Abstract: A system is disclosed as including an enclosed space within a seal for sealing an area between a hanger and a housing of a wellhead. The enclosed space traverses a first section of the seal, a middle section of the seal, and an opening at a second section of the seal. A port is provided as accessible from the housing. A tool positions the seal within the hanger and the housing so that the port is able to access the enclosed space from the housing to the hanger. A pressure applicator applies fluid into the port at a pressure, which is monitored to determine integrity of the seal. In a monitoring mode, a pressure is monitored at the port. A change in the pressure from an ambient pressure at the port may indicate an on-going issue with the seal. Methods applied to the system are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of monitoring connection status of wiring within a marshalling cabinet includes generating, by a switch including a first portion and a second portion, a socket connection signal when the switch is closed. The switch closes when a wire harness including the second switch portion is inserted within a socket of a terminal block including the first switch portion by a predetermined amount. The wire harness includes wire harness pins in communication with factory wiring of an industrial control system and the terminal block includes terminal block pins in communication with field wiring of the control system. The method also includes receiving the socket connection signal and determining a socket connection status. The status is determined to be connected when the socket connection signal is received by the processor and determined to be disconnected status absent receipt of the connection signal. The determined connection status is also output.

Abstract: A method of controlling a gas vent system to vent gas from a wellbore that includes a substantially horizontal portion. The method includes determining an initial operating mode of the gas vent system; generating one or more control signals established for the determined initial operation mode; and transmitting the one or more control signals to a gas vent valve that commands the closing or opening of the gas vent valve. A controller for use in venting gas from a wellbore is additionally disclosed.

Abstract: A frac sleeve assembly and method of operation. The frac sleeve assembly includes a ball seat that retains a frac ball. The ball seat moves within a sleeve. The sleeve includes a profile that separates the first half and the second half to allow passage of the frac ball through the ball seat when the ball seat moves within the sleeve. Alternatively, the ball seat has a ring for receiving the frac ball and the sleeve has a protrusion that selectively engages a shifting pin to move the ring with respect to a ridge to release the ball from the ball seat when the ball seat moves within the sleeve.

Abstract: A frac sleeve assembly and method of operation. The frac sleeve assembly includes a ball seat that retains a frac ball. The ball seat moves within a sleeve. The sleeve includes a profile that separates the first half and the second half to allow passage of the frac ball through the ball seat when the ball seat moves within the sleeve. Alternatively, the ball seat has a ring for receiving the frac ball and the sleeve has a protrusion that selectively engages a shifting pin to move the ring with respect to a ridge to release the ball from the ball seat when the ball seat moves within the sleeve.

Abstract: A method for determining a location and trajectory for a new wellbore relative to an adjacent wellbore includes: receiving controllable variable data and uncontrollable variable data related to fracturing a formation by a stimulation operation in a first wellbore penetrating the formation; receiving pressure communication event or pressure non-communication event identification data related to identification of a pressure communication event or pressure non-communication event in a second wellbore penetrating the formation in response to the fracturing; extracting features from the controllable and uncontrollable variable data to provide extracted features; detecting a pressure communication event using the extracted features and the pressure communication event or pressure non-communication event identification data using an analytic technique; identifying one or more quantified causes of the detected pressure communication event using an artificial intelligence technique; and determining the location and tr

Abstract: A wellbore cleanout system including a first tubular, and a pump member including a stator and a rotor. The stator has a first end, a second end, an outer surface, and an inner surface defining an internal passage. The rotor is arranged within the internal passage and includes a first end portion connected to the first tubular and a second end portion. The rotor is coupled for rotation with the first tubular. A drag system including at least one drag member is fixedly mounted to the outer surface of the stator. A second tubular is connected to the second end of the rotor. The second tubular is coupled for rotation with the first tubular.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a gas influx into a wellbore. A work string defining an inner bore area and an annulus area, with a pair of inner bore sensors in the inner bore and a pair of annulus sensors in the annulus. A processor sets a gas influx alarm limit based on a steady-state value of an acoustic parameter measured by the pair of inner bore sensors in an absence of a gas influx and a steady-state value of the acoustic parameter measured by the annulus sensors in the absence of the gas influx. The processor determines a gas influx in the wellbore when a subsequent value of the acoustic parameter is outside of the alarm limit and performs an action at the work string to counteract the gas influx in the wellbore.

Abstract: A frac sleeve assembly for use in a downhole operation and method of use are disclosed. The frac sleeve assembly includes a sleeve movable within a housing and a ball seat movable within the sleeve. The sleeve includes a pin adjusting element. The ball seat includes a seat tooth disposed at a fluid passage of the ball seat for seating a ball, and a pin associated with the seat tooth. Motion of the ball seat within the sleeve causes the pin adjusting element to move the pin to adjust the seat tooth to release the ball.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating fluids and controlling flow of production fluid includes a support structure configured including a fluid conduit and a tubular assembly disposed at the support structure. The tubular assembly includes an outer tube defining a flow path and having an outer tube inlet in fluid communication with the production fluid, and at least one inner tube disposed eccentrically within the outer tube. The support structure and/or the tubular assembly is configured to cause a centrifugal force on the production fluid that at least partially separates the production fluid into a first fluid portion having a higher concentration of high density fluid than an initial concentration, and a second fluid portion having a higher concentration of the low density fluid than the initial concentration of the low density fluid. One or more inner tubes have an inner tube outlet in fluid communication with the fluid conduit.

Abstract: An embodiment of an injection arrangement including a principal fluid pathway having a first check valve; a bypass pathway fluidly connected to the principal fluid pathway upstream of the first check valve and connected to the principal fluid pathway downstream of the first check valve. Also a method for injecting a fluid including supplying an injection fluid to an injection arrangement as in any prior embodiment; flowing fluid through the bypass pathway; preventing fluid flow through the bypass pathway; and then flowing fluid through the principal fluid pathway.

Abstract: A system for determining the level of solids accumulated in a sand separator has a vibratory level sensor and a solid separator control system. The vibratory level sensor includes a vibratory rod and an exciter connected to the vibratory rod. In some embodiments, a vibration sensor is connected to the vibratory rod to monitor changes in the vibration of the rod. In other embodiments, changes in vibration are measured by looking at the rotational speed and power inputs at the exciter.

Abstract: A pumping system is configured to be deployed in a well that has a vertical portion and a lateral portion. The pumping system includes a pump positioned in the vertical portion, a velocity tube assembly that extends from the vertical portion into the lateral portion and a cyclonic solids separator connected between the pump and the velocity tube assembly. The cyclonic solids separator includes a housing, a discharge manifold extending through the housing, and a plurality of ejection ports that extend through the discharge manifold along arcuate, tangential paths.

Abstract: A method of performing an annular cementing operation after setting an integrated hanger and seal includes introducing a tubular including a flow passage having an inlet and an outlet into a wellbore, positioning and setting the integrated hanger and seal in the tubular, flowing cement between the tubular and the integrated hanger and seal into the inlet of the flow passage, passing the cement through the flow passage to the outlet, flowing the cement from the outlet, and closing the outlet.

Abstract: A drag block for retaining slips on a tool includes a body having a substantially annular outer surface and a substantially annular inner surface, and a plurality of drag block members resiliently mounted to the substantially annular outer surface. Each of the plurality of drag block members includes a support element and a block element. The support element has a first end fixedly mounted to the substantially annular outer surface and a second, cantilevered end. The drag block is mounted to the second cantilevered end.

Abstract: A valve assembly includes a valve body and a valve member configured to translate between an open and a closed position. The valve assembly also includes a bonnet coupled to the valve body and a valve stem coupled to the valve member. The valve assembly also includes an actuator coupled to the bonnet. The actuator includes a first drive mechanism positioned to translate a first driving force to the valve stem, the first drive mechanism being in operation during a normal operating condition. The actuator also includes a second drive mechanism positioned to translate a second driving force to the valve stem, the second drive mechanism being in operation during a fail-safe operating condition.

Abstract: A setting tool for actuating a downhole component includes an inner tubular configured to be connected in fluid communication with a borehole string, a housing configured to define a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber isolated from the first fluid chamber and in fluid communication with the inner tubular, and a setting piston in pressure communication with the second fluid chamber. The setting tool includes a metering module coupled to the housing and disposed at an end of the first fluid chamber, the metering module including a fluid path forming a restriction therein, and an outlet connected to the fluid path. The outlet is configured to be opened to permit fluid to flow out of the first chamber at a controlled rate to generate a differential pressure between the first and second chambers that causes the setting piston to apply a gradually increasing force on the component.

Abstract: A downhole system and method of performing an operational action with the downhole system. The downhole system includes a downhole string having a flow channel therethrough, a first turbine generator for generating electrical energy when a flow rate of a fluid through the flow channel is within a first flow rate range, and a second turbine generator for generating electrical energy when a flow rate of the fluid through the flow channel is within a second flow rate range. A first pulser at a downhole location in the downhole string transmits a pressure pulse communicative of data generated downhole using electrical energy generated by one of the first turbine generator and the second turbine generator. A sensor at a surface location receives the pressure pulse, and a control unit performs the operational action based on the data communicated by the pressure pulse.

Abstract: A downhole flow control configuration including a housing, a converging-diverging flow path in the housing, the flow path including a first portion including an inlet, a converging section, and a throat section, the first portion preferentially passing a portion of a fluid having a greater subcool, and the converging-diverging flow path further including a second portion comprising a diverging section that recovers fluid pressure lost in the converging section and the throat section, and an outlet and an elongated helical flow path connected to the outlet of the converging-diverging flow path, the helical flow path producing a pressure drop in a fluid flowing therein during use.

Abstract: A downhole system includes a first tubular having a terminal end including a first connector portion, an inlet, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a first conduit extending between the inner surface and the outer surface fluidically exposed at the terminal end. A second tubular including a terminal end section having a second connector portion coupled to the first connector portion to form a joint, an inner surface section, an outer surface section, and a second conduit extending between the inner surface section and the outer surface section and fluidically exposed at the terminal end section. The first conduit is fluidically connected to the second conduit across the joint.