Patents by Inventor Liam Mcnelis

Liam Mcnelis 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).

  • Publication number: 20220145729
    Abstract: A drone conveyance system and a wellhead receiver for deploying drones into a wellbore is described. The system includes a platform, a drone magazine, a platform receiver, a conveyance, and a wellhead receiver. The wellhead receiver prepares the drone to be inserted into the wellbore via the wellhead. Preparation of the drone may include adjusting the physical conditions surrounding the drone to approximate the physical conditions in the wellbore, which may be done with fluid inputs and outputs connected to a compartment of the wellhead receiver. Other preparation processes may also take place in the wellhead receiver, such as assuring the appropriate drone is being inserted, that the drone has been programmed appropriately, that safety devices have been deactivated and charging an onboard power supply of the drone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Eitschberger, Liam McNelis
  • Publication number: 20220074718
    Abstract: A power charge and method for actuating a wellbore tool with a power charge. The power charge may include a groove formed in the outer surface of the power charge. The power charge may include a first volume containing a first energetic material and a second volume containing a second energetic material that is a faster burning material compared to the first energetic material. The wellbore tool may include a tool body wall defining a power charge cavity. The groove formed in the outer surface of the power charge may define a gas pressure path between the tool body wall and the power charge, within the power charge cavity, when the power charge is inserted into the power charge cavity. The method may include coupling an initiator to the wellbore tool and initiating combustion of the first energetic material and the second energetic material to actuate the wellbore tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Liam McNelis
  • Patent number: 11255147
    Abstract: A single use setting tool and associated method for actuating a tool in a wellbore may include an inner piston with an annular wall defining a piston cavity. A portion of the inner piston including the piston cavity may be positioned within a central bore of an outer sleeve, and the inner piston and the outer sleeve may be slidable relative to one another. A portion of the inner piston may extend beyond an end of the outer sleeve and have a shock absorbing wedge positioned thereon, and the end of the outer sleeve may have a cutout for receiving the shock absorbing wedge. A bi-directional gas-generating power charge may be positioned in the piston cavity and include a power charge having a booster positioned in an indentation adjacent each of a first end and a second end of the power charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Eitschberger, Robert J Staats, Joern Olaf Loehken, Denis Will, Thilo Scharf, Liam McNelis, Arash Shahinpour, Jason Schroeder
  • Patent number: 11255168
    Abstract: A shaped charge liner may include an apex portion and a skirt portion extending from the apex portion. The skirt portion may include a body connected to the apex portion, a perimeter spaced apart from the apex portion, and a carbide layer extending between and spaced apart from the perimeter and the apex portion. A shaped charge for creating a perforation hole in a wellbore casing may include a shaped charge liner having at least one material having hardness that is greater than a corresponding hardness of the wellbore casing. The at least one material is configured to bond to at least one of an outer surface and an inner surface of the perforation hole upon detonation of the shaped charge and penetration of the casing by a perforation jet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Joern Olaf Loehken, Liam McNelis, Bernd Fricke
  • Patent number: 11204224
    Abstract: A power charge and method for actuating a wellbore tool with a power charge. The power charge may include a first volume containing a first energetic material and a second volume containing a second energetic material positioned within the first energetic material. The second energetic material may be a faster burning material compared to the first energetic material. The wellbore tool may include a power charge cavity, an initiator positioned in an initiator holder adjacent to the power charge within the power charge cavity, and a gas diverter channel for directing to an expansion chamber gas pressure generated by combustion of the power charge, to actuate the wellbore tool. The method may include inserting the initiator into the intiator holder within the power charge cavity and initiating combustion of the first energetic material and the second energetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Liam McNelis
  • Publication number: 20210355773
    Abstract: A single use setting tool and associated method for actuating a tool in a wellbore may include an inner piston having a piston proximal end, a piston distal end, and a piston annular wall that defines a piston cavity. The setting tool may include a gas-generating power charge positioned within the piston cavity. The power charge may extend along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end and have at least two different widths along its length. The power charge may further include a tapered portion. The setting tool may further include a piston extension connected to the piston distal end. The inner piston may further include a shear element groove circumferentially extending in an outer surface of the inner piston, for receiving a shear element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Eitschberger, Dimitri Riesen, Thilo Scharf, Arash Shahinpour, Robert J. Staats, Joern Olaf Loehken, Denis Will, Liam McNelis, Jason Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20210317728
    Abstract: A perforating gun may include a gun carrier extending in an axial direction and a tandem seal adapter (TSA). The gun carrier having a maximum outer carrier diameter. The TSA may include a first TSA region having a first TSA outer diameter, a second TSA region having a second TSA outer diameter, and a shoulder surface formed between an outer surface of the first TSA region and an outer surface of the second TSA region. The second TSA outer diameter may be larger than the first TSA outer diameter and smaller than the maximum outer carrier diameter. A portion of the gun carrier may abut with the shoulder surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Haron Preiss, Thilo Scharf, Liam McNelis, Eric Mulhern, David C. Parks, Christian Eitschberger
  • Publication number: 20210301632
    Abstract: A shaped charge liner may include an apex portion and a skirt portion extending from the apex portion. The skirt portion may include a body connected to the apex portion, a perimeter spaced apart from the apex portion, and a carbide layer extending between and spaced apart from the perimeter and the apex portion. A shaped charge for creating a perforation hole in a wellbore casing may include a shaped charge liner having at least one material having hardness that is greater than a corresponding hardness of the wellbore casing. The at least one material is configured to bond to at least one of an outer surface and an inner surface of the perforation hole upon detonation of the shaped charge and penetration of the casing by a perforation jet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Joern Olaf Loehken, Liam McNelis, Bernd Fricke
  • Patent number: 11125056
    Abstract: Components for a perforation gun system are provided including combinations of components including a self-centralizing charge holder system and a bottom connector that can double as a spacer. Any number of spacers can be used with any number of holders for any desired specific metric or imperial shot density, phase and length gun system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: David C. Parks, Frank Haron Preiss, Liam McNelis, Eric Mulhern, Thilo Scharf
  • Publication number: 20210254456
    Abstract: A system for deploying an untethered drone is provided. The system includes a wellbore drone for being deployed into a wellbore, a magazine unit, and a control system. The wellbore drone is configured to perform at least one action based on a control command which is provided from an on-board control system embedded in the wellbore drone. The magazine unit includes one or more chambers. The magazine unit is configured to retain the wellbore drone in a corresponding one of the one or more chambers, prior to deployment of the wellbore drone into the wellbore, and dispense the wellbore drone for being deployed into the wellbore through a launcher unit. The control system includes at least one control interface for controlling at least a part of operations of the wellbore drone and the magazine unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Robert Zemla, Christian Eitschberger, Liam McNelis, Thilo Scharf, Shmuel Silverman
  • Publication number: 20210254938
    Abstract: According to the exemplary disclosed embodiments, contoured, curvilinear liners for a rectangular slotted shaped charge are described. The exemplary curvilinear liners include one or more curvilinear contours. The contoured, curvilinear liners provide improved perforating performance for rectangular slotted shaped charges used in oil and gas wellbore operations such as completion and abandonment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Liam McNelis, Arash Shahinpour, Joerg Mueller, Joern Olaf Loehken
  • Publication number: 20210238966
    Abstract: A perforation gun assembly may include a single shaped charge holder, the shaped charge holder having a charge receiving structure and at least one projection extending from the charge receiving structure. A detonation cord and a detonator may be connected to the shaped charge holder. A top connector may be configured for connecting to a first base of the shaped charge holder and a bottom connector may be configured for connecting to a second based of the shaped charge holder. The perforation gun assembly may be positioned within an outer gun carrier of a perforation gun, and a tandem seal adapter may be positioned at least in part within the outer gun carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Haron Preiss, Liam McNelis, Eric Mulhern, Thilo Scharf, David C. Parks, Christian Eitschberger
  • Publication number: 20210222526
    Abstract: A perforating gun assembly may include a first housing extending along a longitudinal axis and a tandem seal adapter (TSA). The first housing may include a coupling provided at a first end of the first housing. The TSA may include a TSA body and a seal element provided on an outer surface of the TSA body. At least part of the TSA may be positioned inside the first housing such that the seal element and the coupling intersect with a common plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Haron Preiss, Thilo Scharf, Liam McNelis, Eric Mulhern, David C. Parks, Christian Eitschberger
  • Publication number: 20210215039
    Abstract: An autonomous logging drone tool-string including a wiper plug at a downstream end, a logging tool, and a detachable transmitter capsule, and associated methods for cementing a wellbore and logging wellbore information in a single tool-string run downhole. In an aspect, the logging drone tool-string may include a perforating gun and associated methods may include perforating a toe end of the wellbore casing and surrounding cement. In an aspect, the transmitter capsule stores wellbore information from the logging tool. The transmitter capsule may be detached, pumped to the surface, and retrieved for accessing the stored wellbore information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Thilo Scharf, Christian Eitschberger, Gernot Uwe Burmeister, Liam McNelis, Andreas Robert Zemla, Sascha Thieltges, Paula Feitoza Nascimento, Eric Mulhern
  • Publication number: 20210199002
    Abstract: A system and a method for determining a location of an untethered drone in a wellbore are described herein. The system includes one or more markers to be placed within a wellbore casing where each of the one or more markers is configured to transmit a continuous or periodic signal. The system further includes a first sensor to be transported by the untethered drone where the first sensor is configured to sense an existence of the one or more markers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Robert Zemla, Thilo Scharf, Liam McNelis, Christian Eitschberger, Shmuel Silverman
  • Publication number: 20210198983
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, devices, systems, and methods for autonomously or semi-autonomously conveying downhole oil and gas wellbore tools and performing downhole oil and gas wellbore operations are disclosed. The exemplary devices, systems, and methods may include an untethered drone that substantially disintegrates and/or dissolves into a proppant when shaped charges that the untethered drone carries are detonated. Two or more untethered drones, wellbore tools, and/or data collection devices may be connected in an untethered drone string and selectively detonated for efficiently performing wellbore operations and reducing the amount of debris left in the wellbore after such operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Eitschberger, Andreas Robert Zemla, Liam McNelis, Thilo Scharf, Shmuel Silverman, Arash Shahinpour, Gernot Uwe Burmeister
  • Publication number: 20210164330
    Abstract: A shaped charge closure member for encapsulating a slotted shaped charge is described. The closure member includes a body having a closed upper portion, and a lower portion opposite the upper portion. The closure member has first and second side walls, a front wall, and a back wall. Each wall tapers from the lower portion to the upper portion. A skirt having a substantially rectangular cross-section extends vertically away from each of the walls, at the lower portion of the body. The skirt engages with an open portion of a slotted shaped charge case, thereby forming an encapsulated slotted shaped charge. The encapsulated slotted shaped charge may be used in an exposed perforating gun system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Liam McNelis, Arash Shahinpour, Joerg Mueller, Frank Haron Preiss
  • Publication number: 20210123330
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, devices, systems, and methods for conveying downhole oil and gas wellbore tools and performing downhole oil and gas wellbore operations are disclosed. The exemplary devices, systems, and methods may include a tethered drone that substantially disintegrates and/or dissolves into a proppant when shaped charges that the tethered drone carries are detonated. Two or more tethered drones, wellbore tools, and/or data collection devices may be connected in a tethered drone string for efficiently performing wellbore operations and reducing the amount of debris left in the wellbore after such operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Eitschberger, Liam McNelis, Thilo Scharf, Andreas Robert Zemla, Shmuel Silverman
  • Publication number: 20210123711
    Abstract: An apparatus for storing and/or shipping explosive components, such as shaped charges, is generally described. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a shielding assembly. The shielding assembly may include a shielding panel having a body made of metal foam and an aperture formed within the body. In an embodiment, the body is sandwiched between an upper and a lower layer. The shielding panel is configured to receive a shaped charge. Thus, the apparatus is capable of at least preventing and/or limiting ballistic transfer in the event of detonation of a shaped charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Applicant: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Liam McNelis, Frank Haron Preiss, Joern Olaf Loehken, Arash Shahinpour, Joerg Mueller
  • Patent number: 10954760
    Abstract: A shaped charge closure member for encapsulating a slotted shaped charge is described. The closure member includes a body having a closed upper portion, and a lower portion opposite the upper portion. The closure member has first and second side walls, a front wall, and a back wall. Each wall tapers from the lower portion to the upper portion. A skirt having a substantially rectangular cross-section extends vertically away from each of the walls, at the lower portion of the body. The skirt engages with an open portion of a slotted shaped charge case, thereby forming an encapsulated slotted shaped charge. The encapsulated slotted shaped charge may be used in an exposed perforating gun system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Liam McNelis, Arash Shahinpour, Joerg Mueller, Frank Haron Preiss