Abstract: Of the many compositions and methods provided herein, an example method includes a method of treating a subterranean formation that comprises combining components comprising water and a density-matched suspension to prepare a treatment fluid, wherein the density-matched suspension comprises a suspending liquid and a solid particle suspended in the suspending liquid, and introducing the treatment fluid into a well bore. An example composition includes a suspension that comprises a suspending liquid comprising a hydrophobic liquid, wherein the hydrophobic liquid hydrolyzes when placed in contact with an aqueous fluid to form hydrophilic products, and a solid particle suspended in the suspending liquid, wherein the suspension is a density-matched suspension.

Abstract: Casing deformation and control for inclusion propagation in earth formations. A method of forming at least one inclusion in a subterranean formation includes the steps of: installing a liner within a casing section in a wellbore intersecting the formation; and expanding the liner and the casing section, thereby applying an increased compressive stress to the formation. Another method of forming the inclusion includes the steps of: installing an expansion control device on a casing section, the device including at least one latch member; expanding the casing section radially outward in a wellbore, the expanding step including widening at least one opening in a sidewall of the casing section, and displacing the latch member in one direction; and preventing a narrowing of the opening after the expanding step, the latch member resisting displacement thereof in an opposite direction.

Abstract: A ball valve comprising a housing, a ball seat disposed within the housing, and a ball rotatably movable within the housing, and engageable with the ball seat in order to provide a seal within the ball valve and the ball seat, wherein the ball seat comprises multiple seat surfaces independently capable of engaging the ball, a first seat surface engaging the ball to form a first seal, and being arranged such that pressure acting from above pushes the first seat surface against the ball; a second seat surface being movable relative to the first seat surface and engaging the ball to form a second seal, the second seat surface being arranged such that pressure acting from below causes the second seat surface to move relative to the first seat surface and pushes the second seat surface into contact with the ball.

Abstract: A method of injecting a treatment fluid into a portion of a subterranean formation, comprising providing a treatment fluid having a viscosity; determining the breakdown pressure of the portion of the subterranean formation; calculating the maximum sustainable flow rate for the treatment fluid; and, injecting the treatment fluid into the portion of the subterranean formation at a flow rate less than or equal to the maximum sustainable flow rate for the treatment fluid. A method of injecting a treatment fluid into a portion of a subterranean formation, comprising providing a treatment fluid having a viscosity; determining the breakdown pressure of the portion of the subterranean formation; calculating the maximum allowable treatment fluid viscosity; adjusting the viscosity of the treatment fluid to a viscosity less than or equal to the maximum allowable treatment fluid viscosity; and injecting the treatment fluid into the subterranean formation at the selected treatment fluid flow rate.

Abstract: Systems and methods for look-ahead boundary detection and distance estimation are disclosed. In some embodiments, a drilling method includes extending a borehole with a drill string that includes a resistivity logging tool. The logging tool makes upward-looking and downward-looking resistivity measurements based on radial current flow. The upward looking and downward looking resistivity measurements are processed to estimate the distance to approaching bed boundaries, and drilling can be halted when the estimated distance reaches a desired value. Such information can be used to anchor casing at advantageous points and can further be used to avoid penetrating water-containing formations below a hydrocarbon reservoir.

Abstract: An actuator control system includes a housing assembly having at least one line therein for controlling operation of an actuator, and a modular controller attached externally to the housing assembly and interconnected to the line. A method of constructing an actuator control system includes the steps of: assembling a modular controller, the modular controller including a control valve therein for controlling operation of an actuator via a hydraulic line; testing the modular controller, including functionally testing the control valve; and then attaching the modular controller to a housing assembly having the line formed therein. Another actuator control system includes a housing assembly having at least one line therein for controlling operation of an actuator, and a modular controller attached separately to the housing assembly and interconnected to the line via a manifold of the modular controller, the manifold including a concave interface surface which receives the housing assembly therein.

Abstract: Well tools including valves operable by low electrical input. One well tool includes a valve which controls fluid communication between pressure regions in a well, the valve including a rotatable member which is biased to rotate, and a brake or clutch which prevents rotation of the member. Another valve includes a barrier which separates reactants, with the valve being operable in response to the barrier being opened and the reactants thereby reacting with each other. Yet another valve includes a barrier which separates the pressure regions, and a control circuit which heats the barrier to a weakened state. Another valve includes a member displaceable between open and closed positions, a restraining device which resists displacement of the member, and a control device which degrades or deactivates the restraining device and thereby permits the member to displace between its open and closed positions, in response to receipt of a predetermined signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods of adaptive carrier modulation for acoustic telemetry. A method of transmitting an acoustic signal through a wellbore medium includes propagating the acoustic signal through the wellbore medium, the acoustic signal including symbols modulated on a carrier frequency, and the carrier frequency being changed during transmission of each of the symbols. A wellbore acoustic telemetry system includes a transmitter which propagates an acoustic signal through a wellbore medium in a manner such that the acoustic signal includes symbols modulated on a carrier frequency, with the carrier frequency being changed during transmission of each of the symbols.

Abstract: A method of actuating a well tool utilizing first and second pressure sources includes the steps of: placing an source, thereby displacing a piston from a first position to a second position; and then placing another chamber in communication with the second pressure source, thereby displacing the piston to a third position. A multi-position actuator includes an operating member which displaces to operate a well tool, a first position of the operating member corresponding to a pressure source being in communication with a chamber and another pressure source being in communication with another chamber, a second position of the operating member corresponding to the same pressure source being in communication with both of the chambers, and a third position of the operating member corresponding to the pressure sources being connected to the chambers oppositely to that of the first position.

Abstract: System and methods for using nuclear magnetic resonance (MR) T1 measurements for wireline, LWD and MWD applications and down-hole NMR fluid analyzers. The T1 measurements are characterized by insensitivity to motion, as the detrimental effects arising from tool motion or fluid flow are effectively reduced or eliminated. T1 measurements alone or in combination with other standard oil field measurements are shown to provide efficient data acquisition resulting in compact and robust data sets, the potential for substantially increased logging speeds, and simple methods for fluid typing, including direct and robust identification of gas.

Abstract: Many methods are provided herein including, in one embodiment, a method comprising: providing a fluid that comprises an acid, crosslinked oxidized xanthan, and optionally, a base fluid; placing the fluid in a well bore penetrating a subterranean formation; and allowing the fluid to acidize at least a portion of the formation or damage contained therein. In another embodiment, herein provided is a fluid for subterranean uses comprising an acid and crosslinked, oxidized xanthan.

Abstract: A mixing system is provided comprising a first mixing tub, a first actuator to control flow of a carrier fluid, a sensor to determine a rate of flow of the fluid, and a second actuator to control flow of a dry material to form a mixture in the first mixing tub. The system further comprises a second mixing tub, a controller, and a weight sensor to determine the weight of the first mixing tub. The controller modulates the second actuator based on the rate of flow of the carrier fluid, based on the weight of the first mixing tub, and based on one of a sensed height of the mixture in the second mixing tub and a weight of the second mixing tub to provide the mixture at least one of at a commanded density and at a commanded flow rate. The mixture may be provided to a well bore to perform a servicing operation.

Abstract: A method of servicing a wellbore comprising placing in the wellbore a composition comprising a non-API compliant reactive calcium silicate based hydraulic binder and at least one gelation inhibiting retarder, and allowing the composition to set. A method of servicing a wellbore comprising placing in a wellbore a cement composition comprising an industrial waste product selected from the group consisting of Class C Fly ash, cement kiln dust, and combinations thereof and a gelation inhibitor, and allowing the composition to set. A method of controlling the thickening time of a cementitious composition comprising contacting a material having greater than 15 wt. % of tricalcium aluminate and tetracalcium aluminoferrite with a gelation inhibitor comprising a alkylbenzene sulfonic acid, at least one methallyl sulfonic acid monomer; at least one copolymerizable nonionic monomer, and at least one copolymerizable olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer.

Abstract: Data retrieval tags, drillstring communications systems and methods, and computer programs are disclosed. The data retrieval tag includes an insulator substrate, at least one analog memory cell disposed on the insulator substrate and an antenna coupled to the analog memory.

Abstract: The invention provides aqueous based well drilling and servicing fluids containing a polymer viscosifier with enhanced thermal stability provided by a diacid or diacid salt preferably having about two to about eight carbon atoms, such as, for example, sodium oxalate. The invention also provides a method of enhancing the thermal stability of aqueous based well drilling and servicing fluids containing a polymer viscosifer by adding diacid or diacid salt to the fluids.

Abstract: Herein provided are variable density fluid compositions and methods for using such compositions in a subterranean formation. One exemplary embodiment of the variable density fluid compositions of the present invention comprises a variable density fluid comprising: a base fluid; and a portion of elastic particles, the elastic particles having an isothermal compressibility factor in the range of from about 1.5×10?3 (1/psi) to about 1.5×10?9 (1/psi). Also provided are cement compositions comprising elastic particles, processes for preparing such cement compositions, and methods of cementing in subterranean formations using such cement compositions. One or more elastic particles are mixed with the cement before pumping the cement into a well bore. The elastic particles are preferably composed of an elastomeric material such as a copolymer of methylmethacrylate and acrylonitrile; a terpolymer of methylmethacrylate, acrylonitrile, and dichloroethane; a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer; and polystyrene.

Abstract: Wellbore fluids comprising an expanded and ground perlite and methods of using the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the methods include a method of cementing comprising preparing or placing a cement composition comprising cement, water, and an expanded and ground perlite. The method further comprises allowing the cement composition to set. A method of servicing a wellbore, comprising providing a wellbore fluid comprising a base fluid and an expanded and ground perlite, placing the wellbore fluid into an annulus in the wellbore, placing a cement composition into the annulus, and allowing the cement composition to set.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improved low-quality particulates and methods of making such improved particulates. A method of treating a portion of a subterranean formation, comprising providing a slurry comprising a treatment fluid and low-quality particulates at least partially coated with an aqueous tackifying composition, wherein the aqueous tackifying composition comprises an aqueous tackifier compound and an aqueous liquid; introducing the slurry into a subterranean formation; and, depositing the coated, low-quality particulates into the portion of this subterranean formation. A method of improving particulates, comprising at least partially coating low-quality particulates with an aqueous tackifying composition, wherein the aqueous tackifying composition comprises an aqueous tackifier compound and an aqueous liquid.

Abstract: Many methods and compositions are provided. One of the methods provided comprises the steps of: providing an aqueous treatment fluid that comprises a polysaccharide and a dual functional component, the aqueous treatment fluid having a first viscosity; allowing the dual functional component to interact with the polysaccharide such that the viscosity of the aqueous treatment fluid increases to a second viscosity, the second viscosity being greater than the first viscosity; placing the aqueous treatment fluid into a subterranean formation; and allowing the dual functional component to interact with the polysaccharide so as to reduce the second viscosity of the aqueous treatment fluid to a third viscosity, the third viscosity being less than the second viscosity. An example of a composition is a viscosified treatment fluid for treating subterranean formations comprising: an aqueous base fluid and an apparent cross linked reaction product of a polysaccharide and a dual functional component.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for sidewall percussion coring service are disclosed. In some embodiments, the side-wall percussion coring tool includes a voltage activated igniter, explosive material, and a core barrel in communication with the explosive material, wherein activation of the igniter causes detonation of the explosive material to propel the core barrel from tool. Some method embodiments for performing sidewall percussion coring service using the disclosed sidewall percussion coring tool include positioning the tool within a wellbore, activating the voltage activated igniter housed within the tool, detonating the explosive material within the tool with the voltage activated igniter, propelling a core barrel from the tool into the surrounding formation by detonation of the explosive material, retrieving the core barrel from the formation, and removing the tool from the wellbore.