Patents Examined by George S Gray
  • Patent number: 11408251
    Abstract: A downhole apparatus comprises a piston mounted within a bore and being reconfigurable from a lock configuration to an unlock configuration in response to a pressure sequence applied within the bore. When the piston is in its lock configuration, a lock is supported by the piston such that the lock partially extends into the bore and engages a lock profile of the piston to restrict movement of the piston in a first direction towards its unlock configuration. In response to a first event of the pressure sequence, the piston is moveable in a second direction to desupport the lock and permit the lock to be wholly received into the bore and allow the piston to move in the second direction towards its unlock configuration in response to a subsequent event of the pressure sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Weatherford U.K. Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Reid, Ian Jaffrey
  • Patent number: 11401788
    Abstract: A method and system of producing fluid from a well with a gas lift system that includes a virtual plunger made from a plunger forming material. The virtual plunger is formed downhole by injecting the plunger forming material directly into a column of liquid inside production tubing and from an annulus that circumscribes the production tubing. The flow of plunger forming material into the production tubing is controlled by an injection valve intersecting a sidewall of the production tubing. The plunger forming material is added to the annulus from the surface, and enough is added so its upper level is above the injection valve. Adding injection gas to the production tubing below the virtual plunger pushes the virtual plunger and column of liquid to surface. The plunger forming material has properties so that the virtual plunger remains cohesive while traveling uphole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: SILVERWELL TECHNOLOGY LTD.
    Inventor: Joel David Shaw
  • Patent number: 11371325
    Abstract: A technique facilitates improved control over inflowing fluids with respect to, for example, a screen assembly or screen assemblies of a tubing string deployed in a wellbore. The improved control may be provided by at least one inflow control device comprising a housing defining a chamber having a first end and a second end through which fluid may flow. Additionally, the inflow control device comprises at least one inlet passage disposed at the first end and having a contour which provides a desired effect on the inflowing fluid according to the type of fluid, e.g. according to the viscosity of the fluid. The contour may comprise an expanding cross-sectional area, e.g. a cone or other expanding shape. In some embodiments, the entrance of the inlet passage may have a rounded edge to, for example, create an initially decreasing and then increasing cross-sectional area along the inlet passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gocha Chochua, Aleksandar Rudic, Vadim Blekhman, Amrendra Kumar
  • Patent number: 11365585
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing lifting cost per gallon of a vertical water well of this disclosure includes: lowering a location device into the open well bore of the vertical water well until the location device reaches a depth in a range of 0 feet to 30 feet above a bottom end of the vertical water well; determining a predetermined location vertically offset 10 feet to 30 feet below, and coaxial to, the bottom end; drilling, from a horizontally offset position, a horizontal water well using a boring/drilling assembly including a signal transmitter; determining, using signals transmitted and received, a location of the boring/drilling assembly relative to the predetermined location; steering the boring/drilling assembly so that the horizontal water well intersects the predetermined intersecting well depth; intersecting the predetermined location with the boring/drilling assembly; and extending the depth of the vertical water well until it reaches the predetermined location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventor: Roger Watson
  • 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: 11365614
    Abstract: An artificial lift system may include a rodless hydraulic pump actuator including an actuator housing assembly, an actuator piston assembly supported for reciprocal translation stroke movement relative to the actuator piston assembly, an actuator piston assembly production fluid passage extending through the actuator piston assembly, and a tubular coupling below the actuator housing assembly having a coupling flow passage to pass production fluid into the actuator piston assembly production fluid passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventor: Ed Purcell
  • Patent number: 11359438
    Abstract: A method of drilling a wellbore that traverses a formation, the method comprising the steps of inserting a one-stage drilling tool into the wellbore, the one-stage drilling tool comprising a laser head configured to produce a drilling beam, a completion sheath configured to line the wellbore, and a centralizer configured to support the completion sheath within the wellbore, operating the laser head to produce the drilling beam, wherein the drilling beam comprises a laser, wherein the drilling beam has a divergent shape comprising a base at a distance from a front end of the laser head and an apex proximate to the front end of the laser head, wherein a diameter of the base of the drilling beam is greater than a diameter of the one-stage drilling tool, and drilling the formation with the drilling beam, wherein the laser of the drilling beam is operable to sublimate the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Sameeh Issa Batarseh
  • Patent number: 11352845
    Abstract: An actuation trigger including a housing; a piston in operable communication with the housing; a pressure source inlet to the trigger the piston being responsive to source pressure cycles; a first one-direction axial incrementing feature movable with piston movement; a rod movable with the piston and positionally restricted by the one-direction axial incrementing feature, the rod initially being part of a dynamic seal preventing actuation pressure access to a tool actuatable by the actuation pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Robert O'Brien, Aaron Hammer, Roy Woudwijk
  • Patent number: 11346179
    Abstract: A downhole tool includes a generally-cylindrical body at least partially made of a cast material, a valve positioned within the body, a first fin positioned on the body and extending outwards therefrom, and a second fin positioned on the body and extending outwards therefrom. The first and second fins are configured to engage an inside diameter surface of an oilfield tubular and retain a bonding material in an annular region defined radially between the body and the inside diameter surface of the oilfield tubular, and axially between the first and second fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: INNOVEX DOWNHOLE SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Justin Kellner, Tyler Tinnin, Bennett Griffith, III
  • Patent number: 11339636
    Abstract: A zonal isolation assessment system includes a receiver, production tubing disposed in a wellbore, a zonal isolation assembly, and an assessment assembly. The zonal isolation assembly is fluidically coupled to the production tubing. The zonal isolation assembly includes isolation tubing that flows production fluid from the wellbore to the production tubing, a first sealing element, and a second sealing element to fluidically isolate an internal volume of the isolation tubing from an isolated annulus defined between the isolation tubing and the wall of the wellbore. The assessment assembly includes a first pressure sensor at the internal volume of the isolation tubing configured to sense a first pressure value and a second pressure sensor at the annulus and configured to sense a second pressure value. The assessment assembly transmits to the receiver the first pressure value and the second pressure value to determine the integrity of the zonal isolation assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Wireless Instrumentation Systems AS
    Inventors: Muhammad Arsalan, Jarl André Fellinghaug, Stian Marius Hansen, Vegard Fiksdal
  • Patent number: 11326399
    Abstract: A disclosed pulsed-power drilling system may include a controller that receives and analyzes feedback from downhole components reflecting changing conditions or performance measurements associated with a pulsed drilling operation to determine that an operating parameter of the drilling operation should be modified. The controller may output a control signal to cause an adjustment of a configurable downhole component, such as mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic component that affects the operating parameter, while the drill bit remains in the wellbore. The controller may adjust a segmented transformer of a pulse-generating circuit, changing the number of primary winding switches that are fired, or the timing of the firing of the switches, to modify characteristics of the generated pulses. Adjusting a downhole component may affect the drilling rate, the drilling direction, the flow of drilling fluid, a pulse rise time, a pulse repetition rate, or a rate of penetration for the drilling operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignees: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC., CHEVRON U.S.A. INC., SDG LLC
    Inventors: Daniel D. Gleitman, William M. Moeny
  • Patent number: 11326412
    Abstract: A downhole sealing apparatus comprises a propellant section and a sealing element section adjacent the propellant section. The propellant section comprises an outer housing, at least one propellant structure within the outer housing, and at least one initiator device adjacent the at least one propellant structure. The sealing element section is configured to isolate a region of a borehole in a subterranean formation responsive to pressure of gases produced through combustion of at least one propellant of the at least one propellant structure of the propellant section. A downhole assembly and a method of isolating portions of a borehole in a subterranean formation are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventor: John A. Arrell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11319772
    Abstract: A method includes positioning a completion assembly in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation and conveying a frac plug through the completion assembly. The completion assembly may provide a fracturing assembly. The method further includes detecting a wireless signal provided by the frac plug with a sensor included in the fracturing assembly, actuating a sliding sleeve of the fracturing assembly based on detection of the wireless signal and thereby moving the sliding sleeve to expose one or more flow ports, setting the frac plug in the wellbore downhole from the fracturing assembly, conveying a wellbore projectile through the completion assembly, receiving the wellbore projectile with the frac plug, and thereby sealing the wellbore at the frac plug, and injecting a fluid under pressure into the subterranean formation via the one or more flow ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Zachary William Walton, Michael Linley Fripp, Matthew James Merron
  • Patent number: 11319795
    Abstract: The use of an environmental sensing wireline standoff may improve operations during borehole logging procedures. An environmental sensing wireline standoff may comprise a lower body, an upper body, and a cable insert. The cable insert may further comprise a first segment and a second segment, wherein the cable insert is disposed between the lower body and the upper body, and wherein the cable insert is configurable to clamp directly onto a wireline cable. The environmental sensing wireline standoff may further comprise a sensor package. A method of assembling an environmental sensing wireline standoff may comprise securing a first segment of a cable insert into a lower body, securing a second segment of the cable insert into an upper body, attaching the sensor package to the upper body, and securing the lower body to the upper body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Inventors: Guy Wheater, Stuart Huyton
  • Patent number: 11306549
    Abstract: Embodiments of a vertical pipe handler system (50) and method of its use include a casing tong handling tool (10) connected to a lifting tool (55) having a gripper head (51) and supported by an arm (53) of the vertical pipe handler system. The casing tong connection (33) of the handling tool is located toward the tool's lower end (21) and may be offset in a horizontal direction from the connection (29) to the lifting tool. The casing tong (60) then hangs off-center relative to the lifting tool. The amount of offset may be effective to prevent interference between the gripper head and a tubular being handled by the casing tong.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth McCabe, Dag Holen, Lars Petter Smeland, Glenn Saebo, Svein Jarle Haugland
  • Patent number: 11306567
    Abstract: A ball lift sleeve and retrieval tool comprising a sleeve for disposing in tubing of a well, the sleeve defining a first passage from a first proximal end to a first distal end, and a retrieval tool for disposing in the tubing of the well, the retrieval tool being separately moveable in the tubing between mated and unmated conditions with respect to the sleeve, the retrieval tool at least partially mating with the first distal end of the sleeve when in the mated condition and at least partially closing fluid communication through the passage of the sleeve when mated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Inventors: Ron Elkins, Arthur Sullivan
  • Patent number: 11306569
    Abstract: A flow control device including a housing sized to be disposed within a wellbore; a valve portion disposed within the housing and operable to control the flow of fluid therethrough, the valve portion having at least one valve having a first configuration and a second configuration; an actuator operable to adjust the at least one valve between the first configuration and the second configuration; and a conduit coupled with an exterior surface of the housing and in fluidic communication with the at least one valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Greci, Michael Linley Fripp, Jyotsana Verma
  • Patent number: 11280168
    Abstract: An inflow control device for controlling a production flow can include an inlet, a vortex chamber, and a flow control chamber. The inlet can extend obliquely relative to the central axis of the device. The vortex chamber can induce a vortical inflow from the inlet. The flow chamber can receive vortical inflow from the vortex chamber. A movable restriction disk within the flow control chamber can restrict the vortical inflow therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Greci, Michael Linley Fripp, Pete Clement Dagenais
  • Patent number: 11268374
    Abstract: A monitoring and mapping system, including: at least four transceiver devices arranged to be applied at a predefined mutual distance along a casing pipe, each of the transceiver devices including: a tubular body arranged to be fit on the casing pipe, the tubular body having at a first end a first longitudinal portion, at a second end a second longitudinal portion and a third longitudinal portion interposed between the first and second longitudinal portions; a coil wound on the first longitudinal portion; a layer of elastomeric material which winds the third longitudinal portion; an electrode wound on the layer of elastomeric material; and a peripheral electronic control unit associated with the tubular body; the monitoring and mapping system further including a central electronic control and data acquisition unit configured to drive the peripheral electronic control units so as to selectively power the electrodes and the coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ENI S.P.A.
    Inventors: Paolo Dell'Aversana, Franco Bottazzi, Claudio Molaschi, Carlo Carniani, Germana Gallino, Raffaele Servodio
  • Patent number: 11268351
    Abstract: A system and method for systemically generating complexity through a formation may include defining a diverter schedule including a set of diverters to be pumped into a wellbore over a duration of time. The system and method may include a first diverter being pumped into the wellbore based on the diverter schedule, the first diverter including matter corresponding to a first mesh value. An onset of pressure response value may be determined using a pressure sensor during or after pumping the first diverter into the wellbore. A next diverter including particles corresponding to a second mesh value may be selected using the onset of pressure response value and the diverter schedule. The next diverter may then pumped into the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Chaitanya Mallikarjun Karale, Ubong Akpan Inyang