Patents by Inventor Daniel R. Hart

Daniel R. Hart 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: 11512551
    Abstract: A work string and method of performing a downhole operation is disclosed. The work string includes a first tool having a first ball seat configured to activate when a first activation pressure is applied to a plug seated at the first ball seat, and a second tool having a second ball seat configured to activate when a second activation pressure is applied to the plug when seated at the second ball seat, wherein the first activation pressure is different than the second activation pressure. A plug is dropped through a string in a wellbore. The first activation pressure is applied when the plug is at the first tool to activate the first tool. The second activation pressure is applied when the plug is at the second tool to activate the second tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: David Alexander, Daniel R. Hart, Andrew D. Ponder, Irvin Turcios
  • Publication number: 20220049569
    Abstract: A work string and method of performing a downhole operation is disclosed. The work string includes a first tool having a first ball seat configured to activate when a first activation pressure is applied to a plug seated at the first ball seat, and a second tool having a second ball seat configured to activate when a second activation pressure is applied to the plug when seated at the second ball seat, wherein the first activation pressure is different than the second activation pressure. A plug is dropped through a string in a wellbore. The first activation pressure is applied when the plug is at the first tool to activate the first tool. The second activation pressure is applied when the plug is at the second tool to activate the second tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventors: David Alexander, Daniel R. Hart, Andrew D. Ponder, Irvin Turcios
  • Patent number: 10450820
    Abstract: A milling apparatus for cutting a tubular in a wellbore includes a cutting element on a tool body configured to cut the tubular in a wellbore when the cutting element is activated when the tool is moving upward inside the tubular. The cutting element cuts the tubular to form cuttings that fall into an annulus between the tubular and the wellbore. An agitator below the cutting element agitates the cuttings in the annulus to aid the cuttings to move from the annulus into the wellbore below the milling apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel R. Hart, Andrew D. Ponder, Lambertus C. Joppe
  • Patent number: 10309178
    Abstract: A mill for milling a casing in a wellbore. The mill includes a plurality of radially extendable cutting members on a body. An activation device extends the cutting members radially outward from the body upon application of a hydraulic pressure to the activation device and mechanically retracts the blades upon removal of the hydraulic pressure from the activation device. The cutting members are separable from the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventor: Daniel R. Hart
  • Patent number: 10267111
    Abstract: Dual section mills are selectively sequentially operated by locking an actuator for the backup mill as the primary mill has blades extended with internal flow through a housing. When the primary mill is spent the support string is shifted to defeat a lock on an actuation piston for the backup mill so that its blades can extend and continue to mill to finish the job. The blades of the primary mill continue to rotate in the already milled portion of the window as the secondary mill enlarges the window. Another way the secondary mill is actuated is to open access to flow to the secondary mill by removing a pressure barrier such as a valve or a disappearing plug, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel R. Hart, Andrew D. Ponder, Lambertus C. Joppe
  • Publication number: 20180283120
    Abstract: A milling apparatus for cutting a tubular in a wellbore includes a cutting element on a tool body configured to cut the tubular in a wellbore when the cutting element is activated when the tool is moving upward inside the tubular. The cutting element cuts the tubular to form cuttings that fall into an annulus between the tubular and the wellbore. An agitator below the cutting element agitates the cuttings in the annulus to aid the cuttings to move from the annulus into the wellbore below the milling apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Daniel R. Hart, Andrew D. Ponder, Lambertus C. Joppe
  • Publication number: 20170321509
    Abstract: Dual section mills are selectively sequentially operated by locking an actuator for the backup mill as the primary mill has blades extended with internal flow through a housing. When the primary mill is spent the support string is shifted to defeat a lock on an actuation piston for the backup mill so that its blades can extend and continue to mill to finish the job. The blades of the primary mill continue to rotate in the already milled portion of the window as the secondary mill enlarges the window. Another way the secondary mill is actuated is to open access to flow to the secondary mill by removing a pressure barrier such as a valve or a disappearing plug, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Daniel R. Hart, Andrew D. Ponder, Lambertus C. Joppe
  • Publication number: 20170145766
    Abstract: A mill for milling a casing in a wellbore is disclosed that in one non-limiting embodiment includes a plurality of radially extendable cutting members on a body, an activation device that extends the cutting members radially outward from the body upon application of a hydraulic pressure to the activation device and mechanically retracts the blades upon removal of the hydraulic pressure from the activation device, and wherein the cutting members are separable from the body
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Daniel R. Hart
  • Patent number: 9303475
    Abstract: A wellbore tool which includes a housing having an axial flowbore and a piston sleeve movably disposed within the flowbore. The tool is moveable between first and second operating positions by an actuation mechanism having a piston with a seat having a plurality of separate arcuate segments. The tool can be moved between first and second operating positions with the use of actuating plugs of different sizes that can be landed upon the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Daniel R. Hart, Gregory L. Hern, Christopher W. Guidry, Robert S. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 9145734
    Abstract: Devices and method for engaging a casing member for manipulation. A hydraulic torque locking mechanism is incorporated into a casing manipulation assembly. The hydraulic torque locking mechanism includes a clutch mechanism that is actuated using surface pump pressure from tool circulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Daniel R. Hart
  • Patent number: 8356671
    Abstract: A tool for use in a wellbore which includes a housing having an axial flow bore and a piston sleeve moveably disposed within the flow bore. The tool is moveable between first and second operating positions by an actuation mechanism having a piston with a ball seat having a partially annular shape with an outer base and a plurality of retaining segments projecting radially inwardly therefrom. The tool can be moved between first and second operating positions with the use of actuating balls of different sizes that can be landed upon the ball seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeremy J. Guillory, Daniel R. Hart, Gregory L. Hern
  • Publication number: 20120227973
    Abstract: A wellbore tool which includes a housing having an axial flowbore and a piston sleeve movably disposed within the flowbore. The tool is moveable between first and second operating positions by an actuation mechanism having a piston with a seat having a plurality of separate arcuate segments. The tool can be moved between first and second operating positions with the use of actuating plugs of different sizes that can be landed upon the seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel R. Hart, Gregory L. Hern, Christopher W. Guidry, Robert S. O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20110315390
    Abstract: A tool for use in a wellbore which includes a housing having an axial flow bore and a piston sleeve moveably disposed within the flow bore. The tool is moveable between first and second operating positions by an actuation mechanism having a piston with a ball seat having a partially annular shape with an outer base and a plurality of retaining segments projecting radially inwardly therefrom. The tool can be moved between first and second operating positions with the use of actuating balls of different sizes that can be landed upon the ball seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeremy J. Guillory, Daniel R. Hart, Gregory L. Hern
  • Publication number: 20110174477
    Abstract: A milling bottom hole assembly (BHA) for use in cutting a full gauge window in a wellbore casing wall, the resultant length of the window being greater than or equal to the whipstock ramp length. A milling BHA is described which includes two shaft portions, a window mill and two bearing mills. The design, which involves strategically placed bearing mills, allows the milling BHA to stay on the whipstock ramp for the entire casing window milling operation and, thereafter, to optimally rapidly build angle and move laterally away from the whipstock and casing, creating a significantly long window which allows for easy passage of directional drilling BHAs through the milled window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Suhas S. Verma, James S. Trahan, Daniel R. Hart, Christopher W. Guidry, Reena Thomas
  • Patent number: 7905279
    Abstract: A combination whipstock and seal bore diverter system includes a whipstock; and a diverter configured to receive and support the whipstock in a selected orientation, the system being installable in a single run in a borehole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel R. Hart, Roy E. Swanson, Kjell Nygardsvoll, Songfeng Yang, Christopher W. Guidry, Charles W. Pleasants
  • Publication number: 20090255664
    Abstract: A combination whipstock and seal bore diverter system includes a whipstock; and a diverter configured to receive and support the whipstock in a selected orientation, the system being installable in a single run in a borehole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Daniel R. Hart, Roy E. Swanson, Kjell Nygardsvoll, Songfeng Yang, Christopher W. Guidry, Charles W. Pleasants
  • Patent number: 7575049
    Abstract: An assembly for milling a window in a tubular features a layout that keeps a restorative force normal to the whipstock slope acting on the window mill to help it track the whipstock ramp long enough for making an exit at the desired location. A string mill assembly is made long enough to allow such a restorative force to be created on the window mill as it advances down the ramp. The bearing or cutting structures on the string mill are positioned with respect to the window mill so that either the top of the string mill or at least the first bearing structure above the window mill presents at the top of the window as the window mill arrives at the position where it is desired that it make an exit. The lower bearing structure of the string mill also preferably has a rounded profile to facilitate its entrance on to the whipstock ramp without getting in a bind on the tubular wall adjacent the top of the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Calvin J. Stowe, Evan G. Lewis, Mohan L. Soni, Daniel R. Hart
  • Patent number: 7231979
    Abstract: A short radius exit from a window milled in casing is possible using a whipstock with a sloping surface in excess of 3.5° and a window mill whose diameter is reduced to a percentage generally below about 95% of the casing inside diameter in a mono-bore or non-through tubing application. The system provides a greater flexibility in choosing the window location and eliminates having to penetrate adjacent formations as compared to previous techniques using a longer exit radius. The decrease in mill diameter, as compared to previous techniques, limits stresses on the milling equipment to minimize equipment failures during window milling and subsequent drilling of the lateral.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Dave Stephen, James A. Sonnier, Joseph P. Degeare, Rustom K. Mody, Mohan L. Soni, Daniel R. Hart
  • Publication number: 20040144047
    Abstract: A short radius exit from a window milled in casing is possible using a whipstock with a sloping surface in excess of 3.5° and a window mill whose diameter is reduced to a percentage generally below about 95% of the casing inside diameter in a mono-bore or non-through tubing application. The system provides a greater flexibility in choosing the window location and eliminates having to penetrate adjacent formations as compared to previous techniques using a longer exit radius. The decrease in mill diameter, as compared to previous techniques, limits stresses on the milling equipment to minimize equipment failures during window milling and subsequent drilling of the lateral.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Dave Stephen, James A. Sonnier, Joseph P. Degeare, Rustom K. Mody, Mohan L. Soni, Daniel R. Hart
  • Publication number: 20030010533
    Abstract: A whipstock for mono-bore applications is disclosed which could be run in on wireline. The setting mechanism allows for a predetermined setting force to be applied to the anchor slip or slips before and automatic release from the running tool. The slips are further retained in position by a ratchet block, which is mounted to the whipstock body to work with the slips against release during removal of the milling equipment. The whipstock body is formed to place the upper end against the casing after the slips are driven out so that the onset of milling will not result in damage to the upper end. A retrieval tool engages an opening in the whipstock to release the grip of the slips and bring the assembly to the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Daniel R. Hart, John P. Davis