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 tool body assembly having valving members (e.g., safety or kelly values) and valving members holding plugs, balls, or darts to be dropped. 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. A transmitter (or transceiver) provides an ability to generate a wireless signal that is received by receivers (or transceivers) on the tool body assembly. Each receiver (or transceiver) controls an electrical actuator that engages a valving member or the indicator. Wireless signals can be used to open or close a valve or to reset a “tripped” indicator.

A method may include: providing a spacer fluid comprising water and an agglomerated zeolite catalyst; and displacing a drilling fluid in a wellbore using the spacer fluid. The agglomerated zeolite catalyst may be a spent agglomerated zeolite catalyst and may include a matrix, a filler, a binder, and zeolite crystals. The zeolite crystals may be selected from the group consisting of type x, type y, ultra-stable type y, ZSM-5, SAPO-11, silicalite-1, mordenite, ferrierite, beta, and combinations thereof.

An apparatus for retaining and releasing a pump down plug includes an outer housing having a recess and a shifting sleeve that contains the pump down plug and is disposed within the outer housing. The shifting sleeve is configured to slide within the outer housing. The apparatus also includes a retaining element configured to engage the pump down plug to retain the pump down plug, the retaining element being restrained from outward movement by the outer housing in a first position of the shifting sleeve, wherein sliding the shifting sleeve into a second position results in outward movement of the retaining element into the recess to release the pump down plug.

A system for cementing a wellbore having a casing string disposed in the wellbore is provided. The system includes a cement tool, a fiber optic cable, and a computing device. The cement tool is operable to be deployed down the wellbore through a casing string from a surface during cementing process of the wellbore. The cement tool includes a tool sensor. The fiber optic cable is coupled with the cement tool such that the fiber optic cable spans the wellbore from the cement tool to the surface. The fiber optic cable is communicatively coupled with the tool sensor. The computing device is communicatively coupled with the fiber optic cable and is operable to receive and process signals from the tool sensor via the fiber optic cable during the cementing process.

A system includes: a cementing tool positionable within a casing string of a wellbore; a distributed temperature sensing (DTS) system comprising: a fiber optic cable coupled to the cementing tool; and a DTS interrogator positionable at a surface of the wellbore for transmitting an optical signal through the fiber optic cable and determining from a reflected optical signal a plurality of temperatures along the fiber optic cable; a fiber reel for dispensing the fiber optic cable from a first end of the fiber optic cable in response to a tension in the fiber optic cable as the cementing tool travels down the casing string behind a cement composition; and a processor in communication with the DTS system and configured to monitor the plurality of temperatures along the fiber optic cable while the cement composition cures.

A top latch-in plug includes a housing having a bore and a transitionable seal. The transitionable seal seals the bore of the housing when in a first configuration, and the transitionable seal unseals the bore when in a second configuration. The transitionable seal is triggerable to transition from the first configuration to the second configuration. A casing floatation system includes a casing having a pre-load collar and a landing collar; and a lower bottom latch-in plug. The lower bottom latch in plug includes a catch mechanism compatible with the pre-load collar; and a landing mechanism compatible with the landing collar.

An apparatus for retaining and releasing a pump down plug includes an outer housing having a recess and a shifting sleeve that contains the pump down plug and is disposed within the outer housing. The shifting sleeve is configured to slide within the outer housing. The apparatus also includes a retaining element configured to engage the pump down plug to retain the pump down plug, the retaining element being restrained from outward movement by the outer housing in a first position of the shifting sleeve, wherein sliding the shifting sleeve into a second position results in outward movement of the retaining element into the recess to release the pump down plug.

Cementing plugs and methods of forming cementing plugs containing a plurality of objects are disclosed. In some implementations, the cementing plug includes a body having a plurality of objects dispersed within the body. One or more of the objects may protrude from a surface of the body of the cementing plug. In some implementations, the plurality of objects may be irregularly-shaped, uniformly-shaped, or a combination of irregularly-shaped and uniformly-shaped. The plurality of objects may be randomly distributed in the body of the cementing plug or uniformly arranged in the body of the cementing plug. In some implementations, a portion of the plurality of objects may be uniformly arranged and another portion of the plurality of objects may be randomly distributed in the body of the cementing plug.

Cementing plugs and methods of forming cementing plugs containing a plurality of objects are disclosed. In some implementations, the cementing plug includes a body having a plurality of objects dispersed within the body. One or more of the objects may protrude from a surface of the body of the cementing plug. In some implementations, the plurality of objects may be irregularly-shaped, uniformly-shaped, or a combination of irregularly-shaped and uniformly-shaped. The plurality of objects may be randomly distributed in the body of the cementing plug or uniformly arranged in the body of the cementing plug. In some implementations, a portion of the plurality of objects may be uniformly arranged and another portion of the plurality of objects may be randomly distributed in the body of the cementing plug.

A system and method for a composite cement retainer. A composite cement retainer has various components. When these various components comprise composite where feasible, or a drillable metal, the retainer can be easily placed and quickly drilled if necessary.