Signal operated tools for milling, drilling, and/or fishing operations

A setting tool for setting an anchor, comprising:

• a tubular housing having a port formed through a wall thereof;
• a piston disposed in the housing and operable to inject fluid through the port;
• an actuator operable:
• to receive an instruction signal from the surface, and
• to drive the piston in response to receiving the instruction signal.

A method of forming an opening in a wall of a wellbore, comprising:

• deploying a drill string and a bottom hole assembly (BHA) into the wellbore, the BHA comprising a bit, mud motor, an orientation sensor, a setting tool, a whipstock, and an anchor;
• orienting the whipstock while injecting drilling fluid through the motor sufficient to operate the orientation sensor, wherein the motor is in a locked position;
• and
• sending an instruction signal to the setting tool, thereby setting the anchor.

A data sub for use in a wellbore, comprising:

• a tubular housing having a bore formed therethrough;
• one or more sensors disposed in the housing;
• and
• a transmitter disposed in the housing and operable to transmit a measurement from the sensor to the surface.

A method of transmitting data from a depth in a wellbore distal from the surface to the surface, comprising:

• measuring a parameter using a data sub interconnected in a tubular string disposed in the wellbore, wherein the data sub is at the distal depth;
• transmitting the measurement from the data sub to a repeater sub interconnected in the tubular string, wherein the repeater sub is at a depth between the distal depth and the surface;
• and
• retransmitting the measurement from the repeater sub to the surface.

A jar for use in a wellbore, comprising:

• a tubular mandrel;
• a tubular housing;
• a fluid chamber formed between the housing and the mandrel;
• a piston operable to increase pressure in the chamber in response to longitudinal displacement of the mandrel relative to the housing;
• a valve operable to open the chamber in response to a predetermined longitudinal displacement of the mandrel relative to the housing;
• and
• a lock operable to:
• longitudinally couple the mandrel to the housing in a locked position,
• receive an instruction signal from the surface,
• release the mandrel in an unlocked position, and
• actuate from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to receiving the instruction signal.

A jar for use in a wellbore, comprising:

• a tubular mandrel;
• a tubular housing;
• a valve:
• longitudinally coupled to the mandrel,
• operable to at least substantially restrict fluid flow through the jar in a closed position, thereby exerting tension on the mandrel, and
• operable to open in response to a predetermined longitudinal displacement of the mandrel relative to the housing;
• and
• a lock operable to:
• longitudinally couple the mandrel to the housing in a locked position,
• receive an instruction signal from the surface,
• release the mandrel in an unlocked position, and
• actuate from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to receiving the instruction signal.

A fishing tool for engaging a tubular stuck in a wellbore, comprising:

• a tubular housing having an inclined surface;
• a grapple having an inclined surface longitudinally movable along the inclined surface of the housing, thereby radially moving the grapple between a retracted position and an engaged position;
• an actuator operable to:
• longitudinally restrain the grapple in the released position,
• receive an instruction signal from the surface, and
• longitudinally move the grapple from the released position to the engaged position in response to receiving the instruction signal.

A method of freeing a fish stuck in a wellbore:

• deploying a fishing assembly into the wellbore, the fishing assembly comprising a workstring, a jar, and a fishing tool, wherein the jar is in a locked position;
• engaging the fishing tool with the fish;
• sending an instruction signal from the surface to the fishing tool, thereby engaging a grapple of the fishing tool with the fish;
• sending a second instruction signal from the surface to the jar, thereby unlocking the jar;
• and
• firing the jar, thereby exerting an impact on the fish.

A disconnect tool for use in a string of tubulars, comprising:

• a tubular mandrel;
• a tubular housing;
• a latch longitudinally coupling the housing and the mandrel;
• a lock operable to engage the latch in a locked position and disengage from the latch in a released position;
• an actuator operable to:
• receive an instruction signal from the surface, and
• move the lock to the released position in response to receiving the instruction signal.

A disconnect tool for use in a string of tubulars, comprising:

• a tubular mandrel;
• a tubular housing;
• a latch operable to longitudinally couple the housing and the mandrel in an engaged position, wherein the latch is fluidly operable to a disengaged position;
• a valve operable to:
• receive an instruction signal from the surface, and
• open in response to receiving the instruction signal, thereby providing fluid communication between a bore of the housing and the latch.

A disconnect tool for use in a string of tubulars, comprising:

• a tubular mandrel having a threaded inner surface;
• a tubular housing having a plurality of openings formed radially through a wall thereof;
• an arcuate dog disposed in each opening, each dog having an inclined inner surface and portion of a thread corresponding to the mandrel thread and radially movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position,
• wherein the thread portion engages the mandrel thread in the engaged position, thereby longitudinally and rotationally coupling the housing and the mandrel;
• and
• a tubular sleeve having an inclined outer surface operable to engage with the inclined inner surface of each dog.

A drilling assembly, comprising:

• a tubular drill string;
• a drill bit longitudinally coupled to an end of the drill string;
• a plurality of data subs interconnected with the drill string, each data sub comprising:
• a strain gage oriented to measure torque or longitudinal load;
• and
• a transmitter.

A method of determining a freepoint of a drilling assembly stuck in a wellbore, wherein the drilling assembly comprises a drill string and a plurality of data subs interconnected with the drill string, comprising:

• exerting a torque and/or tension on the stuck drilling assembly from the surface;
• measuring a response of the drilling assembly to the torque and/or tension using the data subs;
• transmitting the measured response from the data subs to the surface;
• and
• determining a freepoint of the drilling assembly using the transmitted response.

A cutter for use in a wellbore, comprising:

• a tubular housing having a one or more openings formed through a wall thereof;
• one or more blades, each blade pivoted to the housing and rotatable relative thereto between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein each blade extends through a respective opening in the extended position;
• a piston operable to move the blades to the extended position in response to injection of fluid therethrough;
• a stop operable to:
• receive a position signal from the surface, and
• move to a set position in response to the signal.

A cutter for use in a wellbore, comprising:

• a tubular housing having a one or more openings formed through a wall thereof;
• one or more blades, each blade pivoted to the housing and rotatable relative thereto between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein each blade extends through a respective opening in the extended position;
• a mandrel operable to move the blades to the extended position;
• an actuator operable to:
• receive a position signal from the surface, and
• move the mandrel to a set position in response to the position signal, thereby at least partially extending the blades.

A method of cutting or milling a tubular cemented to the wellbore:

• deploying a cutting assembly into the wellbore, the cutting assembly comprising a workstring and a cutter;
• sending an instruction signal to the cutter, thereby extending one or more blades of the cutter;
• and
• rotating the cutter, thereby milling or cutting the tubular.