Patents by Inventor Lee Wayne Stepp
Lee Wayne Stepp 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: 7234517Abstract: A system and method for determining load on a downhole tool according to which one or more sensors are embedded in one or more components of the tool or in a material on one or more of the components. The sensors are adapted to sense load on the components.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2004Date of Patent: June 26, 2007Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Steven G. Streich, Roger L. Schultz, James C. Tucker, Lee Wayne Stepp, Phillip M. Starr
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Patent number: 7048066Abstract: A downhole tool apparatus for insertion into and sealing engagement with a wellbore. The downhole tool includes upper and lower casing engaging members and an intervening sealing member. In one aspect the intervening sealing member may be a deformable material. In another aspect, the intervening sealing member may be a flowable material cured in the well bore.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2002Date of Patent: May 23, 2006Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Paul D. Ringgenberg, Gregory W. Vargus, Lee Wayne Stepp, Donald R. Smith, Ronald L. Hinkie, Don S. Folds
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Patent number: 6966386Abstract: A downhole tool apparatus for insertion into and sealing engagement with a wellbore. The apparatus comprises a tube having an expandable diameter, and a gripping member joined to the tube adapted to engage a portion of the wellbore to limit movement of the tube within the wellbore. The tube may also include a sealing member adapted to mate with the wellbore to form a sealing engagement.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2002Date of Patent: November 22, 2005Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Paul D. Ringgenberg, Gregory W. Vargus, Lee Wayne Stepp, Donald R. Smith, Ronald L. Hinkie, Don S. Folds
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Publication number: 20040069503Abstract: A downhole tool apparatus for insertion into and sealing engagement with a wellbore. The downhole tool includes upper and lower casing engaging members and an intervening sealing member. In one aspect the intervening sealing member may be a deformable material. In another aspect, the intervening sealing member may be a flowable material cured in the well bore.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2002Publication date: April 15, 2004Inventors: Paul D. Ringgenberg, Gregory W. Vargus, Lee Wayne Stepp, Donald R. Smith, Ronald L. Hinkie, Don S. Folds
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Publication number: 20040069485Abstract: A downhole tool apparatus for insertion into and sealing engagement with a wellbore. The apparatus comprises a tube having an expandable diameter, and a gripping member joined to the tube adapted to engage a portion of the wellbore to limit movement of the tube within the wellbore. The tube may also include a sealing member adapted to mate with the wellbore to form a sealing engagement.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2002Publication date: April 15, 2004Inventors: Paul D. Ringgengberg, Gregory W. Vargus, Lee Wayne Stepp, Donald R. Smith, Ronald L. Hinkie, Don S. Folds
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Patent number: 6666266Abstract: A wellhead isolation tool comprises a threaded drive rod coaxially aligned with a tubular mandrel having a smooth outer surface. A motor displaces the threaded drive rod vertically without rotating the drive rod to move the tubular mandrel through a wellhead into a tubular element in a well. The lower end of the tubular mandrel will sealingly engage the tubular element in the well so that treating fluids or other substances such as, but not limited to, chemicals and erosive flows, can be displaced therethrough at high pressures into the well to fracture or otherwise treat the well without damaging the wellhead.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2002Date of Patent: December 23, 2003Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Phillip M. Starr, Don S. Folds, Lee Wayne Stepp
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Publication number: 20030205373Abstract: A wellhead isolation tool comprises a threaded drive rod coaxially aligned with a tubular mandrel having a smooth outer surface. A motor displaces the threaded drive rod vertically without rotating the drive rod to move the tubular mandrel through a wellhead into a tubular element in a well. The lower end of the tubular mandrel will sealingly engage the tubular element in the well so that treating fluids or other substances such as, but not limited to, chemicals and erosive flows, can be displaced therethrough at high pressures into the well to fracture or otherwise treat the well without damaging the wellhead.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2002Publication date: November 6, 2003Inventors: Phillip M. Starr, Don S. Folds, Lee Wayne Stepp
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Patent number: 6491116Abstract: A downhole tool for sealing a wellbore. The downhole tool includes a packer with a ball seat defined therein. A sealing ball is carried with the packer into the well. The movement of the sealing ball away from the ball seat is limited by a ball cage which is attached to the upper end of the packer. The ball cage has a plurality of ports therethrough for allowing flow into the ball cage and through the packer at certain flow rates. A spring is disposed in a longitudinal opening of the packer and engages the sealing ball to prevent the sealing ball from engaging the ball seat until a predetermined flow rate is reached. When the packer is set in the hole, flow through the frac plug below a predetermined flow rate is permitted. Once a predetermined flow rate in the well is reached, a spring force of the spring will be overcome and the sealing ball will engage the ball seat so that no flow through the frac plug is permitted.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2002Date of Patent: December 10, 2002Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Kevin T. Berscheidt, Donald R. Smith, Lee Wayne Stepp, Don S. Folds, Gregory W. Vargus
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Patent number: 6481497Abstract: A high temperature, high pressure retrievable packer adapted for service under extreme operating conditions when the packer apparatus is held in the wellbore with a mechanical slip and a barrel slip. The barrel slip has a barrel slip body with a plurality of openings defined in the outer surface of the body. Cylindrical inserts are received in the openings. The cylindrical inserts define upward facing and downward facing gripping edges that will engage casing when the barrel slip body is radially expanded. The inserts are preferably tungsten carbide inserts. A sufficient number of inserts are included along the length and around the circumference of the barrel slip so that the barrel slip can get a good grip in the casing wall. Separate metals may be used for the barrel slip body and the inserts so that a higher yield strength alloy steel may be utilized than is possible with other barrel slip arrangements.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2002Date of Patent: November 19, 2002Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Loren C. Swor, Donald W. Winslow, Lee Wayne Stepp, Kenneth G. Neal, Phillip M. Starr
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Publication number: 20020096365Abstract: A downhole tool for sealing a wellbore. The downhole tool includes a packer with a ball seat defined therein. A sealing ball is carried with the packer into the well. The movement of the sealing ball away from the ball seat is limited by a ball cage which is attached to the upper end of the packer. The ball cage has a plurality of ports therethrough for allowing flow into the ball cage and through the packer at certain flow rates. A spring is disposed in a longitudinal opening of the packer and engages the sealing ball to prevent the sealing ball from engaging the ball seat until a predetermined flow rate is reached. When the packer is set in the hole, flow through the frac plug below a predetermined flow rate is permitted. Once a predetermined flow rate in the well is reached, a spring force of the spring will be overcome and the sealing ball will engage the ball seat so that no flow through the frac plug is permitted.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2002Publication date: July 25, 2002Inventors: Kevin T. Berscheidt, Donald R. Smith, Lee Wayne Stepp, Don S. Folds, Gregory W. Vargus
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Publication number: 20020088616Abstract: A high temperature, high pressure retrievable packer adapted for service under extreme operating conditions when the packer apparatus is held in the wellbore with a mechanical slip and a barrel slip. The barrel slip has a barrel slip body with a plurality of openings defined in the outer surface of the body. Cylindrical inserts are received in the openings. The cylindrical inserts define upward facing and downward facing gripping edges that will engage casing when the barrel slip body is radially expanded. The inserts are preferably tungsten carbide inserts. A sufficient number of inserts are included along the length and around the circumference of the barrel slip so that the barrel slip can get a good grip in the casing wall. Separate metals may be used for the barrel slip body and the inserts so that a higher yield strength alloy steel may be utilized than is possible with other barrel slip arrangements.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2002Publication date: July 11, 2002Inventors: Loren C. Swor, Donald W. Winslow, Lee Wayne Stepp, Kenneth G. Neal, Phillip M. Starr
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Patent number: 6394180Abstract: A downhole tool for sealing a wellbore. The downhole tool includes a packer with a ball seat defined therein. A sealing ball is carried with the packer into the well. The movement of the sealing ball away from the ball seat is limited by a ball cage which is attached to the upper end of the packer. The ball cage has a plurality of ports therethrough for allowing flow into the ball cage and through the packer at certain flow rates. A spring is disposed in a longitudinal opening of the packer and engages the sealing ball to prevent the sealing ball from engaging the ball seat until a predetermined flow rate is reached. When the packer is set in the hole, flow through the frac plug below a predetermined flow rate is permitted. Once a predetermined flow rate in the well is reached, a spring force of the spring will be overcome and the sealing ball will engage the ball seat so that no flow through the frac plug is permitted.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2000Date of Patent: May 28, 2002Assignee: Halliburton Energy Service,s Inc.Inventors: Kevin T. Berscheidt, Donald R. Smith, Lee Wayne Stepp, Don S. Folds, Gregory W. Vargus
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Patent number: 6378606Abstract: A high temperature, high pressure retrievable packer adapted for service under extreme operating conditions when the packer apparatus is held in the wellbore with a mechanical slip and a barrel slip. The barrel slip has a barrel slip body with a plurality of openings defined in the outer surface of the body. Cylindrical inserts are received in the openings. The cylindrical inserts define upward facing and downward facing gripping edges that will engage casing when the barrel slip body is radially expanded. The inserts are preferably tungsten carbide inserts. A sufficient number of inserts are included along the length and around the circumference of the barrel slip so that the barrel slip can get a good grip in the casing wall. Separate metals may be used for the barrel slip body and the inserts so that a higher yield strength alloy steel may be utilized than is possible with other barrel slip arrangements.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2000Date of Patent: April 30, 2002Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Loren C. Swor, Donald W. Winslow, Lee Wayne Stepp, Kenneth G. Neal, Phillip M. Starr
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Patent number: 6318460Abstract: A packer apparatus for sealing between a tubing string and a casing in a wellbore is disclosed. The packer apparatus includes a seal assembly disposed about a packer mandrel. Upper and lower seal wedges are disposed about the packer mandrel above and below the seal assembly and may be inserted between the seal assembly and the packer mandrel to radially expand the seal assembly into engagement with the casing. The seal assembly includes an expandable elastomeric seal element having anti-extrusion bridge elements disposed in recesses at the upper and lower ends thereof. The anti-extrusion elements form an almost complete circle and thus are arcuately shaped having first and second ends with a gap therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2000Date of Patent: November 20, 2001Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Loren C. Swor, Lee Wayne Stepp, Donald W. Winslow
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Patent number: 6102117Abstract: A packer apparatus for sealing between a tubing string and a casing in a wellbore is disclosed. The packer apparatus includes a seal assembly disposed about a packer mandrel. Upper and lower seal wedges are disposed about the packer mandrel above and below the seal assembly and may be inserted between the seal assembly and the packer mandrel to radially expand the seal assembly into engagement with the casing. The seal assembly includes an expandable elastomeric seal element having anti-extrusion bridge elements disposed in recesses at the upper and lower ends thereof. The anti-extrusion elements form an almost complete circle and thus are arcuately shaped having first and second ends with a gap therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 1998Date of Patent: August 15, 2000Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Loren C. Swor, Lee Wayne Stepp, Donald W. Winslow