Abstract: A progressive cavity pump system on a well includes a holdback apparatus. The holdback apparatus has a housing and a one-way bearing in the housing. The housing attaches to the drive head on the well. The one-way bearing allows the motor to drive the pump. The one-way bearing prevents reverse rotation, preventing the sucker rod from unwinding and fluid above the pump from draining, when the pump loses power.

Abstract: A rotating control device can include a rotatably mounted seal which sealingly engages a drill string, and a gripping device which grips the drill string and thereby forces the seal to rotate with the drill string. A drilling method can include positioning a drill string in a rotating control device, gripping the drill string with a gripping device of the rotating control device, and rotating the drill string, gripping engagement between the gripping device and the drill string causing a seal of the rotating control device to rotate along with the drill string. A well system can include a drill string, and a rotating control device including a seal which sealingly engages the drill string and a gripping device which grippingly engages the drill string.

Abstract: A disclosed example embodiment of a constant velocity device positionable in a well bore includes a continuously-variable transmission, including an input race coupled to a rotational power input shaft, an output race, and a plurality of transmission elements disposed between the input race and the output race in a planetary formation. The transmission elements are configured to transmit rotational power from the input race to the output race. The constant velocity device also includes a weighted rotor assembly coupled at a first end to the output race. The weighted rotor assembly includes at least two weighted lever arms rotatable about a central axis of a power output shaft coupled to a second end of the weighted lever arms.

Abstract: An axially-floating sub tool for axial load compensation in conjunction with a top drive comprises cylindrical upper and lower members, with the upper member being coaxially disposed within a cylindrical housing. The upper member has an upper section slidably disposed within an opening in the upper end of the housing, plus a middle section that slidably and sealingly engages the housing bore. The lower-member bore has a splined upper interval, and a coaxial stinger extending upward from an annular shoulder medially located in the lower-member bore. The lower member is connected to the lower end of the housing with the stinger slidingly and sealingly disposed within the upper-member bore, and with the lower-member splines slidingly engaging the upper-member splines, thus defining upper, middle, and lower annular chambers, with the middle and lower chambers in fluid communication, and with a regulator/check valve regulating pressure in the middle and lower chambers.

Abstract: A kelly driver has a top ring and a plurality of split bushings. The a top ring has a top surface, a bottom surface, a drive lug extending from the bottom surface, and a central passage extending through the top and bottom surfaces. The drive lug has a notch within an end face thereof. A first one of the split bushings has a drive lug extending outwardly from a side surface thereof. Adjacent pairs of the split bushings have end portions thereof pivotably connected to each other through a respective hinge structure. Each hinge structure includes a respective connection pin about which adjacent pair of the split bushings are pivotably connected. An upper surface of each one of the split bushings is engaged with the bottom surface of the top ring with the drive lug of the first one of the split bushings positioned within the drive lug of the top ring.

Abstract: A locking swivel apparatus is provided. The locking swivel includes an upper body portion having a counter bore about a cylindrical axis and a mandrel receivable in the counter bore. The apparatus further includes a locking arrangement, including at least one replaceable gear member, disposed to engage with the upper body portion and the mandrel. The locking arrangement is further disposed to selectively couple and decouple the upper body portion and the mandrel, such selective coupling and decoupling disposed to correspondingly constrain and allow relative rotation of the upper body portion and the mandrel about the cylindrical axis. Embodiments of the locking swivel include two replaceable gears disposed to selectively engage and disengage one another.

Abstract: A locking swivel apparatus is provided. The locking swivel includes an upper body portion having a counter bore about a cylindrical axis, a mandrel receivable in the counter bore, and a lower cap member threadably engaged with the upper body portion. The apparatus further includes an internal locking arrangement configured to selectively couple and decouple the upper body portion and the mandrel. The selective coupling and decoupling is disposed to correspondingly constrain and allow relative rotation of the upper body portion and the mandrel about the cylindrical axis. The apparatus still further includes a supplemental internal locking mechanism configured, upon engagement, to selectively constrain the upper body portion and the mandrel from reciprocating along the cylindrical axis. The engagement of the supplemental locking mechanism is operable to secure the upper body portion and the mandrel in a coupled position.

Abstract: A bushing for retaining a spider and comprising a basket portion having an opening in its upper end and a base at its lower end, there being a further opening in the base to allow a tubing string to extend substantially axially through the basket portion. The bushing further comprises a flange extending at least partially around the upper opening, wherein the bushing can be suspended through an opening in a rig floor to be supported by the flange.

Abstract: A wellbore tubular handling system and method is provided for operation in holding and lowering tubulars, such as tubing strings, casing strings, pipe strings, and the various components thereof, at a rig site. The handling system utilizes a shock table with a compressible support surface that compressively moves with a selected compression rate in response to the weight of the wellbore tubular string. The shock table preferably has a shock table body mounted below the rig floor and may conveniently replace the rotary table master bushing except for a flange which supports the shock table on the rig floor. A split-sectioned landing spear can be split open to an open position to thereby allow large items such as collars or other string components to pass through the shock table.

Abstract: A universal joint assembly having a shaft and one or more housings. The housing has an opening for coupling with the shaft. The shaft pivots against a seat disposed in the opening during articulation. The joint assembly further includes one or more torque transmitting rollers disposed in one or more roller slots formed on the rotating surfaces. The shaft is retained axially using a retaining member disposed beyond the torque section. The joint assembly is sealed from drilling fluids using a seal assembly having a seal member biased against a seal cap disposed on the shaft. The joint assembly further includes a grease fitting axially disposed for introducing grease into the joint assembly.

Abstract: Shaped plates are provided, one above each side of a spider, to replace the bails and links used to suspend the spider and its pipe payloads. The load applied to the housing suspension hard points, whether ears or lugs, to suspend the spider is transferred to the rig floor by the plates. The plates are preferably shaped to balance about a cross pin situated in a cross bore in the plates. The plates are not inclined to tilt whether being hoisted or loaded by the spider. The spider is submerged into the rotary opening and results in reduced height of pipe string connections to be worked.

Abstract: A spider for use within the rotary table opening has all movable elements flush with or below the rig floor. The conventional wedge shaped slips are supported and aligned by a slip carrier that has a spherical outer surface that slideably mates with a spherical bowl inner surface in the spider such that the pipe, slip, and slip carrier can tilt as a unit about any horizontal axis that passes through the spherical surface center.

Abstract: A mechanical swivel apparatus which has a first upper body portion threadably attached to the lower end of a side entry sub apparatus, and a second lower portion which is threadably attached to a section of drill pipe, the apparatus positionable above the rotary table on the rig floor, and having a continuous bore therethrough for running wireline or the like. The upper body portion includes a counterbore for receiving the upper end of a mandrel, so that the mandrel is able to move within the counterbore of the upper body portion. The lower portion comprises an open-ended cap member which threadable engages the upper body portion, and has a shoulder portion which engages a flange around the body of the mandrel so that the mandrel is allowed to move within the upper body portion but cannot be slidably removed therefrom.

Abstract: A kelly-bar apparatus includes, for example, an inner kelly-bar, a second kelly-bar and an outer kelly-bar. These kelly-bars are relatively telescopically operable and torque is transmitted from outside to inside. When the second and outer kelly-bar are in a contracted position, they are supported by a spring on a spring support fixed to the inner kelly-bar. The bottom end of a torque transmitting projection of the inner kelly-bar is fitted into and welded to the spring support. The spring support is fixed onto an engagement member formed integrally with the inner kelly-bar. In addition, a stop member for preventing the second kelly-bar from coming away from the outer kelly-bar projects from the inner periphery of the outer kelly-bar at a location above the torque transmitting portion.

Abstract: A split, solid mass, drive bushing-drive plate for use when a kelly is used to sever a length of well casing. The invention fits into the master bushing and prevents wear on the corners between the flat sides of the kelly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mounting device for a ceramic heat recovery wheel having a central bore therein. A metal hub is situated in the bore having a plurality of radially movable shoes for fastening the hub to the wheel. The radially movable shoes each have a radially directed stem with a contact portion abutting the ceramic wheel. The contact portion has a substantially greater cross-sectional area than the stem and in the preferred embodiment is a double cantilevered beam extending from the stem. The cantilevered beams are permitted to bow or flex when subjected to extreme temperatures, thereby permitting radial displacement of the shoe without subjection of the ceramic disk to extreme tensile forces which might cause its breakage.