Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Randolph J Sheffield

David Milton Eslinger

James Michael Costley

Philippe Gambier

Herve Ohmer

Mark Callister Oettli

Dinesh R Patel

John R Whitsitt

Rashmi Bhavsar

Rodney J Wetzel

Klaus B Huber

Hubertus V Thomeer

Donald W Ross

Thomas D MacDougall

Nitin Y Vaidya

John E Edwards

Howard L McGill

Stephane Hiron

James D Hendrickson

Stephen D Hill

Jonathan K C Whitehead

Sarmad Adnan

L Michael McKee

Songming Huang

Michael Hayes Kenison

Jason Keith Jonas

Erwann Lemenager

Kevin J Forbes

Marc Allcorn

Jose Hurtado

Chad M Lucas

Robert Tennent

Franck Bruno Jean Monmont

Carlos Araque

Robert Divis

Warren M Zemlak

Chad Hardwick

Bryan L White

Y Gill Hillsman, Iii

Y Gil Hilsman, Iii

A technique that is usable with a subterranean well includes communicating a wireless stimulus in the well. The technique includes actuating a valve in response to the communication. The valve has more than one controllable open position.

Remotely actuating a valve

The invention is a sealing system, such as a packer, that is used in a wellbore to seal against an exterior surface, such as a casing or open wellbore. The sealing system includes a swellable material that swells from an unexpanded state to an expanded state thereby creating a seal when the swellable material comes into contact with a triggering fluid.

System and method to seal using a swellable material

Zonal isolation tools and methods of using same are described. The zonal isolation tools include a wellbore sealing member expandable by fluid pressure to contact a wellbore over an initial contact area, an inflation valve open during expansion of the sealing member to the initial contact area and closed upon the fluid pressure reaching a predetermined setting, a vent between the sealing member and a wellbore annulus adapted to open after the inflation valve is closed, and a compressive load imparted to the sealing member via a linear piston to achieve a sealing point at the leading edge of the sealing member. This abstract allows a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure. It will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Zonal isolation tools and methods of use

A subsea communication system includes addressable nodes in a wellbore and addressable nodes on a floor, where the nodes in the wellbore and on the floor are able to communicate wirelessly with each other, such as through a formation.

Wireless communications associated with a wellbore

A system and method is provided for sensing a variety of parameters in well-related environments. A skin sensor is deployed in downhole applications to obtain data used in analyzing well characteristics.

System and method for utilizing a skin sensor in a downhole application

A technique that is usable with a well includes using at least one downhole sensor to establish telemetry within the well. The sensor(s) are used as a permanent sensing device.

Borehole communication and measurement system

A subsea communication system includes devices in a wellbore and devices on a floor, where the devices in the wellbore and on the floor are able to communicate wirelessly with each other, such as through a formation.

A technique that is usable with a subterranean well includes communicating a wireless stimulus downhole in the well and actuating a casing conveyed tool in response to the communication.

Remotely actuating a casing conveyed tool

A method and apparatus for fluid treatment of a selected interval of a well and then cleaning the selected interval and the apparatus of treatment residue. An straddle tool is run into the well to treatment depth on fluid supplying tubing and has upper and lower packers that establish sealing with the casing and define an annular interval between the packers and between the tool and casing. Fluid, such as fracturing fluid, is pumped through the tubing to the tool and is diverted through an outlet port of the tool into an upper portion of the annular interval. Fluid then flows from a lower portion of the annular interval through an inlet port below the outlet port and at low flow rate is dumped into the casing through a pressure responsive dump valve. The outlet port and inlet port are located to accomplish cleaning of residue from the packers.

Method and apparatus for cleaning a fractured interval between two packers

A method for actuating or installing downhole equipment in a wellbore employs non-acoustic signals (e.g., radio frequency signals) to locate, inventory, install, or actuate one downhole structure in relation to another downhole structure. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a first downhole structure that comprises a non-acoustic (e.g., radio frequency) identification transmitter unit that stores an identification code and transmits a signal corresponding to the identification code; (b) providing a second downhole structure that comprises a non-acoustic receiver unit that can receive the signal transmitted by the non-acoustic identification transmitter unit, decode the signal to determine the identification code corresponding thereto, and compare the identification code to a preset target identification code; wherein one of the first downhole structure and the second downhole structure is secured at a given location in a subterranean wellbore, and the other is moveable in the wellbore; (c) placing the second downhole structure in close enough proximity to the first downhole structure so that the non-acoustic receiver unit can receive the signal transmitted by the non-acoustic identification transmitter unit; (d) comparing the identification code determined by the non-acoustic receiver unit to the target identification code; and (e) if the determined identification code matches the target identification code, actuating or installing one of the first downhole structure or second downhole structure in physical proximity to the other.

Apparatus and method for downhole well equipment and process management, identification, and actuation

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

An improved cup packer for use on wellbore tools is disclosed. The open end of the cup packer bore is filled with an elastomer to prevent the intrusion of sand and debris into the space between the cup packer and the wellbore tool on which it is mounted. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the packer body includes an angularly protruding section at at least one of its ends, wherein the longitudinal dimension of the packer body is at its maximum at its bore. In an additional alternative embodiment of the invention, the open end of the packer is sealed by a screen to prevent the intrusion of sand and debris into the space between the cup packer and the wellbore tool on which it is mounted.

Cup packer

A straddle packer tool for treatment of wells has a tool body supporting sealing elements in spaced relation for defining a sealed annulus zone within a wellbore. The tool body defines a treatment fluid passage having treatment ports that open to the sealed annulus zone for formation fracturing or other well treatment. The tool body has a bypass passage therethrough which is isolated from the treatment fluid passage and communicates with the wellbore above and below the sealed annulus zone. A check valve permits downward flow of well fluid from the bypass passage into the wellbore below the tool and prevents upward flow of fluid into the bypass passage. Bypass ports conduct fluid flow to and from the bypass passage and the wellbore above and below the sealed annulus zone. A packer actuated bypass valve is opened or closed to control the flow of well fluid within the bypass passage.

Straddle packer tool and method for well treating having valving and fluid bypass system

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.

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Sugar Land, TX, United States of America

Randolph J Sheffield