Patents Examined by Kenneth Thompson
  • Patent number: 7909105
    Abstract: An assembly for connecting a drilling adapter to a wellhead comprising external threads on an end portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: VetcoGray Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene A. Borak, Jr., Anton J. Dach, Jr., Vanson Huynh
  • Patent number: 7905286
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for forming and sealing a hole in the sidewall of a borehole are provided. The method may include conveying a carrier into the borehole, forming the hole in the sidewall using a bit, and sealing at least a portion of the hole by leaving at least a portion of the bit in the hole. An apparatus includes a carrier conveyable into the borehole, and a bit disposed on the carrier that forms the hole in a sidewall, the bit including a sealing portion that seals at least a portion of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael J. Moody, John M. Michaels
  • Patent number: 7905294
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods and apparatuses for anchoring progressing cavity (PC) pumps. In one embodiment, a method of anchoring a PC pump to a string of tubulars disposed in a wellbore which includes acts of inserting the PC pump and anchor assembly into the tubular. Running the PC pump and anchor assembly through the tubular to any first longitudinal location along the tubular string. Longitudinally and rotationally coupling the PC pump and the anchor assembly to the tubular and forming a seal between the PC pump and the tubular string at the first location and performing a downhole operation in the tubular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Willis Clark, Todd A. Wilson
  • Patent number: 7900700
    Abstract: The invention generally relates a method of determining completion criteria for a coal bed methane reservoir having a plurality of coal seams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Arpana Sarkar, Rajiv Sagar, Theodore Klimentos, Indrajit Basu
  • Patent number: 7900698
    Abstract: A downhole wet-connector and debris exclusion system includes a relatively stationary component; a relatively mobile component operably engageable with the relatively stationary component; at least one connector disposed behind a moveable debris exclusion member in a protected condition within the relatively mobile component; and at least one complementary connector disposed behind another movable debris exclusion member in a protected condition within the relatively stationary component each of the moveable debris exclusion members being openable to expose the at least one connectors therebehind upon axial motion of the relatively stationary component and the relatively mobile component into contact with one another and method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Carl W. Stoesz
  • Patent number: 7900720
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a section of a drill string has a drill bit with a body intermediate a shank and a working face, the working face having at least one cutting element. A jack element is disposed within the drill bit body and has a distal end substantially protruding from the working face. A drive shaft is in communication with the jack element and a rotary source. The drive shaft has a first portion secured within a bore of a tool string component in the tool string and a second portion secured within a bore of the drill bit. The first and second portions of the drive shaft are connected at a pin and box connection wherein the first and second portions are automatically connected as the tool string component is mechanically coupled to the drill bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Hall, David Lundgreen, Paula Turner, Daryl Wise, Nathan Nelson, Andrew Pilgrim, Robert Myler
  • Patent number: 7900696
    Abstract: A down hole flow control tool for use in a well bore, such as a bridge or frac plug, includes back-flow vent holes in a central mandrel and initially covered by a member on the mandrel, such as a lower slip or a lower cone. In a subsequent, set configuration, the member moves away from the vent hole allowing back flow of well fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall W. Nish, Randy A. Jones
  • Patent number: 7896083
    Abstract: A stable vertical lift structure that raises pre-assembled equipment with flexibility in the positioning in relation to the well head location. The invention includes pre-assembled drilling and well-head equipment, such as a blow-out preventer and a stripper assembly supported by a vertical support structure, all of which is transported to the drilling site on a trailer assembly. The pivot point for the pre-assembled equipment is placed on a rail transport mounted on the trailer assembly, and the pivot point is laterally pushed to a locking point on the rail assembly before the pre-assembled equipment is vertically raised to its vertical alignment near the well head. After being raised to its vertical alignment position, the pre-assembled equipment can be placed over the well head at the drilling site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Inventor: James Raymond Vickery
  • Patent number: 7896070
    Abstract: A completion assembly has an expandable sealing element provided on an outer surface of the completion assembly. The expandable sealing element has a slot. The slot of the expandable sealing element enables the expandable sealing element to expand around a spoolable sensor array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: John R. Lovell
  • Patent number: 7896079
    Abstract: A technique facilitates a water flood, e.g. dump flood, operation. A standard electric submersible pumping system is deployed in a wellbore to draw water from an aquifer or water source zone along the wellbore. A shroud and a crossover port are used in combination with the submersible pumping system to redirect pumped water downwardly along an isolated flow path. The downward flow of pumped water is directed along the wellbore and injected into a desired, injection zone to facilitate recovery of oil or to perform other types of water flood operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Dyer, Donald W. Ross, Dean Ellison, Brian Scott, Dinesh R. Patel
  • Patent number: 7896072
    Abstract: Methods for designing and performing a treatment operation on a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore are provided, in which the treatment operation includes the use of a treatment fluid comprising reactants for a chemical reaction. The methods generally include the step of obtaining wellbore temperature-profile information on the wellbore and obtaining kinetic or thermodynamic data for the chemical reaction, and combining the information to help design the treatment operation. Preferably, the methods include the use of a distributed temperature system (“DTS”) for gaining temperature-profile information for a wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Rory D. Daussin, Ron G. Dusterhoft, Mary S. Van Domelen, Gerard Glasbergen
  • Patent number: 7896107
    Abstract: A tracking receiver system is used to track the progress of a downhole tool along a subsurface path having a desired grade. The tracking receiver system is adapted to detect a reference line originating from a reference line receiver and to determine the position of the downhole tool along a desired subsurface path relative to the reference line. In an alternative embodiment the tracking receiver system may comprise a global positioning satellite system to provide information used to determine the position of the downhole tool relative to the desired subsurface path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: The Charles Machine Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Floyd R. Gunsaulis, Brian K. Bailey, Scott B. Cole, Kelvin P. Self, Gerald A. Stangl
  • Patent number: 7891433
    Abstract: A resettable antiextrusion system including a backup ring, a ramp in operable communication with the backup ring, and a gauge ring attached to the ramp. A method for sealing a tubular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Justin P. Vinson, Paul Madero
  • Patent number: 7891427
    Abstract: The invention includes a method for determining a steam injection schedule for a set of subsurface formation subsurface regions of an oil field, the method including the steps of determining a thermal maturity for each subsurface region of the set; calculating a latent heat target for each subsurface region according to the determined thermal maturity therefore; calculating a steam injection target for each subsurface region according to the calculated latent heat target therefore; determining the availability of steam for injection to the subsurface regions; and calculating a steam injection schedule for each subsurface region according to the determined steam availability and calculated steam injection targets for all subsurface regions of the set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: David William Tuk, James Richard Ouimette, James Lee Brink, Christopher Angelo
  • Patent number: 7886850
    Abstract: A system for treating a mixture of drilling fluid and solid material, including a container with an inlet for the introduction of the mixture into the container. The system having a rotatable screen assembly mounted within the container and has at least one screen for screening the mixture and also interior structure for receiving separated drilling fluid from the at least one screen. The system has an interior structure for receiving separated drilling fluid and transmitting the separated drilling fluid to the fluid outlet of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: George Alexander Burnett
  • Patent number: 7882903
    Abstract: A cuttings bed removal tool for use on a drill string in a well bore includes: a sub having a region of enlarged outer diameter over the string diameters indicated by its upper end connection and an indicator disposed downhole of the region of enlarged outer diameter and having at least one bypass port extending through the indicator to permit passage of fluid in an upward direction through the indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: BBJ Tools Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Barnett
  • Patent number: 7878252
    Abstract: A control system for a surface controlled sub-surface safety valve has first and second control lines. The first control line communicates control fluid to the sub-surface safety valve and preferably has a sump and in-line filters. Hydraulic pressure applied to the safety valve with this first control line can open the safety valve. The second control line also communicates control fluid to the sub-surface safety valve and preferably has a sump. A connecting valve is connected between the first and second control lines. The connecting valve allows control fluid to communicate from the first control line to the safety valve but prevents fluid communication from the second control line to the first control line. To open the valve, the second control line is exhausted to a reservoir. The dual control lines provide redundant control of the safety valve and can also be cycled to remove debris from the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Roddie R. Smith, Richard C. Jones, Stuart M. Dennistoun
  • Patent number: 7878267
    Abstract: An apparatus for steering a drill string is disclosed herein, the apparatus comprising a drilling motor comprising a rotor, a stator, and at least one fluid passage for flowing drilling fluid to the stator. A blade is fixedly disposed on the exterior surface of the stator. A diverter valve controls the flow rate of drilling fluid to the stator, to provide counter rotational movement to the stator with respect to the rotor. Placement and movement of the blade is thereby controlled. When the blade is rotated such that it remains stationary with respect to a fixed point in a borehole, the drill bit is turned. When the blade is counter-rotated in a constant motion with respect to the rotor, the drill bit continues to drill in a straight direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Southard Drilling Technologies, L.P.
    Inventor: Robert C. Southard
  • Patent number: 7878254
    Abstract: A robotic system coupled to a racking platform of an oil well service or drilling rig comprising a base coupled to the racking platform at a fixed location, a mast pivotally coupled to the base by a mast pivot joint allowing rotation of the mast about a mast axis, a mast actuator for controllably rotating the mast about the mast pivot joint, an arm coupled to the mast and moveable along a radial direction with respect to the mast axis, an arm actuator for controllably moving the arm along the radial direction, an end effector pivotally coupled to an end of the arm by an end effector pivot joint allowing rotation of the end effector about an end effector axis oriented generally parallel to the mast axis, and an end effector actuator for controllably rotating the end effector about the end effector pivot joint. The end effector comprises at least one grabbing member operable to selectively grab an elongated object under control of a grabbing member actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignees: Nabors Canada, Canrig Drilling Technology International Ltd.
    Inventors: Abdolreza Abdollahi, Carl A. Heinrich
  • Patent number: 7878242
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method and/or apparatus for deploying wireline tools with a non-electric string. In one embodiment, a method of determining a free point of a tubular string stuck in a wellbore includes deploying a tool string in the stuck tubular with a non-electric string. The free point assembly includes a battery, a controller, and a free point tool. The method further includes activating the free point tool by the controller. The free point tool contacts an inner surface of the stuck tubular string. The method further includes applying a tensile force and/or torque to the stuck tubular string; and measuring a response of the tubular string with the free point tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin L. Gray