Abstract: An apparatus and method for sampling downhole fluids comprising a tool (36) attached to a connector (34) that is locked into position within a pipe section (32) is disclosed. The pipe section (32) has a longitudinal slot (62) with first and second sides (78, 80). The pipe section (32) also includes a transverse slot (64) that extends perpendicularly from the first side (78) of the longitudinal slot (62) and a hole (66) that extends perpendicularly from the second side (80) of the longitudinal slot (62). The connector (34) is inserted into the hole (66) such that the connector (34) may be rotated between an insertion position and an operating position. The connector head (100) of the connector (34) is closely received within the longitudinal slot (62) such that when the connector (34) is in the operating position, the connector head (100) contacts the first side (78) of the longitudinal slot (62) to lock the connector (34) within the pipe section (32).

Abstract: A process and a material for use in sealing casing lining in a borehole is taught. The process includes the placement of a bitumen sealant material in a position between the casing tube and the wall of the borehole to be maintained in this annulus by means of a retaining devise such as an external casing packer or with the placement of a retainer made of cement grout and situated at the lower end of the casing tube. The bitumen sealant material prevents the passage of fluids vertically through the borehole. The sealant material remains viscous over time and can flow to fill voids which may occur in the rock formations adjacent to the borehole, or in the steel casing of the casing tube. To improve the sealing capabilities of the bitumen material a measured amount of fine grain weight material can be added to the bitumen to increase the density of the sealant material and thereby increase the hydrostatic pressure that the column of bitumen sealant will exert on the bottom and the walls of the borehole.

Abstract: A proppant slurry screen apparatus and associated method of using it prevent sticking of a service tool during proppant slurry delivery to a subterranean wellbore after failure of a crossover portion of the apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, a proppant slurry screen apparatus has a tubular crossover member with an internal flow passage, circulation port, and side wall outlet openings, first and second coaxial tubular structures, the first tubular structure extending above a packer and having a radial port which provides fluid communication between the wellbore above the packer and an annular flow passage between the first and second tubular structures, and a tubular screen positioned between the first and second tubular structures adjacent the port and operative to screen proppant from the proppant slurry.

Abstract: A rock drilling tool for percussive drilling includes a drill bit and a drill tube cooperating by means of shoulder abutment in a threaded connection. The connection includes at least one male thread and a female thread. The male thread is provided on a shank being an integral part of the drill bit. The drill bit is provided with a shoulder at the inner end of the shank, the shoulder having an abutment surface facing towards the free end of the shank. The female thread is provided in the drill tube and the free end of the drill tube is provided with an impact surface. The threads are cylindrical. The combination of shoulder abutment with a short head provides straight energy transfer at a rock drilling tool.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cutter for a raise boring head. The cutter is rotatable about a center axis and mounted, via a shaft of the cutter, in a saddle secured to the raise boring head. The shaft has ends that are secured to the saddle by a fastening mechanism. Bearings are provided between the shaft and a hub of the cutter in order to make it possible for the hub to rotate relative to the shaft. Seals are provided between the shaft and the hub, and the bore which is provided for introducing lubrication into the interior of the cutter. An expansion plug is mounted in the bore. The expansion plug is designed to accommodate the lubrication that enters into the bore from the bearings. A stopper is provided in the bore. The stopper encases a part of the fastening mechanism and is arranged to prevent mud from entering the orifice of the bore.

Abstract: A method an apparatus for transforming volatile compounds from the liquid to vapor phase is disclosed. Specifically, a method and apparatus for transforming liquid phase soil contaminants to vapor phase contaminants through application of a vacuum is disclosed. A method and apparatus for connecting two or more phase transforming apparatus'is also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for stabilizing a PC pump suspended from production tubing. The stabilizing apparatus is connected to the pump and comprises a tubular body having a cylindrical wall, a longitudinal bore contiguous with the production tubing and three or more circumferentially-spaced linkages are disposed in longitudinal slots formed in the exterior of the tubular body. Each linkage comprises at least a passive and an active link pivotally connected end-to-end in series, the passive link being pivoted from the body. An annulus is formed within the cylindrical wall and contains a longitudinally movable annular piston pivotally connected to the active link. The annulus is connected to the bore so that the piston is pressurized dynamically with fluid from the bore. Fluid pressure drives the piston, actuating the active link, thereby causing the linkage to expand radially outwards, the radial force being proportional with the fluid pressure.

Abstract: A differential pressure operated blanking tool (1) for use in a completion automatically permits logging operations to be carried out in the absence of fluid flow in the tool (1). The tool (1) includes a pair of limbs (3,5) which communicate via a diverter (7) with a production tubing connection (4). In the absence of fluid flow within the tool (1), the diverter remains open to allow access for logging operations but is movable to a closed position occluding one of the limbs (3) as a result of a pressure differential established by fluid movement in the tool (1).

Abstract: Apparatus and method for pulling or inserting jointed pipe sections (18) having upset ends (20) within a well utilizing a coiled tubing injector (26). The coiled tubing injector (26) has a pair of opposed endless chains (50, 52) including gripper blocks (58) for gripping the pipe sections (18). An axial gap (G) is provided in chains (50, 52) between adjacent gripper blocks (58) to receive the upset ends (20). To align accurately upset ends (20) with gap (G), a sensing mechanism (100, FIGS. 11 and 12) is provided to sense the location of upset end (20) and a sensing mechanism (110, 112, FIGS. 13 and 14) is provided to sense the location of gap (G). An operator in response to signals from the sensors accurately aligns upset ends (20) with gap (G).

Abstract: During procedures in which earth layers are drilled and casing tubes are simultaneously inserted into the drilled regions, it is desirable to use casing tubes formed from a plastic material. This is accomplished by utilizing a casing shoe which is formed to provide a firm connection between the casing shoe and the casing tube. The casing shoe has an outer annular part (3) and an inner annular part (8) and corresponding conical sections (6, 11), between which the casing tube can be clamped.

Abstract: A drill mast has two tubular side chords and a central chord equally spaced from the side chords. The central chord is joined to the side chords by transverse and diagonal tubular lacing members. Space frames formed of tubular members extending from spheres are connected to each of the chords. The spheres are aligned along a line equidistant from the chords.

Abstract: A method and liner assembly for drilling into unstable or depleted formations is provided that maintains control of the wellbore against caving such as where unconsolidated formations are penetrated and/or minimizes fluid losses such as to underpressured formations where differential pressures exist. The method and liner assembly herein includes the provision of a liner having a portion thereof that is drillable so that after setting of the liner, drilling can continue deeper into the unstable formations with minimal damage to the bit used to drill out the liner drillable portion. In one form, the liner has a shoe that includes cutter mounting blades, each having a set of cutters thereon. Relief slots are formed in the blades between cutters so that as the shoe and its blades are being drilled, the drill bit will cut through the slots, releasing the shoe cutters for transport up to the surface by the drilling fluid thereby minimizing damaging contact of the bit with the shoe cutters.

Abstract: A drilling apparatus includes a drill string, a drilling head located at a first end of the drill string, a drilling fluid pump located at a second end of the drill string, wherein the drilling fluid pump pumps a drilling fluid along the length of the drill string to the drilling head, and a traveling wave generator coupled to the drill string at a location downstream of the drilling fluid pump, wherein the traveling wave generator generates a series of ramped pressure pulses that are applied to the drilling fluid. The ramped pressure pulses are compressed by a reduction of the cross-sectional area of the drill string, and further by time compression caused by varying propagation rates of different portions of the pressure pulses pressure pulse if substantially formed at a surface of a drilling substrate. A shock wave associated with the compressed pressure pulse is generated substantially at the location of a surface of a drilling substrate.

Abstract: A Method and Apparatus for drilling a curved planar borehole, wherein a drill bit is mounted at the lower end of a drill string which extends downwardly into the borehole, and wherein fluid under pressure is pumped through the drill string, a drilling motor for rotating the drill bit, a specialized drill sub mounted in the drill string above the drilling motor, an eccentric sleeve rotatably mounted over the drill sub, an alignment mechanism attached to the eccentric sleeve, a deflection device mounted in the sleeve for bearing against one side of the wellbore, whereby, when fluid under pressure is introduced into the drill sub, the deflection device will move outwardly against the side of the wellbore, the alignment mechanism being such that the drill sub can rotate independently of the eccentric sleeve to prevent reactive torque from the drilling motor from being exerted against the sleeve and the deflection device.

Abstract: A blast hole drill with a drill head mounted on a mast has a pipe carousel on the drill deck which holds drill pipe along the length of the deck. A pipe handling arm mechanism has a lower arm portion pivotally mounted on the deck and an upper arm portion pivotally mounted to the lower arm portion. The upper arm portion has jaws that grasp a drill pipe. A ram connected to the upper arm portion pivots the arm mechanism until the lower arm portion engages a stop adjacent the mast. The ram thereafter continues to pivot the upper arm portion until a drill pipe carried thereby is aligned on the mast.

Abstract: A down hole tool, constructed to be suspended in a well by pipe, includes a housing, a circulation piston, a biasing member and a pressure-compensation system. The housing defines a flow chamber in open fluid communication with the pipe interior, a bypass port for fluid flow between the flow chamber and the well, a mud chamber in open communication with the well, and a sealed chamber separated from the flow chamber by a sealed interface. The circulation piston separates the flow and mud chambers and is arranged for movement between a first, bypass port-blocking position and a second, bypass port-exposing position in response to pressure in the flow chamber. The biasing member biases the circulation piston to its first position, and the pressure-compensation system limits the pressure difference between the flow and sealed chambers, thereby limiting the pressure difference across the sealed interface. The tool has particular application to tools, e.g.

Abstract: A tool for enhancing the impact of either an upward or downward blow delivered by a single-acting jar to an object stuck in a well bore includes first and second tubular members telescopically arranged and vertically reciprocable with respect to one another to form an annular space between them, upper, lower and intermediate seal rings between equal diameter portions of the tubular members, and a ring carried by the second tubular member within the annular space between the intermediate seal ring and each of the upper and lower seal rings to form upper and lower pressure and charging chambers on the opposite side of each ring, the rings being of such construction that, with each charging chamber filled with a compressible fluid, movement of the second tubular member in one vertical direction will compress the fluid in the upper and lower pressure chambers and thus enhance the impact of a jar in the same vertical direction, and permit flow therepast, in response to movement of the second tubular member in the

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of cleaning up a producing interval of a well bore drilled using a synthetic oil-water emulsion drill-in fluid. The methods basically comprise contacting filter cake and drill-in fluid on the walls of the well bore with three treatment fluids in three stages, the first and second treatment fluids being comprised of water, a filter cake dissolving acid, a mutual solvent and an emulsion penetrating agent. The third treatment fluid is comprised of water, a filter cake dissolving acid and a water wetting surfactant.