Patents Assigned to VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
  • Patent number: 9957758
    Abstract: A drill stem element for drilling a well with flow of a drilling fluid around the element and in a direction extending from a drilling well bottom towards the surface, including a member and a coupling mounted for rotation about the member. The coupling includes at least two abutment zones on a wall of the well during drilling, each abutment zone externally includes at least one abutment portion having an outer diameter greater than a diameter of other portions of the element, each abutment zone having a convex rounded shape generated by revolution, each abutment zone being axially remote from at least one other abutment zone. The coupling further includes an intermediate zone between the two abutment zones, an opening being provided between the coupling and the member for the flow of drilling fluid between the coupling and the member forming a fluid bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventor: Jean Boulet
  • Patent number: 9725964
    Abstract: A tubular component for oil exploration includes an electromagnetic half-coupler that can be coupled to a half-coupler of another tubular component to allow data transmission, wherein an end portion of the tubular component includes a housing accommodating the half-coupler, the half-coupler including a coupling element and an annular armature for the coupling element, the coupling element including an annular body formed from a material with a high magnetic permeability and an electrical conductor having turns, the armature including a first portion and a second portion configured to accommodate the coupling element, the armature being partially surrounded by an isolating and impervious material to protect the half-coupler against infiltration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventors: Francois Millet, Yvan Boudey, Stephane Thobois
  • Patent number: 9617798
    Abstract: A tubular component for a drill stem, for drilling a hole, the component including a first end section including a first threading, a second end section including a second threading, and a substantially tubular central section, a hole being provided in at least one of the first and second end sections, and a tensioner for a communications tube disposed in the hole, the tensioner operating by deformation of a regular section of the communications tube, the tensioner being disposed in a housing provided in at least the section, at a distance from the ends of the communications tube, the housing intersecting with the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventor: Gabriel Roussie
  • Patent number: 9617799
    Abstract: A component for a drill stem including a tubular body with at least one first end zone and a second end zone. The component includes a sheath for passage of a cable extending inside the tubular body between the first end and the second end zone and at least one liner which lines at least a portion of the inside of the tubular body in the first end zone. At least a first end portion of the sheath includes a first threading. The liner supports a second threading. The first and second threading are screwed together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventors: Alexandre Fraignac, Francois Millet
  • Publication number: 20160340985
    Abstract: A drill-string liner element includes at least one hardbanding layer. The hardbanding layer includes one or more strands of filler metal, each having a width between 1 and 5 millimeters and deposited in adjacent manner to form a substantially continuous layer over a zone of the element. The hardness in the thickness of the layer varies by less than 10 HRC over the zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventor: Thomas DIDRY
  • Patent number: 9447644
    Abstract: A tubular component for a drill stem that can be cabled includes a first end zone, a second end zone, a sheath, the sheath extends between the first end zone and the second end zone, and a liner fixed in a bore of the first end zone. The liner includes at least one take-up chamber for a cable disposed in the sheath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventors: Francois Millet, Madjid Ladjici, Julien Breche
  • Patent number: 9441418
    Abstract: A rotary drill stem for a well including a central tubular element, and first and second connectors each including a threaded portion that can connect the element to another element. At least one of the connectors includes a chamber in communication with a pressure outside the chamber. The connector includes an annular signal transmission coupler. The annular coupler includes a ring having an annular coupling surface. The coupler includes an insulating support that leaves the annular coupling surface free. The coupler includes a piston surface axially opposite to the annular coupling surface. The annular coupler forms a piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventors: Beranger Mitjans, Vincent Buchoud, Pierre Mesnil
  • Patent number: 9325084
    Abstract: A pair of contact or capacitive HF couplers for drill stem components. Each of the first and second couplers includes a central conductor, a supplemental conductor, and an annular dielectric mechanism. The dielectric mechanism is disposed between the conductors. The conductors are isolated from each other. The supplemental conductor includes two electrical contact surfaces. The central conductor includes an electrical contact surface or electrode such that the couplers are capacitive. The central conductors of the first and second couplers interact electrically in the coupled state. The supplemental conductors of the first and second couplers are in electrical contact in the coupled state. The supplemental conductors surround the central conductors. In the mounted state, the supplemental conductors form a shielding for the central conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventors: Beranger Mitjans, Franck Moukanda Mbango, Roland Amiel
  • Patent number: 9322224
    Abstract: A coupler for coupling a first and a second section of a transmission line embedded in a first and a second component respectively, includes a first half-coupler including a first electrically conductive housing, a first electrically conductive structure, and a first structure of dielectric material, and a second half-coupler including a second electrically conductive housing, a second electrically conductive structure, and a second structure of dielectric material. When the first and second components are connected end-to-end, the first and second housings come into contact to form together an electromagnetic cavity, inside which the first and second conductive structures are separated from each other by the first and second dielectric structures, so as to allow the first and second conductive structures to be in electromagnetic communication with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventors: Jean-Alain Chabas, Brian Minnis
  • Patent number: 9291004
    Abstract: Tubular drill string component for drilling a hole with circulation of a drilling fluid around the component and in a direction going from a drill hole bottom to the surface. The component includes a first end including a female threading, a second end including a male threading, and a substantially tubular central zone. The component includes a communication tube arranged at least in the central zone and in contact with a bore of the central zone. A signal transmission cable is arranged in the tube. The communication tube includes a body formed from at least one metal strip arranged with an annular component. The body includes, in section along a plane passing through the axis of the tube, at least two axially elongated lengths, partially overlapping one another with an axial play selected to accommodate the maximum elastic deformation of the component under axial compressive and/or bending stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventors: Didier David, Gérard Leveau, Gabriel Roussie
  • Patent number: 9200486
    Abstract: A drill string element including a main pipe with connection ends and a protective mechanism for at least one wire. The protective mechanism extends within a central bore of the main pipe. The main pipe presents a first hole in one of the connection ends and a second hole in the other connection end, both holes communicating with the central bore. The protective mechanism includes a guide tube arranged for housing the wire, both ends of which being respectively disposed within the first hole and the second hole. A retaining mechanism is arranged in at least one of the first hole and the second hole for the respective end of the guide tube. The retaining mechanism is configured to prevent the respective end of the guide tube from moving relative to the one of the first hole and the second hole according to at least one longitudinal direction of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventors: Gérard Leveau, Gabriel Roussie, Didier David
  • Publication number: 20150252629
    Abstract: A stabilizer device (20, 120, 220) for a drill stem, in particular for a bottom hole assembly, which is rotatable about a longitudinal axis (X), the device comprising a tubular central body (21) and connection means (22, 23) at its axial ends for connecting to elements of the stem, the device being provided with a helical protrusion (24, 25, 26) on the surface of the body intended to come into contact with a wall of the drilled hole, said helical protrusion turning in the clockwise direction (W) about the axis of the central body viewed from an upstream axial end in the direction of a downstream axial end, characterized in that a crest (33, 33?, 33?) of the helical protrusion comprises a leading edge (35, 35? and 35?) and a trailing edge (36, 36? and 36?) defined in the direction of rotation, the leading edge comprising a convex portion such that a first portion (38) of said convex portion has a radius of curvature of more than 3.5 mm over an angular arc of at least 20°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventor: Jean Boulet
  • Publication number: 20140284065
    Abstract: A component for a drill stem including a tubular body with at least one first end zone and a second end zone. The component includes a sheath for passage of a cable extending inside the tubular body between the first end and the second end zone and at least one liner which lines at least a portion of the inside of the tubular body in the first end zone. At least a first end portion of the sheath includes a first threading. The liner supports a second threading. The first and second threading are screwed together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Vallourec Drilling Products France
    Inventors: Alexandre Fraignac, Francois Millet
  • Publication number: 20140238750
    Abstract: A tubular component for a drill stem, for drilling a hole, the component including a first end section including a first threading, a second end section including a second threading, and a substantially tubular central section, a hole being provided in at least one of the first and second end sections, and a tensioner for a communications tube disposed in the hole, the tensioner operating by deformation of a regular section of the communications tube, the tensioner being disposed in a housing provided in at least the section, at a distance from the ends of the communications tube, the housing intersecting with the hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventor: Gabriel Roussie
  • Publication number: 20140224546
    Abstract: A drill stem element for drilling a well with flow of a drilling fluid around the element and in a direction extending from a drilling well bottom towards the surface, including a member and a coupling mounted for rotation about the member. The coupling includes at least two abutment zones on a wall of the well during drilling, each abutment zone externally includes at least one abutment portion having an outer diameter greater than a diameter of other portions of the element, each abutment zone having a convex rounded shape generated by revolution, each abutment zone being axially remote from at least one other abutment zone. The coupling further includes an intermediate zone between the two abutment zones, an opening being provided between the coupling and the member for the flow of drilling fluid between the coupling and the member forming a fluid bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: VALLOUREC DRILLING PRODUCTS FRANCE
    Inventor: Jean Boulet