Patents by Inventor John S. Sladic
John S. Sladic 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).
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Publication number: 20240229610Abstract: A gravel pack assembly for a borehole has first and second joints and a foil. The basepipes of the joints connect end-to-end, and both of the basepipes have filters for filtering fluid passage from a borehole into bores of the basepipes. Transport tubes are disposed along the first and second joint, and a jumper tube expands across the connected ends of the basepipes and connects the transport tubes together. The foil encloses an area across the connected ends. The foil has an external surface defining an annulus thereabout with the borehole. The foil has end rings abutting the filters of the joints. At least a section of the foil leaks fluid from the borehole to the area enclosed by the foil, and at least a filter portion of the assembly filters the leaked fluid from the area to at least one of the first and second bores.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2024Publication date: July 11, 2024Inventors: John S. SLADIC, Stephen MCNAMEE
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Patent number: 12006800Abstract: A gravel pack assembly for a borehole has first and second joints and a foil. The basepipes of the joints connect end-to-end, and both of the basepipes have filters for filtering fluid passage from a borehole into bores of the basepipes. Transport tubes are disposed along the first and second joint, and a jumper tube expands across the connected ends of the basepipes and connects the transport tubes together. The foil encloses an area across the connected ends. The foil has an external surface defining an annulus thereabout with the borehole. The foil has end rings abutting the filters of the joints. At least a section of the foil leaks fluid from the borehole to the area enclosed by the foil, and at least a filter portion of the assembly filters the leaked fluid from the area to at least one of the first and second bores.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2020Date of Patent: June 11, 2024Assignee: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLCInventors: John S. Sladic, Stephen McNamee
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Patent number: 11634968Abstract: A well tool assembly can include a well screen configured to filter fluid flow between an interior and an exterior of a tubular string, and an outflow control section that permits the fluid flow in an outward direction and prevents the fluid flow in an inward direction, the outflow control section including at least two outflow control valves arranged in series. A method can include installing a well tool assembly including a well screen, flowing a fluid from an exterior to an interior of a tubular string through the well screen and an inflow control valve of the well tool assembly, and flowing another fluid from the interior to the exterior of the tubular string through the well screen and at least one outflow control valve of the well tool assembly.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2021Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLCInventor: John S. Sladic
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Publication number: 20210324712Abstract: A gravel pack assembly for a borehole has first and second joints and a foil. The basepipes of the joints connect end-to-end, and both of the basepipes having filters for filtering fluid passage from a borehole into bores of the basepipes. Transport tubes are disposed along the first and second joint, and a jumper tube expands across the connected ends of the basepipes and connects the transport tubes together. The foil encloses an area across the connected ends. The foil has an external surface defining an annulus thereabout with the borehole. The foil has end rings abutting the filters of the joints. At least a section of the foil leaks fluid from the borehole to the area enclosed by the foil, and at least a filter portion of the assembly filters the leaked fluid from the area to at least one of the first and second bores.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2020Publication date: October 21, 2021Inventors: John S. Sladic, Stephen McNamee
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Publication number: 20210207453Abstract: A well tool assembly can include a well screen configured to filter fluid flow between an interior and an exterior of a tubular string, and an outflow control section that permits the fluid flow in an outward direction and prevents the fluid flow in an inward direction, the outflow control section including at least two outflow control valves arranged in series. A method can include installing a well tool assembly including a well screen, flowing a fluid from an exterior to an interior of a tubular string through the well screen and an inflow control valve of the well tool assembly, and flowing another fluid from the interior to the exterior of the tubular string through the well screen and at least one outflow control valve of the well tool assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2021Publication date: July 8, 2021Inventor: John S. SLADIC
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Patent number: 10982507Abstract: A well tool assembly can include a well screen configured to filter fluid flow between an interior and an exterior of a tubular string, and an outflow control section that permits the fluid flow in an outward direction and prevents the fluid flow in an inward direction, the outflow control section including at least two outflow control valves arranged in series. A method can include installing a well tool assembly including a well screen, flowing a fluid from an exterior to an interior of a tubular string through the well screen and an inflow control valve of the well tool assembly, and flowing another fluid from the interior to the exterior of the tubular string through the well screen and at least one outflow control valve of the well tool assembly.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2019Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventor: John S. Sladic
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Publication number: 20200370395Abstract: A well tool assembly can include a well screen configured to filter fluid flow between an interior and an exterior of a tubular string, and an outflow control section that permits the fluid flow in an outward direction and prevents the fluid flow in an inward direction, the outflow control section including at least two outflow control valves arranged in series. A method can include installing a well tool assembly including a well screen, flowing a fluid from an exterior to an interior of a tubular string through the well screen and an inflow control valve of the well tool assembly, and flowing another fluid from the interior to the exterior of the tubular string through the well screen and at least one outflow control valve of the well tool assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2019Publication date: November 26, 2020Inventor: John S. SLADIC
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Patent number: 10711579Abstract: A wellscreen has a gravel pack assembly installed that can communicate slurry from a transport tube to a pack tube. A bypass has erosion resistant surfaces exposed to flow of the conveyed slurry and diverts portion of the conveyed slurry from the fluid bore of the transport tube to a tube opening, from which the pack tube extends. The bypass can be incorporated into the top ring for supporting the filter on the basepipes. A sheath of erosion resistance can be formed on or installed in a channel of the end ring to be covered by a cover.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2018Date of Patent: July 14, 2020Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: Michael J. Sessa, Stephen McNamee, John S. Sladic
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Patent number: 10465485Abstract: A wellscreen has a gravel pack assembly installed that can communicate slurry from a transport tube to a pack tube. A bypass has erosion resistant surfaces exposed to flow of the conveyed slurry and diverts portion of the conveyed slurry from the fluid bore of the transport tube to a tube opening, from which the pack tube extends. The bypass can be incorporated into the top ring for supporting the filter on the basepipes. A sheath of erosion resistance can be formed on or installed in a channel of the end ring to be covered by a cover.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2017Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: Michael J. Sessa, Stephen McNamee, John S. Sladic
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Publication number: 20190178062Abstract: An access device installs on a wellscreen joint during manufacture and allows access to one or more spaces or layers where tracer elements can be installed adjacent the joint's screen jacket (i.e., internal and/or external to the screen jacket). Portion of the access device is removable to allow installation of the tracer elements after the joint has been manufactured. With the tracer elements installed, the access device can be reassembled and locked in place. Any various mechanism can allow the access device to be partially removed, the tracer elements to be installed, and the access device to be reassembled in place. For example, an end ring holding the jacket on the basepipe can have at least one channel communicating with a space or layer for insertion of the tracer elements. A removable cover can be removed to allow access to the at least one channel and can be reattached for the wellscreen to be used downhole.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2019Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: John S. Sladic, Andrew Franklin
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Publication number: 20190145231Abstract: A wellscreen has a gravel pack assembly installed that can communicate slurry from a transport tube to a pack tube. A bypass has erosion resistant surfaces exposed to flow of the conveyed slurry and diverts portion of the conveyed slurry from the fluid bore of the transport tube to a tube opening, from which the pack tube extends. The bypass can be incorporated into the top ring for supporting the filter on the basepipes. A sheath of erosion resistance can be formed on or installed in a channel of the end ring to be covered by a cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2017Publication date: May 16, 2019Inventors: Michael J. Sessa, Stephen McNamee, John S. Sladic
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Publication number: 20190145232Abstract: A wellscreen has a gravel pack assembly installed that can communicate slurry from a transport tube to a pack tube. A bypass has erosion resistant surfaces exposed to flow of the conveyed slurry and diverts portion of the conveyed slurry from the fluid bore of the transport tube to a tube opening, from which the pack tube extends. The bypass can be incorporated into the top ring for supporting the filter on the basepipes. A sheath of erosion resistance can be formed on or installed in a channel of the end ring to be covered by a cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2018Publication date: May 16, 2019Inventors: Michael J. Sessa, Stephen McNamee, John S. Sladic
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Patent number: 10072482Abstract: Assemblies and methods pack a borehole annulus with gravel carried by a carrier fluid of a slurry. A manifold is disposed on tubing (e.g., basepipe). A number of first permeable structures in fluid communication with the manifold are disposed adjacent an impermeable (blank) section of the tubing. These first structures filter the slurry in the borehole annulus and pass the carrier fluid filtered into the manifold. A number of second permeable structures in fluid communication with the manifold are disposed adjacent a permeable (screen) section of the tubing. These second structures pass the carrier fluid from the manifold to the borehole annulus adjacent the screen section. In this way, the slurry in the blank section can be dehydrated for gravel packing by leaking of the carrier fluid to the screen section. The manifold and structures can also be beneficial in increasing the producible area of the tubing for production.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2016Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: Robert F. Hodge, Stephen McNamee, John S. Sladic
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Patent number: 9945211Abstract: A gravel pack assembly for a borehole has first and second joints and a foil. The basepipes of the joints connect end-to-end, and both of the basepipes having filters for filtering fluid passage from a borehole into bores of the basepipes. Transport tubes are disposed along the first and second joint, and a jumper tube expands across the connected ends of the basepipes and connects the transport tubes together. The foil encloses an area across the connected ends. The foil has an external surface defining an annulus thereabout with the borehole. The foil has end rings abutting the filters of the joints. At least a section of the foil leaks fluid from the borehole to the area enclosed by the foil, and at least a filter portion of the assembly filters the leaked fluid from the area to at least one of the first and second bores.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2015Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: Stephen McNamee, John S. Sladic, Stephen Reid, Andrew McGeoch, Matthew Manning, Daniel G. Purkis
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Patent number: 9938802Abstract: An apparatus for installation in a borehole comprises a well component and a sleeve. The well component has a through-bore and is permeable to the borehole. For example, the well component can be a well screen having a perforated basepipe with a filter disposed thereabout or can be a liner defining a plurality of openings therein. The sleeve is disposed external to the well component. The sleeve is at least temporarily impermeable to obstruct the well component during run in the borehole and becomes permeable in response to an agent, such as a hydrochloric acid, a hydrofluoric acid, an acid stimulation, a wellbore fluid, or a drilling fluid, for example.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2016Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: John S. Sladic, Floyd R. Simonds, Paul Day
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Patent number: 9725985Abstract: A completion joint 100 has a sand control jacket 120 and an inflow control device 130. The jacket 120 communicates screened fluid with a housing of the inflow control device 130. The basepipe's flow openings 118 are isolated in the housing from the screened fluid by flow devices 170. The flow devices 170 are externally accessible on the device's housing to selectively configure the flow devices 170 open or closed.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2012Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: Stephen McNamee, John S. Sladic
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Patent number: 9725989Abstract: A sand control device is used for restricting the flow of particles from a subsurface formation into a tubular body within a wellbore during production operations. The sand control device is divided into compartments along its length that provide redundancy for particle filtration. Each compartment first comprises a base pipe. The base pipe defines an elongated tubular body having a permeable section and an impermeable section within each compartment. Each compartment also comprises a first filtering conduit and a second filtering conduit. The filtering conduits comprise filtering media and generally circumscribe the base pipe. The filtering conduits are arranged so that the first filtering conduit is adjacent to the non-permeable section of the base pipe, while the second filtering conduit is adjacent to the permeable section of the base pipe.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2014Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Christian S. Mayer, Charles S. Yeh, David A. Howell, Pavlin B. Entchev, Eric R. Grueschow, Ted A. Long, Tracy J. Moffett, Michael D. Barry, Michael T. Hecker, John S. Sladic, Christopher A. Hall, Stephen McNamee
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Patent number: 9677383Abstract: A gravel pack apparatus for a wellbore has a shunt tube disposed along the apparatus near a wellscreen. The shunt tube is typically composed of stainless steel and has an internal passage for conducting slurry. Along its length, the tube has flow ports for passing the conducted slurry into the wellbore. The exit ports can use erosion inserts composed of erodible material, barrier inserts having breakable barriers, flow nozzles with external sheaths or caps, erosion-resistant bushings disposed on the flow nozzles, etc. The tube can also include a tube body having the exit ports and flow nozzles integrally formed thereon. The tube body can couple end-to-end with sections of shunt tube.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2014Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLCInventors: John S. Sladic, Stephen McNamee, John Broussard, Christopher A. Hall, Floyd R. Simonds
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Patent number: 9638013Abstract: A completion joint 100 has two sand control jackets 120A-B connected on each end of an intermediately-mounted inflow control device 130. Both jackets 120A-B communicate with a housing chamber 155 through dedicated open end-rings 140A-B. The basepipe's flow openings 118 are isolated from this housing chamber 155 by a sleeve 160 fitted with flow ports 170. The housing 150 is removable to allow access to the flow ports 170 for pinning to configure the ports 170 open or closed for a given implementation.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2014Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Charles S. Yeh, Tracy J. Moffett, John S. Sladic, Christopher A. Hall, Stephen McNamee
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Publication number: 20170022789Abstract: Assemblies and methods pack a borehole annulus with gravel carried by a carrier fluid of a slurry. A manifold is disposed on tubing (e.g., basepipe). A number of first permeable structures in fluid communication with the manifold are disposed adjacent an impermeable (blank) section of the tubing. These first structures filter the slurry in the borehole annulus and pass the carrier fluid filtered into the manifold. A number of second permeable structures in fluid communication with the manifold are disposed adjacent a permeable (screen) section of the tubing. These second structures pass the carrier fluid from the manifold to the borehole annulus adjacent the screen section. In this way, the slurry in the blank section can be dehydrated for gravel packing by leaking of the carrier fluid to the screen section. The manifold and structures can also be beneficial in increasing the producible area of the tubing for production.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2016Publication date: January 26, 2017Inventors: Robert F. Hodge, Stephen McNamee, John S. Sladic