Abstract: A system includes a sliding sleeve, a ball landing seat, a plurality of microchips, a hydraulic piston, and a ball catcher. The sliding sleeve is installed within a tubular body having an exit groove. The ball landing seat is formed by the sliding sleeve. The plurality of microchips are housed in a microchip ring installed within the sliding sleeve. The hydraulic piston is installed within the microchip ring and triggered by reception of a ball in the ball landing seat. The ball reduces a cross sectional area of a flow path while in the ball landing seat. The hydraulic piston releases the plurality of microchips through the exit groove and into the well to gather data. The ball catcher is configured to receive and hold the ball after the plurality of microchips are released into the well. The ball catcher and the ball are made of a dissolvable material.

Abstract: A system includes a sliding sleeve, a ball landing seat, microchips, a ball catcher, and a charging ring. The sliding sleeve is installed within a tubular body. The tubular body has an exit groove. The ball landing seat is formed by the sliding sleeve and is configured to receive a ball. The plurality of microchips are housed in a microchip ring installed within the sliding sleeve. The plurality of microchips are configured to be released into the well to gather data upon reception of the ball in the ball landing seat. The ball catcher is configured to receive and hold the ball after the plurality of microchips are released into the well. The charging ring is electronically connected to the microchip ring and has a circuit, a power source, and a charging coil. The circuit has a voltage regulation chip, a microprocessor, and a circuit motion sensor.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for deploying a lost circulation fabric (LCF) to seal a lost circulation zone during a drilling operation. The LCF may be contained within a lost circulation fabric deployment system (LCFDS) that is coupled to a tubular of a drilling string. The LCFDS may include a controller and sensors to detect the presence of a lost circulation zone and deploy the LCF upon detection of the lost circulation zone. In some implementations, a plurality of LCFDSs may be disposed on the tubular and work in cooperation to deploy a plurality of LCFs to form a seal along the lost circulation zone.

Abstract: Wireless mobile devices are injected into a wellbore with a cement slurry, during the cementing of casing, to monitor and evaluate cement sheath parameters. Passive, wireless sensors are utilized to not only measure the elastic constitutive properties of the cement sheath such as compressive strength, but also parameters of the cement sheath environment, such as temperature, pressure, humidity, pH and gases present, to identify potential issues about the structural integrity of the cement sheath, and provide timely warnings to perform remedial actions.

Abstract: Bottom hole assemblies with a combined roller-underreamer assembly can include: a body configured to be attached to a drill pipe; an uphole ring attached to the body; a downhole ring attached to the body between the uphole ring and the downhole end of the body; a sliding ring mounted around the body between the uphole ring and the downhole ring; a set tube slidably mounted around the body between the uphole ring and the sliding ring; a reamer assembly with at least one first articulated arm with extending between the uphole ring and the downhole end of the set tube; and a roller assembly with: at least one second articulated arm extending between the uphole end of the set tube and the sliding ring; and a rolling positioned at a joint of each second articulated arm.

Abstract: A system and method detect an evolving sinkhole due to displacement and pose changes of a plurality of nodes distributed geographically. The system comprises a base station, a plurality of nodes, and a user device. The plurality of nodes are distributed geographically, with each node secured into the ground on the Earth's surface. A sensor senses a state of the nodes relative to the ground, including a displacement and pose changes of the nodes relative to the ground. The sensed states of the nodes used to generate a geophysical map of the ground, including the displacement and the pose change of at least one node due to an evolution of a sinkhole. An output device is configured to display the geophysical map and the sinkhole to a user.

Abstract: A self-powered sensor array (SPSA) for sensing environmental parameters along a drillstring includes an outer collar having moveable member retainers with moveable members movably located in the moveable member retainers. An inner ring is rotatably supported within the outer collar with bearing elements on an outer surface of the inner ring positioned to displace the moveable members relative to the moveable member retainers in response to relative rotation between the inner ring and the outer collar. Shape memory material elements are arranged in a respective moveable member retainer. Distance sensors are configured to sense a gap responsive to a shape change of the respective shape memory material element and a displacement of the respective moveable member. Power generation components are configured such that, in response to the relative rotation, the bearing elements displace a particular moveable member into a particular moveable member retainer, generating an electric charge.

Abstract: A drill bit having a rotatable ball bit includes a first bit head and a second bit head, a first set of cutters on the first bit head, and a second set of cutters on the second bit head. The rotatable ball bit is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position, wherein the first bit head is distal to the second bit head in the first position, and wherein the second bit head is distal to the first bit head in the second position. A method of operating a rotatable ball bit includes orienting the rotatable ball bit in a first position, wherein a first bit head is oriented distally, rotating the rotatable ball bit about a longitudinal axis, orienting the rotatable ball bit in a second position, wherein a second bit head is oriented distally, and rotating the rotatable ball bit about the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A method of deploying a flexible cable in a wellbore includes carrying, by a tubular assembly, a cable spool cartridge into the wellbore. The cable spool cartridge is attached to an exterior of the tubular assembly and contains the flexible cable. A first end of the flexible cable is attached to a buoyancy device, and the buoyancy device is releasably attached to the cable spool cartridge. A fluid is flowed by the tubular assembly in a downhole direction through an interior of the tubular assembly and in an uphole direction within an annulus at least partially defined by the exterior of the tubular assembly. The fluid has a greater density than the buoyancy device. The buoyancy device is released by the cable spool cartridge, and the buoyancy device is configured to travel after release in the uphole direction with the fluid and thereby pull the flexible cable from the cable spool cartridge and into the annulus.

Abstract: A testing device that includes a wear testing device, a sensor array, and a controller. The wear testing device includes a sample rotation element configured to hold and to rotate a sample; and a cutting element holder configured to hold a cutting element and to engage the cutting element with the sample as the sample rotates. The sensor array includes an acoustic emissions (AE) sensor configured to measure an acoustic signal generated during engagement between the cutting element and the sample; and a load sensor. The controller is communicably connected to the sensor array and configured to determine a toughness and a wear resistance of the cutting element using the acoustic signal, the applied load, and a wear state of the cutting element.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an outer structure body having an inner surface defining a cavity and an inner structure body rotatably supported within the cavity. The inner structure body has an outer surface in opposing relation to the inner surface and a central bore. Movable elements are positioned along the inner surface and movably coupled to the outer structure body. Ball elements are positioned along the outer surface and coupled to the inner structure body for movement with the inner structure body. The ball elements releasably contact the movable elements and impart motion to the movable elements in response to relative motion between the inner structure body and the outer structure body. Energy harvesters are positioned to generate electrical charges based on piezoelectric effect or magnetostrictive effect when motion is imparted to the movable elements by the ball elements.

Abstract: A system includes a sliding sleeve, a ball landing seat, a plurality of microchips, a hydraulic piston, and a ball catcher. The sliding sleeve is made of a body with a plurality of holes and is installed within a tubular body having an exit groove. The ball landing seat is formed by the sliding sleeve. The plurality of microchips are housed in a microchip ring installed within the sliding sleeve. The hydraulic piston is installed within the microchip ring and is triggered by reception of a ball in the ball landing seat. The ball reduces a cross sectional area of a flow path when in the ball landing seat. The hydraulic piston releases the plurality of microchips through the exit groove and into the well to gather data. The ball catcher is configured to receive and hold the ball after the plurality of microchips are released into the well.

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: Self-powered active sensing systems (SASS) for use in downhole drilling environments are disclosed. Sensor devices of the SASS can include a self-powered rotational speed sensor including a ring structure attached around a drill string. The ring rotates within a groove formed in an outer housing. Bearings on the ring are arranged to contact moveable members extending from the housing into the groove thereby causing the moveable member to generate an electrical signal representing rotational speed. The SASS can include a vibration sensor having a ring spring mounted within a housing. Spherical bearings on the outer surface of the ring are configured to contact screens that are mounted to the housing and that generate a signal representing movement of the bearing/ring from vibration. Multiple SASS units configured to wirelessly transmit sensor data can be placed along a drill string providing a distributed self-powered system for measuring downhole parameters.

Abstract: A method includes utilizing a charging and communication interface and a sensor system to gather downhole measurements. The method further includes charging and activating the sensor system using the charging and communication interface, installing the sensor system into a nozzle of a drill bit, running the drill bit into a wellbore, conducting measurements using the sensor system, pulling the drill bit out of the wellbore, and contacting the charging and communication interface with the sensor system to retrieve the measurements from the sensor system.

Abstract: A lost circulation system and a method for reducing losses of drilling fluid in a lost circulation zone of a wellbore. The lost circulation system includes a sheet of lost circulation fabric and particles of a second lost circulation material. The sheet of lost circulation fabric is a material whose structure and composition limit a flow of fluids, particularly drilling fluid, through the sheet. The sheet of lost circulation material has a maximum thickness of 1 millimeter, a length of one foot to one thousand feet, and a width of one inch to twenty inches. The sheet of the lost circulation fabric has holes extending through the sheet.

Abstract: Bottom hole assemblies for deploying sheets of material in a wellbore include: a body configured for attachment to a drill pipe; a spool ring attached to the body; a spring ring; and rolls of fabric.

Abstract: A repairing assembly includes a housing, a packer, and a thermal spray assembly. The housing is attached to a wellbore string disposed within a wellbore with casing. The packer is coupled to the housing. The packer is set on a wall of the wellbore to bound a repair zone defined between the packer and an end of the housing opposite the packer. The housing or the packer includes a fluid channel in fluid communication with the wellbore string or an annulus of the wellbore. The thermal spray assembly is coupled to the housing and sprays a damaged section of the casing with a thermal spray to repair the damaged section. The housing flows an inert gas received from the wellbore string or the annulus of the wellbore and through the fluid channel into the repair zone until an oxygen in the repair zone is substantially removed from the repair zone.

Abstract: A wellbore loss zone remediation method to reduce losses of drilling fluid in a lost circulation zone of a wellbore is described. The wellbore loss zone remediation method includes identifying a lost circulation zone in a wellbore, selecting a lost circulation fabric, selecting a lost circulation material for a slurry, disposing the lost circulation fabric in the wellbore, circulating the slurry in the wellbore, and determining if the lost circulation zone is remediated.

Abstract: Self-winding power generating device, system, and method are disclosed. The device includes a mechanical winding knob for receiving mechanical energy from a downhole environment, a gear train including a plurality of gears engaged with each other, wherein a first gear in the gear train is operatively connected to the mechanical winding knob, and configured to receive mechanical energy from the mechanical winding knob and transfer the mechanical energy to a second gear in the gear train, a spiral spring attached to one of the gears in the gear train, the spiral spring configured to self-wind and store the mechanical energy upon receiving the mechanical energy from the first gear, and a power generation unit configured to receive the mechanical energy from a last of the plurality of gears and convert the mechanical energy into electrical energy.