Patents by Inventor Corey Eugene Hoffman

Corey Eugene Hoffman 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: 9587466
    Abstract: A method for abandonment of a subsea well includes: setting a packer of a lower cementing tool against a bore of an inner casing at a location adjacent to an outer casing; fastening a pressure control assembly (PCA) to the subsea wellhead; hanging an upper cementing tool from the PCA and stabbing the upper cementing tool into a polished bore receptacle of the lower cementing tool; perforating a wall of the inner casing below the packer; perforating the inner casing wall above the packer by operating a perforator of the upper cementing tool; and pumping cement slurry followed by a release plug through bores of the cementing tools. The release plug engages and launches a cementing plug from the lower cementing tool. The cementing plug drives the cement slurry through the perforations below the packer and into an inner annulus formed between the inner casing and the outer casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Wild Well Control, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Martial Burguieres, Corey Eugene Hoffman, Stephen Paul Breaux, Kenneth Thomas Wilke
  • Patent number: 9488024
    Abstract: A method for abandonment of a subsea well includes: fastening a pressure control assembly (PCA) to a subsea wellhead; and deploying a tool string into the PCA. The tool string includes a packer and an upper perforator located above the packer. The method further includes: closing a bore of the PCA above the tool string with a solid barrier; and setting the packer against an inner casing hung from the subsea wellhead. The method further includes, while the PCA bore is closed, perforating a wall of the inner casing by operating the upper perforator. The method further includes injecting cement slurry into an inner annulus formed between the inner casing and an outer casing hung from the subsea wellhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Wild Well Control, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey Eugene Hoffman, Stace Brac McDaniel, Christopher John Murphy
  • Publication number: 20160076341
    Abstract: A method for abandonment of a subsea well includes: setting a packer of a lower cementing tool against a bore of an inner casing at a location adjacent to an outer casing; fastening a pressure control assembly (PCA) to the subsea wellhead; hanging an upper cementing tool from the PCA and stabbing the upper cementing tool into a polished bore receptacle of the lower cementing tool; perforating a wall of the inner casing below the packer; perforating the inner casing wall above the packer by operating a perforator of the upper cementing tool; and pumping cement slurry followed by a release plug through bores of the cementing tools. The release plug engages and launches a cementing plug from the lower cementing tool. The cementing plug drives the cement slurry through the perforations below the packer and into an inner annulus formed between the inner casing and the outer casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Philip Martial BURGUIERES, Corey Eugene HOFFMAN, Stephen Paul BREAUX, Kenneth Thomas WILKE
  • Patent number: 8857520
    Abstract: A method for riserless intervention of a subsea well includes: lowering a pressure control assembly (PCA) from a vessel to a subsea production tree; fastening the PCA to the tree; lowering a control pod from the vessel to the PCA using an umbilical; fastening the control pod to the PCA; lowering an end of a fluid conduit from the vessel to the PCA; and fastening the fluid conduit to the PCA using a dry break connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Wild Well Control, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey Eugene Hoffman, Stace Brac McDaniel, Paul Alexander Blaikie
  • Publication number: 20130269948
    Abstract: A method for abandonment of a subsea well includes: fastening a pressure control assembly (PCA) to a subsea wellhead; and deploying a tool string into the PCA. The tool string includes a packer and an upper perforator located above the packer. The method further includes: closing a bore of the PCA above the tool string with a solid barrier; and setting the packer against an inner casing hung from the subsea wellhead. The method further includes, while the PCA bore is closed, perforating a wall of the inner casing by operating the upper perforator. The method further includes injecting cement slurry into an inner annulus formed between the inner casing and an outer casing hung from the subsea wellhead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Wild Well Control, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey Eugene HOFFMAN, Stace Brac McDANIEL, Christopher John MURPHY
  • Publication number: 20120273219
    Abstract: A method for riserless intervention of a subsea well includes: lowering a pressure control assembly (PCA) from a vessel to a subsea production tree; fastening the PCA to the tree; lowering a control pod from the vessel to the PCA using an umbilical; fastening the control pod to the PCA; lowering an end of a fluid conduit from the vessel to the PCA; and fastening the fluid conduit to the PCA using a dry break connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Corey Eugene Hoffman, Stace Brac McDaniel, Paul Alexander Blaikie
  • Publication number: 20120273217
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a casing tester for plugging and abandoning a wellbore. In one embodiment, a method of testing an annulus defined between a first tubular string and a second tubular string includes engaging a first annular packer with an outer surface of the first tubular string and engaging a second annular packer with an outer surface of the second tubular string. The tubular strings extend into a wellbore. The method further includes injecting a test fluid between the packers until a predetermined pressure is exerted on the annulus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Corey Eugene Hoffman, Dolphus C. Green, III
  • Patent number: 8240387
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a casing tester for plugging and abandoning a wellbore. In one embodiment, a method of testing an annulus defined between a first tubular string and a second tubular string includes engaging a first annular packer with an outer surface of the first tubular string and engaging a second annular packer with an outer surface of the second tubular string. The tubular strings extend into a wellbore. The method further includes injecting a test fluid between the packers until a predetermined pressure is exerted on the annulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Wild Well Control, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey Eugene Hoffman, Dolphus C. Green, III
  • Publication number: 20120193104
    Abstract: A method for riserless intervention of a subsea well includes connecting an intervention assembly to a bottom hole assembly (BHA). The BHA is connected to coiled tubing. The method further includes lowering the intervention assembly to a blowout preventer (BOP) fastened to a subsea production tree using an injector of a support vessel engaged with the coiled tubing; fastening the intervention assembly to the BOP; slacking the coiled tubing using the vessel injector; engaging a stripper of the intervention assembly with the coiled tubing; and driving the BHA through the tree and into a wellbore using a subsea injector of the intervention assembly while synchronizing both injectors to maintain the slack in the coiled tubing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: Corey Eugene Hoffman, Patrick Michael Cargol, JR.
  • Patent number: 8141509
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a subsea salvage operation using a lifting magnet. In one embodiment, a method of salvaging a submerged production platform includes deploying a salvage vessel to a wreckage site of the submerged production platform; lowering a lifting magnet from the salvage vessel to the submerged production platform; and activating the lifting magnet, thereby capturing at least a portion of the submerged production platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Wild Well Control, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey Eugene Hoffman, Theodore Wade Caffarel
  • Publication number: 20120043089
    Abstract: A method for riserless intervention of a subsea well includes: lowering a pressure control assembly (PCA) from a vessel to a subsea production tree; fastening the PCA to the tree; deploying a plug running tool (PRT) into the PCA, wherein the PRT comprises a latch, an anchor, and a stroker; engaging the latch with a plug of the tree; engaging the anchor with the PCA; and operating the stroker to pull the latch and the plug from the tree.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Inventors: Corey Eugene Hoffman, Tom Unsgaard
  • Publication number: 20110203795
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a sealant for forming durable plugs in wells and method for completing or abandoning wells. In one embodiment, a method of plugging a wellbore includes mixing sealant; mixing cement; pumping the cement and sealant into the wellbore. The cement is above the sealant and the sealant cures to become viscoelastic or semisolid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Christopher John Murphy, Corey Eugene Hoffman, Larry Watters, Fred Sabins, Jeffrey Watters, Paul L. Sonnier
  • Publication number: 20100122650
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a subsea salvage operation using a lifting magnet. In one embodiment, a method of salvaging a submerged production platform includes deploying a salvage vessel to a wreckage site of the submerged production platform; lowering a lifting magnet from the salvage vessel to the submerged production platform; and activating the lifting magnet, thereby capturing at least a portion of the submerged production platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Inventors: Corey Eugene Hoffman, Theodore Wade Caffarel
  • Publication number: 20100116504
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a casing tester for plugging and abandoning a wellbore. In one embodiment, a method of testing an annulus defined between a first tubular string and a second tubular string includes engaging a first annular packer with an outer surface of the first tubular string and engaging a second annular packer with an outer surface of the second tubular string. The tubular strings extend into a wellbore. The method further includes injecting a test fluid between the packers until a predetermined pressure is exerted on the annulus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Corey Eugene Hoffman, Dolphus C. Green, III
  • Publication number: 20020011341
    Abstract: A pack-off system for packing off an area of interest in a wellbore, the pack-off system comprising a body, two spaced-apart selectively settable packing elements on the body for sealing off the area of interest, selectively actuatable setting apparatus connected to the body for selectively setting the two spaced-apart selectively settable packing elements, the selectively actuatable setting apparatus actuatable by fluid under pressure introduced into the pack-off system. A method for packing off an area of interest in a wellbore, the method including installing a pack-off system as described herein in the wellbore to pack-off the area of interest. Such a method may also include flowing treatment fluid from the pack-off system to an area of interest in an earth formation and/or adjacent a wellbore in the earth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Inventors: Gary Duron Ingram, Corey Eugene Hoffman
  • Patent number: 6257339
    Abstract: A wellbore system with a tubular string extending from an earth surface down into a wellbore in the earth, a packer system with a selectively settable packer element, and a disconnect located between an end of the tubular string and the packer system, the disconnect operable from the surface by imposing a downward force on the tubular string. In one aspect the packer system's packer element is a tension-set packer element. A wellbore disconnect with a top sub, a piston having an upper end secured to the top sub and a portion below the upper end releasably secured with at least one releasable member to a carrier member, the carrier member having apparatus for selectively gripping the piston, the apparatus for selectively gripping the piston also selectively gripping a bottom sub within which the piston is movable, the at least one releasable member releasable in response to a downward force on the disconnect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc
    Inventors: David Michael Haugen, Gary Duron Ingram, Corey Eugene Hoffman, Robert Stephen Beeman
  • Patent number: 6253856
    Abstract: A pack-off system for packing off an area of interest in a wellbore, the pack-off system comprising a body, two spaced-apart selectively settable packing elements on the body for sealing off the area of interest, selectively actuatable setting apparatus connected to the body for selectively setting the two spaced-apart selectively settable packing elements, the selectively actuatable setting apparatus actuatable by fluid under pressure introduced into the pack-off system. A method for packing off an area of interest in a wellbore, the method including installing a pack-off system as described herein in the wellbore to pack-off the area of interest. Such a method may also include flowing treatment fluid from the pack-off system to an area of interest in an earth formation and/or adjacent a wellbore in the earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Duron Ingram, Corey Eugene Hoffman