A ball launcher for launching a plurality of balls into a well, including an endless conveyor belt, the conveyor belt forming a plurality of ball retainers, each operable to contain one of the plurality of balls, a drive motor for selectively driving the conveyor belt, and a brake for braking the conveyor belt.

A well tool assembly to cut a wellhead gate valve by water jetting includes a water jetting head lowered into a wellhead tree coupled to a wellbore. The head includes a housing, an orifice plate and a jetting port. The housing defines a tubular region to receive water. The orifice plate is positioned within the tubular region downstream of a first end and upstream of a second end of the housing, and defines an orifice to accelerate a flow rate of the water received at a first flow rate upstream of the orifice plate to a second flow rate, greater than the first, downstream of the plate. At the second flow rate, the water can mill a gate valve within the wellhead. The jetting port is downstream of the orifice plate, and can receive the water at the second flow rate and guide the received water to the gate valve.

A multi-way valve includes an upper valve body, a lower valve body and a rotary valve core. The upper valve body and the lower valve body are provided respectively with an upper mounting hole and a lower mounting hole. The rotary valve core is provided passing through the upper mounting hole and the lower mounting hole, respectively. The rotary valve core is formed with a first stepped surface facing toward the upper valve body, and an adjusting nut, which is located below the rotary valve core, is provided in the lower mounting hole. The rotary valve core is moved up and down axially by adjusting the adjusting nut such that an axial clearance between the first stepped surface and the upper valve body is adjusted, so the rotary valve core may flexibly rotate at different temperatures to prevent the multi-way valve from being stuck.

A gate valve and a seat for a gate valve having a valve body, which may be used for hydrocarbon well fracturing operations with a fracturing fluid, or “frac fluid”, includes a seat pocket for receipt of the seat, which seat may include a tubular member having a seat end face, the seat end face includes two annular seals disposed in seat grooves, at least one of which is a half-dovetail groove.

An orifice valve as disclosed herein produces a high pressure drop in a flowing fluid. A valve body includes a flow restrictor with multiple flow orifices or ports. The flow ports produce fluid jets. The flow ports may be angled relative to the axial centerline of the valve body.

An orifice valve as disclosed herein produces a high pressure drop in a flowing fluid. A valve body includes a flow restrictor with multiple flow orifices or ports. The flow ports produce fluid jets. The flow ports may be angled relative to the axial centerline of the valve body.

A system includes a flow control assembly having a first portion configured to be positioned within and coupled to a first passageway formed in a wellhead component and a second portion configured to be coupled to a second passageway formed in a body that is configured to be coupled to the wellhead component. An actuator of the second portion is configured to drive a valve member of the first portion into an open position to enable fluid flow across the flow control assembly.

A system includes a flow control assembly having a first portion configured to be positioned within and coupled to a first passageway formed in a wellhead component and a second portion configured to be coupled to a second passageway formed in a body that is configured to be coupled to the wellhead component. An actuator of the second portion is configured to drive a valve member of the first portion into an open position to enable fluid flow across the flow control assembly.

An improved method and apparatus for dropping a ball, plug or dart during oil and gas well operations (e.g., cementing operations) employs a specially configured valving member with curved and flat portions that alternatively direct fluid flow through a bore or opening in the valving member via an inner channel or around the periphery of the valving member in an outer channel. In one embodiment, the ball(s), dart(s) or plug(s) are contained in a sliding sleeve that shifts position responsive to valve rotation. An optional indicator indicates to a user or operator that a ball or plug has passed a selected one of the valving members.

An improved method and apparatus for dropping a ball, plug or dart during oil and gas well operations (e.g., cementing operations) employs a specially configured valving member with curved and flat portions that alternatively direct fluid flow through a bore or opening in the valving member via an inner channel or around the periphery of the valving member in an outer channel. In one embodiment, the ball(s), dart(s) or plug(s) are contained in a sliding sleeve that shifts position responsive to valve rotation. An optional indicator indicates to a user or operator that a ball or plug has passed a selected one of the valving members.