Abstract: A downhole apparatus comprising a body (12) configured to be coupled to a production tubular and an upper opening and a lower opening. First (28a) and second (28b) flow paths are provided between the upper opening (22) and the lower opening (24) in the body, and a flow diverter (34) is arranged to direct downward flow through the body towards the second flow path and away from the first flow path. A filter device (31) in the second flow path filters or collects solid particles in the second flow path from passing out of the lower opening of the apparatus. The apparatus has particular application to artificial lift hydrocarbon production systems, and may be installed above a down-hole pump in a production tubing to prevent solids from settling on the pump during pump shutdown. Embodiments for use with ESPs and PCPs are described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for completing a horizontal hydrocarbon well includes cementing a casing string in the well and creating passages through the casing string adjacent float equipment near the casing toe by slowly dissolving a plug with completion fluid used to pump cement into an annulus between the casing string and bore hole. By the time the cement sets up, the plug dissolves leaving passages in the casing string through which a first frac job may be pumped or which allows pumping perforating equipment into the horizontal leg without requiring a coiled tubing run. The technique can also be used in vertical wells to save a perforating gun run.

Abstract: Described herein is a system and method for controlling flow in a pipe string using a finger valve. Specifically, the disclosure describes a finger valve comprising a base pipe and a sliding sleeve. The base pipe can comprise a finger port, one or more fingers; and one or more hinges, each of the hinges connecting one of the fingers to the base pipe. The sliding sleeve can comprise a sliding sleeve having a first sleeve with in inner surface comprising a void and a depressor. The first sleeve can be positionable in a first position and a second position. In the first position, the depressor can push the one or more fingers into a closed position. In the second position, the void can rest at least one of the one or more fingers, allowing the at least one of the one or more fingers to move into an open position.

Abstract: A snubbing apparatus for a wellhead has a snubbing stack with a upper sealing element and a lower sealing element that seal between the elongate string and the snubbing stack. A string driver carried by the snubbing stack manipulates the elongate string through the upper and lower sealing elements. There is a source of inert liquid connected to the snubbing stack between the upper sealing element and the lower sealing element. A pressure sensor is connected to sense the pressure below the lower sealing element and is connected to provide a pressure signal to the source of inert liquid. The source of inert liquid is configured to pressurize the snubbing stack between the upper sealing element and the lower sealing element in response to the pressure signal.

Abstract: A system for improving zonal isolation incorporates a tubular having an outer surface and a swellable coating that coats the outer surface. The swellable coating has an external surface, a composition provided in an annular space outside the tubular, or both. The swellable coating is made of a first swellable material that can swell when contacted by a first fluid on the external surface. The composition is made of a second swellable material that can swell when contacted with second fluid. The first swellable material, the second swellable material, or both, include an elastomer that is compounded with an aqueous inverse emulsion of particles of a polymer comprising a betaine group. The elastomer is able to swell when contacted by hydrocarbons and saline aqueous fluids.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method of using the apparatus for surface confirmation of opening of downhole ports in a downhole environment. The apparatus includes a tubular region that has an inner diameter. The tubular region includes at least two production ports and at least one non-production port. The non-production port includes a housing that has at least one chemical tracer. The apparatus also includes a cutter operable for opening the production ports and non-production port. The apparatus further includes a launcher for launching the cutter and a receiver for receiving the cutter.

Abstract: A downhole tool for removing debris from a wellbore comprises a mandrel and a shroud disposed around a portion of the mandrel. The mandrel includes at least one mandrel port in fluid communication with a mandrel bore. The shroud includes a cavity and a shroud port. Debris laden fluid is pulled into the shroud cavity by flowing fluid through the mandrel bore, out the mandrel port, into the shroud cavity, and through the shroud port. The debris-laden fluid is pulled into the shroud cavity due to a pressure differential created by the flow of the fluid through the mandrel port and out of the shroud port. As the debris laden fluid flows into the shroud cavity, the debris is captured within the tool.

Abstract: A method and system for removing solids or displacing a fluid from a wellbore wherein a plurality of resilient rubber-like flexible reticulated open cell foam elements are dispersed in a fluid and pumped through drill pipe and into the annulus between the wellbore and the drill pipe. In the annulus, the foam elements impact and dislodge solids such as proppants, gravels, drilled cuttings and other solids or a fluid to be displaced and the proppants, etc. or the fluid are carried by the fluid containing the foam elements back to the surface or a different location in the wellbore. At the surface, the fluid containing the foam elements and the proppants, etc., is carried to a shale shaker where the solids and the foam elements are separated from the fluid. The separated solids and foam are collected for disposal and, after adding new foam elements, the fluid can be recirculated down hole.

Abstract: In order to reduce the risk of accidents in mechanically drilling through a stratum and to expand the range of applications of the device for drilling through a stratum, the invention provides that the control elements—which ensure the in-feeding of the cutting rod and the return of the device to the position for being transported by means of interacting the ball-and-socket joint with the control bushing and the body—are embodied as two-stage figure projections on the lateral truncations of the ball-and-socket joint, which cooperate with cutouts in the control bushing and the body; and the line of pipes and the hydraulic motor of the suspension and of the pivot point are optionally replaced by a cable and by an electric motor combined with a hydraulic pump.

Abstract: An array of plugging devices are pumped sequentially from the surface through a liner that typically becomes horizontal in nature, where each plugging device is anchorable at a specific position along the length of the line. Perforations are generated above the plugging device. The plugging device may be a cup plug and when pump pressure is applied to the cup the cup moves through the liner. When anchored, the cup directs frac fluids through the perforations to treat the well formation. The plug may be of the type where a full bore is maintained through the liner and allows the cup plug to travel back to the surface due to flow from the well thus eliminating any need for milling obstructions from the well bore. The use of multiple plugging devices allows multizone stage fracing.

Abstract: A well system and associated method can include an acoustic generator which can be used to excite a formation with acoustic waves transmitted from the acoustic generator. Another well system and associated method can include an acoustic generator which can transmit acoustic waves into cement surrounding a casing. Another well system and associated method can include an acoustic generator which can be used to transmit acoustic waves into an annulus surrounding a well screen during or after a gravel packing operation. Another well system and associated method can include an acoustic generator which can be connected in a drill string in close proximity to a drill bit, with the acoustic generator transmitting acoustic waves into a formation ahead of the bit.

Abstract: A wellbore treatment apparatus includes: a tubing string including a wall defining an inner diameter and a port extending through the wall, the port closed by a closure including a plug-actuated sliding sleeve; and a port opening apparatus including a wireline deployable through the inner diameter of the tubing string to extend to a position adjacent the plug-actuated sliding sleeve and an actuator plug carried on and axially slideable along the wireline, the actuator plug sized to land in the plug-actuated sliding sleeve to actuate the plug-actuated sliding sleeve, while remaining on the wireline. The apparatus can be employed in a method by running the tubing string into a well, placing the slickline in the string and running the actuator plug along the wireline to land on and actuate a sleeve in the string.

Abstract: A method for removing a core sample from a borehole includes: taking the core sample within the borehole with a sampling tool; generating a model of the core sample, the model based on data representing properties of the core sample; defining a plurality of proposed tripping schedules; applying, by a processor, the plurality of proposed tripping schedules to the model, and estimating a core parameter for each of the plurality of proposed tripping schedules; comparing the core parameter to a criteria; and selecting a suitable tripping schedule based on the comparison.

Abstract: A system for heating hydrocarbon resources in a subterranean formation having a wellbore therein includes a coaxial transmission line, a balun, and a radio frequency (RF) antenna coupled together in series and configured to be positioned in the wellbore so that the RF antenna heats the hydrocarbon resources in the subterranean formation. The coaxial transmission line includes an inner conductor and an outer conductor surrounding the inner conductor. The balun includes an outer conductive sleeve having a proximal end coupled to the outer conductor of the coaxial transmission line and a medial portion coupled to the inner conductor of the coaxial transmission line. An inner tubular conductor extends longitudinally within the outer conductive sleeve between the outer conductor of the coaxial transmission line and the RF antenna. The balun also includes a ferrite body surrounding the inner tubular conductor at the proximal end.

Abstract: A drill rig 10 comprises a tower 12 and a drill head 14 that is able to travel linearly up and down the tower 12. The drill head 14 provides torque to a drill string 16 attached to the drill head 14 ad thus to a drill bit 18 coupled to a distal end of the drill string 16. The drill head 14 is traversed along the tower 12 by a plurality of rams 22a, 22b and 22c (hereinafter referred to in general as “rams 22”). The rams 22 provided hold back and pull down for the drill bit 18 via the drill head 14. The rams 22 are selectively operable to enable the hold back and pull down applied to the drill bit to be selectively varied. Thus for example a first of the rams 22a is selected to operate when drilling to a first depth, then the rams 22b and 22c are selected to operate when drilling to a second greater depth; and finally all three rams 22a, 22b and 22c are selected to operate when drilling to a third greater depth.

Abstract: A drilling system including a drill string (12) which extends into a borehole (10), and a well closure system which contains fluid in the annular space (16) in the borehole around the drill string, the well closure system having a side bore whereby controlled flow of fluid out of the annular space in the borehole around the drill string is permitted, the side bore being connected to fluid return line (28) which extends from the side bore to a fluid reservoir (34), there being provided in the fluid return line a valve (30a) which is operable to restrict flow of fluid along the fluid return line to variable extent, and a flow meter (32) operable to measure the rate of flow of fluid along the fluid return line, the flow meter being located between the valve and the side bore, wherein a filter (40) is provided between the flow meter and the side bore, the filter including a plurality of apertures which have a smaller cross-sectional area than the smallest fluid flow lines in the flow meter.

Abstract: An actuation method according to one or more embodiments includes axially translating an operator in a first direction in response to applying a tubing pressure to a first side in excess of an annulus pressure acting on a second side, axially translating the operator in a second direction to an actuation position in response to applying an underbalance pressure level to the operator and operating a tool element from a first position to a second position in response to translating the operator to the actuation position.

Abstract: A rig system and method is provided for use with multiple wellheads in close proximity on a wellsite. A mast assembly is mounted to a rig carrier for alignment with a first wellhead. A pipe handling system is mounted to a skid having a pipe moving member mounted to the skid. A rig platform for use with the mast assembly is vertically moveable for accommodating a second wellhead in close proximity to the first wellhead while allowing operators to work within the mast assembly.

Abstract: An RF antenna assembly may be positioned within a wellbore in a subterranean formation for hydrocarbon resource recovery. The RF antenna assembly includes first and second tubular conductors and a feed structure therebetween defining a dipole antenna to be positioned within the wellbore, and an RF transmission line extending within one of the tubular conductors. The feed structure includes a dielectric tube, a first connector coupling the RF transmission line to the first tubular conductor, and a second connector coupling the RF transmission line to the second tubular conductor.

Abstract: A system for heating hydrocarbon resources in a subterranean formation having a wellbore therein includes a coaxial transmission line, a balun, and a radio frequency (RF) antenna coupled together in series and configured to be positioned in the wellbore so that the RF antenna heats the hydrocarbon resources in the subterranean formation. The coaxial transmission line includes an inner conductor and an outer conductor surrounding the inner conductor. The balun includes an outer conductive sleeve having a proximal end coupled to the outer conductor of the coaxial transmission line and a medial portion coupled to the inner conductor of the coaxial transmission line. The balun also includes an inner tubular conductor extending longitudinally within the outer conductive sleeve between the outer conductor of the coaxial transmission line and the RF antenna.