Patents Examined by Ronald R Runyan
  • Patent number: 11976532
    Abstract: A slip assembly comprises a plurality of slips provided over a mandrel of a downhole tool, at least one generally cylindrical cone body slidably provided over the mandrel, and at least one biasing member coaxially provided over the mandrel and adapted to apply an axial force against the cylindrical body to maintain the slips in a radially extended position when the tool is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Tryton Tool Services Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Randy Berryman, Tyler Lindstrand
  • Patent number: 11970915
    Abstract: A tubular gripping assembly for handling a tubular includes a housing; a plurality of gripping members for gripping the tubular; a first fluid line for opening the gripping members, the first fluid line having a one-way valve; and second fluid line for closing the gripping members. The tubular gripping assembly also includes an indicator assembly attached to the housing. The indicator assembly has an indicator movable relative to the housing. The indicator assembly also includes a sensor valve configured to open the check valve for fluid communication through the first fluid line in response to relative axial movement between the indicator and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Liess, Georg Zimbelmann
  • Patent number: 11970926
    Abstract: A system includes an upper section, having a first lateral end. The upper section has upper production tubing configured to be a conduit for production fluids, an upper electrical cable configured to transmit electricity, and a sub-surface safety valve fixed to the upper production tubing. The system further includes a lower section having a second lateral end, lower production tubing configured to be a conduit for the production fluids, a lower electrical cable configured to transmit electricity, an electric submersible pump assembly, and an anchor configured to hold the lower section within the casing string. A stinger assembly is fixed to the first lateral end of the upper section, and a stinger receptacle is fixed to the second lateral end of the lower section. The stinger receptacle is configured to receive the stinger assembly and create an electrical connection between the upper section and the lower section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventor: Ahmed Al-Mousa
  • Patent number: 11959337
    Abstract: A drilling unit for drilling a hole, wherein the drilling unit comprising a drilling head (1). Said drilling head (1) further comprising pulling means (2) for pulling a casing (7) into the hole, a pilot bit (3) for drilling a center hole, connecting means and a ring bit assembly (4) for reaming the center hole for the casing (7). Said ring bit assembly (4) being connected to said pilot bit (3) by the connecting means and to said casing (7) by the pulling means (2). Said ring bit assembly (4) comprising a carrier (5) comprising carrier coupling means (23) and a plurality of ring bit segments (6) movably attached to said carrier coupling means (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: MINCON NORDIC OY
    Inventor: Joseph Purcell
  • Patent number: 11959352
    Abstract: A packer assembly includes a packer mandrel and a packing element disposed about the packer mandrel. An upper recovery sleeve is disposed about the packer mandrel and extending between the packer mandrel and an upper end of the packing element, and a lower recovery sleeve is disposed about the packer mandrel and extending between the packer mandrel and a lower end of the packing element. An upper backup assembly is movably disposed about the upper recovery sleeve and adjacent to the upper end of the packing element. A lower backup assembly is movably disposed about the lower recovery sleeve. The lower backup assembly has a lower backup ring assembly configured to enclose an outer surface of the lower end of the packing element. A retrieval sleeve is selectively movable relative to the lower backup ring assembly and configured to at least partially retract the lower backup ring assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Wilbert Mitchell
  • Patent number: 11952848
    Abstract: A downhole tool having a downhole end and an uphole end, including: an anchor assembly positioned proximate to the downhole end; at least one flowmeter assembly selectively positionable from the downhole tool wherein the at least one flowmeter assembly includes a flowmeter having a throughbore generally aligned with an axis of the flowmeter; and a waveguide positioned proximate to the uphole end, wherein the at least one flowmeter assembly is positioned proximate to the anchor, wherein the waveguide extends through the throughbore and is secured at the anchor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikko K. Jaaskelainen, Ronald Glen Dusterhoft
  • Patent number: 11939827
    Abstract: Systems and methods include a computer-implemented method for determining well pressure. Units of pressure-responsive smart polymers are inserted into drilling fluid pumped into a well during a drilling operation. An insertion timestamp associated with each unit is stored indicating times that each unit was inserted. Continuous images and observed characteristics of drilling mud exiting through an annulus of the well and containing the units of smart polymers are captured by a camera. An estimate of a bottom hole pressure (BHP) at a drill bit of the drilling operation is determined using the continuous images, the observed characteristics, and the insertion timestamps associated with each unit of smart polymer. Determining the estimate is based at least in part on executing image processing algorithms, machine-learning models, and deep-learning models. Changes to be made to drilling parameters for the drilling operation are suggested based on the estimated BHP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Mohammed Albassam, Arturo Magana Mora, Chinthaka Pasan Gooneratne, Mohammad Aljubran, Peter Boul
  • Patent number: 11933114
    Abstract: A system for securing a downhole tool to a housing includes a plurality of linear wave springs placed around a chassis. The linear wave strings have an unstressed height that is less than or equal to an annular gap. This reduces the insertion force required to insert the chassis into the housing. The linear wave springs are compressed to increase the amount of radial force applied to the chassis and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xavier Benoist, Nicolas Mornet
  • Patent number: 11927082
    Abstract: A sand screen apparatus for use in a downhole operation for hydrocarbon recovery includes a non-metallic material and a mechanical retainer. The non-metallic material has a compressed state and an expanded state, and includes a base polymer, and one or a plurality of smart fillers dispersed with a polymeric matrix of the non-metallic material. The mechanical retainer compresses the non-metallic material in the compressed state. The one or the plurality of smart fillers react with the base polymer in the expanded state after exposure to a wellbore condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jushik Yun, Rasika Prabhu, Valerie Gisele Helene Lafitte, Julien Debard, Balkrishna Gadiyar, Mehmet Parlar, Camilo Eduardo Zuniga Jurgensen, Chidi Eugene Nwafor
  • Patent number: 11920457
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to a sensor for a downhole tool. The downhole tool can include a collar and a sensor. The sensor can be secured to the collar for measuring one or more operational characteristics of the downhole tool during operation of the downhole tool. The sensor can include a substrate. The sensor can also include a plurality of strain gauges disposed on the substrate. The plurality of strain gauges can be configured to measure axial strains and torsional strains on the collar for measuring the one or more operational characteristics of the downhole tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Svetozar D. Simeonov, Pralay K. Das, Maxim Nikolayevich Yushko, Michael Dewayne Finke
  • Patent number: 11920415
    Abstract: An indexing mechanism includes a piston. An indexing sleeve encases a portion of the piston. The indexing mechanism is longitudinally fixed to the piston, and is rotatable relative to the piston. The indexing sleeve includes an indexing track. An indexing ring surrounds less than an entirety of the indexing sleeve. The indexing ring is rotatable relative to the piston. The indexing ring includes an indexing pin that extends into the indexing track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Josiah Dale Shearon, Juraj Irsa, Patrick Virene
  • Patent number: 11905797
    Abstract: Wellbore for extracting heat from magma and a corresponding method. The method includes the steps of drilling a borehole from a surface and towards a magma chamber; supplying a drilling fluid to an interface between a drill bit and a terminal end of the borehole during drilling; terminating the drilling in response to the borehole achieving a predetermined depth; and supplying a thermodynamic fluid into the borehole to maintain the borehole while completing the wellbore. The drilling fluid lifts cuttings out of the borehole and quenches magma to form a solid phase material that can be cut by the drill bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: EnhancedGEO Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Greg Lindberg, Kimberly C. Conner
  • Patent number: 11898409
    Abstract: A system for deploying downhole components includes a housing apparatus comprising a tool chamber configured to house a plurality of downhole tools and a conveyance configured to run the housing apparatus along the wellbore. The housing apparatus is secured to an end of the conveyance. The system for deploying downhole components also includes an actuation mechanism configured to selectively eject individual downhole tools of the plurality of downhole tools from the housing apparatus at respective locations in the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Bivens, Philippe Quero
  • Patent number: 11891877
    Abstract: A plug and perforation system includes a plug that is configured to isolate formation zones within a wellbore that has a casing. The plug includes a flow control subassembly, an anchoring subassembly, and a sealing device. The flow control subassembly a valve assembly. The valve assembly includes a housing, a valve chamber inside the housing, a valve seat, and a valve element inside the valve chamber. In some embodiments, the valve element is secured to the housing with a frangible matrix that is manufactured as a unitary part with the valve element and the housing. The frangible matrix is designed to fail under a predetermined shearing load to allow the valve element to be pushed into the valve seat. In other embodiments, the valve element is retained by one or more shear pins or shearable threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher Crews, Joseph Mize, Shawn Witt
  • Patent number: 11879309
    Abstract: A method is described for supply of liquid from a liquid storage to a casing string (10,12, 14..) which from a deck (16) on an installation is conveyed down in a well with the help of a pipe handler comprising an elevator, where the liquid is supplied via an uppermost casing (10) which is added to the casing string, and the liquid is supplied through a filling pipe (30) via an outlet nozzle (36) to the top of the casing (10) already during the pipe's (10) screwing into the casing string (10, 12, 14..) where the filling pipe is extended during the liquid supply until the casing string is being lowered down to a position where it is securely locked to the deck (16), and liquid is added to a suitable level in the casing string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Smarthose AS
    Inventors: Helge Hope, Alf Breivik
  • Patent number: 11879302
    Abstract: An extrusion preventing device for incorporation into a sealing element of a well tool device includes a wire wound with a plurality of turns to form a torus-shaped coiled spring. Each turn of the torus-shaped coiled spring is canted. A method for manufacturing a sealing element for a well tool device includes providing a mould shaped as the sealing element; inserting an extrusion preventing device including a wire wound with a plurality of turns to form a torus-shaped coiled spring into the mould; filling molten elastomeric material into the mould, thereby incorporating the torus-shaped coiled spring into the molten elastomeric material; curing the elastomeric material; and retrieving the sealing element from the mould.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Interwell Norway AS
    Inventors: Anders Glad, Thomas Hiorth
  • Patent number: 11873626
    Abstract: A large diameter injection water well is drilled using a drilling derrick and rotary drilling techniques after snubbing in and drilling a short distance with drilling mud, a temporary drilling header is installed below the blowout preventers. Extending downward from the temporary drilling header is a drop pipe with a valve on the lower end thereof. Drilling pipe with attachments on the lower end thereof, are lowered into the drop pipe with the valve closed. After sealing to the drilling pipe, the valve is opened and the drilling pipe and attachments are lowered to the bottom of the well for the normal drilling operation. Thereafter, the drilling pipe and attachments are removed reversing the process of retracting into the drop pipe and closing the valve before removing the seal from the drilling pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Youngquist Brothers, LLC
    Inventors: Harvey Bruce Youngquist, Jr., Brett Alan Youngquist
  • Patent number: 11873691
    Abstract: A technique facilitates anchoring between tubular structures in various well applications. The technique may utilize a load anchor having a radially expandable mandrel with an interior passage. Circumferential biasing members are mounted around the mandrel and each circumferential biasing member has a biasing surface. Additionally, a gripper system is positioned axially between the circumferential biasing members. The gripper system is configured such that engagement with the biasing surface of either circumferential biasing member causes radially outward biasing of the gripper system upon movement of the mandrel in either axial direction. A sealing element also may be disposed about the mandrel. The configuration of the gripper system and the circumferential biasing members protects the sealing element against undue axial movement once the load anchor is radially expanded into engagement with a surrounding surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Wood, Neil Thomson, Davidson Harman
  • Patent number: 11867010
    Abstract: A downhole liner delivery tool includes a housing with a flow path; a detachable nose assembly coupled to the housing and fluidly coupled to the flow path and including one or more retractable grips; a flexible wellbore liner including a first end coupled to the detachable nose assembly and a second end coupled within the housing and stored within the flow path of the housing; a seat formed in the flow path and configured to receive a member dropped in a wellbore to increase a fluid pressure of a fluid resin pumped through the flow path to anchor the one or more retractable grips to a wellbore wall and detach the detachable nose assembly from the housing, the fluid resin further pumped through the flow path to deploy the flexible wellbore liner from the housing and seal the flexible wellbore liner against the wellbore wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Richard Mark Pye
  • Patent number: 11814910
    Abstract: A device for handling a tubular member includes a gripping assembly configured to grip the tubular member. The gripping assembly includes a first arm and a second arm, which are configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position. The device also includes a first plurality of rollers coupled to the first arm and a second plurality of rollers coupled to the second arm. The first plurality of rollers and the second plurality of rollers are configured to grip the tubular member at different locations around a circumference of the tubular member when the first arm and the second arm are in the closed position, and the first plurality of rollers and the second plurality of rollers are configured to rotate the tubular member while the tubular member is being gripped by the gripping assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Erling Tambs, Zhijun Zhou, Thomas Vatne