Patents by Inventor Donald L. Thorne

Donald L. Thorne 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: 7090019
    Abstract: A subsea well casing cutting tool for use as part of a well abandonment procedure, the casing cutting tool deployable from a vessel located at a water surface, where in certain embodiments the casing cutting tool comprises a casing gripper; a rotary cutter drive assembly; a rotary cutter; a rotating fluid union that allows high volume water to be fed to the rotating cutting assembly below the drive motor for purposes of extending the cutting blades; and a third party casing hanger removal tool wherein the casing cutting drive assembly forms an interface between the third party rotary casing cutter, an existing subsea casing, and a work class ROV. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope of meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Oceaneering International, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Barrow, Donald L. Thorne, Dan Thomas Benson, Rich McCoy
  • Patent number: 6591913
    Abstract: A system and method for lessening impact on Christmas trees during downhole operations involving Christmas trees, by way of example and not limitation such as cementing processes. The system comprises an outer housing defining a chamber, a lubricator assembly disposed in the outer housing, and an inner sleeve slidably disposable within the chamber. The method uses the system of the present invention by inserting the inner sleeve into the lubricator assembly; lowering the inner sleeve into the Christmas tree to a predetermined position extending into a tubing hanger associated with the tree; introducing fluids through a fluid line coupled to the lubricator assembly, the fluids passing through a conduit within the inner sleeve into the wellbore; and retrieving the lubricator assembly upon completion of fluid introduction into the wellbore. In alternative embodiments, the inner sleeve may be retracted and withdrawn with the lubricator assembly upon completion of fluid introduction into the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Oceaneering International, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Reaux, Dan T. Benson, Donald L. Thorne
  • Publication number: 20030106692
    Abstract: A system and method for lessening impact on Christmas trees during downhole operations involving Christmas trees, by way of example and not limitation such as cementing processes. The system comprises an outer housing defining a chamber, a lubricator assembly disposed in the outer housing, and an inner sleeve slidably disposable within the chamber. The method uses the system of the present invention by inserting the inner sleeve into the lubricator assembly; lowering the inner sleeve into the Christmas tree to a predetermined position extending into a tubing hanger associated with the tree; introducing fluids through a fluid line coupled to the lubricator assembly, the fluids passing through a conduit within the inner sleeve into the wellbore; and retrieving the lubricator assembly upon completion of fluid introduction into the wellbore. In alternative embodiments, the inner sleeve may be retracted and withdrawn with the lubricator assembly upon completion of fluid introduction into the wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventors: James R. Reaux, Dan T. Benson, Donald L. Thorne