Abstract: A new mill has been invented which has a body, a fluid flow bore therethrough, and apparatus therein for selectively controlling the flow of fluid through the bore. In one aspect the mill is a starting mill connected to a whipstock and controlled flow of fluid through the mill results in setting of an anchor device or anchor packer below the whipstock. In one aspect the mill is initially filled with fluid and apparatus is provided in the mill to permit controlled fluid leakage from within the mill. In another aspect the mill has apparatus thereon for isolating a shear stud from a downward force imposed on the mill, the shear stud releasably connecting the mill to a whipstock.

Abstract: Section mills have been invented that have one or more blades whose tops are rotatably extendable outward from a mill body as bottoms of the blade(s) rotate about a fixed point, the blade bottoms rotatably secured to the mill body so that, in response to a downwardly moving wash tube contacting the blades, tops of the blades move out from the mill body. In one aspect the blades have a milling surface which is of such an outward extent and which is parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the mill body when the blades are fully extended so that the blades achieve "full sweep" milling.

Abstract: A cutting insert for wellbore milling operations is disclosed which, in certain embodiments, has two or more top milling surfaces on an insert body with the surfaces at different heights above a bottom of the insert body. In certain embodiments three top surfaces are used stair-stepped, with a central lower surface, or with a central higher surface. In one aspect all cutting surfaces have an array of chipbreaking indentations. Tools and methods are disclosed which use such inserts.

Abstract: A downhole wellbore tool has been developed which has a lower movable valve apparatus which, when it contacts a member in a wellbore or in a tubular in a wellbore, is moved to close off fluid flow through the item to which the valve apparatus is attached. In one aspect, such a valve apparatus is used below a mill above which is positioned a downhole motor which rotates the mill for milling. Actuation of the valve apparatus results in a cessation of the circulation of the motive fluid flowing to and through the motor so that milling stops. In one aspect the valve is selectively operable so that milling may be resumed. In another aspect such a tool is useful for indicating a known location in a wellbore when a decrease or cessation in fluid flow or a decrease in pressure is noticed at the surface.

Abstract: A wellbore sidetracking method has been invented which includes, in certain embodiments, milling out a casing section from a cased, cemented wellbore; placing a deflection device, e.g. a whipstock, so that, upon pivoting of the upper concave portion of the whipstock at least a top portion thereof extends up into and abuts casing above the milled out section and, in certain aspects, a portion of the whipstock also extends down into and abuts casing below the milled out section; introducing a mill into the wellbore to mill out a part of the casing above the milled out section which would interfere with the introduction of a drill bit; removing the mill; introducing a drilling system into the wellbore to be deflected into the milled out area; and drilling a new sidetracked bore with the drilling system from the milled out area. In one aspect a mill is provided which mills out the part of the casing above the milled out area without contacting the formation or with only minimal contact thereof.

Abstract: A new tool has been developed for, in one aspect, facilitating release of a tubular string coupled between a travelling block and elevators with insufficient clearance to release elevator slips in order to remove the tubular. In one aspect the releasing tool is effectively shortened permitting release of the elevators. Such shortening is effected by releasing an expansion sub and piston within the tool for relative movement with respect to other parts of the tool. Initially the expansion sub and piston are held in place by fluid in a first chamber. Movement of fluid from the first chamber and movement of fluid into a second chamber housing the piston results in piston movement (and movement of the expansion sub which is secured to the piston) to effectively shorten the tool. In one aspect the fluid moves in a closed loop between the chambers and no fluid is expelled to the environment. In another aspect only one fluid chamber is used.

Abstract: A centralizer apparatus has been developed which, in one aspect, has a tubular body with an exterior surface, a collar movably emplaced around the tubular body and movable longitudinally thereon, a plurality of spring bows, each spring bow having a first end spaced apart from a second end, each spring bow biased outwardly from the tubular body, the first ends connected to the tubular body, the second ends connected to the first collar, so that upon movement of the first collar the spring bows move toward the tubular body. In one aspect the collar is connected to bottom ends of the spring bows and is initially movable to abut a stop on the tubular body so that from that point on the spring bows are pulled into another tubular, e.g. casing, as the centralizer apparatus moves down into the casing. In another embodiment two movable collars are used, one at each end of the spring bows.

Abstract: A new cementing system has been developed which includes, in certain embodiments, a plug container with a flow diverter for diverting a portion of flowing fluid away from plugs in the plug container; a plug set system with internal sleeves or dart receivers with shearable parts for shearing to selectively release plugs--all in certain embodiments made of non-metal material and/or plastic; and a swivel equalizer with internal valving to isolate a plug set (or any other item) from torque and to relieve pressure below the swivel equalizer.

Abstract: A downhole wellbore tool has been developed which has a lower movable valve apparatus which, when it contacts a member in a wellbore or in a tubular in a wellbore, is moved to close off fluid flow through the item to which the valve apparatus is attached. In one aspect, such a valve apparatus is used below a mill above which is positioned a downhole motor which rotates the mill for milling. Actuation of the valve apparatus results in a cessation of the circulation of the motive fluid flowing to and through the motor so that milling stops. In one aspect the valve is selectively operable so that milling may be resumed. In another aspect such a tool is useful for indicating a known location in a wellbore when a decrease or cessation in fluid flow or a decrease in pressure is noticed at the surface.

Abstract: A ported fluid flow member has been developed in which one or more ports each is lined with a metal tube which has a portion projecting into the body member. The projecting portion may be crushed shut forming a metal-to-metal seal to seal off the corresponding port to flow. Methods have been invented for using the items with one or more of the lined ports.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, discloses a whipstock system having an orientation device; a flexion member releasably secured to the orientation device; co-acting lower and upper body members, the lower body member interconnected with the flexion member; a connecting bar which connects the upper and lower body members permitting the upper body member to move downwardly with respect to the lower body member while preventing separation of the two body members; and a concave member secured to and above the upper body member. In one preferred embodiment, one or more movable pawls on the connecting bar move to engage surfaces on one or both body members to prevent upward movement of the upper body member with respect to the lower body member, or conversely movement of the lower body member downwardly away from the upper body member; and movement of the one or more pawls in contact with both body members also forces the two body members apart further stabilizing the system in a tubular.

Abstract: Milling operations are disclosed which require a reduced number of tool trips into a wellbore to create a cut-out pocket or window in a tubular such as casing in the wellbore. Preferably one or two trips are required. A milling system is disclosed which is useful in such operations which includes a whipstock with an orientation member secured thereto and a milling apparatus with one or more mills and an extending joint, if needed, with a central channel therethrough for receiving the orientation member as the milling apparatus moves down in the wellbore. Such a system may be used in a single-trip milling operation. The milling apparatus is useful in a two-trip operation in which no orientation member is attached to the whipstock and in which a starting mill is initially run in on a first trip to create an initial pocket in the casing.

Abstract: An indicator device has been invented for indicating correct orientation of an orienting receptacle and an associated wellbore tool secured to the orienting receptacle with respect to an anchor fixed in an interior of a longitudinal channel, the anchor having a top end, the indicator device having a rod having a top end and a bottom end and movably disposed in and extending through a tool central channel of the wellbore tool and with a bottom portion extending into the orienting receptacle; the bottom end of the rod disposed for contact by the top end of the anchor and the rod movable upwardly in the tool central channel by the top end of the anchor as the orienting receptacle moves down on the anchor to correctly orient the wellbore tool.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, has a valve body within which is mounted a stem support; a plunger with a stem which is movably mounted for movement in the stem support to move a rounded head of the plunger to sealingly contact a sealing surface within the valve body thereby preventing flow through the valve; a piston recess in the stem which receives and holds a top portion of a piston; the piston (or some part connected thereto or formed integrally thereof) held immobile by one or more holding devices (e.g. bars, plates, pins, rods, etc.) which, in one embodiment extend through the piston and into the stem support or into a piston housing and which are frangible, erodible, degradable or destroyable either by action of a hydrostatic head of fluid on a bottom surface of the piston or by chemical or thermal attack and degradation.

Abstract: The present invention includes, in one embodiment, a receptacle for use in orienting a tool or member in a wellbore or in a tubular with respect to an anchor (or other member) anchored in the wellbore or tubular. In one aspect the receptacle has hollow cylindrical body with a tapered nose and a lower alignment assembly in a bottom of the hollow body member. The lower alignment assembly receives and releasably holds a top portion of the anchor and facilitates its movement through and orientation with respect to the receptacle. In one aspect the receptacle also includes an upper locking assembly which receives and locks onto the anchor. An anchor according to this invention has a guide key according to this invention with dual opposed carved surfaces which co-act with curved surfaces on the tapered nose of the receptacle's body to facilitate movement of the receptacle in a correct orientation down over the top to the anchor.

Abstract: A tool is disclosed, e.g. but not limited to a wellbore cementing stage tool, which has a hollow body member with one or more lined ports through which fluid can flow from an interior of the body member to space outside the body member, e.g. to the annulus of a wellbore between an exterior surface of the tool and an interior surface of the wellbore or vice versa. The port or ports are lined with a metal tube which has a portion projecting into the body member. The projecting portion may be crushed shut forming, preferably, a metal-to-metal seal to seal off the corresponding port to flow. A hollow member is disclosed with a port through it which has a metal liner with a portion projecting from the port. Methods are disclosed for using the items with one or more lined ports.

Abstract: A whipstock assembly which includes a guide section and a setting section, wherein the setting section is configured to facilitate slight rotation of said setting section when the whipstock is set within a well, which rotation urges the guide section securely against the sidewall of the wellbore. Setting section includes a surface which will serve as a fulcrum, and a radially moveable element which serves to apply a force to one side of the whipstock, allowing the whipstock assembly to move as a lever, wherein the guide section is caused to meet the wellbore sidewall.

Abstract: A casing cutting and retrieving tool is described which includes a grapple device (2) for mechanically gripping casing to be retrieved. A mud motor having upper and lower stators (70, 73) and a rotor is also provided. The upper stator (70) acts as a suspension device for suspending the grapple device (2) from a drill string, and the upper stator (70) is mechanically fast with the grapple device (2). A rotary cutter (76) depends from a drive end (74) of the rotor and is rotatable by the rotor to cut the casing at a location below the grapple device (2).

Abstract: An apparatus and method including a load cell mounting apparatus movably mounted on a load cell which applies either of two types of loads to the load cell as one type of load. The apparatus and method for applying either a tensile load or a compressive load to a load cell as a tensile load; and a tong assembly with such apparatus or in another aspect, for applying either a tensile load or a compressive load to a load cell as a compressive load; and, a tong assembly with such apparatus.

Abstract: Well apparatuses with device for preventing their relative rotation with respect to adjacent well apparatuses and anti-rotation devices for well apparatuses, including, but not limited to, plugs, float shoes, float collars, jars, and clutch devices for packers. In one embodiment a non-rotation device has a main member with a recess on which are disposed a plurality of teeth with a load member adjacent the teeth for bearing a load put on the device and for isolating the teeth from the load, the teeth extending beyond the recess. In one embodiment the teeth are configured, disposed, and profiled to facilitate their interengagement with other teeth and to contain between them foreign objects which might impede proper interengagement. In various embodiments plugs are provided with such anti-rotation devices. In various embodiments the load member is a continuous circular ring disposed about the apparatuses outer periphery or around the opening of a channel through the device.