Patents by Inventor Bradley David Dunbar

Bradley David Dunbar has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11933157
    Abstract: Transmitting and receiving mud pulse pressure waves at a downhole device. The mud pulse pressure waves may be transmitted from a surface mud pulser and/or by a downhole mud pulser to a downhole device. The mud pulse pressure waves may be detected directly by a transducer or indirectly by detecting physical changes induced in the downhole tool by the pressure waves of the mud pulse. The detected physical changes can be converted to a digital signal for use by the downhole tool. The mud pulse pressure waves may encode information including data, or instructions to the downhole devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Bradley David Dunbar, John Leslie Wisinger, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20230313667
    Abstract: A drilling system, assembly, and method may help optimize drilling in a system that involves more than one rotary tool that engages the formation. A rotary tool may be a rotary cutting tool, such as a drill bit or reamer, or some other rotary tool (e.g. stabilizer or rotary steerable tool) that has the potential to drag on the wall of the hole being drilled and take energy away from cutting. In an example, a wellbore or portion thereof is formed by rotating a first rotary cutting tool having a first cutting structure in engagement with one portion of the formation together with a second rotary cutting tool having a second cutting structure in engagement with another portion of the formation. Forces are obtained above and below the second cutting structure. One or more drilling parameter or drill bit design parameter are adjusted in relation to a force differential between the forces above and below the second cutting structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley David Dunbar, Matt Barnes, Brody Dunn, Van Jordan Brackin
  • Patent number: 11761323
    Abstract: A drill bit may comprise a bit body including an electronic housing, one or more electronics coupled within the electronic housing, a transducer housing coupled to the electronic housing, a first transducer seated in the transducer housing, a first pressure tube extending through the bit body and coupled to the transducer housing, and a floating ball in the first pressure tube. A method may comprise allowing a drilling fluid to move through a first entrance and into a pressure tube formed in a bit body of the drill bit, allowing the drilling fluid to exert a force on a floating ball placed within the pressure tube, allowing the floating ball to transmit the force to a fluid placed within the pressure tube on an opposing side of the floating ball from the drilling fluid, and measuring pressure of the fluid with a first transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley David Dunbar
  • Patent number: 11748531
    Abstract: Design parameters for PDC drill bit including in-cone depth of cut controllers (DOCCs) are correlated to instances of coupled vibrations in the axial, lateral, and torsional directions occurring during downhole drilling. Design parameters are quantified by drilling efficiency (DE), average in-cone DOCC contact area, average weight on bit (WOB) taken off by in-cone DOCC, and average torque on bit (TOB) taken off by in-cone DOCC. Design guidelines to mitigate coupled vibrations are generated by correlating design parameter quantifiers and instances of coupled vibrations. Potential drill bit designs are then validated against the generated guidelines in order to mitigate vibration in future drilling runs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Shilin Chen, Christopher Charles Propes, Curtis Clifford Lanning, Bradley David Dunbar
  • Patent number: 11708755
    Abstract: A drilling system, assembly, and method may help optimize drilling in a system that involves more than one rotary tool that engages the formation. A rotary tool may be a rotary cutting tool, such as a drill bit or reamer, or some other rotary tool (e.g. stabilizer or rotary steerable tool) that has the potential to drag on the wall of the hole being drilled and take energy away from cutting. In an example, a wellbore or portion thereof is formed by rotating a first rotary cutting tool having a first cutting structure in engagement with one portion of the formation together with a second rotary cutting tool having a second cutting structure in engagement with another portion of the formation. Forces are obtained above and below the second cutting structure. One or more drilling parameter or drill bit design parameter are adjusted in relation to a force differential between the forces above and below the second cutting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley David Dunbar, Matt Barnes, Brody Dunn, Van Jordan Brackin
  • Patent number: 11692428
    Abstract: A method for using a mud motor may comprise drilling a borehole into a formation using a drill string connected to the mud motor and the mud motor is connected to a drill bit, measuring one or more parameters of the mud motor in the borehole, and sending the one or more parameters to surface. A system may comprise a mud motor connected to a drill string, a drill bit connected to the mud motor, a strain gauge, and in information handling system. The strain gauge may be connected to the drill bit and configured to take one or more parameters of the mud motor. The information handling system may be in communication with the strain gauge and configured to record the one or more parameters from the strain gauge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Lyn Duane Labahn, John Leslie Wisinger, Jr., Bradley David Dunbar
  • Patent number: 11687690
    Abstract: A method for developing design rules for mitigating cutting-induced stick-slip vibration includes determining at least one value for one or more drill bit performance parameters for a design of a drill bit. The one or more drill bit performance parameters include a functional characteristic of a depth of cut controller of the drill bit. The method includes correlating one or more instances of cutting-induced stick-slip vibration for at least one prior drilling operation to the at least one value for the one or more drill bit performance parameters. The method includes generating drill bit design rules that mitigate cutting-induced stick-slip vibration based on the correlating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Shilin Chen, Christopher Charles Propes, Curtis Clifford Lanning, Bradley David Dunbar
  • Patent number: 11649681
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a fixed-cutter drill bit including a bit body defining a bit rotational axis, a plurality of blades each having an inner end that is radially closer to the bit rotational axis than a remainder of the respective blade, a central bit surface, and a plurality of cutters disposed on the blades and including an innermost cutter located closest among all of the plurality of cutters to the bit rotational axis and having a flattened cutting surface, a cutting arc, and a relief having ends which is located within and interrupts the cutting arc such that the cutting arc includes at least two portions located on opposite ends of the relief. The disclosure also provides a drilling system including the drill bit and a drill string attached to the drill bit and a surface assembly to rotate the drill string and drill bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley David Dunbar
  • Publication number: 20230137825
    Abstract: A drilling system, assembly, and method may help optimize drilling in a system that involves more than one rotary tool that engages the formation. A rotary tool may be a rotary cutting tool, such as a drill bit or reamer, or some other rotary tool (e.g. stabilizer or rotary steerable tool) that has the potential to drag on the wall of the hole being drilled and take energy away from cutting. In an example, a wellbore or portion thereof is formed by rotating a first rotary cutting tool having a first cutting structure in engagement with one portion of the formation together with a second rotary cutting tool having a second cutting structure in engagement with another portion of the formation. Forces are obtained above and below the second cutting structure. One or more drilling parameter or drill bit design parameter are adjusted in relation to a force differential between the forces above and below the second cutting structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley David Dunbar, Matt Barnes, Brody Dunn, Van Jordan Brackin
  • Publication number: 20230108781
    Abstract: As a wellbore is extended into a formation, hydrostatic and hydrodynamic pressures change due to variations in drilling mud weight, fluid density, etc. Strain gauges downhole measure forces experienced by drilling equipment also experience strain due to hydrostatic and hydrodynamic pressures. In order to measure strain due to drilling, hydrostatic and hydrodynamic pressure contributions are removed from strain measurement by removal of a pressure-effect offset, which zeroes or tares the strain measurements. Values of the pressure-effect offset can also be monitored to check that strain measurements are accurately zeroed or to monitor wellbore operations and conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Bradley David Dunbar, Van Jordan Brackin, Paul Gerard Cairns
  • Publication number: 20230108851
    Abstract: As a wellbore is extended into a formation, hydrostatic and hydrodynamic pressures change due to variations in drilling mud weight, fluid density, etc. Strain gauges downhole measure forces experienced by drilling equipment. During drilling, a strain gauge measures strain applied between the drill string and the formation. When off bottom, the strain gauge measures forces experienced by the drill string other than drilling forces. A pressure calculator converts off bottom strain gauge measurements into measurements of hydrostatic pressure for periods without fluid flow (i.e., when drilling motors are paused) and into measurements of hydrodynamic pressure for periods with fluid flow (i.e., when mud motors are operating). The pressure calculator correlates strain measurements (usually in voltages) to pressure based on a predetermined relationship for a given wellbore geometry (e.g., hole diameter, drill bit diameter, drill pipe diameter, etc.).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Bradley David Dunbar, Yi Pan, Paul Gerard Cairns
  • Patent number: 11619123
    Abstract: A downhole drilling tool comprises an earth-boring drill bit including a bit body and a shank coupled to the bit body. The drill bit includes a motion puck positioned in a cavity of the shank, wherein the motion puck includes a motion sensor to detect movement indicating a force applied to the earth-boring drill bit during a drilling operation. The drill bit includes a strain puck positioned in the cavity of the shank, wherein the strain puck includes a strain gauge to measure the force applied to the earth-boring drill bit during the drilling operation. The drill bit includes a plurality of blades disposed on exterior portions of the bit body, each blade having respective cutting elements disposed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley David Dunbar
  • Publication number: 20220121791
    Abstract: A method for developing design rules for mitigating cutting-induced stick-slip vibration includes determining at least one value for one or more drill bit performance parameters for a design of a drill bit. The one or more drill bit performance parameters include a functional characteristic of a depth of cut controller of the drill bit. The method includes correlating one or more instances of cutting-induced stick-slip vibration for at least one prior drilling operation to the at least one value for the one or more drill bit performance parameters. The method includes generating drill bit design rules that mitigate cutting-induced stick-slip vibration based on the correlating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Shilin Chen, Christopher Charles Propes, Curtis Clifford Lanning, Bradley David Dunbar
  • Publication number: 20220121790
    Abstract: Design parameters for PDC drill bit including in-cone depth of cut controllers (DOCCs) are correlated to instances of coupled vibrations in the axial, lateral, and torsional directions occurring during downhole drilling. Design parameters are quantified by drilling efficiency (DE), average in-cone DOCC contact area, average weight on bit (WOB) taken off by in-cone DOCC, and average torque on bit (TOB) taken off by in-cone DOCC. Design guidelines to mitigate coupled vibrations are generated by correlating design parameter quantifiers and instances of coupled vibrations. Potential drill bit designs are then validated against the generated guidelines in order to mitigate vibration in future drilling runs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Shilin Chen, Christopher Charles Propes, Curtis Clifford Lanning, Bradley David Dunbar
  • Patent number: 11293232
    Abstract: A drill bit can include a bit body having an upper portion, a central bore, and an adjustable inner gauge. The central bore can define a bore surface, and the bit body can include a plurality of fixed cutters formed on the upper portion. The adjustable inner gauge may be movably positioned within the bit body central bore to increase or decrease an exposed area of the bore surface for adjusting stability or steerability of the drill bit while forming the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley David Dunbar
  • Publication number: 20220018239
    Abstract: Transmitting and receiving mud pulse pressure waves at a downhole device. The mud pulse pressure waves may be transmitted from a surface mud pulser and/or by a downhole mud pulser to a downhole device. The mud pulse pressure waves may be detected directly by a transducer or indirectly by detecting physical changes induced in the downhole tool by the pressure waves of the mud pulse. The detected physical changes can be converted to a digital signal for use by the downhole tool. The mud pulse pressure waves may encode information including data, or instructions to the downhole devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Applicant: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Bradley David DUNBAR, John Leslie WISINGER, JR.
  • Publication number: 20220010637
    Abstract: A drill bit may comprise a bit body including an electronic housing, one or more electronics coupled within the electronic housing, a transducer housing coupled to the electronic housing, a first transducer seated in the transducer housing, a first pressure tube extending through the bit body and coupled to the transducer housing, and a floating ball in the first pressure tube. A method may comprise allowing a drilling fluid to move through a first entrance and into a pressure tube formed in a bit body of the drill bit, allowing the drilling fluid to exert a force on a floating ball placed within the pressure tube, allowing the floating ball to transmit the force to a fluid placed within the pressure tube on an opposing side of the floating ball from the drilling fluid, and measuring pressure of the fluid with a first transducer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley David Dunbar
  • Publication number: 20220003047
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a fixed-cutter drill bit including a bit body defining a bit rotational axis, a plurality of blades each having an inner end that is radially closer to the bit rotational axis than a remainder of the respective blade, a central bit surface, and a plurality of cutters disposed on the blades and including an innermost cutter located closest among all of the plurality of cutters to the bit rotational axis and having a flattened cutting surface, a cutting arc, and a relief having ends which is located within and interrupts the cutting arc such that the cutting arc includes at least two portions located on opposite ends of the relief. The disclosure also provides a drilling system including the drill bit and a drill string attached to the drill bit and a surface assembly to rotate the drill string and drill bit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventor: Bradley David Dunbar
  • Patent number: 11162350
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a downhole drilling tool that may include: an earth-boring drill bit including: a bit body; a shank coupled to the bit body; a strain puck removably coupled to the earth-boring drill bit, the strain puck including a strain gauge to collect data indicating a downhole force applied to the earth-boring drill bit during a drilling operation; and a plurality of blades disposed on exterior portions of the bit body, each blade having respective cutting elements disposed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley David Dunbar
  • Publication number: 20210148216
    Abstract: A method for using a mud motor may comprise drilling a borehole into a formation using a drill string connected to the mud motor and the mud motor is connected to a drill bit, measuring one or more parameters of the mud motor in the borehole, and sending the one or more parameters to surface. A system may comprise a mud motor connected to a drill string, a drill bit connected to the mud motor, a strain gauge, and in information handling system. The strain gauge may be connected to the drill bit and configured to take one or more parameters of the mud motor. The information handling system may be in communication with the strain gauge and configured to record the one or more parameters from the strain gauge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Lyn Duane Labahn, John Leslie Wisinger, JR., Bradley David Dunbar