Patents by Inventor Mac M. Kennedy

Mac M. Kennedy 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: 11105174
    Abstract: A blowout preventer (BOP) stack module includes a chassis core having a module frame, wherein the chassis core supports one or more submodules each configured to perform a function of a BOP stack, an underwater vehicle coupling hardware coupled to the chassis core, wherein the underwater vehicle coupling hardware couples with an underwater vehicle configured to transport and selectively couple and uncouple the BOP stack module relative to the BOP stack, and a mechanical connector coupled to the chassis core, wherein the mechanical connector couples to a stack frame of the BOP stack, and at least one port coupled to the chassis core, wherein the at least one port is a fluid port, a hydraulic port, a pneumatic port, an electrical port, or a combination thereof, wherein the at least one port couples with a corresponding port of the BOP stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Harold Daley, Mac M Kennedy, Michael Urdiales, Gerrit Kroesen
  • Patent number: 10900317
    Abstract: A blowout preventer (BOP) stack module includes a chassis core including a module frame, a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) coupling hardware coupled to the chassis core, wherein the ROV coupling hardware couples with an ROV configured to transport and selectively couple and uncouple the BOP stack module relative to a BOP stack, a mechanical connector coupled to the chassis core, wherein the mechanical connector couples to a stack frame of the BOP stack, an electrical BOP component coupled to the chassis core, wherein the electrical BOP component performs one or more electrical BOP functions of the BOP stack, and an electrical connector coupled to the chassis core and the electrical BOP component, wherein the electrical couples to a corresponding electrical connector of the BOP stack or an adjacent BOP stack module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Harold Daley, Mac M Kennedy, Michael Urdiales, Gerrit Kroesen
  • Patent number: 10822065
    Abstract: An underwater vehicle is configured to transfer a payload between a first location and a second location at a subsea structure. The underwater vehicle includes a payload support configured to support the payload and a buoyancy control system. The buoyancy control system includes at least one of an exchange weight system configured to receive one or more exchange weights when delivering the payload, a floatation system having one or more floatation devices coupled to the payload, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Harold Daley, Mac M Kennedy, Michael Urdiales, Gerrit Kroesen
  • Publication number: 20190032437
    Abstract: A blowout preventer (BOP) stack module includes a chassis core having a module frame, wherein the chassis core supports one or more submodules each configured to perform a function of a BOP stack, an underwater vehicle coupling hardware coupled to the chassis core, wherein the underwater vehicle coupling hardware couples with an underwater vehicle configured to transport and selectively couple and uncouple the BOP stack module relative to the BOP stack, and a mechanical connector coupled to the chassis core, wherein the mechanical connector couples to a stack frame of the BOP stack, and at least one port coupled to the chassis core, wherein the at least one port is a fluid port, a hydraulic port, a pneumatic port, an electrical port, or a combination thereof, wherein the at least one port couples with a corresponding port of the BOP stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: HAROLD DALEY, MAC M. KENNEDY, MICHAEL URDIALES, GERRIT KROESEN
  • Publication number: 20190031308
    Abstract: An underwater vehicle is configured to transfer a payload between a first location and a second location at a subsea structure. The underwater vehicle includes a payload support configured to support the payload and a buoyancy control system. The buoyancy control system includes at least one of an exchange weight system configured to receive one or more exchange weights when delivering the payload, a floatation system having one or more floatation devices coupled to the payload, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: HAROLD DALEY, Mac M. Kennedy, Michael Urdiales, Gerrit Kroesen
  • Publication number: 20190032436
    Abstract: A blowout preventer (BOP) stack module includes a chassis core including a module frame, a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) coupling hardware coupled to the chassis core, wherein the ROV coupling hardware couples with an ROV configured to transport and selectively couple and uncouple the BOP stack module relative to a BOP stack, a mechanical connector coupled to the chassis core, wherein the mechanical connector couples to a stack frame of the BOP stack, an electrical BOP component coupled to the chassis core, wherein the electrical BOP component performs one or more electrical BOP functions of the BOP stack, and an electrical connector coupled to the chassis core and the electrical BOP component, wherein the electrical couples to a corresponding electrical connector of the BOP stack or an adjacent BOP stack module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: HAROLD DALEY, MAC M KENNEDY, MICHAEL URDIALES, GERRIT KROESEN
  • Patent number: 9422782
    Abstract: A blowout preventer system includes a blowout preventer stack having hydraulic components. The blowout preventer stack is coupled to a lower marine riser package that includes additional hydraulic components. The lower marine riser package includes control pods that enable redundant control of the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack and the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. These control pods include frames, valves, and stack stingers that facilitate connection of the control pods to hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack, but do not include riser stingers that facilitate communication of control fluid to the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. The stack stingers extend through central apertures of bottom plates of the control pod frames and facilitate communication of control fluid from the valves to the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: David J. McWhorter, Mac M. Kennedy, Edward C. Gaude
  • Publication number: 20160201420
    Abstract: A blowout preventer system includes a blowout preventer stack having hydraulic components. The blowout preventer stack is coupled to a lower marine riser package that includes additional hydraulic components. The lower marine riser package includes control pods that enable redundant control of the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack and the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. These control pods include frames, valves, and stack stingers that facilitate connection of the control pods to hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack, but do not include riser stingers that facilitate communication of control fluid to the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. The stack stingers extend through central apertures of bottom plates of the control pod frames and facilitate communication of control fluid from the valves to the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: David J. McWhorter, Mac M. Kennedy, Edward C. Gaude
  • Patent number: 9291020
    Abstract: A blowout preventer system is provided. In one embodiment, such a system includes a blowout preventer stack including hydraulic components. The blowout preventer stack is coupled to a lower marine riser package that includes additional hydraulic components. The lower marine riser package further includes a pair of control pods that enables redundant control of the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack and the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. Still further, the lower marine riser package also includes a third control pod that enables additional redundant control of the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack and the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: David J. McWhorter, Mac M. Kennedy, Edward C. Gaude
  • Publication number: 20150198001
    Abstract: A blowout preventer system is provided. In one embodiment, such a system includes a blowout preventer stack including hydraulic components. The blowout preventer stack is coupled to a lower marine riser package that includes additional hydraulic components. The lower marine riser package further includes a pair of control pods that enables redundant control of the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack and the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. Still further, the lower marine riser package also includes a third control pod that enables additional redundant control of the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack and the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: David J. McWhorter, Mac M. Kennedy, Edward C. Gaude
  • Patent number: 8733090
    Abstract: In at least some embodiments, an apparatus includes a hydraulic directional control manifold and a plurality of electric piezopumps. The apparatus also includes an electric piezopump controller that operates the plurality of electric piezopumps in varying combinations to provide generation and directional control of hydraulic power to linear hydraulic actuators using localized closed-loop hydraulic fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Don Coonrod, Melvyn F. Whitby, Gerrit M. Kroesen, Ronald W. Webb, Mac M. Kennedy, Katherine Harvey, David Gonzalez, Thomas M. Bell, James W. Wilkirson
  • Patent number: 8578970
    Abstract: A pressure-compensated accumulator bottle is provided. In one embodiment, the accumulator bottle includes a housing and an interior wall that generally define first, second, and third chambers within the housing. In this embodiment, a spring is disposed in the second chamber and configured to apply a biasing force on a first piston disposed within the first chamber. Further, in this embodiment, an additional piston is disposed within the third chamber and is configured to facilitate balancing of the pressure of a fluid disposed in the second chamber with the pressure of the external environment such that the magnitude of a second biasing force applied on the first piston by the pressure of the fluid depends at least in part on the pressure of the external environment. Hydraulic circuits and systems including a pressure-compensated accumulator bottle are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Mac M. Kennedy, Scott D. Ward, Thomas M. Bell
  • Publication number: 20120305120
    Abstract: A pressure-compensated accumulator bottle is provided. In one embodiment, the accumulator bottle includes a housing and an interior wall that generally define first, second, and third chambers within the housing. In this embodiment, a spring is disposed in the second chamber and configured to apply a biasing force on a first piston disposed within the first chamber. Further, in this embodiment, an additional piston is disposed within the third chamber and is configured to facilitate balancing of the pressure of a fluid disposed in the second chamber with the pressure of the external environment such that the magnitude of a second biasing force applied on the first piston by the pressure of the fluid depends at least in part on the pressure of the external environment. Hydraulic circuits and systems including a pressure-compensated accumulator bottle are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mac M. Kennedy, Scott D. Ward, Thomas M. Bell
  • Patent number: 8291938
    Abstract: A pressure-compensated accumulator bottle is provided. In one embodiment, the accumulator bottle includes a housing and an interior wall that generally define first, second, and third chambers within the housing. In this embodiment, a spring is disposed in the second chamber and configured to apply a biasing force on a first piston disposed within the first chamber. Further, in this embodiment, an additional piston is disposed within the third chamber and is configured to facilitate balancing of the pressure of a fluid disposed in the second chamber with the pressure of the external environment such that the magnitude of a second biasing force applied on the first piston by the pressure of the fluid depends at least in part on the pressure of the external environment. Hydraulic circuits and systems including a pressure-compensated accumulator bottle are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Mac M. Kennedy, Scott D. Ward, Thomas M. Bell
  • Publication number: 20110302911
    Abstract: In at least some embodiments, an apparatus includes a hydraulic directional control manifold and a plurality of electric piezopumps. The apparatus also includes an electric piezopump controller that operates the plurality of electric piezopumps in varying combinations to provide generation and directional control of hydraulic power to linear hydraulic actuators using localized closed-loop hydraulic fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Don Coonrod, Melvyn F. Whitby, Gerrit M. Kroesen, Ronald W. Webb, Mac M. Kennedy, Katherine Harvey, David Gonzalez, Thomas M. Bell, James W. Wilkirson
  • Publication number: 20100206389
    Abstract: A pressure-compensated accumulator bottle is provided. In one embodiment, the accumulator bottle includes a housing and an interior wall that generally define first, second, and third chambers within the housing. In this embodiment, a spring is disposed in the second chamber and configured to apply a biasing force on a first piston disposed within the first chamber. Further, in this embodiment, an additional piston is disposed within the third chamber and is configured to facilitate balancing of the pressure of a fluid disposed in the second chamber with the pressure of the external environment such that the magnitude of a second biasing force applied on the first piston by the pressure of the fluid depends at least in part on the pressure of the external environment. Hydraulic circuits and systems including a pressure-compensated accumulator bottle are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mac M. Kennedy, Scott D. Ward, Thomas M. Bell