Patents Represented by Attorney Rachael A. Stiegel
  • Patent number: 7273096
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for holding and releasing an object, such device having a body with a cavity in which the object is accommodatable, an elastic retaining member for retaining the object in the cavity, and, a pushing member for pushing the object out of the body past the retaining member. The pushing member has a first stimuli responsive gel, which has a volume that varies in response to variation of a selected physical stimulating parameter and a controller capable of activating the pushing member by stimulating the first gel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Johannis Josephus Den Boer, John Foreman Stewart
  • Patent number: 7257050
    Abstract: A telemetry system having: a pipe; a SCADA box acoustically coupled to the pipe; and a gauge inserted in the pipe, the gauge comprising: an acoustic wave generator; a coupler mechanically connected to the acoustic wave generator, wherein the coupler is engageable and disengageable with the pipe, wherein the coupler defines an acoustic transmission path between the acoustic wave generator and the pipe when engaged with the pipe; and a signal controller in communication with the acoustic wave generator. A method for communicating information in a wellbore from a downhole location to the surface, the method having the following steps: running a downhole gauge into a pipe within the wellbore, wherein the downhole gauge comprise an acoustic wave generator; setting the downhole gauge in the pipe; and communicating an acoustic signal between the downhole gauge and the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: John Stewart, Paul Tubel, Clark J. Bergeron
  • Patent number: 7256706
    Abstract: A hybrid, hardwired and wireless well communication system having a fiber optical, electrical or other signal transmission conduit extending from the wellhead into the well and one or more wireless signal transducers that are located at a distance from the conduit and transmit wireless signals to one or more signal converters which are coupled to the conduit, and which are located near branchpoints of a multilateral well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Mark Christopher Haase, John Foreman Stewart
  • Patent number: 7243714
    Abstract: A well having a bore hole extending from surface to an underground formation, a casing arranged in the borehole, a tubing hanger supported on the top of the casing, a packer arranged in the casing at a predetermined depth, and a tubing extending from the tubing hanger to the packer, wherein the tubing includes a tubing section that consists of a tubular body of elastomeric material that is reinforced by axially extending reinforcement strands arranged in the tubular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Willem Van Den Dobbelsteen
  • Patent number: 7172025
    Abstract: A system for lining a section of a wellbore with an expandable tubular element is provided. The system includes an elongate string extending into the wellbore, the string being provided with the tubular element in the unexpanded form thereof whereby the tubular element surrounds a lower portion of the string. The string is further provided with an expander arranged at a lower end part of the tubular element and anchoring means for anchoring an upper end part of the tubular element in the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Jörg Ernst Eckerlin
  • Patent number: 7170424
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus is provided for supplying power and communications within a first piping structure. An external power transfer device is positioned around the first piping structure and is magnetically coupled to an internal power transfer device. The internal power transfer device is positioned around a second piping structure disposed within the first piping structure. A main surface current flowing on the first piping structure induces a first surface current within the external power transfer device. The first surface current causes a second surface current to be induced within the internal power transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Robert Rex Burnett, William Mountjoy Savage, Frederick Gordon Carl, Jr., John Michele Hirsch
  • Patent number: 7150328
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for interconnecting adjacent expandable pipes by Laser Beam Welding (LBW).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Franz Marketz, Robert Bruce Stewart
  • Patent number: 7140430
    Abstract: An expander for radially expanding a tubular element, comprising an expander body connectable to an elongate member for moving the expander in axial direction through the tubular element, the expander body having a first body portion and a second body portion axially displaced from the first body portion, wherein the first body portion has a larger outer diameter than the second body portion. A set of expander segments is arranged around the expander body, each segment being movable relative the expander body between a radically extended position in which the segment is axially aligned with the first body portion and a radially retracted position in which the segment is axially aligned with the second body portion. Actuating means is provided for moving each segment between the extended position and the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Antonius Leonardus Maria Wubben
  • Patent number: 7117940
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for expanding a wellbore tubular such as a casing is provided. The apparatus includes: an expandable casing; a drill string extending to within the drillstring; an expansion cone suspended from the drillstring, the expansion cone having an expanded state and a collapsed state and wherein the expansion cone is deformable to the expanded state and is relaxed in the collapsed state; a seal bushing capable of sealing an annulus between the drill string and the expandable casing; a downward expansion flow path wherein fluid communication is provided between the inside of the drill string and the annulus between the drill string and the expandable casing above the expansion cone; and an upward expansion flow path wherein fluid communication is provided between the inside of the drill string and the inside of the expandable casing for upward expansion by the expansion cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Donald Bruce Campo
  • Patent number: 7111679
    Abstract: An expander for radially expanding a tubular element by axial movement of the expander through the tubular element is provided. The expander comprising an expander member having a front part of a first cross-sectional size; a rear part of a second cross-sectional size larger than the first cross-sectional size; and an intermediate part arranged between said front part; and, rear part and having a cross-sectional size varying between said first and second cross-sectional sizes. The expander member is provided with fluid supply means for supplying pressurized fluid to the inner surface of the tubular element at a location opposite the intermediate part when the expander member is arranged in the tubular element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Wilhelmus Christianus Maria Lohbeck, Antonius Leonardus Maria Wubben
  • Patent number: 7066252
    Abstract: Disclosed is a tool having an axial passage, a top and a bottom, and a sidewall portion possessing porosity and permeability properties and constructed of a material having equal or better erosion properties than any substances produced and/or injected into any earth formation, said tool functioning as a filter to permit solids to pass or not pass depending upon their size, characterized in that the porosity and permeability can be programmed to any given value radially and longitudinally, said tool further including a means for circulating from outside, inward or from the inside outward to enable cleaning, wherein optionally said tool can be used in multiples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Wilhelmus Hubertus Paulus Maria Heijnen, Donald George Maynard
  • Patent number: 7063162
    Abstract: The inflow of fluid from an oil and/or gas bearing formation into an oil and/or gas production well is cyclically moved up and down along the length of an inflow region of the well by cyclically changing the opening of one or more control valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Roelof Daling, Vincent Sebastiaan Droppert, Johan Dirk Jansen, Arjen Michiel Wagenvoort, Carlos Alberto Glandt, Duncan Ian Green-Armytage
  • Patent number: 7059415
    Abstract: A wellbore system having a borehole extending into an earth formation, a tubular element extending into the borehole whereby a cylindrical wall surrounds the tubular element in a manner that an annular space is formed between the tubular element and the cylindrical wall, at least one seal member arranged in the annular space, each seal member being movable between a retracted mode in which the seal member has a first volume and an expanded mode in which the seal member has a second volume larger than the first volume, wherein the seal member in the expanded mode thereof seals the annular space, and wherein the seal member includes a material which swells upon contact with a selected fluid so as to move the seal member from the retracted mode to the expanded mode thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Martin Gerard Rene Bosma, Erik Kerst Cornelissen