Patents by Inventor Michael L. Fripp

Michael L. Fripp 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: 11761293
    Abstract: Swellable packer assemblies, downhole packer systems, and methods to seal a wellbore are presented. A swellable packer assembly includes a mandrel and a sealing material disposed about a portion of the mandrel, where the sealing material is formed from a material that radially expands from the mandrel in response to fluid exposure. The swellable packer assembly also includes a cover that is initially disposed about a portion of an outer surface of the sealing material, where the cover prevents the sealing material from being exposed to fluid while the cover is positioned about the portion of the outer surface of the sealing material, and a pressure-actuated piston configured to shift from a first position about the mandrel to a second position about the mandrel, where the sealing material is exposed to fluid after the pressure-actuated piston shifts from the first position towards the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Least, Michael L. Fripp, Stephen M. Greci
  • Patent number: 11591879
    Abstract: Swellable metal assemblies that have a reactive metal and a polymer, and are located around or inside an oilfield tubular. The oilfield tubular and the swellable metal assembly can be provided in a wellbore to form a seal therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon T. Least, Michael L. Fripp, Chad W. Glaesman
  • Patent number: 11525448
    Abstract: A system includes an electric submersible pump (ESP) configured for pumping fluid through a flow path. An autonomous inflow control device (AICD) is included in fluid communication with the flow path to separate one of gas or liquid out of the flow path. A method includes producing liquid from a wellbore using an electric submersible pump (ESP) in the wellbore. The method includes bypassing gas from a headspace the wellbore using an autonomous inflow control device (AICD) to prevent gas locking the ESP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn J. Brown, Michael L. Fripp, Stephen M. Greci, Richard D. Ornelaz
  • Publication number: 20220243552
    Abstract: Swellable metal assemblies that have a reactive metal and a polymer, and are located around or inside an oilfield tubular. The oilfield tubular and the swellable metal assembly can be provided in a wellbore to form a seal therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Brandon T. LEAST, Michael L. FRIPP, Chad W. GLAESMAN
  • Patent number: 11385152
    Abstract: A method includes directing a wellbore fluid into a flow control assembly coupled to a completion string positioned within a wellbore, the flow control assembly including at least a first fluidic device defining a flow passage, where the flow passage is formed of a material having a known wettability selected to correspond to a component of the wellbore fluid. The pressure change along the flow passage is measured and utilized to determine fluid cut based on a predetermined correspondence between pressure change and component cut for the first fluidic device. Multiple fluidic devices, each selected to have a wettability responsive to a different component of the wellbore fluid, may be aligned in parallel or series to determine the cut of multiple components in the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Fripp, Maxime P M Coffin, Thomas J. Frosell, Larry S. Eoff
  • Publication number: 20220186578
    Abstract: Swellable packer assemblies, downhole packer systems, and methods to seal a wellbore are presented. A swellable packer assembly includes a mandrel and a sealing material disposed about a portion of the mandrel, where the sealing material is formed from a material that radially expands from the mandrel in response to fluid exposure. The swellable packer assembly also includes a cover that is initially disposed about a portion of an outer surface of the sealing material, where the cover prevents the sealing material from being exposed to fluid while the cover is positioned about the portion of the outer surface of the sealing material, and a pressure-actuated piston configured to shift from a first position about the mandrel to a second position about the mandrel, where the sealing material is exposed to fluid after the pressure-actuated piston shifts from the first position towards the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Brandon LEAST, Michael L. FRIPP, Stephen M. GRECI
  • Patent number: 11299955
    Abstract: Swell packers comprising swellable metal sealing elements and methods for forming a seal in a wellbore are provided. An example method includes providing a swell packer comprising a swellable metal sealing element; wherein the swell packer is disposed on a conduit in the wellbore, exposing the swellable metal sealing element to a brine, and allowing or causing to allow the swellable metal sealing element to swell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Fripp, Zachary W. Walton, Pete C. Dagenais, Stephen M. Greci
  • Publication number: 20210372527
    Abstract: A sealing device comprising an expanding metal provides for ongoing self-healing capability for use as a seal in conjunction with any downhole device or tool in wellbore applications. The sealing device may be a ferrule, or other type of compression device, that may be used for connecting one device to another device, such as a tube to a fitting, or a communication line to a downhole device. Wellbore fluids activate the expanding metal causing a leak to heal itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Michael L. FRIPP, Paul G. JAMES, Matthew A. WILLOUGHBY
  • Publication number: 20210363998
    Abstract: A system includes an electric submersible pump (ESP) configured for pumping fluid through a flow path. An autonomous inflow control device (AICD) is included in fluid communication with the flow path to separate one of gas or liquid out of the flow path. A method includes producing liquid from a wellbore using an electric submersible pump (ESP) in the wellbore. The method includes bypassing gas from a headspace the wellbore using an autonomous inflow control device (AICD) to prevent gas locking the ESP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn J. Brown, Michael L. Fripp, Stephen M. Greci, Richard D. Ornelaz
  • Patent number: 11174700
    Abstract: Swellable metal sealing elements and methods for forming a seal in a wellbore using said swellable metal sealing elements. An example method comprises providing a swellable metal sealing element selected from the group consisting of an O-ring, a gasket, or a seal stack; wherein the swellable metal sealing element is disposed in or around a downhole tool disposed in the wellbore. The method further comprises exposing the swellable metal sealing element to a brine and allowing or causing to allow the swellable metal sealing element to swell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Fripp, Stephen Michael Greci, Zachary William Walton
  • Publication number: 20210332659
    Abstract: Swell packers comprising swellable metal sealing elements and methods for forming a seal in a wellbore are provided. An example method includes providing a swell packer comprising a swellable metal sealing element; wherein the swell packer is disposed on a conduit in the wellbore, exposing the swellable metal sealing element to a brine, and allowing or causing to allow the swellable metal sealing element to swell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Michael L. FRIPP, Zachary W. WALTON, Pete C. DAGENAIS, Stephen M. GRECI
  • Publication number: 20210323217
    Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for manufacturing and using heat-shrink elastomeric. An example method of manufacturing a heat-shrink elastomeric element comprises providing a thermoplastic elastomeric element having a first shape; modifying the thermoplastic elastomeric element to produce a thermoset elastomeric element having the first shape; heating the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature of at least the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element; adjusting the first shape of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce a second shape with at least one dimension greater than that of the first shape; and cooling the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature below that of the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce the heat-shrink elastomeric element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Michael L. FRIPP, Kejia YANG, Radu REIT, Benjamin LUND, Walter VOIT
  • Patent number: 11125050
    Abstract: A flow control device can include water in a chamber, the chamber having a variable volume, a flow restricting member which displaces in response to a change in the chamber volume, and a biasing device which influences a pressure in the chamber. A method of controlling flow of steam in a well can include providing a flow control device which varies a resistance to flow in the well, the flow control device including a chamber having a variable volume, water disposed in the chamber, and a biasing device. The biasing device influences the chamber volume. Another flow control device can include water in a chamber, the chamber having a variable volume, a flow restricting member which displaces in response to a change in the chamber volume, and a biasing device which reduces a boiling point of the water in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Fripp, John C. Gano, Zachary R. Murphree
  • Patent number: 11065807
    Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for manufacturing and using heat-shrink elastomeric. An example method of manufacturing a heat-shrink elastomeric element comprises providing a thermoplastic elastomeric element having a first shape; modifying the thermoplastic elastomeric element to produce a thermoset elastomeric element having the first shape; heating the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature of at least the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element; adjusting the first shape of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce a second shape with at least one dimension greater than that of the first shape; and cooling the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature below that of the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce the heat-shrink elastomeric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignees: The University of Texas System Board of Regents, Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Fripp, Kejia Yang, Radu Reit, Benjamin Lund, Walter Voit
  • Publication number: 20200300740
    Abstract: A method includes directing a wellbore fluid into a flow control assembly coupled to a completion string positioned within a wellbore, the flow control assembly including at least a first fluidic device defining a flow passage, where the flow passage is formed of a material having a known wettability selected to correspond to a component of the wellbore fluid. The pressure change along the flow passage is measured and utilized to determine fluid cut based on a predetermined correspondence between pressure change and component cut for the first fluidic device. Multiple fluidic devices, each selected to have a wettability responsive to a different component of the wellbore fluid, may be aligned in parallel or series to determine the cut of multiple components in the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Michael L. Fripp, Maxime PM Coffin, Thomas J. Frosell, Larry S. Eoff
  • Publication number: 20200240235
    Abstract: Swellable metal sealing elements and methods for forming a seal in a wellbore using said swellable metal sealing elements. An example method comprises providing a swellable metal sealing element selected from the group consisting of an O-ring, a gasket, or a seal stack; wherein the swellable metal sealing element is disposed in or around a downhole tool disposed in the wellbore. The method further comprises exposing the swellable metal sealing element to a brine and allowing or causing to allow the swellable metal sealing element to swell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Michael L. FRIPP, Stephen Michael GRECI, Zachary William WALTON
  • Patent number: 10704359
    Abstract: A flow control system for use in a subterranean well includes a flow chamber comprising an inlet and an outlet that is configured to receive a fluid, and a flow restriction member positioned and movable within the flow chamber. The flow restriction member is configured to restrict fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet of the flow chamber based upon a density of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Fripp, Stephen M. Greci, Thomas J. Frosell
  • Patent number: 10544652
    Abstract: Well systems for plugging and unplugging a flow path in a subterranean formation are provided. An example well system comprises a flow path comprising a two-part dissolvable flow-plug. The two-part dissolvable flow-plug comprises a retaining component and a plugging component adjacent to the retaining component. The retaining component comprises a dissolvable material. The flow path is in fluid communication with a tubing. The retaining component is configured to retain the plugging component in a fixed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Fripp, Zachary Walton, Ryan M. Novelen, Ryan W. McChesney
  • Patent number: 10443354
    Abstract: A well system can include a deployment apparatus including at least one propeller that propels the deployment apparatus through a wellbore. A deployment apparatus for use in a well can include a sealing device that sealingly engages a seal surface in the well, and at least one propeller that propels the deployment apparatus in the well. A deployment method can include disposing a deployment apparatus in a wellbore of a well, the deployment apparatus including at least one propeller, and the propeller propelling the deployment apparatus in the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Zachary R. Murphree, Michael L. Fripp, Thomas J. Frosell
  • Patent number: 10439127
    Abstract: A bender bar transducer having stacked encapsulated actuators provides improved acoustic power over a wider frequency range, low applied voltage requirements and consistent part-to-part performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Fripp, Paul G. Junghans, Chen Li, Batakrishna Mandal