Patents by Inventor Brandon T. Least

Brandon T. Least has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12258828
    Abstract: Provided is a sealing/anchoring tool, a well system and a method for sealing/anchoring within a wellbore. The sealing/anchoring tool, in one aspect, includes a mandrel and a hydraulically deformable member positioned about the mandrel. The sealing/anchoring tool, in accordance with this aspect, further includes a sealing/anchoring element positioned about the hydraulically deformable member, the sealing/anchoring element including a circlet having an inside surface having an inside diameter (di), an outside surface having an outside diameter (do), a width (w), and a wall thickness (t), the circlet comprising an expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to chemically deform the circlet from a radially reduced chemical state to a radially enlarged chemical state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon T. Least, Stephen Michael Greci, Chris M. Pelto, Rutger Evers
  • Patent number: 12258723
    Abstract: Provided is a support structure and a method for manufacture thereof. The support structure, in one aspect, includes first and second expanded metal structural pillars positioned within the ground by a distance (d1), the first and second expanded metal structural pillars comprising a metal that has expanded in response to hydrolysis. In at least one other aspect, the support structure includes one or more beams spanning the first and second expanded metal structural pillars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Greci, Luke William Holderman, Brandon T. Least
  • Patent number: 12252952
    Abstract: In some implementations, a clamshell packer for use in a wellbore proximate to a subsurface formation comprises an expandable non-elastomeric material and is configured to annularly envelop a non-compliant portion of a tubular in the wellbore, the non-compliant portion between one or more expandable screens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon T. Least, Stephen Michael Greci
  • Publication number: 20250075585
    Abstract: A method of creating a seal in a tubular by melting a first component comprising a fusible alloy, using heat produced by an exothermic, hydrolysis reaction of a second component comprising a metal, to provide a melted fusible alloy, and allowing the melted fusible alloy to solidify in the tubular, wherein the fusible alloy expands upon solidifying and forms the seal. A system for carrying out the method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Michael Linley FRIPP, Wei ZHANG, Brandon T. LEAST
  • Patent number: 12209478
    Abstract: A method of creating a seal in a tubular by melting a first component comprising a fusible alloy, using heat produced by an exothermic, hydrolysis reaction of a second component comprising a metal, to provide a melted fusible alloy, and allowing the melted fusible alloy to solidify in the tubular, wherein the fusible alloy expands upon solidifying and forms the seal. A system for carrying out the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Linley Fripp, Wei Zhang, Brandon T Least
  • Publication number: 20240376795
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are wellbore packer assemblies and methods of use of these wellbore packer assemblies. The wellbore packer assemblies may include a protective material, a swellable material, and a tubular. The swellable material is disposed on the tubular, wherein the protective material is disposed on the swellable material and at least partially covering a portion of the swellable material. Methods of use of the wellbore packer assembly may include inserting into a wellbore the packer assembly, contacting the swellable material with a swelling fluid, swelling the swellable material to expand the protective material against a wellbore wall, and forming a seal between the protective material and the wellbore wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2024
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Rutger Evers, Brandon T. Least, Prem Jakkula, Geir Gjelstad, Ramya Priyadarsini Selvamurugan
  • Publication number: 20240360737
    Abstract: In some implementations, a clamshell packer for use in a wellbore proximate to a subsurface formation comprises an expandable non-elastomeric material and is configured to annularly envelop a non-compliant portion of a tubular in the wellbore, the non-compliant portion between one or more expandable screens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Brandon T. Least, Stephen Michael Greci
  • Publication number: 20240084666
    Abstract: A shifting sleeve tieback seal system may include a body portion and a swellable material disposed about a circumference of the body portion. The swellable material is configured to expand in response to exposure to wellbore fluids. Further, the system may include an upper end ring disposed in a position axially above the swellable material, a lower end ring disposed in a position axially below the swellable material, and a sleeve disposed radially outward from the swellable material and sealed against the upper end ring and/or the lower end ring in a run-in position to isolate the swellable material from wellbore fluids. The sleeve is configured to contact a downhole feature in a setting position and contact with the downhole feature is configured to move the sleeve to expose the swellable material to wellbore fluids such that the swellable material expands to seal against a downhole tubular.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Rutger Evers, Daniel Newton, Brandon T. Least
  • Publication number: 20230407718
    Abstract: Provided is a sealing/anchoring tool, a well system and a method for sealing/anchoring within a wellbore. The sealing/anchoring tool, in one aspect, includes a mandrel and a hydraulically deformable member positioned about the mandrel. The sealing/anchoring tool, in accordance with this aspect, further includes a sealing/anchoring element positioned about the hydraulically deformable member, the sealing/anchoring element including a circlet having an inside surface having an inside diameter (di), an outside surface having an outside diameter (do), a width (w), and a wall thickness (t), the circlet comprising an expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to chemically deform the circlet from a radially reduced chemical state to a radially enlarged chemical state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Brandon T. Least, Stephen Michael Greci, Chris M. Pelto, Rutger Evers
  • Publication number: 20230407717
    Abstract: Provided is a sealing/anchoring element, a sealing/anchoring tool, a well system, and a method for sealing/anchoring within a wellbore. The sealing/anchoring element, in one aspect, includes a circlet having an inside surface having an inside diameter (di), an outside surface having an outside diameter (do), a width (w), and a wall thickness (t), the circlet having one or more geometric features that allow it to mechanically deform when moved from a radially reduced mechanical state to a radially enlarged mechanical state, the circlet comprising an expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to chemically deform the circlet from a radially reduced chemical state to a radially enlarged chemical state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Brandon T. Least, Stephen Michael Greci, Chris M. Pelto, Rutger Evers
  • Publication number: 20230399917
    Abstract: A method of creating a seal in a tubular by melting a first component comprising a fusible alloy, using heat produced by an exothermic, hydrolysis reaction of a second component comprising a metal, to provide a melted fusible alloy, and allowing the melted fusible alloy to solidify in the tubular, wherein the fusible alloy expands upon solidifying and forms the seal. A system for carrying out the method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Linley FRIPP, Wei ZHANG, Brandon T LEAST
  • Publication number: 20230366289
    Abstract: A downhole sealing tool and method use a swellable material (e.g., a swellable rubber or a swellable metallic material) with increased surface area for faster reaction with an activation fluid. In one example, a swellable metallic sealing element and actuator are carried on a tool mandrel for lowering into a wellbore on a conveyance. The sealing element includes a plurality of expandable metal wires supported along the tool mandrel. The expandable metal wires comprise a swellable metallic material that swells in response to exposure to an activation fluid. The actuator is used to separate at least a portion of the expandable metal wires, to increase a surface area exposed to the activation fluid and thereby accelerate the reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Greci, Michael Linley Fripp, Brandon T. Least
  • Publication number: 20230332370
    Abstract: Provided is a support structure and a method for manufacture thereof. The support structure, in one aspect, includes first and second expanded metal structural pillars positioned within the ground by a distance (d1), the first and second expanded metal structural pillars comprising a metal that has expanded in response to hydrolysis. In at least one other aspect, the support structure includes one or more beams spanning the first and second expanded metal structural pillars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Greci, Luke William Holderman, Brandon T. Least
  • Patent number: 11697915
    Abstract: Provided is a support structure and a method for manufacture thereof. The support structure, in one aspect, includes first and second expanded metal structural pillars positioned within the ground by a distance (d1), the first and second expanded metal structural pillars comprising a metal that has expanded in response to hydrolysis. In at least one other aspect, the support structure includes one or more beams spanning the first and second expanded metal structural pillars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Greci, Luke William Holderman, Brandon T. Least
  • Publication number: 20230109351
    Abstract: Provided is a sealing/anchoring element, a sealing/anchoring tool, and a method for sealing/anchoring within a wellbore. The sealing/anchoring element, in one aspect, includes a circlet having an inside surface having an inside diameter (di), an outside surface having an outside diameter (do), a width (w), and a wall thickness (t). In one aspect, the circlet has one or more geometric features that allow it to elasto/plastically deform when moved from a radially reduced state to a radially enlarged state, and the circlet comprises an expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Brandon T. Least, Michael Linley Fripp, Shanu Thottungal Eldho
  • Publication number: 20230069138
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for initiating the reaction of a reactive metal element of a downhole device. An example method introduces the downhole device into a wellbore; wherein the downhole device comprises the reactive metal element; wherein the reactive metal element has a first volume; and wherein the reactive metal element is separated from a reaction-inducing fluid by a frangible casing. The frangible casing is removed and the reactive metal element is contacted with the reaction-inducing fluid to produce a reaction product having a second volume greater than the first volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Brandon T. LEAST, Michael Linley FRIPP
  • Patent number: 11591879
    Abstract: Swellable metal assemblies that have a reactive metal and a polymer, and are located around or inside an oilfield tubular. The oilfield tubular and the swellable metal assembly can be provided in a wellbore to form a seal therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon T. Least, Michael L. Fripp, Chad W. Glaesman
  • Publication number: 20220381107
    Abstract: Provided is a downhole tool, a method for sealing within a well system, and a well system. The downhole tool, in at least one aspect, includes a tubular, and one or more expandable metal seal elements placed about the tubular. In at least one aspect, the one or more expandable metal seal elements comprise a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis and have a surface-area-to-volume ratio (SA:V) of at least 2 cm?1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Greci, Michael Linley Fripp, Brandon T. Least
  • Publication number: 20220381106
    Abstract: Provided is a downhole tool, a method for sealing within a well system, and a well system. The downhole tool, in at least one aspect, includes a tubular, and a collection of individual separate chunks of expandable metal positioned about the tubular, the collection of individual separate chunks of expandable metal comprising a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Greci, Michael Linley Fripp, Brandon T. Least
  • Publication number: 20220380999
    Abstract: Provided is a support structure and a method for manufacture thereof. The support structure, in one aspect, includes first and second expanded metal structural pillars positioned within the ground by a distance (d1), the first and second expanded metal structural pillars comprising a metal that has expanded in response to hydrolysis. In at least one other aspect, the support structure includes one or more beams spanning the first and second expanded metal structural pillars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Greci, Luke William Holderman, Brandon T. Least