Patents by Inventor Douglas J. Murray

Douglas J. Murray 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: 7367405
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a downhole tool actuation arrangement. The arrangement includes a housing having a chamber, at least one piston in operable communication with the chamber and at least one electrode exposed to the chamber. The electrodes are receptive to a power source. Further disclosed is a method for actuating a downhole tool. The method includes discharging a voltage source through at least one electrode to cause a pressure wave in a fluid surrounding the at least one electrode and moving at least one piston in response to the pressure wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Douglas J. Murray
  • Publication number: 20080099201
    Abstract: A junction selective contaminant exclusion tool includes a tubular positionable within the junction and having an opening through a wall thereof, a material disposed on an outside surface of the tubular, the material being capable of increasing a radial dimension between a surface of the material in contact with the tubular and an opposite surface of the material upon exposure to a selected species. A method for excluding selected contaminants from a wellbore junction is also disclosed. The method includes: disposing a junction at a wellbore casing window; disposing a tubular member having at least one opening through a wall thereof at the junction, the tubular member including an exclusion material thereon capable of existing in a first configuration and a second configuration, the second configuration obtainable upon exposure to a selected species; and exposing the material to the selected species.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventors: Barton F. Sponchia, Douglas J. Murray
  • Publication number: 20080099205
    Abstract: Overshot fishing tools for retrieving objects, i.e., “fish” lodged within a wellbore are disclosed. The overshot fishing tool comprises a housing having a housing bore with at least one recess disposed along the inner wall surface of the housing bore. A slip is disposed within each of the recesses. Each slip has a gripping profile for engaging and securing the fish. Each slip also has a length and a width such that the slip, when actuated, provides circumferential loading on the housing. In specific embodiments, each slip includes two or more different gripping profiles to facilitate retrieval of different types and sizes of fish.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventors: Peter J. Fay, Gerald D. Lynde, Douglas J. Murray
  • Patent number: 7325617
    Abstract: A system allows for sequential treatment of sections of a zone. Access to each portion can be with a sliding sleeve that has a specific internal profile. Pump down plugs can be used that have a specific profile that will make a plug latch to a specific sleeve. Pressure on the plug when latched allows a sequential opening of sleeves while zones already affected that are below are isolated. The pump down plugs have a passage that is initially obstructed by a material that eventually disappears under anticipated well conditions. As a result, when all portions of a zone are handled a flow path is reestablished through the various latched plugs. The plugs can also be blown clear of a sliding sleeve after operating it and can feature a key that subsequently prevents rotation of the plug on its axis in the event is later needs milling out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Douglas J. Murray
  • Publication number: 20080014661
    Abstract: A method for the manufacture of solar panels from scrapped wafers and/or scrapped dies is provided, including the following steps: identifying scrap wafers and/or scrap dies; cleaning and removing remaining structures from the surface of the wafers/dies; grinding both surfaces of the wafers/dies down to a required thickness; doping the wafers/dies; and further processing the wafers/dies using a solar panel manufacturing method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Haag, Michael Kaltenbach, Udo Kleemann, Rainer Krause, Douglas J. Murray, Gerd Pfeiffer, Markus Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7231980
    Abstract: A self orienting liner hanger system including a bent sub, an indexing sub in operable communication with the bent sub, a hanger assembly in operable communication with the indexing sub, and a profile connected with the hanger assembly. Yet further disclosed herein is a method for constructing a junction between a primary borehole and a lateral borehole. The method includes installing a window sleeve at the junction, running a liner hanger into the sleeve, cycling an indexing sub of the hanger until a bent sub of the hanger exits the window, and running the hanger into engagement with the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Douglas J. Murray, David J. Westgard, Aubrey C. Mills
  • Patent number: 7104332
    Abstract: An apparatus for creating a cemented lateral junction including a sleeve with a premachined opening and a cover disposed at the sleeve. A release material is disposed at the cover. Further disclosed is a method for constructing a wellbore which includes preparing a sleeve with a premachined window and a cover positioned to occlude the window and a release material at at least a portion of the cover exposed to environment through the window for running in the wellbore. The method may further include installing the sleeve in a wellbore and applying a hardenable agent to an annulus of the wellbore around the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Douglas J. Murray, Aubrey C. Mills
  • Patent number: 7066270
    Abstract: A multilateral reference point sleeve includes a tubular member configured to be received in a tubing string of a wellbore. The tubular member has an uphole end and a downhole end. The uphole end is angled to define an orientation profile, and the orientation profile has an orientation slot extending therefrom. A method for orienting a tool in a wellbore includes running the multilateral reference point sleeve into the casing in the wellbore, anchoring the sleeve to an inner surface of the casing, running the tool into the tubing string, causing a pin on the tool to engage the orientation profile on the sleeve, and causing the pin on the tool to engage the orientation slot on the orientation profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Douglas J. Murray
  • Patent number: 6868909
    Abstract: A drillable junction joint in a wellbore comprises a wellbore casing in which a section of the casing is constructed of easily drillable material. A sleeve having a premachined window therein is disposed within the casing joint and is freely orientable within the casing segment. Further disclosed are methods for installation of the junction joint and for creating an exit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Douglas J. Murray
  • Publication number: 20040092404
    Abstract: An apparatus for creating a cemented lateral junction including a sleeve with a premachined opening and a cover disposed at the sleeve. A release material is disposed at the cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventors: Douglas J. Murray, Aubrey C. Mills
  • Patent number: 6691777
    Abstract: A self-lubricating swage expands tubulars and includes a primary swaging tool supported on a mandrel that has a lubricious capacity or a primary swaging tool supported on a mandrel and a nose swage member supported on an end of the mandrel. In the latter the nose swage member is fabricated of, is coated with or otherwise includes and applies a lubricious material that smears onto a surface coming into contact with the nose swage member. The smearing of the lubricious material facilitates the sliding of the swaging member as it contacts the inner walls of the tubular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Douglas J. Murray, William M. Bailey
  • Patent number: 6679329
    Abstract: A relatively thin walled sleeve having a premachined window is disposed at a casing window in a wellbore. The sleeve is set in place with the casing or on a separate run wherein the running tool also includes a dog to align the sleeve premachined window with the casing window both linearly and rotationally in the wellbore. The sleeve is swedged in place in part or completely and a subsequent run provides a lateral liner which extends through both the premachined window and the casing window and seals against the premachined window which will then prevent sand entering the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Douglas J. Murray, John J. Johnson, Enrique M. Proano
  • Patent number: 6640895
    Abstract: A through-tubing multilateral system for downhole oil drilling operations includes a tubing extension positioned in a downhole end of a tubing string in a wellbore and an anchoring system configured and positioned to anchor the tubing extension in the wellbore. The tubing extension is dimensioned to accommodate the installation of a multilateral junction therein and has an outside diameter that is less than an inside diameter of the tubing string. The tubing extension has a body portion configured to be tubular in structure and a thin walled section attached to one end of the body portion. The thin walled section has a wall thickness that is less than a wall thickness of the body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Douglas J. Murray
  • Publication number: 20030192700
    Abstract: A relatively thin walled sleeve having a premachined window is disposed at a casing window in a wellbore. The sleeve is set in place with the casing or on a separate run wherein the running tool also includes a dog to align the sleeve premachined window with the casing window both linearly and rotationally in the wellbore. The sleeve is swedged in place in part or completely and a subsequent run provides a lateral liner which extends through both the premachined window and the casing window and seals against the premachined window which will then prevent sand entering the wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: Douglas J. Murray, John J. Johnson, Enrique M. Proano
  • Patent number: 6619398
    Abstract: A cement diverter system and method for cementing a junction in a wellbore wherein a cementing operation and reverse circulating operation are achievable in a single run in the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Alan MacKenzie, Aubrey C. Mills, Douglas J. Murray
  • Patent number: 6612547
    Abstract: Several downhole flow control devices are disclosed which are meterable and are also capable of shutting of a particular zone in a well. The several embodiments include a multiple valve body, a toroidal inflatable valve, and a series of related choke systems. The downhole flow control choke mechanisms each include a downhole electronics package to provide programming or decision making capacity as well as motor actuation systems. Each choke mechanism also includes a system whereby the device can be converted to manual operation and actuated by a conventional shifting tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael A. Carmody, Kevin R. Jones, Robert J. Coon, Douglas J. Murray, Mark E. Hopmann, Steven L. Jennings, Brian A. Roth
  • Patent number: 6561279
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to provide a large bore hook hanger system incorporating sand exclusion at a junction in a multilateral wellbore includes the running of a lateral liner having an expandable sleeve positioned thereon to bridge a milled window from the lateral borehole to the primary borehole, expandable sleeve including a pre-machined window and a hook to hang the liner from the primary borehole. The hook further acts to center the pre-machined window in the expandable sleeve to provide access to the primary wellbore. The expandable sleeve is preferably covered on its outer surface with an elastomeric material and is outwardly concentric to an expandable packer for run-in. Once the expandable sleeve is positioned at the appropriate location in the junction, the expandable packer is inflated thus permanently deforming the expandable sleeve into contact with the open hole of the lateral borehole thereby preventing sand or gravel ingress to the primary borehole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Alan MacKenzie, Sebastian J. Wolters, Douglas J. Murray
  • Patent number: 6535585
    Abstract: A method and related apparatus for delivering a message from a calling party at a calling station to a called party at a called station, the method including: in response to an unsuccessful attempt to communicate from the calling station to the called station, storing a message from the calling station, using a messaging system, for later delivery to the called station; obtaining address information, using the messaging system, for the calling party and for the called station, from the calling station; attempting to deliver the message, using the messaging system, to the called station by initiating a communication from the messaging system to the called station using the address information for the called station that was obtained from the calling station; determining, using the messaging system, whether the message delivery attempt was successful; and, in response to successful delivery of the message, attempting to notify the calling party that the message to the called station was successfully delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: WorldCom, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel Hanson, Douglas J. Murray
  • Publication number: 20020195249
    Abstract: A drillable junction joint in a wellbore comprises a wellbore casing in which a section of the casing is constructed of easily drillable material. A sleeve having a premachined window therein is disposed within the casing joint and is freely orientable within the casing segment. Further disclosed are methods for installation of the junction joint and for creating an exit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Inventor: Douglas J. Murray
  • Patent number: 6484800
    Abstract: Several downhole flow control devices are disclosed which are meterable and are also capable of shutting of a particular zone in a well. The several embodiments include a multiple valve body, a toroidal inflatable valve, and a series of related choke systems. The downhole flow control choke mechanisms each include a downhole electronics package to provide programming or decision making capacity as well as motor actuation systems. Each choke mechanism also includes a system whereby the device can be converted to manual operation and actuated by a conventional shifting tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael A. Carmody, Kevin R. Jones, Robert J. Coon, Douglas J. Murray, Mark E. Hopmann, Steven L. Jennings, Brian A. Roth
  • Patent number: 4756677
    Abstract: The weapon barrel comprises a liner and at least one jacket tube. The liner is made of a highly wear-resistant material, like a cobalt or nickel base alloy, and the jacket tube is made of a tough alloy, like steel. In the manufacturing process the liner material is packed into the jacket tube in the form of a powdery material which may be pre-pressed or pre-sintered. The packing is arranged such as to leave a central free space in the jacket tube, and the jacket tube may be surrounded by an encapsulating tube. The jacket tube or the encapsulating tube is closed either before or after evacuation, and the closed tube arrangement is subjected to a combined heat and pressure treatment at temperatures of at least 900.degree. C., but below the melting point of the relevant materials and at pressures of at least 900 bar. The compound body thus obtained is formed with a full-area metallic bond between the liner and the jacket tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1988
    Assignee: Vereinigte Edelstahlwerke Aktiengesellshaft
    Inventors: Bruno Hribernik, Manfred Gstettner, Alexander Kohnhauser