A diffuser assembly is provided, comprising a diffuser adapted to reside within a conduit, having an upper member mountable within the conduit and having a fluid inlet port, and a lower section having a diffuser screen; a plurality of stationary diffusing members below the fluid inlet port, wherein the diffusing members are radially oriented relative to a central axis of the diffuser; and (c) a centralizing member above the diffuser screen having a diameter greater than the diffuser screen. The diffuser screen is a cylinder having a plurality of diffuser slots formed therein and a bottom cap having a fluid port; and each of the plurality of diffusing members extends substantially parallel to the central axis.

A laser tool apparatus includes a tool body; a fiber optic cable disposed in the tool body, the fiber optic cable including a laser head that emits a laser beam; a reshape optic disposed coaxially downstream of the fiber optic, the reshape optic reshaping the laser beam emitted from the laser head; and a flexible cable attached to the reshape optic. The flexible cable flexibly orients the laser beam at a desired angle within a borehole.

Methods and apparatuses are provided for clearing a wellbore using a component for milling and a component for suctioning within a wellbore. Obstructions such as ball frac seats, bridge plugs, or formation material can be milled within a wellbore. As a result, larger, unrestricted, diameters can be obtained within the liner/wellbore. The cleared wellbore can allow for various remedial tools to be run into the liner/wellbore. In addition, the milled particles can be suctioned/vacuumed up and can be pumped/pushed to surface in an underbalanced fashion. In some embodiments, this can be achieved by incorporating a bottom-hole pump or a venturi component into the bottomhole assembly. The system can be deployed using a spoolable single or multi-conduit coiled tubing system and can be configured as a well intervention or work-over technology. In some embodiments, the clearing equipment can be temporary or mobile.

A pressure generating device for use in downhole drilling operations includes a rotating valve portion having a first body with at least one first flow channel, and a stationary valve portion having a second body with at least one second flow channels and at least one bypass channel. A flow restrictor is positioned within the at least one bypass channel for adjusting a total flow area of the at least one bypass channel. During rotation of the rotating valve portion relative to the stationary valve portion, a total flow area of a passage defined by the first flow channel(s), the second flow channel(s), and the at least one bypass channel varies according to a uniform closure pattern to provide uniform pressure pulses within a single revolution of the rotating valve portion. A method of generating uniform pressure pulses in downhole drilling operations is also disclosed.

Disclosed herein are aspects of an expandable metal fishing tool for use in a wellbore. The expandable metal fishing tool, in one aspect, includes a mandrel. The expandable metal fishing tool, according to this aspect, further includes one or more expandable members positioned at least partially along an interior surface or an exterior surface of the mandrel, wherein the one or more expandable members comprise a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, and further wherein a combined volume of the one or more expandable members is sufficient to expand radially to engage a downhole tubular within a wellbore in response to the hydrolysis.

Improved drilling systems and methods may include piezoelectric actuator(s) in a drill string at one or more locations to minimize or eliminate stick-slip while drilling. For example, piezoelectric actuators may be incorporated into the rock bit or drill bit in the openings in the bit body for receiving the cutters. As another example, the piezoelectric actuators may be incorporated into an independent module that is place on or in the drill string. The independent module may be placed between the top drive and the drill bit or at the top of the drill string near a top drive.

The present disclosure relates to a friction reduction tool having a housing for connecting the friction reduction tool to a drill string or coiled tubing; a force converter within the housing and having a stator, a helical rotor, and a rotational cavity passageway for conveying drilling fluid between the stator and the helical rotor; and a valve assembly; wherein the helical rotor has a bore which extends through the helical rotor and which defines an alternative passageway for the drilling fluid; and wherein the rotational cavity passageway and the alternative passageway are in fluidic communication with the valve assembly.

A technique employs the use of oscillations downhole to facilitate a desired functionality of a downhole tool. According to this technique, a tool is initially conveyed downhole and operated to perform a function that relates to a downhole application. The operational efficiency of the tool is improved by creating oscillating forces which vibrate the tool to achieve a desired result, e.g. freeing the tool from a stuck position.

A drilling apparatus and a method for releasing rods stuck in surrounding ground are described, that use a torsional device for releasing the drilling assembly and induce centrifugal forced vibrations and bending vibrations in the drilling rods, facilitating the release from positions stuck inside the drilled hole. The apparatus allows the available power of the motor drilling device to be fully applied for generating periodic forced vibrations useful for detaching the drilling rods stuck in the surrounding ground.

A lifting apparatus for lifting drill string components from a wellbore, the lifting apparatus comprising: upper and lower support elements, each of the support elements having a central aperture passing therethrough; a lifting arrangement which is operable to vary the distance between the upper and lower support elements between a first, relatively short distance and a second, relatively long distance; and selective gripping arrangements held or supported by the upper and lower support elements, respectively, each selective gripping arrangement being operable to apply a gripping force to the exterior of a substantially tubular element passing through the central apertures of the upper and lower support elements, wherein the selective gripping arrangements may be activated or deactivated independently of one another.