Patents Represented by Attorney Michael Flynn
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Patent number: 8312925Abstract: An embodiment of a method of performing a wellbore operation in an oilfield comprises providing a bottom hole assembly on a conveyance, deploying the bottom hole assembly into the wellbore with the conveyance, determining the depth location of the bottomhole assembly in the wellbore utilizing a mechanical device, moving the bottom hole assembly to a desired location based on the determined depth, circulating a fluid from the oilfield to the bottomhole assembly, and performing at least one wellbore operation while the bottomhole assembly is deployed at the desired location.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2010Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Sascha Trummer, Douglas Pipchuk
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Patent number: 8294589Abstract: A method of and a system for tracking radioactive sources includes at least one RFID tag attached to a radioactive source shield, the shield receiving a radioactive source at a base location, and a TRX-Gamma box for detecting identification information from the RFID tag and sensing a first gamma radiation count from the radioactive source shield. The identification information and the first gamma radiation count are stored and the shield with the radioactive source is transported to a job location where the radioactive source is removed from the shield. At the job location, a check is made that the radioactive source has been returned to the shield by comparing any newly detected identification information with the stored identification information, and by comparing a sensed second gamma radiation count with the first gamma radiation count.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2010Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Tim Smith, Arturo E. Altamirano, Toshimichi Wago
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Patent number: 8286716Abstract: A technique enables anchoring of a tool in a wellbore. The technique provides traction against a well component without creating high stress concentrations that weaken the well component. An anchoring device comprises anchoring members that are selectively movable to an expanded configuration for anchoring the tool. The anchoring members have traction surfaces able to selectively engage a smooth anchoring surface of the well component at any desired location along the well component. Each traction surface is formed to facilitate traction while minimizing stress concentration.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2008Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Ruben Martinez, Max E. Spencer
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Patent number: 8276660Abstract: A back-off tool for use in breaking a joint of a tubular disposed in a well. The tool is dual anchoring in nature such that breaking of the joint may be achieved with a degree of precision heretofore unavailable. Additionally, the dual anchoring nature of the tool at both sides of the joint allows for power requirements to be met through use of a dowhole power source incorporated into the tool. As a result, the use of heavier power carrying cables and equipment may be avoided as well as explosives or similarly hazardous and/or imprecise measures.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2009Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Victor Matthew Bolze
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Patent number: 8269647Abstract: A component is deployed into a well on a carrier line that includes an electrical cable. A depth of the component in a well is determined using a time domain reflectometry technique.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2006Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Vladimir Hernandez Solis
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Patent number: 8230936Abstract: Methods for creating packers at a desired location or locations within a wellbore for use in specific wellbore applications. A slurry of fluid medium and hydrolysable particulate matter is flowed to a downhole position and dehydrated. At this location, the particulate matter is released from the fluid medium and accumulated. The continual accumulation of the slurry and consequent deposition of particulate matter creates a degradable packer at the desired location within the wellbore. The particulate matter may be formed of an acid particle which may be removable, degradable, or hydrolysable under certain conditions of temperature, time, hydration, pH, and/or pressure. Either simultaneous with or subsequent to a wellbore activity, the packer is partially or completely removed from the wellbore.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2006Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Stephen Davies, Frank Espinosa, John W. Still, Jean-Louis Pessin
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Patent number: 8230915Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are provided for determining injected fluid vertical placement in a formation. The apparatus includes a borehole drilled through a formation, and an injection conduit within the borehole. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a fiber optic cable within the borehole wrapped helically around the injection conduit such that the fiber optic cable reads temperatures at specific depths and radial angles throughout the borehole. The apparatus includes a thermal insulation layer interposed between the injection conduit and the fiber optic cable such that the fiber optic cable detects the formation temperature rather than the injection conduit temperature. The apparatus includes a computer programmed to determine the vertical placement of the injected fluid within the formation based on the temperature readings. The apparatus detects an induced hydraulic fracture height, and detects whether an induced hydraulic fracture has deviated from the plane of the borehole.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2007Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Xiaowei Weng
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Patent number: 8230917Abstract: Methods and systems are described for stimulating a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir, one method comprising contacting the formation with a treating fluid, and monitoring the movement of the treating fluid in the reservoir by providing one or more sensors for measurement of temperature and/or pressure which is disposed on a support adapted to maintain a given spacing between the sensors and the fluid exit. In some embodiments the support is coiled tubing.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2009Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Jeanne Boles, Vibhas Pandey, Murtaza Ziauddin
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Patent number: 8024957Abstract: A downhole load cell calibrated for enhanced accuracy. The load cell may be a dry load cell calibrated by storage of pre-determined temperature and pressure data relative to the load cell based on known loads applied thereto. Thus, surface equipment employed with the load cell may include a computer program that takes advantage of the stored pre-determined information. The computer program may then be employed for calibration of downhole load cell data based on readings from the load cell along with downhole temperature and pressure information.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2008Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: L. Michael McKee
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Patent number: 7980306Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing a multi-zone reservoir while reservoir fluids are flowing from within the wellbore. The method and apparatus enables isolation and testing of individual zones without the need to pull production tubing. This abstract allows a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure. It may not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2006Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: John R. Lovell, Warren Zemlak, Marc Allcorn, Luis F. Peixoto, Steven Harrison, Andrew Prestridge, Gokturk Tunc, Frank Espinosa
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Patent number: 7854258Abstract: A downhole tool is provided that includes a grip assembly for contacting a well formation. The grip assembly includes a gripper body; and a centralizer that is attached to and radially expandable with respect to the gripper body and that has a geometry which is lockable by a locking device. The grip assembly also includes a force amplifier in force transmitting relation with the centralizer, wherein the force amplifier transfers a force in a first direction to a much larger force in a second direction when the centralizer is locked by the locking device.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2009Date of Patent: December 21, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Todor K. Sheiretov, Dwight C. Chilcoat, Robin A. Ewan, Carl J Roy, Matthew Billingham, Franz Aguirre
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Patent number: 7770609Abstract: A method of conditioning a compacted polymeric powder to a flowable and meterable state. The polymeric powder is compacted during transport such that the flowability is hindered. To increase flowability, gas is introduced into the polymeric powder to condition the same to an improved flowable and meterable state.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2009Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Jean-Louis Pessin, Ismail El Kholy, Gregoire Jacob
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Patent number: 7763802Abstract: An electrical cable includes insulated primary conductors and at least one insulated secondary conductor, which extend along the cable. The primary conductors define interstitial spaces between adjacent primary conductors, and the primary conductors have approximately the same diameter. The primary conductors include power conductors and a telemetric conductor. The secondary conductor(s) each have a diameter that is smaller than each of the diameters of the primary conductors, and each secondary conductor is at least partially nested in one of the interstitial spaces. The electrical cable may include at least one fiber optic line.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2007Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Joseph Varkey, Vladimir Hernandez-Solis, Ramon Hernandez-Marti
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Patent number: 7740447Abstract: A centrifugal pump for abrasive fluid. The pump may include a bearing housing mounted to a tank containing an abrasive fluid. The bearing housing may house wear-susceptible components in a manner distancing and isolating the components from the fluid. A shaft may be coupled to the bearing housing and disposed through the tank to an impeller for dispensing the abrasive fluid beyond the centrifugal pump. Additionally the impeller itself may be housed within an impeller housing that is mechanically coupled to the bearing housing in order to enhance dimensional stability therebetween. Such a centrifugal pump may be coupled to other pumps such as higher pressure positive displacement pumps. In these circumstances the centrifugal pump may be used to facilitate the mixing of the abrasive fluid and provide a degree of pressurization thereto in advance of the fluid's use at an operation site.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2007Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Jean-Louis Pessin, Josh Rayner, Laurent Coquilleau, Michael Woodmansee
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Patent number: 7654318Abstract: Fluid diversion measurement systems and methods are described. One system includes a section of tubular having a main flow passage and a fluid diversion port, the section of tubular adapted to be either moving or stationary during a fluid diversion operation, at least two sensors in the section of tubular, at least one sensor located upstream of the fluid diversion port and at least one sensor located downstream of the fluid diversion port, each sensor adapted to measure a parameter of a fluid diverted into a wellbore through the fluid diversion port; and means for using the measured parameters in realtime to monitor, control, or both monitor and control diversion of the fluid. This abstract allows a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure. It will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2006Date of Patent: February 2, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Iain Cooper, Bart Thomeer, Colin Whittaker, Carolina Dautriche, Murtaza Ziauddin, Gary Oddie, Fadhel Rezgui, Andrew Parry, Chris Lenn, Steve Davies, Warren Zemlak, Moussa Kane, Frank F. Espinosa, Gokturk Tunc
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Patent number: 7644907Abstract: A drum assembly for accommodating a well access line. The drum of the assembly may include a core coupled to flanges at either side thereof. The core may be configured to accommodate the well access line thereabout. Additionally, the core may be configured with an inner portion for coupling to the flanges at an arcuate junction therebetween as well as a collar about the inner portion for directly accommodating the well access line in a stable manner.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2008Date of Patent: January 12, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Sebastien Ives, Emma Ford, Baptiste Germond, Pierre-Yves Corre
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Patent number: 7643945Abstract: A method of enhancing acoustic pump data for monitoring of pump condition in operation. The enhancement may be in the form of a substantial reduction in the amount of data to be processed by firmware to a much more manageable level. This may be achieved through pre-filtering of acquired acoustic data, computing frequency momentum, and by application of a median filter to the acoustic data. Regardless, a thresholding technique that uses features vector including but not limited to double-threshold derived from statistics of enhanced amplitudes, may be employed whereby enhanced acoustic data is boiled down to a series of potential acoustic events of particular widths. These widths may represent a duration of each acoustic event and be checked for correlation with the speed of the operating speed of the pump.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2007Date of Patent: January 5, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Nikolay Baklanov, Sarmad Adnan, Toshimichi Wago
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Patent number: 7640991Abstract: The present invention provides a ball seat apparatus for actuating a downhole component. The ball drop apparatus comprises a plurality of ball seat bores and at least one passage extending therethrough.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2006Date of Patent: January 5, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Lawrence J. Leising
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Patent number: 7640999Abstract: A technique facilitates combined drilling and coiled tubing operations from a single bed of a rig. A mast is mounted to the bed, and a coiled tubing injector is connected to the mast. The coiled tubing injector is able to move coiled tubing into and out of a wellbore. A starter head also is mounted to the mast. The starter head is rotatable to make and break connections of tool string components. However, the starter head generally is rotationally stationary during drilling operations.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2006Date of Patent: January 5, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Bartley Patton
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Patent number: 7639781Abstract: An x-ray tool for determining a characteristic of an oilfield fluid. The tool may include a generator portion housing a collimator about a target from which x-rays are emitted. In this manner x-rays may be attenuated right at the target such that a majority of shielding otherwise necessary for safety concerns may be eliminated. Rather, by employing the target within the collimator, shielding of the generator may be limited to a single shielding plate within the generator portion that is positioned parallel to the target at the opposite end of an x-ray tube therebetween. As a result of this configuration, an x-ray tool for analysis of oilfield fluids may be provided with a minimum weight of shielding material. Thus, hand-held user friendly embodiments may be safely employed at the oilfield.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2008Date of Patent: December 29, 2009Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Rod Shampine, Joel L. Groves, Anthony Durkowski, Etienne Vallee, Peter Wraight