Patents by Inventor Don L. Whitfill

Don L. Whitfill 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).

  • Methods for replenishing particles screened from drilling fluids
    Patent number: 10227521
    Abstract: Methods for selectively replacing the larger particles screened from a drilling fluid may include: circulating a drilling fluid comprising a base fluid and a plurality of particles through a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation; passing the drilling fluid over a screen having a mesh size, thereby separating the plurality of particles into screened particles having a diameter greater than or equal to the mesh size and retained particles having a diameter smaller than the mesh size; adding a concentration of replenishment particles to the drilling fluid that comprises the base fluid and the retained particles, wherein a PSD of the replenishment particles has a d25REP greater than or equal to the mesh size; and re-circulating the drilling fluid including the replenishment particles back into the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale E. Jamison, Don L. Whitfill
  • METHODS FOR REPLENISHING PARTICLES SCREENED FROM DRILLING FLUIDS
    Publication number: 20170218246
    Abstract: Methods for selectively replacing the larger particles screened from a drilling fluid may include: circulating a drilling fluid comprising a base fluid and a plurality of particles through a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation; passing the drilling fluid over a screen having a mesh size, thereby separating the plurality of particles into screened particles having a diameter greater than or equal to the mesh size and retained particles having a diameter smaller than the mesh size; adding a concentration of replenishment particles to the drilling fluid that comprises the base fluid and the retained particles, wherein a PSD of the replenishment particles has a d25REP greater than or equal to the mesh size; and re-circulating the drilling fluid including the replenishment particles back into the wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Dale E. JAMISON, Don L. WHITFILL
  • Methods for replenishing particles screened from drilling fluids
    Patent number: 9650850
    Abstract: Methods for selectively replacing the larger particles screened from a drilling fluid may include: circulating a drilling fluid comprising a base fluid and a plurality of particles through a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation; passing the drilling fluid over a screen having a mesh size, thereby separating the plurality of particles into screened particles having a diameter greater than or equal to the mesh size and retained particles having a diameter smaller than the mesh size; adding a concentration of replenishment particles to the drilling fluid that comprises the base fluid and the retained particles, wherein a PSD of the replenishment particles has a d25REP greater than or equal to the mesh size; and re-circulating the drilling fluid including the replenishment particles back into the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale E. Jamison, Don L. Whitfill
  • METHODS FOR REPLENISHING PARTICLES SCREENED FROM DRILLING FLUIDS
    Publication number: 20160237768
    Abstract: Methods for selectively replacing the larger particles screened from a drilling fluid may include: circulating a drilling fluid comprising a base fluid and a plurality of particles through a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation; passing the drilling fluid over a screen having a mesh size, thereby separating the plurality of particles into screened particles having a diameter greater than or equal to the mesh size and retained particles having a diameter smaller than the mesh size; adding a concentration of replenishment particles to the drilling fluid that comprises the base fluid and the retained particles, wherein a PSD of the replenishment particles has a d25REP greater than or equal to the mesh size; and re-circulating the drilling fluid including the replenishment particles back into the wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale E. Jamison, Don L. Whitfill