Abstract: The present invention discloses the concept of using, for the purpose of operating a well control tool such as setting a packer, slip or whipstock, wireless data signal emissions from a downhole telemetry instrument such as an MWD or LWD unit that is energized by pumped fluid flow along a surface connected tubing string. The well control tool may be one that derives operating energy in situ such as from well bore fluid pressure or batteries. Operation of the well control tool is triggered by a battery powered microprocessor that is programmed to respond to a predetermined sequence of wireless data signal emissions from the telemetry instrument. Control over the wireless data signal sequence is exercised by control over the pumped flow stream such as by starting and stopping the pump or diverting the downhole flow stream.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing fluid from a well intersecting a plurality of producing formations. The apparatus includes a pumping system lowered into the well on a production tubing. The well is separated into upper and lower production zones by a packer installed in the well. Fluid is communicated upwardly in the well from the upper zone through a first flow conduit and from the second zone through a second flow conduit. Fluid from both zones is combined and produced upwardly in a single stream. The amount of fluid produced from each zone can be determined with a flow meter which will measure the amount of flow produced from one or more of the zones.

Abstract: A tool for boring has a first shaft for drivingly linking at a first end to a portable rotatable machine. At a second end, the tool has a fastener to which a modular auger section can be drivingly linked. A second shaft of the tool has an outer surface to which a radially inwardly extending edge of a helical flight is attached. A cylindrical collar is attached to a radially outwardly extending peripheral edge of the flight and is mounted radially outwardly of the second shaft. An insulator interposed between the shafts electrically insulates the shafts from each other. The shafts can be unlinked through a shear pin breaking in response to a predetermined amount of relative torque to the shafts.

Abstract: A twist drill bit (1) for use in rock has a helical land (7) arranged between a chuck insert end (2) and a tool head (3), and extends helically around a rotational axis (A) extending along a shaft (5). The radially outer surface (8) of the land (7) has its width (x) increasing as it approaches the tool head (3).

Abstract: The present invention includes an interchangeable coil tubing support block that provides a means for quickly adapting a wheel system for wheel-type coiled tubing injectors for a wide variety of tubing sizes. In addition, the present invention provides a light weight, robust, and wear resistant means of contacting and fully supporting the tubing while it is being injected into and withdrawn from a well.

Abstract: A traverse carriage and operator arrangement for transversely adjusting the abrader unit or units of a mobile surface abrading apparatus. In a preferred embodiment the traverse carriage is mounted on a cross-member by means of rollers and is operated by a specially designed, fluid-operated cylinder horizontally oriented in the mobile surface abrading apparatus and attached to the traverse carriage and the apparatus frame for moving the traverse carriage along the cross-member and positioning the abrader unit a selected distance along the cross-member transverse to the longitudinal movement of the mobile surface abrading apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plug-dropping container for releasing plugs or other objects into a wellbore during fluid circulation procedures. In one aspect, the plug-dropping container is used as part of a cementing head. The plug-dropping container comprises an elongated housing, and a canister disposed co-axially within the housing. The canister is movable from a lower position to an upper position. In its lower position, a fluid bypass area is defined above the canister. When a dart is retained within the canister, fluid is diverted through the bypass and around the canister within an annular area defined between the canister and the housing. In one aspect, the canister is moved by rotation of a plug-retaining device below the canister. In its plug-retained position, the plug-retaining device is oriented so that the wall of the plug-retaining device is blocking the downward path of the dart.

Abstract: “Well equipment transporting well fluid from a gassy well. A conduit is hung and sealed inside a string of casing, forcing the gas and well fluid to flow into the conduit. A gas separator and a series of flow controls and valves are mounted into and run with the conduit. A pump assembly is hung and sealed into the conduit for pumping well fluid to the surface. The pump assembly is lowered and retrieved from the conduit on tubing. The pump may be located below the motor, or above the motor.

Abstract: A steerable reamer and method for use in horizontal directional drilling. The reamer includes a carrier frame rotatably coupled to a reaming body, a carrier frame housing slidably coupled to the carrier frame, and an hydraulic cylinder for tilting the carrier frame relative to the carrier frame housing. The reamer may also include sondes for monitoring the position and orientation of the reamer during operation or a laser guidance system for automatically steering the reamer along a pilot bore.

Abstract: An annulus collar around a well production tube is cast in cement by a procedure that axially delineates the collar between two expandable well packers in the production tube string. Between the packers are a pair of cementing valves. An ingress valve is most proximate to the lower packer whereas an egress valve is most proximate to the upper packer. Additionally, the egress valve is modified to enclose the egress valve with a screen having mesh or slot openings that correspond with a screen plugging material that is mixed with the cement.

Abstract: The invention is generally directed to a curved flapper and seat for use in a subsurface safety valve. The flapper is biased to a normally closed position to prevent fluid flow through the wellbore. The curved flapper has a sealing surface for engaging a corresponding sealing surface on a seat when the flapper is in its closed position. The sealing surface of the flapper is configured to contact the sealing surface of the seat along a sinusoidal sealing line, or seam, such that the reactive force from the seat is normal to the sinusoidal seating line. In one aspect, the sealing surface of the flapper has a convex spherical configuration relative to the seat. The sealing surface of the seat, in turn, has a concave conical shape relative to the flapper. When well conditions dictate, a resilient soft seat may optionally be used, and is disposed on the seat proximate the sinusoidal seating line.

Abstract: An assembly that is usable in a subterranean well includes a valve, a sleeve and an index mechanism. The valve is adapted to selectively isolate a region of the well, and the sleeve is adapted to be moved by a downhole tool to cause the valve to transition from a first state to a second state. The index mechanism prevents the valve from transitioning from the first state to the second state until after a position of the sleeve follows a predefined pattern.

Abstract: A drill cuttings injection system injects cuttings from drilling a well into a wellhead assembly. The wellhead assembly has a tubular housing mounted to an upper end of a well and a casing hanger concentrically located in the housing, defining an annular clearance. A port extends through the housing for injecting a stream of drill cuttings into the annular clearance. A sleeve is mounted in the port. The sleeve has a cylindrical sidewall and an inner end containing a deflection plate. The sleeve has an aperture in the sidewall adjacent the deflection plate for discharging the stream after the stream contacts the deflection plate. The deflection plate protects the casing hanger from erosive contact with the stream.

Abstract: A straddle packer tool for treatment of wells has a tool body supporting sealing elements in spaced relation for defining a sealed annulus zone within a wellbore. The tool body defines a treatment fluid passage having treatment ports that open to the sealed annulus zone for formation fracturing or other well treatment. The tool body has a bypass passage therethrough which is isolated from the treatment fluid passage and communicates with the wellbore above and below the sealed annulus zone. A check valve permits downward flow of well fluid from the bypass passage into the wellbore below the tool and prevents upward flow of fluid into the bypass passage. Bypass ports conduct fluid flow to and from the bypass passage and the wellbore above and below the sealed annulus zone. A packer actuated bypass valve is opened or closed to control the flow of well fluid within the bypass passage.

Abstract: A highwall mining system of the type wherein multiple conveyor cars are connected together to form a conveyor train which extends into a seam being mined by a mechanical miner located at the inner end of the conveyor train is capable of effective operation in steep dip seams, e.g. up to about 30°, and is constructed so that it can be quickly disassembled, moved, and reassembled and put into operation with minimal downtime.

Abstract: The invention provides a head for injecting a liquid under pressure from a borehole to break up the soil, said head being mounted at the end of a drill string including a liquid feed for feeding a liquid under pressure. The head comprises a body and an outside wall, the body having at least one injection nozzle mounted therein, the nozzle having an inlet diameter equal to d and presenting an axis (x-x′), the body also having a tube. The tube presents a mean line having a first end connected to the bottom end of the liquid feed and having a second end connected to the nozzle tangentially to the axis (x-x′). The mean line is defined by at least one curved portion presenting a radius of curvature that varies continuously. The right section of the tube decreases regularly over at least half of its length from its first end to its second end.

Abstract: A tool latching and retrieval system allows the deployment and retrieval of a variety of direct push subsurface characterization tools through an embedded rod string during a single penetration without requiring withdrawal of the string from the ground. This enables the in situ interchange of different tools, as well as the rapid retrieval of soil core samples from multiple depths during a single direct push penetration. The system includes specialized rods that make up the rod string, a tool housing which is integral to the rod string, a lock assembly, and several tools which mate to the lock assembly.

Abstract: An earth borer includes a thin-walled tubular shaft (4), a shank (2) provided at one end of the tubular shaft (4), and a drilling head (5) provided at another, opposite end of the tubular shaft, projecting radially beyond the tubular shaft (4), and having at least one cutter for breaking the bore core and (6, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) extending, at least partially, radially inward and at least one internal groove (7, 7a, 7b) associated with the at least one cutter, and a releasable tubular connection member (8) for drivingly connecting the shank (2) with tubular shaft (4) for joint rotation with each other.

Abstract: A ground drilling machine includes a machine body a rod propelling device, a rod exchanging device and a support unit provided for the machine body for supporting the rod exchanging device. The rod propelling device has a frame movably mounted to the machine body. The frame is slidable on a support portion provided for the machine body. The rod exchanging device is attached to the frame of the rod propelling device via a transverse mounting member. The rod exchanging device is also supported on the support unit so as to be slidable on the support unit along with the movement of the rod propelling device without changing of its relative position to the rod propelling device. The rod exchanging device can be made light and compact because the rod exchanging device is supported by the support unit which is provided for the machine body and accordingly a large bending load is not applied to the main body portion of the rod exchanging device.

Abstract: A tool for removing a drill core is formed of a tubular tool member (1) having an axially extending receptacle region (A) and an axially extending gripping region (B), wherein the receptacle region (A) extends partially around half of the circular annular circumference. In a first end of the receptacle region (A) spaced from the gripping region (B) two mutually opposed swivel arms (4) are arranged. The swivel arms (4) project into the inside diameter of the tool member (1) and extend in the direction of the gripping region (G) and are elastic in the radial direction. These swivel arms (4) serve in axially securing a drill core received in the receptacle region (A) of the tool member (1).