Patents Examined by Steven MacDonald
  • Patent number: 11365597
    Abstract: An artificial lift assembly and method relating thereto is designed to prevent inadvertent electrical discharge caused by fluids flowing through an electrical submersible pumping system, which is part of the assembly. The assembly uses a rupture disc to prevent fluid flow during introduction of the assembly into a wellbore and a dart and sleeve to prevent fluid flow during removal of the assembly from the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: IPI TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Robert Hicks, Josh Prather
  • Patent number: 11365599
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for energizing seals. An example method includes providing a sealing apparatus. The sealing apparatus comprises a sealing element and a swellable material. The method further includes contacting the swellable material with a swell-inducing fluid, wherein the contacting swells the swellable material; applying pressure to the sealing element with the swollen swellable material; and forming a seal with the sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Chad William Glaesman
  • Patent number: 11365610
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a flow control device (FCD) module for use with hydraulic screens. In one embodiment, the FCD module comprises a base pipe having a port coupling an exterior of the base pipe and an interior of the base pipe; an FCD unit coupled to the base pipe about the port and configured to control production fluid from an oil and gas formation to the interior of the base pipe; one or more separate isolated activation channels extending along at least a portion of the base pipe, the one or more separate isolated activation channels configured to fluidly couple with one or more hydraulic activation chambers of a screen subassembly; and one or more covers surrounding the base pipe about the FCD unit, the one or more covers forming a production fluid channel between the screen subassembly and the FCD unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Wesley McChesney, Gordon McLeary, David Symon Grant
  • Patent number: 11365607
    Abstract: A method for reviving a well may include deploying a tube between a casing and a wellbore tubular of the well. The tube may extend from a surface through a port at a wellhead of the well to a section of the well at a depth above a packer. The method may include pumping down, through the tube, non-corrosive material into the section of the well. The well may be blocked below the packer by well blockage. The method may include destroying the well blockage by dissolving the well blockage using the non-corrosive material. The method may include pumping up, through the wellhead, the well blockage dissolved in the non-corrosive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventor: Saad Al-Driweesh
  • Patent number: 11359454
    Abstract: A downhole apparatus comprises a casing string with a degradable plug therein to block flow therethrough. A flow barrier is positioned in the casing below the degradable plug and the degradable plug and the flow barrier defining a buoyancy chamber therebetween. An annular fluid reservoir holds a degrading fluid. The fluid reservoir has first and second rupture disks at upper and lower ends. Fluid from the annular fluid reservoir is communicated to the degradable plug after the first and second rupture disks rupture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Lonnie Carl Helms, Frank Vinicio Acosta
  • Patent number: 11338338
    Abstract: A drillhole plug includes a frame or housing of a corrosion-resistant material and sized to fit within a milled portion of a directional drillhole that includes a hazardous waste repository; and a material that fills at least a portion of the frame or housing. The material exhibits creep such that the material fills one or more voids between the frame or housing and a subterranean formation adjacent the milled portion of the directional drillhole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Deep Isolation, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Muller
  • Patent number: 11339622
    Abstract: A downhole tool having a diverter component for directing fluids in different directions within a wellbore. The diverter component has an outer pipe which forms part of the downhole string. The pipe has a through channel and holes through the wall of the pipe. Within the pipe is a sleeve which can be moved. In one position, the sleeve blocks the wall holes and allows fluid to pass through the channel of the pipe. The diverter component may be used in conjunction with packers to seal off sections of the wellbore. The diverter and packer assembly could be used to introduce acid into particular portions of the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Select Energy Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Dubuc, Kelly Jones
  • Patent number: 11332997
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a drill bit having a frangible drive shaft, a thread cutting surface formed on an outer surface of the drill bit, a conical swage formed on the drill bit, the conical swage having a conical shape, and a seal plug coupled to the drill bit, the seal plug removable from the drill bit. A method includes penetrating an inner surface and an outer surface of the casing with a drill point of the drill bit thereby forming a hole, threadingly engaging the seal plug with the hole wall, disengaging the seal plug from a drive shaft of the drill bit assembly, retracting the drill bit assembly through the seal plug, and engaging an outer surface of a conical swage with an inner surface of the seal plug and radially expanding the seal plug as the conical swage is retracted through the hole wall, thereby sealing the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventor: Graham Hitchcock
  • Patent number: 11332999
    Abstract: A plug assembly arranged in a housing including: a plug, a breaker object, a seat, a shear ring and a snap ring. 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 hears and allows for axial movement of the seat. The plug assembly has a first position, a second position, and a third position. In the first position, the plug is not in contact with the breaker object, in the second position, the shear ring has sheared and the plug is in contact with the breaker object causing the plug to break, and in the third position, occurring during or after the plug makes contact with the breaker object, the snap ring is arranged to lock the seat into place to prevent the seat from moving axially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: TCO AS
    Inventors: Tommy Eriksen, Bård Angell
  • Patent number: 11333005
    Abstract: A one-trip screen installation and cleaning system includes a tubular supporting a screen. The tubular has an inner surface defining a flow bore positioned radially inwardly of the screen. At least one actuator extends radially inwardly from the inner surface and is positioned axially offset relative to the screen. The at least one actuator includes at least one actuator surface. A wash pipe is arranged in the flow bore. The wash pipe includes a bypass valve including a selectively openable outlet port, a spray cleaning device arranged axially outwardly of the selectively openable outlet port, and an inflow control valve arranged between the selectively openable outlet port and the spray cleaning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Wilfred Provost, Colin Andrew, Jesse Gerber
  • Patent number: 11326433
    Abstract: A fracturing method, to cause a crack in bedrock, includes installing a depressurizing device in a well in the bedrock, and depressurizing the inside of the well with the installed depressurizing device. The installing step includes installing, in the well, a connecting pipe, which is connected to the depressurizing device, and a packer, which is attached to the connecting pipe, and the depressurizing step includes shutting off a gap between the well and the connecting pipe, with the packer, and depressurizing a region in the well below the packer, with the depressurizing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignees: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO, TOHOKU UNIVERSITY, JMC GEOTHERMAL ENGINEERING CO., LTD., INPEX DRILLING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Asanuma, Shigemi Naganawa, Noriyoshi Tsuchiya, Tatsuya Kajiwara, Kuniaki Shimada
  • Patent number: 11326409
    Abstract: A downhole tool and process for introducing the downhole tool into a wellbore are provided wherein the downhole tool includes an occlusion-releasing tool. The occlusion-releasing tool contains an occlusion until such time as it is needed in a frac plug to prevent flow in one direction in the wellbore. The occlusion is released from the occlusion-releasing tool by fluid flow through the occlusion-releasing tool. The fluid flow acts directly on the occlusion to provide sufficient pressure to release the occlusion from a mechanical retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew John Eis, Tyler Norman, Jesse Cale Porter
  • Patent number: 11313191
    Abstract: System and method for core sample orientating uses an orientation data gathering device recording core sample orientation belowground at irregular time intervals, preferably while drilling is ceased and the irregular time intervals can be randomly generated by the orientation data gathering device. Target orientation data is closest to time Tx, Tx being greater than, less than or equal to T?t, where T is the time recorded by the data gathering device and t is the recorded elapsed time commenced by a communication device at the surface. The data gathering device is interrogated at the surface by the communication device. Timers in each are stopped or their individual times associated with each other (survey time T and elapsed time t). Target recorded orientation data Tx is identifiable as the largest Tx value<T?(t?W), where W is a delay period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Globaltech Corporation Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Khaled Mufid Yousef Hejleh
  • Patent number: 11313198
    Abstract: A completion assembly includes an upper liner and a lower liner, a wellbore completion component that interposes the upper and lower liners, a dissolvable pipe plug threaded into the wellbore completion component, and a dissolvable projectile seat arranged adjacent the wellbore completion component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: NexGen Oil Tools Inc.
    Inventors: Dane Thomas Elliott, Alfred Maury Moseley, Travis Jack Power
  • Patent number: 11313199
    Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure relate to a temporary seal within a wellbore. More specifically, embodiments include a temporary seal within casing that limits the flow of fluid through the casing until the temporary seal is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: VERTICE OIL TOOLS INC.
    Inventor: Mohamed Ibrahim Saraya
  • Patent number: 11299954
    Abstract: Provided is a fracturing relief method for stress concentration of remaining ore pillars in an overlying goaf, including first, performing directional fracturing on a roof to optimize the stress of the roof and reduce the source of force; secondly, performing pulse fracturing on a coal pillar to produce a crack network, weaken the stiffness of the coal pillar and reduce the bearing capacity of the coal pillar; and finally, performing pulse fracturing on a floor strata of the coal pillar to reduce the ability of transferring stress concentration thereof. A drilling machine is used for separately constructing fracturing drill holes in a roadway to a set depth at an interval in a direction oblique to the coal pillar in an upper goaf. The roof, the coal pillar and the floor can be fractured by an oblique fracturing hole in a sublevel retreating manner. The position of the directional fracturing of the roof is approximately 1 m above the middle of a main roof above the coal pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignees: China University of Mining and Technology, XUZHOU USURE MINING TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Bingxiang Huang, Luying Shao, Xinglong Zhao, Shuliang Chen
  • Patent number: 11299955
    Abstract: Swell packers comprising swellable metal sealing elements and methods for forming a seal in a wellbore are provided. An example method includes providing a swell packer comprising a swellable metal sealing element; wherein the swell packer is disposed on a conduit in the wellbore, exposing the swellable metal sealing element to a brine, and allowing or causing to allow the swellable metal sealing element to swell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Fripp, Zachary W. Walton, Pete C. Dagenais, Stephen M. Greci
  • Patent number: 11293252
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses of the present disclosure generally relate to dissolvable plugs for separating fluids in a wellbore. A dissolvable plug includes a first end comprising a first fluid barrier. The first fluid barrier includes a polymer film. The dissolvable plug also includes a second end opposite to the first end. The second end comprises a second fluid barrier. The second fluid barrier comprises a polymer film. The dissolvable plug includes a solid structure made of a sand and salt mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel Jason Lewis, Paul Joseph Jones, Lonnie Carl Helms
  • Patent number: 11293250
    Abstract: A technique facilitates performance of well operations. According to an embodiment, the technique employs a modular assembly configured for coupling with a wellhead assembly. The modular assembly may have a production subassembly and a fracturing subassembly. By way of example, the production subassembly may comprise a connection block positioned for coupling to the wellhead assembly, a production outlet fluidly connected to the connection block, and a valve between the connection block and the production outlet. Additionally, the fracturing subassembly may be releasably coupled to the production subassembly. According to an embodiment, the fracturing subassembly comprises an inlet for receiving fracturing fluids, an outlet coupled to the connection block, and a bore between the inlet and the outlet for communicating a fracturing fluid to a well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edward Ganzinotti, III, Pheng Aun Soh, Brandon Blake Shirley, Craig Cotton
  • Patent number: 11293270
    Abstract: A technique facilitates performance of a gravel packing operation and desired zonal isolation. An apparatus, e.g. a sliding sleeve shunt tube isolation valve, may be deployed downhole and configured to facilitate a gravel packing operation and zonal isolation. By way of example, the apparatus contains a conduit which in an open position allows the flow of gravel pack slurry and in a closed position creates a barrier. In the closed position, upper and lower portions of the conduit are isolated from one another. When the apparatus is coupled with a packer and sand screens, the apparatus serves to create complete zonal isolation in, for example, an open hole alternate path system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Scott Malone, Kameron Klauber, Nitin Verroju, Robert Krush, Michael Huh, Farhan Ahmed Omer, Chidi Nwafor