Abstract: A tool assembly for performing a wellbore operation including an actuatable tool, a location device, and on-board controller are together dimensioned and arranged to be deployed in the wellbore as an autonomous unit. The actuatable tool, such as a perforating gun having associated charges, perforates a wellbore along a selected zone of interest. The location device, such as casing collar locator, senses the location of the actuatable tool based on a physical signature provided along the wellbore. The on-board controller or micro-processor is configured to send an activation signal to the actuatable tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the tool based on the physical signature. The tool assembly further includes a multi-gate safety system. The safety system prevents premature activation of the actuatable tool.

Abstract: Autonomous units and methods for downhole, multi-zone perforation and fracture stimulation for hydrocarbon production. The autonomous unit may be a perforating gun assembly, a bridge plug assembly, or fracturing plug assembly. The autonomous units are dimensioned and arranged to be deployed within a wellbore without an electric wireline. The autonomous units may be fabricated from a friable material so as to self-destruct upon receiving a signal. The autonomous units include a position locator for sensing the presence of objects along the wellbore and generating depth signals in response. The autonomous units also include an on-board controller for processing the depth signals and for activating an actuatable tool at a zone of interest.

Abstract: A tool assembly for performing a wellbore operation including an actuatable tool, a location device, and on-board controller are together dimensioned and arranged to be deployed in the wellbore as an autonomous unit. The actuatable tool, such as a perforating gun having associated charges, perforates a wellbore along a selected zone of interest. The location device, such as casing collar locator, senses the location of the actuatable tool based on a physical signature provided along the wellbore. The on-board controller or micro-processor is configured to send an activation signal to the actuatable tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the tool based on the physical signature. The tool assembly further includes a multi-gate safety system. The safety system prevents premature activation of the actuatable tool.

Abstract: A wellbore apparatus and method comprising a first wellbore tool having a primary flow path and at least one secondary flow path and a second wellbore tool having a primary flow path and secondary flow path. A radial center of the primary flow path in the first wellbore tool is offset from a radial center of the primary flow path in the second wellbore tool which comprises a crossover joint connecting the first wellbore tool to the second wellbore tool having a primary flow path fluidly connecting the primary flow path of the first wellbore tool to the primary flow path of the second wellbore tool, and at least one secondary flow path fluidly connecting the at least one secondary flow path of the first wellbore tool to the at least one secondary flow path of the second wellbore tool.

Abstract: Systems and methods for secondary sealing of a perforation present within a wellbore casing associated with a primary sealing agent. The wellbore casing defines a casing conduit present within a wellbore that extends between a surface region and a subterranean formation. The systems and methods include a sealing apparatus that retains a charge of sealing material with a secondary sealing agent and is conveyed within the casing conduit to within a threshold distance of the perforation. The systems and methods further include selectively releasing the charge of sealing material from the sealing apparatus, such as by a release mechanism, to deliver the charge of sealing material to the perforation, to supplement the primary sealing agent (and/or a seal formed thereby), and/or to decrease a flow rate of a fluid from the casing conduit through the perforation.

Abstract: A sand control device is used for restricting the flow of particles from a subsurface formation into a tubular body within a wellbore during production operations. The sand control device is divided into compartments along its length that provide redundancy for particle filtration. Each compartment first comprises a base pipe. The base pipe defines an elongated tubular body having a permeable section and an impermeable section within each compartment. Each compartment also comprises a first filtering conduit and a second filtering conduit. The filtering conduits comprise filtering media and generally circumscribe the base pipe. The filtering conduits are arranged so that the first filtering conduit is adjacent to the non-permeable section of the base pipe, while the second filtering conduit is adjacent to the permeable section of the base pipe.

Abstract: A bridge plug arrangement includes a plug having an upper end and a bottom end. The bridge plug arrangement also optionally includes a cylindrical seat. The bridge plug arrangement further includes a tubular member. The tubular member may be part of a casing string. The tubular member is configured to receive the plug and, when used, the seat. The plug and/or the seat may be fabricated from a frangible material. Also disclosed is a method for diverting fluids in a wellbore using the bridge plug arrangement. The method may include landing the plug onto the seat within the wellbore below a subsurface zone of interest. Treatment fluids are then injected into the wellbore, where they are diverted through perforations and into a formation. The plug and/or seat is then optionally broken into a plurality of pieces through use of a downward mechanical force.

Abstract: A tool assembly is provided that includes an actuatable tool such as a valve or a setting tool. And includes a location device that senses the location of the tool assembly within a tubular body based on a physical signature. The tool assembly also includes an on-board controller configured to send an activation signal to the actuatable tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the tool based on the physical signature. The actuatable tool, the location device, and the on-board controller are together dimensioned and arranged to be deployed in the wellbore as an autonomous unit.

Abstract: Methods and systems for completing a well including injecting a stimulation fluid to stimulate a first interval in the reservoir. The stimulation fluid is at a pressure sufficient to open a number of check valves in the first interval, allowing stimulation fluid to flow into the first interval. A number of ball sealers configured to block flow through the check valves are dropped into the well to stop the flow of the stimulation fluid into the first interval and begin treatment of a second interval. The stimulation fluid is injected to stimulate a subsequent interval with pressure sufficient to open a number of check valves in the subsequent interval, allowing stimulation fluid to flow into the subsequent interval. The dropping of ball sealers is repeated until all intervals are treated.

Abstract: Methods and systems for completing a well including injecting stimulation fluid to stimulate a first interval in the reservoir. The stimulation fluid has a pressure sufficient to open a number of check valves in the first interval, allowing stimulation fluid to flow into the first interval. A number of ball sealers configured to block flow through the check valves are dropped into the well to stop the flow of stimulation fluid into the first interval and begin treatment of a second interval. The stimulation fluid is injected to stimulate a subsequent interval with pressure sufficient to open a number of check valves in the subsequent interval, allowing stimulation fluid to flow into the subsequent interval. The dropping of ball sealers is repeated until all intervals are treated. At least part of the check valves are configured to allow stimulation fluid to flow into a distribution chamber with multiple openings.

Abstract: Autonomous units and methods for downhole, multi-zone perforation and fracture stimulation for hydrocarbon production. The autonomous unit may be a perforating gun assembly, a bridge plug assembly, or fracturing plug assembly. The autonomous units are dimensioned and arranged to be deployed within a wellbore without an electric wireline. The autonomous units may be fabricated from a friable material so as to self-destruct upon receiving a signal. The autonomous units include a position locator for sensing the presence of objects along the wellbore and generating depth signals in response. The autonomous units also include an on-board controller for processing the depth signals and for activating an actuatable tool at a zone of interest.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for actuating a downhole tool in wellbore includes acquiring a CCL data set or log from the wellbore that correlates recorded magnetic signals with measured depth, and selects a location within the wellbore for actuation of a wellbore device. The CCL log is then downloaded into an autonomous tool. The tool is programmed to sense collars as a function of time, thereby providing a second CCL log. The autonomous tool also matches sensed collars with physical signature from the first CCL log and then self-actuates the wellbore device at the selected location based upon a correlation of the first and second CCL logs.

Abstract: Drag-enhancing structures for downhole operations are included in a downhole assembly that further includes a tool string, extends past a maximum transverse perimeter of the tool string, and increases resistance to fluid flow past the downhole assembly when the downhole assembly is pumped in a downhole direction within a wellbore conduit. The systems and methods include conveying the downhole assembly in the downhole direction within the wellbore conduit. The systems and methods further may include decreasing the resistance to fluid flow past the downhole assembly after the downhole assembly is located within a target region of the wellbore conduit and/or flowing a sealing material past the downhole assembly while the downhole assembly is located within the wellbore conduit.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving functional access to subterranean formations that include a well, which includes a casing string having at least one casing conduit that extends and provides a hydraulic connection between a surface region and the subterranean formation. Performing a plurality of downhole operations utilizing a casing string that constitutes a plurality of hydraulic pathways between the surface region and the subterranean formation. The plurality of downhole operations may be simultaneous operations and/or may be associated with at least one of a plurality of operational states including a drilling state, completing state, stimulating state, producing state, abandoning state, and/or killing state. In some embodiments, systems and methods may include a plurality of production control assemblies to control and/or monitor the downhole operations.

Abstract: Autonomous units and methods for downhole, multi-zone perforation and fracture stimulation for hydrocarbon production. The autonomous unit may be a perforating gun assembly, a bridge plug assembly, or fracturing plug assembly. The autonomous units are dimensioned and arranged to be deployed within a wellbore without an electric wireline. The autonomous units may be fabricated from a friable material so as to self-destruct upon receiving a signal. The autonomous units include a position locator for sensing the presence of objects along the wellbore and generating depth signals in response. The autonomous units also include an on-board controller for processing the depth signals and for activating an actuatable tool at a zone of interest.

Abstract: A completion assembly designed to perforate a section of casing along a wellbore, comprises a perforating gun, a canister, and a locator device. The canister contains ball sealers that are dimensioned to seal perforations, while the locator device is a casing collar locator that senses the location of the assembly within the wellbore based on the spacing of casing collars. The completion assembly also includes an on-board controller configured to send an actuation signal to the perforating gun to cause one or more detonators to fire when the locator has recognized a selected location of the completion assembly, thereby perforating the casing, and to release the ball sealers from the canister. Methods for seamlessly perforating and fracturing multiple zones along a wellbore are also provided, using a select-fire perforating gun.

Abstract: Selectively actuated plungers and systems and methods including the same are disclosed herein. The methods include flowing a wellbore fluid stream in fluid contact with a plunger and in an uphole direction within a wellbore conduit while the plunger is located within a target region of the wellbore conduit. The methods further include maintaining the plunger in a low fluid drag state while a variable associated with the wellbore fluid stream is outside a threshold range and transitioning the plunger to a high fluid drag state responsive to the variable associated with the wellbore conduit being within the threshold range. The methods further include conveying the plunger in the uphole direction within the wellbore conduit. The systems include the plungers and/or hydrocarbon wells that include the plungers.

Abstract: A communications module and methods for downhole operations having utility with production of hydrocarbon fluids from a wellbore, including at least one alternate flow channel and an electrical circuit. Generally, the electrical circuit is pre-programmed to (i) receive a signal and, in response to the received signal, deliver an actuating command signal. The communications module further has a transmitter-receiver. The communications module allows a downhole tool to be actuated within a completion interval of a wellbore without providing an electric line or a working string from the surface. The tool may be actuated in response to a reading from a sensing tool, or in response to a signal emitted in the wellbore by a downhole carrier, or information tag.

Abstract: Systems and methods for secondary sealing of a perforation present within a wellbore casing associated with a primary sealing agent. The wellbore casing defines a casing conduit present within a wellbore that extends between a surface region and a subterranean formation. The systems and methods include a sealing apparatus that retains a charge of sealing material with a secondary sealing agent and is conveyed within the casing conduit to within a threshold distance of the perforation. The systems and methods further include selectively releasing the charge of sealing material from the sealing apparatus, such as by a release mechanism, to deliver the charge of sealing material to the perforation, to supplement the primary sealing agent (and/or a seal formed thereby), and/or to decrease a flow rate of a fluid from the casing conduit through the perforation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for completing a well including injecting a stimulation fluid to stimulate a first interval in the reservoir. The stimulation fluid is at a pressure sufficient to open a number of check valves in the first interval, allowing stimulation fluid to flow into the first interval. A number of ball sealers configured to block flow through the check valves are dropped into the well to stop the flow of the stimulation fluid into the first interval and begin treatment of a second interval. The stimulation fluid is injected to stimulate a subsequent interval with pressure sufficient to open a number of check valves in the subsequent interval, allowing stimulation fluid to flow into the subsequent interval. The dropping of ball sealers is repeated until all intervals are treated.