Abstract: Portable shoulder dressing apparatus is disclosed for dressing shoulders on threaded ends of tubular connections. The shoulder dressing tool, either of the box type or pin type, uses primary and/or secondary cutters to remove material from seal and/or stop shoulders of the tubular connection either simultaneously or on a single shoulder. The shoulder dressing tool includes a mandrel that is threadably secured to the threaded end of the tubular connection. A piston and cutter bar are fixably secured together for holding primary and secondary cutter blades. The piston, cutter bar, and cutters are mounted for axial and rotational movement with respect to the mandrel. A compression chamber is activated, either hydraulically or pneumatically, to provide a biasing force to urge the cutters axially into contact with the shoulders to be dressed. An axially adjustable stop including a stop roller is used to set a travel length that determines the amount of material removed from the shoulders.

Abstract: A valve comprising a valve body having a through opening that forms a fluid passage and having a wall surrounding a portion of the fluid passage, the wall defining a radially inwardly facing surface, the valve further including a valve element rotatably mounted in the valve body. To retain a valve seat in the valve body, there is provided a ring that has a peripheral surface shaped and sized such that the peripheral surface closely faces the radially inwardly facing surface of the wall when the ring is positioned within the through opening. The ring has a first axially facing side and a second axially facing side and a notch formed in the first side, the ring also having a second, radially outwardly facing annular groove in the peripheral surface that intersects the notch. When the ring is positioned within the through opening of the valve body, the first and second annular grooves are in register and thereby define an annular channel.

Abstract: In accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention, the existing valves in a crude oil, gas, or other product pipeline are positively sealed off to allow a pressure test to be made of a section or segment of the pipeline between the valves. The section is packed with a hydrocarbon or aqueous liquid. A mixture of a highly viscous hydrocarbon based gel material and a lost-circulation material are injected into the pipeline segment adjacent each valve to form plugs in the line. The gel plugs are squeezed under pressure against the internal components of each valve to cause all leakage paths therein to be bridged over and sealed off. The pipeline segment then is pressure tested to determine if there are any leaks therein, after which the gel is flushed out of the line and broken down into a linear pumpable state for disposal.

Abstract: A drill string having a core sampling device at its lower end is suspended in an earth borehole by a rotary drilling rig at the earth's surface. Drilling fluid pulsations are monitored in the drilling fluid standpipe to generate characteristic signatures of normal coring operations and a precursor, abnormal, signature when the core sampling device first begins to jam, before catastrophic jamming has occurred. Responsive to the abnormal signature, remedial action is commenced, such as reducing WOB, RPM, or terminating the coring operation. The system is also used to determine that an activatable downhole tool has one or more of its parts moved from a first position to a second position.

Abstract: A method and combination of materials for freeing stuck pipe involves first the spotting of a clear brine, preferably calcium chloride, calcium bromide or zinc bromide, or mixtures thereof, for a given period of time, preferably at least about 8 hours, in the stuck region of the pipe, followed by the spotting of a spotting agent selected from wetting agents, surfactants, lubricants, or mixtures thereof, in the stuck region of the pipe.

Abstract: According to the method of the invention, it is possible to separate and selectively remove alkyltetralins coexisting in a small amount in a LAB mixture which is an intermediate raw material for surfactants for detergents, the method conveniently being carried out in a continuous manner using a solid adsorbent.

Abstract: Improved techniques are provided for drilling a deviated borehole through earth formations utilizing a rotary bit powered by a drill motor, and for obtaining information regarding the borehole or earth formations. A sensor permanently positioned in the drilling string between the drill bit and the drill motor detects a downhole parameter. An MWD tool may be provided within a non-magnetic portion of the drill string for receiving and transmitting a sensor representative signal to the surface. The sensor signal allows the drilling operation to be altered, and highly reliable and near-bit information thus improves the drilling operation.

Abstract: A technique for determining the extent of underground contamination within a test area involves recording of magnetic measurements at each of a plurality of test sites to generate magnetic test data. The generated magnetic test data is grouped within one of a plurality of selected data ranges, and the grouped data is displayed as a function of the test area. The displayed test data may be compared with base data related to underground contamination to determine the extent of contamination within the test area. Generated data is grouped within the plurality of data ranges each having variation of less than 25 gammas, and multiple groupings of data may be displayed with similarly colored data within one of a plurality of levels. The displayed test data may be compared with the contamination level from one or more contamination locations within the test area, and contamination locations overlayed on a map of the test area with the grouped magnetic test data.

Abstract: A downhole tool for making up threaded connections between lower and upper tubulars within a well bore includes a lower anchoring member, an upper anchoring member, and a drive member including a movable piston assembly. A plurality of straight splines on the piston assembly and mating splines on a housing rotatable with the lower anchoring member allow axial movement while preventing rotational movement of the piston assembly with respect to the lower anchoring member during the tool driving stroke. The helical drive component on the piston assembly and a mating driven component rotatable with the upper anchoring member cooperate to rotate the upper anchoring member and thus the upper tubular to make up the downhole threaded connection. According to the method of the present invention, the upper and lower anchoring members are each secured to a respective tubular, and fluid pressure is increased to drive the piston assembly downward, thereby rotating the upper tubular.

Abstract: A reel assembly for storing, coiling, and decoiling a flexible elongate member, such as a water hose, includes a stationary base and an enclosure rotatably mounted relative to the stationary base. The hose enclosure is designed such that the coiled hose can be removed from the receiving cavity and a new flexible elongate member positioned within the receiving cavity. The enclosure is also constructed so that the assembly be easily altered from a usable configuration to a storage/shipment configuration. Fluid may be transmitted through a center support member of the reel assembly to a coiled hose within the receiving cavity. According to the method of the present invention, the user pulls outward on the hose to rotate the enclosure relative to the base and thereby withdraw the hose from the assembly, and thereafter pushes the hose toward the assembly to rotate the enclosure in the opposite direction and thereby recoil the hose within the assembly.

Abstract: Measuring and regulating valve assembly which includes a butterfly valve and a measuring flange, the measuring flange being situated upstream of the butterfly valve, the distance between the valve and the measuring flange being at least 0.6.times. the nominal passageway diameter, the assembly including a control box that has an adjustable stop that may contact a cam of a sleeve connected to an operating means whereby the maximum opening angle of the butterfly valve can be restricted in a reproducible manner, the sleeve being connected to the valve shaft.

Abstract: A ram assembly for positioning within a through bore of a blowout preventer body includes first and second opposing ram pistons each powering a respective knife blade. Each knife blade may have a pair of angled shear edges on opposite sides of the respective ram centerline, with each pair of angled shear edges defining a generally V-shaped configuration. The pair of opposing knife edges preferably engage the oilfield tubular at four contact points spaced substantially equidistant about a circumference of the tubular, and thereby contain the tubular for the shearing operation. According to the method of the present invention, the oilfield tubular is sheared substantially by brittle shearing rather than ductile shearing.

Abstract: An adjustable pulsator for a hair dryer has a rotatable disc 14 with peripheral blades 17. A housing 18 has apertures 26 which are effectively closed by more or the less by protrusions 27 when a ring 19 supporting the protrusions 27 is rotated relative to the housing 18. The more open the apertures, the faster the disc 14 will rotate in use.

Abstract: A setting tool and a bailer bottom tool are provided for forming a wellbore plugback operation of the type used in hydrocarbon recovery operations. Each of the setting tool and the bailer bottom tool include a battery pack for powering an actuating device to actuate the respective tool downhole, thereby avoiding the risks and costs associated with mechanical jarring devices, explosive charges, and devices activated by transmitting signals to the downhole tool through an electrically conductive cable. Each tool may be biased by a spring to a release position, and the actuating device may release compressed fluid from the tool to the wellbore, thereby allowing movement of a piston member and corresponding movement of a mechanical release device for moving the tool to a release position. A trigger mechanism electronically in series between the battery power source and the actuating device may be a programmable timer or a motion sensitive timer.