Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention discloses a shot indication device that indicates the orientation of a downhole tool that is inside of a wellbore at a particular time. The shot indication device can also be used to determine the orientation of a perforating gun with shaped charges at the instant the shaped charges are detonated. The shot indication device is comprised of an indicator housing secured within the downhole tool. Formed within the indicator housing is an annulus whose axis is parallel to the axis of the downhole tool. Disposed inside of the annulus is an indicator element that freely moves about the circumference of the annulus.

Abstract: A method for eliminating the presence of micro-annuluses associated with a subsea hydrocarbon producing wellbore for accurate gathering of data within the subsea hydrocarbon producing wellbore. The method involves using a sea floor pressure head assembly in conjunction with a subsea blow out preventer, where the sea floor pressure head assembly has an elongated tube with a stop ring formed thereon and an ambient pressure side. The blow out preventer is connected to the entrance of the subsea hydrocarbon producing wellbore, and includes an inflatable bladder and is connected to a hollow riser connected thereto.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention discloses a system and method for orienting perforating guns inside of slanted or deviated wellbores. The invention involves adding a weight inside of the guns to gravitate the gun to a specified orientation. The weight is situated on the outer circumference of the gun tube and within the inner diameter of the gun body. The invention is capable of orienting the gun in any radial position without affecting the shot performance of any of the shaped charges.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention discloses a system for use with a downhole tool while perforating deviated portions of subterranean wellbores. The system involves a swivel connection attaching subsequent segments of the downhole tool which increases the overall flexibility of the downhole tool. The swivel connection allows sections of the downhole tool to pivot with respect to the next adjacent section.

Abstract: A liner for a shaped charge formed from a mixture of powdered heavy metal and a powdered metal binder. The liner is formed by compression of the mixture into a liner body. In one embodiment of the invention, the mixture comprises a range of 50 to 93 percent by weight of tungsten, and 50 to 7 percent by weight of the powdered metal binder. In a specific embodiment of the invention, graphite powder is intermixed with the powdered metal binder to act as a lubricant during formation of the shaped charge liner. The powdered metal binder can be a combination of copper powder, lead, and molybdenum.

Abstract: The present invention involves a remote sub sea lubricator assembly for inserting a wireline tool into a sub sea well comprising an elongated tube having an axial passage formed therethrough for receiving the wireline tool. The remote sub sea lubricator is lowered beneath the surface of the sea for connection to a sub sea well. Contained within the lubricator is the wireline tool. Once connected to the sub sea well, the wireline tool is released from the lubricator into the well. The lubricator enables the wireline tool to enter and exit the well without sea water entering the well.

Abstract: A well pressure activated pack off head comprising a hollow body formed for coaxial connection to the wellhead which provides for unobstructed passage of a data transmitting wireline therethrough. Disposed coaxially within the hollow body is a pack off rubber with a passage formed along its longitudinal axis for passage of a data transmitting wireline. Located below the pack off rubber is a piston in pressure communication with the wellbore. High pressure inside of the wellbore squeezes the piston against the pack off rubber and compresses it tightly around the wireline. A pressure seal is formed between the pack off rubber and the wireline when the pack off rubber is sufficiently compressed by the piston.

Abstract: A liner for a shaped charge formed from a mixture of powdered heavy metal and a powdered metal binder. The liner is formed by compression of the mixture into a liner body shape. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the mixture comprises a range of 90 to 97 percent by weight of powdered heavy metal, and 10 to 3 percent by weight of the powdered metal binder. In a specific embodiment of the invention, a lubricant is intermixed with the powdered metal binder to aid in the formation of the shaped charge liner. The preferred powdered heavy metal is tungsten, and the preferred powdered metal binder is copper. The powdered metal binder can be comprised of other malleable ductile metals such as bismuth, zinc, tin, uranium, silver, gold, antimony, cobalt, zinc alloys, tin alloys, nickel, or palladium.

Abstract: A method of producing a liner for a shaped charge comprising mixing a composition of powdered metal with plasticizers and binders to form a paste. The paste is then particulated and injected into an injection mold. The paste is molded into a molded liner shape and then chemically treated to remove plasticizers and binders from the molded liner shape. After being removed from the injection mold the molded liner shape is sintered inside of a furnace. The powdered metal composition can be comprised of a mixture of from 60% to 97% by weight of powdered heavy metal and from 40% to 3% by weight of cobalt, or the powdered metal composition can be comprised of a mixture of from 60% to 97% by weight of powdered heavy metal and from 40% to 3% of copper, the preferred heavy metal being tungsten.

Abstract: A shaped charge for generating a large hole in material such as well casing downhole in a wellbore. A shaped charge liner is oriented about a longitudinal axis, and a disk is positioned at the liner apex. When an explosive material is initiated the liner collapses into a perforating jet. The disk alters the jet formation process and changes the shape and location of a bulge within the perforating jet. Consequently, the shape of the perforating jet retains a larger diameter for generating a larger hole in the material to be perforated or for controlling the penetration depth. The disk surfaces can be flat, concave, convex or other shapes, and the disk composition can be varied to accomplish different design criteria.

Abstract: A method for determining the resistivity of earth formations penetrated by a wellbore. Electrical current is imparted to the wellbore and the earth formations from a first electrode located on a mandrel disposed in the wellbore. The electrical current is returned at a second electrode on the mandrel at a spaced apart location from the first electrode. Voltage differences are measured between a first pair and a second pair of electrodes located on the mandrel between the first and the second electrodes. Circuits used to measure the voltage differences are adjusted until the measured voltage difference between the second pair is substantially the same as the measured voltage difference between the first pair. Then the electrical current is returned to an electrode at the earth's surface or other location distal from the first electrode, and measuring the voltage differences is repeated. A difference of the voltage differences is then calculated.

Abstract: A shaped charge for generating a large hole in material such as well casing downhole in a wellbore. A shaped charge liner is oriented about a longitudinal axis, and a disk is positioned at the liner apex. When an explosive material is initiated the liner collapses into a perforating jet. The disk alters the jet formation process and changes the shape and location of a bulge within the perforating jet. Consequently, the shape of the perforating jet retains a larger diameter for generating a larger hole in the material to be perforated or for controlling the penetration depth. The disk surfaces can be flat, concave, convex or other shapes, and the disk composition can be varied to accomplish different design criteria.

Abstract: A method for correcting data measured by a well logging instrument for effects of cable yo-yo. The data are first preprocessed to reduce magnitude of spatial frequency components in the data occurring within a bandwidth of axial acceleration of the logging instrument which corresponds to the cable. Then eigenvalues of a matrix are shifted, over depth intervals where the smallest absolute value one of the eigenvalues changes sign, by an amount such that the smallest absolute value eigenvalue does not change sign. The matrix forms part of a system of linear equations by which the measurements made by the instrument are converted to values of a property of interest of earth formations. Artifacts which may remain in the data after the step of preprocessing are substantially removed by the eigenvalue shifting. In one embodiment, the step of preprocessing includes low pass filtering using a cutoff at the axial resolution limit of a sensor on the instrument.

Abstract: A method of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) well log processing. A wavelet decomposition of an NMR echo train is preformed. The resulting small scale coefficients, which may be discretely or continuously indexed by scale, in alternative embodiments, are windowed, and a first reconstruction generated therefrom by inverse wavelet transformation. The reconstructed signal is inverted and fit to a multiexponential model. Further refinements may be generated by iteratively decomposing the fitted signal at a preselected maximum scale, increasing at each iteration, generating a new coefficient by replacing the corresponding portion of the previous coefficient with the coefficient at the current scale, reconstructing the signal with the new coefficient, and fitting the signal so reconstructed to the relaxation time distribution.

Abstract: A logging tool system for analyzing the carbon dioxide concentration in a fluid sample downhole in a borehole. A chamber is filled with the fluid sample and is closed to isolate the fluid sample from the borehole. The interior chamber volume is expanded to decompress the fluid sample, and a transmitter discharges light in the mid-infrared range. A sensor measures the absorbance of mid-infrared light by the decompressed fluid sample and generates a signal representing the carbon dioxide concentration. Mid-infrared light absorbance in the range between 4.1 and 4.4 microns can be analyzed by the processor to identify the carbon dioxide concentration in the fluid sample, and infrared absorbance in the mid-infrared range between 3.2 and 3.6 microns can be analyzed to identify methyl and metheylene components. A wiper cleans the transmitter and sensor between readings to reduce measurement errors caused by fluid sample contamination.

Abstract: A method of focusing the measurements from an array type induction logging tool using an inhomogeneous background rather than a homogeneous background. A modeled inhomogeneous background response can be separated from the measured response and focused directly using focusing target functions. The residue, the difference between the measured response and the background response, can then be focused using conventional linear focusing methods. A final focusing response is obtained by adding the two focusing responses.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing sand and other debris from a wellbore. The apparatus is particularly suited for wireline operation, and requires minimal surface equipment. A housing is lowered into the wellbore until the housing is proximate to the sand, and a valve is opened to permit entry of the sand into a housing chamber. The housing can be raised to the wellbore surface so that the sand can be removed from the housing chamber. In one embodiment of the invention, the housing has two chambers each having a floating piston. A liquid is initially retained within the first chamber and is pressurized as the housing is lowered into the wellbore. Activation of a valve and differential pressures acting across the first piston move the liquid into the second chamber and draw the sand into the first chamber. The second chamber captures the liquid and facilitates return of the pistons to the initial position after the sand is emptied from the first chamber.

Abstract: A method for encouraging breakout formation during the formation of hydrocarbon producing wellbores. Breakouts are encouraged during drilling operations to increase the stability of the formation rock immediately adjacent to the wellbore. The weight of drilling mud is selected to provide breakout control, and the path of the wellbore can be selected in directions to help breakout control. Efficient drilling operations are facilitated, and the resulting wellbore provides enhanced stability as hydrocarbon fluids arc produced from a subsurface reservoir into the wellbore interior.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the azimuth position and distance of a reflector or subterranean reflecting surface of a formation bed outside a borehole. A monopole transmitter may be used with a monopole/dipole receiver pair, or a monopole transmitter and a dipole transmitter pair may be used with a monopole receiver in accordance with the invention to determine the azimuth position and distance of the reflector. Azimuth resolution is improved through use of multiple receiver elements at equal radius about the longitudinal axis of a borehole tool, or through mathematical rotation of receiver elements.

Abstract: An articulated connector for providing electrical insulation between downhole well equipment such as logging sondes suspended by a wireline. Articulated joints are connected to the well equipment to provide for the desired movement, and the joints are connected by a central housing. The housing is configured so that a nonconductive element interrupts electrical conductivity through metallic components of the housing. The housing uniquely combines with the articulated joints to provide an articulated connection between the well equipment while providing electrical insulation therebetween.