Patents Represented by Attorney John Vereb
  • Patent number: 8348642
    Abstract: A downhole tool pumping apparatus comprising a body and an active valve block. The body comprises a cavity housing a reciprocating piston defining first and second chambers within the cavity. The active valve block comprises a plurality of active valves, wherein the plurality of active valves includes a first active valve fluidly connected to the first chamber of the body, the plurality of active valves includes a second active valve fluidly connected to the second chamber of the body, and each of the plurality of active valves is configured to be actively actuated between open and closed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Willam E. Brennan, Bill Grant, Mark Milkovisch
  • Patent number: 8335650
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to determine phase-change pressures are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes capturing a fluid in a chamber, pressurizing the fluid at a plurality of pressures, measuring a plurality of transmittances of a signal through the fluid at respective ones of the plurality of pressures, computing a first magnitude of a first subset of the plurality of transmittances, computing a second magnitude of a second subset of the plurality of transmittances, comparing the first and second magnitudes to determine a phase-change pressure for the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Kai Hsu, Kentaro Indo, Peter S. Hegeman, Carsten Sonne
  • Patent number: 8322416
    Abstract: An apparatus for obtaining a fluid at a position within a wellbore that penetrates a subterranean formation includes a body adapted to be disposed in the wellbore on a conveyance equipped with one or more expandable packers providing a sample region disposed between an upper cleanup zone and a lower cleanup zone when expanded into abutting contact with the wellbore wall. An upper cleanup port is provided at the upper cleanup zone. A lower cleanup port is provided at the lower cleanup zone. A fluid cleanup flowline in fluid connection with the upper and lower cleanup ports can be provided. A sampling inlet is provided at the sampling region, and a sampling flowline is in fluid connection with the sampling inlet for drawing fluid from the sampling region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Julian J. Pop, Pierre-Yves Corre
  • Patent number: 8322433
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention disclose systems, apparatuses, and methods of measurement performed by pipe conveyed tools. In an embodiment, a system for evaluation of a well bore includes a drill string assembly comprising a plurality of pipe joints, a wired slip joint coupled to the plurality of drill pipe, the slip joint movable from a retracted position to an extended position to compensate for changes in length of the drill string, the extended position having a length greater than the retracted position; a sensor positioned in the slip joint, wherein the sensor detects a change in length of the slip joint and generates a signal representative of a position of the slip joint, and a communication system to transmit the signal from the slip joint to a surface processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Sylvain Bedouet, Erik Quam
  • Patent number: 8289024
    Abstract: A wellbore tool for locating a target wellbore containing a conductive member from a second wellbore and directing the trajectory of the second wellbore relative to the target wellbore includes an electric current driver having an insulated gap; a three-axis magnetometer positioned within a non-magnetic housing that is disposed within a non-magnetic tubular, the three-axis magnetometer positioned below the electric current driver; a drill bit positioned below the three-axis magnetometer; a hollow tubular connected between the electric current driver and the three-axis magnetometer; and a measurement-while-drilling tool. The current driver generates an electric current across the gap to the portion of the tool below the insulated gap. In a method a current is generated across the insulated gap to the portion of the tool below the insulated gap to the conductive material in the target wellbore returning to a portion of the bottom hole assembly above the insulated gap thereby producing a target magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Clark, Christophe Dupuis, Gerald N. Minerbo
  • Patent number: 8276657
    Abstract: A technique involves sampling fluids in a well environment. An expandable packer is constructed with an outer seal layer. At least one sample drain is positioned through the outer seal layer, and a heater element is deployed in the at least one sample drain. In one embodiment, the heater element is deployed proximate a radially outlying surface of the expandable packer. Additionally, a temperature sensor may be positioned proximate the at least one sample drain to monitor temperature in the environment heated by the heater element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Sebastien Ives, Stephane Metayer, Pierre-Yves Corre
  • Patent number: 8063641
    Abstract: A method for determining the distance and/or direction of a second earth borehole with respect to a first earth borehole, includes the following steps: providing, in the first borehole, first and second spaced apart magnetic field sources; providing, in the second borehole, a magnetic field sensor subsystem for sensing directional magnetic field components; activating the first and second magnetic field sources, and producing respective first and second outputs of the magnetic field sensor subsystem, the first output being responsive to the magnetic field produced by the first magnetic field source, and the second output being responsive to the magnetic field produced by the second magnetic field source; and determining distance and/or direction of the second earth borehole with respect to the first earth borehole as a function of the first output and the second output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Clark, Jan S. Morley
  • Patent number: 8044821
    Abstract: Example wellbore telemetry systems and methods for transmitting signals between a surface unit and a downhole tool are disclosed. One example method transmits data between a downhole location in a wellbore and a surface location associated with the wellbore by measuring downhole data via at least one downhole component and generating a data frame containing at least a portion of the downhole data. The example method varies a telemetry bandwidth allocated to the at least one downhole component in response to the at least some of the downhole data corresponding to a special event and transmits the at least some of the downhole data to the surface location via the telemetry bandwidth allocated to the at least one downhole component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Shyam B. Mehta
  • Patent number: 8031081
    Abstract: An embodiment of a wireless telemetry system for providing signal communication across a wired-communication gap in a bottom-hole assembly (“BHA”), the BHA having an upper portion and a lower portion separated by the wired-communication gap, includes an upper transceiver positioned in the upper portion and in signal communication with a surface telemetry system and a lower transceiver positioned in the lower portion and in signal communication with a drilling tool, the upper and the lower transceivers in signal communication with one another via wireless induction telemetry. Each transceiver may include an antenna that is positioned within the bore of a drill collar adjacent to a thinned wall section in the drill collar. The thinned wall section may include one or more of increasing an inside diameter relative to a base inside diameter of the bore and decreasing an outside diameter relative to a base outside diameter of the drill collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Attilio C. Pisoni, David L. Smith, Brian Clark, Jean Seydoux, Vassilis Varveropoulos
  • Patent number: 8024868
    Abstract: A drill string caliper includes a mandrel configured to be coupled within a drill string. At least one laterally extensible arm is coupled to an exterior of the mandrel. A biasing device is configured to urge the at least one arm into contact with a wall of a wellbore. A sensor is configured to generate an output signal corresponding to a lateral extent of the at least one arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: James C. Brannigan, Raymond V. Nold, III, John Rasmus, Fernando Garcia-Osuna, Alexander Zazovsky
  • Patent number: 8020634
    Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a retrievable downhole component within a drill collar includes a sleeve that is positionable about the downhole component and is mounted within the drill collar. The sleeve is adapted to limit the lateral movement of the downhole component. The sleeve includes a series of fins or is lined with an energy absorbing material which protects the component from shock and vibration while at the same time enables the component to be retrieved should the drill string become stuck in the borehole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Utter, Ian Silvester, Kyel Hodenfield, Steven J. Pringnitz
  • Patent number: 8020632
    Abstract: A communication system for a casing while drilling system is provided. The casing while drilling system is adapted to advance a bottom hole assembly into a subsurface formation via a casing. The communication system comprises a high frequency modulator and a transducer. The modulator is positioned in the bottom hole assembly and adapted to generate a mud pulse by selectively restrict mud flow passing therethrough. The transducer is adapted to detect the mud pulse generated by the modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Keith A. Moriarty
  • Patent number: 8022561
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for harvesting energy in a wellbore is disclosed. In one embodiment, a harvester tool positioned in a wellbore for capturing energy in the wellbore is disclosed. The harvester tool includes a rotor comprising a magnet. The magnet is disposed eccentric to a center of the harvester tool. In addition, the rotor is rotatable around the center of the harvester tool. The harvester tool also includes a stator. Rotation of the rotor induces a voltage in the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Reinhart Ciglenec, Albert Hoefel
  • Patent number: 7962287
    Abstract: A wellbore tool for optimizing magnetic signals is provided. The wellbore tool has a tool body and an electric current driving device with an insulated gap on the downhole tool body. The electric current driving device generates electric current across the gap. The wellbore tool has a a magnetometer capable of measuring a magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Brian Clark