Camco Inc.

Camco International, Inc.

Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Other

Wavefront Reservoir Technologies Ltd.

Wavefront Energy and Environmental Services Inc.

Cameo International, Inc.

Absolute Oil Tools, L.l.c.

Schlumberger Canada Limited

Wavefront Technology Solutions Inc.

Dwayne D. Leismer

Ronald E. Pringle

Clay W., Jr. Milligan

Ronald E Pringle

Arthur J Morris

Clay W Milligan, Jr

Dwayne D Leismer

Brian K Moore

William D Eatwell

Paul W Black

James R Reaux

Walter S Going

Brett Charles Davidson

John A Booker

Michael R Johnson

Mahendra Samaroo

Chistophe M Rayssiguier

Robert Joe Coon

Jason Charles Mailand

Leroy C Delatorre

William A Blizzard, Jr

David L Malone

Dennis M Read, Jr

John Joseph Johnson

Vitold P Serafin

Thomas James Timothy Spanos

Winfield M Sides, Iii

Alexandre G E Kosmala

Cecil G McGavern, Iii

David N Folsom

Clare A Pace

John Michael Warren

Dwyane D Leismer

Thomas James Spanos

Jr Milligan Clay W

Bill E Bowers

Applying pulses to liquid being injected into wells makes the ground/liquid formation more homogenous, and more penetrative. A system for automatically creating the pulses is described, in which a piston is acted upon by the pressure differential (PDAF) between the supplied accumulator pressure and the formation pressure. The changing levels of the PDAF as the pulse-valve opens (and the PDAF falls) and as the pulse-valve closes (and the PDAF rises) are harnessed to actuate an inhibitor that restrain movement of the valve-piston, and delays opening and/or closing of the pulse-valve. The pulse-valve is engineered to open explosively, and thus create penetrative porosity-waves in the formation. The system includes a pressurized-gas accumulator, and injection-check-valve which can maintain pulsing even when the ground is not saturated, and the static injector, which allows non-pulsed injection only when the ground is non-saturated.

System for pulse-injecting fluid into a borehole

During a surge-pulsing operation in a borehole (e.g an oil-well undergoing remediation) liquid is stored under pressure upstream of a valve, and then released through the valve suddenly enough to create a seismic wave, which propagates into the formation around the borehole, and assists the surge-pulsing to improve the conductivity and liquid-injectability of the formation. The downhole valve achieves the rapid-opening requirement by virtue of its geometrical layout, as dictated by the strictures of the downhole environment.

Borehole seismic pulse generation using rapid-opening valve

An in-line flow control device for a well chokes flow through a conduit while allowing access therethrough.

Method and apparatus for selective injection or flow control with through-tubing operation capacity

Flow control apparatus, for placement in a downhole location in the tubing string of a well. The apparatus comprises a valve element and a lock element. Application and removal of annulus pressure (on the annulus between the tubing and the casing) permits the apparatus to be cycled between a sensitive-to-flow mode, in which it opens to permit fluids to be injected down the tubing into a subsurface formation, but closes to prevent fluid backflow from the subsurface formation into the tubing; and an insensitive-to-flow mode, in which the apparatus is open to permit unimpeded fluid flow in either direction.

Downhole flow control apparatus, operable via surface applied pressure

A downhole flow control device is provided for remotely controlling fluid flow of production or injection fluids, and may offer the capacity to pass wireline tools therethrough. In a broad aspect, the device may include: a body member having a first bore extending from a first end of the body member and through an extension member disposed within the body member, a second bore extending from a second end of the body member and into an annular space disposed about the extension member, a first valve seat disposed within the first bore, and at least one flow port in the extension member establishing fluid communication between the annular space and the first bore; and a first sleeve member remotely shiftable within the first bore, and having a second valve seat adapted for cooperable sealing engagement with the first valve seat to regulate fluid flow through the at least one flow port. The device may also include: a closure member disposed for movement between an open and a closed position to control fluid flow through the first bore; a second sleeve member remotely shiftable within the first bore to move the closure member between its open and closed positions; means for selectively controlling movement of the first sleeve member to regulate fluid flow through the at least one flow port; and a cone member for directing fluid flow into the annular space.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a multilateral production system. The production system has one or more flow control valves for controlling flow from the one or more lateral bores, and has a main flow control valve for controlling flow from the main bore. All flow control valves are in communication with the main wellbore.

Wellbore flow control device

In a multiple well completion, spaced apart production packers isolate independent production zones from one another. In each isolated production zone, a side pocket mandrel with a full opening bore has lengthwise extending side by side elongated pockets (1) for receiving a static pressure measuring instrument or tool (static pressure pocket); (2) for providing a venturi flow passageway (flow passageway pocket); and (3) for receiving a differential pressure measuring tool (differential pressure pocket). The static pressure measuring tool and the differential pressure measuring tool or instrument are commonly connected by a data coupling means to a single electrical conductor line which is strapped to the string of tubing and extends to the earth's surface for transmission of control signals and data signals between the earth's surface and the various side pocket tools. The venturi flow passageway is connected for fluid communication with the static pressure pocket and the differential pressure pocket in the side pocket mandrel. Fluid flow from a particular production zone is channeled through the respective venturi flow passageway to the full opening bore and the fluid flow parameters are communicated to the static pressure measuring tool and to the differential pressure tool. The flow passageway is constructed and arranged to develop a differential pressure which is measured by the differential pressure measuring tool. At the same time, the static pressure of the production fluid in the production zone is measured by the static pressure measuring tool. Both the differential pressure measurements and the static pressure measurements may be transmitted to the surface and recorded as a function of real time.

Multizone production monitoring system

A downhole string includes a liner and devices positioned outside the liner. One or more control lines extend from the liner devices along the exterior of the liner to one or more connectors that provide connection points inside the liner. The one or more connectors may include electrical connectors (e.g., direct contact connectors), inductive connectors (e.g., inductive couplers), optical connectors (e.g., fiber optic connectors), and hydraulic connectors. The one or more control lines may be electrical lines, fiber optic lines, or hydraulic lines. The downhole string may also be used with a cement protector during cementing operations to protect both the inside of the liner as well as the one or more connectors attached to the liner. The cement protector includes a sleeve that isolates cement from the inside of the liner during a cementing operation so that a liner wiper plug is not needed. The cement protector is engageable to a pulling tool that is attached to a running tool. The running tool in turn is connected to a pipe through which a cement slurry can be pumped. The cement slurry pumped through the inner bore of the pipe enters the sleeve of the cement protector. One or more ports are provided in the cement protector sleeve to enable communication of the cement slurry to an annulus region between the outer wall of the liner and the inner wall of the wellbore. If the apparatus and method is used with a casing, then a running tool may be omitted.

Communicating with devices positioned outside a liner in a wellbore

The invention is a downhole valve that includes a body, a flow tube assembly that includes an upper tube member and a lower tube member, and a flapper valve. The flapper valve is pivotally attached to the body and is positioned between the upper tube member and the lower tube member when the flapper valve is in a closed position that blocks fluid flow in an internal bore of the body. The flapper valve is moved from the closed position to an open position in response to an upward movement of the upper tube member and the lower tube member. When the flapper valve pivots to the open position, the lower tube member moves adjacent to and forms a seal with the upper tube member, forming an unobstructed internal bore.

Downhole valve

A completion string for use in a wellbore includes a tubing having a bore and a housing providing a main bore communicating with the tubing bore and further defining plural side bores generally parallel to each other. A plurality of valves are positioned proximal respective side bores to control fluid flow. An actuator is coupled to the valves to actuate the valves to at least open and closed positions. The valves may be part of tubular flow elements mounted to the housing, each tubular flow element including a bore that forms part of a respective side bore. Each valve may include a sleeve valve or a disk valve. The housing may include a side pocket mandrel.

Flow control in a wellbore

In a broad aspect, the invention is a downhole well tool for use within a well casing having a locking slot, an orienting profile, an alignment slot, and a lateral well bore window. The tool may broadly include a body member having a first and a second longitudinal bore extending therethrough, a diverter member extending therefrom and having a diverter surface. The second longitudinal bore extends through the diverter member. The tool may also include an outwardly-biased orienting key movably secured to the body member and engageable with the orienting profile and the alignment slot, and an outwardly-biased locking key movably secured to the body member and engageable with the locking slot. The diverter surface is aligned with the lateral well bore window when the orienting key is engaged with the alignment slot and the locking key is engaged with the locking slot. The tool also includes a first production tubing extending through the first longitudinal bore and aligned with the diverter surface, and a second production tubing extending through the second longitudinal bore. One of the first and second production tubings is releasably secured to the body member.

Dual diverter and orientation device for multilateral completions and method

A device for regulating fluid flow in a well is provided. The device may include: a body member having a central bore extending therethrough, at least one flow port, and a first valve seat; a sleeve member movably disposed within the central bore of the body member, and having a second valve seat adapted for cooperable sealing engagement with the first valve seat; means for selectively controlling movement of the sleeve member to regulate fluid flow through the at least one flow port; and conduit means -or transmitting energy to the movement means. The conduit means may include a first and a second hydraulic control line, a single hydraulic control line, or a single electrical conductor. The movement means may include: a piston connected to the sleeve member and movable in response to a combination of hydraulic fluid, pressurized gas, spring force, and/or annulus pressure; or an electric motor connected to the sleeve member.

The present invention is a surface controlled gas lift valve designed for high flow rates and used in a subterranean well, comprising: a valve for sealable insertion in a mandrel, having a variable orifice which alternately permits, prohibits, or throttles fluid flow into the valve, and a detachable and/or remote actuator are disclosed. Methods of actuating the valve include electro-hydraulic, hydraulic, and pneumo-hydraulic, while sensors relay the position of the variable orifice and critical fluid pressures to a panel on the surface. The orifice valve and the actuator while operatively connected, may be separately installed in or retrieved from by either wireline or coiled tubing intervention methods.

Variable orifice gas lift valve for high flow rates with detachable power source and method of using

Apparatus and method for communicating with devices positioned outside a liner in a wellbore

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Ronald E Pringle