Patents Examined by Kipp Wallace
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Patent number: 9334715Abstract: A first end of a conductive spring is embedded in a wall of a large chamber of a piston housing. The spring is held in tension by a second end of the spring being pinned against a bead contact by a trigger pin. The diameter of the piston and a tensile breaking strength of the trigger pin are selected so that the trigger pin is breakable and the tension in the spring is releasable upon the presence of a predetermined pressure difference between a pressure on the contact side of the piston and a pressure on the pinning side of the piston. Release of tension in the spring closes an electrical circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2014Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Clovis Satyro Bonavides, Donald Leon Crawford, Paul Anthony Molina, Gabriel Vicencio Mata
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Patent number: 9334707Abstract: An emergency well plug apparatus that includes a drill string mating unit connectable endwise to an extant drill string, a top ring releasably attachable to the drill string mating unit, at least one support member attachable to the top ring, and additional support members attachable thereto, wherein sequential inflation of respective inflatable members disposed upon each support member effectively plugs a blowout preventer, wellhead, or well shaft, from gushing fluids and the drill string mating unit may be subseqeuntly retracted with the remainder of the apparatus in place.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2013Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Inventor: Roy L. Adger, Jr.
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Patent number: 9328563Abstract: An underreamer for increasing a diameter of a wellbore. The underreamer includes a body having an axial bore extending at least partially therethrough. An annular sleeve may be coupled to the body and adapted to move with respect to the body. The sleeve may include a plurality of grooves formed therein that are circumferentially offset from one another. A pin may be coupled to the body. The sleeve may be adapted to move with respect to the pin to transition the pin from a first groove in the sleeve to a second groove in the sleeve. The sleeve may be in a first axial position with respect to the body when the pin is positioned in the first groove, and the sleeve may be in a second axial position with respect to the body when the pin is positioned in the second groove. The underreamer also includes one or more cutter blocks. The radial cutting diameter of the one or more cutter blocks depends on the axial position of the one or more cutter blocks and may be determined therefrom.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2013Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: Smith International, Inc.Inventors: Manoj D. Mahajan, Sameer P. Bhoite
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Patent number: 9316067Abstract: A coiled tubing handler lifts and extends outwardly over wellhead a support platform on which a coiled tubing injector is mounted. The handler collapses into a compact arrangement that allows it and the coiled tubing injector to be transported to a well site on a vehicle or trailer, and then used at the well site to raise, position and support the coiled tubing injector connected to a blow out preventer and riser assembly for connection to a well head. The support platform may be tilted backward and forward, shifted from side-to-side, and raised and lowered on the platform.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2015Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, LPInventors: Mike Xiaolei Lu, David W. McCulloch
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Patent number: 9309758Abstract: A method and/or a system determines mechanical properties of a fluid-bearing formation. One or more packers may be used to measure and/or collect data regarding mechanical properties of a formation. The formation characteristics may be, for example, the stability of the formation, design parameters for frac-pack/gravel-pack operations, and sand production. The packer may expand within a wellbore of a formation until enough pressure is applied to fracture a wall of the wellbore. Before, during and/or after the fracturing of the wall, multiple measurements may be taken by the packer. After fractures are initiated, fluid may be pumped into and/or drawn from the formation using drains disposed on the packer. Additional packers may be used above and/or below the packer for isolating intervals of the wellbore.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2013Date of Patent: April 12, 2016Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Pierre-Yves Corre, Jean-Louis Pessin, Julian Pop
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Patent number: 9303499Abstract: A method for enhancing the recovery of hydrocarbon deposit includes the step of sensing a material property of an underground volume. A three-dimensional map identifying the spatial variation in the sensed material property of the underground volume is generated. Propagating electromagnetic radiation is transmitted in the volume based on the map. The propagating electromagnetic radiation transmission is varied in at least one of frequency, polarization, wavelength, frequency, amplitude, mode, and phase in response to the variation in the material property of a region within the volume to which the propagating electromagnetic radiation is directed. Accordingly, the volume is heated in a spatially varying manner to heat material in the volume and thereby induce the flow of hydrocarbon deposits from the volume.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2012Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: Elwha LLCInventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
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Patent number: 9297211Abstract: Polycrystalline diamond constructions comprises a diamond body attached to a metallic substrate, and having an engineered metal content. The body comprises bonded together diamond crystals with a metal material disposed interstitially between the crystals. A body working surface has metal content of 2 to 8 percent that increases moving away therefrom. A transition region between the body and substrate includes metal rich and metal depleted regions having controlled metal content that provides improved thermal expansion matching/reduced residual stress. A point in the body adjacent the metal rich zone has a metal content that is at least about 3 percent by weight greater than that at a body/substrate interface. The metal depleted zone metal content increases gradually moving from the body, and has a thickness greater than 1.25 mm. Metal depleted zone metal content changes less about 4 percent per millimeter moving along the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2007Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: SMITH INTERNATIONAL, INC.Inventors: Yuelin Shen, Youhe Zhang, Guodong Zhan
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Patent number: 9284785Abstract: A drill bit for drilling a borehole in an earthen formation may include a bit body having a bit axis and a direction of rotation about the bit axis; at least two blades extending azimuthally from the bit body; and a plurality of cutting elements disposed on the at least two blades; the plurality of cutting elements forming a cutting profile in a rotated profile view, each cutting element having a radial distance from the bit axis. At least one blade, at its formation facing surface, may include, between two radially adjacent cutting elements on the at least one blade, a raised depth of cut feature for each cutting element on the other of the at least two blades that are at radial distances from the bit axis intermediate the radial distances from the bit axis of the radially adjacent cutting elements on the at least one blade.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: Smith International, Inc.Inventor: Kjell Haugvaldstad
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Patent number: 9284786Abstract: A downhole cutting tool for drilling a borehole in an earthen formation may include a tool body having a tool axis and a direction of rotation about the tool axis; at least two blades attached to the tool body, the at least two blades having a leading face facing the direction of rotation of the tool body about the tool axis, a trailing face facing away from the direction of rotation of the tool body about the tool axis, and a formation facing surface extending between the leading face and the trailing face; and a plurality of cutting elements disposed on the at least two blades, each cutting element having a radial distance from the tool axis; wherein at least one blade, at its formation facing surface, comprises, between two radially adjacent cutting elements on the at least one blade, a raised depth of cut feature for each cutting element on the other of the at least two blades that are at radial distances from the tool axis intermediate the radial distances from the tool axis of the radially adjacent cuttType: GrantFiled: October 16, 2013Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: Smith International, Inc.Inventor: Kjell Haugvaldstad
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Patent number: 9284800Abstract: An assembly of a drill pipe and a connector (10) for connecting a hose (50) to a side-bore (52) of a the drill pipe (54), the drill pipe (54) having a wall (54a) enclosing a main bore (54b), and the side-bore (52) extending through the wall (54a) from the main bore (54b) to the exterior of the drill pipe (54), the connector (10) comprising a hose connector body (12) which forms a first end of the connector (10) which is adapted to be connected to the hose (50), and a drill pipe connector body (14) which forms a second end of the connector (10) which is connected to the drill pipe (54), the connector (10) having an exterior surface and an interior surface which encloses a bore (20, 22) extending from the first end of the connector (10) to a second end of the connector (10), the drill pipe connector body (12) being provided with at least one bayonet connector formation (44) which extends from the exterior surface of the connector (10) generally radially outwardly relative to the bore (20, 22), the bayonet conneType: GrantFiled: March 31, 2010Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: Managed Pressure Operations PTE Ltd.Inventors: Christian Leuchtenberg, Rae Younger, Alex Macgregor, Jonathan Buckland
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Patent number: 9279302Abstract: A plug counter including a housing sized to receive and pass plugs. A helix sleeve rotatably positioned relative to the housing. The helix sleeve including a helical track having a plurality of consecutive turns. A key positionable relative to the helical track and responsive to movement of the helix sleeve in a first rotational direction, wherein the key prevents further movement of the helix sleeve in the first rotational direction after a selected number of plugs pass through the plug counter.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2013Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: Baker Hughes IncorporatedInventor: Hector H. Mireles
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Patent number: 9273526Abstract: Anchoring systems for disposition in wellbores and tubular devices comprise a tubular member defined by two or more radially expandable slip members. The upper ends of the slip members are shaped such that when the slip members are in their respective run-in positions and in their respective set positions, a portion of an upper end of one slip member overlaps a portion of an upper end of another slip member so that the longitudinal space between each slip member that is created when the slip members are in their set position are blocked by the upper end of at least one of the slip members. Thus, in their set position, the upper end of at least one of the slip members provides a back-up to a sealing element that can be disposed adjacent to and in contact with the upper ends of the slip members when in their set positions.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2013Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: Baker Hughes IncorporatedInventors: Levi B. Oberg, Ying Qing Xu, Gregory L. Hern, Douglas J. Lehr
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Patent number: 9267363Abstract: The present invention relates to a downhole artificial lifting system for introducing fluid into a production casing from an annulus arranged outside the production casing. The production casing has an axial extension and a casing wall with a wall thickness, and the system comprises the production casing which at a first part is surrounded by an intermediate casing creating the annulus which is downwardly closed, and a fluid delivering means pumping fluid into the annulus. The invention also relates to a tool for use in the system and a method.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2010Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: WELLTEC A/SInventors: Jørgen Hallundbæk, Paul Hazel
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Patent number: 9260934Abstract: A rotating control device can include a housing assembly, a body and a clamp device which releasably secures the housing assembly to the body. The clamp device can include a piston which radially displaces a clamp section. A well system can include a rotating control device which includes at least one seal which seals off an annulus between a body of the rotating control device and a tubular string which extends longitudinally through the rotating control device. The rotating control device can also include a piston which displaces longitudinally and selectively clamps and unclamps a housing assembly to the body.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2011Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Craig W. Godfrey, Peter Antonenko, Neal G. Skinner, Fredrick D. Curtis, Derrick W. Lewis
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Patent number: 9249653Abstract: The disclosed downhole gas and solids separator employs centrifugal force for the downhole separation of gases and solids from a hydrocarbon production stream. The separator device generally includes an outer tube and an inner tube disposed within the outer tube. The disclosed separator further includes a flighting member disposed within the inner tube. The flighting member includes an inside diameter space that defines a cylindrical void space extending through the center portion of the flighting member. The disclosed separator also includes an outer annular space inside the outer tube. The outer annular space defines an annular void space between the exterior surface of the inner tube and the interior surface of the outer tube.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2015Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Inventor: Troy Botts
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Patent number: 9242336Abstract: Drill bit (10) for a rock drilling tool (12), and a method of increasing the toughness of the drill bit, which drill bit (10) has a drilling surface (10b) that contacts rock during drilling. A longitudinal cross section (10t) of the drill bit (10) through the drilling surface (10b) exhibits certain relationships of Ltot(depth)/Ltot(5.0) and H(depth)/H(5.0) at the specified depths, along the drill bit's longitudinal axial center line (C) if the drill bit has a length (L) of 10 mm or greater, and Ltot(depth)/Ltot(3.5) and H(depth)/H(3.5) at the specified depths, if the drill bit has a length (L) of 10 mm or less.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2013Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: Atlas Copco Secoroc ABInventors: Jimmy Carlsson, Goran Stenberg, Mattias Rehnstrom
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Patent number: 9239112Abstract: A metal gasket 10 includes a pair of bead plates 14 and 14 having a cylinder hole 12 corresponding to a cylinder bore, a full bead 22 surrounding the cylinder hole, a first intermediate plate 18 interposed between the pair of bead plates, and a shim plate 16 interposed between the first intermediate plate and one bead plate in an area around the cylinder hole. The shim plate 16 is disposed to overlap with the full bead 22, and the thickness of a contact portion 19 to contact with the shim plate 16 of the first intermediate plate changes in the peripheral direction of the cylinder hole.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2007Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignees: NIPPON GASKET CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kenji Uchida, Toru Takasu, Kazuya Yoshijima
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Patent number: 9222339Abstract: Perforating assemblies and perforating safety systems capable of being disposed in a wellbore for hydrocarbon fluid production are described. The perforating assemblies can include an isolation device that is capable of preventing a detonation train when the assemblies are in a first orientation and allowing a detonation train when the perforating assemblies are in a second orientation. The isolation device can be automatically reoriented or reconfigured upon a change in the orientation of the perforating assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2013Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Justin Lee Mason, John Hales
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Patent number: 9222929Abstract: The present disclosure relates to solvent surveillance in heavy oil production. A method includes the steps of measuring an amount of a native bitumen marker (NBM) in a heavy oil, measuring an amount of the NBM in a recovery-aid solvent, measuring an amount of the NBM in a blend including the heavy oil and the recovery-aid solvent, and applying a blending model to determine a fraction of the recovery-aid solvent in the blend.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2010Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Tapantosh Chakrabarty, Scott E. Hommema, Joseph L. Feimer
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Patent number: 9222331Abstract: A well isolation includes a radially expandable sealing element that engages an interior wall of the wellbore tubular and a radially expandable expansion cone in telescopic relationship with the sealing element. The expansion cone expands the sealing element and a swage telescopically engages and expands the expansion cone.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2013Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: OWEN OIL TOOLS LPInventors: Kurt Schneidmiller, Timothy Edward LaGrange, Bradley Vass