Patents by Inventor ROBERT B. KRATOCHVIL

ROBERT B. KRATOCHVIL 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: 11274525
    Abstract: A downhole valve has a valve body having at least one port and slidably receiving in a longitudinal bore thereof at least a first sliding sleeve for opening and closing the at least one port. The first sliding sleeve has a circumferential actuation groove. An actuation assembly is extendable into the first sliding sleeve and has an actuation housing axially movably receiving thereon a compressible sealing element and a slip assembly. The slip assembly has one or more slips radially outwardly extendable under a hydraulic pressure for engaging the circumferential actuation groove of the first sliding sleeve for opening the at least one port, and the actuation assembly is longitudinally extendable to position a portion thereof on an inner side of the one or more slips for supporting the one or more slips at a radially outwardly extended configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Key Completions Inc.
    Inventor: Robert B. Kratochvil
  • Patent number: 11156061
    Abstract: A downhole valve has a valve body having at least one port and slidably receiving in a longitudinal bore thereof at least a first sliding sleeve for opening and closing the at least one port. The first sliding sleeve has a circumferential actuation groove. An actuation assembly is extendable into the first sliding sleeve and has an actuation housing axially movably receiving thereon a compressible sealing element and a slip assembly. The slip assembly has one or more slips radially outwardly extendable under a hydraulic pressure for engaging the circumferential actuation groove of the first sliding sleeve for opening the at least one port, and the actuation assembly is longitudinally extendable to position a portion thereof on an inner side of the one or more slips for supporting the one or more slips at a radially outwardly extended configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Inventor: Robert B. Kratochvil
  • Patent number: 10975663
    Abstract: A downhole valve has a valve body having at least one port and slidably receiving in a longitudinal bore thereof at least a first sliding sleeve for opening and closing the at least one port. The first sliding sleeve has a circumferential actuation groove. An actuation assembly is extendable into the first sliding sleeve and has an actuation housing axially movably receiving thereon a compressible sealing element and a slip assembly. The slip assembly has one or more slips radially outwardly extendable under a hydraulic pressure for engaging the circumferential actuation groove of the first sliding sleeve for opening the at least one port, and the actuation assembly is longitudinally extendable to position a portion thereof on an inner side of the one or more slips for supporting the one or more slips at a radially outwardly extended configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Inventor: Robert B. Kratochvil
  • Publication number: 20200355046
    Abstract: A downhole valve has a valve body having at least one port and slidably receiving in a longitudinal bore thereof at least a first sliding sleeve for opening and closing the at least one port. The first sliding sleeve has a circumferential actuation groove. An actuation assembly is extendable into the first sliding sleeve and has an actuation housing axially movably receiving thereon a compressible sealing element and a slip assembly. The slip assembly has one or more slips radially outwardly extendable under a hydraulic pressure for engaging the circumferential actuation groove of the first sliding sleeve for opening the at least one port, and the actuation assembly is longitudinally extendable to position a portion thereof on an inner side of the one or more slips for supporting the one or more slips at a radially outwardly extended configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventor: Robert B. KRATOCHVIL
  • Publication number: 20200355045
    Abstract: A downhole valve has a valve body having at least one port and slidably receiving in a longitudinal bore thereof at least a first sliding sleeve for opening and closing the at least one port. The first sliding sleeve has a circumferential actuation groove. An actuation assembly is extendable into the first sliding sleeve and has an actuation housing axially movably receiving thereon a compressible sealing element and a slip assembly. The slip assembly has one or more slips radially outwardly extendable under a hydraulic pressure for engaging the circumferential actuation groove of the first sliding sleeve for opening the at least one port, and the actuation assembly is longitudinally extendable to position a portion thereof on an inner side of the one or more slips for supporting the one or more slips at a radially outwardly extended configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventor: Robert B. KRATOCHVIL
  • Publication number: 20200355044
    Abstract: A downhole valve has a valve body having at least one port and slidably receiving in a longitudinal bore thereof at least a first sliding sleeve for opening and closing the at least one port. The first sliding sleeve has a circumferential actuation groove. An actuation assembly is extendable into the first sliding sleeve and has an actuation housing axially movably receiving thereon a compressible sealing element and a slip assembly. The slip assembly has one or more slips radially outwardly extendable under a hydraulic pressure for engaging the circumferential actuation groove of the first sliding sleeve for opening the at least one port, and the actuation assembly is longitudinally extendable to position a portion thereof on an inner side of the one or more slips for supporting the one or more slips at a radially outwardly extended configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventor: Robert B. KRATOCHVIL
  • Patent number: 9797228
    Abstract: A tool for both perforating a well casing in a hydrocarbon formation and for subsequently fracturing the formation. The tool allows not only perforation and fracking, but in a preferred embodiment allows both perforation of the casing and fracking of the formation without having to further reposition the tool within the wellbore. The tool comprises a cylindrical member having thereon an upper and lower seal member and a longitudinal bore therein, and a cooperating piston which operates a punch to perforate the well casing. A flushing port is provided immediately uphole of the upper seal member, which port when said tool is lowered downhole allows fluid flowing up a longitudinal channel to flush an annular region immediately uphole of said upper seal, thereby greatly reducing the incidence of sand impaction and thereby better allow the tool to be moved uphole for further perforation and fluid injection into the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Iron Horse Coiled Tubing Inc.
    Inventors: Robert B. Kratochvil, Brendon Hamilton, Daniel Meier
  • Patent number: 9284823
    Abstract: A combined perforating and fracking tool, and method for using same, for perforating a hydrocarbon well casing and for subsequently fracturing the formation while maintaining the tool in situ. The combined perforating and fracking tool comprises, in a preferred embodiment, a series of connected cylinders arranged to be disposed in a well casing, each of the cylinders comprising a cooperating piston whereby a magnification of hydraulic force is generated. The series of pistons operate to actuate a punch assembly disposed at a downhole end of the series of connected cylinders to perforate the casing. A fluid injection port, in operation with at least one sealing member disposed at each end of the series of connected cylinders, allows fluid to be diverted into the formation through the perforations created in the well casing to induce fracturing in the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: IRON HORSE COILED TUBING INC.
    Inventors: Robert B. Kratochvil, Brendon Hamilton, Daniel Meier
  • Publication number: 20150233217
    Abstract: A combined perforating and fracking tool, and method for using same, for perforating a hydrocarbon well casing and for subsequently fracturing the formation while maintaining the tool in situ. The combined perforating and fracking tool comprises, in a preferred embodiment, a series of connected cylinders arranged to be disposed in a well casing, each of the cylinders comprising a cooperating piston whereby a magnification of hydraulic force is generated. The series of pistons operate to actuate a punch assembly disposed at a downhole end of the series of connected cylinders to perforate the casing. A fluid injection port, in operation with at least one sealing member disposed at each end of the series of connected cylinders, allows fluid to be diverted into the formation through the perforations created in the well casing to induce fracturing in the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: IRON HORSE COILED TUBING INC.
    Inventors: Robert B. KRATOCHVIL, Brendon HAMILTON, Daniel MEIER
  • Publication number: 20150226032
    Abstract: A tool for both perforating a well casing in a hydrocarbon formation and for subsequently fracturing the formation. The tool allows not only perforation and fracking, but in a preferred embodiment allows both perforation of the casing and fracking of the formation without having to further reposition the tool within the wellbore. The tool comprises a cylindrical member having thereon an upper and lower seal member and a longitudinal bore therein, and a cooperating piston which operates a punch to perforate the well casing. A flushing port is provided immediately uphole of the upper seal member, which port when said tool is lowered downhole allows fluid flowing up a longitudinal channel to flush an annular region immediately uphole of said upper seal, thereby greatly reducing the incidence of sand impaction and thereby better allow the tool to be moved uphole for further perforation and fluid injection into the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: IRON HORSE COILED TUBING INC.
    Inventors: ROBERT B. KRATOCHVIL, BRENDON HAMILTON, DANIEL MEIER