Abstract: A controlled swell-rate swellable packer comprises a mandrel; a sealing element, and a jacket. The sealing element is disposed about at least a portion of the mandrel, and the jacket covers at least a portion of an outer surface of the sealing element. The jacket is configured to substantially prevent fluid communication between a fluid disposed outside of the jacket and the portion of the outer surface of the sealing element covered by the jacket.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selectively treating different zones in a wellbore includes running a tubular string into the wellbore, the string having at least two housings disposed therein, the housings separated along the string, each housing having a fluid path between an interior of the housing and a zone of interest and each housing having an individual profile for mating with an individual insert and running a second, smaller diameter tubular string into the wellbore, the string including an insert, the insert constructed and arranged to mate with a predetermined one of the plurality of housings and to initially seal the fluid path.

Abstract: A remote-controlled adjustable-speed screw drill for gas-drive hydraulic-motive during gas drilling is provided, including a piston speed control system, a motor assembly, a cardan shaft assembly and a transmission shaft assembly which are connected with each other from up to down in sequence. The motor assembly includes air inlets, a cam, air cylinders, pistons, a connecting rod, air outlets, liquid inlets, hydraulic cylinders, liquid check valves, a liquid storage chamber, liquid outlets, a liquid injecting chamber, a liquid injecting hole, an anti-drop cap, a rotor, a stator, and a motor assembly housing. The present invention utilizes the high-pressure gas injected by the gas drilling to drive the pistons to move back and forth at high-speed, so as to drive the incompressible liquid within the driving screw to achieve the self-circulating motion, and the screw rotor is driven to rotate by the liquid.

Abstract: A downhole tool, for selectively reaming a wellbore or stabilizing drill string components within a wellbore, includes an elongate tool body adapted to receive reamer cartridges or stabilizer cartridges depending on the function desired. The reamer cartridges are radially insertable into corresponding pockets in the tool body, with each reamer cartridge having a reamer insert with an array of cutting elements. The reamer insert is disposed within a bushing and is rotatable relative thereto, about a rotational axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tool. However, the rotational axis is offset from the tool body axis, resulting in eccentric contact of the cutting elements with the wall of the wellbore, which in turn imparts rotation to the reamer insert when the tool is being moved axially through a wellbore without rotation.

Abstract: An injector head used in coiled tubing systems including at least two opposed counter-rotating chain loops having a first end and a second end, the chain loops having a chain. The injector head further includes a fixed drive sprocket disposed at the first end of a chain loop and a floating sprocket disposed at the second end of the chain loop. In the injector head, there is a force applied to the floating bottom sprocket to maintain the chain loop at a desired chain tension. Additionally, the injector head includes a tension cylinder that automatically maintains the chain loop at the desired chain tension.

Abstract: A flow control assembly includes a cylindrical body defining an interior and one or more openings through a wall of the body, and a composite choke assembly positioned within the body. The composite choke assembly includes an inner sleeve made of a first material and defining choke orifices that coincide with the openings, and an outer sleeve sized to receive the inner sleeve within the outer sleeve and being made of a second material that is more ductile than the first material. The outer sleeve defines sleeve orifices alignable with the choke orifices to facilitate fluid communication through the composite choke assembly. A flow control device is movably disposed within the body between a fully open position, where the choke orifices and the sleeve orifices are exposed, and a fully closed position, where the choke orifices and the sleeve orifices are occluded by the flow control device.

Abstract: A method for cementing an annular space outside of an inner casing of a subterranean well includes running and setting a cement packer assembly into a bore of the inner casing. The cement packer assembly includes a plurality of nails spaced around a circumference of the cement packer assembly. Slips are set and a lower end of each of the nails is pushed through the inner casing with a setting tool to form holes. A middle portion of the nails having a smaller outer dimension than the lower end of the nails is positioned within the holes. Cement is pumped through the inner casing, through the holes and into the annular space. A force is applied to the nails to move the nails through the holes and position a seal plate of each nail against an inside surface of the bore surrounding one of the holes.

Abstract: A device for heating hydrocarbon resources in a subterranean formation having a wellbore therein may include a tubular radio frequency (RF) antenna within the wellbore and a tool slidably positioned within the tubular RF antenna. The tool may include an RF transmission line and at least one RF contact coupled to a distal end of the RF transmission line and biased in contact with the tubular RF antenna. The tool may also include a dielectric grease injector configured to inject dielectric grease around the at least one RF contact.

Abstract: A downhole drilling assembly includes a drill string having an inner fluid passageway. A fluid motor disposed within the drill string has a rotor operable to rotate relative to a stator in response to a circulating fluid received via the inner fluid passageway. A drive shaft and drill bit are operably associated with and operable to rotate with the rotor. A hydraulically actuated clutch disposed within the drill string has a first configuration, wherein a first clutch assembly is disengaged from a second clutch assembly such that the drive shaft and drill bit rotate relative to the drill string and, a second configuration, wherein the first clutch assembly engages the second clutch assembly responsive to hydraulic pressure generated by rotation of the drill string such that the drive shaft and drill bit rotate with the drill string.

Abstract: A gravel packing assembly has first and second joints each including a sand control screen assembly having a filter medium positioned exteriorly of a base pipe and a slurry delivery subassembly rotatably mounted exteriorly on the sand control screen assembly. The slurry delivery subassembly includes at least one transport tube extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the sand control screen assembly. At least one jumper tube is coupled to and extends between the at least one transport tube of the first joint and the at least one transport tube of the second joint. The at least one transport tube of the first joint is axially aligned with the at least one transport tube of the second joint by rotating the slurry delivery subassembly of the first joint relative to the sand control screen of the first joint after the two joints are coupled together.

Abstract: A torque anchor intended to block the rotation of a production string with respect to a casing of a well, the torque anchor comprising a body, at least two supports mobile with respect to the body, wheels borne by the supports, the wheels being suitable for running on an inner face of said casing, at least one restraining device suitable for exerting a force on said wheels in order to anchor said wheels in said casing. Each restraining device comprises a set of springs suitable for acting on the set of said supports and a guide capable of guiding said set of springs; said guide being borne by said supports; said guide being mobile with respect to at least one support.

Abstract: Earth-boring tools may have a body, a cutting element attached to the body at a first location, and a formation-engaging structure attached to the body at a second location. The formation-engaging structure may be movable during a drilling operation between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the formation-engaging structure may be located rotationally behind the cutting element at a first radial distance from a longitudinal axis of the body at which the cutting element will at least initially shield the formation-engaging structure from engaging a formation. In the second position, the formation-engaging structure may be located at a different second radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the body at which the formation-engaging structure will engage a formation.

Abstract: A liner hanger has slips held by a slip body. A potential energy force to move the slips axially when the hanger is in position is selectively released. The slips move axially and radially outwardly guided on opposed edges by the slip body. The slip faces have wickers that dig into the surrounding casing that will support a liner string off the slips. Weight is set down to bring the housing into contact with the top of the slips that are already engaged to the surrounding casing. The nature of the loading between the slips and the casing changes from a radial reaction force from the casing going into the slip and then distributed circumferentially to the slip housing to an essentially axial loading of the slip housing down onto the slip that has penetrated the casing with an opposite reaction force in the casing wall.

Abstract: A liner hanger has slips held by a slip body. A potential energy force to move the slips axially when the hanger is in position is selectively released. The nature of the loading between the slips and the casing changes from a radial reaction force from the casing going into the slip and then distributed circumferentially to the slip housing to an essentially axial loading of the slip housing down onto the slip that has penetrated the casing with an opposite reaction force in the casing wall. The contact location between the slip housing and the slip is made broader at the slip end with a wider portion having an undercut to reduce contact stress and to aid in promoting flow past the set slip. The slip housing also has axial flow channels that interact with the undercut to promote flow past the set slips.

Abstract: A connection between two wellbore components includes a male portion with sets of male formations formed on an outer surface and male knobs disposed around the outer surface. A female portion has mating sets of female formations formed on an inner surface thereof, with each set separated by a female gap and female knobs disposed around the inner surface. Each male gap is wider than each female formation and each female gap is wider than each male formation. The male and female portions can be mated together in a manner whereby the male sets occupy female gaps and the female sets occupy the male gaps and, thereafter, the male portion is rotatable in a counterclockwise direction relative to the female portion to interconnect the male and female formations, thereby preventing axial movement of one portion relative to the other portion.

Abstract: A method and/or system is provided for milling an opening into a tubular positioned in a well bore using coiled tubing. Surface equipment includes a programmable controller at the surface, which is utilized for controlling an injector motor so that an encoder for monitoring movement of said coiled tubing string produces less than a predetermined maximum number of pulses for a given time interval.

Abstract: A downhole tool configured to enlarge a borehole may include at least one blade extending laterally from a central portion of the tool. The one or more blades may each include a gage portion, and cutting elements comprising substantially circular cutting faces may be affixed to each of the one or more blades. Each of the one or more cutting elements may include a cutting edge comprising an arcuate peripheral cutting face portion for contacting the borehole. Cutting faces of at least one cutting element on a gage portion of the at least one blade may exhibit a cutting face back rake angle greater than a cutting face back rake angle of cutting elements on at least one other portion of the at least one blade.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a thrust bearing adapted to engage a tubular component. A bearing carrier is connected to the thrust bearing, an arm is connected to the bearing carrier, and an actuator is connected to the arm. In one embodiment, the bearing carrier includes an arcuate notch through which the tubular component is adapted to extend. In another embodiment, the apparatus has a first configuration in which a vertical offset is defined between the tubular component and the thrust bearing, and a second configuration in which the thrust bearing is engaged with the tubular component for the support thereof. In another embodiment, the apparatus is placed in the first configuration in response to a cessation of a supply of electrical power to a control valve in fluid communication with the actuator. In another embodiment, the tubular component is connected to, or is part of, a quill of a top drive.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for automatic control of the drilling an oil well. The system includes an autodrilling interface enabling parameter input data to be input and enabling the display of system output data, a controller, a hydraulic control system and at least one sensor configured to the hydraulic control system. The controller receives parameter input data from the autodrilling interface and at least one sensor and provides output instructions to the hydraulic control system such that the hydraulic control system operates to control drilling based on controller instructions and sensor data.

Abstract: A completion system and method adapted for use in wells having long lateral boreholes includes a mast assembly, a pipe handling mechanism, a pipe arm, a pipe tub, a pump/pit combination skid, a rig carrier, and a control system. The control system can be used to automate operations of the completion system to facilitate rapid and safe make-up and breaking of tubular connections.