Abstract: Fracture design for well completion includes determining a conductivity profile for the given reservoir to be fractured. Materials needed to obtain this conductivity profile are selected based on their ability to meet the conductivity objective and their rank based on economic value. A further step gives the designer a pumping schedule to be performed on the surface after an initial test in the actual well. This can reduce the iterations required to optimize a fracturing treatment and significantly reduce the redesign process at the well site.

Abstract: An excitation event in an oil, gas or geothermal well creates a responsive signal having lower and higher frequency components, which higher frequency component provides information about one or more characteristics of the well. Examples of such characteristics pertaining to a subterranean fracture include: breakdown pressure at fracture initiation, time it takes proppant to reach and to screenout the tip of the fracture, fracture geometry and fracture growth, fracture closure pressure, relative fluid flow through respective perforations, and horsepower requirements to perform a fracture treatment. One excitation event includes creating an excitation signal having a maximum amplitude change occurring within a time t1, which is less than a period t2 of the higher frequency component. Wavelet processing may be used to separate or distinguish the higher frequency waveform from the lower frequency waveform.

Abstract: A proactive conformance method for a well includes selecting a well either in a completion phase or early in a production phase of the well and performing a conformance treatment on the well in the completion phase or early in the production phase. The conformance treatment preferably is performed before the well is completed (i.e., sometime during the completion phase between the well having been drilled and the well being placed in production), such as after running open hole logging or before setting casing. Another preferred aspect is the use of magnetic resonance imaging, such as using magnetic resonance imaging to analyze the well to determine where unwanted mobile fluid is in a reservoir intersected by the well. Such a well is completed in response to using the magnetic resonance imaging, including treating the well to confine at least part of the unwanted mobile fluid determined to be in the reservoir.

Abstract: A tool and method for managing fluid flow in a well use flow control and monitoring functions. A particular tool provides valve and metering functions combined with electrical generator and pump functions. Two of these tools can be used such that one generates electricity downhole to power the other tool to operate as a pump or other flow control. A method of managing fluid flow in a well includes operating the tool in either a generator mode or a pump mode. The tool, which is a flow control device, has a body in which an opening is defined between an annulus outside the body and a flow channel inside. The tool also has a flow control body, a rotor and electromagnetic members. A method includes moving the flow control body, the rotor, and the electromagnetic members together to selectively block or unblock the opening. In a particular version of this method, this movement is axially within the body of the flow control device.

Abstract: A self-contained downhole apparatus for being lowered into an oil or gas well to internally record samples of at least one environmental condition comprises three body sections linearly and releasably interconnected. One of the body sections is a selected one of a plurality of transducer housing sections. The selected transducer housing section is mechanically and electrically connected to a second body section containing microcomputer-operated signal processing circuitry. The third body section contains a power supply.

Abstract: A core sample from an oil or gas well can be quickly and easily inserted and removed relative to a reusable sealing sleeve fixed within a test housing wherein the core sample is tested for both longitudinal and lateral strain in response to applied stress. Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio can be determined from the strain and stress information. Pressures and temperature can be set to simulate downhole conditions inside the apparatus.

Abstract: A downhole tool comprises an apparatus including an electrical member and a cooling system to maintain the electrical member within a rated temperature operating range. The cooling system includes a container holding a refrigerant. The cooling system also includes heat transfer elements for conducting refrigerant from the container in proximity to the electrical member so that a temperature adjacent the electrical member is less than ambient well bore temperature and preferably less than the maximum of the rated temperature operating range. The cooling system further includes a device for moving refrigerant from the container and through the heat transfer elements in response to pressure in the well bore. In a preferred embodiment, the refrigerant is recycled through the heat transfer circuit back to the container.

Abstract: An apparatus attenuates a shock, such as an impact load from an explosion, by undergoing plastic deformation and by serially dissipating energy from a plurality of surfaces. In a particular embodiment, the plastic deformation and serial energy dissipation occur in and from a hollow unitary body having a cylindrical wall in which are defined a plurality of longitudinally spaced circumferential grooves. A method of attenuating shock from an explosion in an oil gas well comprises: lowering into the well an explosive connected to a shock attenuating member; detonating the explosive whereby an impact load with a shock wave is generated; and collapsing without severing the member in response to the impact load and dissipating energy of the shock wave from a plurality of surfaces of the member so that the shock wave is attenuated along the member.

Abstract: A perforating gun and method permit a casing or liner within a well to be perforated even within a section obstructed by sand either before or after perforation. The perforating gun comprises a support for carrying a plurality of explosive charges and one or more channels for conducting a fluid through the support, which channels are spaced from where the plurality of explosive charges are carried on the support. A method of perforating a well comprises: lowering a perforating gun into the well; flowing fluid through the perforating gun before or after the perforating gun is detonated; and detonating the perforating gun.

Abstract: A temperature and pressure compensated gas flowmeter is provided which reads uncompensated line parameters and outputs a frequency signal representative of the gas flow rate referenced to standard conditions. The frequency signal is compatible with a number of interface devices, such as remote terminal units, field computers and displays. Further, the uncompensated line parameters are also provided to the interface devices such that the compensated frequency signal can be verified.