Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure can include systems, methods, and devices for determining saturation pressure of an uncontaminated fluid. A technique facilitates fluid analysis in situ at a downhole location. Downhole saturation pressure measurements and downhole OBM filtrate contamination of a contaminated fluid may be obtained and a relationship may be determined between the saturation pressure measurements and OBM filtrate contamination. The relationship may be extrapolated to zero OBM filtrate contamination to determine the saturation pressure of the uncontaminated fluid. According to an embodiment, a sample of oil is obtained at the downhole location from oil in a reservoir. A downhole sampling system is used to determine whether a sample has contamination and other selected characteristics of the sample. The data obtained may be processed to provide a formation volume factor of the oil.

Abstract: Various drill bits, drilling systems and related methods are provided. In one embodiment, a drill bit comprises a bit body having a face and a shank, at least one insert having a convex engagement surface coupled with the face and at least one wear insert coupled with the shank. In one particular embodiment, the at least one wear insert may be positioned immediately adjacent a coupling end of the shank. The at least one wear insert may include a superabrasive table which may be bonded with a substrate. The at least one wear insert includes a wear surface defined in the superabrasive table. In one embodiment, the superabrasive table may comprise polycrystalline diamond. Similarly, the inset having a convex engagement surface may include a superabrasive material, such as polycrystalline diamond, bonded with a substrate. Such a drill bit may be used, for example, in a top hammer percussion drilling operation.

Abstract: A reamer includes a housing, a flow tube extending along a longitudinal axis of the housing, and a plurality of reamer blocks arranged radially around the flow tube and configured to extend and retract relative to the housing. The reamer has a reamer ratio between 1.8 and 2.5. The reamer ratio is a ratio between an expanded diameter of the reamer when the plurality of reamer blocks is extended and a retracted diameter of the reamer when the plurality of reamer blocks is retracted.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chemical heater for use in down-hole operations together with methods for operating such in oil/gas wells. The chemical heater comprises a heater body (1) housing a chemical reaction heat source material (2). The heater body (1) has a leading end that, in use, is deployed down-hole first. The heater is provided with ignition means (3), located in a heating zone proximal to the leading end of the heater body, for triggering a chemical reaction in the chemical reaction heat source material located in the heating zone (4, 4a). The heater is further provided with an actuator (5,6) housed within the heater body (1) and configured to urge the chemical reaction heat source material (2) towards the heating zone so as to generate a focused heating pattern.

Abstract: System, methods, and devices for simultaneously fracturing a target formation and an adjacent secondary formation are disclosed. The simultaneous fracturing operations interfere with each other to form in-situ dynamic barriers. The in-situ barriers prevent acid from the fracturing treatment in the target formation from invading the secondary formation and, in some instances, sealing formation rock at the location of the in-situ barrier to prevent or reduce water movement from the secondary formation into the primary formation.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a valve assembly comprising a valve section, a power section, and an electronics section. The valve assembly is configured to mate with a tubing sub (and/or mandrel) inserted in-line with a tubing string inserted into a wellbore. The valve allows for injection into or production from the tubing string. The valve assembly comprises an electric motor and a motor controller permitting fine control over the valve, as well as sensors which measure various parameters, such as fluid flow, valve position, pressure, temperature, and/or water cut. A cable connects the valve assembly to the surface and provides power and data telemetry and allows control of the valve assembly with a remote electronic signal. Multiple valve assemblies may be provided at spaced intervals along the tubing string and individually monitored and/or controlled by a remote location. Also disclosed is a method for operation of such valve assemblies.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for cooling a drilling mud in a drilling operation. In aspects, the disclosure includes drawing the drilling mud from a last active volume mud tank of a plurality of active volume mud tanks and conducting the drilling mud to a heat-exchanger apparatus and then returning the drilling mud to the last active volume mud tank. In other aspects, the disclosure includes a variable frequency drive (“VFD”) for controlling a pumping rate of an electrically driven pump for the drilling mud, wherein the VFD is capable of adjusting the pumping rate for pumping of the drilling mud through a heat-exchanger apparatus. In further aspects, systems and methods are provided that use a tube-and-shell heat exchanger. The aspects are independently capable of providing improved efficiency. These and other aspects are preferably used in combination for greater efficiency.

Abstract: A drill rod can include a body having an outer surface, an inner surface, a longitudinal axis aligned with a drilling axis, and at least one longitudinally extending groove extending radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis relative to the inner surface. The inner surface and the at least one longitudinally extending groove can cooperate to define an interior space through which an inner assembly can be received as the inner assembly is advanced and retracted relative to the drilling axis. The at least one longitudinally extending groove of the body of the drill rod can be configured to permit axial flow of fluid through the drill rod as portions of the inner assembly engage the inner surface of the body of the drill rod.

Abstract: A bearing capacity reinforcing device. The bearing capacity reinforcing device comprises: a reinforcing mechanism having a reinforcing body and a reinforcing disc connected to a lower portion of the reinforcing body, a plurality of reinforcing rib plates being spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the reinforcing body and connected to the reinforcing disc; wherein the reinforcing disc is provided with a plurality of accommodating spaces which are spaced apart in a circumferential direction thereof and provided therein with a movable sector plate, respectively, and the reinforcing disc at each of the accommodating spaces is provided with a perforated portion which can be blocked by the sector plate; and a connecting portion having a male buckle end connected to a lower end of the reinforcing body, and a female buckle end connected to an upper end of the reinforcing body.

Abstract: A cementing tool and a method for cementing a casing string using the cementing tool is provided. The cementing tool comprises threaded top and bottom openings for attaching to a casing string, a plurality of ports, and a plurality of shear plugs shaped to fit within the ports. In the method, a casing string comprising the cementing tool is run into a well and the cementing process of the casing string is initiated. When the casing shoe of the casing string becomes plugged, the cementing tool is activated without removing the casing string from the well. Activation of the cementing tool releases pressure trapped in the cementing tool, thereby releasing the shear plugs from the ports and opening the ports to create alternative passages for the cement to complete the cementing process.

Abstract: A method of removing dope from a tubing system in a wellbore includes the step of, prior to setting a production packer, reverse circulating fluid within a tubing-casing annulus (TCA) so that is flows from the tubing-casing annulus into a first tubing and propels at least one wiper plug within the first tubing in an uphole direction, thereby wiping the inside of the first tubing and removing excess dope.

Abstract: A completion section includes a base pipe defining a central flow passage, an injection port, and a production port. A fracturing assembly includes a frac sleeve positioned within the central flow passage adjacent the injection port, a sensor that detects a wireless signal, a first frac actuator actuatable in response to the wireless signal to move the frac sleeve and expose the injection port, and a second frac actuator actuatable based on the wireless signal to move the frac sleeve to occlude the injection port. A production assembly is axially offset from the fracturing assembly and includes a production sleeve positioned within the central flow passage adjacent the production port, a filtration device arranged about the base pipe, and a production actuator actuatable based on the wireless signal or an additional wireless signal to move the production sleeve to an open position where the production ports are exposed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a downhole cleaning apparatus and a method of cleaning a wellbore. The downhole cleaning apparatus has a body and a cleaning element coupled to the body. The cleaning element is selectively moveable in relation to the body from a retracted position to an extended position. When the cleaning element is in the retracted position it is retained by retention formations internal to the tool that are coupled together. The retention formations can be slideably released from one another to enable the cleaning element is able to move to the extended position. The force required to slideable release the retention formations exceeds any forces encountered when the apparatus is run in, preventing premature extension of the cleaning element.

Abstract: Provided is a solid-state lost circulation apparatus that may comprise a drillable tube with one or more fluid ports, an expandable layer, and an isolation layer. Upon introduction of the expandable layer to an activation agent through one or more fluid ports, the expandable layer may activate, expand, and harden into a hardened and expanded expandable layer, while rupturing the isolation layer. Further provided is a lost circulation assembly system that may include a drill pipe and a solid-state lost circulation apparatus. Further provided is a method of mitigating a lost circulation zone with a lost circulation assembly system. Further provided is a solid plug that may be positioned in a wellbore and may include a hardened and expanded expandable layer and a drillable tube. Further provided is a remnant of a solid plug that may form a fluid-tight seal across a face of a lost circulation zone.

Abstract: A nested drill bit assembly is disclosed for drilling a wellbore, comprising a parent bit and at least one child bit nested within the parent bit. Each bit in the nested drill bit assembly may be driven by a respective casing that gets cemented in place as part of a drilling with casing system. The parent bit and child bit(s) may be rotated together, with the parent bit and child bit collectively defining a contiguous cutting profile for drilling an initial segment of the wellbore. A driver is then lowered into the casing for connection to the child bit to drill beyond the parent bit. The driver may be configured as a drive bit for drilling through material leftover from a cementing operation prior to connecting to the child bit.

Abstract: A downhole tool for preventing pump blockage includes an outer conduit defining an outer flow path, an inner conduit located within the outer conduit defining an inner flow path and a space between the inner conduit and the outer conduit. The inner conduit includes one or more angled passageways to allow one-way debris flow. A pressure regulated valve is coupled to the upper end of the outer conduit and configured to open to expand an adjustable width angled passageway defined by the pressure regulated valve. An upper end of the inner conduit is configured to allow fluid bypass of the angled passageways of the inner conduit when the angled passageways are blocked with debris.

Abstract: A catcher for use in a wellbore includes a housing and an insert disposed within the housing. A method of using the catcher includes disintegrating at least a portion of the insert while the insert is held rotationally stationary with respect to the housing by a taper connection between the insert and the housing.

Abstract: A shaped charge assembly for selectively expanding a wall of a tubular includes first and second explosive units that are each symmetrical about an axis of revolution. Each explosive unit includes an explosive material that is liner-less. The first and second explosive units comprise a predetermined amount of explosive sufficient to expand, without puncturing, at least a portion of the wall of the tubular into a protrusion extending outward into an annulus adjacent the wall of the tubular.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are used in conjunction with a system for performing horizontal directional drilling, the system including a drill string extending from a drill rig to a boring tool such that the boring tool is steerable based on a roll orientation. The system also includes an arrangement for generating steering commands for guiding the boring tool to a target position. Responsive at least in part to the steering commands, a display is configured to selectively indicate each of a rotate command, a push command and a spin command. A steering indicator is described which indicates a current roll orientation of the boring tool. A 3-D grid can be animated and centered on either a steering or target indicator. Rounding of a steering command ratio can limit the display of target roll orientations to only those that a given boring tool transmitter is capable of sensing and indicating.

Abstract: The invention relates to a melting head (1) for an ice melting apparatus (1, 8) comprising a rear, in relation to the propagation direction, attachment region (4) for attaching to a drilling apparatus (8) or a drilling rod assembly, and a forward, in relation to the propagation direction, heatable front region (1c), wherein the front region (1c) has a radially outer face region (1a) in which the front region (1c) has an outer cross section that tapers in the propagation direction (3) up to the forward axial melting head end (1d), in particular with a tapering outer diameter, and the radially outer face region (1a) surrounds an inner cavity (5), the free inner cross section of which reduces from the axial melting head end (1d) counter to the propagation direction (3). The invention also relates to an ice melting apparatus (1, 8) formed with the melting head (1).