Abstract: A drilling tool for drilling a wellbore in a formation, where the drilling tool includes: a drill bit comprising a cutting element, a sensor array, and a controller. The sensor array includes: an acoustic emissions (AE) sensor configured to measure an acoustic signal generated during drilling of the formation by the cutting element and a load sensor configured to measure an applied load by the cutting element on the formation. The controller is communicably connected to the sensor array and configured to determine a toughness of the cutting element using the acoustic signal, the applied load, and a wear state.

Abstract: A modular, stackable charge holder for a perforating gun assembly. The charge holder may include a retention socket for locking a detonating cord in place, and a male connector end and a female connector end for connecting to other modular component(s). The retention socket may include oppositely disposed retention arms, each having a shaped sidewall portion and a corresponding flange extending transversely from a top section of the retention arm. The male and female connector ends may respectively include a phasing protrusion and a phasing hole arranged to facilitate various phase angles between components, and a centrally oriented knob connector and a central bore adapted to interconnect.

Abstract: A wellhead valve control system includes a removable actuator adapted to couple to a valve, the valve being operable via a first operational mode. The system also includes an actuator element associated with the removable actuator, the actuator element operable to modify the first operational mode of the valve to a second operational mode, the second operational mode being different from the first operational mode. The system further includes a control panel, positioned remotely from the valve, the control panel configured to control the actuator element to adjust a valve position in the second operational mode.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a downhole debris removal apparatus, a method for assembling a downhole debris removal apparatus, and a well system including the same. The downhole debris removal apparatus, in one aspect, includes a crossover sub, the crossover sub having a first sub end with one of a sub pin thread or sub box thread, a second sub end with the other of the sub box thread or sub pin thread, and a fluid passageway extending from the first sub end to the second sub end. The downhole debris removal apparatus, according to this aspect, further includes a debris removal tube having a first tube end and a second tube end, the first tube end removably engaged with the crossover sub between the first sub end and the second end.

Abstract: An autonomous soil sampling device. The device including a vehicle for generally autonomously navigating a given area for sampling and adapted with systems to generally avoid obstacles during maneuvering. The device including a soil sampling system designed for placement on a platform of the vehicle and including an extraction arm having a probe and auger to probe into the soil for extracting a quantity of soil. The extraction arm received on a housing and including a pair of rails to enable movement of the probe and auger and a collection bucket for depositing the quantity of extracted soil into a packaging assembly for collection, labeling, and storage of the individual samples.

Abstract: A fluid conduit defines a fluid passage from a well annulus to a venting system. A first pressure safety valve is positioned within the fluid passage. The first pressure safety valve is configured to open at a first set pressure. A second pressure safety valve is fluidically connected in series with the first pressure safety valve. The second pressure safety valve is configured to open at a second set pressure.

Abstract: A shoe track assembly system includes an elongated casing body extending from a first end to a second end and having a guide nose engaged with the second end; a first valve secured within the elongated casing body and at a position directly above the guide nose; a bottom plug landing seat extending into the elongated casing body at a position above the first valve; and a top plug landing seat extending into the elongated casing body at a position above the bottom plug landing seat; the system is to receive casing pressure test and act as a wall barrier system preventing cement or formation fluid from entering the casing without relying on shoe track cement integrity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a universal plug in cartridge detonator capability in box-by-box perforating guns.

Abstract: A well tool includes a perforating gun including multiple shaped charges, a sheath encapsulating the perforating gun and powdered acid in an internal chamber defined by the sheath. The perforating gun is lowered to a depth into a wellbore formed in a subterranean zone. The multiple shaped charges are fired to form multiple perforations in the wellbore at the depth. The multiple perforations provide access to the subterranean zone at the depth. The sheath, which covers at least some of the multiple shaped charges, breaks responsive to at least some of the multiple shaped charges being fired. The powdered acid in the internal chamber is applied to the subterranean zone responsive to the multiple shaped charges being fired. The powdered acid reacts with and weakens the subterranean zone at the depth to ease flow of hydraulic fracturing fluid into the subterranean zone at the depth.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for determining the location of a tool traveling down a wellbore by measuring a first borehole magnetic anomaly with respect to time at two known locations on a tool, comparing the time difference between the two measurements, then calculating the velocity of the tool based on the comparison, then further calculating the distance traveled by the tool in the wellbore based on the velocity calculation, then executing a series of commands at a predetermined location in the wellbore.

Abstract: A drone conveyance system and a wellhead receiver for deploying drones into a wellbore is described. The system includes a platform, a drone magazine, a platform receiver, a conveyance, and a wellhead receiver. The wellhead receiver prepares the drone to be inserted into the wellbore via the wellhead. Preparation of the drone may include adjusting the physical conditions surrounding the drone to approximate the physical conditions in the wellbore, which may be done with fluid inputs and outputs connected to a compartment of the wellhead receiver. Other preparation processes may also take place in the wellhead receiver, such as assuring the appropriate drone is being inserted, that the drone has been programmed appropriately, that safety devices have been deactivated and charging an onboard power supply of the drone.

Abstract: A plug assembly includes an expandable assembly and a locking ring. The expandable assembly is adapted to be deformed radially over the locking ring. The plug assembly is used with an untethered object, which is adapted to contact an inside surface of the plug assembly and, using well fluid pressure, to apply forces to the plug assembly. The forces cause further radial deformation of the expandable assembly, and penetration of an internal surface of the tubing string at least at one point with a gripping portion of the expandable assembly.

Abstract: A well tool may include a slip disposed about a mandrel and a plurality of individual wedge sections axially arranged adjacent one another between the mandrel and the slip. In at least one example, a gap is defined between adjacent wedge sections allowing a range of axial movement of one wedge section toward the other. A compliant member is disposed between the adjacent wedge sections resisting movement of the one toward the other. The compliant members may have different sizes and configurations to selectively yield at different axial loads, so that the wedge sections progressively load the slip.

Abstract: Methods for simulating a downhole drilling operation include estimating the geometry, i.e., the shape, size of rock chips generated by engagement of a drill bit with a geologic formation. Each cutting element on the drill bit may produce rock chips of different geometry, and the geometry of rock chips generated by a particular cutting element may change over a predetermined interval. The geometry and other properties rock chips predicted for an interval may be recorded, and a distribution may be calculated based on categorizing each of the predicted rock chips into predefined categories and determining the relative number of rock chips in each category. The distribution may be useful in drill bit design, determining required mud flow characteristics for a drilling operation, and facilitating rotation of a drill string by preventing undesirable interactions of the rock chips with the drill bit and other downhole equipment.

Abstract: A high-expansion slip/wedge system may include at least one slip and actuatable wedge disposable about the mandrel. The actuatable wedge includes an actuator ramp configured to urge the slip radially outwardly in response to axial movement of the actuatable wedge in direct engagement with the slip ramp. A wedge extender, which may be part of a kit, is removably disposable along the mandrel intermediate the slip ramp and actuatable wedge to support increased expansion. The wedge extender may include an inwardly facing ramp engageable by the actuatable wedge and an outwardly facing ramp for engaging the slip ramp. The wedge extender provides additional engagement area for supporting and optionally increasing the amount of radial expansion.

Abstract: An automation system for a drilling rig includes a processor and a computer memory in communication with the processor and storing computer executable instructions, that when implemented by the processor cause the processor to perform functions that include receiving as a function of time at least one of a) at least one surface operating parameter and b) at least one downhole operating parameter. The processor further may at least one of filter and smooth the at least one surface operating parameter and the at least one downhole operating parameter to generate processed data. The processor may generate a measure of drilling energy from the processed data and determine a minimum of the measure of the drilling energy, and calculate a target value of the at least one of the at least one surface operating parameter and the at least one downhole operating parameter.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to a system including an implement (e.g., a steering tool, a drill bit) tetherable to an equipment string (e.g., a drill string), where the implement includes a steering mechanism to steer the equipment string with respect to a wall of a tubular passage (e.g., a borehole). The system can also include a bearing housing for the equipment string (e.g., connectable to a drill pipe of the drill string), where the bearing housing is rotationally coupled with the implement and rotated. The system can further include an actuation mechanism coupleable between the bearing housing and the steering mechanism to actuate the steering mechanism based upon a rotational orientation of the bearing housing with respect to the steering mechanism.

Abstract: An assembly for indicating a window milling progress and a casing exit trajectory in a well may include a cylindrical housing having an inclined plane that extends along a central axis thereof. The inclined plane may extend from a lower end to an upper end of the cylindrical housing. The assembly may include an indicating device. The indicating device may include a cylindrical body having a surface that faces in a downward direction. The indicating device may include a plurality of anchor slips located on a curved rectangular side of the cylindrical body. The indicating device may include a set of inserts located at predetermined locations along a length of the curved rectangular side of the cylindrical body. The assembly may include a coupling mechanism that connects the indicating device to the cylindrical housing.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for determining the location of a tool traveling down a wellbore by measuring a first borehole magnetic anomaly with respect to time at two known locations on a tool, comparing the time difference between the two measurements, then calculating the velocity of the tool based on the comparison, then further calculating the distance traveled by the tool in the wellbore based on the velocity calculation, then executing a series of commands at a predetermined location in the wellbore.

Abstract: A method for characterizing a tubular includes obtaining acoustic waveform data in a time domain using an acoustic transducer configured to emit an acoustic signal and receive a return acoustic signal and transforming the acoustic waveform data into a frequency domain to provide frequency domain acoustic waveform data. The method also includes determining a complex group delay function Gk derived from the frequency domain acoustic waveform data to provide a phase delay function as a function of frequency, wherein the complex group delay function Gk represents a first derivative of phase in the frequency domain with respect to frequency. The method further includes determining an imaginary component function of the complex group delay function Gk to provide a phase delay function as a function of frequency and characterizing the tubular using the phase delay function.