Patents Assigned to KOBOLD CORPORATION
  • Patent number: 11365606
    Abstract: A bottom hole actuator tool for locating and actuating one or more sleeve valves spaced along a completion string. A shifting tool includes radially extending dogs at ends of radially controllable, and circumferentially spaced support arms. Conveyance tubing actuated shifting of an activation mandrel, indexed by a J-Slot, cams the arms radially inward to overcome the biasing for in and out of hole movement, and for releasing the arms for sleeve locating and sleeve profile engagement. A cone, movable with the mandrel engages the dogs for positive locking of the dogs in the profile for sleeve opening and closing. A treatment isolation packer can be actuated with cone engagement. The positive engagement and compact axial components results in short sleeve valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Andreychuk, Per Angman, Allan Petrella, David Christopher Parks
  • Patent number: 11346169
    Abstract: A shift uphole-to-open sleeve assembly is provided for insertion along a tubular string for multi-stage, selectable wellbore treatment. The sleeve assemblies are very short in length, being too short for in-sleeve engagement, and instead have a downhole shoulder engageable for opening using dogs of a conventional shifting tool. Use of a common J-mechanism having four axial inappropriately places the sealing packer of a downhole tool above the sleeve ports. Multiple extra J-mechanism cycles are required to position the packer downhole thereof. Herein a modified downhole tool is disclosed including a biased repositioning sub to eliminate many of the extra tool cycles. In embodiments the short sleeve can replace casing collars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Andreychuk, Per Angman
  • Patent number: 11319802
    Abstract: One or more remote-operated sleeve valves are placed along a tubular string downhole. The sleeves can be opened and closed wirelessly, and in embodiments over and over again. Differential pressure between wellbore fluid pressure and an accumulator chamber enable repeated shifting. Each sleeve can have a unique actuation code removing constraints regarding sequence of operation and need for well intervention to access the sleeves. Hydraulic fracturing can be achieved without wellbore obstructions, and other operations benefit for reduced expense in service rigs and the ability or selectively shut off problem zones. Remote signals received downhole include those generated by percussive and seismic, distinguishable from background noise including during pumping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Andreychuk, Per Angman, Allan Petrella
  • Patent number: 11261682
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to apparatus for selecting between direct manipulations of a downhole tool and shifting of the operational mode of a downhole tool, and more particularly to a mode selector tool coupled with a J-Slot mechanism for the downhole tool, the selector enabling either an unimpeded shifting of, or a locking, of the J-Slot mechanism and connected downhole tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Per Angman, Matthew Brown, David Parks, Allan Petrella, Mark Andreychuk
  • Patent number: 11215048
    Abstract: A flow monitoring system can have a plurality of sensors located at monitoring locations along a tubing string inserted into an injector well of a secondary recovery operation. The sensors are configured to monitor a measurable property of fluids flowing in a bore of the tubing string or in an annulus formed between the tubing string and injector bore to determine the presence of said injected fluids at each sensor. At least two fluids having different values of the measurable property are injected into the injector well in an alternating manner and at a known injection rate. The flow rates of the fluids out of various injection zones of the injection well can be calculated using the arrival times and the known injection flow rates of the fluids, cross-sectional area of the fluid conduit(s) through which the fluids travel, and distances between the sensors or between surface and the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Allan Petrella, Matthew Brown, Per Angman, Mark Andreychuk
  • Patent number: 11208871
    Abstract: A bottomhole assembly (BHA) having a shifting tool and housing for shifting an uphole-to-open sleeve of a sleeve of a shorter length downhole sleeve assembly to an open position, and optionally to a closed position. Sleeve-engaging elements of the BHA are coordinated to direct the sleeve-engaging elements into a tool-engaging profile of the sleeve, excluding other annular variations in the casing string. The BHA has an improved dual J-Mechanism situated between the shifting tool and housing to permit new additional shifting options which results in fewer overall shifting cycles of the BHA when used with the shift uphole-to-open, shorter-length sleeve assembly. The shortened sleeve assembly is incorporated into a casing string and is relatively short in length when compared with conventional sleeve assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vitaliy Shpak, Matthew Brown, Mark Andreychuk, Per Angman
  • Patent number: 10975642
    Abstract: A shifting tool is provided for locating and actuating downhole tools in a downhole tubular string, such as sleeve valves spaced along a completion string. The shifting tool includes dogs at ends of two or more radially controllable, and circumferentially spaced support arms. The arms are manipulated with an axially movable arm-constrictor spider for engaging radially variable cams on the sides of the arms. The spider includes cam follower tabs to cam the arms radially inward for in and out of hole movement, and for releasing the arms for sleeve locating and sleeve profile engagement. The tabs are radially inset from the arms to minimize obstruction of a tool annulus and interference damage when travelling along the downhole string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Per Angman, Mark Andreychuk
  • Patent number: 10961808
    Abstract: A resettable elastomeric packer element of a packer, compressed for sealing in a wellbore, is released from sealing engagement in the wellbore by applying tension to an end of the packer element. The elastomeric packer element stretches and releases from the wellbore forming an annular passageway between the packer element and the wellbore. In the absence of a pressure equalization valve or flow passages through the packer, the annular passageway equalizes pressure differentials across the packer element allowing a tool, in which the packer is incorporated, to be moved in the wellbore with little or no damage to the packer element and further, allows debris to flow from above the packer to below the packer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Per Angman, Mark Andreychuk
  • Patent number: 10871054
    Abstract: A sleeve assembly has a sleeve axially moveable within a housing, the sleeve being positively locatable within a wellbore for reliable axial shifting of the sleeve between an uphole position and a downhole position. Stops and shoulders, which delimit the shifting of the sleeve between open and closed positions, are located in an annulus between the sleeve and the housing. Uphole and downhole ends of the sleeve and the housing have opposing ramps formed thereon. Locating shifting tools run through the sleeve assembly are engageable only in a locating profile in the sleeve and cannot engage in the annular stops or in gaps formed in the bore, uphole and downhole of the sleeve, as the ramps act to guide the locating tool therethrough. As the uphole and downhole sleeve ramps converge toward either of the uphole or downhole housing ramps during shifting thereof, debris is diverted into the bore allowing the sleeve to shift fully uphole or downhole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Andreychuk, Allan Petrella, Per Angman
  • Patent number: 10704383
    Abstract: One or more remote-operated sleeve valves are placed along a tubular string downhole. The sleeves can be opened and closed wirelessly, and in embodiments over and over again. Differential pressure between wellbore fluid pressure and an accumulator chamber enable repeated shifting. Each sleeve can have a unique actuation code removing constraints regarding sequence of operation and need for well intervention to access the sleeves. Hydraulic fracturing can be achieved without wellbore obstructions, and other operations benefit for reduced expense in service rigs and the ability or selectively shut off problem zones. Remote signals received downhole include those generated by percussive and seismic, distinguishable from background noise including during pumping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Andreychuk, Per Angman, Allan Petrella
  • Patent number: 10662750
    Abstract: Embodiments of a bottomhole assembly (BHA) for completion of a wellbore are deployed on electrically-enabled coiled tubing (CT) and permit components of the BHA to be independently electrically actuated from surface for completion of multiple zones in a single trip using a single BHA having at least two electrically-actuated variable diameter packers. One or both of the packers may be actuated to expand or retract for opening and closing off a variety of flowpaths between the BHA and the wellbore, in new wellbores, old wellbores, cased wellbores, wellbores with sleeves and in openhole wellbores. Additional components in the BHA, which may also be electrically—actuated or powered, permit perforating, locating of the BHA in the wellbore such as using casing collar locators and microseismic monitoring in real time or in memory mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Per Angman, Mark Andreychuk, Allan Petrella
  • Patent number: 10605061
    Abstract: A Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) tool and methods of downhole fluid management are disclosed. The BHA is deployed on a conveyance string to access a completion string and forming a tool annulus therebetween. A first assembly having a first bore fluidly connected to the conveyance string. A second assembly supports a packer for releasably sealing to the completion string, and a third assembly supporting a packer actuator thereon, the second assembly telescopically movable within the third assembly for forming a resettable packer releasably sealable to the completion string. A bypass valve is formed between the first and second assembly. Closing of the bypass valve directs fluid through a treatment port uphole of the resettable packer to the tool annulus and opening of the bypass valve bypasses fluid about the resettable packer. The packer actuator can further comprise an anchor for releasably anchoring to the completion string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Andreychuk, Per Angman, Allan Petrella
  • Patent number: 10605045
    Abstract: An apparatus having a shock-absorbing sleeve is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a housing, an axially moveable sleeve received in the housing and a sealed annular space having a fixed volume axially between the housing and the sleeve. A barrier axially moveable with the sleeve divides the annular space into a first and a second chambers. The first and second chambers are filled with uncompressible dampening fluid. One or more metering passages across the barrier fluidly connect the first and chambers. During the axial movement of the sleeve, the volume of the first chamber is reduced and that of the second chamber is increased, forcing the fluid in the first chamber to flow into the second chamber in a controlled manner to dampen the movement of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Per Angman, Kevin Graf, Chris Baudistel, Mark Andreychuk
  • Patent number: 10472919
    Abstract: A resettable elastomeric packer element of a packer, compressed for sealing in a wellbore, is released from sealing engagement in the wellbore by applying tension to an end of the packer element. The elastomeric packer element stretches and releases from the wellbore forming an annular passageway between the packer element and the wellbore. In the absence of a pressure equalization valve or flow passages through the packer, the annular passageway equalizes pressure differentials across the packer element allowing a tool, in which the packer is incorporated, to be moved in the wellbore with little or no damage to the packer element and further, allows debris to flow from above the packer to below the packer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Per Angman, Mark Andreychuk
  • Patent number: 10472928
    Abstract: A bottom hole actuator tool for locating and actuating one or more sleeve valves spaced along a completion string. A shifting tool includes radially extending dogs at ends of radially controllable, and circumferentially spaced support arms. Conveyance tubing actuated shifting of an activation mandrel, indexed by a J-Slot, cams the arms radially inward to overcome the biasing for in and out of hole movement, and for releasing the arms for sleeve locating and sleeve profile engagement. A cone, movable with the mandrel engages the dogs for positive locking of the dogs in the profile for sleeve opening and closing. A treatment isolation packer can be actuated with cone engagement. The positive engagement and compact axial components results in short sleeve valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Andreychuk, Per Angman, Allan Petrella, David Christopher Parks
  • Patent number: 10287866
    Abstract: Embodiments of a bottomhole assembly (BHA) for completion of a wellbore are deployed on electrically-enabled coiled tubing (CT) and permit components of the BHA to be independently electrically actuated from surface for completion of multiple zones in a single trip using a single BHA having at least two electrically-actuated variable diameter packers. One or both of the packers may be actuated to expand or retract for opening and closing off a variety of flowpaths between the BHA and the wellbore, in new wellbores, old wellbores, cased wellbores, wellbores with sleeves and in openhole wellbores. Additional components in the BHA, which may also be electrically-actuated or powered, permit perforating, locating of the BHA in the wellbore such as using casing collar locators and microseismic monitoring in real time or in memory mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Per Angman, Mark Andreychuk, Allan Petrella
  • Patent number: 10267140
    Abstract: Fracture imaging modules having one or more 3-component sensors, are incorporated into a tool comprising two or more of the modules for detecting microseismic events in a formation from the same wellbore as is being stimulated. The modules are locked together in a compact mode to permit injection into the wellbore through a conventional lubricator which has a fixed length. Once injected into the wellbore, the modules are spaced from one another in an extended mode to form an axially spaced sensor array which increases the measurement window in the wellbore compared to sensor arrays conventionally injected through a fixed length lubricator. Following the operation, the modules are actuated to return to the compact mode for pulling out of the hole through the lubricator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Andreychuk, Per Angman, Allan Petrella
  • Patent number: 10024150
    Abstract: A Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) tool and methods of downhole fluid management are disclosed. The BHA is deployed on a conveyance string to access a completion string and forming a tool annulus therebetween. A first assembly having a first bore fluidly connected to the conveyance string. A second assembly supports an packer for releasably sealing to the completion string, and a third assembly supporting a packer actuator thereon, the second assembly telescopically movable within the third assembly for forming a resettable packer releasably sealable to the completion string. A bypass valve is formed between the first and second assembly. Closing of the bypass valve directs fluid through a treatment port uphole of the resettable packer to the tool annulus and opening of the bypass valve bypasses fluid about the resettable packer. The packer actuator can further comprise an anchor for releasably anchoring to the completion string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Andreychuk, Per Angman, Allan Petrella
  • Patent number: 9840888
    Abstract: An apparatus having a shock-absorbing sleeve is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a housing, an axially moveable sleeve received in the housing and a sealed annular space having a fixed volume axially between the housing and the sleeve. A barrier axially moveable with the sleeve divides the annular space into a first and a second chambers. The first and second chambers are filled with uncompressible dampening fluid. One or more metering passages across the barrier fluidly connect the first and chambers. During the axial movement of the sleeve, the volume of the first chamber is reduced and that of the second chamber is increased, forcing the fluid in the first chamber to flow into the second chamber in a controlled manner to dampen the movement of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Kobold Corporation
    Inventors: Per Angman, Kevin Graf, Chris Baudistel, Mark Andreychuk
  • Patent number: 9720118
    Abstract: The combination of one or more 3-component microseismic sensors deployed into a wellbore adjacent a microseismic event and a linear array of distributed fiber optic acoustic sensors deployed uphole thereof provides two sets of data for establishing noise-free signals for locating the microseismic event in the formation about the wellbore. The distributed fiber optic signals monitor noise transmitted along coiled tubing used to pump a completion operation or as a result of the fluid flowing through the casing or coiled tubing, or along wireline used to deploy the microseismic sensors. The noise is mapped and extrapolated for estimating noise at the 3-component sensors. The estimated noise is removed from the 3-component sensor data for producing clean signals representing the location of the microseismic events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: KOBOLD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Allan Petrella, Mark Andreychuk, Per Angman