A perforating gun for use in a well casing, the gun having a gun carrier extending along a longitudinal axis; plural shaped charges located inside the gun carrier, in groups of three, a first group of three shaped charges being positioned in a first single plane, transverse to the longitudinal axis, and a second group of three shaped charges being positioned in a second single plane, transverse to the longitudinal axis; and a charge holder configured to carry the plural shaped charges, the charge holder configured to be inserted into the gun carrier. The first and second groups of three charges are spaced along the longitudinal axis so that a third single plane, transverse to the longitudinal axis, intersects each of the six shaped charges of the first and second groups of three charges, to achieve an ultra-short, high-density, perforating gun.

A drill string tool assembly, in some embodiments, comprises a punching tool that induces fissures to increase permeability in a localized region of a borehole wall. The assembly also comprises a sensor that detects spatial features of the fissures and processing logic, coupled to the sensor and punching tool, that adapts operation of the punching tool based on the spatial features. The assembly further comprises a fluid sampling probe, coupled to the processing logic, that samples fluid from the localized region.

A tubular assembly is disclosed for use in a wellbore (5) of an oil, gas or water well, typically for landing a downhole device in the wellbore. The assembly has a sleeve (1) adapted to receive the body of the downhole device. The sleeve is deployed into a conduit in the wellbore and expanded, so that the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve is radially expanded against the inner surface of the conduit. The sleeve has a bore with an inner circumferential surface comprising an inwardly facing formation adapted to engage with an outwardly facing formation on the body of the downhole device when the body of the downhole device is disposed in the bore of the sleeve. The sleeve is typically deployed in the wellbore at the desired location and is radially expanded by an expander device (2) that is deployed within the bore of the sleeve. The expanded sleeve plastically deforms and retains its expanded configuration after the radial expansion force is removed from the sleeve. The sleeve provides a modular anchoring or landing point in the wellbore that can be retrospectively set in the conduit at different locations, and various downhole devices can then be deployed into the sleeves at predictable depths and a reliable connection can be made with the sleeve. The assembly can typically pass through a smaller diameter before being morphed to seal and anchor in a larger diameter.

A tubular assembly is disclosed for use in a wellbore (5) of an oil, gas or water well, typically for landing a downhole device in the wellbore. The assembly has a sleeve (1) adapted to receive the body of the downhole device. The sleeve is deployed into a conduit in the wellbore and expanded, so that the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve is radially expanded against the inner surface of the conduit. The sleeve has a bore with an inner circumferential surface comprising an inwardly facing formation adapted to engage with an outwardly facing formation on the body of the downhole device when the body of the downhole device is disposed in the bore of the sleeve. The sleeve is typically deployed in the wellbore at the desired location and is radially expanded by an expander device (2) that is deployed within the bore of the sleeve. The expanded sleeve plastically deforms and retains its expanded configuration after the radial expansion force is removed from the sleeve. The sleeve provides a modular anchoring or landing point in the wellbore that can be retrospectively set in the conduit at different locations, and various downhole devices can then be deployed into the sleeves at predictable depths and a reliable connection can be made with the sleeve. The assembly can typically pass through a smaller diameter before being morphed to seal and anchor in a larger diameter.

Certain aspects and features of the present invention are directed to a safety joint that can be disposed in a wellbore through a fluid-producing formation. The safety joint can include a body configured to be disposed in the wellbore, a primary retention mechanism, a secondary retention mechanism, and a time delay mechanism. The primary retention mechanism can be coupled to the body and can prevent the actuation of the safety joint. The secondary retention mechanism can be coupled to the body and can prevent the actuation of the safety joint in response to the primary retention mechanism allowing the actuation of the safety joint. The time delay mechanism can generate a time delay between the primary retention mechanism allowing the actuation of the safety joint and the secondary retention mechanism preventing the actuation of the safety joint.

A method of releasing plugging devices into a wellbore can include conveying a dispensing tool to a desired downhole location in the wellbore, the dispensing tool including a container, and then releasing the plugging devices from the container into the wellbore at the downhole location. A plugging device dispensing system for use with a subterranean well can include a dispensing tool having a container configured for containing multiple plugging devices, and an actuator operable to release the plugging devices from the container at a downhole location in the well.

A method of releasing plugging devices into a wellbore can include conveying a dispensing tool to a desired downhole location in the wellbore, the dispensing tool including a container, and then releasing the plugging devices from the container into the wellbore at the downhole location. A plugging device dispensing system for use with a subterranean well can include a dispensing tool having a container configured for containing multiple plugging devices, and an actuator operable to release the plugging devices from the container at a downhole location in the well.

The present invention relates to a device for generating a disturbance in the differential mode of propagation of an RF signal transmitted along a coaxial transmission line.

A drilling module is for radial drilling in a well and an anchoring module is for use in a well tool. The drilling module has a piston for receiving a drill for the radial drilling, and for displacing the drill in a radial direction towards a wall of the well and a cylinder for receiving and guiding the piston. Both the piston and the cylinder are guide-free and of a non-circular shape, at least in a portion, to prevent relative rotation between them. The anchoring module has an extent in the axial direction of the well. The anchoring module includes a displacement device arranged to push against a portion of the wall of the well to press the anchoring module against an opposite portion of the wall of the well. The displacement device is oblong in the axial direction of the anchoring module.

A method and a tool for sealing cracked casing cement are described. In a wellbore in which a casing is deployed, the casing and the wellbore define an annulus sealed with a casing cement. The method includes vibrating a portion of the casing cement adjacent an outer wall of the casing. The portion of the casing cement includes multiple discrete cracks. Vibrating the casing cement connects the discrete cracks to form a crack network. After vibrating the casing cement to form the crack network, a sealant is injected into the crack network through the casing. The sealant seals the crack network.