Abstract: A packer type bridge plug for use in wells which may be set upon a wireline and retrieved upon a tubing string. The retrieval of the bridge plug is facilitated by the positive retraction of the upper and lower wedge members from beneath the slips during the retrieval process.

Abstract: An annulus pressure responsive tester valve has a housing with a flow passage disposed therethrough. A full opening ball valve is disposed in the housing. A differential pressure responsive power piston is slidably disposed in the housing and operatively connected to the ball valve. A resilient spring retaining assembly is operatively associated with the power piston ad the housing for releasably retaining the power piston in a position corresponding to an open position of the ball valve until a force urging the power piston toward a position corresponding to a closed position of the ball valve exceeds a retaining force provided by the resilient spring retaining assembly. This, combined with an appropriate selection of flow restrictors in a metering cartridge associated with a compressed nitrogen chamber located below the power piston, allows the tester valve to have its ball valve left in an open position by bleeding off well annulus pressure at a sufficiently low rate.

Abstract: A bridge plug apparatus includes a mandrel assembly having an operating fluid passageway disposed therein. A releasable coupling assembly has an upper end adapted to be connected to a tubing string and has a lower portion adapted to be releasably connected to the mandrel assembly. An annular packer is disposed about the mandrel assembly. A mechanical first slip assembly is connected to the mandrel assembly below the packer. A hydraulic second slip assembly is connected to the mandrel assembly above the packer. A power piston is disposed about the mandrel assembly for longitudinally compressing and radially expanding the packer to seal the packer in response to an increase in fluid pressure within the operating fluid passageway of the mandrel assembly. A hydraulically actuatable releasing device is provided for releasing a latched connection between the coupling assembly and the mandrel assembly. This releasing device is defined upon a power sleeve slidably disposed about the mandrel assembly.

Abstract: A location detecting apparatus for use with a fluid conducting conduit in which a movable member moves includes an internally mounted magnet attached to the movable member and an external portion attached to the conduit for magnetically interacting with the internal magnet when the movable member is moved to a predetermined location. In the preferred embodiment there are two magnets, one extending from each end of the movable member. In this embodiment, the external portion includes two similar assemblies, each attached to a respective end of the conduit and each including suitable magnetically responsive switches, a reducing flange attached to the conduit, a manifold pipe extending through the reducing flange, and a clamping mechanism for releasably attaching the switches to the manifold pipe.

Abstract: The present invention includes a gravity oriented perforating gun for use downhole in a slanted borehole. The center of gravity of the gun is located relative to the charge carrier and to a journal means to cause the charge carrier to rotate by gravity about the longitudinal axis of the gun into a predetermined relative position. A plurality of the spaced journal means support the charge carrier in low friction relationship relative to the wellbore. The individual shaped charges gravitate into a position which orients the direction of penetration to occur in a downward direction. Accordingly, production must occur in an upwardly direction through the perforations and into the slanted borehole, thereby reducing flow of formation particles into the borehole.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for detonating high explosive devices downhole in a well. A high explosive device includes a detonating cord having a first end and a second end. A first device is provided for initiating a detonation of a detonating cord at its first end and a second device is provided for initiating a detonation of the detonating cord at its second end.

Abstract: A well tool having reciprocating portions can be locked in a predetermined position by a latching mechanism which is responsive to externally applied pressure, as opposed to mere movement of the reciprocating elements to the predetermined position. The actuating pressure can be applied through the annulus or through a pipe string in which the tool is located.

Abstract: An isolation gravel packer includes a housing which has a stinger receptacle disposed therein. The stinger receptacle has an open upper end and an inner cylindrical seal bore. The inner cylindrical seal bore sealingly receives a concentric inner tubing string therein for delivering a treatment fluid thereto. A treatment fluid passage is disposed laterally through the housing for communicating an interior of the stinger receptacle at an elevation below the seal bore with the well zone to be treated. First and second external seals are disposed on an exterior of the housing above and below the treatment fluid passage, respectively, for sealing between the housing and a liner bore. The housing also includes a combination bypass passage and return fluid passage disposed therein which is isolated from the treatment fluid passage. Treatment fluid is flowed from a surface location down through the concentric inner tubing string, then through the treatment fluid passage to the well zone.

Abstract: A valve seal assembly for use in well cementing equipment in well cementing operations and the like having an elastomeric seal positively, mechanically retained on the valve body head so that movement of the elastomeric seal on the valve body stem and with respect to the valve body head is prevented.

Abstract: A well testing tool includes a housing adapted to be connected to a well test string and having a substantially open bore therethrough. A valve assembly is disposed in the housing and includes a spherical valve member having a substantially open valve bore therethrough and includes upper and lower annular seats engaging the spherical valve member. The valve member is rotatable within the seats between closed and open positions. An actuating assembly is engaged with the valve member for rotating the valve member between its open positions upon relative longitudinal movement between the actuating assembly and the spherical valve member. An upper load transfer mandrel is disposed between the upper seat and the housing for transferring any upward forces caused by upwardly directed pressure differentials across the spherical valve member to the housing by compressional loading of the upper load transfer mandrel.

Abstract: A coupling apparatus is provided for connection to a cylindrical member. The coupling apparatus includes a body member and an annular seal between the body member and the cylindrical member. A plurality of collet sections are disposed about the body member, and each collet section has a first end connected to the body member and a second end adapted for engagement with a downward facing surface of a shoulder of the cylindrical member. An outer sleeve is slidable relative to the collet sections between an open position wherein the second ends of the collet sections are held in a relatively radially expanded position and a closed position. A release device is operably associated with the plurality of collet sections and the outer sleeve for moving the second ends of the collet sections to their relatively radially expanded position upon sliding of the outer sleeve from its closed position to its open position.

Abstract: An appartus and method for testing characteristics of a substance, such as a cement slurry to be used within an oil or gas well, are provided. The apparatus includes a single drive motor which can be actuated in either a dynamic mode or a static mode to measure, in the preferred embodiment, either consistency or static gel strength of the substance. A single display is switchably connectible to one of two scaling circuits which scale a single transducer output signal to provide the desired measurement.

Abstract: A packer portion and actuating portion for a tubing conveyed well perforating system used for the completion of formations for both testing and production which system may be actuated either mechanically by a sinker drop bar or hydraulically by pressure in the annulus between the well bore and tubing string above the packer portion located in tubing string.

Abstract: A well surging system includes an elongated housing assembly having a central flow bore therethrough. Upper and lower independently operable ball valves are disposed in the housing assembly. Each of the ball valves is movable between a closed position and an open position. When the ball valves are in an initial closed position, a low pressure surge chamber is defined therebetween, which surge chamber is a portion of the flow bore. A packer is connected to the housing assembly for selectively sealing a well annulus between the housing assembly and a well bore so that a well zone below the packer can be surged. The upper and lower ball valves are actuated in response to increases in well annulus pressure through a differential piston arrangement. The lower ball valve is first opened, while the upper ball valve is maintained in a closed position, to allow well fluid from a well zone which is to be surged to surge upward through the flow bore past the opened lower ball valve into the surge chamber.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for perforating a cased borehole in a single trip into the well include two or more strings of perforating guns supported within the wellbore. The strings of guns are attached to the lower end of a pipe string and located downhole with one of the strings of guns adjacent a formation to be perforated. The first string of guns is then detonated by hydraulic actuation to perforate the formation. The pipe string is then adjusted to properly align the second string of guns either with the same formation or with another formation in the wellbore. The second string of guns may then be actuated by any known method such as impact or pressure actuation. This method and apparatus allows the same formation to be perforated twice thereby doubling the number of perforations in the cased borehole or permits the testing or completion of another formation in the same well.

Abstract: A downhole tool apparatus has a housing with a compression chamber defined therein. A fill passage is disposed through the housing for placing the compression chamber in open flow fluid communication with a well annulus so that well fluid may flow into the compression chamber as the apparatus is lowered into a well. An isolation valve selectively closes the fill passage to trap well fluid in the compression chamber. An operating element is operated by the actuating piston slidably disposed in the housing. A first side of the actuating piston is in fluid pressure communication with the compression chamber so that a volume of the compression chamber is decreased when the actuating piston moves between a first and second position thereof relative to the housing.

Abstract: An explosive booster which contains a secondary high explosive material of such density that it is capable of receiving a detonation from one secondary high explosive mass, across a discontinuity, and of then detonating and transmitting the detonation to another secondary high explosive mass. The explosive booster is produced by compacting the secondary high explosive material to a density such that the booster is capable of acting as both an acceptor and donor of a detonation. The explosive booster may be used to transfer a detonation from one secondary high explosive mass to another such mass as for example in detonating a string of perforating guns within wellbores in the oil and gas industry.

Abstract: The inverse differential fill-up casing cementing float valve comprises an annular valve housing, back pressure valve assembly, a first differential pressure check valve assembly, a second differential pressure check valve assembly, and cement filler material to retain the valve assemblies within the valve housing.

Abstract: A device for actuating an explosive charge downhole in a wellbore. The device includes a combustive reaction initiator actuated in response to a first pressure condition in a portion of the wellbore and an explosive charge actuator. A time delay device is provided wherein a combustive reaction is initiated by the initiator and continues for a time delay period providing sufficient time for an operator to alter the first pressure condition to a second pressure condition desired at the time of explosive actuation. The delay device is operative at the end of the time delay period after initiation to actuate the explosive charge.

Abstract: Two or more spaced formations located downhole in a borehole are completed by employment of a string of perforating guns and by making a single trip to the wellbore. An upper and a lower gun device are tied together by a connecting tubing. The length of the tubing spaces the guns apart a selected amount. The gun string is run downhole and actuated, whereby the casing is perforated adjacent to the two spaced formations. Detonation of the upper gun forces an upper movable member associated with the connecting tubing to generate a pressure wave which is received by a lower movable member located at the upper end of the lower gun. The lower member is connected to cause detonation of the lower gun.