Patents Examined by Michael Wills, III
  • Patent number: 9593548
    Abstract: Method and system that permits explosive operations to be conducted concurrently with drilling and other wellsite operations involving an electrical top drive mechanism or other components that utilize electricity are disclosed. A platform is placed at a location where subterranean operations are to be performed. A first well bore is drilled in a formation using drilling equipment on the platform by activating a top drive. Concurrently with drilling the first well bore, a perforating operation is performed in a second well bore extending from the platform. The perforating operation is performed using a perforating gun that comprises at least one of an electric isolator and an explosive isolator. The perforating gun is activated when the perforating gun reaches a safe depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Jim T. Hill, Clinton C. Quattlebaum, John D. Burleson, Tony F. Grattan
  • Patent number: 9593551
    Abstract: Packers may be inflated within the wellbore to engage and isolate a portion of the wellbore wall. Charges included within the packers may then be fired to perforate the formation. According to certain embodiments, the charges may be located within drains in the packers that can be subsequently employed to sample the surrounding formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pierre-Yves Corre, Stephane Metayer, Jean-Louis Pessin
  • Patent number: 9593535
    Abstract: This disclosure is related to a perforator tool and a method of using the perforator tool to perforate a formation. The perforator tool can include a first and second sleeve and optionally a third sleeve. The perforator tool can also include at least one perforation opening and at least one circulation port. The sleeves are slidably disposed within the perforator tool and can be displaced to permit perforation of the formation, block the perforation openings and open circulation ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Thru Tubing Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Brett Fears, Jason Burke, Roger Schultz
  • Patent number: 9587435
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described to drill and complete wellbores. Such wellbores include extended reach horizontal wellbores, for example in shales, deep subsea extended reach wellbores, and multilateral wellbores. Specifically, the invention provides simple threaded subassemblies that are added to existing threaded tubular drilling and completion equipment which are used to dramatically increase the lateral reach using that existing on-site equipment. These subassemblies extract power from downward flowing clean mud, or other fluids, in an annulus to provide additional force or torque on tubular elements within the wellbore, while maintaining circulation, to extend the lateral reach of the drilling equipment and completion equipment. These added elements include combinations of The Leaky Seal™, a Cross-Over, The Force Sub™ and The Torque Sub™. The use of such additional simple elements allow lighter drilling equipment to be used to reach a given lateral distance, therefore reducing drilling costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Smart Drilling and Completion, Inc.
    Inventors: William Banning Vail, III, Robert L. Dekle, Damir S. Skerl, James E. Chitwood
  • Patent number: 9587452
    Abstract: Device for controlling and/or operating underwater equipment employed in connection with recovery of hydrocarbons. The device has a hollow sleeve with a number of recesses and a closed volume, in which recesses a movement mechanism, a stopper element and a block release element are mounted. Under cyclic loading, the movement mechanism will be moved relative to the stopper element and the block release element into a position where the block release element via a release pin will open up a connection between the closed volume and a number of relief recesses. At least one push rod is activated for operating in the device's longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Vosstech AS
    Inventor: Stig Ove Bjorgum
  • Patent number: 9580981
    Abstract: An improved liner hanger system is disclosed. The improved liner hanger system comprises a liner hanger positioned within a casing. The liner hanger comprises a spiked portion having one or more spikes, wherein the spikes comprise a flat portion. At least one of the one or more spikes is expandable and the flat portion of each of the one or more spikes interfaces with the casing when the spike is in the expanded position. A liner is coupled to the liner hanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaoguang Allan Zhong, Daniel Keith Moeller
  • Patent number: 9580964
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drilling tool for earth drilling with a drill rod element which can be connected to a rotary drive and can be driven in a rotating manner about a drilling axis, a frame-like housing and at least one removal tooth which is supported in a radially adjustable manner in the housing between a retracted position in the housing and an operating position, in which the at least one removal tooth projects radially from the housing. Furthermore, on the drill rod element in the housing a transmission mechanism is arranged, through which a stroke and/or rotational movement of the drill rod element can be translated into a radial movement for radial adjustment of the at least one removal tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: BAUER SPEZIALTIEFBAU GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Schweiger, Sandor Major, Andreas Stimpfle-Ziegler
  • Patent number: 9580965
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a multiple motor and/or pump array module for a drilling tool comprises a plurality of motors and/or pumps extending axially along generally parallel axes wherein the pumps are positioned along the axes next to each other in a parallel manner in generally the same axial location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: John K. Savage, Kennedy J. Kirkhope
  • Patent number: 9574402
    Abstract: A spreader beam includes a first spreader beam section, where the first spreader beam section is pivotably coupled to the first substructure and a second spreader beam section, where the second spreader beam section is pivotably coupled to the second substructure. The first and second spreader beam sections are positioned to, in an extended position, selectively couple to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Nabors Drilling USA
    Inventor: Ryan Hause
  • Patent number: 9574415
    Abstract: A method of treating a formation includes, setting a treating plug within a structure, withdrawing a mandrel from the treating plug after having set the treating plug, maintaining the setting of the treating plug within the structure without a member extending longitudinally through the treating plug, pumping fluid against a plug seated at the treating plug, treating a formation upstream of the treating plug, and disintegrating at least a portion of the treating plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: YingQing Xu, Zhiyue Xu, Zhihui Zhang
  • Patent number: 9567853
    Abstract: Methods for analyzing sag in a section of a wellbore may utilize computational methods that produce sag profiles, which may be useful in performing further wellbore operations. The computational method may include inputs of at least one wellbore fluid property, at least one wellbore condition relating to a section of a wellbore, at least one operational parameter into a computational method, and any combination thereof. Further, the computational methods may include a mass balance analysis for individual elements of the meshed section of the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandeep D. Kulkarni, Dale E. Jamison
  • Patent number: 9567819
    Abstract: A well system and associated method can include an acoustic generator which can be used to excite a formation with acoustic waves transmitted from the acoustic generator. Another well system and associated method can include an acoustic generator which can transmit acoustic waves into cement surrounding a casing. Another well system and associated method can include an acoustic generator which can be used to transmit acoustic waves into an annulus surrounding a well screen during or after a gravel packing operation. Another well system and associated method can include an acoustic generator which can be connected in a drill string in close proximity to a drill bit, with the acoustic generator transmitting acoustic waves into a formation ahead of the bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Travis W. Cavender, Roger L. Schultz, Daniel D. Gleitman
  • Patent number: 9567817
    Abstract: The exemplary embodiments relate to apparatus and methods for increasing the longevity of an RCD at a wellbore, including a bearing assembly configured for operating in the RCD. The bearing assembly is configured for reducing pressure proximate the bearing assembly including reducing pressure in a radial seal. Top and bottom seals are mounted against a wear sleeve adjacent to an inner member housed within the bearing assembly. The wear sleeve is configured to be sealed by the top seal and the bottom seal as the inner member rotates in the RCD. A pressure reduction system mounted with the RCD is configured to apply pressure via a wellbore pressure between the top seal and the bottom seal, which is lower relative to a pressure above the top seal, and which is higher relative to a pressure below the bottom seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: James W. Chambers
  • Patent number: 9562408
    Abstract: A tubular string is run into a wellbore with a remotely actuated valve near a lower end adjacent a cementing shoe. The valve is triggered to operate without intervention such as by mud pulses generated at the surface and recognized by a sensor linked to a processor adjacent the valve to trigger the valve to close. Alternative actuation systems are envisioned for the valve that is located near the cementing shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Edward T. Wood, Ray P. Vincent, Yang Xu
  • Patent number: 9562429
    Abstract: A wellbore servicing system comprising one or more wellbore tool nodes disposed within a wellbore, wherein each of the one or more wellbore tool nodes is configurable from a first configuration to a second configuration, and a controller node, wherein the controller node communicates with the wellbore tool node via a near field communication (NFC) signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Zachary William Walton, Matthew Todd Howell, Michael Linley Fripp
  • Patent number: 9556710
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for diverting fluids either into or from a well are described. Some embodiments include a diverter conduit that is located in a bore of a tree. The invention relates especially but not exclusively to a diverter assembly connected to a wing branch of a tree. Some embodiments allow diversion of fluids out of a tree to a subsea processing apparatus followed by the return of at least some of these fluids to the tree for recovery. Alternative embodiments provide only one flowpath and do not include the return of any fluids to the tree. Some embodiments can be retro-fitted to existing trees, which can allow the performance of a new function without having to replacing the tree. Multiple diverter assembly embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: ONESUBSEA IP UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Ian Donald, John Reid
  • Patent number: 9556681
    Abstract: A hybrid-type earth boring drill bit is described having fixed cutting blades and rolling cones with cutting elements, wherein the rolling cones are associated with a spindle assembly that may be optionally divorced from the head pin assembly, and which includes bearing members that further include a plurality of polycrystalline diamond elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Ajay V. Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 9551188
    Abstract: A split tube soil sampling system includes a sample tube having an upper end and a lower end, a drive head attached to the upper end of the sample tube, and a cutting shoe attached to the lower end of the sample tube. The sample tube has a first generally semi cylindrical tube segment comprising a first pair of longitudinal edges, and a second generally semi cylindrical tube segment comprising a second pair of longitudinal edges. The first and second tube segments are configured to be joined together along their respective longitudinal edges to form a cylinder having a through bore. The longitudinal edges of the tube segments have interlocking fingers that are mated together to hold the first and second tube segments together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Kejr Inc.
    Inventors: Joel Christy, Kyle Riedel
  • Patent number: 9540927
    Abstract: Continuous measurement indicia between casing collars of a pipe segment of a well bore casing is obtained from signals obtained by sensing innate, persistent and unaltered characteristics, e.g. magnetic permeability, of the pipe segment along its length, and using the signals to perform a downhole function, e.g. a gravity measurement, at an indicated location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Micro-g LaCoste, Inc.
    Inventors: Ethan H. Mann, Andrew James Black, Aaron J. Schiel
  • Patent number: 9540906
    Abstract: A flow control assembly for regulating fluid flow in a wellbore is disclosed. A remote-open ICD is opened in response to swelling of a swellable actuator. The swellable actuator can move a flow regulator radially, circumferentially, etc., such that flow is allowed through the regulator. Alternately, the swellable actuator can move one or more valve members to an open position thereby allowing fluid to flow across the valve and to the flow regulator. The swellable actuator can be swelled in response to introduction of chemicals or heat. A guide mechanism can be used to control swelling of the actuator or movement of the regulator device or valve member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventor: James Kang