Patents Assigned to National-Oilwell Varco, L.P.
  • Patent number: 11307114
    Abstract: A flaw detection system may include a dedicated monitor volume within a structural component of a system. The monitor volume may establish an air tight space bounded by at least one joint where the joint establishes a portion of a boundary of the air tight space and is in fluid communication with the air tight space. The system may also include a pressure sensing device configured for sensing the pressure in the dedicated monitor volume. A method of monitoring a system for flaw development may include monitoring a pressure sensor configured to sense the pressure in a dedicated monitor volume of a structural component of a system. The method may also include inspecting the structural component to identify a flaw location when the pressure sensor identifies a change in pressure in the dedicated monitor volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventor: Neil West
  • Patent number: 11285524
    Abstract: Some embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a tubular member including a central axis, a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an upset region between and axially spaced from the first end and the second end, and a first outer diameter axially spaced midway between the first end and the upset region. The upset region includes a second diameter which is larger than the first diameter, does not include a weld joint, and includes redistributed material from the tubular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: Andrei Muradov
  • Patent number: 11279601
    Abstract: A sheave assembly for use in a handling system or tensioning system, the sheave assembly having one or more sheaves arranged about a shaft and cone sub-assembly. The shaft and cone sub-assembly may include one or more pairs of bearing cones configured to interface with a plurality of bearing rollers to facilitate rotation of the one or more sheaves about the shaft and cone sub-assembly. The shaft and cone sub-assembly may be configured to be arranged in a fixed rotational position during handling or tensioning operations. The shaft and cone sub-assembly may further be configured to be rotated or repositioned about a central, longitudinal axis of the sub-assembly. The shaft and cone sub-assembly may be configured to rotate independent of the sheave(s) so as to reposition the one or more pairs of cones with respect to applied loading on the sheave assembly from the handling or tensioning operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventor: Reece William Kaybidge
  • Patent number: 11280160
    Abstract: A system includes a string disposed in a wellbore, a first valve coupled to the string, the first valve including a sleeve having an engagement profile with a first coded sequence, a second valve coupled to the string, the second valve including a sleeve having an engagement profile with a second coded sequence that differs from the first coded sequence of the first valve, and a first dart flow transportable through the string, the first dart including a collet finger having a first coded sequence configured to restrict the collet finger from matingly engaging the engagement profile of the first valve while permitting the collet finger to engage the engagement profile of the second valve, wherein the first dart actuates the sleeve of the second valve between first and second positions in response to the collet finger of the first dart matingly engaging the engagement profile of the second valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Sean Calahan, Aju Abraham, David Nowowiejski, Chris Shewchuk
  • Patent number: 11274508
    Abstract: A pipe handling system for handling drill pipe on a drill rig may include a lifting system configured for handling a load of a pipe stand and a first pipe handling robot arranged at or near a drill floor of the drill rig and configured for manipulating a bottom end of the pipe stand between a setback area on the drill floor and well center. The system may also include a second pipe handling robot arranged at or near a racking board of the drill rig and configured for manipulating a top end of the pipe stand between the racking board and well center. The first pipe handling robot may have a base that is supported from a location outside a plan view envelope of the setback area of the drill floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew Ian McKenzie, Dominick Mancuso, Justin Benjamin Kinney
  • Patent number: 11268347
    Abstract: A sliding sleeve valve for use in a borehole includes an outer housing including a radial housing slot, a sliding sleeve slidably disposed in the outer housing, the sliding sleeve including a radial sleeve slot and configured to have a first position that restricts fluid communication between the sleeve slot and the housing slot and a second position, spaced from the first position, that permits fluid communication between the sleeve slot and the housing slot, an actuator housing coupled to the outer housing, wherein the actuator housing includes an actuator chamber defined by an inner surface, and wherein the actuator chamber is disposed between an inner surface and an outer surface of the actuator housing, and an actuator assembly disposed in the actuator chamber, wherein the actuator assembly is configured to control movement of the sliding sleeve between the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Fernando Olguin, Aju Abraham
  • Publication number: 20220059747
    Abstract: Power generation assemblies and methods relating thereto are disclosed. In an embodiment, the power generation assembly includes a thermoelectric generator, and a conductor configured to conduct electricity generated by the thermoelectric generator to the surface of a subterranean wellbore. The power generation assembly is to circulate a working fluid through a closed loop in the power generation assembly in response to the receipt of geothermal energy within a subterranean formation, to cause the thermoelectric generator to generate electricity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: James William Weir, Travis James Miller, Frank Benjamin Springett
  • Publication number: 20220018385
    Abstract: Pump assemblies, pumping systems including said pump assemblies, and related methods are disclosed. In an embodiment, the pump assembly includes a frame, a fluid end, and a power end coupled to the frame and the fluid end. In addition, the pump assembly includes a plurality of connectors coupled between the fluid end and the frame. Each of the connectors include an axis, a first connector member, and a second connector member. The first connector member is configured to actuate relative to the second connector member to adjust a total axial length of the connector along the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: Adrian Marica
  • Publication number: 20220010646
    Abstract: A blowout preventer includes a housing including a longitudinal passage and a pair of ram passages extending from the longitudinal passage, a first ram assembly disposed in a first of the pair of ram passages and including first ram block assembly, and a second ram assembly disposed in a second of the pair of ram passages and including a second ram block assembly, wherein the first ram block assembly is configured to include a first configuration in which it sealingly engages an outer surface of a tubular member extending through the longitudinal passage of the housing when the blowout preventer is in a closed position, and a second configuration in which it sealingly engages the second ram block assembly when the blowout preventer is in the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Randall Ferrain Weaver, Clifton Dee Eggleston
  • Publication number: 20220010625
    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: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Clay Williams, Russ Gilleylen, Paul Neil, Aaron Schen
  • Patent number: 11220888
    Abstract: A method for optimizing performance of a drilling process by an automated control system for drilling, comprising obtaining a measure of performance for each drilling activity of a set of drilling activities for the drilling process; calculating an activity performance index for each drilling activity by obtaining reference data for each drilling activity, comparing the measures of performance for each drilling activity to the reference data for the particular drilling activity, calculating the activity performance index for each drilling activity based on the comparison; generating a drilling process performance index based on the activity performance indexes; comparing, for each of the drilling activities, a configuration of one or more drilling parameters to a reference configuration of drilling parameters associated with the reference data for the particular drilling activity; and adjusting the configuration of one or more drilling parameters associated with one or more drilling activities based on the co
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Francisco Ocegueda-Hernandez, Ryan J. Hanford
  • Publication number: 20220003048
    Abstract: A lubricator assembly for servicing a tubular member includes a mounting base, a lubricant housing movably coupled to the mounting base and configured to receive lubricant from a lubricant source, a guide pin slidably disposed in the lubricant housing, a first seal positioned between the guide pin and the lubricant housing and a second seal positioned between the guide pin and the lubricant housing, and a first chamber extending between the first seal and the second seal, wherein the guide pin is configured to direct lubricant disposed in the first chamber against the tubular member in response to the tubular member engaging the guide pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco , L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew McKenzie, Robert Donnally, Lei Cheng, George Wu, Leo Yang
  • Publication number: 20210394249
    Abstract: Some embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a tubular member including a central axis, a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an upset region between and axially spaced from the first end and the second end, and a first outer diameter axially spaced midway between the first end and the upset region. The upset region includes a second diameter which is larger than the first diameter, does not include a weld joint, and includes redistributed material from the tubular member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventor: Andrei Muradov
  • Patent number: 11204115
    Abstract: A tubular member for threadably engaging another tubular member to form a tubular string includes a first end including a helical female thread formed in an outer surface of the tubular member, wherein the female thread includes a slot extending radially inwards from the outer surface, and a root extending radially inwards from the slot, wherein the root has a maximum width that is greater than a maximum width of the slot, a second end opposite the first end and including a helical male thread formed on an inner surface of the tubular member, wherein the male thread includes a shank extending radially outwards from the inner surface, and a notch extending radially outwards from the shank, wherein the notch has a maximum width that is greater than a maximum width of the shank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: John W. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 11198919
    Abstract: A system for air quenching a heat treated element comprises a tubular component, an internal air quench device moveably disposed within the interior of the tubular component, and an external air quench device moveably disposed about the tubular component. The internal air quench device comprises a nozzle configured to induce an airflow within the tubular component. The external air quenching device can comprise an annular ring disposed about the tubular component that is configured to generate a cone of air about the tubular component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventors: David Martin Ellis, Luis Marcos Cadena, Christopher Alan Conrey, Daryl Stevenson
  • Patent number: 11187053
    Abstract: A casing hanger assembly includes a landing ring secured to a containment well cellar or the conductor pipe. A casing hanger welded to the external surface of the last section of surface casing seats into the landing ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: James A. Rose
  • Patent number: 11174685
    Abstract: A tubular member includes a tube body, a tube end, an exterior surface, an interior surface, a nominal wall thickness, a longitudinal axis, a welded seam, and a patch of material. The welded seam forms an arcuate portion of the interior surface, and the patch covers a portion of the interior surface that includes a portion of the welded seam, extending from the tube end to an axially spaced first location. The resulting interior surface from the tube end to the axially spaced first location has a uniform inside diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Roger Edward Ethridge, Christopher E. Desadier
  • Patent number: 11161151
    Abstract: A screen assembly for vibratory separation includes a screen having a plurality of raised screen components formed therein, with each of the raised screen components defining a face oriented to oppose a flow direction of the screen assembly. In examples, a screen of the screen assembly is assembled from a plurality of metal cloth layers bonded together. Bonding of the metal cloth layers may be accomplished by a sintering process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: Eric Landon Scott
  • Patent number: 11142439
    Abstract: A snubbing jack including a jack assembly including a base plate, a traveling plate, an axis extending through the base plate and the traveling plate, and a plurality of piston-cylinder assemblies, a rotary drive including a rotary base and a hub, wherein the rotary drive is configured to rotate the hub relative to the rotary base, a clamp coupled to the rotary base and configured to grip a first tubular member, a power tongs coupled to the rotary base and configured to grip a second tubular member and to rotate the second tubular relative to the rotary base, and a torque transfer device coupled between the rotary drive and the jack assembly and configured to allow the rotary drive to move axially relative to the base plate and configured to restrict rotation of the rotary drive relative to the jack assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: William Benjamin White, Timothy S. Steffenhagen, Kraig W. Huse
  • Patent number: 11136826
    Abstract: A system for drilling a subterranean borehole. In an embodiment, the system includes a mast, and a pipe rotator coupled to the mast. The pipe rotator includes a stem that is configured to be coupled to an end of a drillstring and a motor that is configured to rotate the stem. In addition, the system includes a guide beam coupled to the mast. The guide beam includes a longitudinal axis and is configured to guide vertical motion of the pipe rotator. The guide beam includes a plurality of elongate sections configured to be generally aligned along the longitudinal axis. In addition, the guide beam includes a plurality of coupling assemblies configured to interconnect the plurality of elongate sections and align the plurality elongate sections along the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Christopher Brian Walker, Henry Do, Robert Ioan Papp, Mihail Puscas, Calvin Ronald Blankenship, Delfino Moreno, III, James Cirone