Patents by Inventor Christopher Charles Propes

Christopher Charles Propes 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).

  • Publication number: 20230383607
    Abstract: A method comprises determining an initial bit profile of a drill bit prior to the drill bit being used for drilling a wellbore. The method comprises determining a wear depth for at least one element of the drill bit after the drill bit has drilled at least a portion of the wellbore and determining a final bit profile of the drill bit based on the wear depth for the at least one element of the drill bit. The method comprises performing the following for each of one or more intermediate steps between the initial bit profile and the final bit profile, determining an intermediate bit profile of the drill bit and determining at least one wear parameter for the at least one element based on the intermediate bit profile of the drill bit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Shilin Chen, Christopher Charles Propes
  • Publication number: 20230385474
    Abstract: A method comprises determining an initial element wear profile of at least one element of a drill bit prior to the drill bit being used for drilling a wellbore and determining a wear depth for each of the at least one element of the drill bit after the drill bit has drilled at least a portion of the wellbore. The method includes determining a final element wear profile of the at least one element of the drill bit based on the wear depth of at least one element of the drill bit. The method includes performing the following for each of one or more intermediate steps between the initial element wear profile and the final element wear profile, determining an intermediate element wear profile of the at least one element; and determining at least one wear parameter for the at least one element based on the intermediate element wear profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Shilin Chen, Christopher Charles Propes
  • Patent number: 11748531
    Abstract: Design parameters for PDC drill bit including in-cone depth of cut controllers (DOCCs) are correlated to instances of coupled vibrations in the axial, lateral, and torsional directions occurring during downhole drilling. Design parameters are quantified by drilling efficiency (DE), average in-cone DOCC contact area, average weight on bit (WOB) taken off by in-cone DOCC, and average torque on bit (TOB) taken off by in-cone DOCC. Design guidelines to mitigate coupled vibrations are generated by correlating design parameter quantifiers and instances of coupled vibrations. Potential drill bit designs are then validated against the generated guidelines in order to mitigate vibration in future drilling runs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Shilin Chen, Christopher Charles Propes, Curtis Clifford Lanning, Bradley David Dunbar
  • Patent number: 11687690
    Abstract: A method for developing design rules for mitigating cutting-induced stick-slip vibration includes determining at least one value for one or more drill bit performance parameters for a design of a drill bit. The one or more drill bit performance parameters include a functional characteristic of a depth of cut controller of the drill bit. The method includes correlating one or more instances of cutting-induced stick-slip vibration for at least one prior drilling operation to the at least one value for the one or more drill bit performance parameters. The method includes generating drill bit design rules that mitigate cutting-induced stick-slip vibration based on the correlating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Shilin Chen, Christopher Charles Propes, Curtis Clifford Lanning, Bradley David Dunbar
  • Patent number: 11434703
    Abstract: A rotary drill bit includes movable gauge elements biased to protrude radially through a circumferential engagement surface of a gauge pad. The gauge elements are retractable to protrude a lesser distance against the bias of a biasing mechanism. Fluid chambers are defined adjacent the gauge elements, and fluid is permitted to be bled into and out of the fluid chambers to delay and slow the retraction and extension of the gauge elements. During straight drilling operations, the biasing mechanisms maintain the gauge elements in an extended position providing stability to the drill bit. When a steering force is applied to the drill bit, the gauge elements retract slowly as fluid is bled from the fluid chambers. As the gauge elements rotate with the drill bit, the retracted configuration may be maintained as gauge elements disengage the geologic formation on a side of the drill bit opposite the steering direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Charles Propes, Gregory Christopher Grosz
  • Patent number: 11396779
    Abstract: A rotary drill bit is operable for forming a wellbore in a geologic formation, and includes a hybrid gauge pad thereon. The hybrid gauge pad includes movable gauge elements biased to protrude radially from a circumferential engagement surface of the gauge pad to define a full gauge of the of the drill bit. The movable gauge elements retract and become flush with the circumferential engagement surface of the gauge pad in response to the application of a steering force to the drill bit, and thus, the circumferential engagement surface of the gauge pad may define the full gauge of the drill bit in a second configuration. The gauge elements are axially spaced from one another and are arranged to provide either uniform engagement forces, or decreasing engagement forces in an axial direction of the drill bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Charles Propes, Gregory Christopher Grosz
  • Publication number: 20220121790
    Abstract: Design parameters for PDC drill bit including in-cone depth of cut controllers (DOCCs) are correlated to instances of coupled vibrations in the axial, lateral, and torsional directions occurring during downhole drilling. Design parameters are quantified by drilling efficiency (DE), average in-cone DOCC contact area, average weight on bit (WOB) taken off by in-cone DOCC, and average torque on bit (TOB) taken off by in-cone DOCC. Design guidelines to mitigate coupled vibrations are generated by correlating design parameter quantifiers and instances of coupled vibrations. Potential drill bit designs are then validated against the generated guidelines in order to mitigate vibration in future drilling runs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Shilin Chen, Christopher Charles Propes, Curtis Clifford Lanning, Bradley David Dunbar
  • Publication number: 20220121791
    Abstract: A method for developing design rules for mitigating cutting-induced stick-slip vibration includes determining at least one value for one or more drill bit performance parameters for a design of a drill bit. The one or more drill bit performance parameters include a functional characteristic of a depth of cut controller of the drill bit. The method includes correlating one or more instances of cutting-induced stick-slip vibration for at least one prior drilling operation to the at least one value for the one or more drill bit performance parameters. The method includes generating drill bit design rules that mitigate cutting-induced stick-slip vibration based on the correlating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Shilin Chen, Christopher Charles Propes, Curtis Clifford Lanning, Bradley David Dunbar
  • Publication number: 20210270094
    Abstract: A rotary drill bit includes movable gauge elements biased to protrude radially through a circumferential engagement surface of a gauge pad. The gauge elements are retractable to protrude a lesser distance against the bias of a biasing mechanism. Fluid chambers are defined adjacent the gauge elements, and fluid is permitted to be bled into and out of the fluid chambers to delay and slow the retraction and extension of the gauge elements. During straight drilling operations, the biasing mechanisms maintain the gauge elements in an extended position providing stability to the drill bit. When a steering force is applied to the drill bit, the gauge elements retract slowly as fluid is bled from the fluid chambers. As the gauge elements rotate with the drill bit, the retracted configuration may be maintained as gauge elements disengage the geologic formation on a side of the drill bit opposite the steering direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher Charles Propes, Gregory Christopher Grosz
  • Publication number: 20210172264
    Abstract: A rotary drill bit is operable for forming a wellbore in a geologic formation, and includes a hybrid gauge pad thereon. The hybrid gauge pad includes movable gauge elements biased to protrude radially from a circumferential engagement surface of the gauge pad to define a full gauge of the of the drill bit. The movable gauge elements retract and become flush with the circumferential engagement surface of the gauge pad in response to the application of a steering force to the drill bit, and thus, the circumferential engagement surface of the gauge pad may define the full gauge of the drill bit in a second configuration. The gauge elements are axially spaced from one another and are arranged to provide either uniform engagement forces, or decreasing engagement forces in an axial direction of the drill bit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher Charles Propes, Gregory Christopher Grosz
  • Patent number: 10151149
    Abstract: An example rolling cutter assembly includes a rolling cutter disposable within a cutter pocket defined in a drill bit, the cutter pocket including a receiving end, a bottom end, and a sidewall extending between the receiving and bottom ends. The rolling cutter provides a substrate having a first end with a diamond table disposed thereon and a second end arrangeable within the cutter pocket at or near the bottom end. A bearing element is disposable within the cutter pocket at the bottom end and engageable with the second end of the rolling cutter as the rolling cutter rotates about a central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Charles Propes, Brian Atkins
  • Publication number: 20160290056
    Abstract: An example rolling cutter assembly includes a rolling cutter disposable within a cutter pocket defined in a drill bit, the cutter pocket including a receiving end, a bottom end, and a sidewall extending between the receiving and bottom ends. The rolling cutter provides a substrate having a first end with a diamond table disposed thereon and a second end arrangeable within the cutter pocket at or near the bottom end. A bearing element is disposable within the cutter pocket at the bottom end and engageable with the second end of the rolling cutter as the rolling cutter rotates about a central axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Charles Propes, Brian Atkins