Abstract: The present invention relates to a wiper plug and internal drop ball mechanism that may be used in conjunction with a downhole surge reduction tool to run, hang, and cement casing liners in a wellbore. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a wiper plug assembly removably attached to the drill string within the casing liner, a drop ball sub attached below the wiper plug assembly which releases a float valve actuator ball having a diameter larger than the drill string, and float equipment having a plurality of flapper valves. The apparatus of the present invention may further comprise a diverter tool connected between the drill string and the casing liner.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plug-dropping container for releasing plugs or other objects into a wellbore during fluid circulation procedures. In one aspect, the plug-dropping container is used as part of a cementing head. The plug-dropping container comprises an elongated housing, and a canister disposed co-axially within the housing. The canister is movable from a lower position to an upper position. In its lower position, a fluid bypass area is defined above the canister. When a dart is retained within the canister, fluid is diverted through the bypass and around the canister within an annular area defined between the canister and the housing. In one aspect, the canister is moved by rotation of a plug-retaining device below the canister. In its plug-retained position, the plug-retaining device is oriented so that the wall of the plug-retaining device is blocking the downward path of the dart.

Abstract: An automated high speed drill cuttings processing and injection module having a relatively small foot print, capable of operation in zone one hazardous environments, for injecting drill cuttings into an earth formation, capable of handling high drilling rate cuttings surges. The process including conveying systems, holding and slurry tanks, circulating pumps, high speed grinding mill, high pressure injection pump, fragmentation system and automation system for controlling electrically driven injection pump having automatic speed control regulation with torque and horsepower limiting features. Thereby allowing high-speed injection without plugging the formation while still allowing for high-pressure formation fracturing when necessary. The processing system further insures cuttings slurry homogenization and entrained particle size to less than 100 micron for both hard and soft particles. The system reduces installation cost dramatically.

Abstract: A stick launcher and method for launching soap sticks into a gas or oil well. The stick launcher comprises a containment vessel adapted to house the soap sticks, the containment vessel comprising a contiguous wall and a top and a bottom. A turret-style separator is positioned within the containment vessel, the separator comprising blades, and adapted to contain the soap sticks between the blades of the turret-styled separator and the contiguous wall of the containment vessel. A ball valve is positioned adjacent the bottom of the containment vessel, the ball valve, when in open position, adapted to be in fluid communication with a well bore and the containment vessel. A rotating assembly, when set in motion by an actuator, is used to rotate the separator and simultaneously open or close the ball valve.

Abstract: A running tool for wiper plugs used in cementing well casings into a wellbore. The running tool and setting balls or darts used to launch the plugs are retrievable following deployment of the plugs. Flapper valve assemblies on the wiper plugs are activated after the plugs are displaced from the running tool to eliminate the requirement to maintain a setting ball or dart in engagement with the wiper plug as the assembly is pumped down the well casing. Because of being retrievable, the mandrel, setting sleeves and setting ball or dart may be constructed of any desirable high-strength material without regard to the need to drill up the material following completion of the cementing job. The use of high-strength steel permits large flow passages to be employed in the cementing plugs by eliminating the need for large volumes of drillable metals in the plugs. The running tool protects the flapper valve seal surfaces from circulating fluids prior to deployment of the plugs from the tool.

Abstract: A ball dropping assembly for dropping a plurality of objects, such as spherical balls, into a wellbore. The assembly first comprises a seat for retaining a ball before it is released. The assembly also comprises a ball-feeding channel for feeding additional balls onto the seat. A ball-retaining lever is provided to selectively receive and retain balls onto the seat, and then to release the balls individually into the wellbore. In one embodiment, the assembly is attached to a side bore in fluid communication with a main bore in a cementing head. The ball-retaining lever rotates into the bore when releasing a ball. When a plug is released into the bore from a cementing head, the plug will trip the lever, causing the ball-retaining lever to rotate back towards the ball-retained position. Thus, the ball dropping assembly also serves as a plug release indicator.

Abstract: A ball dropping assembly for dropping an object such as a spherical ball into a wellbore. The assembly comprises a seat for retaining a ball before it is released, a ball retaining lever, and a shaft for turning the lever. In one embodiment, the assembly is attached to a side bore in fluid communication with a main bore in a cementing head. The ball-retaining lever has at least one finger which is rotated between a ball-retained position and a ball-released position. In the ball-retained position, the first finger is disposed in the entrance from the side bore to the main bore, thereby preventing the ball from entering the main bore of the cementing head. When the ball is ready for release, the lever is rotated in the direction of the main bore, thereby causing the second finger to urge the ball into the bore of the cementing head, and causing the first finger to protrude into the main bore.

Abstract: A dry powder product comprised of an inorganic silicate-based compound and an organic compound are mixed with fresh water as a catalyst, such that the mixture enters into hydration reaction, and when injected into existing fractures in low permeability formations surrounding earth boreholes, the resulting increase in volume of the mixture from the hydration reaction causes the existing fractures to have increased dimensions.

Abstract: A pumping system for injecting buoyant spheres into an oil or gas well having a feeder containing a plurality of buoyant spheres; and a sphere pump in proximity to the feeder, having first and second rotatable wheels, wherein the first wheel has a plurality of notches and the second wheel has a corresponding plurality of notches, such that during rotation of the wheels the first and second wheel notches temporarily combine to form a plurality of pockets, wherein each pocket receives then ejects one of the plurality of buoyant spheres from the feeder during rotation of the first and second wheels.

Abstract: There is disclosed a ball and plug dropping head which includes a housing having an inlet at its upper end and an outlet at its lower end, and passages extending downwardly within the housing at circumferentially spaced locations, each to receive a ball or plug. A lateral opening connects the inlet with each passage beneath a removable plug closing the upper end of each passage, and valves are mounted in the housing each to close the passage beneath the lateral opening and thus beneath a ball on plug in the passage.

Abstract: A device and method for delivering fracture fluid (e.g., erosive materials) into an oilfield wellbore while the well has wireline, coiled tubing, jointed tubing or any other apparatus encumbering the flow path of the erosive fluid that is being injected into the device. The device provides the ability to insert and remove equipment in the wellbore during fluid treatment while maintaining access to the full wellbore diameter. The invention also provides a method for delivery and positive, down-hole displacement of material (i.e., diverting material including, but not limited to buoyant ball sealers).

Abstract: A cementing system for wellbores.

Abstract: An injection spool for use in the injection of a fluid, for example a slurry of drilling cuttings, into a subsea wellhead assembly has an outer housing having a central bore therethrough. The housing has a first end for connection to a wellhead assembly such that the central bore of the housing is aligned with the central bore of the wellhead assembly. An inner housing, for example an isolation sleeve, having a central bore therethrough is disposed within the central bore in the outer housing, whereby a cavity is formed between the inner housing and the outer housing. A port in the outer housing has an opening into the cavity between the inner housing and the outer housing, through which a fluid may be injected. The inner housing has a portion extending from within the outer housing beyond the first end of the outer housing for forming a cavity within a wellhead assembly to which the injection spool is connected.

Abstract: A stick launcher and method for launching soap sticks into a gas or oil well. The stick launcher comprises a containment vessel adapted to house the soap sticks, the containment vessel comprising a contiguous wall and a top and a bottom. A turret-style separator is positioned within the containment vessel, the separator comprising blades, and adapted to contain the soap sticks between the blades of the turret-styled separator and the contiguous wall of the containment vessel. A ball valve is positioned adjacent the bottom of the containment vessel, the ball valve, when in open position, adapted to be in fluid communication with a well bore and the containment vessel. A rotating assembly, when set in motion by an actuator, is used to rotate the separator and simultaneously open or close the ball valve.

Abstract: The well intervention system is a subsea deployed wire line, “stiff wire” (conventional wire-line located inside reeled tubing or embedded in the tubing wall), coil tubing, or reeled pipe unit landed on the existing subsea wellhead assembly or tree, wherein the unit includes as an additional novel component a “carousel” tool caddy. The carousel is utilized to allow the remote change-out of multiple tool strings that are included in the carousel prior to deployment, thereby eliminating the need for a “riser” conduit to the surface or the need to trip tools through the riser column for tool replacement. A method for conducting a well intervention activity, wherein the method includes the step of selecting a tool for the well intervention activity from a carousel tool caddy located in close proximity to the well. The invention system may also be employed in a similar manner to conduct repair or surveillance operations for pipelines or flowlines having flow control manifolds.

Abstract: An automatic chemical stick loader apparatus for gas wells, including a storage and dispensing cabinet at ground level, for sequentially feeding sticks therefrom, a launch tube for sequentially receiving sticks and elevating them to the top of a well head, and a stick loader atop the well for receiving a stick from the launch tube, dropping the stick into a chamber, pressure isolating the chamber and pressure equalizing it with well pressure, and dropping the stick into the well. The apparatus is controlled by an electronic controller which may be solar powered. The apparatus is operated by well gas, the pressure thereof being regulated down to 20 psi or so.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for delivering a liner wiper plug into a well bore on a workstring with a liner pipe, releasing the wiper plug from the workstring, and giving a positive indication of release of the wiper plug. A sleeve captures a collet to a latch ring until a plug is pumped down the workstring to cause a pressure buildup, which shears a shear screw, allowing the sleeve to shift, releasing the latch ring and the wiper plug from the workstring. A rupture disk is provided in the event of jamming of the apparatus, to allow pressurization above the wiper plug, shearing a weak link in the latch ring to release the wiper plug.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for moving equipment into and through a conduit that is preferably an oil and/or gas production well, wherein use is made of an uphole equipment storage and handling unit via which equipment modules can be moved into a launch conduit and connected to a shuttle device which is able to locomote itself as a wireless tractor via the launch conduit into and from the underlying conduit.

Abstract: An automatic chemical stick loader apparatus for gas wells, including a storage and dispensing cabinet at ground level, for sequentially feeding sticks therefrom, a launch tube for sequentially receiving sticks and elevating them to the top of a well head, and a stick loader atop the well for receiving a stick from the launch tube, dropping the stick into a chamber, pressure isolating the chamber and pressure equalizing it with well pressure, and dropping the stick into the well. The apparatus is controlled by an electronic controller which may be solar powered. The apparatus is operated by well gas, the pressure thereof being regulated down to 20 psi or so.

Abstract: A drill cuttings injection system injects cuttings from drilling a well into a wellhead assembly. The wellhead assembly has a tubular housing mounted to an upper end of a well and a casing hanger concentrically located in the housing, defining an annular clearance. A port extends through the housing for injecting a stream of drill cuttings into the annular clearance. A sleeve is mounted in the port. The sleeve has a cylindrical sidewall and an inner end containing a deflection plate. The sleeve has an aperture in the sidewall adjacent the deflection plate for discharging the stream after the stream contacts the deflection plate. The deflection plate protects the casing hanger from erosive contact with the stream.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for launching plugs used in the construction of an oil or of gas well. There is provided an apparatus for launching a plug, said apparatus comprising a canister (4) connectable to a running string, a plug (6, 16) retained in said canister, and a tube (9, 13) having a bursting disk (37, 38), the arrangement being such that, in use, an increase in fluid pressure in said tube ruptures said bursting disk allowing an increase in fluid pressure above said plug to launch said plug. The apparatus is particularly suited to launching two, three or more plugs independently. There is also provided a method of launching a plug from a canister, which method comprises the steps of blocking a tube; increasing pressure in said tube above said blockage to a predetermined pressure at which a bursting disk in said tube ruptures allowing fluid pressure to increase above said plug and launches said plug.

Abstract: A drill cuttings injection system for a well with a wellhead housing and a casing hanger supported in the wellhead housing. The wellhead has an axial flow port with an upper end in communication with an outer surface of the housing and a lower end in communication with an inner surface of the housing. An injection ring is positioned on the wellhead housing and has an external port. The injection ring defines an annular gallery in communication with the upper end of the axial flow port. A cuttings injector is adapted to land on the injection ring and has a hydraulic passageway sealable to the external port through which drill cuttings can be pumped into the well.

Abstract: The invention relates to a feed apparatus for feeding capsular cartridges into a drilled hole, the apparatus being intended to be used in conjunction with a rock drill apparatus. The feed apparatus comprises a rotatable roll-like cartridge magazine (1) with charge tubes (2) which are arranged on at least one perimeter and into which the capsular cartridges can be loaded in advance. The apparatus further comprises means for indexing a magazine, whereby the desired charge tubes (2) can be rotated to align with the feeding line. In an embodiment of the invention the feed is performed by feeding pressure air into the rear end of the charge tube at a high pressure, whereby the cartridge loaded into the charge tube moves from the charge tube to a connecting pipe (7) positioned at the firing line at the front end of the cartridge magazine and further along a feed hose 86) to a hole drilled in advance. The apparatus can also comprise a control apparatus for automatic control of the feed apparatus from the cabin.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for sealing of abandoned water well bores includes a hopper for dispensing comminuted well bore packing material such as a bentonite clay onto an inclined screening surface which removes undesired fine materials. A chute for collecting material flowing off of the screening surface and directing the same into the well bore is generally funnel shaped. The apparatus includes an eccentric vibrating mechanism for vibrating the inclined screening surface to remove the undesired fine materials.

Abstract: A lubricator assembly for a well head of a gas-producing well includes an elongated rigid tubular body having upper and lower ends and a cylindrical interior chamber open at the lower end for receiving a leading end of a gas lift plunger at the well head, a removable end cap attached at the upper end of the tubular body, and an elongated polyurethane body having a cylindrical configuration and characteristics of a coil spring in that the polyurethane body can be resiliently compressed along its longitudinal axis and will spring back to substantially its original form. The polyurethane body is disposed in the tubular body between the removable end cap and the lower end of the tubular body such that upon arrival of the plunger at the tubular body the polyurethane body will be impacted by the force of the plunger and absorb the impact force.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drop ball sub that may be used to drop a large ball having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of a restriction in the wellbore such as the running tool used to run a first casing string through a second casing string. A smaller ball is used to control dropping of the large ball. The smaller ball has an outer diameter smaller than the restriction. The drop ball sub of the present invention may be used to operate any downhole tool that would benefit by receipt of a large ball. By dropping a larger ball, in one use of the invention larger valves can be controlled in the float equipment that provide a larger fluid flow path. A larger fluid flow path reduces surge pressure and enables the system to handle more debris. The present invention provides a system that preferably provides for a diverter tool above the running tool and a diverter tool below the running tool.

Abstract: A housing is attached to a tubular sub located within a tubing string suspended in an earth borehole, the connection being an angled ball channel connected between the housing and the tubular sub. A ball carrier is provided within the interior of the housing which can be moved in two opposite directions either using pneumatic or hydraulic pressure against one or two pistons. The ball carrier can have either two balls or three balls. The movement of the ball carrier by the applied pressure causes one of the pockets holding the balls to be aligned with the ball channel which allows the balls to be successively dropped into the ball channel and thus into the interior of the tubing string. The ball carrier includes a sequencing apparatus for providing and ensuring that the balls are dropped in the proper sequence.

Abstract: A chemical additive element or “soap stick” dispensing apparatus, particularly adapted for use in dispensing soap sticks into gas wells, includes an elongated tubular soap stick magazine member and a manual and gravity actuated flapper type check valve operable to hold a soap stick in the magazine member but operable in response to pressure equalization across the valve to open under the weight of the soap stick to dispense the soap stick into a wellbore. A bypass conduit is connected across the check valve and the magazine member and includes a remotely controllable or timer controlled motor operated valve operable to conduct wellbore pressure gas to a magazine chamber to equalize pressure across the check valve so as to allow the soap stick to be dispensed into the wellbore.

Abstract: The chemical stick storage and delivery system includes a chemical stick delivery tube in communication with a well which supports a rotatable chemical stick storage device on the uppermost end of the delivery tube. The delivery tube includes an upper opening and the chemical stick storage device rotates to position chemical sticks sequentially over the delivery tube opening. Within the delivery tube is a first valve positioned directly beneath the delivery tube opening and a second valve spaced below the first valve for a distance sufficient to form a chamber between the first and second valves to receive a chemical stick. A central processor unit controls the operation of the first and second valves so that the first valve is opened while the second valve is closed and the chamber is brought to well head pressure before the second valve is opened to drop the chemical stick from the chamber into the well.

Abstract: A plug-dropping head capable of dropping balls or plugs or other objects is disclosed. The plug-dropping head has a compact design with a cylinder having multiple chambers for storage of plugs and/or balls. The device can be actuated manually or automatically, locally or remotely, to rotate the cylinder to present a different bore in alignment with a flowpath through the housing. An exterior signal indicates that the object has fallen through the device. An indexing feature assures alignment of the individual bores in the cylinder which contain a plug or wiper with the main passage through the tool. Flow can be maintained through the tool as the cylinder is rotated. Rotation of the cylinder allows an obstruction device in the flowpath to move out of the way to allow the ball or plug to drop when sufficient alignment is reached.