Abstract: A downhole drilling apparatus may comprise a rotatable body with fixed cutting elements protruding from an exterior thereof. To form a subterranean borehole, the fixed cutting elements, spaced at a constant radius from a rotational axis of the body, may degrade an earthen formation as the body rotates. The body may also have a rotatable cutting element protruding from its exterior. To remove material from an interior wall of the borehole, the rotatable cutting element may be positioned in a first rotational orientation wherein it extends radially beyond the constant radius of the fixed cutting elements. An amount of material being removed may be altered by rotating the rotatable cutting element into a second rotational orientation wherein it remains radially within the constant radius.

Abstract: A ball valve that includes a ball comprising an integrally formed single-component body that defines an external surface; a fluid passage extending through the body, the fluid passage defining an internal surface; and a plurality of internal chambers formed within the body, each internal chamber of the plurality of internal chambers being spaced from the external surface and being spaced from the internal surface; wherein when the ball is subjected to one or more stresses, a stress concentration is created within a release-by-milling zone of the single-component body, the release-by-milling zone being adjacent to the plurality of internal chambers. The ball is at least partially manufactured using an additive manufacturing process.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling operation of a well, of which the method includes receiving an operation setting for operation of a system that provides lift gas into and produces gas from the well, monitoring operation of the system using a first controller, determining, using the first controller, that the system is not operating at the operation setting, and in response to determining that the system is not operating at the operation setting, sending, using a two-way communication link from the first controller to a second controller, a control signal to the second controller. The control signal is configured to cause the second controller to modify an operation of a compressor of the system.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a drill bit having integrated sensors, a penetration monitoring system for a subterranean drill bit, and a method of drilling a borehole in a subterranean formation. In one example, the drill bit includes multiple blades configured to penetrate a subterranean formation, and at least one sensor, is integrated with the drill bit, that is configured to collect penetration data in real time during operation of the drill bit. An example of the method includes operating a drill bit in a borehole, receiving penetration data from the operating drill bit, wherein the penetration data is from at least one sensor integrated with the drill bit, and modifying drilling parameters of the drill bit based on the penetration data. The method can be for an open hole sidetrack.

Abstract: A magnetic depth of cut controller (DOCC) includes a housing having a body portion with a bore extending into the body portion and a depth of cut (DOC) element positioned at least partially within the bore and having a working face to engage a subterranean formation. The DOC element is moveable within the bore to extend or retract from a first end of the housing. Further, the DOCC includes a magnet secured within the bore of the housing between the DOC element and a second end of the housing. Moreover, the DOCC includes a magnetic fluid disposed within the bore of the housing between the DOC element and the second end of the housing. The magnetic fluid has a viscosity that changes responsive to proximity to the magnet to provide a variable resistance to movement of the DOC element.

Abstract: An apparatus for traveling between an earth surface and a wellbore in an earth formation contains an instrument sub, a thruster for generating a motive force, and a power source that provides power to the instrument sub and the thruster. The instrument sub contains well logging instruments. The instrument sub, the thruster, and the power source are connected to form or are disposed in a substantially tubular body. The apparatus further contains a buoyance-generating device.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a perforating gun assembly. The perforating gun assembly includes a housing and at least one perforating charge disposed within the housing. Additionally, the perforating gun assembly includes a detonating cord disposed within the housing and ballistically coupled to the at least one perforating charge. Also included in the perforating gun assembly is a detonator assembly disposed in line or adjacent to the detonating cord. The detonator assembly includes a detonator, a ballistic interrupt, an actuator to remove the ballistic interrupt from a line of fire of the detonator, and a detonator control board to control the actuator and firing of the detonator.

Abstract: Screen-outs can be detected from acoustical signals in a wellbore. Data based on an acoustic signal generated during a hydraulic fracturing operation in a wellbore formed through a subterranean formation can be received. An expected total flow rate of fluid being injected into the wellbore can be determined based on the data. An actual total flow rate of the fluid being injected into the wellbore can be determined. A screen-out that occurred can be identified by comparing the expected total flow rate and the actual total flow rate.

Abstract: A rotary steering tool includes a steering member configured to move between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. The rotary steering tool also includes a pump configured to pump a fluid, a power source independent of the downhole motor, the power source configured to power the pump, and a piston in fluid communication with the pump. The piston is configured to apply a force to the steering member to move the steering member from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration when the pump pumps the fluid at an operating system pressure. The rotary steering tool includes a controller to operate the pump at a range of operating system pressures, and a variable pressure control valve. The variable pressure control valve adjusts the operating system pressure between the range of operating system pressures to adjust the force applied to the steering member.

Abstract: A system used to dislodge and, if necessary, sever a tubular string that is stuck within a cased wellbore. The system utilizes a jar, a plurality of plugs, and a tubular severance device. Components of the system are carried to their respective desired downhole positions by downward fluid flow within the wellbore. The jar is configured to jar the string in an effort to dislodge the string from its stuck point. The plugs are configured to fill open perforations formed in the casing in order to direct the fluid toward the stuck point and away from the perforations. If the string cannot be freed by the jar, the tubular severance device is deployed within the string above the stuck point. Detonation of the device severs the string above the stuck point.

Abstract: A system and method for performing subterranean operations. The system may comprise an expandable liner hanger positioned within a casing string, wherein the expandable liner hanger comprises a spiked portion having one or more anchoring ridges, each of the one or more anchoring ridges extending in a circular ring along an outer perimeter of the expandable liner hanger, and one or more weep holes are positioned in a space between adjacent ones of the one or more anchoring ridges. The method for coupling a liner to a casing string of a cased wellbore in a subterranean formation may comprise coupling an expandable liner hanger to the liner, inserting the liner and the expandable liner hanger downhole through the casing string, and expanding the plurality of anchoring ridges.

Abstract: A downhole tool comprises a housing defining a flow path therethrough in an axial direction from an upper opening to a lower opening. A poppet valve is mounted within the housing. The poppet valve includes an upper member defining an upper chamber mounted in the flow path so that flow through the flow path flows around the upper member, and a valve seat mounted in the flow path with an opening therethrough. A valve poppet is mounted for longitudinal movement within the flow path between a closed position in which the valve poppet seats against the valve seat to block flow through the flow path and an open position in which the valve poppet is spaced apart from the valve seat to permit flow through the flow path. This can restrict/mitigate sand fall-back, e.g., with flow paths designed to prevent/mitigate sand fall-back and for protection of the poppet from sand/debris.

Abstract: A remote greasing system for lubricating a valve of a wellhead or frac manifold includes a grease supply skid, remote greasing skid, and a control skid. The grease supply skid includes a grease reservoir and a grease pump. The remote greasing skid includes a grease manifold and a grease supply valve. The grease manifold is operatively coupled to the grease pump of the grease supply skid by a grease trunk line. The grease supply valve is operatively coupled to the grease manifold. The grease supply valve includes an output port operatively coupled to a lubrication port of the valve of the wellhead or frac manifold by a grease supply line. The control skid is operatively coupled to the remote greasing skid by a control line. The grease supply skid and remote greasing skid are positioned within a hazardous zone, and the control skid is positioned outside of the hazardous zone.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating solid particles from a hydrocarbon-containing fluid produced from an oil and/or gas production facility, supported on a wellhead or a riser connected to a wellhead, the apparatus comprising: a conduit for conveying a hydrocarbon-containing fluid from a wellhead or a riser connected to the wellhead; a solids separator in fluid communication with the conduit adapted to separate solid particles from the hydrocarbon-containing fluid, a solids outlet for outputting solid particles separated by the solids separator, a fluid outlet for outputting hydrocarbon-containing fluid separated by the solids separator; and an output conduit, coupled to the fluid outlet, for conveying the hydrocarbon-containing fluid from the fluid outlet into a production line attached to the wellhead.

Abstract: An anchor setting system having redundant setting methodologies including a housing having an internal chamber. The housing has an outer surface, an inner surface, a first end, and a second end. A slip is shiftably mounted to the outer surface of the housing. A piston assembly including a piston element is arranged in the housing. The piston element includes a conduit and is shiftably mounted in the internal chamber. An activator is mounted to the piston assembly. The activator selectively shifts the slip axially along the housing in response to movement of the piston element.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for drilling a hole(s) in a subsurface formation utilizing laser energy that is controlled by an optical manipulation system. Various embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods use a laser with a laser source (generator) located on the surface with the power conveyed via fiber optic cables down the wellbore to a downhole target via a laser tool. The optical manipulation system provides the flexibility to control and manipulate the beams, resulting in an optimized optical design with fewer optical components and less mechanical motion. Different beam shapes can be achieved by the different optical lenses and designs disclosed in this specification. Additionally, a purging system is disclosed that is configured to clear a path of the laser beam, assist in manipulating the tool, or both. The rotating and purging features contribute to creating a clean hole with no melt.

Abstract: A downhole tester valve disposed below an isolation member in a test string may facilitate a shut-in drill stem test procedure. The positioning of the tester valve allows the tester valve to remain in a static location when the test string above the isolation member expands or contracts. The volume of a wellbore interval below the isolation member may remain constant and pressure readings over the duration of a shut-in DST test period may effectively be monitored. The tester valve is operatively associated with a communication unit that permits selective activation of the tester valve from across the isolation member, and in some example embodiments, an actuator for operating the tester valve is also is also operable to set the isolation member in the wellbore.

Abstract: A PDC drill bit for use in downhole air drilling includes a body with a face for engaging a bottom of a hole being drilled and a gauge for engaging a side of the hole being drilled. The face includes a cone, a nose outward of the cone, a shoulder outward of the nose. The bit further includes channels formed in the face of the bit that extend from within the cone to the gauge. The channels define a plurality of blades separated by the channels. Each of the plurality of blades has a leading edge with PDC cutters mounted thereon. One or more of the channels are defined by two side walls and a bottom wall and has a length, width and depth. The width or depth remains substantially constant from a first point on its length within the cone to a second point within the shoulder.

Abstract: An apparatus for mounting one or more transducers to a drill pipe. The apparatus comprises a sub-pipe having a bore and a transducer-holding assembly, wherein the transducer-holding assembly is insertable into the bore of the sub-pipe from an axial end of the sub-pipe. The apparatus further comprising a tension collar connected to the bore-defining surface of the sub-pipe and bearing upon the transducer-holder.

Abstract: A perforation gun that includes a monolithic bulkhead electrical contact that includes no resilient members but that is resiliently coupled to two perforating guns. The bulkhead electrical contact is configured to transmit a signal across a bulkhead from one gun to another gun.