Abstract: A novel method, system and tool for performing formation and well evaluation while drilling are disclosed. These inventions determine the properties of a particular formation within a reservoir as the reservoir is being intersected during well construction. In one form of the invention, the formation evaluation is made using a direct measurement of the formation's ability to flow fluids. The flow potential of a reservoir during underbalanced well construction is determined as the well is being constructed. The methods produce an understanding of the volumes and types of fluids such as oil, gas, and/or water, that can be produced out of discrete sections of a formation within a reservoir as the reservoir is intersected.

Abstract: The surface areas available for absorbing compressive loading of a threaded connection are increased by increasing the engaged area of a torque shoulder in the connection and by reducing the spacing between the stab flanks of the threads. The areas are increased by increasing the dimensions of the components and by decreasing the machine tolerances permitted in manufacturing the components. The gap in the connection adjacent the torque shoulder is reduced so that the contact surface area of the torque shoulder is increased while the close proximity of the surrounding cylindrical walls of the connection reduces voids that can receive plastic deformation of the torque shoulder corners. The surfaces adjacent the torque shoulder are cylindrical in shape rather than being tapered to reduce machining costs and increase the speed of manufacture of the connection.

Abstract: A method and system for drilling or cutting a subterranean well or formation 52 using a drilling rig 5, a drill string 55, a plurality of solid material impactors 100, a drilling fluid and a drill bit 60 is disclosed. This invention may have particular utility in drilling wells for the petroleum industry and for cutting formation in the mining and tunnel boring industries. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of solid material impactors are introduced into the drilling fluid and pumped through the drill string and drill bit to impact the formation ahead of the bit. At the point of impact, a substantial portion by weight of the impactors may have sufficient energy to structurally alter, excavate, and/or fracture the impacted formation. The majority by weight of the plurality of solid material impactors may have a mean diameter of at least 0.100 inches, and may structurally alter the formation to a depth of at least twice the mean diameter of the particles comprising the impacted formation.

Abstract: A bottom hole assembly 10 for drilling a deviated borehole includes a positive displacement motor (PDM) 12 or a rotary steerable device (RSD) 110 having a substantially uniform diameter motor housing outer surface without stabilizers extending radially therefrom. In a PDM application, the motor housing 14 may have a fixed bend therein between an upper power section 16 and a lower bearing section 18. The long gauge bit 20 powered by the motor 10 may have a bit face 22 with cutters 28 thereon and a gauge section 24 having a uniform diameter cylindrical surface 26. The gauge section 24 preferably has an axial length at least 75% of the bit diameter. The axial spacing between the bit face and the bend of the motor housing preferably is less than twelve times the bit diameter. According to the method of the present invention, the bit may be rotated at a speed of less than 350 rpm by the PDM and/or rotation of the RSD from the surface.

Abstract: There is disclosed a ball and plug dropping head which includes a housing having an inlet at its upper end and an outlet at its lower end, and passages extending downwardly within the housing at circumferentially spaced locations, each to receive a ball or plug. A lateral opening connects the inlet with each passage beneath a removable plug closing the upper end of each passage, and valves are mounted in the housing each to close the passage beneath the lateral opening and thus beneath a ball on plug in the passage.

Abstract: The blood sampling assembly includes a retractable double-ended needle so that a vial may be passed through an opposed end of the needle to obtain a blood sample. The assembly includes a hollow cylinder including circumferentially spaced seat tabs which allow a needle seat and the needle supported thereon to be released upon rotation of tube with respect to hollow cylinder. The extractor assembly includes a stopper for maintaining a vacuum within tube to withdraw the needle to a retracted position within the tube upon rotation of the tube, the end cap, and the stopper retainer. A stopper tab positioner rotationally connects the stopper to the cylinder.

Abstract: In an apparatus for connecting tubular members together by cold forging a plurality of rollers are carried on a shaft which includes a tapered portion cooperating with the rollers to force the rollers radially outwardly to forge the tubular member into the end portion of a surrounding tubular member. The forging apparatus is provided with a gear mechanism which incrementally rotates the rollers upon completion of each reciprocal pass so that substantially all of the internal surface of the tubular member is contacted by the rollers to forge the tubular member into the end portion of the surrounding tubular member.

Abstract: A graphite or silicate plug is coated with a refractory metal and positioned in the cutter pocket of a steel bodied bit as molten hardfacing material is applied to the bit surface under high temperature conditions. The refractory metal cooperates with the hardfacing material to act as a wetting agent that draws the hardfacing material into intimate contact with the body of the displacement plug. The plug is removed leaving a composite pocket opening formed by the steel body and the hardfacing material. A PDC cutter inserted into the composite pocket opening closely adheres to the sides of the opening to reduce the gap between the cutter and the hardfacing material to hereby minimize the effects of erosion in the area of the gap. The wetting material on the displacement plug permits the hardfacing material to flow into and remain in position immediately adjacent the displacement body and in the small surface area between adjacent cutter pockets.

Abstract: There is provided a process for producing high-purity magnesium hydroxide by reaction of magnesium or reactive magnesium compounds with hydroxy compounds yielding magnesium alkoxides, followed by hydrolysis to form magnesium hydroxide, or a process for producing magnesium oxide by calcination of magnesium hydroxide.

Abstract: A self-contained system to continuously monitor a mechanism used to process, control or regulate fluid flow or pressure and provide a continuing indication of the status or condition of the monitored mechanism. A specific form of the invention employs a low frequency sonic-to-electrical transducer that monitors opening and closing of a disk-type steam trap. The detected sonic signal is processed and sent to a microprocessor that is programmed to develop a time-based, baseline data set representative of normal operation of the steam trap in the environment in which it operates. The baseline data set is compared with the data from on-line operations of the steam trap. As the environment and the steam trap operation change during normal on-line operations, the baseline data set is updated to change with the changing environment and the changing steam trap operation.

Abstract: A lifting device for a pallet comprising a rigid lower L-shaped lifting frame having a pair of lower rigid legs for inserting within openings in a pallet having a load thereon. The L-shaped lifting frame includes upwardly extending back frame members extending upwardly from the lower lifting legs. A pair of cables are connected to the back frame members and another pair of cables are connected to the free ends of the lower lifting legs. For connecting the lifting device onto the pallet, the front cables connected to the free ends of the legs are disconnected so that the legs may be inserted within openings in the pallet with free ends of the legs extending from the pallet. Then, the front cables are reconnected to the lifting legs for lifting of the pallet and load thereon.

Abstract: A subsea riser disconnect assembly 10 may be actuated from a drilling rig DR by axial movement of an upper riser 35 relative to a lower riser 28, for disconnecting the upper riser 35 from the lower riser 28. A subsea riser valve assembly 20 may be actuated from the drilling rig DR by axial movement of the upper riser 35 relative to the lower riser 28, for sealing an interior portion of the lower riser 28 and well bore WB below the subsea riser valve assembly 20. A drill pipe disconnect 30 may be actuated from a drilling rig DR, either onshore or offshore, for disconnecting an upper portion of drill pipe 236 from a lower portion of drill pipe 240. The drill pipe disconnect 30 may be actuatable by hydraulic and/or mechanical forces applied to the drill pipe disconnect 30 from the drilling rig DR. The drill pipe disconnect 30 may be compatible for use with or without the subsea riser disconnect assembly 10 and/or the subsea riser valve assembly 20.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for a fluid fertilizer distributor (10, 200, 300, or 400) for distributing fluid fertilizer conducted from a supply vessel (11) to each of a plurality of applicator lines (44). The fluid distributor may regulate a fluid fertilizer flow rate by selectively moving a flow restrictor (50, 250, 350, or 450) relative to the distributor housing. The distributor housing may include a supply inlet port (12, 212, 312, or 412) and a plurality of distributor outlet ports (16, 216, 316, or 416) each for fluid communication with a respective one of the plurality of applicator lines (44). The fluid distributor may separate the fluid fertilizer into a plurality of fluid flow paths prior to reducing the pressure in the fluid to avoid gas flashing or vaporization prior to separation.

Abstract: A bolt seal provides a slidable sleeve surrounding a solid bolt body having a bolt head affixed at one end. The sleeve is held in abutting contact with the bolt head at one end of the sleeve and a shoulder comprising an enlarged diameter portion of the solid bolt body at the other end of the sleeve. The bolt head can therefore be pressed snug against a seal housing, thereby eliminating a mode of jimmying the seal, while simultaneously providing a means for opening the seal with bolt cutters when the seal must be opened.

Abstract: A threaded connection for tubular members comprising a box connector having axially spaced threaded sections and a thread-free section therebetween, the threaded sections of the box connector defining a two-step thread, a pin connector having axially spaced threaded sections and a thread-free section therebetween, the threads in the box connector mating with the threads on the pin connector, there being at least one annular relief in the thread-free portion of at least one of the pin connector and the box connector, an axially facing pin torque shoulder being formed on the pin connector and an axially facing box torque shoulder being formed on the box connector, a metal-to-metal seal being formed between the thread-free sections of the pin and box connectors when the pin torque shoulder and the box torque shoulder are engaged, the annular relief being adjacent the metal-to-metal seal.

Abstract: A differential float and cementing valve assembly used to position and cement casing in a well bore. A leaf spring and other components of the assembly are preferably constructed of composite materials and/or plastics that can be drilled up with polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits.

Abstract: This disclosure sets out a method of forming a protective layer on the surface of the material of drill bits to increase the number of hits when drilling very small holes such as those drilled in printed circuit board (PCB's). The process involves forming a phosphorous based solution which is used as a dip to treat the drill bits, and then it is heated to drive off the solvent which is primarily water, oil, or glycol. This leaves a protective layer featuring phosphorous based materials on the surface of drill bit. This works for tool steel drill bits and also for those made with a cobalt alloy holding together tungsten carbide particles. The method preferably includes applying a treatment fluid in lieu of cutting oil during the fabrication of the cutting tool, the fluid including a compound containing phosphorus and nitrogen/hydrogen groups.

Abstract: Novel liquid amphilphile polymers based on polyesters having condensed acetal groups which are liquid at room temperature, the polymers being useful in powder or liquid detergents and cleaning agents and in textile processing.

Abstract: A sample probe 18 for a gas sampling system obtains a highly accurate hydrocarbon gas sample from a pipeline, particularly when ambient conditions are below the hydrocarbon dew point. A compartment 20 houses a heater 44 and a pump 30, with the pump being mounted on an upper body 50 of probe 18 by suitable nuts 56, 58. A lower probe section 48 having coarse threads 76 is mounted within pipeline 10 and has a diameter D1 of at least greater than 80% of the diameter D of internally threaded opening 14 of pipeline 10. Probe 18 has large diameter upper body 50 externally threaded for mounting compartment 20 thereon. Probe 18 is preferably formed of an anodized aluminum material having a high thermal conductivity in excess of 80 BTU/Ft Hr/Ft2/° F.

Abstract: A wellhead 10 for use with subterranean wells includes an improved tubing hanger 16 including an improved electric power cable pack-off port 20 that permits positioning an electric submersible pump (“ESP”) power cable 40 through the port 20 in the tubing hanger. The improved wellhead permits installation of packing 34 and compression rings 30, 32 within the power cable port 20 to create a vapor-tight pressure seal around the outer cable jacket 41. The seal may be rated at pressures of at least 750 psia. The wellhead 10 comprises a wellhead body 12 for supporting a tubing hanger 16, the tubing hanger including a tubing port 22 and a power cable port 20 for passing electrical power from an electrical power source 72 through the power cable port to the electric motor M. The wellhead 10 also includes a cable seal 34 within the power cable port, a lower packing seat 66, and a packing gland 24 selectively moveable with respect to the seat for compressing the cable seal 34 to form a pneumatic seal.