Patents by Inventor Donald Clifford Westacott

Donald Clifford Westacott 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: 11851965
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and devices for measuring and otherwise processing core samples. In some embodiments, a method includes containing a core sample in a containment vessel including dynamically adjusting pressure within the containment vessel to maintain a phase of fluid within the core sample. Pressure is reduced within the containment vessel. During pressure or following reduction, one or more properties of the fluid in the core sample are measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Clifford Westacott, Christopher Michael Jones, Anthony Herman van Zuilekom
  • Patent number: 11613950
    Abstract: A coring tool includes a coring bit to cut and detach a core sample from a subsurface formation formed in a borehole. The coring tool includes a pressure vessel that includes a core chamber to store the core sample at a pressure and a piston positioned adjacent to the core chamber. The pressure vessel includes a chamber adjacent to the piston and a gas reservoir to store a gas that expands as the gas is moved to a surface of the borehole. The pressure vessel includes a valve coupled to an inlet of the chamber and an outlet of the gas reservoir, wherein the gas is to flow into the chamber when the valve is open to move the piston to cause an increase in the pressure of the core chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Clifford Westacott, Christopher Michael Jones, Anthony Herman van Zuilekom
  • Patent number: 11204400
    Abstract: Pressure coring where the core apparatus drills the core sample and seals the core sample at its native downhole pressure (e.g., several thousand psi) may be expanded to include nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging components to produce a pressurized NMR core holder that allows for NMR imaging of the core samples having been maintained in a downhole fluid saturation state. NMR imaging performed may include 1H and also 19F imaging depending on the chamber fluid used in the pressurized NMR core holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Songhua Chen, Donald Clifford Westacott
  • Publication number: 20210123313
    Abstract: A coring tool includes a coring bit to cut and detach a core sample from a subsurface formation formed in a borehole. The coring tool includes a pressure vessel that includes a core chamber to store the core sample at a pressure and a piston positioned adjacent to the core chamber. The pressure vessel includes a chamber adjacent to the piston and a gas reservoir to store a gas that expands as the gas is moved to a surface of the borehole. The pressure vessel includes a valve coupled to an inlet of the chamber and an outlet of the gas reservoir, wherein the gas is to flow into the chamber when the valve is open to move the piston to cause an increase in the pressure of the core chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Donald Clifford Westacott, Christopher Michael Jones, Anthony Herman van Zuilekom
  • Publication number: 20210123344
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and devices for measuring and otherwise processing core samples. In some embodiments, a method includes containing a core sample in a containment vessel including dynamically adjusting pressure within the containment vessel to maintain a phase of fluid within the core sample. Pressure is reduced within the containment vessel. During pressure or following reduction, one or more properties of the fluid in the core sample are measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Donald Clifford Westacott, Christopher Michael Jones, Anthony Herman van Zuilekom
  • Publication number: 20200355763
    Abstract: Pressure coring where the core apparatus drills the core sample and seals the core sample at its native downhole pressure (e.g., several thousand psi) may be expanded to include nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging components to produce a pressurized NMR core holder that allows for NMR imaging of the core samples having been maintained in a downhole fluid saturation state. NMR imaging performed may include 1H and also 19F imaging depending on the chamber fluid used in the pressurized NMR core holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Songhua Chen, Donald Clifford Westacott
  • Patent number: 10761157
    Abstract: Pressure coring where the core apparatus drills the core sample and seals the core sample at its native downhole pressure (e.g., several thousand psi) may be expanded to include nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging components to produce a pressurized NMR core holder that allows for NMR imaging of the core samples having been maintained in a downhole fluid saturation state. NMR imaging performed may include 1H and also 19F imaging depending on the chamber fluid used in the pressurized NMR core holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Songhua Chen, Donald Clifford Westacott
  • Patent number: 10221684
    Abstract: A method for determining the volume of core samples disposed within a sealed pressure vessel, the sealed pressure vessel containing a prefill fluid having a density, the method including determining the internal volume of the pressure vessel; determining the density of the prefill fluid; determining, using at least one of one or more computers, the net density of the core samples disposed within the sealed pressure vessel; determining, using at least one of the one or more computers, the density of one or more earth strata proximate the respective in situ locations of the core samples; and calculating, using at least one of the one or more computers, the volume of the core samples disposed within the sealed pressure vessel. In an exemplary embodiment, the core samples are sealed within the pressure vessel when the pressure vessel is disposed within an oil or gas wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Donald Clifford Westacott, Anthony Herman Van Zuilekom
  • Publication number: 20180292477
    Abstract: Pressure coring where the core apparatus drills the core sample and seals the core sample at its native downhole pressure (e.g., several thousand psi) may be expanded to include nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging components to produce a pressurized NMR core holder that allows for NMR imaging of the core samples having been maintained in a downhole fluid saturation state. NMR imaging performed may include 1H and also 19F imaging depending on the chamber fluid used in the pressurized NMR core holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Songhua CHEN, Donald Clifford Westacott
  • Patent number: 9951574
    Abstract: Coring tools including a core tube assembly; a carrier chamber defined within the core tube assembly for storing one or more core samples drilled from a downhole formation having a wellbore fluid therein, wherein the wellbore fluid has a wellbore fluid density; a non-hydrocarbon, non-reactive heavy weight fluid (“HWF”) present within the carrier chamber, the HWF exhibiting a HWF density of about 2 pounds per gallon greater than the wellbore fluid density; a pressure housing cover selectively rotatable between (1) an open position, where the one or more core samples are able to be inserted into the carrier chamber, and (2) a closed position, where the carrier chamber is sealed; and a cover activation mechanism coupled to the core tube assembly and operable to move the pressure housing cover between the closed position and the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Clifford Westacott, Matthew L. Lee
  • Publication number: 20180051559
    Abstract: A method for determining the volume of core samples disposed within a sealed pressure vessel, the sealed pressure vessel containing a prefill fluid having a density, the method including determining the internal volume of the pressure vessel; determining the density of the prefill fluid; determining, using at least one of one or more computers, the net density of the core samples disposed within the sealed pressure vessel; determining, using at least one of the one or more computers, the density of one or more earth strata proximate the respective in situ locations of the core samples; and calculating, using at least one of the one or more computers, the volume of the core samples disposed within the sealed pressure vessel. In an exemplary embodiment, the core samples are sealed within the pressure vessel when the pressure vessel is disposed within an oil or gas wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Donald Clifford Westacott, Anthony Herman Van Zuilekom
  • Publication number: 20160376861
    Abstract: Coring tools including a core tube assembly; a carrier chamber defined within the core tube assembly for storing one or more core samples drilled from a downhole formation having a wellbore fluid therein, wherein the wellbore fluid has a wellbore fluid density; a non-hydrocarbon, non-reactive heavy weight fluid (“HWF”) present within the carrier chamber, the HWF exhibiting a HWF density of about 2 pounds per gallon greater than the wellbore fluid density; a pressure housing cover selectively rotatable between (1) an open position, where the one or more core samples are able to be inserted into the carrier chamber, and (2) a closed position, where the carrier chamber is sealed; and a cover activation mechanism coupled to the core tube assembly and operable to move the pressure housing cover between the closed position and the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Clifford Westacott, Matthew L. Lee