Abstract: A vibratory tool for use in a tubular string to prevent sticking or to release a stuck string features a fluid operated dart valve working in conjunction with an impact sleeve to deliver continuous axial jarring blows in opposed directions as long as flow is maintained. Movement of one of those components axially in opposed directions opens and closes access to opposed lateral ports so that a lateral vibration is also established as flow cyclically occurs and stops sequentially at opposed lateral outlets.

Abstract: A crossover tool that resists the erosive forces of high velocity slurry streams of gravel in downhole fracturing and gravel packing operations employs hardened inserts that protect the inside face of the housing as well as the openings through the crossover housing wall. The inserts have an extending portion that goes through housing openings preferably to the outer surface of the housing. The inserts also have inboard flanged surfaces that preferably abut or overlap to give preferably full inner wall protection to the housing from the flow of abrasive slurry. The inserts can be secured to each other or to the interior of the housing to hold them firmly in place.

Abstract: A subterranean tool that is self contained for actuation can be run into a desired location on an automatic set mode controlled by a timer. If a problem develops in getting the tool to the desired location in time a magnetic field created by permanent or electro-magnets can be brought to bear on the tool to stop the timer before the tool actuates. Once the tool is subsequently positioned at the desired location another magnetic field can be brought to bear near the tool to set it. Alternatively, the tool can be run to the desired location without activation with the timer and then the magnetic field can be brought to the tool to set it. The magnetic field can be lowered to the tool with wireline or can be dropped or pumped past the tool to actuate the tool. Optionally the field can be generated from within an object that ultimately lands on a seat to provide a backup way to set the tool using tubing pressure.

Abstract: A spring for use in downhole tools delivers a high force over a long deflection in a relatively uniform fashion. The spring is a tubular shape that is preferably metallic and is preferably plastically deformed into an undulating walled tube either before assembly into a downhole tool or downhole after assembly to the downhole tool. Alternatively the shape can be machined. Spacer rings are used inside and outside the tube as it is compressed to obtain the desired corrugated wall pattern and to prevent localized buckling that can cause wall failure. The spring can conduct pressurized fluids and be rotationally locked to transmit torque and to facilitate milling out. Some machining internally and/or externally can assist in forming the desired corrugated wall shape.

Abstract: Thin wall sleeves are inserted into a well and expanded into sealing position to a surrounding tubular. Each sleeve has a ball seat. A zone is perforated after a sleeve is secured in position below the perforations. The ball is dropped onto the seat and pressure is built up to complete the fracturing. After all zones are perforated and fractured, the balls are removed, preferably by dissolving them and the thin walled sleeves are left in the tubular against which they have been expanded. Production can then begin from a selected zone. The objects can be of the same size for each sleeve. The sleeves can be run through tubing and into casing. Acid can be pumped to dissolve the objects.

Abstract: A fracturing jet nozzle assembly features a series of angles nozzles on a rotatably mounted plate that operates in conjunction with a central nozzle or nozzles. The slanted nozzles are aimed into the perforation where the central nozzle is aimed directly so that the rotation of the nozzle plate from the slanted nozzles results in cyclic impacts in the perforation from where the fractures will propagate. The cyclic loading results in greater fracture formation and propagation. In another variation, relatively movable plates employing slanted nozzles rotate one plate with respect to another to get the effect of cyclic pulses of jetting fluid impingement in the perforation to enhance formation and propagation of fractures from the perforation.

Abstract: A shape memory polymer is initially fabricated to a size where its peripheral dimension will be at least as large as the borehole wall in which it is to be deployed. After the initial manufacturing the material temperature is elevated above the transition temperature and the material is stretched on a mandrel to retain its inside dimension as its outside dimension is reduced to size that will allow running the seal to a desired subterranean location without failing the material during the stretching. The material is allowed to cool below the transition temperature to hold the new shape. The material on the mandrel is then secured to a tubular string and delivered to the desired location. Wellbore fluid at given temperature raises the material again above the transition temperature, which causes the material to revert to its originally manufactured shape.

Abstract: A control or other line with a hole downhole can be repaired by pumping a device that is driven by pressure delivered behind a leading seal. The device advances until the leading seal passes the opening in the line where its forward movement is stopped. Upstream of the opening a fluid activated seal is energized so that seals now straddle the opening in the wall. A passage that extends between the seals is opened by blowing a rupture disc with internal pressure to once again give access to the downhole tool through the passage that has external seals to straddle the hole in the tubing wall. Normal operation of the downhole tool can then resume.

Abstract: A debris removal tool has a lower end pickup hose into which debris laden fluid is pulled when there is circulation through the debris removal tool from the surface. An anchor near the open end of the hose stabilizes the lower end near a recess or groove from which debris is to be removed. Once the anchor is set the hose can be extended or retracted as well as rotated on its axis to pick up debris. A camera can be located in or near the hose opening to be able to see where the debris is located and for confirmation that the debris is being removed and that the debris has fully been removed.

Abstract: A cutting assembly for external conduits on a tubing string features a breakaway in the string that can be severed with a tensile force. Preferably each external conduit is run through a cutter housing. Upon severing of the string and applying a pickup force, a tension is applied to each external conduit since the severing of the string happens above all the cutter housings. Each housing cuts at least one conduit and the upper portion of the string brings with it the upper portion of the external conduit while the lower portions of each cut external conduit are retained in the cutter housings that remain downhole below the breakaway. In that manner there are no loose external conduit ends to interfere with and/or disturb subsequent fishing or other wellbore operations.

Abstract: A downhole tool has housing components that are relatively movable. One of the components is supported downhole while a control line provides fluid pressure to move the other housing component relative to the supported component to put the tool in a first position. Loss of control line pressure allows the weight of tubulars bearing on the upper housing or rods to move it to put the tool in another position. The tubing weight overcomes the hydrostatic pressure in the control line even when there is no applied pressure in the control line to cause relative housing or rods movement to operate a tool. In that sense the tool can be fail safe to shut off flow, for example, on loss of control line pressure while reducing or elimination the need for a large return spring to offset hydrostatic pressure.

Abstract: A subterranean debris catcher swirls the incoming debris laden stream by putting grooves or spiral projections on the inside of the inlet pipe. In some embodiments the solids come out of openings in the side of the inlet pipe and in others the solids can exit near the top either directly into the enclosed solids holding volume as the liquid exits straight out or the solids can be discharged out the end of the inlet pipe into the bigger open space defined by the housing. In the latter case the inside housing wall can have a screen or vanes that slow down the solid particles as the fluid continues to a housing exit and eventually to an exit screen before being discharged to either go to the surface or recirculate back along the outside of the tool to the inlet pipe while picking up additional debris.

Abstract: A spacing device is located on a lower end of a debris removal tool. Circulation through the tool extends telescoping members to the top of the debris zone against a bias that retracts the members when there is no flow through the tool. The lowest telescoping member has peripheral slots through which the circulation for the tool takes place. The landing of the tool on top of the debris can be detected by the weight indicator at the surface. The device prevents embedding the lower end of the tool into the debris. Instruments can also determine the scope of the telescoping extension and transmit that value to the surface so that the cleanup tool can be continuously spaced from the moving top of the debris pile by maintaining a target distance for extension of the telescoping assembly.

Abstract: A swelling packer is covered with a material that is preferably in a tubular form and slipped over the swelling element to be shrink fit with applied heat. The material is formulated to break down at temperatures slightly below the expected downhole temperatures so that ideally the packer has about 48 hours of swelling delay which is normally a time period long enough to allow it to be properly located without it swelling so much as to cause it to be damaged by running in. Various polymers can be used to make an imperious covering for run in that on the way starts to break down. Ideally the material for the cover disappears about the time of sealing or shortly thereafter.

Abstract: The annular space around a tubular string has a shape memory material that is in a low profile configuration for run in. After the desired position is obtained and the annulus has cement delivered to fill the annular space, the shape memory device is triggered to revert to an original shape that spans the annulus to seal the tubular and the wellbore sides of the annular space against gas migration through the cement. The structures can have varying run in shapes and can also have original shapes that when the material is triggered will act to displace cement to enhance its compaction on the tubular or the wellbore wall. Combinations of shape memory alloys and polymers are also contemplated to enhance the seal against gas migration.

Abstract: A string with a plurality of telescoping members has the telescoping members initially sealed preferably with a shape memory foam so that the foam is initially impervious when run into a subterranean location. Then, after extension of the telescoping members, using pressure in the string, the foam gets above its transition temperature and grows axially in a passage of the telescoping members, to the point of becoming porous so that it can serve as a sand control or other debris exclusion device. Plates with openings can be deployed at opposed ends to maintain the assembly in position when subjected to differential pressure as flow goes through the foam. Alternative materials are envisioned.

Abstract: A metallic seal for a 90° valve features a generally rectangular shape in section that defines a chamber open to internal pressure that can enlarge the chamber to enhance the sealing effect. Sealing occurs at discrete locations at portions of the seal that are preferably rounded in shape. Overlapping ends that define the entrance to the chamber also are positioned to minimize excessive deflection and resulting plastic deformation that could close off the entrance to the chamber.

Abstract: A screen section is made with variable resistance to flow in the screen material to balance the flow along the screen length. In one variation different discrete zones have screens configured for different percentages of open area while all have the same particle filtration capability. In another variation discrete portions have differing amounts of overlapping screen portions so as to balance flow without affecting the particle size screened. The cross-sectional shape of a wire wrap underlayment for the screen is made closer to trapezoidal to decrease the angle of opening for the incoming flow paths toward the base pipe. In this manner flow resistance is reduced and flow is increased due to reduced turbulence.

Abstract: A sensor and transmitter is employed with a pressurized chamber of a downhole tool to be able to tell at a glance when the tool is delivered for service that it is properly charged. The sensor and transmitter can be integrated within the tool so as to be protected from damage during run in. While in service the sensor and transmitter can monitor pressure in real time and include a capability to send surface signals for real time monitoring of chamber pressures corrected for the service depth, temperature and density of the hydraulic fluid, for example. The signal can be acoustic through the control line or the annulus or delivered through a fiber optic cable or signal wire run in the hydraulic control line, an auxiliary line or through the annulus.

Abstract: A valve is mounted to a tubular string and has an actuation assembly that is isolated from well fluids. The valve member can be a ball that rotates on a pivot and is actuated by relative rotation of string components that straddle the ball. Rotation of one string component is linked to the closure ball by an external slanted slot with an operating ball that rides in it and connects the rotating string component to the closure ball. Travel stops limit the desired rotation of the closure ball in opposed directions. The closure ball can alternatively be rotated by relative longitudinal string component movement that is converted to relative rotation such as through the use of a j-slot mechanism. Internal seals isolate the slanted slot and operating ball from well fluids.