Abstract: An underreamer for increasing the diameter of a bore. The underreamer includes a substantially cylindrical body. A mandrel may extend axially through the body. One or more cutter blocks are movably coupled to the body. A ratio of a height of the cutter block to a diameter of the body is between about 0.35:1 and about 0.50:1.

Abstract: A technique facilitates avoidance of premature actuation of a liner hanger in a wellbore. The technique utilizes a running string which may be coupled to a liner having a liner hanger. The running string extends into the liner in a manner which creates an inner pressure region within the running string, an intermediate pressure region between the running string and the liner, and an outer or annulus pressure region surrounding the liner. The inner pressure region is initially isolated from the intermediate pressure region by a closure mechanism during, for example, movement downhole. The closure mechanism selectively closes off a port used to actuate the liner hanger.

Abstract: A method of increasing a roughness of coiled tubing injector blocks that includes providing a pair of gripper blocks each having a gripper surface configured to grip coiled tubing within an injector head and increasing a first roughness on the gripping surfaces to a second roughness. A coating may be applied to the gripping surfaces to increase the roughness. The coating may be chromium carbide, molybdenum boride, iron boride, titanium boride, or a transitional metal boride. The gripping surfaces may be treated to increase the roughness to a second roughness. The gripping surfaces may be blasted by abrasives or shot peened to increase the roughness. The second roughness may be greater than 20 ?m. A system to inject coiled tubing into a wellbore may include an injector head, coiled tubing, and at least two gripper blocks having a gripping surface with a roughness of at least 20 ?m.

Abstract: An umbilical manipulator arm for positioning control lines for being secured to a plurality of tubular strings being made up and run into a dual completion wellbore includes a carriage movable on a base that is securable to a rig floor adjacent to two tubular strings. An umbilical manipulator arm is coupled to the carriage and movable relative to the carriage between a pusher arm retracted position distal to a tubular string and a pusher arm engaged position proximal to a tubular string. The carriage is movable between a carriage first position proximal to a first tubular string and a carriage second position proximal to a second tubular string. The umbilical manipulator arm can be used to position control lines for being secured to the plurality of tubular strings as they are being made up and run into the wellbore.

Abstract: A downhole motor rotary drive system including a housing, a rotor rotatably and coaxially disposed within the housing, and an annular space between the rotor and housing. The rotor includes first and second ends, a bore extending between the first and second ends, an inlet port extending from the bore to the annular space, and an outlet port extending from the annular space to the bore. A plurality of gates are disposed within the annular space, each configured to engage the rotor and the housing, and a plurality of lobes extend within the annular space such that the lobes and the gates divide the annular space into a plurality of chambers. A flow path is defined by the annular space between the inlet and outlet ports, and the rotor is configured to rotate relative to the housing when a fluid is circulated along the flow path.

Abstract: A safety valve for a hydrocarbon wellbore includes a valve housing; a tubular valve member having an axially extending tube wall; and an operating mechanism for operating the valve member. The housing has a passage extending from a lower opening to an upper opening. The tube wall has one or more radial inlet apertures therethrough. The lower end part of the tube wall is closed. The valve member is axially movable in the passage between a flow position and a blocking position. In blocking position, the valve member is retracted in the housing such that the inlet apertures lie inside the housing and fluid flow between the lower opening and upper opening is prevented by the closed lower end part of the valve member. In the flow position, the valve member projects below the housing such that the one or more radial inlet apertures lie outside the housing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multistage high pressure fracturing system and tubular hydraulic valve (THV) system for connection to a completion string to enable isolation of a zone of interest within a well. In particular, the system enables access to a downhole formation for fracturing the zone of interest and for hydrocarbon production. The system generally includes an electronic plug counting system, a plug capture system and a valve system wherein dropping a series of plugs down the completion string enables successive capture of individual plugs within individual THVs for subsequent fracturing operations.

Abstract: A well pump assembly has a number modules, including a pump and a motor, secured together. Each of the modules has a housing, and at least one of the modules has a neck of reduced diameter relative to the housing. A clamp is secured around the neck. The clamp has a dovetail groove extending around and within the outer surface of the clamp. An accessory member protrudes radially outward from the outer surface of the clamp and has an inner portion located in the groove. A threaded fastener secures the accessory member to the clamp. The accessory member is slidable along the groove to a selected orientation prior to tightening the fastener.

Abstract: An impact dissipation tool for supporting a downhole tool in downhole applications. The tool includes a base and a housing. The tool also includes a carriage located within the housing and coupled to the base, the carriage being movable relative to the housing upon a predetermined impact force. A dissipator disposed inside the housing is collapsible due to the relative movement of the carriage and the housing. The collapse of the dissipator dissipates the impact force transferred to the downhole tool.

Abstract: A cutting element may have a substrate; and an ultrahard material layer having a substantially planar upper surface disposed on an upper surface of the substrate; wherein at least a portion of the side surface between the upper surface of the substrate and a lower end of the substrate form at least one conic surface, wherein the at least one conic surface extends a height relative to the total height of the substrate and ultrahard material layer ranging from about 1:10 to 9:10, and wherein the substrate comprises a substantially planar lower surface. The cutting elements may also be rotatable cutting elements at least partially surrounded by outer support elements.

Abstract: A slip assembly for a downhole tool, such as a composite plug, has a slip body and at least one insert. The slip body has an incline at one end that interfaces with an inclined surface of a cone. As this occurs, the slip body is pushed away from the tool's mandrel against a surrounding casing wall. The insert is disposed in the slip body with the axis of the insert angled away from the cone. In particular, the insert's axis is preferably angled normal to the slip body's incline and the inclined surface of the cone.

Abstract: A well drilling system can include a hydraulics model which determines a modeled fluid friction pressure and a calibration factor applied to the modeled friction pressure, and a flow control device which is automatically controlled in response to a change in the calibration factor. A well drilling method can include drilling a wellbore, a fluid circulating through the wellbore during the drilling, determining a calibration factor which is applied to a modeled fluid friction pressure, and controlling the drilling based at least in part on a change in the calibration factor.

Abstract: Two control systems are provided to run in parallel between a surface location and the final controlled element, in this case a subsurface safety valve. The primary control circuit is controlling until a predetermined signal is given to the secondary control line which has the effect of actuating the valve a single time against the force of a bias or a shear pin that breaks. The movement of a shuttle in the housing due to the predetermined signal being provided in the secondary line puts the secondary control system in the position of running the tool. The primary system is valved off and cannot return into service. There are just two lines into and out of the housing to make the valve operate at the desired location. A test port is provided for surface testing.

Abstract: A fishing tool is provided to enable retrieval of a fish from a mineral extraction system. The downhole fishing tool includes a frustoconical member for guiding broken fish such as a broken pipe into a channel created by a sliding car and an edge of a body of the downhole fishing tool. The channel enlarges by sliding the sliding car along the body of the downhole fishing tool. The downhole fishing tool body and sliding car are aligned such that the sliding car slides diagonally across the body of the downhole fishing tool thus creating a larger channel at a first point along the diagonal than at a second point along the diagonal.

Abstract: A downhole sampling tool includes a cam configured to rotate about a central axis. Two or more pistons engage a cam track such that rotation of the cam causes the pistons to reciprocate between first and second piston positions. Corresponding fluid flow lines are opened and closed when corresponding ones of the plurality of pistons reciprocate between the first and second piston positions.

Abstract: A slip assembly for a downhole tool, such as a bridge plug, has a slip body and at least one insert unit with a base and one or more inserts. The slip body has an incline at one end that interfaces with an inclined surface of a cone. As this occurs, the slip body is pushed away from the tool's mandrel against a surrounding casing wall. The insert unit is disposed in the slip body with the base oriented at an angle relative to the incline, and with the one or more inerts extending from the base. In particular, the base can be disposed at or parallel to the incline, and the one or more inserts with less surface area than the base can extend perpendicular to the inline for the insert's distal ends to engage a surrounding wall of casing or the like.

Abstract: A drilling rig transfer system includes a mobile transfer beam, a trolley assembly operatively attached to and moveable along the mobile transfer beam, and a connection mechanism suspended from the trolley assembly for connecting to and lifting a device. The mobile transfer beam is suspended from first and second traveling blocks through connections at first and second suspension positions along the mobile transfer beam. A method of transferring a device may include suspending a connection mechanism from the trolley assembly over a first location, lowering and attaching the connection mechanism to a device disposed at the first location, lifting the device with the connection mechanism, moving the trolley assembly along the mobile transfer beam to position the connection mechanism and the device over a second location, and lowering the connection mechanism and the device into the second location.

Abstract: A drill rod handling apparatus is configured to feed rods to and from a drill string created by a drill rig. The apparatus includes a gripper unit configured to contact and hold a rod to be transported to the drill rig and an alignment tool mounted at the gripper unit to provide correct mating of the rod ends during coupling.

Abstract: An apparatus that is usable with a well includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a first plurality of segments, and the second portion includes a second plurality of segments. The apparatus is deployable in a tubing string that is installed in the well, and the second plurality of segments is adapted to engage the tubing string and exert a force on the first plurality of segments. The first plurality of segments is adapted to expand to form a seat in the tubing string to receive an untethered object in response to the force, and the second plurality of segments is adapted to be released from the first plurality of segments downhole in the well.

Abstract: A drilling tool changer apparatus for a drilling rig includes a drill tower pivotable between a drilling orientation and a change-out orientation, the drill tower supporting a drill string comprising a drill pipe coupled to a drilling tool. The drilling tool changer apparatus also includes a drilling tool storage device pivotally movable about a hinge axis between a stowed position and a deployed position. The drilling tool storage device includes a drilling tool storage cassette including a replacement drilling tool. The drilling tool storage device and the drill tower are pivotally alignable in a substantially co-planar manner when the drilling tool storage device is in the deployed position and the drill tower is in the change-out orientation.