A plugging assembly includes a plug and a setting tool attached directly to the plug, wherein the plug includes an elongate core with an uphole end and a downhole end opposite the uphole end, a sealing element disposed fully around the core to seal against the casing, an anchoring system for anchoring the plug to the casing in a fixed position, a compression fitting disposed around the core at or near the uphole end of the core, a nose at the downhole end of the core, and the setting tool includes an elongate housing extending between an uphole end and a downhole end opposite the uphole end, an open passageway extending from the uphole end to the downhole end of the housing, and the downhole end of the housing is aligned to directly engage the compression fitting of the plug.

A method and apparatus for using a plurality of impact dampening discs composed of a closed cell polyurethane foam composite with polyborodimethylsiloxane as a dilatant non-Newtonian fluid dispersed through a foam matrix in a downhole setting tool to absorb the energy released during setting operations.

A setting tool for setting an auxiliary tool in a well, the setting tool including an inner mandrel having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section having an internal chamber suitable for housing a power charge; an outer cylindrical piston enclosing the upper section of the inner mandrel; a slidable ring formed concentric, and between the inner mandrel and the outer cylindrical piston; and an actuation chamber located between the outer cylindrical piston, the ring, and the inner mandrel, and configured to receive a pressured gas from the internal chamber, through a slot that extends transversal to a thread of the upper section of the inner mandrel.

Exemplary embodiments of an instantaneously expanding, ballistically actuated wellbore plug and associated systems and methods are disclosed. Exemplary embodiments of an instantaneously expanding, ballistically actuated wellbore plug include, among other things, a ballistic carrier carrying ballistic components and an initiator and housed within a hollow interior chamber of an outer carrier having an unexpanded form and an expanded form. Exemplary embodiments for a method for setting the plug within a wellbore casing include initiating the ballistic components with the initiator and causing the outer carrier to instantaneously transition from the unexpanded form to the expanded form, in which the outer carrier is in frictional, sealing engagement with the wellbore casing.

A method including (a) lowering a first tool string into a first wellbore, the tool string including a first perforating gun and a gun switch configured to detonate the first perforating gun, (b) detonating the first perforating gun in response to transmitting a first gun firing signal from a control system to the gun switch, (c) retrieving the tool string from the first wellbore following (c), (d) lowering a second tool string including the gun switch used in the first tool string and a second perforating gun into at least one of the first wellbore and a second wellbore that is different from the first wellbore following (d), and (e) detonating the second perforating gun of the second tool string in response to transmitting a second gun firing signal from the control system to the gun switch.

Systems and methods using electrically controlled propellant to operate equipment in subterranean formations are provided. In some embodiments, the methods comprise: providing a tool assembly that comprises a tool body and an electrically controlled propellant; and placing the tool assembly in at least a portion of a subterranean formation. Electrical current may be applied to at least a portion of the electrically controlled propellant to ignite the portion of the propellant to operate a portion of the tool assembly.

A compact setting tool that sets a packer or bridge plug in a wellbore and then self bleeds the gas pressure prior to pulling the string out of the wellbore.

A gas operated setting tool comprising a piston rod and an outer tool assembly having a hollow interior within which the piston rod is disposed coaxially. The outer tool assembly comprises a top cap connected to the cylinder's upper end and a bottom connector connected to the cylinder's lower end. The piston rod comprises an upper section to which a firing head attaches and a lower section to which a setting adapter attaches. The piston section's exterior surface fits within and is sealed against the cylinder's interior surface. The piston rod has a hollow power charge chamber and port holes that open into the bottom connector's upper surface. A shear ring engages a counterpart surface feature to prevents axial movement of the outer tool assembly relative to the piston rod until the power charge has fired and sheared the shear ring.

An inflatable down hole bag includes an inflatable body for holding an inflation fluid and a container for holding one or more substances. The container is disposed inside of the inflatable body and includes a closure for keeping the one or more substances in the container when the closure is in an inoperative state. The closure also releases the one or more substances from the container when the closure is in an operative state. Release of a substance causes an inflation fluid producing reaction within the inflatable body, thereby inflating the inflatable body. The container includes at least two separated chambers. Each chamber holds a respective one of the substances. The closure includes a stopper for closing a respective opening to one of the chambers. The closure further includes an actuator for removing each stopper from the respective opening so as to release each substance from each respective chamber.

A setting tool for setting frac plugs and the like can include a mandrel having a chamber for housing expandable gas and a gas port in fluid communication with the chamber; a firing head secured to the mandrel for igniting a power charge to generate pressurized gas within the chamber; a barrel piston housing the mandrel and connected to a sleeve for setting the frac plug; and an expansion region defined between the mandrel and the barrel piston and receiving the pressurized gas which exerts force to cause a stroke of the barrel piston over the mandrel as the expansion region expands axially. The setting tool can include various features, such as certain gas bleed systems, an enhanced shear screw assembly, a bleed port and plug assembly, a scribe line, a particular gas port configuration, a liquid escape conduit, no-shoulder barrel configuration, and/or a low-force design for frac plugs.