Patents by Inventor Michael Eric Moffitt

Michael Eric Moffitt 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: 10378308
    Abstract: A liner drilling system and method to at least partially drill a wellbore with a liner and cement the liner in place in the wellbore, in a single downhole trip. An example system includes a liner releasably coupled to a drill string. The drill string extends through an axial bore of the liner and a downhole end includes a bottomhole assembly and a drill bit that rotate to drill a portion of a wellbore. A liner annulus is formed between the drill string and the liner. An annulus isolator is coupled to the liner and isolates flow within the bore of the liner from flowing through at least a portion of a wellbore annulus between the liner and the wellbore. A diverter in the drill string is positioned uphole of the bottomhole assembly and establishes a cement flow path into the liner annulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael Eric Moffitt
  • Patent number: 9605533
    Abstract: A system and method for locating a bottom hole assembly during liner drilling. The system and method employ a liner and a drill string. The liner may include a stop sub. The drill string may include a bottom hole assembly position indicator. In one or more embodiments, the bottom hole assembly position indicator is configured to engage the stop sub and arrest further advancement of the drill string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SMITH INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Erik P. Eriksen, Michael Eric Moffitt
  • Publication number: 20160312574
    Abstract: A liner drilling system and method to at least partially drill a wellbore with a liner and cement the liner in place in the wellbore, in a single downhole trip. An example system includes a liner releasably coupled to a drill string. The drill string extends through an axial bore of the liner and a downhole end includes a bottomhole assembly and a drill bit that rotate to drill a portion of a wellbore. A liner annulus is formed between the drill string and the liner. An annulus isolator is coupled to the liner and isolates flow within the bore of the liner from flowing through at least a portion of a wellbore annulus between the liner and the wellbore. A diverter in the drill string is positioned uphole of the bottomhole assembly and establishes a cement flow path into the liner annulus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventor: Michael Eric Moffitt
  • Publication number: 20150308196
    Abstract: A method to drill a wellbore includes positioning a cutting structure proximal to a distal end of a drilling string, deploying a bottom hole assembly through a central bore of the distal end of the drilling string and the cutting structure, engaging the cutting structure with the bottom hole assembly, and rotating the cutting structure with the bottom hole assembly. An under reamer assembly includes a reamer shoe positioned proximal to a distal end of a drilling string and a cutting structure coupled to the reamer shoe, wherein the cutting structure is configured to be engaged by a bottom hole assembly, and wherein the cutting structure is configured to enlarge a pilot bore cut by a drill bit of the bottom hole assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Eric Moffitt, Georges Ishak, Trung Quoc Huynh
  • Patent number: 9057253
    Abstract: A liner top packer is configured to be secured in a liner string, such as in a liner drilling operation. The packer is actuated from within the liner or packer body. An actuator assembly includes an inner piston, an actuator housing, and an outer piston. A tubular setting tool is moved upwardly through the inner piston, and dogs on the setting tool allow for force to be applied to the inner piston, pressurizing fluid and forcing it to the outer piston to compress a pack off element. The actuator assembly is removed by upward force applied by a foot of the setting tool on the inner piston, the actuator housing, or any other component of the actuator assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberber Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Eric Moffitt
  • Publication number: 20150068805
    Abstract: A system and method for locating a bottom hole assembly during liner drilling. The system and method employ a liner and a drill string. The liner may include a stop sub. The drill string may include a bottom hole assembly position indicator. In one or more embodiments, the bottom hole assembly position indicator is configured to engage the stop sub and arrest further advancement of the drill string.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: ERIK P. ERIKSEN, MICHAEL ERIC MOFFITT
  • Patent number: 8881814
    Abstract: Present embodiments are directed to coupling a cementation assembly with a hung or set liner string in a well and moving the liner string during a cementation operation. Specifically, for example, a process in accordance with present techniques includes running a cementation assembly into a well on drill pipe and engaging, with a distal end of the cementation assembly, a liner top assembly of a liner string that is positioned downhole in the well, wherein the liner string was previously positioned downhole in the well without being cemented into the well. Further, the process includes latching the cementation assembly with the liner string such that movement of the cementation assembly is translated to the liner string, and flowing cement through the drill pipe and into the liner string while moving the cementation assembly and the liner string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Eric Moffitt
  • Publication number: 20120325499
    Abstract: A liner top packer is configured to be secured in a liner string, such as in a liner drilling operation. The packer is actuated from within the liner or packer body. An actuator assembly includes an inner piston, an actuator housing, and an outer piston. A tubular setting tool is moved upwardly through the inner piston, and dogs on the setting tool allow for force to be applied to the inner piston, pressurizing fluid and forcing it to the outer piston to compress a pack off element. The actuator assembly is removed by upward force applied by a foot of the setting tool on the inner piston, the actuator housing, or any other component of the actuator assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: TESCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael Eric Moffitt
  • Publication number: 20120279705
    Abstract: Present embodiments are directed to coupling a cementation assembly with a hung or set liner string in a well and moving the liner string during a cementation operation. Specifically, for example, a process in accordance with present techniques includes running a cementation assembly into a well on drill pipe and engaging, with a distal end of the cementation assembly, a liner top assembly of a liner string that is positioned downhole in the well, wherein the liner string was previously positioned downhole in the well without being cemented into the well. Further, the process includes latching the cementation assembly with the liner string such that movement of the cementation assembly is translated to the liner string, and flowing cement through the drill pipe and into the liner string while moving the cementation assembly and the liner string.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: TESCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael Eric Moffitt