Patents Examined by George S Gray
  • Patent number: 10557326
    Abstract: Systems and methods for moving a tubular string within a subterranean well include a ring assembly. The ring assembly includes a structural ring sized with a ring inner diameter to circumscribe the tubular string and a ring outer diameter to fit within a bore of the subterranean well. A rotatable blade extends from the structural ring. Wheels are spaced around an inner diameter surface of the structural ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Abdulaziz S. Al-Qasim, Raed A. Alouhali, Sunil Kokal
  • Patent number: 10557325
    Abstract: A method of cutting a casing and a formation includes providing a rotatable cutting tool in a wellbore, wherein the rotatable cutting tool includes a first portion configured for cutting the casing and a second portion configured for cutting the formation. The method further includes engaging the first portion with the casing in the wellbore; and engaging the second portion with the casing after engaging the first portion with the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventor: Joshua Matthew Korf
  • Patent number: 10544660
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a gas lift plunger in a well. The method includes determining that the plunger is at a predetermined position in the well, well. The method also includes introducing gas from a compressor into a sales line in response to determining that the plunger is at the predetermined position in the well. The method also includes and introducing the gas from the compressor into the well at a predetermined amount of time after the plunger is determined to be at the predetermined position in the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: EPIC LIFT SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventor: Schuyler Kuykendall
  • Patent number: 10533415
    Abstract: A formation sampling method includes disposing a downhole tool comprising a packer and an expandable probe within a wellbore. The method also includes performing pressure transient testing by setting the expandable packer and the probe to engage a wall of the wellbore and measuring a pressure response at the expandable packer and the probe while withdrawing formation fluid into the downhole tool through the expandable packer. The method further includes monitoring a contamination level of the formation fluid during the pressure transient testing, and performing formation sampling with the probe in response to determining that the monitored contamination level meets a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: German Garcia, Hadrien Dumont, Vinay K. Mishra, Li Chen, Abhishek Agarwal, Cosan Ayan
  • Patent number: 10526847
    Abstract: A downhole adjustable drilling inclination tool including an outer housing, an inner housing, a compression spring, a piston assembly, and a tilt housing. The piston assembly is fluidly controlled to move axially along the outer diameter of a bottom end portion of the inner housing so that a rotatable control ring moves about a guide pin to hold a neutral, straight, or bent position of the piston assembly corresponding to an amount of compression of the compression spring. The tilt housing partially disposed within the outer housing includes a bolt plate pin channel configured to receive a bolt plate pin of the piston assembly that travels to tilt the tilt housing by a tilting mechanism that connects the tilt housing to the outer housing and position the tilt housing in a neutral, straight, or bent position corresponding to the neutral, straight, or bent position of the piston assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SMART DOWNHOLE TOOLS B.V.
    Inventor: Johannes Thomas Bleeker
  • Patent number: 10526878
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a system, apparatus and method for artificial lift including a hydraulic downhole rodless pump actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Downhole Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ed Purcell, Mark W. Rose, William W. Jackson, Cole W. Dunnam
  • Patent number: 10519720
    Abstract: Bearing systems configured for use on a downhole tool may include a tensioner bolt having a complementary nut, the tensioner bolt and nut sized and shaped to secure the rolling cutter member to a head. A radial bearing may include an annular sleeve sized and shaped to surround the head. A shaft washer may be sized and shaped to surround the head between an enlarged head of the tensioner bolt and the annular sleeve. A bearing element may be configured for positioning proximate the head, the bearing element comprising an upper surface configured for sliding, frictional contact with a lower surface of the shaft washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Michal Benes, John Abhishek Raj Bomidi, Jon David Schroder
  • Patent number: 10519753
    Abstract: A float collar tool for running a casing string assembly into a wellbore includes a non-fragmenting rupture disc that temporarily isolates light fluid trapped in a lower portion of the casing string from heavier fluid in the upper portion of the casing string, thereby reducing the horizontal weight of the casing string by an amount sufficient to overcome a drag force. After the casing string is landed at a final location in the wellbore, the rupture disc is burst by increasing fluid pressure in the upper portion of the casing string. The increased pressure activates a piston that then moves the burst rupture disc into a protective region of the tool so that the inside diameter of the casing string is substantially restored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: KLX Energy Services, LLC
    Inventors: Michael R. Dedman, Scott Earl Williamson
  • Patent number: 10513897
    Abstract: A gas-separator for separating trapped gases from drilling fluids retrieved from a well-bore being drilled is disclosed. The gas-separator includes a barrel separator which rotates on its longitudinal axis when pressurized drilling fluid flows out through its fluid ejection ports. Ejection of fluids from the fluid ejection ports induces rotation of the barrel separator which helps separate gases from the fluid. After separation, the gases travel out from the upper sub and to the surface, up the well-bore. The treated and gas-cleansed fluid travels downstream to the drill string and any downstream equipment, including pumps, motors, and drill bits, or; treated and gas-cleansed fluid may flow to the surface directly after treatment in the gas-separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Inventor: Jason Swinford
  • Patent number: 10508526
    Abstract: An apparatus for use in forming a plug during hydraulic fracturing of a subterranean soil formation comprising a top tubular retaining body extending between top and bottom ends and having a frustoconical outer surface extending from the bottom end thereof. The apparatus further includes a plurality of slip arms located around the outer surface of the retaining body, each slip arm extending between top and bottom ends and having an inner surface extending from the top end corresponding to the outer surface of the retaining body and an exterior surface adapted to frictionally engage a wellbore; and a seal element located around the outer surface of the retaining body above the plurality of slip arms adapted to be displaced towards the top end of the retaining body by the plurality of slip arms so as to seal an annulus between the retaining body and the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Curtis Ring, Grant George, Matthew McCarthy, Shane Sargent
  • Patent number: 10487623
    Abstract: A circulation sub including a tubular and a diverter valve are configured to continuously circulate fluid into a drill string. The tubular has a first end connectable to the drill string, a second end connectable to a pipe segment, and a port. The tubular has a fluid path for allowing the fluid to flow from the pipe segment to the drill string and a circulation path for allowing the fluid to flow from the port to the drill string. The diverter valve has a channel in selective fluid communication with the fluid path. The diverter valve is positionable between a flow through position for selectively allowing the fluid to flow through the fluid path and a diversion position for selectively allowing the fluid to flow through the circulation path whereby the fluid may continuously flow through the drill string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: James William Weir, Andrew Shelton
  • Patent number: 10480285
    Abstract: A method for operating a pressure operated device in a wellbore includes conducting pressurized gas to a power fluid inlet port of a valve at a first pressure. The first pressure is selected to cause a shuttle in the valve to be positioned to enable flow of the pressurized gas through the valve to a power fluid flow port in communication with a power fluid inlet of the pneumatic device. Pressure of the pressurized gas is increased to a second pressure greater than the first pressure, whereby the shuttle moves to close the power fluid inlet port to flow and to vent the power fluid flow port to ambient pressure in the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: HANSEN DOWNHOLE PUMP SOLUTIONS, AS
    Inventors: Henning Hansen, Tarald Gudmestad, James Lindsay
  • Patent number: 10472950
    Abstract: A system that can include a first sensor disposed within a tubular and configured to monitor a pressure within the tubular, a second sensor disposed within the tubular downstream of the first sensor and configured to monitor the pressure within the tubular, and a controller. The controller being configured to detect a launch of the cement plug when the first sensor detects a first pressure drop and when the second sensor detects a second pressure drop, where the second pressure drop occurs after the first pressure drop within a predetermined elapsed time range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Nabors Drilling Technologies USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Dale Dewald
  • 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: 10472932
    Abstract: An overtensioning fastening tool to maintain control of oil and gas equipment and prevent migration upon failure. The overtensioning fastening tool is comprised of one or more flapper components, housed in a primary enclosure, a hydraulic deployment system and/or electric deployment system, housed in a secondary enclosure, a sensor, and a manual activation component. The overtensioning fastening tool is designed to grip and hold equipment and tooling, such as cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Safety Design USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Felix Antonio Torrent, Jose Ricardo Torrent
  • Patent number: 10465494
    Abstract: A system for controlling a set of tools for hydrocarbon recovery includes a remote controller and a device controller. The remote controller is communicatively coupled to the device controller. The device controller is generally configured to receive a command to operate one of the plurality of tools from the remote controller. Based on the command, the device controller generates one or more instructions executable by a controller associated with the one of the plurality of tools. The device controller transmits the one or more instructions to the one of the plurality of tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Klaus Krems, Michael Wiedecke, Martin Helms, Benson Thomas
  • Patent number: 10457861
    Abstract: A method of gravel packing a wellbore can include mixing an activator, a thickener, a crosslinker and a plurality of resin-coated proppant particulates to provide a gravel pack fluid and introducing the gravel pack fluid into a gravel pack region of the wellbore. At least a portion of the plurality of resin-coated proppant particulates can be consolidated in the gravel pack region of the wellbore to provide a consolidated gravel pack. The consolidated gravel pack can have a UCS of at least about 60 psi when formed under a pressure of about 0.01 psi to about 50 psi and a temperature of about 160° F. to about 250° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: CARBO CERAMICS, INC.
    Inventors: Thu Lieng, Daryl Erwin Johnson, Todd Roper, Chad Cannan
  • Patent number: 10450818
    Abstract: The present invention is directed towards an apparatus for providing a nonlabor-intensive process for sealing an opening formed in the ground with a chemically-inflatable bag. The chemically-inflatable bag contains two or more chemical reactants, one of which is a liquid reactant that is initially stored in a liquid-containing device. The liquid-containing device has a removable cap, which upon removal or breakage of the cap permits the liquid reacting agent to contact and react with another reacting agent. The chemical reaction produces carbon dioxide, which expands the chemically-inflatable bag from a collapsed condition to an inflated condition. In the inflated condition, the chemically-inflatable bag fills and protects the integrity of the formed cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: STEMLOCK, INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Thomas S. Jenkins
  • Patent number: 10443323
    Abstract: A centralizer having asymmetrical bow springs defining a more gradual lead-in angle and a steeper retreat angle to reduce the required insertion and running forces. The centralizer comprises two end bands and a plurality of bow springs connecting the two shaped to gradually contact the surrounding hole or well casing. The bow springs are arranged such that a least two of them are asymmetric and positioned such that the apex of each is the same distance from an end band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: TOP-CO INC.
    Inventor: Gregory James Alexander Andrigo
  • Patent number: 10442984
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for treating subterranean formations, and more specifically, to smart fracturing fluids. In one or more embodiments, the methods comprise providing a fracturing fluid that comprises a base fluid and an additive having a high dielectric constant; and introducing the fracturing fluid into least a portion of a subterranean formation. In one or more embodiments, the compositions comprise a base fluid and an additive having a high dielectric constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Raed Rahal, Michael Bittar