Abstract: A bypass plunger combines a unitary or one-piece hollow body-and-valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion of the hollow body using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during ascent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and valve stems surfaced to achieve specific functions. Combinations of these features provide enhanced performance, durability and reliability at reduced manufacturing cost, due primarily to the simplicity of its design.

Abstract: A bumper spring assembly having a one piece mandrel including an integral head piece is further configured with a cage assembly retained on the mandrel with a cage nut locked to the mandrel to obviate the need for pins, set screws, and the like, to provide a more robust assembly. In two embodiments the cage nut is locked to the mandrel in a swaging operation. Improved flow of fluids through and around the bumper spring assembly are also provided.

Abstract: A downhole tool includes a body having a rounded or cylindrical surface, at least one relieved space in the rounded or cylindrical surface, and a protuberance within the relieved space. The downhole tool also has a generally cylindrical retaining ring that surrounds a portion of the body. One or more crimple detents are formed in the retaining ring, each crimple detent comprising a portion of the retaining ring that has been deformed radially inward into an underlying portion of the relieved space such that the deformed material of the retaining ring contacts and deforms an underlying portion of the protuberance in the relieved space, thereby joining the retaining ring to the body.

Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a unibody, or one-piece hollow body and valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents, and includes sealable flow parts. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during descent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and surfaced valve stems surfaced.

Abstract: A bypass plunger combines a unitary or one-piece hollow body-and-valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion of the hollow body using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during ascent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and valve stems surfaced to achieve specific functions. Combinations of these features provide enhanced performance, durability and reliability at reduced manufacturing cost, due primarily to the simplicity of its design.

Abstract: A disclosed control system for a gas assisted plunger lift (GAPL) system includes a sensor and a processor circuit. The sensor is configured to measure a plunger speed and/or velocity and the processor circuit is configured to control various parameters of the GAPL based on the measured plunger speed and/or velocity. The processor circuit may be configured to adjust a gas injection rate parameter based on the measured plunger speed and/or velocity, and/or may adjust one or more parameters including: a close time, an afterflow time, a flow rate, a load factor, a tubing pressure, a casing pressure, and a tubing/casing differential pressure. The controller may be further configured to adjust all parameters simultaneously or may sequentially adjust a first sub-set of parameters and then adjust a second sub-set of parameters. The first sub-set may include a gas injection flow rate and the second sub-set may include after-flow and close time parameters.

Abstract: A bypass plunger combines a unitary or one-piece hollow body-and-valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion of the hollow body using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during ascent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and valve stems surfaced to achieve specific functions. Combinations of these features provide enhanced performance, durability and reliability at reduced manufacturing cost, due primarily to the simplicity of its design.

Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a unibody, or one-piece hollow body and valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents, and includes sealable flow parts. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during descent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and surfaced valve stems surfaced.

Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a plunger body that includes a head portion located at one end of the plunger body and a tail portion located at an opposite end of the plunger body. The head portion includes at least one flow port, and the tail portion includes at least one passageway. A valve component is disposed within an internal bore of the plunger body and is moveable between an open position and a closed position. At least one plug is located within a respective one of the flow ports and/or a respective one of the passageways, and is configured to reduce or prevent flow through the respective flow port or the respective passageway.

Abstract: A bumper spring assembly having a one piece mandrel including an integral head piece is further configured with a cage assembly retained on the mandrel with a cage nut locked to the mandrel to obviate the need for pins, set screws, and the like, to provide a more robust assembly. In two embodiments the cage nut is locked to the mandrel in a swaging operation. Improved flow of fluids through and around the bumper spring assembly are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include an apparatus, such as a plunger for oil and/or gas wells, that includes one or more scraping features. The scraping feature may include at least one ridge configured to scrape material, such as paraffins, asphaltenes, salt, hydrates, debris, solids, etc., from an inner surface of a tubular body and direct the scraped material away from the plunger body. A disclosed method for scraping material from a tubular body includes releasing a plunger within the tubular body, the plunger having a body with an outer surface and a scraping feature on the outer surface that includes at least one ridge; scraping material from an inner surface of the tubular body with the ridge of the scraping feature; and directing the scraped material away from the plunger body.

Abstract: A bypass plunger combines a unitary or one-piece hollow body-and-valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion of the hollow body using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during ascent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and valve stems surfaced to achieve specific functions. Combinations of these features provide enhanced performance, durability and reliability at reduced manufacturing cost, due primarily to the simplicity of its design.

Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a plunger body that includes a head portion located at one end of the plunger body and a tail portion located at an opposite end of the plunger body. The head portion includes at least one flow port, and the tail portion includes at least one passageway. A valve component is disposed within an internal bore of the plunger body and is moveable between an open position and a closed position. At least one plug is located within a respective one of the flow ports and/or a respective one of the passageways, and is configured to reduce or prevent flow through the respective flow port or the respective passageway.

Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a unibody, or one-piece hollow body and valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents, and includes sealable flow parts. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during descent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and surfaced valve stems surfaced.

Abstract: A method for locking an internally threaded end piece such as a head piece, a tail piece, an end or sealing nut to a mandrel for a down hole tool to obviate the need for pins, set screws, and the like, to provide a more robust assembly. In two embodiments the threaded end piece is locked to the mandrel in a swaging operation.

Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a unibody, or one-piece hollow body and valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents, and includes sealable flow parts. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during descent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and surfaced valve stems surfaced.

Abstract: A bypass plunger formed as an integral one-piece hollow body-and-valve cage unit retains a dart valve within a valve cage section of the hollow body with a threaded retaining nut that may be secured by crimple means. A boundary zone, defined along the plunger body, where the integral valve cage section adjoins the plunger body, is configured with a uniform outer diameter to maximize the plunger body wall thickness and durability of the one-piece bypass plunger. The valve cage may have flow ports configured with ramps at an angle with the longitudinal axis to control flow through the flow ports during descent of the bypass plunger. A clutch assembly using garter springs with split bobbins may be disposed within the valve cage portion of the one-piece bypass plunger.

Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a plunger body that includes a head portion located at one end of the plunger body and a tail portion located at an opposite end of the plunger body. The head portion includes at least one flow port, and the tail portion includes at least one passageway. A valve component is disposed within an internal bore of the plunger body and is movable between an open position and a closed position. At least one plug is located within a respective one of the flow ports and/or a respective one of the passageways, and is configured to reduce or prevent flow through the respective flow port or the respective passageway.

Abstract: A bypass plunger combines a unitary or one-piece hollow body-and-valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion of the hollow body using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during ascent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and valve stems surfaced to achieve specific functions. Combinations of these features provide enhanced performance, durability and reliability at reduced manufacturing cost, due primarily to the simplicity of its design.