Patents Examined by Yong-Suk Ro
  • Patent number: 9915142
    Abstract: A downhole tool having opposing interfaces for incorporation of the downhole tool into a downhole tool string, and a housing extending between the opposing interfaces. An accelerometer is disposed within the housing for detecting acceleration of the downhole tool in response to a mechanical impact generated elsewhere within the downhole tool string. The accelerometer generates an accelerometer signal indicative of the detected acceleration. A strain sensor is disposed within the housing for detecting strain of the downhole tool. The strain sensor generates a strain signal indicative of the detected strain. The downhole tool includes a processor for processing the accelerometer signal utilizing the strain signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Impact Selector International, LLC
    Inventor: Jason Allen Hradecky
  • Patent number: 9909383
    Abstract: A swellable packer can include a base pipe, at least one swellable seal on the base pipe, the seal comprising a swellable material, and at least one other swellable seal on the base pipe, the other swellable seal comprising another swellable material, and the swellable materials being different materials. Another swellable packer can include at least one swellable seal, the seal comprising a swellable material, and at least one other swellable seal, the other swellable seal comprising another swellable material, and wherein one swellable seal displaces the other swellable seal into contact with a well surface, in response to contact between the one swellable seal and an activating agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Kristian Solhaug
  • Patent number: 9895789
    Abstract: A polycrystalline diamond composite compact element comprises a body of polycrystalline diamond material and a cemented carbide substrate bonded to the body of polycrystalline material. The cemented carbide substrate has tungsten carbide particles bonded together by a binder material comprising an alloy of Co, Ni and Cr. The tungsten carbide particles form between 70 weight percent and 95 weight percent of the substrate. The binder material comprises between about 10 to 50 wt. % Ni, between about 0.1 to 10 wt. % Cr, and the remainder weight percent comprising Co. The size distribution of the tungsten carbide particles in the substrate has fewer than 17 percent of the carbide particles with a grain size of equal to or less than about 0.3 microns, between about 20 to 28 percent of the tungsten carbide particles having a grain size of between about 0.3 to 0.5 microns; between about 42 to 56 percent of the tungsten carbide particles having a grain size of between about 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: ELEMENT SIX GMBH
    Inventors: Igor Yurievich Konyashin, Bernd Heinrich Ries, Frank Friedrich Lachmann
  • Patent number: 9879510
    Abstract: A pump and control system for distributing a fluid from a source location to one or more remote locations. At least one of the remote locations can be at an elevation higher than that of the source location. The system may have a power source, a controller, and one or more fluid storage vessels. The system also may have a distribution piping and one or more monitoring devices to sense fluid pressure corresponding to fluid fill levels in the one or more fluid storage vessels. The system additionally can have a pump that automatically provides fluid to the one or more fluid storage vessels at the remote locations through the distribution piping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Mike Lisk
  • Patent number: 9879523
    Abstract: An example method includes introducing a string of tubing into a wellbore to perform a primary operation, the string of tubing including at least one sensor for measuring strain and at least one device operatively associated with the at least one sensor. The method further includes translating the string of tubing relative to the wellbore, imparting a load on the string of tubing when the tubing becomes stuck in the wellbore at a stuck point, and thereby generating strain in the string of tubing above the stuck point. Additionally, the method includes measuring the strain with the at least one sensor, transmitting data indicative of the strain to a surface location with the at least one device, and determining a position of the at least one sensor in the wellbore, as based on the strain, relative to the stuck point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON MANUFACTURING AND SERVICES LIMITED
    Inventors: William Brown-Kerr, Bruce Hermman Forsyth McGarian
  • Patent number: 9869141
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, may operate to select a longitudinal axis within a borehole, and to move a down hole housing using at least one set of rollers attached to the housing to contact a surface of the borehole, so that simultaneous movement with two rotational degrees of freedom is enabled within the borehole. The centerline of the housing can be substantially aligned with a selected longitudinal axis while the housing moves along the selected longitudinal axis. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Chung Chang
  • Patent number: 9863414
    Abstract: A pump system for producing fluids from a reservoir using a well bore having a vertical section with a easing defining an annulus, a transitional section and a horizontal section, and a production tubing having a vertical section and a horizontal section, wherein the system includes a completion with an isolation device in the annulus near the bottom of the vertical section, a gas/liquid separator for receiving produced fluids from the horizontal section, and a vertical lift pump; a continuous flow path from the terminus of the production tubing to the vertical section; a plurality of horizontal pumps in the horizontal section, each having an intake exposed to the reservoir and an outlet in the continuous flow path. The horizontal length of the production tubing is closed to the reservoir except through the horizontal pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: RAISE PRODUCTION INC.
    Inventors: Eric Laing, Geoff Steele, Dan Fletcher, Herve Ohmer
  • Patent number: 9863224
    Abstract: An isolation system is disclosed that contains: a lower wet connect portion, a central production tubing, an isolation device associated with the central production tubing, and at least one communication line, wherein the at least one communication line is associated with the lower wet connect portion and is disposed through an inside diameter of the isolation device. Further, a method for isolating a lower completion is disclosed that includes: conveying an isolation assembly to the lower completion, the isolation assembly including: a lower wet isolation device; and routing the at least one communication line through an inside diameter of the isolation device. Further a completion system is disclosed that contains a lower completion system and an isolation system associated with the lower completion system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: David S. Bishop, John E. Britt, Kim Tijerina, Kirby G. Schrader, Connor S. George, Marc N. Samuelson, Kelly D. Ireland, Rockni Van Clief, Christian F. Bayne, David A. Bilberry
  • Patent number: 9828826
    Abstract: An isolation system is disclosed that contains a lower wet connect portion; a central production tubing; an isolation device associated with the central production tubing, and at least one control line. Further at least one control line is associated with the lower wet connect portion and is disposed through an inside diameter of the isolation device. Further method for isolating a lower completion is disclosed that includes conveying an isolation assembly to the lower completion, the isolation assembly including a lower wet connect portion, at least one control line, a central production tubing, and an isolation device, and routing the at least one control line through an inside diameter of the isolation device. Further completion system is disclosed that contains a lower completion system and an isolation system associated with the lower completion system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: David S. Bishop, John E. Britt, Kim Tijerina, Kirby Glen Schrader, Conner S. George, Marc N. Samuelson, Kelly D. Ireland, Rockni Van Clief, Christian F. Bayne, David A. Bilberry
  • Patent number: 9828831
    Abstract: A bridge concentric continuously adjustable water regulator comprising: an outer tube; an adjusting sleeve disposed in the outer tube; a concentric valve connected below the adjusting sleeve, with a center of circle of the concentric valve being concentric to the outer tube; a water outlet which runs through a side wall of the outer tube and is connected to the concentric valve; a lower sealed section which is disposed in the outer tube and is below the concentric valve and the water outlet; and a bridge passage disposed in the side wall of the outer tube and outside the concentric valve and the lower sealed section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: PETROCHINA COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: He Liu, Xiaohan Pei, Fuchao Sun, Lichen Zheng, Qinghai Yang, Yang Gao
  • Patent number: 8720264
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing the impact of guided (or “tube”) waves in permanently installed seismic systems. By utilizing passive acoustic absorbers, the impact of tube waves may be reduced, leading to improved performance of permanently installed seismic systems that are installed onto production tubing when the well is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Sverre Knudsen, Paul Travis
  • Patent number: 8567510
    Abstract: Pressure actuable downhole tool such as a packer and a method for actuating the same typically uses a control line to trigger a configuration change in the tool in which a communication line is opened between the throughbore of the tool and apressure responsive actuator, allowing the pressure responsive actuator to be set by downhole fluid pressure applied via the throughbore. Thus the pressure from the control line is used to trigger actuation of the tool, but the throughbore pressure is used to set the tool. The advantage of this activation mechanism is that the tool can be set even when pressure supplied by the control line is insufficient to fully actuate or set the tool, and in certain embodiments, the tool can be set using much higher tubing pressure than could be supplied through the control line, thereby allowing more reliable and instantaneous setting than tools set using control line pressure alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Petrowell Limited
    Inventors: Stewart Christie, Niall Lipp
  • Patent number: 8561703
    Abstract: An apparatus usable with a well includes a gas lift valve having a check valve arrangement located between an annulus and a passageway of a tubing. The check valve arrangement is adapted to selectively allow fluid flow from the check valve arrangement from an inlet side of the check valve arrangement to an outlet side of the check valve arrangement, and is biased to prevent a leakage flow through the check valve arrangement from the outlet side to the inlet side. The check valve arrangement is defined by a valve element movable into and out of engagement with a valve seat wherein one of the valve element and the valve seat has a first sealing structure engageable with a second sealing structure on the other of the valve element and the valve seat. At least one of the first and second sealing surfaces include at least one pair of sealing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Abdel-Rahman Mahmoud, Kevin T. Scarsdale
  • Patent number: 8371390
    Abstract: A dual packer for at least partially defining a production zone in a wellbore, the dual packer including a packer body having an up-hole side and a down-hole side. A first through bore and a second through bore each extend through the packer body from the up-hole side to the down-hole side. A first piping extends from the down-hole side of the first through bore and includes a perforated sub adjacent the down-hole side of the packer body. A second piping extends from the down-hole side of the second through bore and is communicably connected to the first piping down-hole of the first perforated sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignees: Jordan Development Company, LLC
    Inventor: William C. Quinlan
  • Patent number: 8347958
    Abstract: Acoustic monitoring is carried out using a fiber optic cable. Coherent Rayleigh noise generated by the transmission of a coherent beam of radiation through the fiber optic cable is detected, a phase of the coherent Rayleigh noise is measured and the measured phase is processed to identify an acoustic occurrence along the fiber optic cable. In certain aspects, an optical fiber serves as a distributed interferometer that may be used to monitor a conduit, wellbore or reservoir. The distributed interferometric monitoring provides for accurate detection of acoustic occurrences along the fiber optic cable and these acoustic occurrences may include fluid flow in a pipeline or wellbore, processes taking place in a wellbore or pipeline, fracturing, gravel packing, or production logging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur H. Hartog, J. Ernest Brown, John Cook, Jonathan James Elphick, Paul Simon Hammond, Ashley Bernard Johnson
  • Patent number: 8342240
    Abstract: A flow conduit may have at least one orifice, which conduit is in the vicinity of a flow source. The source is at least partially covered (and flow blocked by) an optional temporary coating or barrier (e.g. filter cake). The flow pathway between the orifice and the source is temporarily blocked with a degradable material. A delayed degradation material layer is present over or covering the degradable material. The delayed degradation material layer degrades at a rate slower than the degradable barrier. The degradable material and delayed degradation material layer disintegrate (e.g. via time, temperature, a solvent). The degradable material optionally produces a product that removes the temporary coating. The method is useful in one context of recovering hydrocarbons where the flow conduit is the casing or liner of the well and the flow source is a subterranean reservoir where the coating is filter cake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Bennett M. Richard, Paul M. McElfresh, Chad F. Williams
  • Patent number: 8336617
    Abstract: Apparatus for downhole filtration of fluids in a wellbore. The apparatus has a diverter and a filter slidably mounted on a mandrel. The diverter has a circumferential wiper element between the mandrel and the casing within which the apparatus is run. When fluids are reverse circulated, or the tool is being pulled out, the diverter shifts to a downward position, wherein it seals against an upper end of the filter, filtering out solids in the fluids and retaining them in a chamber between the sleeve and mandrel. When running the tool into a wellbore, the diverter shifts to an upper position to permit fluids to bypass the filter sleeve. The filter sleeve bears against a spring loaded seat, which permits creating a gap between the diverter and an upper end of the filter sleeve to allow fluids to bypass the filter sleeve should the filter sleeve slots become plugged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Benton Knobloch, Todd Roy, David J. Tilley
  • Patent number: 8316943
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating a packer and a fracture valve. The packer may include a tubular mandrel having a longitudinal bore with an annular packing element and a first piston disposed around the mandrel, wherein the first piston is operable to set the packing element, and a second piston operable to isolate fluid communication between the first piston and the mandrel bore. The fracture valve may include a tubular mandrel having a longitudinal bore and a port, a piston operable to close fluid communication between the bore and the port, and a latch disposed between the piston and the mandrel operable to resist movement of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Stone Thomas Fagley, IV, Gary Duron Ingram, Christopher Carter Johnson
  • Patent number: 8302676
    Abstract: In general, an apparatus is provided comprising either a single wall drill string or a concentric drill string for use in drilling, completing and/or stimulating a well in a heavy oil or bitumen reservoir for in situ recovery of heavy oil and bitumen. More particularly, the single wall drill string or the concentric drill string further comprises an electrical cable and heating device for heating the drill string to stimulate the flow of the heavy oil and bitumen in the well after chilling is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: J. I . Livingstone Enterprises Ltd.
    Inventor: James I. Livingstone
  • Patent number: 8297381
    Abstract: An expandable reamer apparatus and stabilizer sub having at least one rib thereon attached thereto for drilling a subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven R. Radford, Mark R. Kizziar, Mark A. Jenkins