Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Guy McClung
  • Patent number: 7472762
    Abstract: A top drive system including, in certain aspects, a motor, a gear system below, and driven by the motor, a space between the top drive motor and the gear system, a seal assembly for inhibiting oil for lubricating parts of the gear system from flowing into the space, the seal assembly having a movable rod piston, a sealing arm projecting from the rod piston, at least one removable seal secured to the sealing arm, a seal member releasably secured to the gear system, and the movable rod piston movable to move the sealing arm to bring the at least one removable seal into sealingly contact with the seal member to inhibit oil from flowing into the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Edward West, Bastiaan de Jong
  • Patent number: 7461705
    Abstract: A method for oscillating a drillstring, the drillstring extending into the earth, the drillstring having a bit on a lower end thereof, the bit for drilling into the earth, the drillstring connected to a motive apparatus, the motive apparatus for rotating the drillstring, the motive apparatus having a power output associated with rotating the drillstring, the method including, in certain aspects, determining a first amount of energy and a second amount of energy, said determining based on the power output of the motive apparatus, applying the first amount of energy to the drillstring in a first rotational direction, applying the second amount of energy to the drilling in a second rotational direction, the second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction, the application of both the first amount of energy and the second amount of energy not moving the bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventors: Kent Erin Hulick, David Cardellini
  • Patent number: 7459219
    Abstract: An item made of wear resistant material, the item, in certain aspects, made by a method including forming a mass of wear resistant material, the wear resistant material comprising at least one element from the group consisting of arsenic, antimony, cerium and bismuth, wherein the at least one element is present by weight as between 0.01% to 0.0001% of a total weight of the wear resistant material, wherein the wear resistant material includes by weight percent chromium 29.10-30.00%; nickel 5.00-6.00%; titanium 1.00-2.10%; boron 3.00-3.90%; silicon 1.00-2.10%; manganese 1.10-2.00%; iron-balance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Inventors: Jimmie Brooks Bolton, Billi Marie Rogers
  • Patent number: 7424917
    Abstract: Systems and method for operating subsea devices and pressure compensated reservoir systems useful therewith which in certain aspects, include a chamber with a piston therein acted on an exposed side by water, e.g. sea water, to provide operational hydraulic fluid for operating a subsea device, with a piston rod having an end in a separate chamber acted on by a fluid to compensate for a pressure differential between the pressure of the water on one piston side and the pressure of the operational hydraulic fluid on the other piston side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventor: David W. Martin
  • Patent number: 7422076
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling movement of a bit of a drilling assembly during reaming of an already-drilled hole; the methods, in certain aspects, including determining a ream speed for downward movement of the bit in the hole, moving the bit downward in a hole at the ream speed, determining a time period for deceleration of the bit to the hole bottom, determining a value for a target drilling parameter for drilling beyond the bottom of the hole, decelerating the bit (linearly or non-linearly) for the time period, and achieving the value for the target drilling parameter when the bit reaches the bottom of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventors: William Leo Koederitz, Michael Nathan Porche, C. Randall Thomas
  • Patent number: 7419012
    Abstract: A drive system for wellbore operations, the drive system, in certain, but not necessarily all aspects, including a main body, a motor apparatus, a main shaft extending from the main body and rotatable by the motor, the main shaft having a top end and a bottom end, and an item, the item non-threadedly connected to the main shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventor: James Edward Lynch
  • Patent number: 7401664
    Abstract: A top drive system for wellbore operations, the top drive system including motor apparatus, a main shaft driven by the motor apparatus, the main shaft having a top end and a bottom end, a quill connected to the main shaft, and a gear system interconnected with the quill and the motor apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Varco I/P
    Inventors: Lawrence E. Wells, Preston Fox, Cliff Swiontek, Svein Stubstad
  • Patent number: 7380589
    Abstract: A pressure compensated tubing injector for injecting coiled tubing into a subsea wellhead or flowline. A traction device including grippers carried on respective opposing chain loops provides gripping engagement with the coiled tubing to longitudinally move the coiled tubing. A plurality of sealed outboard bearing assemblies guide movement of the chain loops. A drive unit powers the chain loops and includes a sealed gear case. One or more pressure compensators are placed in communication with the sealed gear case and one or more of the bearing assemblies, to compensate for subsea pressure and prevent intrusion of seawater. The bearing assemblies may include self-contained pressure compensators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Varco Shaffer, Inc.
    Inventors: David Wayne Martin, Ronald W. Yater
  • Patent number: 7374127
    Abstract: An apparatus for wrapping material onto and around a pipe, the apparatus including a shaft, the shaft rotatable by a driving apparatus, a payout core containing material to be wrapped onto a pipe, the payout core releasably mounted on the shaft, a deflection arm assembly secured to the shaft for rotation by the shaft, rotation of the shaft rotating the deflection arm assembly with respect to the payout core so that the deflection arm assembly takes material from the payout core and wraps the material onto a pipe adjacent the deflection arm assembly, each of the shaft and deflection arm assembly having a central opening through which is movable the pipe as the pipe is being wrapped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Smart Pipe Company, Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Gallagher, William D. Stringfellow, Kenneth R. Charboneau, Stephen C. Catha
  • Patent number: 7367396
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for severing a wellbore tubular, the apparatus, in certain aspects, including: a first member movable toward a tubular to be severed; a second member with a second blade disposed opposite to the first member and movable toward the tubular; a first blade on the first member having a projection projecting from a center of a blade body with point structure on the projection for puncturing the tubular and cutting surfaces on the projection for cutting the tubular; and cutting surfaces, as needed, on the blade body adjacent the projection for cutting the tubular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Benjamin Springett, James D. Brugman
  • Patent number: 7360603
    Abstract: A dual sided elevator for supporting a tubular member in a wellbore operation, the elevator in one aspect having an openable back end and an openable front end, either end openable by using opening apparatus at the front of the elevator; such an elevator with operation apparatus within an elevator body; and/or a top drive system which, in at least certain embodiments, has an apparatus connected below it for breaking connections and such an elevator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Benjamin Springett, Eric T. Ensley, Dean A. Bennett, Raul Araujo
  • Patent number: 7350587
    Abstract: A guide is disclosed for facilitating the movement of tubulars in well operations. In one aspect, the guide is a pipe guide with a base, an upper extension apparatus, a lower extension apparatus with a first end pivotably secured to the upper extension apparatus and selectively extendable with the upper extension apparatus, and a pipe holder apparatus connected to the upper extension apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Benjamin Springett, Eric T. Ensley, Dean A. Bennett, James D. Brugman
  • Patent number: 7331562
    Abstract: A blowout preventer which, in certain aspects, has a main body with a main top, a main bottom, and a main bore therethrough from the main top to the main bottom, at least one breech assembly secured to the main body, ram apparatus movable within the breech assembly and the main body, the breech assembly having a chamber for enclosing part of the ram apparatus, the chamber having a side opening, a sleeve around the breech, and the sleeve movable with respect to the breech assembly to uncover the side opening to permit access to ram apparatus within the chamber of the breech.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Benjamin Springett
  • Patent number: 7331469
    Abstract: A vibratory separator having a basket for supporting screen apparatus for treating material, the basket pivotably mounted on a base, vibratory apparatus connected to the basket for vibrating the basket, the material forming a pool on the screen apparatus, and a beach formed on the screen apparatus, measurement apparatus connected to the basket and positioned above the screen apparatus for measuring a distance from the measurement apparatus to a top surface of the pool, control apparatus for controlling and in communication with the measurement apparatus for receiving signals therefrom indicative of said distance, which distance is indicative of pool depth at that location and which correspond to beach extent, and adjustment apparatus controlled by the control apparatus for adjusting angle of the basket, thereby adjusting extent of the beach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventors: Norman Padalino, Eric Scott, Buddy Stone, Kevin McDonough, Kenneth W. Seyffert, Guy L. McClung, III
  • Patent number: 7320374
    Abstract: A system for wellbore operations, the system, in at least certain aspects, including a derrick, a guide beam connected to the derrick, a top drive movable on the guide beam, torque reaction structure connected to the guide beam and to the derrick, skid apparatus held by the torque reaction structure, the skid apparatus movable vertically with respect to the torque reaction structure to prevent a vertical load from passing from the skid apparatus to the torque reaction structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Alden Folk, Steven Lorne Folk
  • Patent number: 7313986
    Abstract: An apparatus for rotating a tubular with respect to a drill bit, e.g., for making or breaking a connection between a tubular and a drill bit, the apparatus, in at least certain aspects including a frame, gripper apparatus connected to the frame for gripping and rotating a primary tubular, and a torquing frame with plate apparatus for holding the drill bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Edward West, Preston R. Fox
  • Patent number: 7306057
    Abstract: A method for treating material, the material contaminated with contaminants, the method including: introducing material with contaminants to a system for remediation including a thermal treatment system, a quench system, a weir tank system and a condensing system; feeding a slurry of the material to the thermal treatment system and heating the material therein producing heated discharge solids and a discharge stream with liquid and solids therein; optionally, discharging the heated discharge solids and feeding them to a mill system; feeding the discharge stream to a quench system producing a cooled discharge stream which is fed to the weir tank system; the weir tank system having a clean side and a dirty side; the cooled discharge stream fed to the dirty side of the weir tank system, and from the weir tank system producing at least one stream of cleaned liquid and a stream with contaminants therein; and, in one particular aspect, remediating drilled cuttings material using such a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary S Strong, Dale A. Pierce, Lyndon Stone, Cliff Gaddis, Bradford R Wood, Kenneth W. Seyffert, Cecil Lee
  • Patent number: D557394
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Inventors: Lendell Martin, Sr., Robert Wayne Magee, Andres Alberto Canales
  • Patent number: D557395
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Inventors: Lendell Martin, Sr., Robert Wayne Magee, Andres Alberto Canales
  • Patent number: D572119
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Varco I/P, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence E. Wells, Brett Gregory Wallihan