Patents by Inventor Darin H. Duphorne

Darin H. Duphorne 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: 10822896
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling fluid flow through a drill string includes a housing having an axis, a radial wall with a bore extending axially therethrough, and an aperture formed in the radial wall. The aperture is in fluid communication with the bore. A piston is located inside the housing and has an orifice configured to permit axial fluid flow through the housing. The spring axially biases the piston to a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Darin H. Duphorne, Gregory L. Hern, William A. Hered
  • Patent number: 10519737
    Abstract: A bottom hole assembly (BHA) and methods of using the BHA, the BHA having at least one tool configured to move between the interior and the exterior by fluid pumped down a string. The tool is configured to create a hole in a wellbore tubular, such as casing, tubing, or a liner. The BHA includes a ramp positioned adjacent to the tool to guide the tool to engage the tubular. The tool may be a mill configured to cut a hole in the tubular or a punch member configured to punch a hole in the tubular. A packing element of the BHA enables fluid to be pumped down the annulus and through the hole to treat and/or fracture the formation. The tool may be positioned between two packing elements and fluid may be pumped down the string and through a portion of the tool to treat and/or fracture the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Darin H. Duphorne, James Scott Sanchez, André J. Porter
  • Publication number: 20190162037
    Abstract: A bottom hole assembly (BHA) and methods of using the BHA, the BHA having at least one tool configured to move between the interior and the exterior by fluid pumped down a string. The tool is configured to create a hole in a wellbore tubular, such as casing, tubing, or a liner. The BHA includes a ramp positioned adjacent to the tool to guide the tool to engage the tubular. The tool may be a mill configured to cut a hole in the tubular or a punch member configured to punch a hole in the tubular. A packing element of the BHA enables fluid to be pumped down the annulus and through the hole to treat and/or fracture the formation. The tool may be positioned between two packing elements and fluid may be pumped down the string and through a portion of the tool to treat and/or fracture the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Darin H. Duphorne, James Scott Sanchez, André J. Porter
  • Publication number: 20190136653
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling fluid flow through a drill string includes a housing having an axis, a radial wall with a bore extending axially therethrough, and an aperture formed in the radial wall. The aperture is in fluid communication with the bore. A piston is located inside the housing and has an orifice configured to permit axial fluid flow through the housing. The spring axially biases the piston to a closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory L. Hern, William A. Hered, Darin H. Duphorne
  • Patent number: 10024146
    Abstract: A tube wave reduction system for a borehole includes a tubular member; one or more openings in the tubular member, the one or more openings having a through-passage and a deformation region surrounding the through-passage; and an absorber in fluid communication with the one or more openings. Also included is a method for reducing an effect of a tube wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventor: Darin H. Duphorne
  • Patent number: 9797218
    Abstract: In one aspect, a wellbore system is disclosed that in one non-limiting embodiment includes a cement section in the wellbore formed to prevent flow of fluids including hydrocarbons through the cement section, a plug disposed uphole of the cement section to provide a space between the cement section and the plug and a sensor in the space for providing measurements relating to a parameter of interest. In one aspect, the parameter of interest may include one or more of presence and extent of a hydrocarbon, presence of moisture; pressure; and temperature. The system may further include a transmitter that transmits measurements from the sensor via a communication line or wirelessly to a receiver for processing the sensor measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Darin H. Duphorne
  • Patent number: 9593572
    Abstract: In one aspect, a wellbore system is disclosed for determining breach of cement section in the wellbore, wherein the system includes a cement section in the wellbore formed to prevent flow of fluids including hydrocarbons through the cement section, nonradioactive tracers that emit radioactive emission when activated by a radiation source, a radioactive source that generates radioactive particles to activate the nonradioactive tracers that have migrated through the cement to cause the nonradioactive tracers to emit radiation, a detector for detecting the radioactive emission from the nonradioactive tracer, and a processor that determines from the detected radioactive emission a fluid leak through the cement section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Darin H. Duphorne, Rocco DiFoggio
  • Patent number: 9546530
    Abstract: A convertible downhole device comprises at least one sacrificial material to provide two or more configurations so that two or more different operations or functions are performable by the downhole device, one in which the sacrificial material is fully intact and another in which the sacrificial material is at least partially removed or disappeared. The sacrificial material may be removable through any suitable method or device, such as by contacting with a fluid, by temperature, by pressure, or by combustion, ignition, or activation of a fusible or energetic material, or crushing or breaking up of a frangible material. Upon removal of the sacrificial material, the downhole device has at least one additional configuration so that at least a second operation can be performed by the downhole device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Darin H. Duphorne
  • Patent number: 9512701
    Abstract: A flow control device is disclosed. The device includes a tubular member having a plurality adjacent wraps, wherein each wrap has an outer surface and an inner surface. Some of the wraps include one or more flow control paths, wherein each such flow control path includes a tortuous path to control flow of a fluid from the outer surface to the inner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Darin H. Duphorne, Colin P. Andrew
  • Publication number: 20160097274
    Abstract: In one aspect, a wellbore system is disclosed for determining breach of cement section in the wellbore, wherein the system includes a cement section in the wellbore formed to prevent flow of fluids including hydrocarbons through the cement section, nonradioactive tracers that emit radioactive emission when activated by a radiation source , a radioactive source that generates radioactive particles to activate the nonradioactive tracers that have migrated through the cement to cause the nonradioactive tracers to emit radiation, a detector for detecting the radioactive emission from the nonradioactive tracer, and a processor that determines from the detected radioactive emission a fluid leak through the cement section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Darin H. Duphorne, Rocco DiFoggio
  • Publication number: 20150330214
    Abstract: In one aspect, a wellbore system is disclosed that in one non-limiting embodiment includes a cement section in the wellbore formed to prevent flow of fluids including hydrocarbons through the cement section, a plug disposed uphole of the cement section to provide a space between the cement section and the plug and a sensor in the space for providing measurements relating to a parameter of interest. In one aspect, the parameter of interest may include one or more of presence and extent of a hydrocarbon, presence of moisture; pressure; and temperature. The system may further include a transmitter that transmits measurements from the sensor via a communication line or wirelessly to a receiver for processing the sensor measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Darin H. Duphorne
  • Publication number: 20150013980
    Abstract: A flow control device is disclosed. The device includes a tubular member having a plurality adjacent wraps, wherein each wrap has an outer surface and an inner surface. Some of the wraps include one or more flow control paths, wherein each such flow control path includes a tortuous path to control flow of a fluid from the outer surface to the inner surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Darin H. Duphorne, Colin P. Andrew
  • Publication number: 20140209319
    Abstract: A tube wave reduction system for a borehole includes a tubular member; one or more openings in the tubular member, the one or more openings having a through-passage and a deformation region surrounding the through-passage; and an absorber in fluid communication with the one or more openings. Also included is a method for reducing an effect of a tube wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Darin H. Duphorne
  • Publication number: 20140124215
    Abstract: A convertible downhole device comprises at least one sacrificial material to provide two or more configurations so that two or more different operations or functions are performable by the downhole device, one in which the sacrificial material is fully intact and another in which the sacrificial material is at least partially removed or disappeared. The sacrificial material may be removable through any suitable method or device, such as by contacting with a fluid, by temperature, by pressure, or by combustion, ignition, or activation of a fusible or energetic material, or crushing or breaking up of a frangible material. Upon removal of the sacrificial material, the downhole device has at least one additional configuration so that at least a second operation can be performed by the downhole device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Darin H. Duphorne
  • Patent number: 8672041
    Abstract: A convertible downhole device comprises at least one sacrificial material to provide two or more configurations so that two or more different operations or functions are performable by the downhole device, one in which the sacrificial material is fully intact and another in which the sacrificial material is at least partially removed or disappeared. The sacrificial material may be removable through any suitable method or device, such as by contacting with a fluid, by temperature, by pressure, or by combustion, ignition, or activation of a fusible or energetic material, or crushing or breaking up of a frangible material. Upon removal of the sacrificial material, the downhole device has at least one additional configuration so that at least a second operation can be performed by the downhole device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Darin H. Duphorne
  • Patent number: 8424609
    Abstract: In one aspect, a passive flow control device for controlling flow of a fluid is provided, which device in one configuration include a longitudinal member configured to receive fluid radially along a selected length of the longitudinal member, the longitudinal member including flow restrictions configured to cause a pressure drop across the radial direction of the longitudinal member. In another aspect, a method of completing a wellbore is provided, which method in one embodiment may include providing a flow control device that includes a tubular with a first set of fluid flow passages and at least one member with a second set of fluid passages placed outside the tubular, wherein the first and second set of passages are offset along a longitudinal direction and the member is configured to receive a fluid along the radial direction; placing the flow control device at a selected location a wellbore; and allowing a fluid flow between the formation and the flow control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Darin H. Duphorne, Eddie G. Bowen
  • Patent number: 8418769
    Abstract: A tubular actuator includes, a tubular, a support member disposed at the tubular, and a restrictor configured to pass a runnable member when unsupported by the support member and to prevent passage of the runnable member when supported by the support member. The restrictor is movable relative to the support member from an unsupported position to a supported position in response to pressure applied against the runnable member engaged with the restrictor according to a pressure versus time profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Peter J. Fay, Darin H. Duphorne
  • Publication number: 20130037261
    Abstract: A tube wave reduction system for a borehole includes a tubular member; one or more openings in the tubular member, the one or more openings having a through-passage and a deformation region surrounding the through-passage; and an absorber in fluid communication with the one or more openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Darin H. Duphorne
  • Patent number: 8251154
    Abstract: A tubular system with selectively engagable sleeves includes, a tubular, a plurality of sleeves disposed at the tubular, and a plurality of engagable members being movable through the tubular with each of the plurality of engagable members being configurable to selectively engage with at least one of the plurality of sleeves and such engagement at least temporarily preventing passage of an engaged engagable member by an engaged sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Darin H. Duphorne
  • Publication number: 20110265941
    Abstract: Tubular is manufactured at a well site to a predetermined size using flat stock that is rolled into a c-shape from a plurality of feed locations. The c-shapes have open segments that are offset from each other to form the tubular shape. A binder material such as a reactive nano-foil is applied on assembly as the tubular shape is formed. The manufactured shape is reduced to a smaller dimension for run in. The cross-sectional reduced profile shape can be a smaller diameter or a crescent or an undulating shape that is triggered to revert to the original manufactured shape and size when placed downhole. The manufacturing method is capable of making continuous pipe for the length of the zone without connections. The bonding of the segments is preferably done at the time of fabrication at the well site but can also occur at least in part downhole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Dennis G. Jiral, Mark K. Adam, Darin H. Duphorne