Abstract: An oil well capsule to reduce the paraffin and asphaltene which accumulate on the walls of the pipes which are used to bring the oil up from underground deposits, and a method of using the oil well capsule. An oil well capsule having a shell encapsulating a chemically active mass wherein the chemically active mass consists essentially of alkaline or alkaline earth metal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for severing the mandrel of an anchor device such as a packer to release the packer and remove it from a well. A cutter locator profile above the packer assembly and a cutter locator element on the cutting tool are located so as to precisely position the cutting element at a desired location on the packer mandrel. Once the mandrel is severed, the packer assembly can elongate to release the expansion mechanism. Then, the packer assembly can be pulled upwardly to release the packer, and to remove it from the well. A cutting tool can be lowered through production tubing to sever the mandrel, followed by pulling the packer with the production tubing. Alternatively, a cutting tool can be lowered on a workstring and latched to the upper end of the packer assembly, followed by severing the mandrel and pulling the packer with the workstring.

Abstract: A telescopic drilling method includes the steps of drilling an outer bore through a surface, inserting a hollow outer conduit into the outer bore, and at least partially inserting a first hollow inner conduit through the outer conduit. Next, the method includes the steps of preventing the first inner conduit from moving longitudinal with respect to the outer conduit engaging a rotatable inner drill bit with a ring drill bit and further drilling the outer bore using a unitary drill bit head to a successive depth. The inner drill bit is disengaged from the ring drill bit and a second end of a successive hollow inner conduit is attached to a first end of a preceding one, and the preceding inner conduit is unclamped.

Abstract: A well bore deflector tool which is used primarily for deflecting tools, lining and the like through a window which has been milled in the side of a well bore casing includes a deflector face (3) at an upper end thereof and slips (9, 10) for selectively gripping and releasing a tie back receptacle (8) and/or a well bore casing (6) at a location below the deflector face (3). The slips are operable for gripping in response to engagement of the deflector tool (1) with a tie back receptacle (8). Accordingly, the invention provides a simple and automatic device for locking the deflector tool in a required angular position.

Abstract: The drill device has a body with a front end and a rear end and which is connectable to the shaft of a drilling apparatus. A plurality of angularly spaced apart slots are formed in the exterior of the device which extend between the front and rear ends. Each slot has a lip extending from each of its front and rear ends respectively. A cutting member is provided for each of the slots with each cutting member having a connecting portion located in one of the slots and having a forward end and a rearward. Each connecting portion has a hook near its front and rear ends respectively for connection to the lips of the slot in which it is located.

Abstract: A subsea well apparatus has features for controlling and monitoring production fluid flow from a well. A christmas tree lands on a subsea wellhead, the tree having a tubular, open upper end. A first flow passage extends from a lower end of the tree to the upper end for communicating fluid with the well. A second flow passage extends downward from the upper end of the tree and has an outlet on a sidewall of the tree for communicating with a flowline. A production module lands on and is retrievable from the upper end of the tree, the module having a flow loop with one end in communication with the first flow passage and another end in communication with the second flow passage. At least one flow interface device is located in the loop of the production module. The flow interface device may be used to monitor or control the flow and may be a temperature or pressure sensor, a flow or multi-phase flow meter, or a choke.

Abstract: Methods of forming permeable sand screens in long, open hole well bores within fluid producing zones are provided. The methods basically comprise the steps of placing a perforated pipe in the open hole well bore, providing a hardenable composition which after being placed in a desired location cures into a hard mass, placing the hardenable composition in the well bore adjacent to the fluid producing zone within the interior of the perforated pipe therein, between the perforated pipe and the walls of the open hole well bore and within voids or fractures in the producing zone, causing the hardenable composition to cure into a hard permeable mass and drilling the hard permeable mass out of the interior of the perforated pipe.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing a more uniform gravel pack in the well bore. An alternative pathway is provided within the apparatus to by-pass a sand bridge formed in the wellbore. The reentry point of the slurry into the wellbore can be predetermined based upon the conditions of the formation.

Abstract: An electric submersible pumping system having a downhole gauge section. The electric submersible pumping system comprises a submersible motor powered by a submersible pump. The submersible pump may be located below the submersible motor when in operation, while the downhole gauge section is disposed above the submersible motor. A power cable is coupled to the submersible motor through the downhole gauge section.

Abstract: A method of taking a crustal core sample, wherein the crustal core sample is obtained in a state coated with an antimicrobial polymeric gel formed of a polymer obtained by polymerizing an antimicrobial monomer, preferably a quaternary ammonium salt compound. The polymer preferably contains a component derived from the antimicrobial monomer in a proportion of 1 to 10 mol%.

Abstract: A wellbore isolation device having an expandable component. The expandable component comprises a layer of bistable cells that can be expanded from a contracted stable state towards an expanded stable state. A seal material may be placed along the expandable cells to facilitate inhibition of fluid flow along a region of a wellbore.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus for use in a sampler is disclosed. The cutting apparatus includes an extension tube having a round unit on a bottom side of the extension tube; a cutting ring located in a bottom portion of a protecting tube; a guide tube which is internally equipped within the cutting ring; a plurality of cutters equipped to an outside of the cutting ring for closing a bottom portion of the sampling tube when the cutting ring is pulled by uplifting an up-lifting rod of the sampler, wherein a plurality of the cutters are uplifted followed by the guide tube and bended according the round unit in order to be gathered and closed; and a connection means for fixing a plurality of the cutters on the cutting ring. A sampler having the cutting apparatus can gather a sample of un-cohesive soil such as a sandy soil without spilling.

Abstract: A center vacuum rotary drill bit including a rotary drill bit body and an insert. The bottom surface of the slot has a projecting key that cooperates with a depression keyway of the insert. Generally vertical sidewall surfaces of a depression keyway and vertical surfaces of a projection key provide mechanical resistance against lateral movement of the cutting insert. This mechanical resistance reduces displacement of the insert with respect to the bit body during brazing and thus a high quality, accurately aligned drill bit assembly is provided by applicants' invention. The depression keyway is designed so as to minimize the effect of the axial load on the insert by avoiding sharp corners which tend to amplify nominal stress and provides an insert of a proper carbide density after pressing. Integral bit body protuberances adequately separate the insert within the slot and permit braze flow between the insert and slot.

Abstract: A fuel cell based subterranean heater for mineral extraction, in situ decontamination, or other applications. The fuel cells are preferably stacked within a casing which is then inserted into a hole bored, or otherwise formed, into the formation to be heated. Conduits within the casing, and preferably formed by adjacent, aligned holes formed through the plates of the individual fuel cells supply fuel and air and extract exhaust gases. An optional manifold is used to span the overburden without applying heat to it directly. The manifold may also function as a heat exchanger between incoming and exhaust gases. Preferably the fuel cell is fueled by gases produced by the formation and also generates electricity which is available for use or export.

Abstract: A tubing hanger to facilitate production tubing annulus access including a tubing hanger body having a central bore, a shuttle valve slidably mounted to the tubing hanger body, and at least one annulus access bore through the tubing hanger permitting fluid communication between the central bore and an annulus defined between a production tubing string and a wellbore or casing via the tubing hanger body and the shuttle valve. The shuttle valve may be slidingly movable between an open and a closed position. The tubing hanger may further include a groove enclosed by a filler, the groove providing communication between a plurality of small annulus access bores and a large annulus access bore.

Abstract: A new method for evaluating the efficiency of a sweep for removing cuttings from a borehole in a subterranean formation during a drilling operation. The method evaluates sweep efficiency on a “mass in” versus “mass out” basis. The method uses downhole density readings taken with a pressure-while-drilling tool inserted in the drill string. Measurements of hydrostatic pressure are converted into equivalent circulating density measurements which in turn are used in calculating the sweep efficiency. The method affords real time estimates at the wellsite of the quantity of formation cuttings brought out of a wellbore by a sweep.

Abstract: A rotary drag bit carrying PDC cutters and elongated bearing elements associated with at least some of the PDC cutters on the bit face thereof Lateral positioning and angular positioning of the elongated bearing elements are adjusted so that all portions of an elongated bearing element travel substantially completely within a tubular clearance volume defined by the path through the formation being drilled by a PDC cutter with which that elongated bearing element is associated, the associated PDC cutter being positioned at about the same radius from the bit centerline as the elongated bearing element. A method of drilling and a method of drill bit design are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for use in sampling, flow measuring, quantity gauging, or possibly other analysis performed in reservoir fluid found in a ground formation. An object of the invention is to perform the sampling, flow measuring and quantity gauging or the remaining analyses in situ on stabilized reservoir fluid that contains a negligible amount drill fluid. Analysis is possible by sealing off an area of the well at the hydrocarbon carrying layer and passing a volume of reservoir fluid into a drill string for analysis by accessories located in the drill string. After the analyses are performed, the reservoir fluid is returned to the hydrocarbon carrying layer.

Abstract: System and methods are disclosed for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic pulses through a geological formation. A preferably programmable transmitter having an all-digital portion in a preferred embodiment may be operated at frequencies below 1 MHz without loss of target resolution by transmitting and over sampling received long PN codes. A gated and stored portion of the received signal may be correlated with the PN code to determine distances of interfaces within the geological formation, such as the distance of a water interfaces from a wellbore. The received signal is oversampled preferably at rates such as five to fifty times as high as a carrier frequency. In one method of the invention, an oil well with multiple production zones may be kept in production by detecting an approaching water front in one of the production zones and shutting down that particular production zone thereby permitting the remaining production zones to continue operating.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) machine provides for manually controlling the HDD machine to perform a sequence of HDD machine actions. HDD machine parameters associated with the sequence of HDD machine actions are stored during manual control of the HDD machine. Storing of the HDD machine parameters is subsequently terminated, typically by an operator or HDD machine controller, upon completing the sequence of HDD machine actions. The stored HDD machine parameters define all or part of an executable control program associated with the sequence of HDD machine actions. The control programs may be categorized to define libraries and accessed by users. Selected categorized control programs may be transferred to a memory of the HDD machine or other storage resource for subsequent execution by the HDD machine.