Patents Examined by MacDonald, A.
  • Patent number: 11921246
    Abstract: Method for characterizing subterranean formation is described. One method involves injecting a fluid into an active well of the subterranean formation at a pressure sufficient to induce one or more hydraulic fractures. Measuring, via a pressure sensor, a poroelastic pressure response caused by inducing of the one or more hydraulic fractures. The pressure sensor is in at least partial hydraulic isolation with the one or more hydraulic fractures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY
    Inventor: Nicolas Patrick Roussel
  • Patent number: 11913311
    Abstract: A flow control shuttle to provide the ability to block flow in either direction initially, while allowing a high-pressure differential capacity in one direction and does not produce free floating pieces of the plug in the flow stream after actuation. The mechanism is actuated by a pressure differential opposite the high-pressure direction, in which the actuation pressure can be set independently of the pressure rating of the high-pressure direction. Upon actuation the flow path opens allowing flow in either direction by moving a shuttle plug from a sealed to an unsealed configuration. The direction of high pressure and actuation pressure can be chosen by direction of installation on based what is required for the application. This mechanism can be incorporated into an existing tool or a new tool design, or can be provided as a standalone tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: ADVANCED OIL TOOLS, LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Samuel Fitzhugh, Timothy Wayne Raley, Jonathan Charles Birk
  • Patent number: 11913304
    Abstract: A wiper plug to activate an internal sleeve positioned within a landing collar, wherein the landing collar and the internal sleeve are integral components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Vertice Oil Tools, Inc.
    Inventor: Mohamed Ibrahim Saraya
  • Patent number: 11913330
    Abstract: A method for determining change in stress in a reservoir formation includes inducing a pressure pulse in a first well hydraulically connected by a fracture to the reservoir formation. A stress-related attribute of the fracture is determined from reflection events detected in pressure measurement made in the first well as a result of the inducing the pressure pulse. The inducing and determining are repeated to estimate changes in the stress-related attribute with respect to time. A method for determining and localizing type of interaction between a treated well and an observation well by monitoring pressure and fracture changes in the observation well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Seismos, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Moos, Jakub Felkl, Hossein Davari Ardakani, Ibrahim Said Abou-Sayed
  • Patent number: 11905787
    Abstract: A variable stiffness engineered degradable ball or seal having a degradable phase and a stiffener material. The variable stiffness engineered degradable ball or seal can optionally be in the form of a degradable diverter ball or sealing element which can be made neutrally buoyant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Terves LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Sherman, Nicholas Farkas, Raghu Meesala
  • Patent number: 11898432
    Abstract: A method for drilling a subterranean wellbore includes rotating a drill string in the wellbore to drill. The drill string includes a roll-stabilized housing deployed in a drill collar and survey sensors deployed in the roll-stabilized housing. Sensor measurements are acquired while the drill string is rotating. High bandwidth accelerometer measurements may be obtained by combining triaxial accelerometer measurements and gyroscopic sensor measurements. Survey parameters, including a wellbore azimuth, may be computed from the high bandwidth accelerometer measurements. Triaxial magnetometer measurements may be processed to compute an eddy current induced wellbore azimuth error which may be removed from a previously computed wellbore azimuth to obtain a corrected wellbore azimuth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew Whitmore, Abdiwahid Alasow, Edward Richards, Darren Lee Aklestad
  • Patent number: 11898421
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a sand control device for marine hydrate production, which comprises a top motor, a bottom motor, and an inner-layer sand control cylinder, an outer-layer sand control cylinder and an outer-layer sand control screen coaxially arranged from inside to outside, wherein the top motor and bottom motor are configured to control the inner-layer sand control cylinder and the outer-layer sand control cylinder to rotate reversely, and wherein a plurality of sand retaining balls are provided between the inner-layer sand control cylinder and the outer-layer sand control cylinder and between the outer-layer sand control cylinder and the outer-layer sand control screen. According to the present invention, the arrangement of the inner-layer sand control cylinder and the outer-layer sand control cylinder rotating reversely can effectively prevent formation sand from accumulating on the surface of a sand control screen pipe and blocking the sand control screen pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Southwest Petroleum University
    Inventors: Jinze Song, Shuxian Jiang, Hongjun Zhu, Shuai Liu, Yue Gao
  • Patent number: 11891868
    Abstract: An assembly and a method of performing an operation in a borehole. The assembly includes a plug, and a retrieving head rigidly coupled to the plug in a locked configuration. The retrieving head includes a lock disposed therein comprising a housing, a mandrel, and a ball seat. The ball seat is secured to the housing at a first seat location when the assembly is in the locked configuration. The assembly is conveyed assembly in the borehole. A ball is dropped through the assembly to seat at the ball seat. A fluid pressure created at the ball moves the ball seat to a second seat location within the housing to place the assembly in an unlocked configuration. The mandrel is shifted to allow the retrieving head to move axially in the unlocked configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jason Cullum, Andres Sosa
  • Patent number: 11891864
    Abstract: A drilling rig having a lift arm, which may be an auxiliary lift arm provided in addition to a primary lifting cable system of the drilling rig. The lift arm may be configured to hoist and/or manipulate drill collar, drill pipe, or other drilling pipe or conduit. The lift arm may be coupled to a mast of the drilling rig and may have a cantilevered boom extending therefrom. The boom may be configured to pivot between alignment, or near alignment, with well center and a racking board. The lift arm may additionally have a pipe engaging element coupled to the boom. The pipe engaging element may be configured to couple to stands or lengths of drilling pipe. The pipe engaging element may be raised and lowered together with or relative to the boom via a lift line controllable via a hydraulic cylinder, winch, or other suitable mechanism for withdrawing and releasing the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventors: Robert Benjamin Donnally, Xi Lin Liu
  • Patent number: 11885216
    Abstract: A method for completing a subterranean formation includes conveying a perforator assembly into a borehole drilled in the subterranean formation. The perforator assembly includes at least one shaped charge and at least one tracer package that includes at least one fluid production tracer material and a tracer injector. The method further includes forming at least one tunnel in a production structure by detonating one or more shaped charges and injecting the at least one fluid production tracer material into the formation using the tracer injector after the detonation of the at least one shaped charge. The at least one production tracer material physically associates with at least one resident fluid in the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: CORE LABORATORIES LP
    Inventors: Timothy E. Lagrange, David Chastain, Shaun Geerts, Joe McClanahan, Gary Bablitz
  • Patent number: 11879307
    Abstract: An object carrier including a housing having a bore with a diametrically larger portion and a diametrically smaller portion, an object keeper having a first and a second end, the first end being initially disposed in the diametrically smaller portion, an actuator assembly configured to move the first end of the object keeper from the diametrically smaller portion to the diametrically larger portion responsive to selected application of pressure, and an object disposed within the object keeper and secured within the object keeper while the first end of the object keeper is in the diametrically smaller portion, the object being released from the object keeper upon the first end of the object keeper moving to the diametrically larger portion. A method for managing an object-based operation downhole of a restriction including pressuring up on the object carrier, withdrawing the first end from the diametrically smaller portion, and releasing the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: David Alexander, Knut Inge Dahlberg, Eivind Hagen
  • Patent number: 11867025
    Abstract: A flow control apparatus for producing hydrocarbon material from a subterranean formation is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing that defines a housing passage, and a flow communicator that extends through the housing for effecting fluid communication between the housing passage and the subterranean formation. The apparatus includes a flow controller within the housing for modulating flow communication between the housing passage and the subterranean formation via the flow communicator. The flow controller includes a filter medium-defining counterpart and a shroud-defining counterpart, and the filter medium-defining counterpart has a filter medium. The flow controller is configurable for disposition relative to the flow communicator to open, close, or screen the flow communicator. While the filter medium and the flow communicator are not aligned, the housing and shroud-defining counterpart shields the filter medium from the housing passage and the external environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: NCS MULTISTAGE INC.
    Inventors: Stanley Mberia, Doug Brunskill
  • Patent number: 11859472
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to an inflow control system having an apparatus configured to form or plug openings in a blank pipe. The apparatus includes a housing and a milling sub-system. The housing has a cylindrical wall with an outer surface. The milling sub-system is mounted to a first side of the wall and is configured to mill an opening in the blank pipe. The milling sub-system includes a bit configured to form an opening in the blank pipe and at least one brace attached to a second side of the wall opposite the first side of the wall. The at least one brace is configured to extend radially from the second side of the wall to press the bit to the inner surface of the blank pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Ahmed A. Al Sulaiman, Feras Hamid Rowaihy, Mamdouh N. Al-Nasser, Suresh Jacob
  • Patent number: 11851987
    Abstract: An obstruction relief tool can include a plurality of walls that includes an inner wall, where the inner wall forms a cavity along a length of the inner wall. The obstruction relief tool can also include a chamber disposed between the plurality of walls, where the chamber has a proximal end and a distal end. The obstruction relief tool can further include an actuation device that is configured to actuate when an obstruction is within the cavity, where the actuation device, when actuated, is configured to open a first aperture in the inner wall that leads to the proximal end of the chamber, where the distal end of the chamber leads to a second aperture in the inner wall, where the first aperture is adjacent to the cavity above the obstruction, and where the second aperture in the inner wall is adjacent to the cavity below the obstruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Patrick James Zimmerman, Sr., Robert Sword Avent, Harold Gordon Riordan
  • Patent number: 11851968
    Abstract: A plug system including: a plug tubular including a tubular body, an upstream tubular connection, and a downstream tubular connection; wherein: the upstream tubular connection and the downstream tubular connection are openings at opposite ends of the tubular body; and a plug assembly arranged in a housing including: a plug; a breaker object; and a seat; wherein: the plug is supported by the seat; the plug assembly has a first position and a second position; wherein in the first position, the plug intact; and in the second position the plug has been broken by the breaker object; wherein: the plug is stationary with respect to the housing in both the first and second position; there is a fluid connection between the upstream tubular connection and the downstream tubular connection: and the tubular body is a single continuous piece; and wherein the plug assembly is entirely arranged within the plug tubular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TCO AS
    Inventors: Tommy Eriksen, Bård Angell
  • Patent number: 11852014
    Abstract: An assembly and a method for filtering a particulate from a wellbore fluid flow entering a downhole shut-in device in a wellbore are described. The downhole shut-in device includes a valve body with an inlet. An inner sleeve is coupled to an inner surface of the valve body and moves between a closed position and an open position to control a fluid flow from the wellbore through the inlet of the valve body. The downhole shut-in device includes a screen surrounding an outer surface of the valve body to filter the particulate from the fluid flow through the inlet of the valve body. Some devices also include a strainer tool with a cylindrical housing and an internal strainer. The method includes identifying a production fluid flow containing particulates of a size and quantity to be filtered from entering the downhole shut-in device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Saad Hamid
  • Patent number: 11852015
    Abstract: A bias subsystem for a steerable bottom hole assembly (BHA) includes a housing having a rotational axis; a plurality of flow conduits in the housing to convey drilling fluid received at an upstream end of the housing towards a downstream end of the housing; a plurality of hydraulic thrust structures each extending from within the housing to the periphery of the housing; and a plurality of valve conduits in the housing to each convey drilling fluid to a respective one of the hydraulic thrust structures, wherein the flow conduits are not intermediate the hydraulic thrust structures and the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SPARROW DOWNHOLE TOOLS LTD.
    Inventor: David Cramer
  • Patent number: 11846139
    Abstract: Methods of capturing carbon dioxide in a wellbore can include installing a sealing element in the wellbore. The sealing element swells in the presence of carbon dioxide and can be used for capturing the carbon. The sealing element can include a carbon-swelling material, such as a carbon-swelling polymers, metal-based materials, or combinations of elastomeric polymers and metal-based materials. The sealing element can also include combinations of different carbon-swelling materials, fillers or other compounds, and materials that are not carbon swellable. The sealing element can create a seal, form an anchor, or create a seal and form an anchor in the wellbore after swelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Chad William Glaesman, Michael Linley Fripp, Nam Thanh Vu
  • Patent number: 11828145
    Abstract: A downhole pumping system includes a downhole pump that includes a motor and is configured to circulate a downhole fluid from a subterranean reservoir to a terranean surface; a production tubing string positioned in the wellbore from the terranean surface to the subterranean reservoir and fluidly coupled to the downhole pump; a wellbore seal positioned in the wellbore and configured to fluidly isolate a first portion of an annulus that is uphole of the downhole pump from a second portion of the annulus in which the downhole pump is positionable; and a pump power cable electrically connected to the motor and to a power source cable in the first portion of the annulus with a power connector, where each of the pump power cable and the power source cable includes a metal jacket that encapsulates the respective cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Faisal M. Al Arji, Ali F. Al Khamees, Fares A. Al Yami
  • Patent number: 11828135
    Abstract: A system for a packer in a well includes a completion string, having production tubing, disposed within the well. The packer is connected to the production tubing and the production tubing defines an annulus in the well. A full-bore iris isolation valve is installed on the production tubing and located downhole from the packer. The full-bore iris isolation valve has an open position, a closed position, and a plurality of blades. The closed position isolates the annulus from an inner orifice of the production tubing to set the packer in the well. An activation mechanism, disposed adjacent to and up hole from the full-bore iris isolation valve, is configured to interact with the plurality of blades to place the full-bore iris isolation valve in the open position and the closed position. A sliding sleeve, having an inner profile, is connected to and located up hole from the activation mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Mauricio Guiza Medina, Fahad M. Yami