Patents Examined by Douglas S Wood
  • Patent number: 11480043
    Abstract: A hydraulically driven underwater pumping system may include a pumping module connected to a subsea base. The subsea base may be connected to: a subsea producing well via a production line that carries the fluid produced by the subsea producing well; and a production unit via a riser and a service line. The hydraulically driven underwater pumping system may receive working fluid from the production unit via the service line. Additionally, a pump, located in the pumping module, may be driven hydraulically by the working fluid and pump the fluid produced by the subsea producing well to the production unit. The hydraulically driven underwater pumping system may mix the working fluid, after being used to drive the pump, with the fluid produced by the subsea producing well that is pumped to the production unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: PETRÓLEO BRASILEIRO S.A.—PETROBRAS
    Inventors: Roberto Rodrigues, Carlos Alberto Bandeira Riberio Cardoso, Tatiane Silva Vieira
  • Patent number: 11471986
    Abstract: A torque wrench for multiple bolts or nuts comprises multiple drive spindles arranged annularly around a center and equipped or able to be equipped at the end with respective torque-applying tools, and a ratchet drive, associated with each drive spindle and driven by a hydraulic piston drive, for driving the drive spindles. The drive spindles are rotatably mounted and held in a drive block and have a drive portion at each end, which protrudes from the drive block. The drive sections of the drive spindles serve to bear the torque-applying tools on one side of the drive block, in which drive block the pistons of the piston drives are routed in cylinder housings, such that said pistons are translationally displaceable in both directions. The piston rods are kinematically connected to the ratchet lever for transferring a forward stroke movement and a return stroke movement to respective ratchet levers with pawls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: HEICO BEFESTIGUNGSTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventor: Stefan Vornweg
  • Patent number: 11454100
    Abstract: An adjustable fracturing system is provided. In one embodiment, the adjustable fracturing system includes a fracturing flow control unit and a fracturing tree. A fracturing fluid conduit is coupled between the fracturing flow control unit and the fracturing tree to enable receipt of fracturing fluid by the fracturing tree from the fracturing flow control unit. Further, the fracturing fluid conduit is an adjustable fracturing fluid conduit composed of coupled offset pipe sections. The offset pipe sections are adjustable, allowing the offset pipe sections of the fracturing fluid conduit to vary a dimension of the fracturing fluid conduit to facilitate coupling of the fracturing fluid conduit between the fracturing flow control unit and the fracturing tree. Additional mechanisms, systems, and methods are also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Inventor: Scott Choate
  • Patent number: 11448030
    Abstract: Dynamic/static sealing of coiled tubing subsea for pipeline and well access with hydrostatic conditions up to 10,000 feet water depth while maintaining wellbore or pipeline pressures up to 10,000 psi may be achieved using a system comprising a subsea fluid source which utilizes a riserless open water coiled tubing system and an open water coiled tubing sealer to control hydrostatic pressure and fluid container pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Oceaneering International, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Ewen, Harris Akhtar Iqbal
  • Patent number: 11441579
    Abstract: A double acting accumulator system includes a housing including an actuator housing, a first piston housing coupled to the actuator housing, a second piston housing coupled to the actuator housing, a shaft configured to move axially within the first piston housing and the second piston housing, a first piston coupled to a first end of the shaft, a second piston coupled to a second end of the shaft, an electric actuator configured to couple to and drive the shaft to alternatingly compress fluid with the first piston in the first piston housing and the second piston in the second piston housing to drive fluid out of the respective first piston housing and the second piston housing, and a plurality of anti-rotation shafts configured to block rotation of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Nault, Matthew David Givens, Vikas Rakhunde, Stephen McGuire
  • Patent number: 11414949
    Abstract: The present invention discloses apparatus and methods for a lightweight subsea intervention package. In one embodiment, the system comprises a lower riser package for controlling the subsea well which utilizes a plurality of hydraulically activated well barriers. An emergency disconnect package is secured to the lower riser package and is electrically connected to the lower riser package. The emergency disconnect package is operable to seal the bottom of a riser and minimize environmental leakage of fluid from the riser. The lower riser package and emergency disconnect package each contain a closed loop system of fluid operable to control the system without fluid from the surface. Each is operable to control the well barriers. Either an electrical connection or an acoustic control system may be utilized to control the system. The lower riser package can be operated from the surface when the emergency disconnect package has been disconnected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Inventor: Reddi Udaya Bhaskara Rao
  • Patent number: 11408262
    Abstract: A mobile fracking pump trailer 100 includes a gas turbine engine 102 and fracking pump 104, and torque converter 114 that fluidly couples the gas turbine engine 102 to the fracking pump 104. The mobile fracking pump trailer 100 further includes a first reduction gearing 118 connected between the gas turbine engine 102 and the torque converter 114 and a first power takeoff 120 connected to first reduction gearing 118. An electrical machine 128 is connected to the first power takeoff 120 for selectively starting the gas turbine engine 102 and generating electrical power to power the mobile fracking pump trailer 100 after the gas turbine engine 102 has been started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignees: SPM Oil & Gas Inc., Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Udo Reckels, Dalia El Tawy, Wesley P. Clark, Charles Benjamin Shuck, Bryan C. Wagner
  • Patent number: 11391107
    Abstract: A fluid management system for controlling fluid flow at a wellbore includes a closing element formed complementary to a drill pipe disposed within the wellbore and an activation system. The activation system is configured to move the closing element into an activated position against the drill pipe to close the wellbore around the drill pipe for preventing fluid from flowing out of the wellbore. The activation system includes an activation shaft coupled to the closing element and a rotatable drive shaft configured to cause translation of the activation shaft to push the closing element into the activated position against the drill pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Ahmed Al-Mousa, Marius Neacsu, Ahmed A. Al-Ramadhan
  • Patent number: 11371332
    Abstract: A first sand accumulator may include a housing and an insert within the housing. The insert includes axially aligned outer and inner sleeves. In a first position, the outer and inner sleeves both have large flow ports that align to form a continuous flow path for fluid to flow through the sand accumulator such that a vortex flow forms in the sand accumulator. A second sand accumulator may include a housing disposed in line with a wellbore tubular and an insert disposed inside the housing such that insert forms a continuous end-to-end seal with a section of the wellbore tubular. An inlet section of the insert has an inlet port configured to permit fluid flow such that a vortex flow forms in the inlet section. A method of using a sand accumulator includes introducing process fluid entrained with sand to the sand accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Jinjiang Xiao, Musa Alnafisah
  • Patent number: 11359463
    Abstract: An offshore production system includes a surface vessel, a tubular tendon extending between the surface vessel and a lower connection system disposed at a seabed, the riser coupled to the surface vessel with an upper connection system, and an electrical cable extending through a central passage of the tubular tendon, wherein the upper connection system comprises a connector that physically supports the electrical cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: HORTON DO BRASIL TECNOLOGIA OFFSHORE LTDA.
    Inventors: Marcelo I. L. Souza, Xavier Castello, Rodrigo M. R. Guimarães, Luiz Germano Bodanese, Rafael Bodanese
  • 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: 11346199
    Abstract: A fluid separating device comprises: a cylinder; a plurality of separators disposed around a cylinder; a first elastic piece disposed between one of the separators and the cylinder and applying an elastic force to the separator outwardly in the radial direction of the cylinder; a first guiding device passing through the cylinder axially and configured to reciprocate between an expanded position and a contracted position in the axial direction of the cylinder; a second guiding device penetrating the cylinder, connected to the separator at one end, and slidably fitted with the first guiding device at the other end via a fitting surface. The fluid separating device eliminates the friction between the separator and the inner wall of the wellhole when descending, therefore descending to the bottom of the well quickly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: CHENGDU BISON TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shuhao Liu
  • Patent number: 11313504
    Abstract: A mechanical joint includes a piping element, the piping element comprising an element flange, the piping element defining a socket extending inwards from the element flange; a pipe length, the pipe length extending through the element flange into the socket, the pipe length defining an outer pipe surface; and a gland, the pipe length extending through the gland, the gland comprising a joint restraint assembly, the joint restraint assembly comprising: a restraint base, the restraint base defining a restraint pocket; and a gripper disposed within the restraint pocket, the gripper configured to rotate in the restraint pocket, the gripper further configured to engage the outer pipe surface to prevent removal of the pipe length from the socket, wherein the joint restraint assembly is selectably configurable from a prepared position to an activated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Mueller International, LLC
    Inventor: Aurelian Ioan Furcoiu
  • Patent number: 11280151
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are provided for injecting carrier sleeves into a wellbore. The injection system is capable of individually indexing a selected sleeve from a sleeve magazine into an injector bore and axially aligning the sleeve with the bore with a retaining device. The retaining device prevents a subsequent sleeve from being indexed into the bore from the magazine. The selected sleeve can be restricted from free fall using a staging mechanism, which can subsequently be opened to permit the selected sleeve to fall into a staging bore. The staging bore is then fluidly isolated from the injector bore and the wellbore, pressure in the staging bore is equalized with the wellbore, and then opened to the wellbore for injecting the sleeve into the wellbore. The sleeve can be axially aligned and radially centered with the injector bore using a tapered portion in the bore or the staging mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: ISOLATION EQUIPMENT SERVICES INC.
    Inventors: Boris (Bruce) P. Cherewyk, Edward St. George
  • Patent number: 11268641
    Abstract: A mechanical joint includes a piping element, the piping element comprising an element flange, the piping element defining a socket extending inwards from the element flange; a pipe length, the pipe length extending through the element flange into the socket, the pipe length defining an outer pipe surface; and a gland, the pipe length extending through the gland, the gland comprising a joint restraint assembly, the joint restraint assembly comprising: a restraint base, the restraint base defining a restraint pocket; and a gripper disposed within the restraint pocket, the gripper configured to rotate in the restraint pocket, the gripper further configured to engage the outer pipe surface to prevent removal of the pipe length from the socket, wherein the joint restraint assembly is selectably configurable from a prepared position to an activated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Mueller International, LLC
    Inventor: Aurelian Ioan Furcoiu
  • Patent number: 11268502
    Abstract: The invention relates to pressure transfer device, system comprising the pressure transfer device, a fleet comprising the system and use of a pressure transfer device for pumping fluid at pressures above 500 bars, the pressure transfer device (1?, 1?) comprising a pressure chamber housing (1?, 1?) and at least one connection port (3?, 3?), the at least one connection port (3?, 3?) being connectable to a dual acting pressure boosting liquid partition device (2) via fluid communication means (26?, 27?; 26?, 27?), the pressure chamber housing comprises: - a pressure cavity (4?, 4?) inside the pressure chamber housing, and at least a first port (5?, 5?) for inlet and/or outlet of fluid to the pressure cavity (4?, 4?), - a bellows (6?, 6?) defining an inner volume (7?, 7?) inside the pressure cavity (4?, 4?), and wherein the inner volume (7?, 7?) is in fluid communication with the connection port (3?, 3?), wherein the pressure cavity (4?, 4?) has a center axis (C?, C?) with an axial length (L) defined by the dista
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: RSM Imagineering AS
    Inventor: Torbjorn Mollatt
  • Patent number: 11261675
    Abstract: A helical strake for suppressing a vortex induced vibration (VIV) of a tubular. The helical strake having a shell dimensioned to at least partially encircle an underlying tubular, the shell having at least one fin opening; and at least one fin dimensioned to be positioned within the at least one fin opening formed by the shell, the at least one fin having a base portion dimensioned to be positioned along an underlying tubular and a tail portion dimensioned to extend through the at least one fin opening and radially outward from an underlying tubular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: VIV SOLUTIONS LLC
    Inventor: Donald Wayne Allen
  • Patent number: 11255177
    Abstract: An apparatus for testing of downhole multiphase fluid handling systems used in oil and gas production allows test personnel to visually observe the testing. The apparatus is constructed from housings and/or casings made partly or entirely of a see-through material. The see-through material allows for unaided visual observation of the flow regime of the fluid flowing through fluid handling equipment. This eliminates most all of the assumptions that typically need to be made about how well the equipment operates. The ability to clearly observe the flow regimes unassisted allows for accurate study of individual equipment effects, vortices interactions and formation, the effects of different velocities of fluid flow, the optimization of flow paths, remixing and flow regimes external of a system, slug creation, and other parameters known to those skilled in the art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Trevor Alan Kopecky, Donn J. Brown, Bryan Don Mullins, Vance Lee Fielder
  • Patent number: 11242721
    Abstract: A system is provided to perform various wellbore operations, including retrieval and replacement of solid internal tree caps, for example. The system may include an open water lubricator having a piston assembly disposed therein. The system may also include a well control package connected to a distal end of the open water lubricator. The piston assembly is configured to extend through the well control package. Method using systems disclosed herein may be performed while maintaining at least two testable pressure barriers during each of the retrieving and replacement steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Simen Christian Florus Rønne, Kok Keong Joseph Lim, Wei Ting Anderson Chua, Ole Eddie Karlsen, Luis Felipe, H. Brian Skeels, Vidar Sten-Halvorsen
  • Patent number: 11225854
    Abstract: A modular top drive system for construction of a wellbore includes a motor unit. The motor unit includes: a drive body; a drive motor having a stator connected to the drive body; a trolley for connecting the drive body to a rail of a drilling rig; and a drive ring torsionally connected to a rotor of the drive motor and having a latch profile for selectively connecting one of: a drilling unit, a casing unit, and a cementing unit to the motor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Helms, Martin Liess