Patents Examined by Blake E Michener
  • Patent number: 11230897
    Abstract: A system and method of controlling and monitoring a cementing process injecting a cement slurry down a well that causes a return of a drilling fluid includes a first and second flowmeters disposed in the primary return conduit configured to generate a flow rate measurements of the returned drilling fluid, a first control valve receiving control signals from a microprocessor to regulate conducting the returned drilling fluid to a reservoir, a choke valve disposed downstream from the first and second flowmeters receiving control signals from a microprocessor to regulate diverting the returned drilling fluid in the primary return conduit in response to a detection of the presence of gas in the returned drilling fluid, and a mud-gas separator disposed in the primary return conduit configured to receive the diverted drilling fluid and separate the diverted drilling fluid into a mud component for return to the reservoir and a gas component for controlled burn off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: SPM Oil & Gas PC LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Brady Green
  • Patent number: 11220869
    Abstract: An insert for a drill bit includes a base portion having a central axis and a formation engaging portion. The formation engaging portion includes an elongate peaked ridge, a first flanking surface extending from the peaked ridge, and a second flanking surface extending from the peaked ridge. The first flanking surface is defined by a first curve rotated about a first axis and the second flanking surface is defined by a second curve rotated about a second axis. The first axis and the second axis are disposed in a reference plane that bisects the base portion and contains the central axis of the base portion. The first axis is disposed at a first radius measured in the reference plane and the second axis is disposed at a second radius measured in the reference plane. The first radius is different from the second radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL DHT, L.P.
    Inventors: Reza Rahmani, Navid Omidvar, Afshin Babaie Aghdam, Ryan Basson Graham
  • Patent number: 11203921
    Abstract: A method of drilling multiple boreholes within a single caisson, for recovery of methane gas from a coal bed, including the steps of drilling first and second vertical boreholes from a single location within a single caisson; drilling at least one or more horizontal wells from the several vertical bore hole, the horizontal wells drilled substantially parallel to a face cleat in the coal bed; drilling at least one or more lateral wells from the one or more horizontal wells, the lateral wells drilled substantially perpendicular to one or more face cleats in the coal bed; continuously circulating water through the drilled vertical, horizontal and lateral wells to recover the water and entrained methane gas from the coal bed; applying friction or choke manifold to the water circulating down the well bores so that the water appears to have a hydrostatic pressure within the well sufficient to maintain an equilibrium with the hydrostatic pressure in the coal bed formation; and drilling at least a third vertical bore
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventor: Robert Gardes
  • Patent number: 11199056
    Abstract: An internally threaded bit for percussion drilling is provided, which has thread roots wider than the thread crests. A single drill bit, configured according to the present invention, can be connected to a variety of rods, having differing crest widths in their male threads. The invention enables the service life of the rods to be optimized to suit the drilling conditions at hand, without the need to manufacture and keep in inventory a correspondingly large variety of drill bits. The bit of the invention exhibits a reduced rate of ringing off, and can accept drill rods having a range of crest widths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Inventor: James Jing Yao
  • Patent number: 11199079
    Abstract: Systems and methods for neutralizing a hydrogen sulfide within a subterranean well include a hydrogen sulfide neutralizing tool having a tubular member. A tool shell circumscribes the tubular member, defining tool annular space between an outer diameter surface of the tubular member and an inner diameter surface of the tool shell. A sacrificial rod is located within the tool annular space and is formed of a material that produces metal sulfide when exposed to the hydrogen sulfide. An uphole perforation has an opening extending through a sidewall of the tubular member, defining a fluid flow path between the tool annular space and the internal bore of the tubular member. A downhole perforation is located downhole of the uphole perforation and hays an opening extending through the sidewall of the tubular member, defining a fluid flow path between the tool annular space and the internal bore of the tubular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Inventor: Shrikant Tiwari
  • Patent number: 11193344
    Abstract: A tool for fracturing at least one tubular is described. The tool comprises a plurality of parallel columns of explosives and a detonation system configured to detonate the columns of explosives. The columns are arranged such that upon detonation, at least a portion of the Shockwave propagating in a direction outwardly from the tool from one column combines with at least a portion of the Shockwave propagating in a direction outwardly from the tool from another column to create a combined Shockwave of greater intensity than either of the Shockwaves which formed the combined Shockwave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: SPEX CORPORATE HOLDINGS LTD.
    Inventors: Barry Chapman, David James Wilkie
  • Patent number: 11168561
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a location of a downhole component includes at least one transmitter device and a receiver device. One of the at least one transmitter device and the receiver device is disposed at a first component of a borehole string configured to be deployed in a borehole and retained at a stationary position, and another of the at least one transmitter device and the receiver device is disposed at a moveable component configured to be moved while the first component is at the stationary position, the at least one transmitter device configured to emit a wireless signal and the receiver device configured to detect the wireless signal when the first component is at the stationary position. The apparatus also includes a processing device configured to receive signal data and estimate a location of the moveable component relative to the first component based on the signal data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Lei Fang, Michael Johnson, Herb Dhuet, Roger Steinsiek
  • Patent number: 11168554
    Abstract: Providing pressurized fracturing fluid with a fracturing pump transport comprising a first fracturing pump and a second fracturing pump that are coupled on opposite sides of a dual shaft electric motor. A first drive line assembly comprising a first engagement coupling that allows for selective engagement and/or disengagement of the first fracturing pump with the dual shaft electric motor. A second drive line assembly comprising a second engagement coupling that allows for selective engagement and/or disengagement of the second fracturing pump with the dual shaft electric motor. The fracturing pump transport also comprising an engagement panel that allows for selective engagement or disengagement at the first engagement coupling based on receiving a remote command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: TYPHON TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey G. Morris, Neal Jensen, Adrian Benjamin Bodishbaugh
  • Patent number: 11162330
    Abstract: A system and apparatus for treating and disposing of produced water in conjunction with flared gas, thereby avoiding problems associated with injecting produced water back into subsurface strata. The system is installed at or near the wellhead where produced water being treated is at a higher temperatures. Produced water is treated with ozone injection in a scrubber with heat applied through a flare gas field burner, which uses field gas from oilfield operations. A wet scrubber unit with scrubber packing is used to clean emissions. A produced water pump is used to circulate produced water, and pump produced water through spray nozzles in the scrubber unit for use as the wet scrubbing agent. As produced water evaporates, evaporated salts and solids are continuously removed from the evaporator/scrubber unit by appropriate means, such as an auger system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: HYDROZONIX, LLC
    Inventor: Mark Patton
  • Patent number: 11162340
    Abstract: An integrated system is disclosed to handle production of multiphase fluid consisting of oil, gas and water. The production stream is first separated into two streams: a liquid dominated stream (GVF<5% for example) and a gas dominated stream (GVF>95% for example). The separation can be done through shrouds, cylindrical cyclonic, gravity, in-line or the like separation techniques. The two streams are then routed separately to pumps which pump dissimilar fluids, such as a liquid pump and a gas compressor, and subsequently recombined. Both pumps are driven by a single motor shaft which includes an internal passageway associated with one of the pumps for reception of the fluid from the other pump, thereby providing better cooling and greater overall efficiency of all systems associated therewith. A method for providing artificial lift or pressure boosting of multiphase fluid is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Jinjiang Xiao, Randall Alan Shepler
  • Patent number: 11162313
    Abstract: An anchor for a linear actuator includes a body, a mandrel with at least two slip-receiving portions, and one or more slips. The body can be coupled to the linear actuator and the mandrel can be coupled to the power rod of the linear actuator. The linear actuator can power on and cause the power rod to move in an uphole direction toward the linear actuator. Moving the power rod can cause the mandrel to move in an uphole direction. The slip can respond to the mandrel moving in an uphole direction by expanding outward. The mandrel can continue to move in the uphole direction until the slip is received at a second slip-receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Gammill Clemens, Mark Holly, Nathan J. Harder
  • Patent number: 11156035
    Abstract: An apparatus to increase a diameter of a well bore includes a drill pipe and a first reamer and at least a second reamer. The second reamer is positioned diametrically opposed to the first reamer. A first plurality of cutting teeth are positioned about each of the first reamer and the at least a second reamer. A top of each successive tooth in a direction counter to a rotation of the apparatus in the well bore extends a radial distance from the longitudinal axis. Each tooth of the first plurality of cutting teeth is positioned at a different circumferential location about each reamer from any adjacent teeth of the first plurality of teeth. At least a second plurality of cutting teeth are positioned about each of the first reamer and the at least a second reamer, the at least a second plurality of cutting teeth being spaced longitudinally apart from the first plurality of cutting teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Extreme Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lot William Short, Jr., Robert Bradley Beggs, Richard Earl Beggs
  • Patent number: 11156057
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that enable flushing the wellbore before, during and after a fracturing or treatment operation, such that a resettable plug is not trapped or buried by fluids and particulates in the hole and the sealing element of the resettable plug is not damaged. Systems and methods which mitigate and prevent accumulation of fluids and particulates above a resettable plug are also provided. A system and method for delivering pressurized fluid to a subterranean formation is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Inventors: Jeffrey Bruce Wensrich, Sam Noam Schroit
  • Patent number: 11149520
    Abstract: A cementing tool with a top seal and a bottom seal may be positionable within a casing string of a wellbore. A fiber optic line may be coupled to the top seal and to a second fiber optic line coupled to a bottom seal that is deployed within an annulus. An amplifier coupled to the cementing tool may amplify a source optical signal from a light source and a sensing measurement signal from the second fiber optic line and the first fiber optic line. One or more operational parameters, such as cementing parameters, may be adjusted based, at least in part, on the sensing measurement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: David Andrew Barfoot, Christopher Lee Stokley, John Laureto Maida, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11149497
    Abstract: A downhole drilling motor includes a motor housing having an inner bore and an outer surface. A power section includes a stator elastomer at least partially disposed within the inner bore of the motor housing. A bearing section includes an upper bearing at least partially disposed within the inner bore of the motor housing. The motor housing further includes an opening extending from the inner bore to the outer surface to provide a bypass fluid path for a fluid in the inner bore. The opening is disposed on the motor housing between a lower end of the stator elastomer and an upper end of the upper bearing. The bypass fluid path allows the downhole drilling motor to accommodate a higher flow rate of a fluid through the stator elastomer of the power section than through the upper bearing of the bearing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Rival Downhole Tools LC
    Inventor: Gunther HH von Gynz-Rekowski
  • Patent number: 11142958
    Abstract: An earth boring bit with sealed cutter bearings has a dual function pressure compensator for a lubricant reservoir. The earth boring bit has a bit body and downwardly extending legs which include bearing shafts that extend inward and downward for mounting rotary cutters, and seals are provided between the bearing shafts and the cutters. Lubricant flow passages extend from an interior cavity of the bit body, through the legs and the bearing shafts, and into the spaces located between the bearing shafts and the cutters. The pressure compensator extends between the cavity and the flow passages and has a movable piston. The compensator may be operated in a sealed lubricant system mode when the piston is locked in place or an air flow bypass mode by removing a locking member from securing the piston in place prior to securing the earth boring bit to a drill string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Inventor: Nam Duy Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11143009
    Abstract: A downhole separator and method for use of the same for fluid mediums with low viscosity are disclosed. In one embodiment, the downhole separator has a housing with inlet openings that draw a fluid flow into an elongated annular separation chamber within the housing. The fluid flow advances under angular momentum imparted by a rotation of a shaft located in the housing. The shaft includes a profiled surface that imparts drag to the fluid medium and two local pressure increasing units to effect at least partial separation of the fluid medium into the following: (i) a liquid portion upwardly traversing the fluid passageway of the shaft via the inlet ports; (ii) a gaseous portion upwardly traversing the elongated annular separation chamber to the plurality of upper gaseous portion outlets; and (iii) a solid portion downwardly traversing the elongated annular separation chamber to the plurality of lower solid portion outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Texas Institute of Science, Inc.
    Inventors: Lovrenc Novak, Martin Petkovsek, Simon Oman, Marko Nagode, Jernej Klemenc, Franc Madjic, Marko Hocevar, Ales Gosar, Laslo Olah
  • Patent number: 11143007
    Abstract: A method for treating a hydrocarbon bearing formation bounded by at least one nonbearing formation comprises inserting a tubular into a wellbore formed in the hydrocarbon bearing formation. The tubular defines proximal and distal ends and further has a sidewall defining inner and outer surfaces and a tubular bore, where an annulus is defined between the outer surface of the sidewall and the inner surface of the wellbore. A detonator is disposed in the annulus through at least a portion of the hydrocarbon bearing formation. A first fluid including a first explosive is pumped through the tubular bore into a selected portion of the annulus. An isolation material is inserted in the annulus between an entrance of the wellbore and the first explosive fluid. The explosive fluid is detonated with the detonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Energy Technologies Group, LLC
    Inventor: Jerome Kemick
  • Patent number: 11125082
    Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring neutron sigma of downhole reservoir as a function of time for a predetermined testing volume are disclosed. The methods and systems of the present invention analyze the testing volume while maintaining the formation in the testing volume in an unchanged and undamaged state and while dynamically flowing fluids in and out of the testing volume. The systems and methods of the present invention are especially important in determining petrophysical information about the reservoir as well as the in-situ effect of substances on enhanced oil recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Inventors: Margaret Waid, Mohamed Hashem, Paolo Nardi, Michael Yuratich
  • Patent number: 11111731
    Abstract: Methods of forming earth-boring tools including one or more instrumented cutting elements may involve placing a cutting element partially within a pocket extending into a body of an earth-boring tool. The cutting element may include a first hole extending partially through a cutting element from a back side of the cutting element toward a cutting face and a second, shorter, wider hole extending partially through the cutting element from the back side toward the cutting face. The second hole may be in fluid communication with the first hole. An extension including a passageway extending through the extension may be located at least partially within the second hole, such that the passageway may be in fluid communication with the first hole. A thermocouple may be inserted through the passageway and into the first hole after affixing the cutting element in the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventors: Wanjun Cao, Juan Miguel Bilen, Steven W. Webb