Halliburton Company

T Austin Freeman

Brock Wayne Watson

David Durward Szarka

John T Brandell

Morris G Baldridge

Joseph S Squyres

William J May, Jr

Darrell E Fontenot

Alfred H Jones

An indicating ball catcher for use in a downhole drill pipe or tool string. The ball catcher comprises an upper body portion having an inlet opening smaller than any ball pumped thereto and a lower body portion. An elongated case interconnects the upper and lower body portions. A bypass is provided for allowing fluid flow around any ball caught in the apparatus and preventing the ball from being pumped therefrom. A reverse bypass may be provided so that fluid back flow is allowed without pumping the balls therefrom. In one embodiment, the apparatus can accommodate balls which have a larger cross-sectional area than an inner cross-sectional area of the case. The apparatus provides pressure indications at the surface when a ball reaches the upper body portion and when the ball enters the case.

Indicating ball catcher

A packer apparatus, particularly a cup type casing packer shoe, includes a pressure-actuated closing sleeve and pressure-actuated pumpout seats. An upper pumpout seat moves with the closing sleeve in response to a first pressure so that the closing sleeve closes ports through which fluid is communicated to an annulus outside the apparatus. Both the upper pumpout seat and a lower pumpout seat and any intervening fluid are pumped out of the apparatus in response to a second, higher pressure so that the apparatus communicates with the well below the annulus without a drillout procedure having to be performed through the apparatus or a tubing string in which the apparatus is connected. A related method is also disclosed.

Packer for use in, and method of, cementing a tubing string in a well

A cement head and casing assembly includes a cement head body having a cement passage defined therethrough. The body is mounted on the well casing and has a lower portion extending down into the casing, with an upper portion extending a relatively short distance above an upper end of the casing. A cement plug is closely received within a bore of the casing below the upper end thereof. The cement plug is releasably connected to the lower portion of the cement head body so that the plug is suspended from the lower portion of the cement head body within the casing. The cement plug has a plug passage defined therethrough which is communicated with a cement passage in the cement head body so that cement can be pumped down through the cement head body and the cement plug into the casing. The passage through the cement plug can be closed and the cement plug can be released from the cement plug body after the cement has been pumped into the casing.

Cement head and plug

The plug set of the present invention comprises an upper plug having a non-rotation insert retained therein and a lower plug having two non-rotation inserts retained therein. The present invention further includes the use of a non-rotation insert in the floating equipment with which the plug set of the present invention is used.

Non-rotating plug set

The plug set of the present invention comprises an upper plug having a non-rotation insert retained therein and a lower plug having longitudinal splines therein and a non-rotation insert on the bottom thereof.

Growing community of inventors

Duncan, OK, United States of America

T Austin Freeman