Patents Assigned to National-Oilwell Varco, L.P.
  • Patent number: 11965382
    Abstract: An insert for a drill bit includes a base portion. In addition, the insert includes a formation engaging portion extending from the base portion. The formation engaging portion has a longitudinal axis and includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a first lateral side extending from the first end to the second end, and a second lateral side extending from the first end to the second end, and an elongate crown extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end and laterally from the first lateral side to the second lateral side. The first lateral side comprises a first curved surface having a first radius of curvature in top view of the insert and the second lateral side includes a second curved surface having a second radius of curvature in top view of the insert. The first radius of curvature of the first curved surface is different than the second radius of curvature of the second curved surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventors: Reza Rahmani, Navid Omidvar, Afshin Babaie Aghdam, Ryan Basson Graham
  • Patent number: 11959349
    Abstract: A pressure pulse system includes a stator, a rotor rotatably positioned in the stator, and a valve assembly configured to induce a pressure pulse in response to rotation of the rotor within the stator, wherein the valve assembly includes a first valve plate coupled to one of the stator and the rotor and including a flow passage, and a second valve plate coupled to the other of the stator or the rotor to which the first valve plate is not coupled and comprising a first flow passage and a second flow passage that is spaced from the first flow passage, wherein the valve assembly provides a first flowpath and a second flowpath between the flow passage of the first valve plate and the second flow passage of the second valve plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Paul Victor Oberlin, John Matthew King
  • Patent number: 11952895
    Abstract: A downhole motor for directional drilling includes a driveshaft assembly including a driveshaft housing and a driveshaft rotatably disposed within the driveshaft housing, a bearing assembly including a bearing housing and a bearing mandrel rotatably disposed within the bearing housing, wherein the bearing mandrel is configured to couple with a drill bit, a bend adjustment assembly configured to adjust a bend setting of the downhole motor, a lock piston including an unlocked position, and a locked position configured to lock the bend setting of the bend adjustment assembly, one or more hydraulic pumps configured to actuate the lock piston into the unlocked position to unlock the bend adjustment assembly, and an electronics package configured to indicate the bend setting of the bend adjustment assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffery Ronald Clausen, Nicholas Ryan Marchand
  • Patent number: 11952844
    Abstract: A well system includes a well platform including a rig floor, a first rig floor robot and a second rig floor robot positioned on the rig floor, wherein the first rig floor robot is configured to guide a lower end of a pipe stand towards a setback position on the rig floor and the second rig floor robot is configured to guide a first pipe joint of the pipe stand into a first mouse hole formed in the rig floor, a mast extending from the rig floor, a racking board coupled to the mast, the racking board configured to secure an upper end of the pipe stand between a pair of finger boards of the racking board, a racking board robot positioned on the racking board and configured to position the upper end of the pipe stand between the pair of finger boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Robert Benjamin Donnally, Xilin Liu
  • Publication number: 20240110444
    Abstract: A rotary steerable drilling assembly includes a driveshaft rotatably disposed in a driveshaft housing, a bend adjustment assembly coupled to the driveshaft housing, a bearing mandrel coupled to the bend adjustment assembly, and a torque control assembly including a rotor configured to couple with a drill string; a stator assembly coupled to a downhole motor; and a torque control actuator assembly configured to control the amount of torque transmitted between the rotor and the stator assembly, wherein the torque control actuator assembly includes a spool valve including a cylinder including a port and a hydraulically actuatable piston slidably disposed in the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Clay Williams, Russ Gilleylen, Paul Neil, Aaron Schen
  • Patent number: 11939844
    Abstract: A rotor bearing system configured to operatively couple a progressing cavity machine to an external device can comprise a housing including an inner surface defining a first bore extending through the housing along a central axis, a first bearing arranged on the inner surface, and a shaft member including an outer surface extending between a proximal portion and a distal portion of the shaft member and a second bearing arranged on the outer surface, the second bearing the second bearing configured to contact the first bearing to limit eccentric motion of the driveshaft of the external device and the rotor head of the progressing cavity machine relative to a stator of the progressing cavity machine during rotation of the rotor head, the shaft member, and the driveshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael J. Guidry, Jr., Daniel Alvarado
  • Patent number: 11905777
    Abstract: An agitator deployable in a wellbore includes a housing including a central axis and a central passage, a valve including a first valve body having a first contact face and a second valve body permitted to rotate relative to the first valve body and having a second contact face configured to contact the first contact face, a first valve adapter including a first receptacle which receives at least a portion of the first valve body to couple the first valve adapter to the first valve body, and a flexible valve configured to permit the first valve body to flex relative to the first valve adapter whereby an angular misalignment may form between a central axis of the first valve body and a central axis of the first valve adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Khoi Trinh, Russell Gilleylen
  • Patent number: 11891864
    Abstract: A drilling rig having a lift arm, which may be an auxiliary lift arm provided in addition to a primary lifting cable system of the drilling rig. The lift arm may be configured to hoist and/or manipulate drill collar, drill pipe, or other drilling pipe or conduit. The lift arm may be coupled to a mast of the drilling rig and may have a cantilevered boom extending therefrom. The boom may be configured to pivot between alignment, or near alignment, with well center and a racking board. The lift arm may additionally have a pipe engaging element coupled to the boom. The pipe engaging element may be configured to couple to stands or lengths of drilling pipe. The pipe engaging element may be raised and lowered together with or relative to the boom via a lift line controllable via a hydraulic cylinder, winch, or other suitable mechanism for withdrawing and releasing the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventors: Robert Benjamin Donnally, Xi Lin Liu
  • Patent number: 11884520
    Abstract: A tower crane for assembling a wind turbine includes a boom assembly including a boom and a hoisting block coupled to the boom, an extendable tower assembly including a plurality of tower sections, and a transport assembly including a central support frame coupled to the tower assembly, a self-propelled transporter configured to transport the tower crane, and a diagonal brace extending between the central support frame and the transporter, wherein the diagonal brace includes a linear actuator configured to selectably extend and retract the diagonal brace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Anthony Jason Harms, Travis Miller, Robert Benjamin Donnally
  • Patent number: 11885211
    Abstract: Automated drilling may include receiving a tool-agnostic request to perform a process, determining one or more activities to complete the process, identifying a controller module associated with a first activity of the one or more activities, and triggering the controller module to initiate the first activity, wherein the controller module identifies and directs one or more drilling tools to initiate the first activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Edgar Grimberg, Gaute Eilertsen, Cole Wong
  • Patent number: 11879333
    Abstract: A rotary steerable drilling assembly for directional drilling includes a driveshaft rotatably disposed in a driveshaft housing, a bend adjustment assembly coupled to the driveshaft housing, a bearing mandrel coupled to the bend adjustment assembly, and a torque control assembly including a rotor configured to couple with a drill string, a stator assembly coupled to the downhole motor, and a torque control actuator assembly configured to control the amount of torque transmitted between the rotor and the stator assembly, wherein the bend adjustment assembly includes a first position providing a first deflection angle between a longitudinal axis of the driveshaft housing and a longitudinal axis of the bearing mandrel, wherein the bend adjustment assembly includes a second position providing a second deflection angle between the longitudinal axis of the driveshaft housing and the longitudinal axis of the bearing mandrel, the second deflection angle being different from the first deflection angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Clay Williams, Russ Gilleylen, Paul Neil, Aaron Schen
  • Patent number: 11873695
    Abstract: An annular elastomeric packer for a blowout preventer includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced inserts, wherein at least one of the plurality of inserts includes a rib, and a foot pivotally coupled to the rib, and an elastomeric body coupled to the plurality of inserts and including an inner surface, wherein the foot is configured to resist deformation of the elastomeric body in response to the blowout preventer actuating from a first position to a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Lydia Mireles, Cesar J. Gonzalez, David E. Hill, Nathan Follett, Vaishali Bhuvela, Ali Al-Quraishi
  • Patent number: 11867015
    Abstract: A friction reduction system includes a housing including a central axis and a central passage, a valve disposed in the housing and including a first valve body and a second valve body wherein the first valve body is permitted to rotate relative to the second valve body, and a mandrel coupled to the second valve body and permitted to travel axially relative to the housing, wherein a first net pressure force is applied against the mandrel that corresponds to a drilling fluid pressure of a drilling fluid in response to flowing the drilling fluid through the valve and transitioning the valve from a closed configuration to an open configuration, and wherein a second net pressure force is applied against the mandrel that corresponds to a wellbore fluid pressure in response to flowing the drilling fluid through the valve and transitioning the valve from the open configuration to the closed configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Khoi Trinh, Yufang Xia
  • Patent number: 11851991
    Abstract: A friction reduction system disposable in a wellbore includes a first valve member including an inner surface which includes a valve seat; and a second valve member rotatable concentrically about a central axis of the first valve member and including a radial port coverable by the valve seat of the outer valve member, wherein the friction reduction system includes an open configuration that provides a maximum flow area through a valve of the friction reduction system including the second valve member and the first valve member, wherein the friction reduction system includes a closed configuration that provides a minimum flow area through the valve which is less than the maximum flow area, and wherein the friction reduction system is configured to generate a pressure pulse in a fluid flowing through the friction reduction system in response to the friction reduction system transitioning from the open configuration to the closed configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: John M. King, Daniel Hernandez, Jr., James R. Streater, Jr., Paul Oberlin
  • Publication number: 20230399911
    Abstract: An agitator deployable in a wellbore includes a housing including a central axis and a central passage, a valve including a first valve body having a first contact face and a second valve body permitted to rotate relative to the first valve body and having a second contact face configured to contact the first contact face, a first valve adapter including a first receptacle which receives at least a portion of the first valve body to couple the first valve adapter to the first valve body, and a flexible valve configured to permit the first valve body to flex relative to the first valve adapter whereby an angular misalignment may form between a central axis of the first valve body and a central axis of the first valve adapter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Khoi Trinh, Russell Gilleylen
  • Patent number: 11834944
    Abstract: An electronics module or “puck” is positioned in a recess formed in the outer surface of a downhole tool. The puck body includes a flange segment having a first outer diameter, and an adjacent seal-engaging segment having an outer diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the flange segment. An annular seal is disposed about the seal-engaging segment and seals between the puck and the perimeter wall of the recess. A cover ring is disposed over an intermediate segment of the puck body, capturing the seal between the cover and the flange segment. A retainer ring is employed to selectively engage and disengage the perimeter wall of the recess, retaining the puck, seal and covering ring in the recess. A method for installation and removal of the puck is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Aaron Schen, Jacob Riddel
  • Patent number: 11834914
    Abstract: A quick connect pipe connection for drill pipe may include a box end having an annular end surface that gives way internally to a receiving portion and externally to an engagement portion. The connection may also include a pin end configured for rotationally and longitudinally engaging the box end. The pin end may include a tapered portion configured for longitudinal insertion into the receiving portion and resisting relative rotation between the box end and the pin end. The pin end may also include a collar configured for sleeving over the engagement portion of the box end and resisting relative longitudinal motion between the box end and the pin end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew Ian McKenzie, Dominick Mancuso
  • Publication number: 20230383612
    Abstract: A tubular member includes a central axis, a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a throughbore extending axially from the first end to the second end. In addition, the tubular member includes a first connector at the first end and a second connector at the second end. Further, the tubular member includes a tubular region axially positioned between and axially spaced from the first connector and the second connector. The tubular member also includes a first upset axially positioned between the tubular region and the first connector. The first upset has an internal transition within the throughbore that increases an inner diameter of the throughbore when moving axially from the first upset to the tubular region. Moreover, the tubular member includes a first wear pad integrally formed on the tubular region. An outer diameter of the tubular member is greater along the first wear pad than along the tubular region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: Dan William Morgan
  • Publication number: 20230383743
    Abstract: A valve for a displacement pump includes a valve body having an annular strikeface and defining an annular receptacle, and an annular seal received in the receptacle of the valve body, the seal including an annular contact surface, wherein the seal defines a cumulative displacement ratio of (i) at least one of at most 0.20 at a location that is spaced 40% from an inner diameter (ID) of the contact surface of the seal moving towards an outer diameter (OD) of the contact surface, (ii) at most 0.35 at a location that is spaced 55% from the ID of the contact surface moving towards the OD of the contact surface, and (iii) at most 0.45 at a location that is spaced 65% from the ID of the contact surface moving towards the OD of the contact surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: William Bryce Brock, Brendan Sean Young, Mark Alan Staggs
  • Patent number: 11828150
    Abstract: A smart manifold for frac operations may include a support structure and a fluid management system arranged on the support structure. The fluid management system may be configured for receiving low-pressure frac fluid from a fluid processing system, delivering the low-pressure fluid to a plurality of pressurization units, receiving high-pressure fluid from the plurality of pressurization units, and delivering the high-pressure fluid to a well head. The smart manifold may also include a power management system arranged on the support structure. The power management system may be configured for receiving power for frac operations and for delivering power to each of the plurality of pressurization units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventor: Travis Lee Bolt