Patents by Inventor John P. Broussard
John P. Broussard 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).
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Patent number: 10280718Abstract: A device and method allows a bore valve in the washpipe and in certain instances a port valve or sliding sleeve to open or close upon command from the surface so that gravel slurry may be placed in a wellbore.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2016Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher A. Hall, Ronald van Petegem
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Patent number: 10082007Abstract: A treatment assembly treats zones of a horizontal borehole. For example, the assembly can gravel pack a zone by delivering slurry down a workstring. The slurry exits the workstring's outlet and pass to the borehole annulus of the zone through a flow port in the assembly. The gravel in the slurry can pack the borehole in an alpha-beta wave from toe to heel, and the fluid returns from the borehole flow through a screen back into the assembly. After gravel packing, operators remove excess slurry from the workstring by reverse circulating down the assembly to carry the excess slurry uphole through the workstring. Closures on the assembly prevent the reverse circulation from communicating through the screens to the borehole annulus. Additionally, flow valves can be used on the flow ports to selectively open and close them.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2014Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher A. Hall
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Patent number: 9523264Abstract: A gravel pack assembly has a longitudinal body that disposes in a borehole. A wellscreen and other components can connect to the body to complete the assembly. One or more packoff seals or bushings disposed in the body's inner passage can engage a smooth external surface of a crossover tool when disposed therein to prevent passage of sand and fluids between the tool and the assembly's inner passage. The packoff seals or bushings can be fixed or activated by movement to engage the smooth external surface of the crossover tool.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2011Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: John P. Broussard, Patrick J. Zimmerman, Christopher Hall
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Publication number: 20160356129Abstract: A device and method allows a bore valve in the washpipe and in certain instances a port valve or sliding sleeve to open or close upon command from the surface so that gravel slurry may be placed in a wellbore.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2016Publication date: December 8, 2016Inventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher A. Hall, Ronald van Petegem
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Patent number: 9447661Abstract: An apparatus and method allow gravel pack slurry to be placed in a borehole annulus from the toe towards the heel to reduce the pressure acting upon the heel of the borehole during the gravel placement operation. By reducing the pressure on the heel, the gravel pack slurry may be placed in longer sections of the borehole in a single operation. Additionally, excess slurry in the inner string can be disposed in the borehole annulus around the shoe track of the apparatus, and fluid returns can flow up the apparatus through a bypass.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2012Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher A. Hall, Patrick J. Zimmerman, Brian J. Ritchey, Ronald van Petegem
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Patent number: 9441454Abstract: A device and method allows a bore valve in the washpipe and in certain instances a port valve or sliding sleeve to open or close upon command from the surface so that gravel slurry may be placed in a wellbore.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2013Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher A. Hall, Ronald van Petegem
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Patent number: 9428997Abstract: A gravel pack assembly includes screen sections with a packer between them. A first screen section communicates an uphole annulus with the assembly's interior passage, and a second screen section communicates a downhole annulus with the interior passage. A housing of the packer has an internal bore communicating with the assembly's interior passage and has an internal bypass communicating external ports with one another. A first packer element disposed between the external ports restricts gravel passage at least from the uphole to the downhole annulus. A second packer element disposed downhole from a second of the external ports is independently actuated to isolate fluid passage between the uphole and downhole annulus. One or more transport tubes communicate slurry from the uphole annulus to the internal bypass once the uphole annulus is packed with gravel.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2013Date of Patent: August 30, 2016Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher A. Hall
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Patent number: 9260950Abstract: A gravel packing assembly gravel packs a horizontal borehole. Operators wash down the borehole using an inner string in a first position by flowing fluid from the inner string through the apparatus' toe. Operators then gravel pack by moving the inner string to one or more flow ports between a screen and the toe. Slurry flows into the borehole from the flow ports, and returns from the borehole flow through the screen. The gravel in the slurry can pack the borehole in an alpha-beta wave from toe to heel. In another condition, operators can move the inner string to a second flow port so slurry can flow into the borehole through a shunt extending from the second flow port. When gravel packing is done, operators move the inner string to a port collar in a liner of the assembly to cement the liner in the borehole.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2012Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Weatherford Technologies Holdings, LLCInventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher Hall, Ronald van Petegem, Alvaro J. Arrazola
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Patent number: 9163478Abstract: A device and method that allows a gravel slurry to placed in a wellbore from the toe towards the heel to reduce the pressure acting upon the heel of the wellbore during the gravel placement operation. By reducing the pressure acting upon the heel gravel slurry may be placed in longer sections of the wellbore in a single operation.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2012Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher A. Hall, Patrick J. Zimmerman, Glen Robitaille
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Patent number: 9085960Abstract: A gravel pack operation disposes slurry from an inner string into the annulus around a shoe track. A valve on the shoe track can open and close flow through a port, and seats around the port allow an outlet of the tool to seal with the port. When the valve is open and the outlet sealed with the port, the slurry in the string is pumped into the borehole around the shoe track by flowing the slurry from the outlet into the borehole through the flow port. As this occurs, gravel collects around the shoe track, and fluid returns in the borehole flow back into the shoe track through a screen disposed toward the track's toe. Once inside the shoe track, the fluid returns communicate through a bypass on the shoe track around the sealed outlet and port. At this point, the fluid returns can pass uphole in the gravel pack assembly.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2012Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: Ronald van Petegem, John P. Broussard, Christopher Hall, Patrick J. Zimmerman
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Patent number: 9068435Abstract: A downhole assembly, such as a toe-to-heel gravel pack assembly, has a body with a body passage, outlet ports for slurry, and screens for fluid returns. An inner string deploys in the body to perform the toe-to-heel gravel packing. A telescoping adjustment device allows the inner string to space out properly when deployed to the toe of the assembly. Sealing surfaces or seats of a locating device in the body separate a sealable space and seal against seals on the inner string movably disposed therein. Fluid pumped in the string produces a pressure buildup when the string's port communicates with the sealable space. The pressure buildup indicates that the tool is positioned at a first location in the assembly, and other positions for placement of the tool can then be calculated therefrom.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2012Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: John P. Broussard, Ronald van Petegem, Christopher Hall, Patrick J. Zimmerman, Brian Ritchey, Rockni Van Clief
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Patent number: 9057251Abstract: A downhole assembly, such as a toe-to-heel gravel pack assembly, has a body with a body passage, outlet ports for slurry, and screens for fluid returns. An inner string deploys in the body to perform the toe-to-heel gravel packing. A telescoping adjustment device allows the inner string to space out properly when deployed to the toe of the assembly. Sealing surfaces of a locating device in the body separate a sealable space and seal against seals on the inner string movably disposed therein. Fluid pumped in the string produces a pressure buildup when the string's port communicates with the sealable space. The pressure buildup indicates that the tool is positioned at a first location in the assembly, and other positions for placement of the tool can then be calculated therefrom.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2012Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: John P. Broussard, Ronald van Petegem, Christopher Hall, Patrick J. Zimmerman, Brian Ritchey, Rockni Van Clief
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Publication number: 20150068743Abstract: A gravel pack assembly includes screen sections with a packer between them. A first screen section communicates an uphole annulus with the assembly's interior passage, and a second screen section communicates a downhole annulus with the interior passage. A housing of the packer has an internal bore communicating with the assembly's interior passage and has an internal bypass communicating external ports with one another. A first packer element disposed between the external ports restricts gravel passage at least from the uphole to the downhole annulus. A second packer element disposed downhole from a second of the external ports is independently actuated to isolate fluid passage between the uphole and downhole annulus. One or more transport tubes communicate slurry from the uphole annulus to the internal bypass once the uphole annulus is packed with gravel.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2013Publication date: March 12, 2015Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.Inventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher A. Hall
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Publication number: 20140251609Abstract: A treatment assembly treats zones of a horizontal borehole. For example, the assembly can gravel pack a zone by delivering slurry down a workstring. The slurry exits the workstring's outlet and pass to the borehole annulus of the zone through a flow port in the assembly. The gravel in the slurry can pack the borehole in an alpha-beta wave from toe to heel, and the fluid returns from the borehole flow through a screen back into the assembly. After gravel packing, operators remove excess slurry from the workstring by reverse circulating down the assembly to carry the excess slurry uphole through the workstring. Closures on the assembly prevent the reverse circulation from communicating through the screens to the borehole annulus. Additionally, flow valves can be used on the flow ports to selectively open and close them.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2014Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.Inventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher A. Hall
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Publication number: 20140116713Abstract: A device and method that, on a command from the surface, a seat in a tubular may be moved into the bore of a tubular so that a ball of the appropriate size may be caught. The seat may also be moved out of the bore on command so that a ball of the appropriate size will not be caught by the seat.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2012Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher A. Hall
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Publication number: 20140116678Abstract: A device and method that allows a gravel slurry to placed in a wellbore from the toe towards the heel to reduce the pressure acting upon the heel of the wellbore during the gravel placement operation. By reducing the pressure acting upon the heel gravel slurry may be placed in longer sections of the wellbore in a single operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2012Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher A. Hall, Patrick Zimmerman
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Publication number: 20140116693Abstract: A device and method allows a bore valve in the washpipe and in certain instances a port valve or sliding sleeve to open or close upon command from the surface so that gravel slurry may be placed in a wellbore.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2013Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.Inventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher A. Hall, Ronald van Petegem
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Publication number: 20130118726Abstract: A gravel pack assembly has a longitudinal body that disposes in a borehole. A wellscreen and other components can connect to the body to complete the assembly. One or more packoff seals or bushings disposed in the body's inner passage can engage a smooth external surface of a crossover tool when disposed therein. This sealing prevents passage of sand and fluids between the tool and the assembly's inner passage. Moreover, the smooth external surface makes the tool less likely of becoming stuck in the inner passage. The packoff seals or bushings can be fixed or activated by movement to engage the smooth external surface of the crossover tool.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2011Publication date: May 16, 2013Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.Inventors: John P. Broussard, Patrick J. Zimmerman, Christopher Hall
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Publication number: 20130008652Abstract: An apparatus and method allow gravel pack slurry to be placed in a borehole annulus from the toe towards the heel to reduce the pressure acting upon the heel of the borehole during the gravel placement operation. By reducing the pressure on the heel, the gravel pack slurry may be placed in longer sections of the borehole in a single operation. Additionally, excess slurry in the inner string can be disposed in the borehole annulus around the shoe track of the apparatus, and fluid returns can flow up the apparatus through a bypass.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2012Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.Inventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher A. Hall, Patrick J. Zimmerman, Brian J. Ritchey, Ronald van Petegem
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Publication number: 20130000899Abstract: A gravel packing assembly gravel packs a horizontal borehole. Operators wash down the borehole using an inner string in a first position by flowing fluid from the inner string through the apparatus' toe. Operators then gravel pack by moving the inner string to one or more flow ports between a screen and the toe. Slurry flows into the borehole from the flow ports, and returns from the borehole flow through the screen. The gravel in the slurry can pack the borehole in an alpha-beta wave from toe to heel. In another condition, operators can move the inner string to a second flow port so slurry can flow into the borehole through a shunt extending from the second flow port. When gravel packing is done, operators move the inner string to a port collar in a liner of the assembly to cement the liner in the borehole.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2012Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.Inventors: John P. Broussard, Christopher Hall, Ronald van Petegem, Alvaro J. Arrazola