Abstract: Borehole diameter enlargement occurs while drilling, circulating, reaming, and/or cleaning the borehole, and such borehole diameter enlargements can be detrimental to proper tripping of a drillstring or running of a casing string. Methods and systems are disclosed for detecting or measuring borehole diameter enlargement, diagnosing the cause of the borehole diameter enlargement, and potentially mitigating the borehole diameter enlargement based on the diagnosed and identified causes.

Abstract: A jetting device comprises a body, and an interior flow path within the body. The interior flow path comprises a flow section, an expansion section, and a shoulder formed at the intersection of the flow section and the expansion section. The length and diameter of the expansion section are configured to allow a portion of the pressure of the fluid downstream of the expansion section to provide power to a fluid flowing through the nozzle when the fluid is flowing through the nozzle.

Abstract: A safety valve system for use in a subterranean well can include a safety valve protector connected downstream of a safety valve, whereby when closed the safety valve protector reduces a flow rate through the safety valve and prevents displacement of an object through the safety valve protector to the safety valve. Another safety valve system can include a safety valve protector which, when closed, reduces a flow rate through a safety valve, and the safety valve protector closes in response to the flow rate through the safety valve being above a predetermined level. In another safety valve system, each of the safety valve protector and the safety valve comprises an actuator, the actuators being connected by a line, and a signal transmitted by the line causes the safety valve protector actuator to close the safety valve protector, and then causes the safety valve actuator to close the safety valve.

Abstract: A method can include applying a magnetic field to a well screen, thereby varying sizes of pores via which fluid flows through the well screen. A well screen can include a magnetic shape memory material having a dimension which changes in response to application of a magnetic field. Restriction to flow through the well screen can vary in response to the change in dimension of the magnetic shape memory material.

Abstract: A perforation tool comprises an explosive charge comprising an explosive focal axis, a tool body containing the explosive charge, and a flowable material carried with the tool and disposed along the explosive focal axis. The flowable material is configured to be released by detonation of the explosive charge and flow to create at least a partial barrier to flow through the aperture in response to the perforation of the tool body by the explosive charge to form an aperture in the tool body.

Abstract: A persulfate compound activated by a strong base is used for low-temperature breaking of fluids viscosified with one or more water-soluble synthetic polymers, wherein the water-soluble synthetic polymers are selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamides, copolymers of polyacrylamide, derivatives of polyacrylamide or of copolymers of polyacrylamide, and any combination thereof. The breaker system can be used in an oilfield or pipeline application where such a synthetic polymer, a multi-chain polysaccharide, or combination thereof may be present in a fluid. It is particularly useful at low temperatures of less than 100° F.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, may operate to transmit and receive data. Transmission may comprise transforming larger values of acquired data into smaller values of transformed data using a transform defined by a seed value selected to reduce digital pulse position modulation transmission time for the acquired data. Additional activities include digital pulse position modulating the transformed data and a checksum associated with the transformed data to provide a propagation signal, and transmitting the propagation signal into drilling fluid or a geological formation. Reception may comprise receiving the propagation signal, demodulating the propagation signal to extract the transformed data and the checksum, and transforming the transformed data into an estimate of the acquired data, using the transform defined by the seed value validated by the checksum. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are described.

Abstract: A well screen assembly for a wellbore includes a base pipe and a filter assembly carried on the base pipe. The filter assembly has an internal passage in fluid communication with an opening through the base pipe. A swell material is carried in the base pipe between the filter assembly and the base pipe. The swell material is adapted to expand under specified conditions and displace the filter assembly radially toward a wall of the wellbore. A flow control device is provided in fluid communication between the internal passage of the filter assembly and the opening in the base pipe and is adapted to restrict communication of fluid with the opening in the base pipe. The well screen assembly can include a hydraulic, electric or optical communication line running axially through a length of the well screen assembly.

Abstract: Distributed acoustic, vibration, density and/or strain sensing is utilized for downhole monitoring. A method of tracking fluid movement along a wellbore of a well includes: detecting vibration, density, strain (static and/or dynamic) and/or Brillouin frequency shift in the well using at least one optical waveguide installed in the well; and determining the fluid movement based on the detected vibration, density, strain and/or Brillouin frequency shift. Another method of tracking fluid movement along a wellbore of a well includes: detecting a change in density of an optical waveguide in the well; and determining the fluid movement based on the detected density change.

Abstract: A downhole valve for use in a well has a closure device that is biased closed to seal against flow through the central bore of the valve. A plurality of pistons are each coupled to a respective hydraulic control line into the valve. Each piston is adapted to reside in an actuated position, supporting the closure open, when at least a specified hydraulic pressure is supplied through its control line, and to reside in an unactuated position, not supporting the closure open, when at least the specified hydraulic pressure is not present in its control line. The valve has a chamber containing a hydraulic fluid hydraulically coupling the pistons to support any piston not receiving the specified hydraulic pressure in an unactuated position. In certain aspects, when the piston is in the unactuated position, it seals against communication of fluid with its respective control line using a static-type seal.

Abstract: A downhole tester valve (100) includes a housing assembly (106) and a mandrel assembly (172, 174) that define therebetween an operating fluid chamber (176), a biasing fluid chamber (184) and a power fluid chamber (180). A valve assembly (126) disposed within the housing assembly (106) is operable between open and closed positions. A piston assembly (146) is operably associated with the valve assembly (126) such that annulus pressure entering the power fluid chamber (180) pressurizes operating fluid in the operating fluid chamber (176) which acts on the piston assembly (146) to shift the valve assembly (126) from the closed position to the open position and such that predetermined travel of the piston assembly (146) opens a bypass passageway (162) for the pressurized operating fluid to charge biasing fluid in the biasing fluid chamber (184), thereby enabling closure of the valve assembly (126) upon reducing annulus pressure by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A method of forming multiple inclusions into a subterranean formation can include initiating the inclusions into the formation, the inclusions extending outwardly in respective multiple azimuthal orientations from a casing section, and flowing fluid into each of the inclusions individually, thereby extending the inclusions into the formation one at a time. A system for initiating inclusions outwardly into a subterranean formation from a wellbore can include a casing section having multiple flow channels therein, each of the flow channels being in communication with a respective one of multiple openings formed between adjacent pairs of circumferentially extendable longitudinally extending portions of the casing section. Another system can include a casing section, and an injection tool which engages the casing section and selectively directs fluid into each of the inclusions individually, whereby the inclusions are extended into the formation one at a time.

Abstract: A hydraulic connection mechanism for use in a wellbore comprises an upper connection tool, a lower connection tool configured to engage the upper connection tool and form a fluid communication pathway through the hydraulic connection mechanism, and a debris barrier disposed in the fluid communication pathway. The debris barrier comprises a body element, and a spring element configured to maintain the body element in a closed position when the upper connection tool is disengaged from the lower connection tool.

Abstract: Disclosed are wellbore flow control devices and methods of using the same. One wellbore flow control device includes a sliding sleeve assembly defining a first entrance and a first exit and being movably arranged within a housing coupled to a wellbore pipe, the sliding sleeve assembly being fluidly communicable with one or more well screens via the first entrance and a first flow pathway, and a flow restricting assembly arranged within the housing and being fluidly communicable with the sliding sleeve assembly via the first exit and a second flow pathway, wherein the sliding sleeve assembly is movable between a first position, where the first entrance and first exit are blocked, and a second position, where the first entrance and first exit are open and allow fluid communication between the first and second flowpaths through the sliding sleeve assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for operating the apparatus provide a modular unit of hardware to make measurements in a well. The modular unit may include a housing arranged for placement in a drill-string element, where the housing includes a sensor and is structured such that the housing is transferable to another drill-string element without a calibration during or after the transfer. The drill-string elements associated with the transfer may be of different sizes.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention comprises a method of cementing comprising: placing a settable composition into a well bore, the settable composition comprising unexpanded perlite, cement kiln dust, and water; and allowing the settable composition to set. Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a method of cementing comprising: placing a settable composition into a well bore, the settable composition comprising ground unexpanded perlite, Portland cement interground with pumicite, and water; and allowing the settable composition to set. Yet another embodiment of the present invention comprises a settable composition comprising: ground unexpanded perlite; cement kiln dust; and water.

Abstract: A method comprising placing a composition comprising a wellbore servicing fluid and a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensor in a subterranean formation, whereby the MEMS sensor is coated with an elastomer. The elastomer-coated MEMS sensor is used to detect one or more parameters, including a compression or swelling of the elastomer, an expansion of the elastomer, or a change in density of the composition.

Abstract: A system for variably resisting flow of a fluid composition can include a flow passage and a set of one or more branch passages which intersect the flow passage, whereby a proportion of the composition diverted from the passage to the set of branch passages varies based on at least one of a) viscosity of the fluid composition, and b) velocity of the fluid composition in the flow passage. Another variable flow resistance system can include a flow path selection device that selects which of multiple flow paths a majority of fluid flows through from the device, based on a ratio of desired fluid to undesired fluid in the composition. Yet another variable flow resistance system can include a flow chamber, with a majority of the composition entering the chamber in a direction which changes based on a ratio of desired fluid to undesired fluid in the composition.

Abstract: A variety of methods and compositions are disclosed, including, in one embodiment, a method of treating a well comprising: providing a treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a blended cementitious component, wherein the blended cementitious component comprises kiln dust from two or more different sources; and introducing the treatment fluid into a well bore.

Abstract: A well system and associated method can include an acoustic generator which can be used to excite a formation with acoustic waves transmitted from the acoustic generator. Another well system and associated method can include an acoustic generator which can transmit acoustic waves into cement surrounding a casing. Another well system and associated method can include an acoustic generator which can be used to transmit acoustic waves into an annulus surrounding a well screen during or after a gravel packing operation. Another well system and associated method can include an acoustic generator which can be connected in a drill string in close proximity to a drill bit, with the acoustic generator transmitting acoustic waves into a formation ahead of the bit.