Patents Examined by Robert E. Fuller
  • Patent number: 11891858
    Abstract: An apparatus for combined coring and drilling in a wellbore that includes a core drilling assembly with a coring drill head, an outer tubing for conveying forces to the drill head, an inner tubing with a lower end adapted for receiving a core sample. The apparatus further includes: a lifting device; closure elements with embedded cutting implements for cutting the core sample; and one or more controller device(s) for controlling activation and deactivation of the closure elements. The closure elements are connected to the core drilling assembly below an opening of the inner tubing such that, when in an open position the core sample can enter the inner tubing, and when in a closed position core material is cut and the cut core material is prevented from entering the inner tubing and exits to the borehole annulus via drill head openings provided in the wall of the coring drill head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: COREALL AS
    Inventors: Per Erik Berger, Alf Erik Berle
  • Patent number: 11891892
    Abstract: A square pile construction method and equipment of a rotary drilling rig are disclosed. The square pile construction method includes: site leveling; surveying and setting out; creating concrete retaining wall of wellhead; putting the drilling rig in place; adjusting the verticality of the drilling rig; lead hole drilling; reamed hole drilling; square hole drilling; hole cleaning with round drill bit; and hole cleaning with square drill bit. The square pile construction method and rotary drilling rig can use equipment for square pile construction in the whole process. Three kinds of square pile drill bits and a square pile hole cleaning drill bit in cooperation with the square pile construction method, which further realizes the mechanization of the whole process of square pile construction, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Chengdu Xinhao Foundation Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Biao Zheng, Jie Zheng, Changwei Li
  • Patent number: 11892861
    Abstract: An autonomous flow control device with pilot amplification includes a primary valve responsive to changes in fluid composition, and a pilot valve responsive to and more sensitive to changes in fluid composition than the primary valve and configured to aid change in position of the primary valve in the event of a change in fluid composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Oscar Becerra Moreno
  • Patent number: 11891865
    Abstract: A full-face shaft tunnel boring machine system includes a tunnel boring machine cutterhead device for tunneling downwards in a shaft; a full-hydraulic formwork device for supporting and walling in a wellbore; and an upper muck-discharge system for vertically conveying rock mucks generated by tunneling. The tunnel boring machine cutterhead device comprises a vertical guide frame, a cutter-expanded boring head and an advanced cutterhead that are fixedly connected in a vertical order from top to bottom so as to form an integrated structure. The vertical guide frame is a hollow cylindrical structure and driven to rotate around an axis of the vertical guide frame by a power mechanism, and an outer wall of the vertical guide frame is provided with multiple sets of first guide rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignees: HEFEI DESIGN & RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF COAL INDUSTRY CO., LTD, UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BEIJING, CHINA COAL NO.3 CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION (GROUP) LTD, ANSTEEL GROUP MINING CORPORATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Huidong Xu, Renshu Yang, Bin Xu, Ning Liu, Guang Li, Yong Zhang, Jinghui Ye, Lin Lv, Fei Ma, Donghui Man, Tingting Bao, Zheng Li, Yingcan Liu, Guozheng Zhou, Bo Ding
  • Patent number: 11867014
    Abstract: A drilling assembly for making a passage in an object within a petroleum well. The drilling assembly comprises a drill bit assembly, a cutting assembly, and both assemblies are fastened to a rotatable drive assembly. The drill bit assembly comprises a drill bit. The cutting assembly comprises a hole saw assembly. The cutting assembly is resiliently displaceable to the drill bit assembly. The drilling assembly comprises a displaceable membrane within the tubular body. The membrane divides an interior of the tubular body in a receiving compartment and an inner compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Altus Intervention (Technologies) AS
    Inventors: Kristine Falk Gabrielsen, Arne Motland, Lasse Haugland
  • Patent number: 11867026
    Abstract: A system for cooling drilling fluid circulating in a wellbore drilled by a wellbore drilling system includes a drilling fluid conduit positioned at a surface location separate from a wellhead of the wellbore. Drilling fluid flowed from the wellbore and an outer jacket passes through the drilling fluid conduit. An inner surface of the outer jacket at least partially defines an interior volume within which the drilling fluid conduit is at least partially disposed. The interior volume is at least partially filled with liquid nitrogen, such that the drilling fluid passing through the drilling fluid conduit is cooled by heat exchange with the liquid nitrogen across a wall of the drilling fluid conduit prior to flowing back into the wellbore via a mud pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Waheed Syed Arshad, Misfer J. Almarri, Bilal Tariq, Mohammad H. Altwaijri
  • Patent number: 11867020
    Abstract: The method comprising providing a eutectic alloy based downhole tool comprising a tubular body with eutectic alloy located on an outer surface thereof, said tool having an outer diameter with a clearance from the inner diameter of the well. The downhole tool is delivered to a target region within an oil/gas well where the tool is to be deployed. Once the tool is in position within the well a tubular expanding tool is run through the interior of the tubular body so as to increase the outer diameter of the sealing downhole tool and in so doing reduce the clearance between the alloy and the well. A heater is deployed within the tubular body proximal to the alloy and operated to melt the alloy. The alloy is then allowed to cool and resolidify, whereby the tool is sealed in place within the target region of the well using the alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: BiSN Tec. Ltd.
    Inventor: Paul Carragher
  • Patent number: 11867012
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first body, a second body, a shear pin, and a divider. The first body includes a coupling. The second body includes a cutter blade. The shear pin is configured to hold the position of the second body relative to the first body in an open position. The coupling is configured to couple the first body to the second body in a closed position. In the open position, the apparatus defines first and second flow paths for fluids and solids to pass through the apparatus. The first flow path is defined through the first body and through an inner bore of the divider. The second flow path is defined through the first body and through an annulus surrounding the divider. In the closed position, the second flow path is closed, such that solids remain in the annulus surrounding the divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Graham Hitchcock, Michael Affleck, Aslan Bulekbay
  • Patent number: 11867007
    Abstract: The present invention pertains novel coil tubing units and methods of stabbing. The coiled tubing unit has a tubing reel; a tubing guide operably connected to the tubing reel; and an injector operably connected to the tubing guide. The injector is configured to move toward or away from the tubing reel. This advantageously allows for more convenient, effective, and/or potentially safer stabbing methods to be employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: PREMIER COIL SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: M. Brett Witte, Randall Dean Behrens, Michael Bailey
  • Patent number: 11851995
    Abstract: A choke valve system operable to obtain sand production measurements from a sand production sensor, compare the sand production measurements to a target sand production range for a current setting of a choke valve, and, in response to determining that the sand production measurements are outside of the target sand production range, adjust the setting of the choke valve in an effort to bring the sand production of the well into a target sand production range, and generate an alert regarding the out of range sand production measurements and the corresponding adjustment of the choke valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Abdulrahman Ahmari
  • Patent number: 11851960
    Abstract: An adaptive seat is run in with an isolating object to beyond a landing location for the adaptive seat. The adaptive seat is released to expand and engage the surrounding tubular. Pressure from below acts on the object and propels the object against the adaptive seat. The object and the adaptive seat move in the tubular to a nearby landing location such as a groove or recess in a sub that is part of the string or another location such as a tubular joint where the adaptive seat finds support. An upper portion of the borehole is isolated for a time from formation pressure to allow running in an ESP from the surface. The object is removed by degradation or from being structurally undermined and the ESP is operated to produce the formation. One or more removable barriers are contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: DISRUPTIVE DOWNHOLE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: John Murray Tough, Stephen L. Crow, Geoffrey Andrew Patton
  • Patent number: 11846147
    Abstract: A device for hydraulically operating a drive wheel of a wellbore tractor has, in certain embodiments, at least one cam and a rotatable assembly arranged to be rotatable with respect to the cam about an axis of rotation. The rotatable assembly has at least one piston. The device also has a chamber and at least one supply port for supplying hydraulic fluid from the chamber to the piston for energizing the piston, the supply port being arranged to be moved between first and second positions relative to the cam. In the first position, the piston can connect to the supply port and be energized to impart force against the cam for producing forward rotation of the assembly. In the second position, the piston can connect to the supply port and be energized to impart force against the cam for producing reverse rotation of the assembly. Related distributor assembly, wellbore tractor, and method are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Altus Intervention (Technologies) AS
    Inventor: Gerald McInally
  • Patent number: 11840901
    Abstract: A welding tool consisting of a tubular body having a lateral end and a pin end. The pin end has external threads disposed around an external circumferential surface of the pin end. The lateral end comprises an inner wall defining an orifice. Additionally, a heat proof shell is disposed circumferentially around the lateral end. The welding tool further includes a battery housing. The battery housing encloses a plurality of batteries which store energy. The welding tool further includes a welding element disposed on an inner surface of the orifice and an electric line. The electric line is coiled within the tubular body and physically contacts the welding element and is electrically connected to the plurality of batteries. The welding tool further includes a controller. The controller is capable of receiving and parsing mud pulse signals and controlling the release of stored energy from the batteries to the electric line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Abdulaziz D. Alqahtani, Omar M. Alhamid, Muaath S. Bajunaid
  • Patent number: 11840900
    Abstract: A vibratory casing recovery bottom hole assembly and a method of recovering casing in a wellbore. The vibratory casing recovery bottom hole assembly includes a casing spear, a flow modifier and a dynamic amplification tool. The flow modifier produces cyclic variations in fluid pressure through the assembly at a first frequency and the bottom hole assembly is configured to have a natural or resonant frequency when vibrated to be near or at the first frequency. The dynamic amplification tool induces vibration in the bottom hole assembly while ensuring the dynamic amplification factor of the system is greater than one so as to transmit maximum vibration to the casing at the casing spear. Embodiments of dynamic amplification tools are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: ARDYNE HOLDINGS LIMITED
    Inventors: Hans Christian Karlsen, Eskild Storteig, Alagappan Vishwanathan, Michael Wardley, James Linklater
  • Patent number: 11840896
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for collecting fluid from a drill string or borehole casing includes a collection casing having means for sealably engaging around a drill string or borehole casing to create a chamber between the interior of the collection casing and the drill string or borehole casing, and one or more fluid nozzles for directing cleaning fluid into the interior of the chamber. The one or more nozzles are configured to direct cleaning fluid to impact the inwardly facing interior surface of the collection casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Inventor: Mark Paton
  • Patent number: 11834917
    Abstract: A sleeve can be used as a stop collar on tubing. A fusible element disposed about the inside or outside surface of the collar can be accessed by electrodes via the at least one access point in the collar. An insulator insulates the fusible element from the collar, while the electrodes apply electric current to the fusible element. A fusible material of the fusible element is heated to melting in response to the applied electric current and affixes the collar to the tubing with a metallurgical bond formed from the melting and re-solidifying of the fusible material inside a space between the first circumferential surface of the collar and the opposing circumferential surface of the tubing. The fusible material can be heated to melting directly with the electric current, or an ignitable material activated with the electric current can melt the fusible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: David W. Teale
  • Patent number: 11834919
    Abstract: A method of deploying a plug in a subterranean well can include positioning a tool string in the well, the tool string including a plug release tool and a well tool, then releasing the plug from the plug release tool, and then operating the well tool in response to the releasing the plug. A plug release tool for use in a subterranean well can include an outer housing, and an insert secured in the outer housing, the insert including multiple longitudinally extending flow passages formed through the insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: THRU TUBING SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Roger L. Schultz, Timothy Manke, Andrew M. Ferguson
  • Patent number: 11828132
    Abstract: A well plugging technique that includes a downhole plug system to be disposed downhole in a well and including a plug bladder system including an inflatable bladder (to be inflated with a resin) and a check valve (to facilitate flow of the resin into, and inhibit back flow of the resin out of, the bladder), and a plug deployment system including a resin chamber to house the resin and a resin deployment system to urge the resin to flow from the resin chamber, through the check valve and into the inflatable bladder while the downhole plug system is disposed downhole in the well, to inflate the plug bladder system into sealing contact with a surrounding downhole portion of the well. The resin including a hardening resin adapted to harden inside of the inflatable bladder to form a hardened plug downhole in the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Ahmed Hashim, Abdul Halim Ab Hamid
  • Patent number: 11828122
    Abstract: A pump down device is deployed at an anchor point in a pipe to perform a pipe severing operation. The pump down device includes: a cutting head positioned at one end of the pump down device that severs the pipe; one or more centralizers that are positioned adjacent to the cutting head and configured to provide friction for deployment of the pump down device at the anchor point and centralize the cutting head; a seal that is positioned near an end opposite to the one end of the pump down device; and an electronics housing that includes a plurality of electronic sensors. The pump down device releases an anchor mechanism upon reaching the anchor point as determined by the plurality of electronic sensors based on preprogrammed inputs. The seal prevents fluid from moving past the pump down device when in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventor: Richard Mark Pye
  • Patent number: 11828118
    Abstract: A system includes a quick access casing coupling, a drill string, a whipstock, a lateral entry locator, a logging tool, and a drill bit. The quick access casing coupling has an inner profile and is installed on a tubular body. The whipstock has a whip face and is removably connected to the drill string. The lateral entry locator is connected to the whipstock and includes an outer surface designed to engage with the inner profile of the quick access casing coupling. Engagement of the outer surface and the inner profile orients the whip face towards a planned location of a lateral. The drill bit is connected to the drill string and is configured to kick off from the whip face into a portion of the circumferential wall adjacent to the planned location to drill the lateral.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventor: Amir Abdelhamid Mohammed Elkawass