Patents Examined by Hoang Dang
  • Gripper assembly for downhole tools
    Patent number: 7604060
    Abstract: A gripper assembly for anchoring a tool within a downhole passage and for possibly assisting movement of the tool within the passage. The gripper assembly includes an elongated mandrel and flexible toes that can be radially displaced to grip onto the surface of the passage. The toes are displaced by the interaction of a driver slidable on the mandrel and a driver interaction element on the toes. In one embodiment, the toes are displaced by the interaction of rollers and ramps that are longitudinally movable with respect to one another. In another embodiment, the toes are displaced by the interaction of toggles that rotate with respect to the toes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Western Well Tool, Inc.
    Inventors: Duane Bloom, Norman Bruce Moore, Rudolph Ernst Krueger, V
  • Cutting elements and bits incorporating the same
    Patent number: 7604074
    Abstract: A cutting element is provided including a substrate having a periphery and an interface surface. An ultra hard material layer is formed over the substrate and interfaces with the interface surface. The interface surface also includes a plurality of spaced apart projections formed inwardly and spaced apart from the periphery and arranged around an annular path, such that each projection includes a convex upper surface defining the projection as viewed in plan view. Each upper surface continuously and smoothly curves in the same direction when viewed along a plane through a diameter of the substrate. Bits incorporating such cutting elements are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Smith International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald K. Eyre, Yabei Gu
  • System for steering a drill string
    Patent number: 7600586
    Abstract: A downhole tool string component, having a first rotor secured within a bore of the component and connected to a gear assembly, the gear assembly being connected to a second rotor. The gear assembly has a gear ratio adapted to rotate the second rotor faster than the first rotor. The second rotor is in magnetic communication with a stator which has an electrically conductive coil, the electrically conductive coil being in communication with a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Jim Shumway
  • Methods and apparatus for applying torque and rotation to connections
    Patent number: 7594540
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for connecting threaded members while ensuring that a proper connection is made. In one embodiment, the applied torque and/or rotation are measured at regular intervals throughout a pipe connection makeup. When a shoulder contact is detected, a predetermined torque value and/or rotation value is added to the measured torque and/or rotation values, respectively, at shoulder contact and rotation continued until this calculated value(s) is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Koithan, Graham Ruark, John W. Newman, David M. Haugen, David Shahin
  • Drilling at a resonant frequency
    Patent number: 7591327
    Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a method for drilling a bore hole includes the steps of deploying a drill bit attached to a drill string in a well bore, the drill bit having an axial jack element with a distal end protruding beyond a working face of the drill bit; engaging the distal end of the jack element against the formation such that the formation applies a reaction force on the jack element while the drill string rotates; and applying a force on the jack element that opposes the reaction force such that the jack element vibrates and imposes a resonant frequency into the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Inventors: David R. Hall, John Balley, Matt Kudla, Joe Fox
  • Casing window milling assembly
    Patent number: 7571769
    Abstract: Casing window milling assemblies include a conically-shaped section disposed along the tubular of the assembly. This conically-shaped section is a non-cutting portion that is preferably tapered toward the mill head. The conically-shaped section may be part of a flex-joint section of the assembly. Alternatively, the conically-shaped section may be its own sub-assembly secured above the flex-joint. In still another embodiment, the conically-shaped tapered section may be part of the upper mill section of the casing window milling assembly. In one embodiment, the conically-shaped section is disposed along the upper mill section below one or more secondary mills such as a reaming mill and a honing mill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Mohan L. Soni, Calvin J. Stowe, II
  • Jack element for a drill bit
    Patent number: 7571780
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a drill bit has an axis of rotation and a working face with a plurality of blades extending outwardly from a bit body. The blades form in part an inverted conical region and a plurality of cutters with a cutting surface are arrayed along the blades. A jack element is coaxial with the axis of rotation and extend within the conical region within a range defined by the cutting surface of at least one cutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Francis E. Leany, Joe Fox, Tyson J. Wilde
  • Method and apparatus for perforating a casing and producing hydrocarbons
    Patent number: 7571768
    Abstract: A perforating gun and one or more volume-receiving surge canisters can be actuated at a time delay after perforation for creating a dynamic underbalance condition to aid in directing debris out of the perforations and fractures and into the wellbore. A timer and triggering device actuate one or more canisters in parallel or series after a pre-determined time delay or delays which can be related to wellbore conditions following perforation. Use of propellant-type perforating gun further benefits from favorable propellant burn conditions for forming perforations and followed thereafter by a perforation-cleaning underbalance pressure conditions characterized by one or more of an increased rate of change depression of the pressure in the adjacent annulus, a greater magnitude of pressure depression and a longer duration of underbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Precision Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Cuthill
  • Method of drilling a bore hole
    Patent number: 7571778
    Abstract: A method to drill a borehole includes drilling the borehole through an overburden with a drill bit selected to optimize a drilling performance parameter and drilling the borehole through a production zone with another drill bit selected to optimize a production performance parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Smith International, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas Lawrence Rock
  • System and method for deflection compensation in power drive system for connection of tubulars
    Patent number: 7568522
    Abstract: The present invention generally provides methods and apparatus for connecting threaded members while ensuring that a proper connection is made, particularly for premium grade connections. In one embodiment, a method of connecting threaded tubular members for use in a wellbore or a riser system is provided. The method includes the acts of operating a power drive unit, thereby rotating a first threaded tubular member relative to a second threaded tubular member; measuring the rotation of the first threaded tubular member; and compensating the rotation measurement by subtracting a deflection of at least one of: the power drive unit, and one of the tubular members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Doyle Boutwell, John Newman, Graham Ruark, Aaron Dauphine
  • Method and apparatus for centralizing through tubing milling assemblies
    Patent number: 7559371
    Abstract: A through tubing centralizer is delivered below the tubing and expanded against a surrounding tubular for fixation. In a window milling through tubing application, a whipstock is delivered through tubing and anchored. One or more centralizers are then delivered through tubing and expanded so that their inside diameter when set exceeds their outside diameter during run in. They are placed below the tubing and above the whipstock to help a through tubing mill stay on the whipstock ramp while milling the window. After the window is started, the centralizer can be expanded fully against the surrounding tubular to allow subsequent removal of the whipstock. Optionally, the centralizer can be collapsed for removal through tubing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerald D. Lynde, Shantur S. Tapar, Steve Rosenblatt
  • Portable and directional electrocrushing drill
    Patent number: 7559378
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a portable, directional electrocrushing drilling apparatus and method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Tetra Corporation
    Inventor: William M. Moeny
  • Downhole steering
    Patent number: 7559379
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a drill string has a drill bit with a body intermediate a shank and a working face. The working face has at least one cutting element. A jack element is disposed within the drill bit body and has a distal end substantially protruding from the working face. The distal end has a primary deflecting surface having an angle relative to a central axis of the jack element of 15 to 75 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Inventors: David R. Hall, David Lundgreen, Daryl Wise
  • Graded hardfacing for drill bits
    Patent number: 7552783
    Abstract: A drill bit including a bit body having an upper end adapted to be detachably secured to a drill string and at least one leg at its lower end, each leg having a downwardly and inwardly extending journal bearing, at least one roller cone mounted on each journal bearing, at least one cutting element disposed on the at least one roller cone; and a hardfacing overlay on at least a portion of at least one of an inner surface of the at least one roller cone and a surface of the journal bearing, wherein a composition of the hardfacing overlay proximate an outside surface of the hardfacing overlay is different from a composition of the hardfacing overlay proximate an interface between the hardfacing overlay and the at least a portion of at least one of the inner surface of the at least one roller cone and the surface of the journal bearing is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Smith International, Inc.
    Inventor: Ramamurthy K. Viswanadham
  • Seal cup for a wellbore tool and method
    Patent number: 7552778
    Abstract: A seal cup and method is disclosed that can be used on a wellbore tool. The seal cup includes an external circumferential seal land adjacent the cup lip and an outer surface capable of permitting drainage away from the seal land of fluids, which may seep past the seal land. This acts against pressure invasion in the interfacial contacting region between the seal cup and the structure, for example, a wellbore liner against which it is sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Tesco Corporation
    Inventor: Maurice William Slack
  • Jack element with a stop-off
    Patent number: 7549489
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a drill bit has a body intermediate a shank and a working face, the working face comprising a plurality of blades formed on the working face and extending outwardly from the bit body. Each blade comprises at least one cutting element. The drill bit also has a jack element coaxial with an axis of rotation and extending out of an opening formed in the working face. A portion of the jack element is coated with a stop-off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Ronald Crockett, John Bailey
  • Apparatus and method for obtaining downhole samples
    Patent number: 7546885
    Abstract: A downhole drilling tool positionable in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation is provided. The tool includes a formation evaluation tool having fixed and retrievable portions. The fixed portion is operatively connected to a drill collar of the downhole tool. The fixed portion is for establishing fluid communication with a subterranean formation. The retrievable portion is fluidly connected to the fixed portion and retrievable therefrom to a surface location. The retrievable portion is for receiving a formation fluid from the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Colin Longfield
  • System and method utilizing a compliant well screen
    Patent number: 7543648
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for filtering in a wellbore during various well related operations while limiting the potential for plugging. A well screen is used for filtering particulates from a fluid at a wellbore location. To remove accumulated material and avoid plugging, the well screen may be flexed via pressure differentials created across the well screen. The flexing of the well screen breaks free the accumulated materials, thereby avoiding premature job failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen D. Hill, Lawrence J. Leising, Frank Espinosa
  • Cutting element having enhanced cutting geometry
    Patent number: 7540340
    Abstract: A drill bit having a bit body, at least one roller cone attached to the bit body and able to rotate with respect to the bit body, and a plurality of cutting elements disposed on the at least one roller cone is disclosed. At least one of the plurality of cutting elements includes a first area defining a trailing edge, a second area proximate the first area defining a main wear surface, and a third area proximate the second area and defining a leading edge relief zone. Further, an insert for a drill bit having a contact portion adapted to contact an earth formation, the contact portion including a first area defining a relieved trailing edge, a second area defining a main wear surface, and a third area proximate the second area and defining a leading edge relief zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Smith International, Inc.
    Inventor: Lance T. Richman
  • Automatic driller
    Patent number: 7537066
    Abstract: An automatic driller for controlling a rotating primary mover. The automatic driller has a manual brake handle. The manual brake handle has a stroke. A first elastic means applies a first tension to the manual brake handle. A swivel bracket is connected to the first elastic means. The first elastic means provides a first tension onto the swivel bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Eagle Rock Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventors: Sammy Kent Flud, Andrew Weddle