Abstract: The pressure rating of a SPM assembly is enhanced by metal removal in one or more locations. The start of the pocket is reshaped from an elongated shape with a rounded end when viewed in section to a crescent shape from the onset of the pocket to the start of the seal bore in the pocket. Blind bores are disposed generally parallel to the seal bore to further remove bulk of the body portion in view of its asymmetrical design to accommodate the pocket. One or more of these body modifications gets the body reconfigured to be more symmetrical. The added symmetry acts to equalize the stresses all around the periphery of the body with the result being a higher pressure rating for a given outer dimension of the body as compared to the current known designs.

Abstract: The pressure rating of a SPM assembly is enhanced by metal removal in one or more locations. The start of the pocket is reshaped from an elongated shape with a rounded end when viewed in section to a crescent shape from the onset of the pocket to the start of the seal bore in the pocket. Blind bores are disposed generally parallel to the seal bore to further remove bulk of the body portion in view of its asymmetrical design to accommodate the pocket. One or more of these body modifications gets the body reconfigured to be more symmetrical. The added symmetry acts to equalize the stresses all around the periphery of the body with the result being a higher pressure rating for a given outer dimension of the body as compared to the current known designs.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to determining the health of a network community. Aspects include defining, via a computer processor, measurable aspects associated with the network community. The measurable aspects include metrics for one or more of: quantified interactions among users in the network community, quantified activities among the users that are associated with a topic, and quantified activities indicative of network community accessibility. Aspects also include monitoring activities conducted via the network community, collecting data from monitored activities that correspond to the measurable aspects, and analyzing collected data from the monitored activities. The analyzing is performed as a function of the metrics. Aspects further include determining, via the computer processor, a health status of the network community from results of the analyzing.

Abstract: A packer system including a packer and a setting mechanism. The setting mechanism has a setting piston that is actuatable in response to a fluid pressure in order to set the packer with the setting piston. The setting mechanism prevents actuation of the setting piston until the pressure is decreased below a threshold pressure from a value greater than the threshold pressure. A method of setting a packer is also included.

Abstract: A plurality of rows of locking dogs are provided with housing flexibility between rows to allow them to share a shear loading while leaving enough structural integrity in the housing to define the windows through which the dogs emerge. The dogs can also have extensions with a surface that grippingly engages the housing adjacent the window on extension of the dogs such that loads can transfer from the housing into the extension and into the profile in which the dog is disposed rather than passing the shear stress through the window edge into the dog that is in the profile. The dog configuration can also share the load on multiple contact surfaces of the housing to reduce stress at each contact location.

Abstract: A string is equipped with a braking device to regulate its speed into the wellbore through an existing tubular. When the targeted amount of overlap with an existing tubular is accomplished the two tubulars are then joined together. The braking system can take many forms such as externally mounted mechanisms that are speed responsive to vary the braking force. The inside of the tubular can have trapped gas to provide buoyancy and reduce the dropping speed. The braking can be accomplished hydraulically through regulated flow through the tubular or by a combination of a hydraulic and mechanical device. The momentum of the dropped string can also be controlled with a swage device that at the appropriate location lands on a taper and wedges or fuses itself to the surrounding tubular to gain support from the surrounding tubular.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to determining the health of a network community. Aspects include defining, via a computer processor, measurable aspects associated with the network community. The measurable aspects include metrics for one or more of: quantified interactions among users in the network community, quantified activities among the users that are associated with a topic, and quantified activities indicative of network community accessibility. Aspects also include monitoring activities conducted via the network community, collecting data from monitored activities that correspond to the measurable aspects, and analyzing collected data from the monitored activities. The analyzing is performed as a function of the metrics. Aspects further include determining, via the computer processor, a health status of the network community from results of the analyzing.

Abstract: A packer system including a packer and a setting mechanism. The setting mechanism has a setting piston that is actuatable in response to a fluid pressure in order to set the packer with the setting piston. The setting mechanism prevents actuation of the setting piston until the pressure is decreased below a threshold pressure from a value greater than the threshold pressure. A method of setting a packer is also included.

Abstract: A system and method for selectively enabling fluid communication between two volumes includes a tubular having a port housing with at least one port and a member disposed with the tubular and movable between a closed position in which the port is closed and an open position in which the port is open. The system further includes a lock element positively engaged with both the member and the tubular for maintaining the member in the closed position. Further, an actuator is in keyed engagement with the lock element for biasing the lock element for enabling the member to move relative to the tubular to the open position for opening the port.

Abstract: A side pocket mandrel has openings to receive a plurality of valves such that the flow of fluid from outside the string and into the tubular such as in gas lift will flow through the valves in series. The side pocket mandrel that has a single valve pocket can also be used in tandem with another similar side pocket mandrel to get the same dual barrier configuration to meet requirements of many jurisdictions of such a valve arrangement for tubular wall openings.

Abstract: Plug element systems comprise a tubular member having at least two seats. An eccentrically-shaped plug member comprises an upper end portion and a lower end portion. The upper end portion comprises an upper end diameter can be less than, greater than, or equal to a lower end portion diameter of the lower end portion. The eccentric shape of the plug member permits it to pass through a first seat and land on a second seat comprising a second seat length where both the first seat and the second seat comprise substantially equal inner seat diameters.

Abstract: A plurality of rows of locking dogs are provided with housing flexibility between rows to allow them to share a shear loading while leaving enough structural integrity in the housing to define the windows through which the dogs emerge. The dogs can also have extensions with a surface that grippingly engages the housing adjacent the window on extension of the dogs such that loads can transfer from the housing into the extension and into the profile in which the dog is disposed rather than passing the shear stress through the window edge into the dog that is in the profile. The dog configuration can also share the load on multiple contact surfaces of the housing to reduce stress at each contact location.

Abstract: A system for setting and retrieving a tool including a tubular having a first profile and a tool having a second profile, the first and second profiles complementarily formed and engagable together for enabling the tool to be located in a borehole with respect to the tubular, the first profile or the second profile at least partially formed from a degradable material, the degradable material degradable upon exposure to a downhole fluid.

Abstract: A plurality of rows of locking dogs are provided with housing flexibility between rows to allow them to share a shear loading while leaving enough structural integrity in the housing to define the windows through which the dogs emerge. The dogs can also have extensions with a surface that grippingly engages the housing adjacent the window on extension of the dogs such that loads can transfer from the housing into the extension and into the profile in which the dog is disposed rather than passing the shear stress through the window edge into the dog that is in the profile. The dog configuration can also share the load on multiple contact surfaces of the housing to reduce stress at each contact location.

Abstract: A tubular actuator includes, a tubular, a support member disposed at the tubular, and a restrictor configured to pass a runnable member when unsupported by the support member and to prevent passage of the runnable member when supported by the support member. The restrictor is movable relative to the support member from an unsupported position to a supported position in response to pressure applied against the runnable member engaged with the restrictor according to a pressure versus time profile.

Abstract: A string is equipped with a braking device to regulate its speed into the wellbore through an existing tubular. When the targeted amount of overlap with an existing tubular is accomplished the two tubulars are then joined together. The braking system can take many forms such as externally mounted mechanisms that are speed responsive to vary the braking force. The inside of the tubular can have trapped gas to provide buoyancy and reduce the dropping speed. The braking can be accomplished hydraulically through regulated flow through the tubular or by a combination of a hydraulic and mechanical device. The momentum of the dropped string can also be controlled with a swage device that at the appropriate location lands on a taper and wedges or fuses itself to the surrounding tubular to gain support from the surrounding tubular.

Abstract: A system for setting and retrieving a tool including a tubular having a first profile and a tool haing a second profile, the first and second profiles complementarily formed and engagable together for enabling the tool to be located in a borehole with respect to the tubular, the first profile or the second profile at least partially formed from a degradable material, the degradable material degradable upon exposure to a downhole fluid.

Abstract: A system and method for selectively enabling fluid communication between two volumes, the system including a tubular having a port housing with at least one port, a member disposed with the tubular and movable between a closed position in which the port is closed and an open position in which the port is open, a lock element positively engaged with both the member and the tubular for maintaining the member in the closed position, and an actuator in keyed engagement with the lock element for biasing the lock element, wherein actuation of the actuator releases the lock element to resiliently spring into engagement with solely one of the member or the tubular for enabling the member to move relative to the tubular to the open position for opening the port.

Abstract: A completion tubular is placed in position adjacent the zone or zones to be fractured and produced. It features preferably sliding sleeve valves one series of which can be put in the wide open position after run in for gravel packing and fracturing zones one at a time or in any desired order. These valves are then closed and another series of valves can be opened wide but with a screen material juxtaposed in the flow passage to selectively produce from one or more fractured zones. An annular path behind the gravel is provided by an offset screen to promote flow to the screened production port. The path can be a closed annulus that comes short of the production port or goes over it. For short runs an exterior screen or shroud is eliminated for a sliding sleeve with multiple screened ports that can be opened in tandem.

Abstract: A tubular actuator includes, a restrictor disposed at a tubular that is engageably receptive to a runnable member run thereagainst as long as pressure remains above a latch pressure, the restrictor configured to allow passage of the runnable member after a delay at pressure equal to or below the latch pressure.