Patents Examined by Nicole Coy
  • Method and apparatus for preventing premature set of liner top packer
    Patent number: 10989000
    Abstract: A tool for use in a wellbore includes a first tubular having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a first conduit. The inner surface includes a dog engagement zone. A second tubular includes an outer surface portion and an inner surface portion defining a second conduit. The second tubular extends into the first conduit and including a dog opening having a dog support. A dog is arranged in the dog opening. The dog includes an outer surface contour that engages with the dog engagement zone and an inner surface including a recess that engages with the one or more dog supports. The dog is moveably retained between the first tubular and the second tubular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Chee Kong Yee
  • Shock and agitator tool
    Patent number: 10989004
    Abstract: A shock and agitator tool assembly vibrates a drill string to overcome stick slip and other friction-based problems that may occur during directional drilling. The agitator tool portion of the assembly, which can be used without the shock tool, allows for controlled activation and deactivation of the agitator tool by the use of one or more darts pumped downhole. The darts can be retrieved with a wireline tool. When activated, the agitator portion creates alternating pressure pulses. These pulses cause axial movement of the drill string above the agitator. A shock tool is described which utilizes a telescoping mandrel to amplify the axial movement created by the agitator tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Arrival Oil Tools, Inc.
    Inventors: Jayson Russell, Laurier E. Comeau
  • Automated drilling rig system
    Patent number: 10975635
    Abstract: An automated drilling rig system includes a drilling rig and a catwalk system. The drilling rig includes a rig floor, a substructure, a mast, a top drive, and a pipe handling apparatus. The pipe handling apparatus includes a column coupled to the rig floor at a position offset from the well centerline. The catwalk system includes a pipe tub, a catwalk lift frame, and a catwalk assembly. The pipe tub is configured to store one or more tubular members for use with the drilling rig. The catwalk assembly includes a base and a catwalk slide. The catwalk lift frame is coupled to the base of the catwalk assembly and extends substantially vertically to the rig floor. The catwalk slide is coupled to the catwalk lift frame at a first end and pivotably coupled to the base at a second end via a leveling strut. The catwalk slide includes a skate adapted to slide along the length of the catwalk slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: NABORS DRILLING TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC.
    Inventors: Ashish Gupta, Derek Patterson, Padira Reddy
  • Simple rotary steerable drilling system
    Patent number: 10975625
    Abstract: A steering collar for deflecting a drill string in a borehole to cause the borehole to be drilled in a different direction. The steering collar surrounds a hollow drive shaft which is driven by the drill string. During normal drilling operations, the steering collar does not rotate with the drive shaft. The steering collar has three sets of pistons operated by the pressure of the drilling fluid, one set of which is pressure relieved. Drill fluid that is pumped down the drill string flows into the hollow drive shaft and through ports to activate the pistons which thereby force corresponding pads outwardly into contact with the sidewall of the borehole. Since the one set of pistons is pressure relieved, it does not force its pad against the borehole sidewall with as much pressure as the other two sets of pistons force their pads against the sidewall of the borehole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Inventor: Ian Gray
  • System and method for mitigating a mud motor stall
    Patent number: 10975680
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a mud motor in a wellbore. The method includes running the mud motor into the wellbore. A threshold rate of a pressure increase over time is selected. A rate of a pressure increase over time is measured across the mud motor in the wellbore. A flow rate of a fluid being pumped into the wellbore is varied when the measured rate is greater than or equal to the threshold rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin Peter Jeffryes, Samba Ba
  • Polycrystalline diamond compact
    Patent number: 10961785
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of fabricating a polycrystalline diamond compact is disclosed. The method includes sintering a plurality of diamond particles in the presence of a metal-solvent catalyst to form a polycrystalline diamond body; leaching the polycrystalline diamond body to at least partially remove the metal-solvent catalyst therefrom, thereby forming an at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond body; and subjecting an assembly of the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond body and a cemented carbide substrate to a high-pressure/high-temperature process at a pressure to infiltrate the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond body with an infiltrant. The pressure of the high-pressure/high-temperature process is less than that employed in the act of sintering of the plurality of diamond particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Bertagnolli, David P. Miess, Jiang Qian, Jason K. Wiggins, Michael A. Vail, Debkumar Mukhopadhyay
  • Shearable split ball seat
    Patent number: 10954751
    Abstract: A frac sleeve assembly and method of operation. The frac sleeve assembly includes a ball seat that retains a frac ball. The ball seat moves within a sleeve. The sleeve includes a profile that separates the first half and the second half to allow passage of the frac ball through the ball seat when the ball seat moves within the sleeve. Alternatively, the ball seat has a ring for receiving the frac ball and the sleeve has a protrusion that selectively engages a shifting pin to move the ring with respect to a ridge to release the ball from the ball seat when the ball seat moves within the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Stone
  • System and methodology utilizing conductor sharing offset shoe
    Patent number: 10941622
    Abstract: A technique facilitates drilling operations by combining a conductor with a conductor sharing offset shoe system. The conductor sharing offset shoe system protects against collision of boreholes by properly positioning and/or orienting a drill string during drilling of boreholes through the conductor. The conductor sharing offset shoe system may comprise a bullnose disposed at a lower end of the shoe system and an upper guide member disposed at an upper end of the shoe system with a guide opening sized to receive the drill string therethrough. A guide tubing extends from the guide opening into the bullnose to guide the drill string during drilling of a borehole. The guide tubing is sized to preserve sufficient space for accommodating movement of the drill string through the conductor sharing offset shoe system externally of the guide tubing during drilling of another borehole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anthony Lambert, Adam Baker, Michael J. O'Keefe, Dwayne C. Raynard
  • Device and method for retrieving a restriction element from a well
    Patent number: 10920515
    Abstract: A setting tool (402) for setting a plug in a well, the setting tool (402) including a body (404) extending along a longitudinal axis X; a rod (408) extending along the longitudinal axis of the body (404), from an upstream end (402B) to a downstream end (402A) of the body (404); a chamber (406) formed at the downstream end (402A) of the body; and a restriction element (450) located in the chamber (406). The rod (408) extends through the entire chamber (406) and the restriction element (450) is located between the rod (408) and a wall (404A) of the chamber (406).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: GEODYNAMICS, INC.
    Inventors: Dennis Roessler, John Hardesty, Kevin George, Michael Wroblicky
  • Cutting structure design with new backup cutter methodology
    Patent number: 10920496
    Abstract: A drill bit for subterranean drilling operations is disclosed. The drill bit comprises a drill bit body with one or more blades. The drill bit further comprises a plurality of primary cutters, each primary cutter located on at least one blade, and a plurality of secondary cutters, each secondary cutter located on at least one blade other than the blade on which the primary cutters are located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Seth Garrett Anderle, Robert W. Arfele
  • Protective housing for electronics in downhole tools
    Patent number: 10914162
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to a downhole protective housing for electronic components including a circuit board. The protective housing can include a chassis comprising two elongate side rails, a circuit board located between the pair of elongate side rails, an armature fixedly coupled to the chassis, a buffer coupled to the circuit board. The protective housing can further include a substantially cylindrical intermediate sleeve, a substantially cylindrical outer case, and a pair of end caps, one each located at opposite distal ends of the protective housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Dewayne Finke, Mine Kazanci
  • Instrument line for insertion in a drill string of a drilling system
    Patent number: 10900305
    Abstract: An apparatus for delivering tools within a drill string may include an instrument line including a mechanically resistant external structure with an internal cavity. The instrument line may be configured to be deployed into the drill string. The apparatus may include one or more isolated wires positioned within the internal cavity. The apparatus may also include one or more tools removably coupled to the instrument line and positionable within the drill string. The one or more tools may be configured to provide measurements of conditions within a wellbore via the one or more isolated wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Jacques Orban
  • RFID device for use downhole
    Patent number: 10900350
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a radio-frequency identification device for use in a wellbore includes a housing made of a polymer; and an antenna disposed in the housing. The polymer may be selected from the group consisting of an elastomer, a plastic, a rubber, a thermoplastic elastomer, and combinations thereof. The RFID device may also include a fill material disposed in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander A. Lazarev, Albert C. Odell, II, Iain Macleod, Marius Raducanu
  • Directional drilling systems, apparatuses, and methods
    Patent number: 10900302
    Abstract: A boring apparatus for coupling to a drill rod and drilling a borehole includes a boring tool head configured to couple to the drill rod and receive drilling fluid. The boring tool head has an exterior surface with a hole and defines an internal cavity. The hole is configured to receive ground spoils such that the ground spoils are conveyed into the internal cavity, and the drilling fluid dispenses into the cavity such that the drilling fluid mixes with the ground spoils to form a drilling slurry. A housing is coupled to the boring tool head and has a chamber in fluid communication with the cavity. A pump in the chamber is configured to pump the drilling slurry out of the cavity and the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Country Landscapes & Tree Service, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph H. Kysely
  • Pullback system for drilling tool
    Patent number: 10900294
    Abstract: A pullback system for installing product in a hole includes a rotary drill bit having a plurality of cutter elements, and a pullback device that is attachable to the rotary drill bit without disassembling the rotary drill bit or removing the rotary drill bit from a drill string. The pullback device includes a frame member and a plurality of anchor arms. Each anchor arm has a first end coupled to the frame member and a second end. Each anchor arm is configured to extend between adjacent cutter elements of the rotary drill bit. An attachment location can be used to attach product to the pullback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Tyler J. Dorin, Andrew J. Kreimeyer
  • Wobble pump comprising a wobble plate
    Patent number: 10900337
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a barrel-type piston pump (1) with a swash plate (7) where the angle of inclination of rotary plate (2) relative to drive shaft (5) is adjustable by means of a finger joint (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventor: Julien Trost
  • Method and system for stripping tubulars and the like comprising frustoconical air blade
    Patent number: 10890032
    Abstract: A toroidal air blade tool for mounting on top of a blow-out preventer is provided. The tool can include upper and lower toroidal ring halves that form a plenum and a circumferential orifice when assembled together. Compressed gas or pressurized fluid introduced into the plenum exits the orifice in the form of frustoconical gas or fluid blade that can strip off mud and produced substances from tubulars being removed from a well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Inventor: Mark Taggart
  • Instrument line for insertion in a drill string of a drilling system
    Patent number: 10865615
    Abstract: An apparatus for delivering tools within a drill string may include an instrument line including a mechanically resistant external structure with an internal cavity. The instrument line may be configured to be deployed into the drill string. The apparatus may include one or more isolated wires positioned within the internal cavity. The apparatus may also include one or more tools removably coupled to the instrument line and positionable within the drill string. The one or more tools may be configured to provide measurements of conditions within a wellbore via the one or more isolated wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Jacques Orban
  • Telescopic drill rod
    Patent number: 10858896
    Abstract: A telescopic drill rod (2) has at least two rod members (20, 30} disposed coaxially to one another, with the inner rod member (30) being axially slidable relative to the cater rod member (20) in a telescoping mariner between an extended position and a retracted position. Both the inner rod member (30) and outer rod member (20) are equipped with joints at each end for connection, to a drill head and/or another section of drill pipe. The joints also lock the inner and outer rod members in either the extended of retracted positions, and this is accomplished with a unique frusto-conical threaded engagement that is well-suited for transmitting pressure forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventor: Jim Jones
  • Swivel connection tool
    Patent number: 10851602
    Abstract: A swivel connection tool holds a tubular of a work string or a drill string while a swivel connects or disconnects from the tubular. The swivel connection tool has a base mounted to a work floor of a derrick of a workover rig. The swivel connection tool is fixed spaced-apart from a hole in the work floor positioned over the wellhead. The swivel connection tool has a yoke oriented at an incline with respect to horizontal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventor: Jerry Chitwood