Patents by Inventor Francis Alexander Cumming

Francis Alexander Cumming 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: 6244337
    Abstract: A system for sealing the intersection between a primary borehole and a branch borehole comprises a primary casing section located in the primary borehole in the region of the branchpoint, and a branch casing section located in the branch borehole and secured to the primary casing section. The primary casing section is tubular and defines a slant surface which intersects a central axis of the primary casing section at an acute angle, so that the primary casing section can be pressed towards the branchpoint by means of a hollow whipstock or other wedge-shaped element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Francis Alexander Cumming, Simon Lawrence Fisher, Wilhelmus Christianus Maria Lohbeck
  • Patent number: 6078031
    Abstract: A method for joining well and other oilfield tubulars by amorphous bonding comprises the steps of positioning a body of amorphous material (16) between adjacent and surfaces of a pair of oilfield tubulars (3, 4) that are to be joined and using induction heating to melt the amorphous material and create on cooling a metallurgical bond between the tubulars (3, 4). Throughout the heating and bonding process the tubulars (3, 4) are fixed in axial alignment with each other using clamp means which include a mandrel (1) which is inserted into the interior of the tubulars (3, 4) so that the bonding process can be performed in a sealed chamber (17, 18) which is filled with an inert gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Shell Research Limited
    Inventors: Alan Edgar John Bliault, Francis Alexander Cumming, Mark Seth Laws
  • Patent number: 6070671
    Abstract: A method is provided for creating zonal isolation between the exterior and interior of an uncased section of an underground well system which is located adjacent to a well section in which a well casing is present. The method includes inserting an expandable tubular through the existing well casing into an uncased section, such as a lateral branch, of the underground well system and subsequently expanding the expandable tubular such that the one end is pressed towards the wall of the uncased section of the well system and the outer surface of the other end is pressed against the inner surface of the well casing thereby creating an interference fit capable of achieving a shear bond and a hydraulic seal between the surrounding surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Francis Alexander Cumming, Simon Lawrence Fisher, Robert Bruce Stewart