Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid in an injection well includes a main valve assembly having a valve and a retrievable nozzle selective lock assembly (RNSLA). The RNSLA is operable when positioned within the valve body to open the valve when fluid is pumped into the well and closes the valve when fluid flow is terminated. The RNSLA includes a replaceable orifice nozzle so that orifices of different dimensions may be used in conjunction with the valve assembly. In an alternate embodiment, the RNSLA includes a variable output nozzle assembly to maintain the valve in a protected open position without chattering over a wide range of flow rates.

Abstract: A method and system for retrieving a fracturing ball in a wellbore casing. The system includes a wellbore retrieval tool comprising a tool body that is inserted into and transported along the wellbore casing. The tool is sized and configured to trap and hold the fracturing ball. When a hydraulic lock happens in the wellbore casing, the retrieval tool is lowered in a vertical section and the ball is flowed back along a horizontal section and captured by a trap in the retrieval tool. The retrieval tool may also be run in conjunction with a setting tool with a ball-in-place fracturing plug. In case of the hydraulic lock, the injection is tested following perforation with the retrieval tool still a location proximal to the ball, and the ball is immediately retrieved.

Abstract: Estimating casing wear during a reciprocation portion of a drilling operation may take into account the forces that cause casing wear during the up and down strokes independently. For example, during a drilling operation, a method may include reciprocating the drill string through the wellbore for a plurality of up strokes and a plurality of down strokes according to reciprocation parameters; calculating an up stroke normal force and a down stroke normal force for the casing or a section thereof; calculating up and down stroke casing wears based on the up and down stroke normal forces, respectively, using a reciprocation casing wear model; calculating a reciprocation casing wear based on the up and down stroke casing wears; and calculating a total casing wear for the casing or the section thereof based on the reciprocation casing wear using a total casing wear model.

Abstract: Estimating casing wear for individual portions or lengths of a casing may take into account that individual drill string sections cause different amounts of casing wear based on the physical and material properties of each drill string section. In some instances, a method performed during a drilling operation may involve tracking a location of the plurality of drill string sections along the wellbore; corresponding a casing section with the drill string wear factors of the drill string sections radially proximate to the casing section the drilling intervals of the drilling operations; and calculating a drilling casing wear for the casing section based on the drill string wear factors corresponding to the casing section.

Abstract: A longer-lasting, lower cost, more powerful, all metal, mud motor than the presently available progressing cavity type mud motors for drilling boreholes into the earth. A mud motor apparatus possessing one single drive shaft that turns a rotary drill bit, which apparatus is attached to a drill pipe which provides high pressure mud to the mud motor, wherein the drive shaft receives at least a first portion of its rotational torque from any high pressure mud flowing through a first hydraulic chamber within the apparatus, and receives at least a second portion of its rotational torque from any high pressure mud flowing through a second hydraulic chamber within the apparatus. The mud motor apparatus possesses two hydraulic chambers, each having its own power stroke, and return stroke, and acting together in a controlled fashion, provide continuous power to a rotary drill bit.

Abstract: Integrated penetrator and proximity sensor probe assemblies are provided for monitoring a position of a rotating target within a subsea rotating device such as subsea motors and pumps. The integrated penetrator and proximity sensor probe assemblies are configured to communicate information related to the position of the rotating target through a wall of the device housing, and can be inserted through an opening in the wall of the device housing and mounted to the wall of the device to position a proximity sensor tip assembly adjacent the rotating target. The proximity sensor probe assemblies are pressure-compensated and configured to withstand subsea pressures and conditions.

Abstract: A cutting element for an earth-boring tool includes a body having a longitudinal axis, a generally planar volume of hard material carried by the body, and a sensor affixed to the body. The sensor may be configured to sense at least one of stress and strain. An earth-boring tool includes a cutting element disposed at least partially within a pocket of a body. Methods of forming cutting elements comprise securing a generally planar volume of hard material to a body, attaching a sensor to the body, and configuring the sensor. Methods of forming earth-boring tools comprise forming a cutting element and securing the cutting element within a recess in a body of the earth-boring tool. Methods of forming wellbores comprise rotating an earth-boring tool comprising a cutting element and measuring at least one of stress and strain.

Abstract: A method for calculating a value representative of a downhole temperature in a hydrocarbon well, wherein the well includes production tubing inside an outer tubing, an annulus is provided between the production tubing and the outer tubing, and the annulus receives a hydraulic control line supplying hydraulic fluid for the control of a downhole device, the method including sensing the pressure of hydraulic fluid in the control line at the wellhead, and using a measurement of the pressure to calculate the value representative of the downhole temperature.

Abstract: This patent application discloses method and apparatus to cut an extended slot connecting a well to a substantial cross section of a desired producing formation whereby material can flow freely between the formation and the wellbore and at least partially overcome the flow limitations of low permeability formations without the environmental issues associated with hydraulic fracturing. It is further disclosed that the connection between said slot and the formation may be further enhanced by explosive or combustive processes that rapidly generate gas pressure within the large surface area of the slot, thereby changing its characteristics and forcing open additional fractures into the cross section of formation exposed to the slot. The method may significantly increase the recoverable percentage or natural gas from low permeability deposits such as shale and coal.

Abstract: A downhole tool is conveyed within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, and then utilized to obtain measurements at multiple different depths of investigation within the subterranean formation relative to the wellbore. The obtained measurements are then compared to assess mobility of oil within the subterranean formation.

Abstract: Adjustable drill string housings are described for use in the directional drilling of wellbores, e.g. wellbores for hydrocarbon recovery wells. The adjustable drill string housings permit adjustment of a bend angle in the housings without removing the housings from a wellbore. In some exemplary embodiments, the bend angle can be adjusted by changing the internal stresses in a support member carried by the housings. In other embodiments, the bend angle may be adjusted by causing failure of sacrificial support members carried by the housings, and the failure may be caused by delivering chemicals through a chemical delivery system to the sacrificial support members. Methods of operating the adjustable drill string housings include multi-lateral drilling operations wherein the bend angle is adjusted when a casing window has been detected.

Abstract: Polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutting elements include leached and un-leached regions. The leached region may be or include a leached annular region. An inner boundary of the leached annular region remote from a side surface of the polycrystalline diamond may have a non-linear profile in a plane extending through the PDC cutting element along a longitudinal axis of the cutting element. Methods of forming PDC cutting elements include configuring polycrystalline diamond of a PDC cutting element to have such a leached annular region with a non-linear profile. Earth-boring tools may be formed that include such PDC cutting elements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficiently extracting geothermal energy from a subterranean thermal reservoir through a wellbore where the heat exchange fluid is introduced at a slower velocity than the velocity at which the fluid is extracted. The method and apparatus further comprises a region void of cement between the outer wall of a casing and the inner wall of the wellbore, such that thermally conductive material can be injected therein.

Abstract: A sensor deployment system for positioning within a well casing is provided. The sensor deployment system includes a deployment shuttle comprising a first end, a second end, and an inner surface and an outer surface extending between the first end and the second end. The inner surface is configured to define a channel between the first end and the second end. A sleeve is coupled to the outer surface and configured to move relative to the well casing. A wire support is coupled to the inner surface and extending into the channel.

Abstract: A casing cutting tool including a top mandrel operatively coupled to a conveyance; a first retractable wedge operatively coupled to the top mandrel; a jetting tool operatively coupled to the retractable wedge, the retractable wedge thereby interposing the top mandrel and the jetting tool, wherein the jetting tool has one or more jetting nozzles arranged thereon; and a bottom terminal operatively coupled to the jetting tool, the jetting tool thereby interposing the retractable wedge and the bottom terminal.

Abstract: A fixed bladed drill bit has a working face that includes a plurality of blades converging at a center of the working face and diverging towards a gauge of the bit, each blade having a leading face and a trailing face, and at least one row of cutting elements disposed on at least one of the plurality of blades proximate to the leading face of the blade, where the row of cutting elements includes at least one pointed cutting element having a cutting end with a rounded apex and at least one shearing cutter. The at least one shearing cutter includes a first shearing cutter positioned proximate to a periphery of the working face.

Abstract: A drilling procedure is operated such that a formation around the wellbore being drilled is fractured and then reservoir fluids from a hydrocarbon reservoir contained in the formation are flowed into the wellbore where the flow of the reservoir fluids is tested. Production predictions for the wellbore are processed from the measurements made on the flow of reservoir fluids and decisions regarding further drilling operations are made based upon the reservoir fluid measurements. By testing reservoir fluids prior to completing the wellbore, drilling operations such as, for example, continuing to drill the wellbore may be made without tripping the drillstring from the wellbore.

Abstract: A bit body is configured at its upper extent for connection into a drillstring. At least one fixed blade extends downwardly from the bit body, and has a radially outermost gage surface. A plurality of fixed cutting elements is secured to the fixed blade, preferably in a row at its rotationally leading edge. At least one bit leg is secured to the bit body and a rolling cutter is mounted for rotation on the bit leg. At least one stabilizer pad is disposed between the bit leg and the fixed blade, the stabilizer pad extending radially outward to substantially the gage surface. The radially outermost gage surface of each blade can extend axially downward parallel to the bit axis or angled (non-parallel), spirally or helically, relative to the bit axis.

Abstract: A method and system for completing a wellbore in a subsurface formation including first and second sand screens and intermediate tubular joint for gravel transport and/or gravel packing. The assembly provides transport conduits for carrying gravel slurry and packing conduits for gravel slurry placement. The method also includes running the sand screens and intermediately connected joint assembly into the wellbore, and gravel packing not only in the wellbore annulus behind the sand screens, but also behind the intermediate joint assembly to provide a reserve of packing sand behind the intermediate joint assembly to supplement or repack any annular packing sand in the annulus behind the sand screens that may be lost due to sand screen breach, partial collapse of tubular, or other shifting of the gravel pack sand. A wellbore completion apparatus and system is also provided that allows for placement of such gravel reserve.

Abstract: Embodiments herein include a casing cutting tool comprising a top mandrel operatively coupled to a conveyance; a first retractable wedge operatively coupled to the top mandrel; a jetting tool operatively coupled to the retractable wedge, the retractable wedge thereby interposing the top mandrel and the jetting tool, wherein the jetting tool has one or more jetting nozzles arranged thereon; and a bottom terminal operatively coupled to the jetting tool, the jetting tool thereby interposing the retractable wedge and the bottom terminal.