Abstract:
An assembly is used with a remote source of hydraulic power (120) to control flow of wellbore fluid in a drilling system. At least one choke (110A,B) is operable to control the flow of the fluid to other portions of the system. At least one hydraulic actuator (112A,B) disposed with the choke actuates operation of the choke in response to the hydraulic power. At least one control valve (140A,B) disposed with the choke controls supply of the hydraulic power to and controls return of the hydraulic power from the actuator. An accumulator (126) can be disposed with the choke and coupled to the supply upstream of the control valve. The control valve can couple to the actuator with a pair of pilot-operated check valves (142) disposed in fluid communication between the control valve and the actuator. A stage tank (122) and stage pump (124) can be disposed with the choke. The tank receives the return from the control valve, and the stage pump can pump the return from the stage tank to the source.
Abstract:
Described herein are methods of placing a downhole fluid that comprises an aqueous base fluid and a viscosifying agent that comprises a crosslinked borate-mHEC complex in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation. The viscosifying agents disclosed herein include those whereby modified hydroxyethyl cellulose is crosslinked with a borate crosslinking agent to form a complex that has sufficient viscosifying and suspension properties to enable the use of the complex their use in downhole fluids.
Abstract:
Methods for extracting more fluids from oil and gas wells reservoirs than is currently possible using the current art of drilling and hydraulic fracturing wells may be accomplished with methods and apparatuses to directionally control the construction of a plurality of substantially perpendicular boreholes from a common wellbore at a plurality of positions along said common wellbore. One method may include drilling a plurality of the substantially perpendicular boreholes off a previously constructed common wellbore using underbalanced methods and producing the reservoir fluids while drilling the substantially perpendicular boreholes. In some methods, injection of fluids from surface into subterranean reservoirs may be used for the purpose of sequestering fluids or recovering fluids to the surface.
Abstract:
There is described a technique for drilling and controlling the fluid pressure of a borehole (2, 102) during drilling of the borehole. In embodiments of the invention, drill pipe (5) may be arranged in said borehole, the pipe being configured to provide drilling fluid in the borehole. Sealing means (14, 18, 114, 118) may be provided and arranged to sealingly abut an outer surface of the drill pipe to separate said drilling fluid in the borehole on a first side of the sealing means from a column of fluid on a second side of the sealing means. Furthermore, a subsea pump arrangement (12, 112) may be arranged under a sea surface where it receives a flow of said drilling fluid from the borehole. The pump arrangement can operate to pump drilling fluid out of the pump arrangement, and generate a fluid pressure in said drilling fluid at a location upstream of the pump arrangement, said generated pressure being less than or equal to the hydrostatic pressure of said column of fluid on said second side of the sealing means.
Abstract:
In one aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to an oil-based wellbore fluid. The oil-based wellbore fluid may include an oleaginous liquid and a surface-modified precipitated silica, wherein the surface-modified precipitated silica comprises a lipophilic coating. In another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method of drilling or servicing a well. The method may include circulating a wellbore fluid, such as that described in the paragraph above, into a wellbore, and recovering at least a portion of the wellbore fluid from the wellbore.
Abstract:
A ground drill system (10) has a drill string 14 which forms first and second mutually isolated fluid paths (16 and 18) respectively. The drill string (14) has an up hole end (20) coupled to a dual circulation rotation head (22) and a down hole end (24) which is coupled to a drilling tool (12). The drilling tool (12) is operated by the flow of fluid delivered through the first flow path (16). A second fluid outlet (26) is provided intermediate the up hole end (20) and the drilling tool (12). The outlet (26) is in fluid communication with the second fluid flow path (18) and located a constant or fixed distance from the drilling toll (2). The second fluid outlet (26) discharges a flushing fluid flowing through the flushing flow path (18) into a hole being drilled by the drilling system (10). The rotation head (22) provides torque to the drill string (14) and thus the drilling tool (12).
Abstract:
By substantially eliminating the crushed zone surrounding a perforation tunnel and expelling debris created upon activation of a shaped charge with, first and second successive explosive events, the need for surge flow associated with underbalanced perforating techniques is eliminated. The break down of the rock fabric at the tunnel tip, caused by the near- instantaneous overpressure generated within the tunnel, further creates substantially debris-free tunnels in conditions of limited or no underbalance as well as in conditions of overbalance.
Abstract:
Drill string flow control valves and more particularly, drill string flow control valves for prevention of u-tubing of fluid flow in drill strings are provided. Drill string flow control valves may comprise a valve housing, a valve sleeve axially movable within a valve housing from a closed position to an open position, a biasing mechanism for biasing the valve sleeve into the closed position, and a plurality of pressure ports for allowing a differential pressure to be exerted on the valve sleeve. The differential pressure exerted on the valve sleeve may be the result of an upstream pressure and a downstream pressure. By allowing a differential pressure resulting from a fluid flow to act on the valve sleeve, u- tubing in a drill string can be prevented or substantially reduced. Methods of use are also provided.
Abstract:
A subsea well system comprising a vessel located in a body of water; a blowout preventer connected to said vessel, the blowout preventer defining a top of the system; a riser comprising a first end connected to said blowout preventer at the top of the system, and a second end connected to a wellhead of a wellbore at the bottom of the system; a seal located within the riser below the blowout preventer and above the wellhead; and an umbilical within the riser connected to the vessel at a first end, and connected to the seal at a second end.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a managed pressure and/or temperature drilling system and method. In one embodiment, a method for drilling a wellbore into a gas hydrates formation is disclosed. The method includes drilling the wellbore into the gas hydrates formation; returning gas hydrates cuttings to a surface of the wellbore and/or a drilling rig while controlling a temperature and/or a pressure of the cuttings to prevent or control disassociation of the hydrates cuttings.