Patents by Inventor Jacques Orban

Jacques Orban 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: 10422188
    Abstract: Pipes, drill strings including pipes, and methods for use on a drilling rig. The method includes obtaining pipe data for individual drill pipes of a drill string, obtaining a well trajectory for a well, obtaining one or more drilling measurements to be used when drilling the well, planning a first drill string based on the pipe data, the well trajectory, and the one or more drilling measurements, predicting an aging of the individual drill pipes in the first drill string while drilling the well using the first drill string, determining that a risk of failure of one or more individual pipes in the first drill string is unacceptable based on the aging of the individual pipes; and planning a second drill string in response to determining that the risk of failure is unacceptable in the first drill string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Shunfeng Zheng, Benjamin Peter Jeffryes, Christopher C. Bogath, Gokturk Tunc, Jacques Orban
  • Patent number: 10421214
    Abstract: A mixing system and method. The mixing system includes a mixer configured to mix a dry component into a fluid to generate a slurry, one or more pumps coupled with the mixer and configured to deliver the fluid thereto, and a manifold system coupled to the mixer and the one or more pumps. The manifold system includes one or more valves configured to direct the slurry from the mixer. The mixing system is operable in a first mixing mode to mix a first type of the slurry, and the mixing system is operable in a second mixing mode to mix a second type of the slurry. The manifold system is configured to prevent inert mixing of the first and second types of the slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jacques Orban, Brian Rogers, Joel Rondeau
  • Patent number: 10408010
    Abstract: A blowout preventer and a method for drilling, of which the blowout preventer includes a body defining a ram recess and an annular recess, the ram recess and the annular recess being separated apart. The blowout preventer also includes a ram positioned at least partially in the ram recess and movable with respect to the body, the ram having a distal end configured to engage a tubular and a proximal end positioned within the first recess. The blowout preventer further includes an actuation assembly including an actuation chamber, the annular recess being positioned between the actuation chamber and the ram recess. The blowout preventer also includes a buffer supply system configured to circulate a fluid through the annular recess, to prevent leakage of fluid from the ram recess into the actuation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATON
    Inventor: Jacques Orban
  • Patent number: 10385875
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) with reduced vibration is provided. In an implementation, an ESP section has radial bearings placed at shaft locations of reduced vibration to reduce wear. The locations of reduced vibration are selected to avoid areas of high vibration and vibrational waves that reinforce each other due to structure resonance and natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a radial bearing is positioned at a node of reduced vibration of a standing vibrational wave. In an implementation, a succession of multiple radial bearings are spaced at different intervals from each other to avoid conventional even spacing of the bearings that causes standing waves, resonance waves, and vibrational waves at natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a span between adjacent radial bearings is selected to spare other adjacent bearings at different spans the effects of vibrations that may extend over a range of excitation frequencies in the ESP section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hao Lam, Arthur I. Watson, Jacques Orban, Lauro De Camargo, David Milton Eslinger
  • Patent number: 10370960
    Abstract: A method for reducing noise at a wellsite includes transmitting a plurality of first signals from a variable frequency drive (VFD) to an alternating current (AC) induction motor. A timing of a plurality of second signals is varied to control transistors in an inverter of the VFD, thereby reducing harmonic distortion of the first signals output from the VFD. The timing is varied based at least partially upon an estimation of the harmonic distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jacques Orban
  • Publication number: 20190234202
    Abstract: A system for tracking a position on a rig site may include a plurality of static beacons of defined positions on the rig site configured to transmit reference signals at a selected triggering time for transmission; at least one moveable receiver at a first location on the rig site configured to receive the reference signals from the plurality of static beacons, determine the reception time of signal, and transmit reception information to a master node via a communication channel; wherein the master node is at a location on the rig site with a reference base time, wherein the master node receives the defined positions and reference times of the plurality of static beacons, and wherein the system is configured to, based on the reception information, determine signal travel times between the static beacons and the at least one moveable receiver, determine the distances between the static beacon and the at least one moveable receiver based on a travel time of the reference signals, and determine a position of the
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Jacques ORBAN, Vishwanathan PARMESHWAR, Shunfeng ZHENG
  • Publication number: 20190234208
    Abstract: A system and method to reduce a whirl effect on a rotation of a drill string with an AC induction motor mechanically coupled to a rotary drilling system and configured to drive the rotary drilling system and the drill string attached thereto. Additionally, the system includes an electronic inverter to generate supplied power for the AC induction motor and a controller configured to drive the operation of the electronic inverter to impose a virtual drive characteristic relating a torque output of the motor with speed of the motor, determine a desired nominal operating point, and determine presence of whirl in the drill string from torque of the rotary drilling system and speed of the drill string.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventor: Jacques Orban
  • Patent number: 10351363
    Abstract: A silo, a chemical delivery system, and a method. The silo includes a housing and a vessel positioned within the housing and configured to contain a mud chemical. The vessel includes a discharge port and a discharge valve that controls discharge of the mud chemical through the discharge port. The discharge port is configured to connect to a skid by placing the silo on the skid, and the silo has a plurality of configurations for different types of mud chemicals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jacques Orban, Brian Rogers
  • Publication number: 20190169945
    Abstract: A sensor assembly may include a housing made of a non-magnetic material. The housing may define an interior chamber. A shaft may extend from the housing. A bearing may be positioned around the shaft. An impeller may be positioned around the shaft and the bearing, and the impeller may include a magnetized portion. A sensor may be positioned within the interior chamber and/or proximate the magnetized portion. The sensor may detect the magnetized portion of the impeller to sense a rate of rotation of the impeller. The rate of rotation of the impeller may correspond to changes in flow rate of the fluid. As the flow rate of the fluid, and the rate of rotation of the impeller change in predetermined manners, control signals may be conveyed to activate a tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Jacques Orban, R. Craig Boswell, Scott Richard Woolston, Jordan Dane Englund
  • Patent number: 10301898
    Abstract: A method for transmitting data from a downhole instrument to a surface location includes running the downhole instrument into a wellbore on a line. The downhole instrument and at least a portion of the line are positioned inside a drill string. The downhole instrument includes first and second sets of fingers that contact an inner surface of the drill string. The downhole instrument measures an effect occurring in the drill string. The effect is due to perturbations in the drill string during a drilling process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Jacques Orban
  • Patent number: 10302196
    Abstract: A technique facilitates tool operation with mobile pistons submitted to differential pressure. The technique utilizes a mobile piston slidably mounted in a corresponding piston passage. The piston passage is defined by a passage wall surface, and the piston may be moved linearly along the piston passage under the influence of an actuating fluid or to pump a fluid. The exterior surface of the piston and/or the passage wall surface have a groove or a plurality of grooves located and arranged to collect particulates from the fluid. Removal of the particulates facilitates actuator piston function by reducing, for example, third body abrasion and jamming of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jacques Orban, Guy James Rushton
  • Publication number: 20190145178
    Abstract: An underreamer for increasing a diameter of a wellbore. The underreamer may include a body having an axial bore extending at least partially therethrough. An electromagnetic activation system may be disposed at least partially within the bore of the body. A valve may be disposed within the bore of the body and coupled to the electromagnetic activation system. The valve may include a mobile element and a static element. The mobile element may be coupled to the electromagnetic activation system and move from a first position where the mobile element obstructs fluid flow through the valve to a second position where the mobile element permits fluid flow through the valve. A cutter block may be movably coupled to the body and move radially-outward as the mobile element moves from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Nathan E. Fuller, Jonathan D. Marshall, Jordan D. Englund, Jacques Orban, R. Craig Boswell
  • Publication number: 20190115758
    Abstract: A well construction system with motor equipment having at least one of a drawworks motor, a top drive motor, or a combination thereof, and an electrical power system having a power recovery and regeneration system. The power recovery and regeneration system includes at least one energy storage device that is not a capacitor bank. The well construction system may be operated by generating AC power that is made available on an AC node, converting AC power available on the AC node to DC power available on a DC node, storing energy based on DC power available on the DC node by the power recovery and regeneration system, and regenerating the stored energy from the power recovery and regeneration system to AC power, DC power, or a combination thereof for consumption by an electrical consumer of the well construction system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Jacques Orban, Kurt Held, Jean-Christophe Priser, Nick Paul Krippner
  • Publication number: 20190094119
    Abstract: A system for measuring rheological characteristics for drilling muds without the use of a delicate, expensive, or labor-intensive viscometer is disclosed. The system includes a fluid diverter circuit which retrieves a sample of the drilling mud and stores it in a reservoir where the pressure and level of the drilling mud are measured. The reservoir drains through a measurement pipe which enables a calculation of a flow rate. With the dimensions of the measurement pipe, the pressure, and the flow rate, a rheological chart can be assembled. The system can iteratively measure pressure and from the iterative data achieve a non-Newtonian factor, n?, confirm entrance length of the measurement pipe, and confirm that the flow in the measurement pipe is laminar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Manat Singh, Jacques Orban
  • Patent number: 10227830
    Abstract: A system for determining a location and a diameter of a pipe deployed in a bore includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced acoustic transmitters and a plurality of circumferentially spaced acoustic receivers deployed in a wall of the bore. A processor is configured to identify and process received acoustic waveforms that are reflected by the pipe to compute the location and the diameter of the pipe. The system may include a drill string deployed in a drilling riser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jacques Orban, Brian Oliver Clark
  • Publication number: 20190071929
    Abstract: An apparatus having a skid, a boom having a first end attached to the skid and pivotable around an axis proximate the first end such that a second end of the boom raises and lowers relative to the skid, and a room mounted on the skid. The apparatus may further include a raisable apparatus supported by the second end of the boom and having one or more plug panels configured to connect to one or more first cables. The apparatus may also include second cables routed from the raisable apparatus and attached to and supported at least in part by the boom, wherein the second cables may be configured to provide electrical power to the raisable apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventor: Jacques Orban
  • Publication number: 20190071828
    Abstract: An apparatus having a skid, a boom having a first end attached to the skid and pivotable around an axis proximate the first end such that a second end of the boom raises and lowers relative to the skid, and a room mounted on the skid. The apparatus may further include a raisable apparatus supported by the second end of the boom and having one or more plug panels configured to connect to one or more first cables. The apparatus may also include second cables routed from the raisable apparatus and attached to and supported at least in part by the boom, wherein the second cables may be configured to provide electrical power to the raisable apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventor: Jacques Orban
  • Publication number: 20190071966
    Abstract: An apparatus having a skid, a boom having a first end attached to the skid and pivotable around an axis proximate the first end such that a second end of the boom raises and lowers relative to the skid, and a room mounted on the skid. The apparatus may further include a raisable apparatus supported by the second end of the boom and having one or more plug panels configured to connect to one or more first cables. The apparatus may also include second cables routed from the raisable apparatus and attached to and supported at least in part by the boom, wherein the second cables may be configured to provide electrical power to the raisable apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventor: Jacques Orban
  • Patent number: 10214980
    Abstract: A sensor assembly may include a housing made of a non-magnetic material. The housing may define an interior chamber. A shaft may extend from the housing. A bearing may be positioned around the shaft. An impeller may be positioned around the shaft and the bearing, and the impeller may include a magnetized portion. A sensor may be positioned within the interior chamber and/or proximate the magnetized portion. The sensor may detect the magnetized portion of the impeller to sense a rate of rotation of the impeller. The rate of rotation of the impeller may correspond to changes in flow rate of the fluid. As the flow rate of the fluid, and the rate of rotation of the impeller change in predetermined manners, control signals may be conveyed to activate a tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jacques Orban, R. Craig Boswell, Scott Richard Woolston, Jordan Dane Englund
  • Publication number: 20190054406
    Abstract: A multi-phase fluid solution measurement and gas separation system is described. The system includes a substantially vertical fluid supply pipe that introduces the multi-phase fluid solution in a steady flow having a substantially calm and steady fluid surface to a mud-gas separation unit. The mud-gas separation unit includes measurement tools such as force sensors and level sensors to allow for a rheological model of the fluid to be calculated. The system also includes components for flaring or processing gas which separates from the multi-phase solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Ashley Johnson, Jacques Orban