Abstract: Drilling apparatuses and methods for limiting precession are provided. According to one embodiment, a drilling apparatus includes a non-rotating stabilizer. The non-rotating stabilizer includes a first blade and a second blade, the first blade being arranged opposite the second blade. The first blade is biased radially outwardly by a force of a first value. The second blade is not biased radially outwardly by a force corresponding to the first value. The second blade may be a blade which is slidable along the non-rotating stabilizer in an axial direction and allow free sliding axial contact with the formation.

Abstract: Drilling apparatuses and methods for limiting precession are provided. According to one embodiment, a drilling apparatus includes a non-rotating stabilizer. The non-rotating stabilizer includes a first blade and a second blade, the first blade being arranged opposite the second blade. The first blade is biased radially outwardly by a force of a first value. The second blade is not biased radially outwardly by a force corresponding to the first value. The second blade may be a blade which is slidable along the non-rotating stabilizer in an axial direction and allow free sliding axial contact with the formation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovering viscous hydrocarbons from a subsurface reservoir holding the same using an essentially horizontal well bore having a production inlet and containing steam injection tubing that carries a plurality of jet nozzles oriented to emit steam along said injection tubing towards said production inlet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovering viscous hydrocarbons from a subsurface reservoir holding the same using an essentially horizontal well bore having a production inlet and containing steam injection tubing that carries a plurality of jet nozzles oriented to emit steam along said injection tubing towards said production inlet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recomputing an optimum path between a present location of a drill bit and a direction or horizontal target uses linear approximations of circular arc paths. The technique does not attempt to return to a preplanned drilling profile when there actual drilling results deviate from the preplanned profile. By recomputing an optimum path, the borehole to the target has a reduced tortuosity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recomputing an optimum path between a present location of a drill bit and a direction or horizontal target uses linear approximations of circular arc paths. The technique does not attempt to return to a preplanned drilling profile when there actual drilling results deviate from the preplanned profile. By recomputing an optimum path, the borehole to the target has a reduced tortuosity.

Abstract: A drillstring carries a stabilizer sub above the drill bit for steering or directing drilling. The stabilizer body is rotatably carried by the stabilizer sub, wherein the stabilizer body remains substantially stationary relative to the borehole as the drillstring rotates. At least one stabilizer blade is carried by the stabilizer body, the stabilizer blade being radially extendable from the stabilizer body and into engagement with the sidewall of the borehole. Each stabilizer blade is extendable and retractable from the stabilizer body independently of the others. The stabilizer blades are coupled to the stabilizer body such that the blades are capable of collapse to minimum radial extension if the stabilizer assembly becomes stuck in the borehole.

Abstract: A stabilizer body is rotatably carried by the stabilizer sub, wherein the stabilizer body remains substantially stationary relative to the borehole as the drillstring rotates. At least one stabilizer blade is carried by the stabilizer body, the stabilizer blade being radially extendable from the stabilizer body and into engagement with the sidewall of the borehole. Each stabilizer blade is extendable and retractable from the stabilizer body independently of the others.

Abstract: A horizontal well completion apparatus and method for heavy, viscous oil in a producing zone (114) are disclosed using a single well. Hot injection fluid is injected into an injection string (120), and emitted through steam distribution holes (133) in the lower portion (120) of the injection string into the casing (116) near perforations (118). A packer (126) separates the upper well annulus (140) from the lower well annulus (142) Insulation (121) surrounds injection tubing string (120) between the packer (126) and the well head (111). Perforations (118) in the horizontal portion (112) of the well allow heated oil to flow into the lower annulus 42 in the horizontal portion (112) of the well where is picked up by the injected fluid and lifted to the surface of the well by a jet pump (128). Temperature and pressure in the lower well annulus (142) are controlled by the temperature and pressure of the injection fluid, and the pumping rate of the produced fluids.

Abstract: A drillstring terminating in a drill bit is run into a borehole. A reduced solid content drilling fluid is pumped through the drillstring and out the bit, wherein the drilling fluid impinges upon and disintegrates formation material in cooperation with the bit. An annulus fluid having a density greater than that of the drilling fluid is continuously pumped into the annulus between the borehole and drillstring, wherein the annulus fluid extends substantially from the surface to the bottom of the drillstring. Drilling fluid and cuttings resulting from disintegration of formation material are returned to the surface through a substantially unobstructed tubular passage in the drillstring. The annulus fluid is maintained under a selected and controlled pressure in the annulus, wherein an interface is formed at the drill bit at which annulus fluid mixes with the drilling fluid and is returned along with the drilling fluid and cuttings and drilling fluid is substantially prevented from entering the annulus.

Abstract: A horizontal well completion apparatus and method for heavy, viscous oil in a producing zone (14) are disclosed using a single well. Hot injection fluid is injected into an injection string (20), reduced to a lower pressure by passing the injection fluid through a choke (22). A packer (26) separates the upper well annulus (40) from the lower well annulus (42). Insulation (21) surrounds injection tubing string (20) between the packer (26) and the well head (11). Perforations (18) in the horizontal portion (12) of the well allow heated oil to flow into the lower annulus 42 in the horizontal portion (12) of the well where is picked up by the injected fluid and lifted to the surface of the well by a jet pump (28). Temperature and pressure in the lower well annulus 42 are controlled by the temperature and pressure of the injection fluid, and the pumping rate of the produced fluids.

Abstract: A method for development drilling in a mineral producing field such as an oil and gas field wherein a plurality of wellbores are drilled in the earth through at least one mineral containing subsurface geologic formation, the plurality of wellbores being drilled from a central drill site radially outwardly therefrom wherein the wellbores are drilled at varying angles from vertical within the range of from about 30 to about 87.5 degrees from vertical, the wellbores passing through at least one formation at an angle from vertical.

Abstract: Medium curvature deviated wellbores having a radius of curvature in the range of 200 feet to 400 feet are drilled with downhole drilling assemblies for drilling the curved wellbore portion and for correcting or holding the horizontal wellbore portion and which are connected to the end of a drillstem made up of elongated elastically bendable drillstem members which may be cyclically compressively stressed during rotation of the drillstem. The elastically bendable drillstem members are characterized by joint forming portions at opposite ends of an elongated tubular body and which are of a diameter which minimizes the tendency for the drillstem to buckle during drilling. Spaced apart stress bearing sleeves are attached to or integrally formed with the tubular body and are of a diameter greater than the body and preferably equal to the diameter of the tool joint portions.

Abstract: A drillstem loading and behavior measurement method and system includes spaced apart subs disposed at the upper end of the drillstem and connected to each other and to a power or conventional swivel and having strain gages and accelerometers mounted thereon in such a way as to measure axial loading, axial vibration, torsional loading, torsional vibration and bending modes of the drillstem during operation. Accelerometers are mounted on respective ones of the subs at a distance from each other sufficient to determine vibration waveforms in axial, torsional and bending modes.

Abstract: A means for substantially reducing the bending stresses, both tensional and compressional, in a standard-type length of drill pipe as it passes through a section of a wellbore that is deviated from vertical. The tool joints on the ends of drill pipe have outside diameters greater than that of the pipe body which act as supports for the pipe body against the wall of the wellbore in a deviated section. The bending stresses encountered by the drill pipe increase as the distance between these pipe supports increase. In the present invention, stress sleeves are affixed to the outer surface of the pipe body at equally spaced intervals between the tool joints to act as dummy tool joints thereby providing additional pipe supports which substantially reduce the bending stresses in the drill pipe.

Abstract: In deep drainhole drilling, a specially oriented drill collar of generally elliptic cross section is combined with a drill bit, a downhole motor and means adapted to deflect the bit to drill the build section of the drainhole curving at a medium angle of 2.degree. to 50.degree. per hundred feet. Preferably, the drill collar is at least twenty feet long. The elliptic drill collar is oriented in a manner such that the minor axis of the ellipse lies generally in the direction of the intended curve of the build interval. For the desired vertical build, this places the locus of the minimum axis of the ellipse toward the vertical and the locus of major axis toward the horizontal when the curved interval of the drainhole approaches horizontal. Preferably, the minor axis is at least twenty percent shorter than the major axis.

Abstract: A method of alleviating problems with high stresses above fatigue failure levels due to vibrations modes caused by vortex shedding during the lowering and jetting-in of a large diameter surface string in deep water having a current characterized by the inclusion of a moment reducing device in the suspension conduit holding the surface string of conduit during lowering and jetting-in. Also disclosed are preferred embodiments where the moment reducing device is either a ball joint or a flex joint.

Abstract: An electrode well extending into a subterranean formation containing viscous hydrocarbons comprising a plurality of electrode tubes which are formed by extension of an elongated tube from the surface above the formation using a coiled tube injection unit or lowering the tubes on drill pipe, diverting the tubes radially outwardly from the wellbore into the formation and penetrating the formation with the electrode tubes using hydraulic jetting action by pumping fluid through the tubes during the insertion process. The tubes are installed axially spaced apart using respective tube guide members which are inserted into the wellbore and operate to form a curved path for diverting the tubes into the formation during the insertion process and for supporting the end of the tube after its insertion into the wellbore.

Abstract: An improvement in a subsea wellhead apparatus that includes the conventional plurality of strings of conduit suspended in a borehole penetrating subterranean formations below the bottom of a sea at which the wellhead apparatus will be placed and the conventional wellhead and accessories disposed above the bottom and the plurality of strings of conduit; the improvement comprising a first communications aperture communicating with a first annular space intermediate a desired pair of conduit strings; a sealed conduit that defines a sealed path of flow for flowing a fluid waste into the annulus intermediate the respective conduit strings; remotely operable high pressure control valves interposed in the conduit for controlling the flow of fluid between the annular spaces and a remote control for controlling the flow control valves so as to route the fluid waste to the first annular space and fractured formation communicating therewith.

Abstract: An improvement in a drainhole drilling assembly having the usual drilling motor for rotating a drillbit and a drillbit connected with the motor for drilling through the subterranean formations to form a curved borehole penetrating a particular horizontal stratum. The improvement is characterized by a non-rotating, pre-bent, stabilized, curved outer rigid metallic case having in normal repose a first predetermined radius of curvature and a rigid tubular inner metallic shaft journalled for rotation within the curved rigid metallic case and connected with the drilling motor and the drillbit so as to transmit torque from the drilling motor to the drillbit. The rigid metallic shaft is normally straight and is forced interiorly of the curved rigid metallic case to become bent and in the process cause the curved rigid metallic case to have a second predetermined radius of curvature greater that the first predetermined radius of curvature.