Abstract: Pressure cycle operated apparatus and methods. A method of actuating a firing head includes the steps of: reciprocably displacing an actuator piston of the firing head, the displacing step including the piston being alternately pressure balanced and unbalanced; and igniting a combustible material in response to the piston displacing step. A method of generating electricity includes: reciprocably displacing a piston, the displacing step including the piston being alternately pressure balanced and unbalanced; and generating electricity in response to the piston displacing step. A firing head includes an actuator piston separating at least two chambers; a check valve which permits one-way flow between the chambers; a flow restrictor which restricts flow between the chambers; a biasing device which biases the piston toward one of the chambers; and a firing pin releasing device which releases a firing pin in response to displacement of the piston.

Abstract: Annular packer (2) arranged on the outside of a production tubing (4) said packer comprises a core (12) comprising elastic polymer swelling by absorption of hydrocarbons. The core (12) may be surrounded by an external mantle of rubber (10), which is permeable to hydrocarbons and may be equipped with a reinforcement (11). The core (12) swells by absorption of hydrocarbons and the packer (2) expands thus in order to seal the annular space (5) between the production tubing (4) and the well wall (6).

Abstract: A valve system for use in a subterranean well, the valve having multiple closure devices, or a closure device and a device for protecting the closure device. A valve system includes a valve with a closure assembly. The closure assembly has a closure device and a protective device which alters fluid flow through a flow passage of the valve prior to closure of the closure device to thereby protect the closure device. A safety valve system includes a safety valve with a closure assembly having at least two closure devices arranged in series for controlling flow through a flow passage of the safety valve. Another safety valve system includes a safety valve assembly including multiple safety valves arranged in parallel. One portion of fluid from a fluid source flows through one of the safety valves, while another portion of fluid from the fluid source flows through another safety valve.

Abstract: A well tool includes a generally tubular mandrel with a flow passage extending longitudinally through the mandrel, and a flow controller which initially prevents a fluid from contacting a swellable material, but which permits the fluid to contact the material in response to manipulation of pressure in the flow passage. Another well tool includes a swellable material, a generally tubular mandrel, and a conduit wrapped circumferentially about the mandrel, the conduit containing a fluid which, upon contact with the swellable material, causes the material to swell. A method of actuating a well tool in a well includes manipulating pressure in a flow passage extending through a tubular string, thereby opening at least one flow control device of the well tool which selectively permits fluid communication between a reservoir of the well tool and a swellable material of the well tool, whereby a fluid in the reservoir contacts the swellable material.

Abstract: A magnetically coupled safety valve with satellite outer magnets. A safety valve includes a housing having multiple chambers extending longitudinally in a pressure bearing wall of the housing, and multiple magnetic devices, each of the magnetic devices being reciprocably disposed in a corresponding one of the chambers. Another safety valve includes multiple first magnetic devices, a second magnetic device magnetically coupled to the first magnetic devices, with the first magnetic devices being circumferentially spaced apart and encircling the second magnetic device. Yet another safety valve includes a housing having a pressure bearing wall, and multiple magnetic devices, each of the magnetic devices being reciprocably disposed in the housing wall, and each of the magnetic devices being completely surrounded by the housing wall.

Abstract: A signature element is attached to a downhole cable or other protected equipment and the signal from a signature position detector is used, at least in part, to control the orientation of a directed perforating device or other directional device. Signal emitting sources can include a radioactive material added to an encapsulating composition of a downhole cable.

Abstract: Systems and methods for bidirectional gravel packing of wells. A gravel packing method includes flowing a gravel slurry in one direction in an annulus formed between a wellbore and a gravel packing assembly, and flowing another gravel slurry in an opposite direction in the annulus. A well system includes a gravel packing assembly positioned in a wellbore; one or more well screens interconnected in the gravel packing assembly; a flow control device, interconnected in the gravel packing assembly, and which selectively permits and prevents flow of a gravel slurry outward from the gravel packing assembly to an exterior of the well screens; another flow control device, interconnected in the gravel packing assembly, and which selectively permits and prevents flow of another gravel slurry outward from the gravel packing assembly to the exterior of the well screens; and the well screens being positioned between the flow control devices.

Abstract: An expandable casing with enhanced collapse resistance and sealing capability. An expandable tubular for use in a subterranean well includes multiple recesses extending into a wall of the tubular, with the recesses being longitudinally spaced apart along the wall. A method of expanding tubulars in a subterranean well includes the steps of: expanding a tubular in the well, the tubular including multiple recesses extending into a wall of the tubular; and after the expanding step, allowing the wall of the tubular to retract radially inward more at each of the recesses than between the recesses.

Abstract: Pressure cycle operated apparatus and methods. A method of actuating a firing head includes the steps of: reciprocably displacing an actuator piston of the firing head, the displacing step including the piston being alternately pressure balanced and unbalanced; and igniting a combustible material in response to the piston displacing step. A method of generating electricity includes: reciprocably displacing a piston, the displacing step including the piston being alternately pressure balanced and unbalanced; and generating electricity in response to the piston displacing step. A firing head includes an actuator piston separating at least two chambers; a check valve which permits one-way flow between the chambers; a flow restrictor which restricts flow between the chambers; a biasing device which biases the piston toward one of the chambers; and a firing pin releasing device which releases a firing pin in response to displacement of the piston.

Abstract: A swellable packer construction for continuous or segmented tubing. A method of constructing a swellable packer on a continuous tubular string includes the steps of: attaching a swellable seal material to the tubular string to thereby form the packer; and then wrapping the tubular string with the packer on a spool. A swellable packer includes a tubular body portion for incorporation into a tubular string, and a seal material wrapped about the body portion, the seal material being swellable in response to contact with a fluid. A method of constructing a swellable packer for a tubular string includes the steps of: wrapping a seal material about a tubular body portion to thereby form the packer; and then swelling the seal material in response to contact with a fluid. A continuous tubular string includes a seal material attached to a body portion of the tubular string to thereby form a swellable packer; and the packer wrapped with the tubular string on a spool.

Abstract: The invention refers to a device for sealing an annular space formed between an outer cylindrical element (4) having an end closure (16) and an inner pipe (1) extending within the outer element and having a free end. The invention incorporates a packer element (2) being slidably disposed around said pipe (1), an actuation element (6) adapted for telescopic assembly around the outer surface of the pipe (1) and slidable from a first position to a second position, a conical ring (12) adapted for installation on the pipe (1), where the actuation element (6) comprises an abutment element (10) designed for abutment against said packer (2), and an actuation pipe (8) extending beyond the pipe (1) first end when the actuation element (6) is in said first position. The invention also refers to a method for sealing the annular space.

Abstract: A well system includes a valve interconnected in a casing string and selectively configurable between first and second configurations via a line external to the casing string, the valve in the first configuration being operable to selectively permit and prevent fluid flow between the casing string exterior and interior, and in the second configuration to selectively filter and prevent fluid flow between the casing string exterior and interior. A method of selectively stimulating a formation includes: positioning a casing string in a wellbore intersecting the formation, the casing string including a valve operable via an external line to selectively permit and prevent fluid flow between the casing string interior and exterior; and stimulating an interval set of the formation by opening the valve, flowing a stimulation fluid from the casing string into the interval set, and then configuring the valve to filter formation fluid which flows into the casing string.

Abstract: Casing deformation and control for inclusion propagation in earth formations. A method of forming at least one inclusion in a subterranean formation includes the steps of: installing a liner within a casing section in a wellbore intersecting the formation; and expanding the liner and the casing section, thereby applying an increased compressive stress to the formation. Another method of forming the inclusion includes the steps of: installing an expansion control device on a casing section, the device including at least one latch member; expanding the casing section radially outward in a wellbore, the expanding step including widening at least one opening in a sidewall of the casing section, and displacing the latch member in one direction; and preventing a narrowing of the opening after the expanding step, the latch member resisting displacement thereof in an opposite direction.

Abstract: A method and a device for sealing a void incompletely filled with a castable material, in which an expandable material is placed in the void which is to be filled with the castable material, the expandable material expanding into spaces which are not filled with cast material. A method of sealing an annulus in a borehole includes the steps of: positioning an expandable material on a tubular structure; installing the tubular structure in the borehole, the annulus being formed between the tubular structure and the borehole; flowing a castable material into the annulus, the castable material partially displacing a fluid in the annulus, but leaving at least one space containing the fluid in the annulus; and expanding the expandable material into the space.

Abstract: A circulation control valve includes an opening between the valve exterior and an interior passage, an internal closure device for permitting and preventing flow through the opening, a valve device initially preventing flow through the opening, and an internal chamber. The valve device opens upon application of a pressure differential between the passage and the exterior to thereby permit communication through the opening, and the closure device displaces upon a second pressure differential between the passage and the internal chamber to thereby prevent communication through the opening. Another valve includes first and second valve devices.

Abstract: A well tool having an enhanced performance packing element assembly. A well tool includes a packing element assembly for sealingly engaging a surface, the assembly including a packing element having at least one circumferential variation. Another well tool includes a packing element assembly including a packing element and a backup ring, the packing element being configured to bias the backup ring into contact with a surface opposite a circumferential portion of the backup ring, while another circumferential portion does not contact the surface. A method of setting a well tool includes providing a packing element assembly with multiple packing elements, and setting the well tool by squeezing fluid from between the packing elements via a gap, and then closing off the gap.

Abstract: A rotary control valve and associated actuator control system. An actuator control system comprises a rotary control valve including a generally planar face seal, and an actuator operatively connected to the rotary control valve. Another actuator control system comprises a control valve including multiple faces having multiple ports formed therein. Fluid communication is selectively permitted and prevented between the ports in response to relative displacement between the faces. A differential area is configured to apply a biasing force which maintains sealing engagement between the faces, and which increases in response to an increase in pressure applied to the control valve.

Abstract: Systems and methods for drainage of a heavy oil reservoir via a horizontal wellbore. A method of improving production of fluid from a subterranean formation includes the step of propagating a generally vertical inclusion into the formation from a generally horizontal wellbore intersecting the formation. The inclusion is propagated into a portion of the formation having a bulk modulus of less than approximately 750,000 psi. A well system includes a generally vertical inclusion propagated into a subterranean formation from a generally horizontal wellbore which intersects the formation. The formation comprises weakly cemented sediment.

Abstract: A valve device and associated methods of selectively communicating between an interior and an exterior of a tubular string. A valve device includes an openable and closable flowpath for selectively permitting and preventing flow between an interior and exterior of the valve device, and a lock assembly which prevents the flowpath from being opened greater than a predetermined number of times. A method of testing at least one annular seal in an annulus formed between a tubular string and a wellbore wall includes the steps of: sealingly engaging the annular seal to thereby prevent flow through the annulus across the annular seal; and applying a pressure differential across the annular seal to thereby test the annular seal, the pressure differential being applied via a valve device interconnected in the tubular string.

Abstract: A fracturing/gravel packing tool system with dual flow capabilities. A method of treating a well includes the steps of: flowing a fluid into the well through a work string while simultaneously flowing another fluid into the well through an annulus; and directing each of the fluids to the exterior of a well screen in the well. A well treatment system includes a slurry and a fluid flowed into a well. The slurry has an initial density, but the fluid is mixed with the slurry in the well, thereby causing the slurry to have a reduced density in the well. Another method of treating a well includes the steps of: installing a gravel packing assembly including a well screen in the well; flowing a slurry and a fluid into the well; mixing the slurry with the fluid, thereby reducing a density of the slurry in the well; and flowing the reduced density slurry about an exterior of the well screen.