Abstract: A wellbore system is provided, the wellbore including a main wellbore extending into an earth formation, a branch wellbore extending from a selected location of the main wellbore into the earth formation and a casing arranged in the main wellbore. A branching device is arranged in the casing and connected to a conduit extending through the casing to a wellbore facility at surface, the branching device having a main bore in fluid communication with the wellbore facility via the conduit, and a branch bore providing fluid communication between the main bore and the branch wellbore via a window opening provided in the casing. A seal is provided between said body and the inner surface of the casing so as to prevent fluid communication between the window opening and the interior of the casing.

Abstract: A rotary drag bit and method for drilling subterranean formations including a bit body being provided with at least one cutter thereon exhibiting reduced, or limited, exposure to the formation so as to control the depth-of-cut of the at least one cutter, so as to control the volume of formation material cut per bit rotation, as well as to control the amount of torque experienced by the bit and an optionally associated bottomhole assembly regardless of the effective weight-on-bit. The exterior of the bit preferably includes a plurality of blade structures carrying at least one such cutter thereon and including a sufficient amount of bearing surface area to contact the formation so as to generally distribute the weight of the bit against the bottom of the borehole without exceeding the compressive strength of the formation rock.

Abstract: An improved rotary cone bit includes a threaded end on a bit body for coupling to a drill string. The drill bit body includes two or more leg portions extending from one end thereof. From interval at each of the leg portions is a bearing pin that extends inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the drill bit body. On each of the bearing pins, there is rotatably mounted a cutter cone having rows of cutting teeth as a part hereof. The bit shirttail comprises a plateau extending along the longitudinal axis of the bit body in substantially the same plane as the bearing pin surface area of the shirttail.

Abstract: Two types of isolation tools are disclosed for installation between the upward end of the LMRP and the lower end of a riser string in the drilling of a subsea well using dual gradient techniques, one of which is especially adapted for rotation about a rotating drill sling. Each type includes insert packer adapted to be closed about the drill string to divert drilling fluid in the annulus between the drill string and the subsea wellhead into lines extending along the side of the riser to the surface. The insert is selectively removable to permit conventional drilling.

Abstract: The invention includes a method of scheduling cyclic steaming of a group of petroleum-containing wells including: inputting to a production-predicting means a group of data describing at least in part the past cyclic steaming and resulting production of a group of petroleum-containing wells; processing the data in the production-predicting means and outputting a group of production predictions for the group of wells during a future steaming cycle; inputting the group of production predictions into an optimization means; inputting an initial steaming cycle schedule for the group of wells into the optimization means; processing the group of production predictions and the initial steaming cycle schedule in the optimization means by the steps including: determining a ranking for the initial steaming cycle schedule for the group of production predictions against a pre-determined ranking criteria; producing a group of new steaming cycle schedules based on the ranking of the initial steaming cycle a schedule optimiz

Abstract: A down hole tool and apparatus is described for logging and/or remedial operations in a wellbore in a hydrocarbon reservoir. The tool comprises an autonomous unit for measuring down hole conditions, preferably flow conditions. The autonomous unit comprises locomotion means for providing a motion along the wellbore; means for detecting the down hole conditions; and logic means for controlling the unit, the logic means being capable of making decisions based on at least two input parameters. It can be separably attached to a wireline unit connected to the surface or launched from the surface. The connection system between both units can be repeatedly operated under down hole conditions and preferably includes an active component for closing and/or breaking the connection.

Abstract: A casing centraliser and assembly comprising a tubular and a centraliser, the centraliser comprising a plastics material.

Abstract: A system for remediating groundwater contaminated with halogenated solvents, certain metals and other inorganic species based on catalytic reduction reactions within reactive well bores. The groundwater treatment uses dissolved hydrogen as a reducing agent in the presence of a metal catalyst, such a palladium, to reduce halogenated solvents (as well as other substituted organic compounds) to harmless species (e.g., ethane or methane) and immobilize certain metals to low valence states. The reactive wells function by removing water from a contaminated water-bearing zone, treating contaminants with a well bore using catalytic reduction, and then reinjecting the treated effluent into an adjacent water-bearing zone. This system offers the advantages of a compact design with a minimal surface footprint (surface facilities) and the destruction of a broad suite of contaminants without generating secondary waste streams.

Abstract: Inflation control arrangement including a non-oriented continuous strand material bound between concentric layers of elastomeric material in an inflatable tool. Where the continuous strand material is located, inflation will be delayed.

Abstract: A mounting system for supporting elongate, metallic structural members used in offshore applications and subject to dynamic forces comprising a support assembly having a socket that at least partially encircles the structural member, an attachment for securing the support assembly to a positioned structure, such as an offshore platform, and a sleeve received in the socket, the sleeve being disposed in surrounding relationship to the structural member and comprising an electrically nonconductive, fiber-reinforced polymer composite.

Abstract: A method of selective plastic expansion of sections of a tubing to create one or more recesses in the tubing with a larger diameter than that of the original tubing in which the tubing is radially symmetrically or asymmetrically expanded at one or more locations by application of a radial force to the interior of the tubing thereby inducing a plastic radial deformation of the tubing and removing said radial force from the interior of the tubing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to provide a large bore hook hanger system incorporating sand exclusion at a junction in a multilateral wellbore includes the running of a lateral liner having an expandable sleeve positioned thereon to bridge a milled window from the lateral borehole to the primary borehole, expandable sleeve including a pre-machined window and a hook to hang the liner from the primary borehole. The hook further acts to center the pre-machined window in the expandable sleeve to provide access to the primary wellbore. The expandable sleeve is preferably covered on its outer surface with an elastomeric material and is outwardly concentric to an expandable packer for run-in. Once the expandable sleeve is positioned at the appropriate location in the junction, the expandable packer is inflated thus permanently deforming the expandable sleeve into contact with the open hole of the lateral borehole thereby preventing sand or gravel ingress to the primary borehole.

Abstract: A cutting assembly comprised of first and second superabrasive cutting elements including at least one rotationally leading cutting element having a cutting face oriented generally in a direction of intended rotation of a bit on which the assembly is mounted to cut a subterranean formation with a cutting edge at an outer periphery of the cutting face, and a rotationally trailing cutting element oriented substantially transverse to the direction of intended bit rotation and including a relatively thick superabrasive table configured to cut the formation with a cutting edge located between a beveled surface at the side of the superabrasive table and an end face thereof. A rotationally trailing cutting element may be associated with and disposed at a location on the bit at least partially laterally intermediate locations of two rotationally leading cutting elements. Drill bits equipped with the cutting assembly are also disclosed.

Abstract: A downhole tool and apparatus is described for logging and/or remedial operations in a wellbore in a hydrocarbon reservoir. The tool comprises an autonomous unit (1) for measuring downhole conditions, preferably flow conditions. The autonomous unit comprises locomotion means (12) for providing a motion along said wellbore; means (14) for detecting said downhole conditions; and logic means (113) for controlling said unit, said logic means being capable of making decisions based on at least two input parameters. It can be separately attached to a wireline unit (22) connected to the surface or launched from the surface. The connection system (31, 32) between both units can be repeatedly operated under down hole conditions and preferably includes an active component for closing and/or breaking the connection.

Abstract: A closed-loop system is used to complete oil and gas wells. The term “to complete a well” means “to finish work on a well and bring it into productive status”. A closed-loop system to complete an oil and gas well is an automated system under computer control that executes a sequence of programmed steps, but those steps depend in part upon information obtained from at least one downhole sensor that is communicated to the surface to optimize and/or change the steps executed by the computer to complete the well. The closed-loop system executes the steps during at least one significant portion of the well completion process. The completed well is comprised of at least a borehole in a geological formation surrounding a pipe located within the borehole.

Abstract: A method and system for drilling or cutting a subterranean well or formation 52 using a drilling rig 5, a drill string 55, a plurality of solid material impactors 100, a drilling fluid and a drill bit 60 is disclosed. This invention may have particular utility in drilling wells for the petroleum industry and for cutting formation in the mining and tunnel boring industries. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of solid material impactors are introduced into the drilling fluid and pumped through the drill string and drill bit to impact the formation ahead of the bit. At the point of impact, a substantial portion by weight of the impactors may have sufficient energy to structurally alter, excavate, and/or fracture the impacted formation. The majority by weight of the plurality of solid material impactors may have a mean diameter of at least 0.100 inches, and may structurally alter the formation to a depth of at least twice the mean diameter of the particles comprising the impacted formation.

Abstract: By using a reaming machine which arranges a plurality of hydraulic hammer driven drill bits in parallel on a cross section to be reamed, a horizontal or gently inclined pilot hole is reamed. A pressurized water introducing drill pipe and a drill pipe as a discharge pipe are connected to the reaming machine, a seal which forms a sealing between the drill bits and a reamed hole is provided, and a passage for feeding drilling water into the drill pipe is provided, whereby the reaming machine can be propelled while discharging cuttings with a small amount of water through the drill pipe.

Abstract: A filter for subterranean use includes a filter body containing a filter medium, and a restraining member disposed around the filter body. The inner periphery of the restraining member is sufficiently close to the outer periphery of the filter body to prevent the filter body from being damaged by radially outward forces encountered during operation of the filter within a well.

Abstract: A universal washdown system for circulating fluid through a wellbore to clean debris therefrom and to gravel-pack a production zone is provided. The system includes a production assembly with a multi-position service tool assembly disposed therein. The multi-position service tool is connected to and sealingly engages a packer that is included in the production assembly. The multi-position service tool assembly moves from a first to a second position in the production assembly by pulling longitudinally thereon. The apparatus is lowered into the well with the service tool connected to the production assembly in the first position. When the service tool assembly is in the second position, fluid passing down through a longitudinal central flow passage defined therethrough is communicated with an annulus defined between a liner assembly and the wellbore through crossover ports defined in the service tool to allow a gravel pack fluid to pass into a desired formation.

Abstract: A shaped charge is provided which includes features enhancing its manufacturability. In a described embodiment, an oilwell perforator is provided which includes a case and a liner, at least one of which is a molding. The molding has a metal loaded polymer matrix.