Abstract: A system and method to control fluid flow to downhole tools and equipment, and to allow formation testing and sampling operations is disclosed. The system includes an actuator assembly that may be mechanically or electrically activated to operate a flow diverter assembly. The flow diverter assembly may divert fluid flow to the annulus of the wellbore, to the stator of a power section, through a by-pass bore in a rotor of the power section, or any combination thereof. In the mechanically actuated actuator assembly, the actuator assembly is activated by pressure changes in the fluid introduced by cycling the pumps at the surface; and in the electrically actuated actuator assembly, the actuator assembly is activated by downlinks sent from a surface control unit or computer at the surface.

Abstract: A system and method to control fluid flow to downhole tools and equipment, and to allow formation testing and sampling operations is disclosed. The system includes an actuator assembly that may be mechanically or electrically activated to operate a flow diverter assembly. The flow diverter assembly may divert fluid flow to the annulus of the wellbore, to the stator of a power section, through a by-pass bore in a rotor of the power section, or any combination thereof. In the mechanically actuated actuator assembly, the actuator assembly is activated by pressure changes in the fluid introduced by cycling the pumps at the surface; and in the electrically actuated actuator assembly, the actuator assembly is activated by downlinks sent from a surface control unit or computer at the surface.

Abstract: A method for causing a desired drilling direction of a steerable subterranean drill in consideration of a contemporaneously detected formation tendency force acting on a drill bit of the steerable subterranean drill. The method includes detecting, utilizing a steering direction setting device, a direction and magnitude of a formation tendency force acting on the drill bit of the steerable subterranean drill. Further the steering direction setting device is configured to contemporaneously cause the drill bit of the steerable subterranean drill to drill in the desired direction, counteracting the formation tendency force based on the detected direction and magnitude of the formation tendency force acting on the drill bit.

Abstract: One example embodiment is an apparatus including a ring assembly and a contact assembly. The ring assembly includes a conductive ring having a conductive ring engagement surface. The contact assembly includes a contact block and a contact element having a contact element engagement surface. The contact element is connected with the contact block. The contact element forms a loop around the conductive ring between the ends of the contact element. The contact element engagement surface is engaged with the conductive ring engagement surface along an electrical contact section of the loop. Another example embodiment is a method for assembling a slip ring.

Abstract: Variably configurable anti-rotation device (252) in a rotary steerable subterranean drill (20). The rotary steerable subterranean drill (20) includes a housing (46) with which the anti-rotation device (252) is associated. Wellbore engaging portions of the anti-rotation device (252) are positioned at an exterior (52) of the housing (46) and have a plurality of differently configurable, radially deployable drag members (254) that are peripherally spaced about the exterior (52) of the housing (46). A controller is coupled to the plurality of drag members (254) and is configured to instruct different deployed configurations of at least two of the drag members (254) in dependence upon a controller-determined formation force experienced on a toolface of a drill bit (22) of the rotary steerable subterranean drill (20).

Abstract: An apparatus including a housing, a shaft rotatably extending through the housing, and a rotary seal assembly contained within the housing for providing a seal between the housing and the shaft. The shaft is capable of an amount of tilting within the housing about a tilting focal point which is axially located along the housing at an axial focal point position. The rotary seal assembly is axially located along the housing at an axial rotary seal position. The axial rotary seal position is substantially axially coincident with the axial focal point position.

Abstract: Variably configurable anti-rotation device (252) in a rotary steerable subterranean drill (20). The rotary steerable subterranean drill (20) includes a housing (46) with which the anti-rotation device (252) is associated. Wellbore engaging portions of the anti-rotation device (252) are positioned at an exterior (52) of the housing (46) and have a plurality of differently configurable, radially deployable drag members (254) that are peripherally spaced about the exterior (52) of the housing (46). The drag member (254) has a plurality of settable operational configurations wherein, within each configuration, the drag member (254) is deployable across a borehole engaging range of motion spanning from a start position to a maximally extended, borehole engaging position. Additionally, for at least two of the plurality of settable operational configurations, the start position of the borehole engaging range of motion is different.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a rotary steerable tool and a gamma sensor assembly are provided. These systems may include scintillation detection sensors mounted in a pressure sleeve assembly coupled to a rotating drive shaft and/or an electronics insert of the rotary steerable tool. The sensors may each be mounted in an atmospheric pressure environment within a respective pressure sleeve. The pressure sleeves may each rotate with the drive shaft and the electronics insert. The sonde-based arrangement of the systems may facilitate relatively high sensitivity measurements taken at a rotating portion of the rotary steerable tool. This may allow directional gamma measurements and bulk gamma measurements to be determined at the rotating section of rotary steerable tool.

Abstract: In an apparatus having a housing, a housing bore, and a shaft rotatably extending through the housing bore, a rotary seal assembly which includes a seal carrier retainer connected with the housing and defining a cavity surrounding the shaft, a seal carrier positioned within the cavity of the seal carrier retainer, wherein the seal carrier is capable of an amount of radial deflection and tilting both relative to the seal carrier retainer and wherein the seal carrier is retained by the seal carrier retainer so that rotation of the seal carrier relative to the seal carrier retainer is prevented, a rotary shaft seal carried by the seal carrier between the seal carrier and the shaft, and a seal carrier seal interposed between the seal carrier and the seal carrier retainer.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a rotary steerable tool and a gamma sensor assembly are provided. These systems may include scintillation detection sensors mounted in a pressure sleeve assembly coupled to a rotating drive shaft and/or an electronics insert of the rotary steerable tool. The sensors may each be mounted in an atmospheric pressure environment within a respective pressure sleeve. The pressure sleeves may each rotate with the drive shaft and the electronics insert. The sonde-based arrangement of the systems may facilitate relatively high sensitivity measurements taken at a rotating portion of the rotary steerable tool. This may allow directional gamma measurements and bulk gamma measurements to be determined at the rotating section of rotary steerable tool.

Abstract: A method for causing a desired drilling direction of a steerable subterranean drill in consideration of a contemporaneously detected formation tendency force acting on a drill bit of the steerable subterranean drill. The method includes detecting, utilizing a steering direction setting device, a direction and magnitude of a formation tendency force acting on the drill bit of the steerable subterranean drill. Further the steering direction setting device is configured to contemporaneously cause the drill bit of the steerable subterranean drill to drill in the desired direction, counteracting the formation tendency force based on the detected direction and magnitude of the formation tendency force acting on the drill bit.

Abstract: Downhole rotary steerable drill including a drilling shaft rotatably supported within a housing, the drilling shaft and housing each having a longitudinal axis. The drill can include a releasable locking mechanism for rotationally locking and releasing the drilling shaft relative to the housing, the releasable locking mechanism transitionable between locked and released configurations. The releasable locking mechanism includes a sliding plunger coupled to the housing by a coupling that permits longitudinal reciprocation of the sliding plunger relative to the housing and prevents rotation of the sliding plunger relative to the housing. The releasable locking mechanism can also include pressure-responsive piston that reciprocates between an unactuated configuration and actuated configuration in response to applied pressure from a pressuring pump.

Abstract: Downhole rotary steerable drill including a drilling shaft rotatably supported within a housing, the drilling shaft and housing each having a longitudinal axis. The drill can include a releasable locking mechanism for rotationally locking and releasing the drilling shaft relative to the housing, the releasable locking mechanism transitionable between locked and released configurations. The releasable locking mechanism includes a sliding plunger coupled to the housing by a coupling that permits longitudinal reciprocation of the sliding plunger relative to the housing and prevents rotation of the sliding plunger relative to the housing. The releasable locking mechanism can also include pressure-responsive piston that reciprocates between an unactuated configuration and actuated configuration in response to applied pressure from a pressuring pump.

Abstract: Wellbore component life monitoring system. A life of a component in a wellbore can be monitored by periodically receiving a load value of a load while the load is being applied to a component in a wellbore. While the load is being applied to the component in the wellbore, a fatigue on the component caused by the load can be periodically determined based, at least in part, on the periodically received load value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus according to which the optimal radius of a thrust bearing in a well tool is determined. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving inputs representing a plurality of geometric characteristics and material properties of the well tool, the well tool including a housing, a shaft extending within the housing, and the thrust bearing, which includes convex and concave surfaces that define an interface having a radius; determining, based on the inputs, an expected value of the bending moment of the well tool in the vicinity of the thrust bearing; determining, based on the expected value of the bending moment, one or more expected values of the radial reaction force at the interface, which values depend upon the radius of the interface; and selecting, based on the one or more expected values of the radial reaction force, an optimal radius of the interface.

Abstract: An apparatus including a housing, a shaft rotatably extending through the housing, and a bearing assembly for supporting the shaft within the housing, wherein the bearing assembly includes a focal bearing assembly for accommodating tilting of the shaft within the housing and a thrust bearing assembly for transferring thrust loads between the housing and the shaft, and wherein the thrust bearing assembly includes at least two thrust bearings arranged in a load sharing configuration and complementary oblique thrust surfaces for transferring thrust loads through the thrust bearings.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a multiple motor and/or pump array module for a drilling tool comprises a plurality of motors and/or pumps extending axially along generally parallel axes wherein the pumps are positioned along the axes next to each other in a parallel manner in generally the same axial location.

Abstract: A method and apparatus according to which the optimal radius of a thrust bearing in a well tool is determined. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving inputs representing a plurality of geometric characteristics and material properties of the well tool, the well tool including a housing, a shaft extending within the housing, and the thrust bearing, which includes convex and concave surfaces that define an interface having a radius; determining, based on the inputs, an expected value of the bending moment of the well tool in the vicinity of the thrust bearing; determining, based on the expected value of the bending moment, one or more expected values of the radial reaction force at the interface, which values depend upon the radius of the interface; and selecting, based on the one or more expected values of the radial reaction force, an optimal radius of the interface.

Abstract: One example embodiment is an apparatus including a ring assembly and a contact assembly. The ring assembly includes a conductive ring having a conductive ring engagement surface. The contact assembly includes a contact block and a contact element having a contact element engagement surface. The contact element is connected with the contact block. The contact element forms a loop around the conductive ring between the ends of the contact element. The contact element engagement surface is engaged with the conductive ring engagement surface along an electrical contact section of the loop. Another example embodiment is a method for assembling a slip ring.

Abstract: Variably configurable anti-rotation device (252) in a rotary steerable subterranean drill (20). The rotary steerable subterranean drill (20) includes a housing (46) with which the anti-rotation device (252) is associated. Wellbore engaging portions of the anti-rotation device (252) are positioned at an exterior (52) of the housing (46) and have a plurality of differently configurable, radially deployable drag members (254) that are peripherally spaced about the exterior (52) of the housing (46). A controller is coupled to the plurality of drag members (254) and is configured to instruct different deployed configurations of at least two of the drag members (254) in dependence upon a controller-determined formation force experienced on a toolface of a drill bit (22) of the rotary steerable subterranean drill (20).