Abstract: A system and a method for installing a liner conduit in a borehole. The system includes a packer assembly, a running tool or a packer assembly and a running tool. The method uses a packer assembly and a running tool for installing a liner conduit in a borehole. The system and the method both use pressure to perform functions relating to the system and the method.

Abstract: A system and a method for installing a liner conduit in a borehole. The system includes a packer assembly, a running tool or a packer assembly and a running tool. The method uses a packer assembly and a running tool for installing a liner conduit in a borehole. The system and the method both use pressure to perform functions relating to the system and the method.

Abstract: A mud saver valve is described that features an outer housing that retains upper and lower valve pistons therewithin. The pistons coordinate to provide a check valve so that fluid, such as drilling mud, is permitted to flow in one direction while under pump pressure and works as a relief valve in the event of excessive wellbore pressure when the pump is turned off. Both pistons are provided with apertured plates that selectively define fluid passages through the valve. In the described embodiment, the valve also includes a frangible vent cap that is self-securing and easily replaceable. The cap permits venting of excessive downhole pressures.

Abstract: A vibration damping apparatus including an annular housing, a cavity between an internal diameter and an external diameter of the housing, and a substantially solid vibration damping material disposed in the cavity. The vibration damping material has a density that is greater than a density of the housing material. In one embodiment of the invention, the internal diameter and the external diameter of the housing are selected so as to maximize an amount of vibration damping material with respect to a selected tensile strength for the housing. In another embodiment of the invention, the internal diameter and the external diameter of the housing are selected so as to maximize an amount of vibration damping material with respect to a selected bending strength for the housing.

Abstract: A mud saver valve is described that features an outer housing that retains upper and lower valve pistons therewithin. The pistons coordinate to provide a check valve so that fluid, such as drilling mud, is permitted to flow in one direction while under pump pressure and works as a relief valve in the event of excessive wellbore pressure when the pump is turned off. Both pistons are provided with apertured plates that selectively define fluid passages through the valve. In the described embodiment, the valve also includes a frangible vent cap that is self-securing and easily replaceable. The cap permits venting of excessive downhole pressures.

Abstract: A mud saver valve is described that features an outer housing that retains upper and lower valve pistons therewithin. The pistons coordinate to provide a check valve so that fluid, such as drilling mud, is permitted to flow in one direction while under pump pressure and works as a relief valve in the event of excessive wellbore pressure when the pump is turned off. Both pistons are provided with apertured plates that selectively define fluid passages through the valve. In the described embodiment, the valve also includes a frangible vent cap that is self-securing and easily replaceable. The cap permits venting of excessive downhole pressures.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a drilling assembly comprising a motor, a reaming stabilizer and a drill bit. The motor is adapted to be attached to a drill string, the motor includes a drive shaft with a mandrel mounted at the bottom end of the shaft. The reaming stabilizer is attached to the shaft of the motor by the mandrel, so that the stabilizer may be rotatably driven by the motor. The drill bit is attached to the stabilizer to be rotatably driven by the stabilizer. The stabilizer is sized so that the overall length of the drilling assembly is increased by a maximum of about 16 inches. Greater lengths may reduce motor bearing life, adversely affect the steering of the tool or result in drive shaft breakage with consequent loss of the drill bit and stabilizer in the hole.

Abstract: A drill bit reamer stabilizer has an upper and lower stabilizer on a bottom hole assembly with the lower stabilizer as close as possible to the drill bit. This arrangement reduces deviations when drilling a straight hole. Furthermore there is a reamer portion at the leading edge of the lower stabilizer to ensure the drilled hole is reamed out to the nominal drill bit size regardless of drill bit wear. The assembly has a longitudinal shaft with a shank on a top end for connection to a drilling string, an internally threaded box in a bottom end of the shaft for connection to the drill bit, the internally threaded box having an internally tapered lip to overlap a drill bit shank. The lower stabilizer has spiral flutes and lands adjacent the bottom end of the shaft, the flutes have polycrystalline diamond layer inserts at the leading edge of the stabilizer to provide a reamer, the inserts ream a hole substantially the same size as the nominal size of the drill bit.