Abstract: A centrifugal submersible pump has wear resistant features to resist erosion due to sand laden fluid from a well. The pump has diffusers and impellers located within the housing. Each diffuser has a diffuser sleeve with a coaxial bore. The diffuser sleeve is of a material harder than the remaining portions of the sleeve. A hardened lower hub locates slidingly within each diffuser sleeve. The lower hub rotates with the shaft. Each impeller has an upper hub that locates above the lower hub and is also carried by the shaft for rotation with the shaft. The upper hub extends into the bore of the next upward diffuser sleeve. The lower hub is of a material harder than the upper hub and the vane section of the impeller.

Abstract: A slip gripping mechanism is shown for supporting a string of cylindrical conduit within the interior bore of a circumscribing well conduit. A cone retaining ring engages a plurality of floating cone segments which define spaced longitudinal slots on the outside of the cylindrical conduit. Vertically shiftable slips are carried in the slots by side edges which engage mating profiles formed in the slots. The slots form guideways for the slips for shifting the slips upwardly and outwardly between a set position engaging the circumscribing conduit and an unset position. The cone retaining ring is internally threaded and engages a mating externally threaded surface on the cylindrical conduit to fix the cone segments and prevent axial movement with respect to the cylindrical conduit.

Abstract: In an earth boring bit of the type having a rotatable cone secured to a bearing shaft, an improved pressure compensating and relief system. A flexible diaphragm has an enlarge peripheral portion in an o-ring configuration sealingly secured in a compensator cavity to form a mud region and a lubricant region. A central portion of the diaphragm has a perforated and ridged protrusion extending into the mud region to form a self energizing area, exposed to the mud region, that seals the perforation when the pressure of the lubricant is less than or substantially equal that of the mud. A wall at the end of the compensator cavity surrounds the mud passage and engages an area around the protrusion when the diaphragm is fully extended by lubricant pressure build-up that exceeds the hydrostatic pressure. Thus, the resulting pressure differential opens the perforation, releases lubricant and relieves the build-up of lubricant pressure.

Abstract: A combination landing unit and seal assembly is shown for engaging and sealing within the internal bore of the liner within a well. A special latch mechanism carried on the seal assembly includes an externally threaded latch collet which can be stabbed into the setting sleeve threads which are normally provided in the interior of the liner for use with the running tool which installs the liner in the well bore. An integral seal assembly is carried in the assembly in an upward extension of the landing unit and floats within a tubular extension of the landing unit. A plug can be installed in the landing unit to allow the seal assembly to be retrieved to the well surface without killing the well.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an earth boring drill bit and bit produced thereby are shown. The bit has rotatable cutters with a plurality of milled teeth, each of the teeth having opposing flanks. A first tube hardfacing is applied to a selected one of the opposing flanks, the hardfacing comprising a metallic binder with wear-resistant particles dispersed throughout the binder. The other of the opposing flanks has a second tube hardfacing applied thereto. The particle size of the wear-resistant particles differs between the first and second tube hardfacings so that the resulting difference in abrasion resistance of the tooth flanks produces a self-sharpening effect as the tooth wears.

Abstract: An adjustable collet is shown which includes a collet body having an internal bore and integral collet arms. An adjustment ring is received within the bore of the collet body and has a depending portion which engages the collet arms. By adjusting the position of the ring within the collet body bore and varying the longitudinal position of the depending portion relative to the collet arms, the effective collet arm length can be varied.

Abstract: A quick disconnect coupling for a subsea well flowline has valves that open and close when the coupling is made up and released. The coupling has tubular upper and lower connectors, each with a flow passage. The upper connector inserts over a mandrel of the lower connector. Ball valves are located in the passage of each connector. A latch member engages the mandrel when moved by a hydraulically actuated piston and a cam. A gear assembly connected with the piston simultaneously moves the upper ball valve to the closed position. A gear assembly connected with the lower ball valve simultaneously opens the lower ball valve when the upper connector latches to the lower connector.

Abstract: A latch and retrieving assembly is shown for use with a well tool having an axial bore which includes an external landing shoulder and an annular latch recess which is spaced below the landing shoulder. The assembly includes a mandrel which is inserted in to the bore of the well tool. The mandrel has a lower abutment and a collet member carried about the mandrel above the abutment. The collet member includes a carrier ring which is seatable on the shoulder and a plurality of fingers which depend from the carrier ring and which terminate in radially enlarged tips which are disposed in registration with the recess when the carrier ring is seated on the landing shoulder. The tips cooperate with the lower abutment to latch into and to be released from the recess respectively in response to downward movement of the mandrel. A special profile formed on the mandrel lower abutment provides latching engagement and subsequent release of the assembly upon downward movement of the mandrel relative to the collet.

Abstract: A pipe handling machine having vertical tracks mounted on a rotatable base. A carriage is mounted on the vertical tracks for vertical movement. A multisection telescoping boom is mounted on the carriage, and a pipe-engaging head is mounted on the end of the boom. The base may be carried on a movable trolley, which engages a set of tracks. The tracks run across the rig floor, from well center to a setback area. A second set of tracks may run across the rig floor, transverse to the first set.

Abstract: An earth boring bit is shown having a body with one end which is connected to a drill string member for rotation and having an opposite end with a matrix formed thereon. A plurality of cutting elements are mounted on the matrix for dislodging geological formations. The cutting elements include groups of at least two but less than four cutters which are co-joined by a common backing of the matrix, the co-joined groups being spaced-apart from adjacent co-joined groups mounted on the matrix.

Abstract: A running tool is used to set a seal on a casing hanger in a wellhead. The running tool has a holder for connecting the running tool to the casing hanger as it is lowered into the wellhead. A piston is carried on the running tool above the seal. An actuating passage extends from an axial passage in the running tool to the piston. A release passage extends from the axial passage to the holder. A pin and slot enables the upper section of the tool to be lowered relative to the lower section. The combination of a sliding valve, moved by a plug pumped from the surface, and the pin and slot, places the running tool in a mode for setting the seal and a mode for releasing the running tool from the casing hanger.

Abstract: A slip gripping mechanism is shown for supporting a string of cylindrical conduit within the interior bore of a circumscribing conduit. An elongate body has a plurality of spaced longitudinal slots at one end. Vertically shiftable slips are carried in the slots by side edges which engage mating profiles formed in the slots. The slots form guideways for the slips for shifting the slips upwardly and outwardly relative to the body between a set position engaging the circumscribing conduit and an unset position. Each slip has an arcuate lower surface and a selected width to thickness ratio to allow controlled flexing of the slip in the direction of the circumscribing conduit as the slip moves to the set position.

Abstract: A subsea well electrical coupling engagement system allows control modules in a subsea well platform to be remotely and electrically coupled to each other. Each control module has an electrical housing that extends laterally outward, the housing having at least one coupling on its outer end for inductively coupling with an adjacent module. The housing is mounted flexibly to the control module. A guide shoe located on the platform engages the lower side of the electrical housing to orient it. A latch rod located in each module latches the module in its receptacle. The latch rod when moved downwardly moves a linkage assembly to push the electrical housing outward into an engaged position.

Abstract: An improved earth boring bit of the type having diamond cutting elements and a fluid passageway to direct drilling fluid toward a borehole bottom during drilling, a metal nozzle with a cylindrical, threaded exterior and a noncircular throat having a minimum cross sectional dimension to receive a mating wrench and a length to resist damage from the torque required to make-up and break-out the nozzle for threads in the body of the bit.

Abstract: An apparatus for connecting a riser to a wellhead housing for a tie-back connection allows connection without rotation or hydraulic actuation. A connector body is mounted to the lower end of the riser for lowering over the wellhead housing. Dogs are carried in the connector body, each having grooves on its interior for mating with grooves formed on the wellhead housing. Guide surfaces in the connector body allow the dogs to retract and extend, but only in directions perpendicular to the upper flanks of the wellhead housing grooves. Springs urge the dogs inwardly and downwardly to lock the connector body to the wellhead housing. A release mechanism allows the connector body to be pulled upwardly and removed from the wellhead housing.

Abstract: A drill pipe identification system automatically provides an identification number for each drill pipe as the drill pipe is being lowered into or withdrawn from the well. The system has a SAW identification device which is mounted in a cylindrical cavity which is formed within a tool joint of each section of drill pipe. The cavity has an aperture leading to the exterior of the tool joint to allow radio frequency signals to be received and reradiated. The SAW device receives signals from a transmitter and receiver, modulates the signals and reradiates them in a manner that corresponds to an encoded number in the SAW device.

Abstract: A well acidizing treatment solution is shown which comprises an aqueous solution of an acid and a corrosion inhibiting composition which prevents the formation of sludge. The corrosion inhibiting composition is made up of a mixture of propargyl alcohol and cellosolve, the propargyl alcohol being present in the range from about 80-90 weight percent based on the weight of the corrosion inhibiting composition. The composition also contains as an additional ingredient a mixture of a polyglycol, amine derivatives, a phenolformaldehyde resin and tar bases.

Abstract: A torque wrench for making and breaking connections between sections of drill pipe. The torque wrench has upper and lower wrench assemblies, each having a gate, a latch, and a clamp. Clamping cylinders apply clamping pressure to the clamps. Torque cylinders apply torque pressure to the upper wrench assembly, to cause rotation of the upper wrench assembly relative to the lower wrench assembly. When the torque pressure is adjusted, a valve causes the clamping pressure applied to the clamping cylinders to automatically vary linearly with the torque pressure.

Abstract: A bit is shown for use in drilling earthen formations which includes a body having a bit face on one end and a shank on the opposite end which is connected in the drill string. The bit body has a tubular bore which communicates with an interior bore of the drill string for circulation of fluids. The bit face increases in external diameter between a nose and a gage region of the bit. A fluid opening communicates the bit face with the tubular bore for circulating fluid to the bit face. A plurality of fluid courses are disposed on the bit body, the fluid courses becoming ever wider and ever deeper along their entire disposition from their lowermost incorporation through the gage region thereof.

Abstract: An inside blowout preventer for use in an earth boring drill string has features to reduce erosion. The blowout preventer has a valve body for connection into the drill string with a longitudinal passage extending through the body. The ball seat is located in the longitudinal passage. A ball storage location is located below the seat, and offset from the longitudinal passage. A ball is carried in the storage location during downward flow, and moves into the longitudinal passage to seat against the seat if the upward flow is sufficient. The storage location is located in an area of the longitudinal passage which has a much larger flow area than through the seat. The downward flow impinges on a portion of the ball. A communication passage extends from the storage location downward to a reduced diameter section of the longitudinal passage.