Abstract: The present invention relates to tools and methods for stabilizing incompetent or otherwise unstable subterranean zones or formations penetrated by a well bore during drilling. The methods basically comprise drilling the well bore through an unstable subterranean zone or formation when it is encountered, pumping a fluid through a well stabilization tool while moving the tool through the portion of the well bore in the unstable zone or formation whereby fluid jets formed by the well stabilization tool enlarge the diameter of the well bore by fluid jet erosion, pumping a hardenable cementitious material through the well stabilization tool while moving the tool through the enlarged portion of the well bore whereby the enlarged portion is filled with the hardenable cementitious material, allowing the cementitious material to harden and then drilling the well bore through the hardened cementitious material.

Abstract: A packer set safety valve assembly for controlling annular and tubing flows within a subterranean wellbore is disclosed. The packer set safety valve assembly controls the annular and tubing flows through dual flow paths. The assembly includes a means, that is remotely actuatable, to secure the assembly within the wellbore, a means, also remotely actuatable, the allows selective control of fluid flow in the dual flow paths, and a means, remotely actuatable as well, to unsecure the assembly from within the wellbore. The packer set safety valve assembly is a "fail closed" design which prevents flows through the dual flow paths when the fluid flow control means is not actuated to allow flow.

Abstract: A downhole tool apparatus and methods of drilling the apparatus. The apparatus may include, but is not limited to, packers and bridge plugs utilizing non-metallic components. The non-metallic components may include but are not limited to the center mandrel having an unmachined, molded central opening therethrough. In a preferred embodiment, a sliding valve is disposed on an outer surface of the center mandrel for opening and closing a valve port. An overshot is used to selectively actuate the sliding valve. Methods of installation and drilling out of the apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A packer apparatus with a circulating port. A housing of the packer has inflation passages, circulating passages, treating fluid passages, and equalizing passages defined therein. In a straddle packer embodiment, upper and lower packers are mounted on the housing on opposite sides of an outlet of the treating fluid passage. A circulation valve with a sliding differential pressure actuated valve sleeve is disposed below the packers. An inner mandrel is slidably received in the central opening of the housing. The mandrel has a mandrel bore and has upper inflation and circulating ports, lower inflation ports, upper and lower equalizing ports, a treating port and lower circulating ports, all of which communicate with the mandrel bore. The valve sleeve has a valve port. A lug and endless J-slot is operably associated with the housing and mandrel for controlling a telescoping position of the mandrel relative to the housing in response to reciprocation without rotation of the mandrel relative to the housing.

Abstract: A release mechanism is described for releasing a lock member (10) which secures a first body member (5) to a second body member (1). The release mechanism comprises a reciprocal member (6) which is mounted on the first body member (5) for movement relative to the first body member (5). A catch mechanism (8, 11, 12) is also provided which is movable between the first position where the lock member (10) is fixed and the second position where the lock member (10) is released. The reciprocal member (6) moves in a first direction when a force is applied to the reciprocal member (6) and moves in a second direction when the force is removed. Repeated reciprocal movement of the reciprocal member (6) in the first and second directions effects movement of the catch mechanism (8, 11, 12) from the first position to the second position to release the lock member (10) to permit relative movement between the first and second body members (5, 1).

Abstract: A hydraulically controlled apparatus responsive to changes in well annulus pressure is disclosed. The apparatus is run into a well bore intersecting an oil and gas reservoir with perforations communicating the oil and gas reservoir with the well bore. The apparatus has an associated packer to effectively seal off the perforations in the well bore. The apparatus contains a cylindrical housing with ports on the top end and bottom end, and an operating mandrel is disposed therein. A disengaging sleeve operably connected with the operating mandrel allows the ports contained on the lower portion of the cylindrical housing below the packer to be opened and closed selectively, thereby allowing communication of the reservoir pressure through the apparatus. The disengaging sleeve and operating mandrel are activated by either an increase or decrease in annulus pressure.

Abstract: A well casing hanger/packoff apparatus with ports through which fluids can be circulated during installation and cementing operations, and a sleeve-type valve that can be moved axially to open or close the ports as desired.

Abstract: A wire line operated shut-in tool for a tubing string of an oil or gas well has a locking mandrel for cooperation with a ported landing nipple disposed below a packer in the tubing string to lock the tool in position, and a mandrel core which passes through the locking mandrel and is axially movable relative thereto, the core having a lower portion which is surrounded by the locking mandrel and is caused to rotate by the engagement of pins projecting inwardly from the locking mandrel with a jay slot assembly machined on the outer surface of the core when the core is moved axially. The arrangement of the jay slot assembly is such that by operating the wire line to move the core axially relative to the locking mandrel, the tool can be cycled between respective positions in which the well can be flowed, the reservoir shut-in, or the tool run out of the well.

Abstract: Disclosed are selective and no-go systems for injecting fluids in a well and a system for orienting a tool in a landing nipple in a well conduit, which is utilized in the selective set injection system. Each injection system is comprised of a land nipple, an injection mandrel having openings for flow and an orientor. The landing nipples have wall openings for flow and orienting means which are engaged by the mandrel orientor as the mandrel is lowered into the landing nipple, orienting the mandrel and aligning the mandrel flow openings with the nipple flow openings. There are orifices in the flow openings in both mandrels to control injected flow through the mandrel. The system for orienting a tool in a landing nipple has an orientor attachable to a well tool. This orientor and the selective orientor have lugs which engage an orienting sleeve in the nipple and are guided into slots when lowered into the sleeve.

Abstract: A separable fluid pressure activated firing mehanism for a perforating gun comprises a pressure-operated tubing valve, a packer, and a tubular housing assembly defining a plurality of fluid pressure chambers therein. The first chamber contains a light density, clean, compressible fluid which is subject to well annulus pressure above the packer to provide a reference pressure. A second chamber sealably mounts a piston-type firing pin, which is normally secured by a locked latch in an elevated position above a detonatable primer and the lower portion of said firing pin is exposed to the reference pressure. The latch is unlocked through the application of a predetermined annulus pressure above the packer to a locking piston which moves to unlock the latch and trap the reference pressure in the first chamber. A further increase in said annulus pressure opens the tubing valve.

Abstract: A plugging apparatus for a gravel packer. The apparatus includes a plug comprising an operating mandrel slidably received in an outer mandrel. A collet is positioned on the outer mandrel. Actuation of the operating mandrel allows engagement of the collet with a threaded portion in the packer for locking the collet into such engagement. The plug is positioned in the packer and actuated to a locking position by use of a setting tool which has a portion press fit on a ring spring mounted on the operating mandrel. Once the collet is in the locked position, the setting tool may be removed from the ring spring. The plug may be retrieved by a retrieving tool which has a collet which engages the ring spring. The retrieving tool is used to actuate the operating mandrel to disengage the collet from the threaded portion of the packer and then to retrieve the plug from the packer.

Abstract: A packer setting tool, a packer assembly and an attached liner assembly are lowered into a well bore at a desired depth to fix the liner therein. Cement is pumped down a tubing string, through the packer, the lining, check valves and forced upwardly in the annulus of the well bore. The pumped cement is followed by a non-setting liquid to clear the internal tubular structure. The packer assembly is then set in the wet cement of the annulus to provide an additional fluid seal in the well bore. The packer setting tool is released and the cement is allowed to harden and fix the linear and the packer assembly within the well bore.

Abstract: A downhole flow testing valve having a tubular housing with a valve and flow tube movable within the housing between an open position where valve ports therein are positioned in registry and a closed position where the valve ports are out of fluid communicating registry. The valve and flow tube is closed by a resultant force developed by compressed gas and opened by pressure introduced into the valve from the annulus between the valve and well casing. The normally closed flow testing shuttle valve is secured in its closed and safe condition during installation by a hydraulically locked sleeve valve. Upon fracture of a break plug by an implement dropped through the straight through flow passage of the flow tube hydraulic fluid captured within a locking chamber is released from the locking chamber by the force of a compression spring.

Abstract: A sleeve type valve useful in a well tubing string for controlling flow between the valve interior and exterior. An internal pressure balanced sleeve is releasably positioned to the valve body closing a flow port in the valve body wall to flow. The valve has an external pressure unbalanced sleeve also releasably positioned to close the port to flow. When the internal sleeve is moved to a position opening the port to flow, pressure may be increased in the valve interior to act through the port on the unbalanced sleeve, moving this sleeve to a position also opening the port to flow and permitting flow between the valve interior and exterior. The body has profiled grooving and a seal bore above the port and a seal bore below the port in which a locking mandrel may lock and seal, reclosing the port to flow.

Abstract: A hydraulic setting tool for packers. The setting tool comprises a case with a ball valve therein, a bypass passageway for bypassing around the ball valve when the ball valve is in a closed position, a fill valve for closing the bypass passageway when desired, and a packer setting sleeve for hydraulically setting a packer attached below the setting tool. The fill valve is preferably characterized by a sliding sleeve valve annularly disposed on a stationary mandrel in the case and is movable in response to a pressure in the tool. The packer setting sleeve is attached to a setting piston which may be actuated in response to a first differential pressure between the tool string and a well annulus. A slidable mandrel is provided in operative association with the ball valve and is movable in response to a second differential pressure between the well annulus and the tool string.

Abstract: A vent subassembly includes a vent body having an opening which is covered or uncovered dependent upon the location of a vent sleeve relative to the vent body. The vent subassembly can be connected below a packer, and the vent sleeve can be connected to a perforator so that movement of the vent sleeve is concurrently communicated to the perforator, such as for initiating the firing of the perforator. The vent sleeve is moved by an actuator subassembly, which is to be connected above the packer if the vent and actuator subassemblies are used with a packer. The actuator subassembly has a piston housing, a piston slidably disposed in the piston housing, and a connector string extending from the piston to the vent sleeve. The piston is responsive to a differential pressure existing between the annulus outside the actuator subassembly and an interior pressure within the actuator subassembly.

Abstract: Well testing apparatus for running on a single-conductor electric cable for gathering reservoir information, the apparatus utilizing two pressure gages and a valve, the valve being landable in a downhole receptacle and being operable to shut in the well or to open it for flow by tensioning or relaxing the electric cable, one of the gages sensing well pressures below the valve and the other gage sensing pressures above the valve, both pressure gages sending signals to the surface corresponding to the pressures sensed thereby both while the well is shut in and while it is flowing, the pressure signals being processed by surface readout equipment for real-time display, recording and/or printout, the apparatus including, if desired, a temperature sensor which sends appropriate signals to the surface which not only indicate the well temperatures sensed but the temperatures are used by a computer and its software to automatically correct the pressure readings for temperature affects.

Abstract: A vent subassembly includes a vent body having an opening which is covered or uncovered dependent upon the location of a vent sleeve relative to the vent body. The vent subassembly can be connected below a packer, and the vent sleeve can be connected to a perforator so that movement of the vent sleeve is concurrently communicated to the perforator, such as for initiating the firing of the perforator. The vent sleeve is moved by an actuator subassembly, which is to be connected above the packer if the vent and actuator subassemblies are used with a packer. The actuator subassembly has a piston housing, a piston slidably disposed in the piston housing, and a connector string extending from the piston to the vent sleeve. The piston is responsive to a differential pressure existing between the annulus outside the actuator subassembly and an interior pressure within the actuator subassembly.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a retrievable gravel packer for circulation and squeeze type gravel packing. The gravel packer includes a compression-set packer element, a J-slot assembly to releasably maintain the gravel packer in an unset mode, a ratchet assembly to releasably lock the gravel packer in a set mode, an intake passage to receive fluid from a tubing string, a return passage to receive fluid from a gravel screen below the gravel packer, a circulation passage extending from the exterior of the gravel packer to intake passage, a closeable assembly crossover to receive fluid from the return passage, relief ports between the intake passage and the return passage, a first valve for closing said intake passage from said circulation passage, a second valve for opening communication through said relief ports, a check ball at the lower end of the gravel packer, and a check ball release assembly for selectively releasing the check ball from the gravel packer.

Abstract: An isolation gravel packer includes a housing which has a stinger receptacle disposed therein. The stinger receptacle has an open upper end and an inner cylindrical seal bore. The inner cylindrical seal bore sealingly receives a concentric inner tubing string therein for delivering a treatment fluid thereto. A treatment fluid passage is disposed laterally through the housing for communicating an interior of the stinger receptacle at an elevation below the seal bore with the well zone to be treated. First and second external seals are disposed on an exterior of the housing above and below the treatment fluid passage, respectively, for sealing between the housing and a liner bore. The housing also includes a combination bypass passage and return fluid passage disposed therein which is isolated from the treatment fluid passage. Treatment fluid is flowed from a surface location down through the concentric inner tubing string, then through the treatment fluid passage to the well zone.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a mechanically set pack-off device adapted to be run into a wellbore on a tubing or pipe string, the pack-off device including upper and lower slip means, packing element means therebetween, drag block means, J-slot means to releasably maintain the pack-off device in an unset mode, ratchet means to releasably lock the device in a set mode, biasing means to maintain the set of the slip means and compression of the packing element means in the device's set mode, and closeable bypass means around said packing element means.

Abstract: A downhole tool apparatus includes a housing having an operating element disposed therein. An actuating piston is disposed in the housing and is operably associated with the operating element so that the operating element is operated in response to movement of the actuating piston relative to the housing. A packer is disposed about the housing for sealing between the housing and a well bore and for thereby defining an upper end of a sealed well annulus zone external of the housing. A compression passage is disposed through the housing and communicates a low pressure side of the actuating piston with the sealed well annulus zone exterior of the housing. A lower packer is longitudinally spaced from the upper packer defines a lower end of the sealed well annulus zone. The upper and lower packers are set to define the sealed well annulus zone and to define a trapped reference pressure therein equivalent to the hydrostatic pressure of well annulus fluid.

Abstract: A well test tool for closing a well at a downhole location below the well packer and near the formation to be tested, the apparatus being openable and closable from the surface by tensioning and relaxing the cable or wire line on which it is lowered into the well, the test tool having a lock mechanism which locks automatically upon entering its landing receptacle in the well and is further provided with a releasing mechanism for unlocking the test tool automatically after a present number of open/close cycles have been performed. A bypass landing receptacle is provided which permits high rates of flow during testing. A modified bypass landing receptacle is provided to permit use of the apparatus above the well packer, as in wells having an existing packer therein. Methods of testing wells are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system is provided for gravel-packing a zone of a well. The system includes a liner hanger setting apparatus for setting a liner hanger located below the apparatus within the well. The liner hanger setting apparatus includes a housing having a housing bore disposed therethrough. A ball valve is disposed in the housing and has a ball valve bore disposed therethrough. The ball valve is rotatable between an initial closed position and an open position wherein the ball valve bore is aligned with the housing bore. A differential pressure responsive liner setting assembly is operably associated with the housing for setting the liner hanger in response to an increase in fluid pressure within an upper portion of the housing bore above the initially closed ball valve.

Abstract: An annulus pressure responsive tester valve which includes a pressure-assisted isolation valve including a pressure differential metering cartridge utilizes a sleeve-type valve section having a ported sleeve mandrel and a ported outer valve sleeve member and also having a choke associated therewith for controlling the flow of fluids through the sleeve-type valve.

Abstract: Apparatus and system for testing and producing a well in which the well is controlled adjacent the producing formation and may be shut-in or permitted to flow at the discretion of the operator. The well may be tested under flowing or shut-in conditions and after testing is completed the tubing may be hung off in the well with the well shut-in adjacent the producing formation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in controlling a well during drilling operations is disclosed. The method includes actuating a downhole packer and providing for flow in a controlled manner past the packer. The apparatus includes a packer and means for controlling flow past the packer. This abstract is neither intended to define the scope of the invention which, of course, is defined in the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting in anyway.