Abstract: A subsurface valve with a pressure-equalizing mechanism is provided to permit pressure above and below a valve closure member to equalize prior to the opening of the valve closure member. The pressure-equalizing mechanism may be installed, for example, in the valve closure member or in an annular housing in the subsurface valve. The mechanism includes a pilot activator disposed for reciprocal movement within a pilot bore. A flow tube that is disposed for longitudinal movement with a longitudinal bore of the subsurface valve is used to shift the pilot activator within the pilot bore from a closed or sealed position to an open or equalizing position. In the open position, fluid pressure below the valve closure member is allowed to flow through a pilot passageway that establishes fluid communication between the pilot bore and a cylinder within which a pilot piston is moveably disposed.

Abstract: A subsurface valve with a pressure equalizing mechanism is provided to permit pressure above and below a valve closure member to equalize prior to the opening of the valve closure member. An actuating key is releasably engageable with a recess in a flow tube that is moveably disposed within a longitudinal bore of the safety valve. An equalizing plug is disposed for reciprocal movement within a plug bore, and is moveable in response to movement of the actuating key. To open the valve closure member, the flow tube moves downwardly into engagement with the actuating key, thereby carrying the actuating key into engagement with the equalizing plug to shift the equalizing plug to an open or equalizing position. Pressure above and below the valve closure member is equalized through the equalizing plug prior to the opening of the valve closure member by further downward movement of the flow tube.

Abstract: In a broad aspect, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for downhole safety valve remediation using a measured, controlled, explosion to remove scale and/or other debris from within or around the downhole safety valve or for explosively locking out the safety valve in an open position.

Abstract: In a broad aspect, the present invention is a downhole hydraulic multiplexer, which is comprised of one or more piloted shuttle valves, and method of using. The invention takes one or more input signals from a surface control panel or computer, said signals may be electric or hydraulic, and converts said signals into a plurality of pressurized hydraulic output channels. The invention is shown in a variety of preferred embodiments, including a tubing deployed version, a wireline retrievable version, and a version residing in the wall of a downhole completion tool. Also disclosed is the use of multiple shuttle valves used in parallel or in series to embody a downhole hydraulic fluid multiplexer, controllable by and reporting positions of said shuttle valves to said surface control panel or computer.

Abstract: In a broad aspect, the invention is an orienting and locking swivel including: a locking ratchet housing having a longitudinal bore; a first tubular member partially disposed within the longitudinal bore of the locking ratchet housing; a second tubular member partially disposed within the longitudinal bore of the locking ratchet housing, and releasably engageable with the locking ratchet housing; a first split housing engaged with the locking ratchet housing and releasably engageable with the first tubular member; and a second split housing engaged with the locking ratchet housing and releasably engageable with the second tubular member. The swivel may further include a locking ratchet disposed within a locking ratchet recess in the locking ratchet housing. A method of orienting a plurality of eccentric well tools is also provided, as is a downhole well assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for remotely controlling fluids in a well is provided. The flow control apparatus may include a body member having a flow port in an outer wall of the body member, and a flow aperture spaced inwardly from the outer wall. A remotely shiftable valve member may be disposed for reciprocal movement within the body member to regulate fluid flow through the flow aperture and flow port. An indexing sleeve may be rotatably disposed within the body member and engaged with the shiftable valve member to shift the valve member within the body member. An operating piston may be engaged with the indexing sleeve and movably disposed within the body member in response to pressurized fluid. A locking mechanism may also be included for locking the shiftable valve member in a closed, or sealing, position. Electrically-operated mechanisms for shifting the valve member is also provided.

Abstract: A device for regulating fluid flow in a well is provided. The device may include: a body member having a central bore extending therethrough, at least one flow port, and a first valve seat; a sleeve member movably disposed within the central bore of the body member, and having a second valve seat adapted for cooperable sealing engagement with the first valve seat; means for selectively controlling movement of the sleeve member to regulate fluid flow through the at least one flow port; and conduit means for transmitting energy to the movement means. The conduit means may include a first and a second hydraulic control line, a single hydraulic control line, or a single electrical conductor. The movement means may include: a piston connected to the sleeve member and movable in response to a combination of hydraulic fluid, pressurized gas, spring force, and/or annulus pressure; or an electric motor connected to the sleeve member.

Abstract: The present invention is a surface controlled gas lift valve designed for high flow rates and used in a subterranean well, comprising: a valve for sealable insertion in a mandrel, having a variable orifice which alternately permits, prohibits, or throttles fluid flow into the valve, and a detachable and/or remote actuator are disclosed. Methods of actuating the valve include electro-hydraulic, hydraulic, and pneumo-hydraulic, while sensors relay the position of the variable orifice and critical fluid pressures to a panel on the surface. The orifice valve and the actuator while operatively connected, may be separately installed in or retrieved from by either wireline or coiled tubing intervention methods.

Abstract: A selective re-entry tool is provided that allows an operator at the earth's surface to perform intervention operations in one or more completion strings by allowing remote discrimination and orientation of a tool string to a target location in a single comingling completion string. The selective re-entry tool may broadly include a carrier body having a navigation port extending longitudinally therethrough, and an orienting key movably connected to the carrier body and releasably engageable with a discriminator groove in a tubing string to align the navigation port with a predetermined one of a plurality of branch tubings in the tubing string. The re-entry tool may further include a locking dog movably connected to the carrier body and releasably engageable with a locking recess in the tubing string to prevent rotation of the carrier body after the navigation port has been aligned with the predetermined one of the plurality of branch tubings.

Abstract: In a broad aspect, the invention is directed to a well locking device having a shear ring for retaining a setting wedge within a well lock housing during running, setting, locking, and removing the well locking device within a bore of a well tubing. In a particular embodiment, the well locking device may include a no-go shoulder provided on the running tool used to locate and set the well lock downhole within the tubing.

Abstract: The present invention is a surface controlled gas lift valve designed for high flow rates and used in a subterranean well, comprising: a valve for sealable insertion in a mandrel, having a variable orifice which alternately permits, prohibits, or throttles fluid flow into the valve, and a detachable and/or remote actuator are disclosed. Methods of actuating the valve include electro-hydraulic, hydraulic, and pneumo-hydraulic, while sensors relay the position of the variable orifice and critical fluid pressures to a panel on the surface. The orifice valve and the actuator while operatively connected, may be separately installed in or retrieved from by either wireline or coiled tubing intervention methods.

Abstract: A hydraulically controlled packer for an oil or gas well is disclosed that is capable of being hydraulically unset. One embodiment of the invention is capable of being hydraulically unset prior to locking thus allowing fine tuning of packer location in relation to oil-bearing strata. Other embodiments of the invention are capable of being hydraulically unlocked and unset for further use within the oil or gas well without being withdrawn to the surface for reassembly. The invention may be used in downhole well tools other than packers.

Abstract: A fully redundant drawworks is provided with two complete and totally independent systems for controlling and powering the drum and drum shaft of the drawworks. Each system broadly comprises at least one source of power (e.g., a motor or engine), a power transmission means, preferably of the gear or chain type, and some means of mechanically coupling the power source, transmission and drum shaft together. Each system may also be provided with a brake means, such as one or more disc, band, electric or water-cooled brakes. In the event that any component of either system fails, the fully redundant drawworks will still have the ability to raise drill pipe from a bore hole and thus avoid the risk of a “stuck” drill pipe.

Abstract: A pressure equalizing subsurface safety valve with a fluid injection system is provided. A fluid injection conduit is connected from a source of injection fluid, such as at the earth's surface, to the subsurface safety valve. A fluid flowpath is provided in the safety valve to transmit injection fluid from the fluid injection conduit to a longitudinal bore of the safety valve. The injection fluids are introduced into the longitudinal bore to resist corrosion of or other damage to the safety valve. The fluid may be injected into the longitudinal bore through a single port, or through a plurality of ports. The fluid injection conduit may also be used to equalize pressure above and below a closure member disposed within the safety valve prior to the opening of the closure member.

Abstract: The present invention is a surface controlled gas lift valve designed for high flow rates and used in a subterranean well, comprising: a valve for sealable insertion in a mandrel, having a variable orifice which alternately permits, prohibits, or throttles fluid flow into the valve, and a detachable and/or remote actuator are disclosed. The valve can be actuated by an electro-mechanical actuating assembly while sensors can relay the position of the variable orifice to a panel on the surface. The orifice valve and the actuator while operatively connected, may be separately installed in or retrieved from by either wireline or coiled tubing intervention methods.

Abstract: A bag stack made of low density polyethylene material is disclosed. The bag stack comprises a plurality of bags where consecutive bags are adhesively connected together and where the back walls of the bags in the stack are hot welded together near the tops of the back walls of the bags. When a bag is removed from the stack, the front wall of the following bag is pulled open to permit easy removal of the next bag. A method is disclosed for forming a bag stack in accordance with the present invention.

Abstract: In a broad aspect, the invention is an infinitely variable ratio transmission that may include an input shaft connected to a carrier plate. The input shaft is disposed within the bore of a sun gear. At least one planetary gear is rotatably attached to the carrier plate. A ring gear is connected to an output shaft. The at least one planetary gear is disposed between and meshed with the ring gear and the sun gear. A pump having a first and second gear enclosed within a housing is disposed about the input shaft. The second gear is attached to the sun gear. A pump oil pickup passageway connects an inlet port on the pump to a pump oil reservoir. A pump oil return passageway connects an outlet port of the pump to the reservoir. A control valve is provided to regulate fluid flow through the pump. Various clutch arrangements are disclosed to provide a reverse mode.

Abstract: A brand new device and a method to do arteriographies which allow simultaneous angioplasties by using a catheter and a balloon capable of copying the narrowed portion of the artery under study, providing the contrast required to view the artery via a contrasting medium which is circumscribed within the diagnosis balloon and which is not in relationship with the patient's tissue; therefor, the catheter has a diagnosis balloon which may be filled with the contrasting medium.

Abstract: A rotary steerable system for use in a drill string for drilling a deviated well is disclosed. The system utilizes a mechanical gravity reference device comprising an unbalanced weight which may rotate independently of the rotation of the drill string so that its heavy portion is always oriented toward the low side of the wellbore and which has an attached magnet. A magnetic switch that rotates as the drill string rotates is activated when its axis coincides with the axis of the magnet, and this activation results in a thrust member or pad being actuated to "kick" the side of the wellbore.

Abstract: A coiled tubing completion system is provided with a plurality of completion apparatus, all of which is designed flush with the diameter of the coiled tubing outside diameter for avoiding upsets and are flexible, spoolable on a coiled tubing reel and having through bores large enough to pass wireline tools for performing other operations. The spoolable coiled tubing system may use standard coiled tubing well control equipment and can be used in live wells. The flush, flexible, spoolable and through bore completion equipment may include a tubing retrievable safety valve, an annular control valve, concentric gas lift valves, a zone packer, a landing nipple, a sliding sleeve, and may include at the end a non-flexible but flush and open bore production packer and pump out plug. The completion system may be retrieved through a retrieval system.