Abstract:
A liner hanger has a housing with a pocket disposed on an inner wall surface and a slip slidingly engaged within the pocket. The liner hanger housing is secured in the string of casing. A setting mechanism connected to the slips is also located in the pocket. An actuator is mounted on the liner. As the liner is moved through the casing coupler, the actuator actuates the setting mechanism, causing the slips to move axially downward. As the setting mechanism moves downward, the slips move radially inward and grip the liner.
Abstract:
The disclosure, in on aspect, provides a method for performing a laser operation in a wellbore that includes displacing a wellbore fluid with a laser-compatible medium proximate a location in the wellbore where a work is desired to be performed; positioning a laser head proximate the laser-compatible medium; and passing a laser beam via the laser-compatible medium to the location for performing the laser operation. In another aspect, the disclosure provides a laser apparatus for performing a laser operation at a worksite having a fluid that includes a laser power unit that supplies laser energy to a laser head placed proximate the worksite; a fluid displacement unit that displaces at least a portion of the fluid adjacent the worksite with a laser-compatible medium; and a controller that operates the laser head to pass the laser beam to the worksite through the laser-compatible medium. In another aspect, the disclosure provides an imager associated with the laser apparatus that provides images of the worksite.
Abstract:
Junctions in multilateral well structures are sealed by employing a variety of degrees of premachined components and a variety of sealing embodiments, including casing segments having premachined windows, side pocket members which are adapted to reside within the string during run in and move laterally to the deployed position, woven members, cement filled ECPs, etc. Also disclosed is a downhole milling device which cuts a window in a casing segment or other material based upon a predetermined geometric pattern imposed upon the cutting tool by an integral template.
Abstract:
A whipstock assembly is provided for lowering within a cased wellbore, cutting a window through a casing for drilling a sidetrack borehole, and retrieving with conventional fishing tools. The whipstock assembly includes two separate whipstocks having different tapers, and which are releasibly coupled for separately retrieving from the cased wellbore. A barrier member is provided to prevent a tapered face of one of the whipstocks from wedging debris between the whipstock and the casing.
Abstract:
The apparatus and method of the present invention facilitate the initiation of lateral bores from a main wellbore in a completed well having a packer and a tubing string. The preferred method involves setting a plug, which may be removed, through the tubing string, followed by a layer of sand, followed by a layer of cementitious material or other material that becomes hard. The cementitious material is drilled from the end of the production tubing by means of equipment passed through the length of the cementitious material. This allows running in with another packer or anchoring device to be located within the newly created bore in the cementitious material. The sidetracking device is secured to the anchoring device and oriented. The milling then proceeds with a high-efficiency milling tool that creates a window through the cementitious material and outer casing. A milling assembly can then be used to complete the window and begin the lateral bore. If subsequent bottom production is required, the cementitious material can be underreamed down to the sand. The sand can then be washed from the initial plug that was set to support the cementitious material in the original wellbore. Multiple laterals can be accomplished in this manner by repeating the process steps.
Abstract:
A cutting tool (20) has a tool body (26) positioned within a metal casing (12) for reaming the inner peripheral surface of the casing (12) to a uniform smooth inner diameter. Tool body (26) has a lower end body portion (28), a generally cylindrical intermediate body portion (30), and a reduced diameter upper end body portion (22) connected to intermediate body portion (26) by a sloping shoulder (24). Blades (46, 48) have a single column of cutting elements (50) secured thereto in end to end relation to define an outwardly sloping lower column section (51A) along lower end body section (28), a vertical intermediate column section (51B) along intermediate body portion (30) and an inwardly sloping upper column section (51C) along sloping shoulder (34).
Abstract:
A grapple device is secured to a mill to allow relative rotation between them. The grapple has an outward bias to allow it to grip the packer bore or an extension from the packer. The mandrel has a wedge adjacent its lower end and torque fingers that fit between grapple segments when relative longitudinal movement occurs between the mandrel and the grapple assembly. The grapple assembly has a left hand thread so that it comes out of the packer if the mandrel engages the grapple assembly in a manner for tandem rotation. The torque fingers on the wedge on the mandrel support the grapple fingers over their length as rotation to the right removes the grapple assembly from the packer bore. Reverse circulation takes away the cuttings into the mill bore where they are separated from the reverse circulating fluid.
Abstract:
A seal system for forming a fluid seal from an inner tubular member outwardly against an outer tubular member. The seal system includes a packer element that is radially expandable from a reduced diameter, unset condition to an enlarged diameter, set condition; and a radially expandable seal element surrounding the packer element and creating a fluid sealing engagement outwardly against the outer tubular member.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a method of installing an elastomeric element onto a tubular. The method includes, positioning the elastomeric element onto a radially expandable member, radially expanding the radially expandable member and the elastomeric element installed thereon, positioning a tubular coaxially with the radially expandable member, and axially urging the elastomeric element off the radially expandable member thereby allowing the elastomeric element to be positioned coaxially about an outer perimetrical surface of the tubular.
Abstract:
Cutting elements for cutting tools comprise a pre-formed fracture plane disposed in at least one surface of the cutting elements. The pre-formed fracture plane can comprise a groove cut into one of the surfaces of the cutting element, or the pre-formed fracture plane can be formed by using a laser or other heat concentrating source to weaken a portion of one of the surfaces of the cutting element so that the cutting element will break along the pre-formed fracture plane.