Patents Examined by Steven A Macdonald
  • Patent number: 11459847
    Abstract: A single structure usable as a backup shoe or element retainer in a packer assembly for sealing a wellbore can be fabricated using an additive manufacturing process. The single structure can have a high-density region and a low-density region having a density that is lower than the high-density region. The low-density region can be deformable to retain a position of another component downhole in a wellbore, such as an elastomeric element useable to expand to create the packer seal within the annulus of the wellbore. The high-density region can include a ribbed-structure to reduce circumferential force applied to the single structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Michael Pelto
  • Patent number: 11459841
    Abstract: A downhole apparatus comprises a sleeve, a tool string, a plug, a means for setting the plug wherein an upper portion of the sleeve is connectable to a lower portion of the tool string, and a lower portion of the sleeve is arranged to receive the plug and the means for setting the plug. A method of using the downhole apparatus is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Altus Intervention (Technologies) AS
    Inventor: Bard Martin Tinnen
  • Patent number: 11459839
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a downhole tool having a plurality of turbulence-generating channels. Other aspects of the disclosure relate to downhole tools having one or more ports. Embodiments further include methods for connecting the downhole tool to a wireline system and performing a pump-down operation where the plurality of turbulence-generating channels of the downhole tool create turbulence in fluid being pumped around the downhole tool, creating a force on the downhole tool in a downhole direction. Embodiments further include methods where a component moving in the cavity of the downhole tool unseals the opening at the downhole end of the substantially cylindrical body; and pulling the downhole tool in an uphole direction in the wellbore, wherein fluid in the wellbore passes through the port, into the cavity, and out of the opening on the downhole end of the downhole tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Nine Downhole Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Donald Roy Greenlee
  • Patent number: 11454082
    Abstract: An exemplary dissolvable assembly is provided. The dissolvable assembly includes a skeleton made from a first material, and a body made from a second material, wherein the first material and the second material dissolve at different rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Sakethraman Mahalingam, Graham Hitchcock, Daniele Colombo, Jianhui Xu
  • Patent number: 11454081
    Abstract: A well barrier can include an inner mandrel, a flow passage, and a releasably secured plug. The plug blocks fluid flow through the flow passage, and includes a shoulder that prevents the plug from displacing completely through the inner mandrel. A method of treating a subterranean well can include treating a deeper zone, setting a well barrier in the well between the deeper zone and a shallower zone, then treating the shallower zone, and then applying a pressure differential from the deeper to the shallower zone, thereby displacing a plug out of the well barrier. A well treatment system can include a well barrier with a plug releasably secured to an inner mandrel. The plug is released by application of a pressure differential in a longitudinal direction, and fluid communication is unblocked by application of a pressure differential in an opposite longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas W. McFarlin, Ryan R. Bacsik, Nauman H. Mhaskar
  • Patent number: 11448035
    Abstract: A pressure-isolation device has a plug for isolating pressure within a wellbore. The plug can include one or more modular mandrel assemblies partially disposed within each other. Each mandrel assembly can include a sealing element and a shear pin for setting the mandrel section. Each mandrel assembly can also have a collar element, a shear sleeve, a mandrel stop element, and a back-up ring in contact with the sealing element. The plug can further include a bottom receiving element including a knockout plug. The plug assembly can include a top catch element for setting and pulling the plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: LEVEL 3 SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventor: Michael S. Allumbaugh
  • Patent number: 11441382
    Abstract: A plug assembly arranged in a housing including: a plug, a breaker object, a seat, a shear ring and an assembly retainer. The plug is supported by the seat and the shear ring prevents the seat from moving in an axial direction. The shear ring is arranged such that when a threshold pressure differential is applied to a surface of the plug, the shear ring shears and allows for axial movement of the seat. The assembly retainer provides axial support to the breaker object, seat, or shear ring. A plug assembly arranged in a plug tubular. The plug tubular made of a single continuous piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: TCO AS
    Inventors: Tommy Eriksen, Bård Angell
  • Patent number: 11434710
    Abstract: A downhole tool includes a mandrel configured to be coupled to a liner, the mandrel defining a first port and a second port, the first and second ports being axially offset from one another and extending radially through a wall of the mandrel, a slips assembly coupled to the mandrel, an outer cylinder received around the mandrel and configured to transmit an axially-directed force onto the slips assembly, and a retaining assembly positioned radially between the mandrel and the outer cylinder. The retaining assembly has a first configuration that prevents the outer cylinder from moving relative to the mandrel, and a second configuration that permits the outer cylinder to move axially along the mandrel and set the slips assembly. The retaining assembly is configured to actuate from the first configuration to the second configuration in response to a pressure in the first port exceeding a pressure in the second port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: INNOVEX DOWNHOLE SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Bobby F. Goad, Jr., Srihari Chebolu, Evan Lowe
  • Patent number: 11428071
    Abstract: A well tool device includes a housing having an axial through bore. The well tool device further includes a sleeve section axially displaceable relative to the housing; a fluid flow preventing frangible disc; and an axial fluid passage bypassing the frangible disc when the well tool device is in an initial state, thereby allowing a fluid flow between a first location above the frangible disc and a second location below the frangible disc. The sleeve section includes an axial through bore aligned with the axial through bore of the housing. The axial fluid passage is closed when the well tool device is in a subsequent state. The fluid flow preventing frangible disc is provided in the bore of the sleeve section in sealing engagement with the sleeve section. The well tool device further includes a disc supporting device for supporting the frangible disc in relation to the sleeve section. The disc supporting device is releasably connected inside the sleeve section by means of a releasable connection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Interwell Norway AS
    Inventors: Espen Hiorth, Stig Ove Bjørgum
  • Patent number: 11428064
    Abstract: To provide a downhole tool that can maintain a high degradation rate even in high-temperature environments and a method for well drilling using the downhole tool. A downhole tool including: a component containing a reactive metal; and a component containing a degradable resin composition promoting degradation of the reactive metal, the degradable resin composition containing a degradable resin producing an acid by degradation, wherein a molar ratio of a maximum amount of the acid which the degradable resin composition is capable of producing to a content of the reactive metal is 1.0 or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: KUREHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Fuminori Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11421491
    Abstract: An anchor for securing a well tool can include a longitudinally extending central axis, an outwardly extendable grip member, and a mechanical linkage including multiple pivotably connected links. The links pivot relative to each other in a plane laterally offset from the central axis. A method of anchoring a well tool can include flowing a fluid through an anchor connected to the well tool, thereby outwardly extending a grip member into contact with a well surface, and applying a tensile force to the anchor, thereby increasingly biasing the grip member against the well surface and securing the well tool relative to the well surface. A method of anchoring a tubing cutter in a tubular string can include applying a tensile force from an anchor to the tubular string, and cutting the tubular string while the tensile force is applied from the anchor to the tubular string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Justin R. Scruggs
  • Patent number: 11414951
    Abstract: An actuating tool actuable by degradation of at least a portion of a seal assembly to set an auxiliary tool downhole in an oil and gas wellbore. A system and method for actuating the auxiliary tool downhole in the oil and gas wellbore using the actuating tool by degrading at least a portion of the seal assembly of the actuating tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: OSO PERFORATING, LLC
    Inventors: Tobias Hartman, Varun Garg, Jeremy Ursi, Daniel Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11414942
    Abstract: A packer installation system includes a pipe, a packer that is secured to the pipe at a first axial position along the pipe, and a brush assembly that is secured to the pipe at a second axial position. The brush assembly includes brushes that are adjustable between a first configuration in which the brushes extend radially from the pipe by a first distance and a second configuration in which the brushes extend radially from the pipe by a second distance that is greater than the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Hany Al Yahya, Mario Augusto Rivas Martinez
  • Patent number: 11408273
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods are described for purposes of initiating a response to detection of an adverse operational condition involving a system including a drill rig and an inground tool. The response can be based on an uphole sensed parameter in combination with a downhole sensed parameter. The adverse operational condition can involve cross-bore detection, frac-out detection, excessive downhole pressure, a plugged jet indication and drill string key-holing detection. A communication system includes an inground communication link that allows bidirectional communication between a walkover detector and the drill rig via the inground tool. Monitoring of inground tool depth and/or lateral movement can be performed using techniques that approach integrated values. Bit force based auto-carving is described in the context of an automated procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Merlin Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert W. Chau, Benjamin John Medeiros, Craig Caswell
  • Patent number: 11408279
    Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for navigating and determining the location of downhole oil and gas wellbore tools are disclosed. The devices, systems, and methods may include a drone including an ultrasound transceiver that generates and receives an ultrasonic signal that interacts with the environment external to the drone and detects, utilizing a processer associated therewith, changes the environment external to the drone. The speed and location of the drone may be determined using the processor. Alternatively, an electromagnetic field generator that generates a field that interacts with the environment external to the drone. When the drone moves through the wellbore, the environment external to the drone constantly changes. Based on this changing environment, the speed and location of the drone is determined using the present devices, systems and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Robert Zemla, Thilo Scharf, Liam McNelis, Christian Eitschberger, Shmuel Silverman
  • Patent number: 11408275
    Abstract: Downhole plugs including a sensor, hydrocarbon wells including the downhole plugs, and methods of operating the hydrocarbon wells. The downhole plugs include a sealing structure, an actuation mechanism, and the sensor. The actuation mechanism is configured to selectively transition the sealing structure between a disengaged state, in which the downhole plug is free to move within a tubular conduit of a downhole tubular of the hydrocarbon well, and an engaged state, in which the sealing structure operatively engages with the downhole tubular, forms a fluid seal with the downhole tubular, and resists motion of the downhole plug within the tubular conduit. The sensor is configured to detect a sensed parameter within the tubular conduit and to generate a sensor signal indicative of the sensed parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Rami Jabari, P. Matthew Spiecker, Michael C. Romer
  • Patent number: 11401772
    Abstract: A downhole barrier device comprising a housing having a design and a rupture layer formed with the housing and having another design. The housing and rupture layer are integrally formed using a laser melting process and have a density greater than 98 percent. The laser melting process is performed using a 3D printing process. The other design can be selected from a plurality of designs including at least two of: at least one fabricated stress concentration; at least one pattern of thickness less that of a thickness of the design; a sealing layer, a support layer, and a flow hole; and at least one shape selectable selected from a disc shape, a pinched shape, a folded shape, and a curved shape. The downhole barrier device can be formed using a metal selected from a plurality of metals and be selected based on operational use of the downhole barrier device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Linley Fripp, Stephen Michael Greci, Richard Decena Ornelaz, Celso Max Trujillo, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11401780
    Abstract: A completion assembly to aid in gravel packing a wellbore which assembly includes a plurality of interconnected sand screen assemblies, each sand screen assembly having a wireless adjustable electronic flow control node disposed along the sand screen base pipe to control flow of a gravel packing slurry from the base pipe into the wellbore annulus. Each electronic flow control node includes a valve that can be adjusted by an electric actuator powered by a power harvesting mechanism disposed in a flow path of the completion assembly. A wireless transmitter receives a control signal to control the electric actuator. The control signal may be transmitted sequentially from a distal most sand screen assembly to a proximal sand screen assembly in order to sequentially build the gravel pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Linley Fripp, Stephen Michael Greci
  • Patent number: 11391128
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for producing heavy oil by generating solvents in situ in the reservoir, an electric heating device is used to heat up the crude oil in the reservoir near the wellbore to the target temperature. Chemical reaction additives are injected into the heating section to meet the preset reaction conditions for the high temperature thermal cracking and aquathermolysis of crude oil, so as to generate light hydrocarbon components and gases. Under the effect of heat and gravity, the light hydrocarbon components and gases rise to the steam chamber. The light hydrocarbons and some gases that move to the vapor-liquid interface of the steam chamber are dissolved in the crude oil to reduce the viscosity of crude oil and increase the production rate of crude oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Southwest Petroleum University
    Inventors: Qi Jiang, Jiali Liu, Fangjie Wu, Siyuan Huang, Chunsheng Yu, Xiang Zhou, Zhibin Wang, Yang Zhang, Ke Huang, Jie He
  • Patent number: 11377948
    Abstract: A removable real time clock battery (“RRTCB”) assembly is disclosed herein. The RRTCB assembly has an outer housing removably mounted in a port of a downhole tool. The outer housing is adapted to receive at least a portion of an inner housing. The inner housing has a cavity therein and is mounted in the port of the downhole tool. The inner housing is removably disposed within the outer housing. A real time clock battery is removably disposed in the cavity of the inner housing. The real time clock battery electrically connects to a clock disposed within the downhole tool. The RRTCB assembly can be readily removed from the downhole tool or bottomhole assembly (while at the earth's surface) without otherwise disassembling the downhole tool. The real time clock battery can then be removed and replaced or installed if not present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Oliden Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Woolverton, Ting Lau, Zhichao Gong, Philippe Hui, Qiming Li