Abstract: A toe valve for use in a wellbore includes: a tubular mandrel; a housing extending along a periphery of the mandrel; couplings for assembly as part of a casing or liner string; and a valve piston. The valve piston is: disposed in an annulus formed between the housing and the mandrel, movable between an open position and a closed position, and disposed between a valve port of the housing and a valve port of the mandrel in the closed position. The toe valve further includes: an atmospheric chamber for facilitating movement of the valve piston to the open position; a vent port formed through the housing and in fluid communication with the atmospheric chamber; and a flow control device disposed in the vent port and operable to prevent fluid flow from the wellbore into the atmospheric chamber and allow fluid flow from the atmospheric chamber into the wellbore.

Abstract: A rasping shoe for non-rotational deployment of a casing string into a wellbore includes: a tubular body; and a nose mounted to an end of the tubular body. The nose includes: a base portion made from a drillable metal or alloy; a plurality of blades protruding from an outer surface of the base portion; a plurality of broaching cutters mounted to an outer surface of each blade at a rearward portion thereof; and a plurality of gouging cutters mounted to the outer surface of each blade at a forward portion thereof.

Abstract: A float collar for assembly with a composite string of downhole tubulars includes: a tubular housing made from a composite material and having couplings formed at longitudinal ends thereof; a float valve disposed in a bore of the housing; a sheath connecting the float valve to the housing and sealing an interface between the float valve and the housing; and a guide operable to prevent side-tracking of a drill bit into the housing while drilling out the float valve and the sheath.

Abstract: A wellbore roller-reamer comprises a mandrel rotatable about a mandrel axis, and a first roller mounted around the mandrel and having an outer reaming surface for engaging a wall of a wellbore. The first roller is rotatable relative to the mandrel about a first roller axis which is offset from the mandrel axis such that, during use, rotation of the mandrel with the outer reaming surface engaged with a wall of the wellbore causes the first roller to be driven to rotate relative to the mandrel and ream the wall of the wellbore.

Abstract: A flow-actuated valve for use in a wellbore includes: a body; a poppet movable relative to the body between an open position and a closed position; a spring biasing the poppet toward the closed position; and a shifter having a drogue and a detent engaged with a detent profile of the poppet and a locking receptacle of the body when in an auto-fill mode, thereby keeping the poppet in a partially open position. The valve is operable to shift to a float mode in response to a first flow rate moving the poppet toward the open position to disengage the detent from the locking receptacle and a second flow rate imparting a drag force on the drogue sufficient to disengage the detent from the detent profile. The second flow rate is different than the first flow rate.

Abstract: A toe valve for use in a wellbore includes: a tubular mandrel; a housing extending along a periphery of the mandrel; couplings at longitudinal ends of the toe valve for assembly as part of a casing or liner string; a valve piston disposed in an annulus formed between the housing and the mandrel, movable between an open position and a closed position, and disposed between a valve port of the housing and a valve port of the mandrel in the closed position; an atmospheric chamber for facilitating movement of the valve piston to the open position; a vent port formed through the housing and in fluid communication with the atmospheric chamber; and a flow control device disposed in the vent port and operable to prevent fluid flow from the wellbore into the atmospheric chamber and allow fluid flow from the atmospheric chamber into the wellbore.

Abstract: A toe valve to control the injection of fluid into a toe of an oil or gas well and including: a body with a bore, the body having a port adapted to permit fluid flow between the bore and an outlet on an external surface of the toe valve when the port is open; a closure member adapted to move from an initial closed position in which the port is closed, to an open position in which the port is open; and an actuating mechanism which can be actuated to urge the closure member from the initial closed position toward the open position, and which can be reset when the closure member is moving between the closed and open positions to return the closure member to the initial closed position.

Abstract: A toe valve for use in a wellbore includes: a tubular mandrel having couplings at longitudinal ends thereof for assembly as part of a casing or liner string; a housing extending along a periphery of the mandrel and mounted thereto; a valve piston disposed in an annulus formed between the housing and the mandrel, movable between an open position and a closed position, disposed between a valve port of the housing and a valve port of the mandrel in the closed position; a fastener releasably connecting the valve piston to the housing in the closed position; an atmospheric chamber forming a portion of the annulus adjacent to the valve piston; and a drive piston disposed in the annulus adjacent to a drive port of the mandrel and operable to release the valve piston.

Abstract: A stop collar for mounting to a downhole tubular includes: a cylindrical housing having a threaded inner surface and a tapered inner surface; a compressible slip ring having teeth formed in an inner surface thereof and a pair of tapered outer surfaces; a compressible cam ring having a tapered inner surface; and a cylindrical bolt having a threaded outer surface. A natural outer diameter of each ring is greater than a minor diameter of the threaded surfaces. Screwing the threaded surfaces of the housing and the bolt is operable to drive the tapered surfaces together, thereby compressing the slip ring such that the teeth engage a periphery of the tubular.

Abstract: A guide shoe (1), adapted for connection to an end of a tubular for deployment in a wellbore of an oil, gas, or water well, includes: a body (10) having an axis (2) and being adapted for connection to the tubular such that torque can be transmitted between the tubular and the body (10); a nose (50) adapted for connection to the body (10); a locking mechanism (30) adapted to shift between an unlocked configuration, in which rotation of the nose (50) around the axis of the body (10) is permitted in first and second directions, and a locked configuration in which rotation of the nose (50) around the axis of the body (10) is restricted in at least one of the first and second directions. The guide shoe includes a resilient biasing device (20) urging the nose (50) into the locked configuration.

Abstract: A toe valve for use in a wellbore includes: a tubular mandrel having couplings at longitudinal ends thereof for assembly as part of a casing or liner string; a housing extending along a periphery of the mandrel and mounted thereto; a valve piston disposed in an annulus formed between the housing and the mandrel, movable between an open position and a closed position, disposed between a valve port of the housing and a valve port of the mandrel in the closed position; a fastener releasably connecting the valve piston to the housing in the closed position; an atmospheric chamber forming a portion of the annulus adjacent to the valve piston; and a drive piston disposed in the annulus adjacent to a drive port of the mandrel and operable to release the valve piston.

Abstract: A guide shoe (1), adapted for connection to an end of a tubular for deployment in a wellbore of an oil, gas, or water well, includes: a body (10) having an axis (2) and being adapted for connection to the tubular such that torque can be transmitted between the tubular and the body (10); a nose (50) adapted for connection to the body (10); a locking mechanism (30) adapted to shift between an unlocked configuration, in which rotation of the nose (50) around the axis of the body (10) is permitted in first and second directions, and a locked configuration in which rotation of the nose (50) around the axis of the body (10) is restricted in at least one of the first and second directions. The guide shoe includes a resilient biasing device (20) urging the nose (50) into the locked configuration.

Abstract: A downhole tool, comprising: a mandrel having first and second opposing ends and an outer mounting surface, the first end comprising a male threaded portion; a tool component mountable on the mounting surface by sliding said tool component onto the mounting surface from the first end of the mandrel; and a load sleeve defining a torque shoulder, wherein the load sleeve is mountable on the mandrel and securable adjacent the male threaded portion of the first end of the mandrel such that the torque shoulder and the male threaded portion define a pin connector to facilitate connection with a box connector of a separate component.

Abstract: A wellbore roller-reamer comprises a mandrel rotatable about a mandrel axis, and a first roller mounted around the mandrel and having an outer reaming surface for engaging a wall of a wellbore. The first roller is rotatable relative to the mandrel about a first roller axis which is offset from the mandrel axis such that, during use, rotation of the mandrel with the outer reaming surface engaged with a wall of the wellbore causes the first roller to be driven to rotate relative to the mandrel and ream the wall of the wellbore.

Abstract: A centraliser for use in a wellbore includes: first and second collars, at least one resilient device extending between the first and second collars, and a locking ring for receiving a tubular in a position radially inside the resilient device and axially between the first and second collars; the resilient device being resiliently biased in a radial direction away from the locking ring; the locking ring having at least one catch device adapted to engage with the at least one resilient device in a radially restricted configuration and the catch device is adapted to resist radial movement of the resilient device away from the locking ring when the catch device is engaged with the resilient device; and at least one fixing between the at least one catch device and the locking ring and made from a sacrificial material adapted to degrade in wellbore conditions.

Abstract: A toe valve to control the injection of fluid into a toe of an oil or gas well and including: a body with a bore, the body having a port adapted to permit fluid flow between the bore and an outlet on an external surface of the toe valve when the port is open; a closure member adapted to move from an initial closed position in which the port is closed, to an open position in which the port is open; and an actuating mechanism which can be actuated to urge the closure member from the initial closed position toward the open position, and which can be reset when the closure member is moving between the closed and open positions to return the closure member to the initial closed position.

Abstract: A stop collar for mounting to a downhole tubular includes: a cylindrical housing having a threaded inner surface and a tapered inner surface; a compressible slip ring having teeth formed in an inner surface thereof and a pair of tapered outer surfaces; a compressible cam ring having a tapered inner surface; and a cylindrical bolt having a threaded outer surface. A natural outer diameter of each ring is greater than a minor diameter of the threaded surfaces. Screwing the threaded surfaces of the housing and the bolt is operable to drive the tapered surfaces together, thereby compressing the slip ring such that the teeth engage a periphery of the tubular.

Abstract: An expandable drilling apparatus includes a main body comprising a central bore and at least one axial recess configured to receive an arm assembly operable between a retracted position and an extended position, a biasing member to urge the arm assembly into the retracted position, a drive position configured to thrust the arm assembly into the extended position when in communication with drilling fluids in the central bore, a selector piston translatable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the selector piston is thrust into the open position when a pressure of the drilling fluids exceeds an activation value, wherein the drilling fluids are in communication with the drive piston when the selector piston is in the open position, and a selector spring configured to thrust the selector piston into the closed position when the pressure of the drilling fluids falls below a reset value.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for preventing the accumulation of unwanted materials in an enlarged inner diameter portion of a casing or housing. In one aspect of the invention, a sleeve is disposed in the housing to isolate an annular area defined by the outer surface sleeve and the wall of the enlarged inner diameter portion. The sleeve prevents unwanted materials from being disposed in the annular area. The sleeve can later be expanded into the enlarged inner diameter portion, removed from the wellbore or destroyed. In another aspect of the invention, the sleeve is provided and disposed to cover the enlarged inner diameter portion. By covering the enlarged inner diameter portion, unwanted material is prevented from accumulating at said portion and from interfering with the expansion of the next casing into said portion to form a monobore. The sleeve can be made from materials that are dissolvable, elastically deformable, or retrievable.

Abstract: There is disclosed an expandable centraliser for locating a body within a borehole, and a method of centralising tubing in a borehole. In an embodiment of the invention, an expandable centraliser (10) is disclosed, the centraliser (10) comprising a deformable body (12), and at least one abutment portion in the form of a shoulder (14) on the body (12), the shoulder (14) adapted to be urged radially outwardly on deformation of the body (12), to centralise tubing (28) coupled to the centraliser (10) within a borehole (15).