Patents by Inventor Stephen Robert Holtz

Stephen Robert Holtz 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: 11763260
    Abstract: Bridging different standards or requirements documents originating from different participants in a drilling project to unify the standards or requirements provides more efficiencies and cost savings for the drilling project. The standards or requirements may be automatically analyzed to determine which standards or requirements from the participants are to be utilized for a given drilling project to generate a common bridged document of requirements and standards thereby aiding to reduce costs and establish a common understanding of the requirements and standards that are to be met or implemented during the drilling project by all participants. The automatic process may select those standards or requirements, or portions thereof that are more stringent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Robert Holtz, Matthew Chase Holdeman
  • Patent number: 11125017
    Abstract: System and method for analyzing and evaluating the performance of a directional driller (“DD”) include acquiring and analyzing drilling data in real time, identifying activities and decisions that are the responsibility of the directional driller, and confirming whether or not the directional driller's decisions were appropriate or not and in what timeframe. The system and method may provide output information for evaluation purposes, for example, in the form of a directional drilling quality report. The directional drilling quality report may allow evaluation of an individual directional driller and also comparison of directional drillers relative to each other. The use of real-time drilling data allows the report to be modified to reflect actual drilling conditions and objectives as needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: James Wilson Moore, Stephen Robert Holtz
  • Publication number: 20200265385
    Abstract: Bridging different standards or requirements documents originating from different participants in a drilling project to unify the standards or requirements provides more efficiencies and cost savings for the drilling project. The standards or requirements may be automatically analyzed to determine which standards or requirements from the participants are to be utilized for a given drilling project to generate a common bridged document of requirements and standards thereby aiding to reduce costs and establish a common understanding of the requirements and standards that are to be met or implemented during the drilling project by all participants. The automatic process may select those standards or requirements, or portions thereof that are more stringent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Stephen Robert HOLTZ, Matthew Chase HOLDEMAN
  • Patent number: 10422912
    Abstract: A system includes at least one processing unit and a bottomhole assembly (BHA) that includes or communicates with the at least one processing unit. The BHA includes at least one drilling component and at least one acoustic transducer to convert drilling noise into one or more electrical signals. The at least one processing unit analyzes the one or more electrical signals or related data to categorize different components of the drilling noise as rock contact noise and mechanical noise. The at least one processing unit derives a data log, a plan, or a control signal based on the categorized drilling noise components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Robert Holtz
  • Patent number: 10417608
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for real-time analysis of wellsite inventory activity is described. The method includes logging receipt of inventory items at a wellsite and tracking their use. In certain embodiments, the inventory may be chemical sacks mixed into drilling fluids, and their use may be tracked with an RFID scanner near the threshold of a mixing hopper. The tracking information may be used to update an inventory management database. When an item is used, real-time wellsite data may be analyzed to determine its impact on drilling performance. The efficacy of the item may thereby be determined and stored in a predictive model database. In making future wellsite drilling decisions, the predictive model database may be used to select cost-efficient performance improvement solutions. Additionally, performance information may be used to correct real-time data measured during future uses of the inventory item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: James Wilson Moore, Stephen Robert Holtz, Rod McMillon
  • Publication number: 20180223634
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for selectively fracturing a formation in order to enhance recovery of hydrocarbons from unconventional reservoirs. The method includes generating a pressure wave having a frequency substantially in a resonant frequency range of a geological formation. The pressure wave is transmitted at a targeted location of the formation. A fluid may then be injected into the wellbore at a pressure that causes the fluid to enter any fractures resulting from the pressure wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventor: Stephen Robert Holtz
  • Patent number: 10017997
    Abstract: A drilling system includes a drill string extendable into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation. The subterranean formation exhibits a resonant frequency and a drill bit is coupled to a distal end of the drill string. A vibration sub is positioned within the drill string adjacent the drill bit for generating vibration stress waves at the drill bit, and the vibration stress waves exhibit a vibration frequency that approximates the resonant frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Stephen Robert Holtz
  • Publication number: 20170235007
    Abstract: A system includes at least one processing unit and a bottomhole assembly (BHA) that includes or communicates with the at least one processing unit. The BHA includes at least one drilling component and at least one acoustic transducer to convert drilling noise into one or more electrical signals. The at least one processing unit analyzes the one or more electrical signals or related data to categorize different components of the drilling noise as rock contact noise and mechanical noise. The at least one processing unit derives a data log, a plan, or a control signal based on the categorized drilling noise components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicant: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Stephen Robert Holtz
  • Publication number: 20160358120
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for real-time analysis of wellsite inventory activity is described. The method includes logging receipt of inventory items at a wellsite and tracking their use. In certain embodiments, the inventory may be chemical sacks mixed into drilling fluids, and their use may be tracked with an RFID scanner near the threshold of a mixing hopper. The tracking information may be used to update an inventory management database. When an item is used, real-time wellsite data may be analyzed to determine its impact on drilling performance. The efficacy of the item may thereby be determined and stored in a predictive model database. In making future wellsite drilling decisions, the predictive model database may be used to select cost-efficient performance improvement solutions. Additionally, performance information may be used to correct real-time data measured during future uses of the inventory item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: James Wilson Moore, Stephen Robert Holtz, Rod McMillon
  • Patent number: 9500034
    Abstract: A wearable stabilizer pad and method of directionally drilling a wellbore is disclosed. The wearable stabilizer pad is mounted on a component of a bottom hole assembly. The component of the bottom hole assembly is rotated in the wellbore thereby wearing the stabilizer at a predetermined wear rate by contacting the wellbore wall. Wearing of the stabilizer at the predetermined wear rate as it rotates and contacts the wellbore wall steers the bottom hole assembly in a curve portion of the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Robert Holtz, Keith Holtzman
  • Publication number: 20160291575
    Abstract: System and method for analyzing and evaluating the performance of a directional driller (“DD”) include acquiring and analyzing drilling data in real time, identifying activities and decisions that are the responsibility of the directional driller, and confirming whether or not the directional driller's decisions were appropriate or not and in what timeframe. The system and method may provide output information for evaluation purposes, for example, in the form of a directional drilling quality report. The directional drilling quality report may allow evaluation of an individual directional driller and also comparison of directional drillers relative to each other. The use of real-time drilling data allows the report to be modified to reflect actual drilling conditions and objectives as needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: James Wilson Moore, Stephen Robert Holtz
  • Publication number: 20160230465
    Abstract: A wearable stabilizer pad and method of directionally drilling a wellbore is disclosed. The wearable stabilizer pad is mounted on a component of a bottom hole assembly. The component of the bottom hole assembly is rotated in the wellbore thereby wearing the stabilizer at a predetermined wear rate by contacting the wellbore wall. Wearing of the stabilizer at the predetermined wear rate as it rotates and contacts the wellbore wall steers the bottom hole assembly in a curve portion of the wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicant: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Robert Holtz, Keith Holtzman
  • Publication number: 20160053545
    Abstract: A drilling system includes a drill string extendable into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation. The subterranean formation exhibits a resonant frequency and a drill bit is coupled to a distal end of the drill string. A vibration sub is positioned within the drill string adjacent the drill bit for generating vibration stress waves at the drill bit, and the vibration stress waves exhibit a vibration frequency that approximates the resonant frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Robert Holtz