Abstract: A pressure testing module separable from and configured to be coupled with a tool base that is to be coupled along a downhole tool string to be conveyed within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation. The pressure testing module includes a chamber and a piston assembly slidably disposed within the chamber, thus dividing the chamber into a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion. The piston assembly is operable to move in response to hydraulic fluid being pumped into the first chamber portion and to draw formation fluid of the wellbore into the second chamber portion in response to the movement of the piston assembly.

Abstract: A cutting bit includes a body, a plurality of blades, and at least one ultrahard insert cast directly into at least one of the plurality of blades. The ultrahard insert is positioned with a rear face directly contacting the blade.

Abstract: A technique facilitates use of a submersible pumping system deployed downhole in a borehole. A docking assembly comprises a docking station which has at least one electrical wet connector and is coupled to a receiving tubular. An electrical power cable is coupled to the docking station to enable electrical power to be provided to the at least one electrical wet connector. The docking assembly is deployed downhole to a desired location in the borehole to enable coupling with the submersible pumping system. The submersible pumping system is simply moved downhole into the receiving tubular and into electrical engagement with the electrical wet connectors.

Abstract: A submersible component can include a conductor; and a polymeric material disposed about at least a portion of the conductor where the polymeric material includes at least approximately 50 percent by weight polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and at least 5 percent by weight perfluoroalkoxy alkanes (PFA). A submersible electrical unit can include an electrically conductive winding; and a polymeric composite material disposed about at least a portion of the electrically conductive winding where the polymeric composite material includes polymeric material at at least approximately 40 percent by volume and one or more fillers at at least approximately 10 percent by volume.

Abstract: Methods for correcting eccentering effects on echoes detected from ultrasonic pulses emitted by a transducer of a downhole tool. Echo envelope amplitude, azimuth, and location for each echo is utilized to assess echo amplitude sensitivity to geometric and spatial characteristics of the downhole tool within the wellbore. Echo envelope amplitudes are corrected for eccentering effects based on the assessed sensitivity. A visual representation of the corrected echo envelope amplitudes is the generated. Also disclosed herein are tangible, non-transient, computer-readable media comprising instructions executable by a processor to carry out the methods, as well as systems including downhole tools and processing devices operable to carry out the methods.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods regarding a processing system operable to implement an arbiter. The arbiter receives commands from non-prioritized and prioritized actors, and repeatedly issues an earliest received, non-issued command received from the non-prioritized actor. Execution of an immediately preceding issued command is completed or terminated by a sending actor of the immediately preceding issued command before a subsequent earliest received, non-issued command is issued. The arbiter also issues a command received from the prioritized actor upon receipt of the command received from the prioritized actor. Issuance of the command received from the prioritized actor interrupts issuance and execution of a command received from the non-prioritized actor. The commands from the non-prioritized and prioritized actors are issued to equipment controllers operable to control equipment of a well construction system.

Abstract: A downhole tool that has a plurality of arm assemblies. Each of the arm assemblies has an arm configured to expand and retract and an actuator. A hydraulic bus in fluid communication with the plurality of arm assemblies. A plurality of flow control devices. The flow control devices are configured to selectively isolate one or more arm assemblies of the plurality of arm assemblies from the hydraulic bus while maintaining the other arm assemblies of the plurality of arm assemblies in communication with the hydraulic bus.

Abstract: A method of anchoring a morphable tubular in a wellbore includes providing a first tubular member including an expandable portion having an anchoring system arranged around a circumference thereof, the anchoring system including a gripper element, two wedge elements having inclined surfaces oriented to engage two oppositely arranged inclined surfaces of the gripper element, wherein each wedge element includes a beam spring, which are oppositely arranged to act against the inclined surfaces of the gripper element, locating the expandable portion in an existing tubular in a wellbore, introducing fluid pressure to an inner surface of the expandable portion and morphing the expandable portion towards the existing tubing so that the gripper element engages an inner surface of the existing tubing, reducing the fluid pressure, and maintaining engagement of the gripper element on the inner surface by action of the at least one beam spring axially on the gripper element.

Abstract: A drilling system that includes a drill bit that drills a bore through rock. A shaft coupled to the drill bit, wherein the shaft transfers rotational power to the drill bit. A housing that receives at least part of the shaft. A rotary steering system that controls a drilling direction of the drill bit. The rotary steering system includes a steering sleeve that couples to and uncouples from the housing to control a drilling direction of the drill bit.

Abstract: An ultra-hard cutting element for use in a drill bit, such as a percussion drill bit, a rotary cone drill bit, a drag bit, or a reamer. The ultra-hard cutting element includes a base portion, an extension portion on an end of the base portion, and a lip on an outer surface of the extension portion. At least a portion of the outer surface of the extension portion includes an ultra-hard abrasive material. The ultra-hard abrasive material may be polycrystalline diamond or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride.

Abstract: A downhole tool includes a sand control device, a tubular member coupled to and positioned below the sand control device, a shifting device coupled to the tubular member, and a load-monitoring sensor coupled to the tubular member and positioned between the sand control device and the shifting device.

Abstract: A method includes acquiring trajectory information; based at least in part on a portion of the trajectory information, generating a set of candidate trajectories with associated performance indicator values; rendering a graphical user interface to a display; via the graphical user interface, receiving input that adjusts one of the performance indicator values; and, responsive to the adjustment of the one of the performance indicator values, selecting one of the set of candidate trajectories.

Abstract: A method of making a polycrystalline diamond compact includes forming a first layer of polycrystalline diamond precursor materials comprising diamond particles and a first concentration of catalyst, forming a second layer of polycrystalline diamond precursor materials comprising diamond particles and a second concentration of catalyst, and placing a layer of an infiltrant material in the proximity of the first or the second layer of polycrystalline diamond precursor materials. The second concentration of catalyst is greater than the first concentration of catalyst. The infiltrant material is a catalyst. The first layer and the second layer are sintered under high-pressure high-temperature conditions in the presence of the infiltrant material to form the polycrystalline diamond compact. At least a portion of the catalyst is leached from the polycrystalline diamond compact.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for characterizing a fluid provide for flowing a sample fluid through a microfluidic flow line and subsequently flushing the flowline with flushing fluid alone or together with heating and/or exposure to a pulsating electromagnetic field. A tracer fluid is injected and tracked in a microfluidic line based on known properties of the tracer fluid.

Abstract: A method includes receiving desired locations of nodes for deployment on a seabed of a seismic survey where each of the nodes includes a sealed housing and, within the sealed housing, at least one battery and spaced seismic sensors electrically powered by the at least one battery; determining locations of the nodes as deployed on the seabed where at least some of the determined locations differ from their corresponding desired locations; acquiring seismic data sensed by the spaced seismic sensors of the nodes where the acquired seismic data corresponds to the determined locations; and, based at least in part on the acquired seismic data, a spacing of the spaced seismic sensors and the desired locations, generating seismic data for the desired locations.

Abstract: A sensor assembly may include a housing made of a non-magnetic material. The housing may define an interior chamber. A shaft may extend from the housing. A bearing may be positioned around the shaft. An impeller may be positioned around the shaft and the bearing, and the impeller may include a magnetized portion. A sensor may be positioned within the interior chamber and/or proximate the magnetized portion. The sensor may detect the magnetized portion of the impeller to sense a rate of rotation of the impeller. The rate of rotation of the impeller may correspond to changes in flow rate of the fluid. As the flow rate of the fluid, and the rate of rotation of the impeller change in predetermined manners, control signals may be conveyed to activate a tool.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for detecting the wax appearance temperature (WAT) of a hydrocarbon fluid sample. The hydrocarbon fluid sample is run through a microfluidic channel at controlled temperatures while sensing the pressure drop across the channel. The WAT is determined by finding a temperature at which the pressure (drop) across the microfluidic channel caused by a temperature reduction of the hydrocarbon fluid sample does not stabilize over a given time interval, thereby establishing the WAT as being at that temperature or between that temperature and a previous higher temperature where the pressure (drop) stabilized over time.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided that identify relatively large anisotropic horizontal stresses in a formation based on (i) azimuthal variations in the compressional and shear slownesses or velocities of the formation measured from ultrasonic data acquired by at least one acoustic logging tool as well as (ii) cross-dipole dispersions of the formation measured from sonic data acquired by the at least one acoustic logging tool. In addition, the azimuthal variations in the compressional and shear slownesses or velocities of the formation and dipole flexural dispersions of the formation can be jointly inverted to obtain the elastic properties of the rock of the formation in terms of linear and nonlinear constants and the magnitude of maximum horizontal stress of the formation. A workflow for estimating the magnitude of the maximum horizontal stress can employ estimates of certain formation properties, such as overburden stress, magnitude of minimum horizontal stress, and pore pressure.

Abstract: A method includes simulating a cutting tool drilling an earth formation by incrementally rotating the cutting tool at a plurality of time intervals, determining a true trajectory of a cutting element disposed on the cutting tool for the duration of the plurality of time intervals, and determining a dynamic work profile for the cutting element based on the true trajectory and a force acting on the cutting element at each time interval.

Abstract: A technique facilitates cement bonding evaluation including collecting waveform data and pre-processing the waveform data. The technique also may utilize processes which provide a time window position for the pre-processed waveform data and calculation of waveform amplitude and/or attenuation. Additionally, the technique may include deriving an amplitude-based bond index and/or attenuation-based bond index through the use of a model or other suitable waveform data processing technique which enables preparation of quality control plots with respect to the processing results.