentially, to further compress the gas to preserve the sample phase state upon removal to the surface.

Dual piston, single phase sampling mechanism and procedure

A downhole steering tool is disclosed. The steering tool includes a rotatable shaft, a substantially non-rotating tool body deployed about the shaft, and a plurality of force application members deployed on the steering tool body. The steering tool further includes a bendable section deployed in the steering tool body. The bendable section is disposed to bend preferentially relative to the steering tool body under an applied bending load. The use of a steering tool body having a bendable section tends to advantageously reduce bending stresses in the steering tool body during use. Moreover, tools embodying this invention may be suitable for higher dogleg severity applications.

Downhole steering tool having a non-rotating bendable section

A steering tool for use in a well bore is disclosed. The tool includes at least one extendable and retractable blade deployed thereon. The blade is elastically spring biased radially inwards towards the tool such that upon removal of an actuating force, the blade retracts. In exemplary embodiments, the blade includes at least one spring-like, elastically deformable member disposed to elastically spring bias the blade. The spring-like member may include first and second elongated leg portions located on opposing sides of a sprung hairpin portion. Tools embodying this invention may be advantageous for small diameter applications.

Spring mechanism for downhole steering tool blades

A formation fluid sampling tool including at least one sample tank mounted in a tool collar. The tool collar includes a through bore and is disposed to be operatively coupled with a drill string such that each sample tank may receive a correspondingly preselected formation fluid sample without removing the drill string from a well bore. At least one of the sample tanks further includes an internal fluid separator movably disposed therein. The separator separates a sample chamber from a pressure balancing chamber in the sample tank. The pressure balancing chamber is disposed to be in fluid communication with drilling fluid exterior thereto. The sampling tool further includes a sample inlet port connected to the sample chamber by an inlet passageway.

Pressure controlled fluid sampling apparatus and method

A downhole tool for use in a well bore is provided. The tool includes a tool body and at least one elongated sprung member deployed on an outer surface thereof. The sprung member is configured to lie in a rest position substantially parallel to the outer surface and further includes at least one movable end that is movable with respect to the tool body. The tool further includes an actuation module deployed on the tool body. The actuation module is operably engaged with the sprung member, and disposed, upon actuation, to deflect said movable end thereof away from the rest position. Displacement of the movable end of the sprung member causes elastic spring biasing of the sprung member via bending thereof. The biasing urges the sprung member to return to the rest position upon de-actuation of the actuation module.

Sprung member and actuator for downhole tools

An apparatus and method for evaluating formation damage proximate to the surface of a rock. The invention is applicable to surface tests and to tests downhole in a borehole. A first hollow probe sealingly contacts the rock surface to define a first surface area, and the pressure within the hollow probe is decreased to monitor resulting pressure changes. A second hollow probe contacts the rock surface to define a second surface area having a different size than the first surface area, and the pressure within the hollow second probe is decreased to monitor resulting pressure changes. Differences in the observed pressure changes can be analyzed to evaluate formation damage to the rock surface and near surface. In particular, the thickness of formation damage, and permeability losses caused by such damage, can be assessed. Alternatively, fluid pressure can be injected into the first and second volumes to evaluate the subsequent pressure reduction.

Variable diameter probe for detecting formation damage

The present invention is a sample tank for storing and transporting a fluid sample withdrawn from an earth formation by a formation fluid sampling tool. The sample tank includes a storage cylinder adapted to withstand high internal pressure. The storage cylinder is selectively hydraulically connected to the sampling tool for conducting the fluid sample into the storage cylinder. A fusible metal substantially surrounds the storage cylinder. The fusible metal has a melting temperature not more than the temperature of the fluid sample, so that solidification of the fusible metal maintains the fluid sample substantially at the melting temperature of the fusible metal during solidification of the fusible metal as the tool is withdrawn from the wellbore and cooled. The fusible metal is surrounded by an outer housing which contains the fusible metal when it is in a liquid state.

Growing community of inventors

Katy, TX, United States of America

Michael J Moody