Patents by Inventor Kevin R. Plunkett

Kevin R. Plunkett 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: 8534317
    Abstract: A barrier valve has an equalizing feature for the ball or plug when in the closed position before it is opened. A hydraulic open and a close line are connected to a housing so that they can move a piston in opposed directions. The piston ends are sealed and the exterior of the piston is tapered to push one or more bypass valves open to connect tubing pressure across the ball when ramped off its seat. Pressure on the main hydraulic line to close the ball reverses the piston movement and allows a spring bias to close the bypass valve or valves. The equalizing system can be integrated into the barrier valve housing or can be separate as a retrofit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Kevin R. Plunkett, Robert J. Dyer
  • Patent number: 8534361
    Abstract: A downhole valve that operates on turning of a member having a passage through it with a control system also features a passage from above an uphole seat for the member which communicates to the isolated passage within the member when the valve is closed. The passage features a check valve assembly that preferably has redundant sealing features and filters to prevent debris entry. Pressure applied from above the closed member gets through the check valve assembly to equalize the higher pressure below the ball with the pressure raised in the ball from pressure application at the surface. Removal of the applied pressure reseats the check valve or valves to allow the hydraulic system to rotate the member while the member is no longer subject to a high differential pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Kevin R. Plunkett, Mark S. Megill
  • Patent number: 8371375
    Abstract: A unique landing nipple has spaced control line connections and external control lines running from the surface to those connections. A hydraulic barrier valve, such as a ball valve, is run in to a predetermined landing nipple and latched in position where the control line connections are in the right locations to operate the valve. A landing nipple with a latching groove alone can be used with a wireline run barrier valve to latch it into position at the desired location. A shifting tool is used to operate the mechanically actuated valve. More than one valve can be positioned or used in the string at a time or the same valve can also be positioned at different landing nipples at different times to meet the production needs of the well operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald J. Garr, Kevin R. Plunkett
  • Patent number: 8261835
    Abstract: A downhole tool is hydraulically actuated through a control system that features rod piston(s) that are double acting. The piston bore is in a single housing component with an annular cavity that provides access to all piston bores to move the pistons in a first direction. The housing component that has the piston bore also includes an internal sleeve in a passage in the housing. A second control system connection communicates with a sealed annular space defined between the sleeve and the passage wall that holds the sleeve. A series of radial ports communicate from the annular space into each piston bore on the opposite side of each piston from the annular cavity so that each piston is double acting with a bore in a single housing component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Kevin R. Plunkett, John D. Lindemann
  • Publication number: 20120012327
    Abstract: A barrier valve has an equalizing feature for the ball or plug when in the closed position before it is opened. A hydraulic open and a close line are connected to a housing so that they can move a piston in opposed directions. The piston ends are sealed and the exterior of the piston is tapered to push one or more bypass valves open to connect tubing pressure across the ball when ramped off its seat. Pressure on the main hydraulic line to close the ball reverses the piston movement and allows a spring bias to close the bypass valve or valves. The equalizing system can be integrated into the barrier valve housing or can be separate as a retrofit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kevin R. Plunkett, Robert J. Dyer
  • Publication number: 20110139437
    Abstract: A unique landing nipple has spaced control line connections and external control lines running from the surface to those connections. A hydraulic barrier valve, such as a ball valve, is run in to a predetermined landing nipple and latched in position where the control line connections are in the right locations to operate the valve. A landing nipple with a latching groove alone can be used with a wireline run barrier valve to latch it into position at the desired location. A shifting tool is used to operate the mechanically actuated valve. More than one valve can be positioned or used in the string at a time or the same valve can also be positioned at different landing nipples at different times to meet the production needs of the well operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald J. Garr, Kevin R. Plunkett
  • Publication number: 20110132614
    Abstract: A unique landing nipple has spaced control line connections and external control lines running from the surface to those connections. A hydraulic barrier valve, such as a ball valve, is run in to a predetermined landing nipple and latched in position where the control line connections are in the right locations to operate the valve. A landing nipple with a latching groove alone can be used with a wireline run barrier valve to latch it into position at the desired location. A shifting tool is used to operate the mechanically actuated valve. More than one valve can be positioned or used in the string at a time or the same valve can also be positioned at different landing nipples at different times to meet the production needs of the well operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald J. Garr, Kevin R. Plunkett
  • Publication number: 20110079394
    Abstract: A downhole valve that operates on turning of a member having a passage through it with a control system also features a passage from above an uphole seat for the member which communicates to the isolated passage within the member when the valve is closed. The passage features a check valve assembly that preferably has redundant sealing features and filters to prevent debris entry. Pressure applied from above the closed member gets through the check valve assembly to equalize the higher pressure below the ball with the pressure raised in the ball from pressure application at the surface. Removal of the applied pressure reseats the check valve or valves to allow the hydraulic system to rotate the member while the member is no longer subject to a high differential pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Inventors: Kevin R. Plunkett, Mark S. Megill
  • Publication number: 20100314120
    Abstract: A downhole tool is hydraulically actuated through a control system that features rod piston(s) that are double acting. The piston bore is in a single housing component with an annular cavity that provides access to all piston bores to move the pistons in a first direction. The housing component that has the piston bore also includes an internal sleeve in a passage in the housing. A second control system connection communicates with a sealed annular space defined between the sleeve and the passage wall that holds the sleeve. A series of radial ports communicate from the annular space into each piston bore on the opposite side of each piston from the annular cavity so that each piston is double acting with a bore in a single housing component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Kevin R. Plunkett, John D. Lindemann