Patents by Inventor Michael Charles Sheppard
Michael Charles Sheppard 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: 8763726Abstract: The present specification describes a drill bit for drilling a cavity. The drill bit may include a chassis, a plurality of gauge pad sets, and at least one gauge pad structure. The chassis may be configured to rotate about an axis. The plurality of gauge pad sets may each include at least one gauge pad. The at least one gauge pad structure may moveably couple at least one of the gauge pads of at least one of the plurality of gauge pad sets with the chassis.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2008Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Ashley Bernard Johnson, Michael Charles Sheppard, Geoff Downton
-
Patent number: 8720604Abstract: A drill bit direction system and method is disclosed that modifies or biases the stochastic movement of the drill bit to change a drilling direction of a drilling system. The direction of the drill bit is monitored to determine if the direction happens to align in some way with a preferred direction. If the direction isn't close enough to a preferred or desired direction, stochastic motion of the drill bit in the borehole may be controlled and/or motion of the drill bit under a side force acting on the drill bit to direct the drilling may be focused or biased to modify the direction of drilling closer to the preferred direction. Any of a number of stochastic motion control mechanisms or biasing mechanisms can be used. Some embodiments can resort to conventional steering mechanisms to supplement the stochastic motion control or side force biasing mechanisms.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2008Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Michael Charles Sheppard, Ashley Bernard Johnson, Geoff Downton
-
Patent number: 8720605Abstract: This disclosure relates in general to a method and a system for directionally drilling a borehole with a rotary drilling system. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, methods and system provide for controlling motion of the rotary drilling system in the borehole when a side force is applied to the drilling system to bias or focus the motion so that the drilling system directionally drills the borehole through an earth formation. In certain aspects, side cutting of a sidewall of the borehole by a drill bit under an applied side force is controlled by a geostationary element to provide for directional side cutting and, as a result, directional drilling of the borehole through the earth formation. In other aspects, a non-concentrically coupled gauge pad assembly may rotate with the drilling system and bias or focus the applied side force.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2011Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Michael Charles Sheppard, Ashley Bernard Johnson, Geoff Downton
-
Patent number: 8550185Abstract: A drill bit direction system and method is disclosed that modifies or biases the stochastic movement of the drill bit and/or stochastic interactions between the drill bit and an inner-wall of a borehole being drilled by a drilling system to change the direction of drilling of the drilling system. The direction of the drill bit is monitored to determine if the direction happens to align in some way with a preferred direction. If the direction isn't close enough to a preferred direction, a biasing mechanism modifies the stochastic movement in an attempt to modify the direction closer to the preferred direction. Any of a number of biasing mechanisms can be used. Some embodiments can resort to conventional steering mechanisms to supplement the biasing mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2011Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Ashley Bernard Johnson, Michael Charles Sheppard, Geoff Downton
-
Patent number: 8534380Abstract: This disclosure relates in general to a method and a system for directionally drilling a borehole with a rotary drilling system. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, methods and system provide for controlling motion of the rotary drilling system in the borehole when a side force is applied to the drilling system to bias or focus the motion so that the drilling system directionally drills the borehole through an earth formation. In certain aspects, side cutting of a sidewall of the borehole by a drill bit under an applied side force is controlled by a geostationary element to provide for directional side cutting and, as a result, directional drilling of the borehole through the earth formation. In other aspects, a non-concentrically coupled gauge pad assembly may rotate with the drilling system and bias or focus the applied side force.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2008Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Michael Charles Sheppard, Ashley Bernard Johnson, Geoff Downton
-
Patent number: 8245775Abstract: A subpart of a drill string is described having an outer circumferential surface which is contoured and adapted to engage the wall of the borehole with a small angle of attack while exerting during rotary drilling operations an compacting pressure on mud cake and/or cuttings present in the annulus between the drill string and the borehole.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2010Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Iain Cooper, Claude Vercaemer, William Lesso, Benjamin Peter Jeffryes, Michael Charles Sheppard
-
Publication number: 20120090897Abstract: A drill bit direction system and method is disclosed that modifies or biases the stochastic movement of the drill bit and/or stochastic interactions between the drill bit and an inner-wall of a borehole being drilled by a drilling system to change the direction of drilling of the drilling system. The direction of the drill bit is monitored to determine if the direction happens to align in some way with a preferred direction. If the direction isn't close enough to a preferred direction, a biasing mechanism modifies the stochastic movement in an attempt to modify the direction closer to the preferred direction. Any of a number of biasing mechanisms can be used. Some embodiments can resort to conventional steering mechanisms to supplement the biasing mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2011Publication date: April 19, 2012Inventors: Ashley Bernard Johnson, Michael Charles Sheppard, Geoff Downton
-
Publication number: 20120080235Abstract: This disclosure relates in general to a method and a system for directionally drilling a borehole with a rotary drilling system. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, methods and system provide for controlling motion of the rotary drilling system in the borehole when a side force is applied to the drilling system to bias or focus the motion so that the drilling system directionally drills the borehole through an earth formation. In certain aspects, side cutting of a sidewall of the borehole by a drill bit under an applied side force is controlled by a geostationary element to provide for directional side cutting and, as a result, directional drilling of the borehole through the earth formation. In other aspects, a non-concentrically coupled gauge pad assembly may rotate with the drilling system and bias or focus the applied side force.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Inventors: MICHAEL CHARLES SHEPPARD, ASHLEY BERNARD JOHNSON, GEOFF DOWNTON
-
Patent number: 8066085Abstract: A drill bit direction system and method is disclosed that modifies or biases the stochastic movement of the drill bit and/or stochastic interactions between the drill bit and an inner-wall of a borehole being drilled by a drilling system to change the direction of drilling of the drilling system. The direction of the drill bit is monitored to determine if the direction happens to align in some way with a preferred direction. If the direction isn't close enough to a preferred direction, a biasing mechanism modifies the stochastic movement in an attempt to modify the direction closer to the preferred direction. Any of a number of biasing mechanisms can be used. Some embodiments can resort to conventional steering mechanisms to supplement the biasing mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2008Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Ashley Bernard Johnson, Michael Charles Sheppard, Geoff Downton
-
Publication number: 20100319998Abstract: A subpart of a drill string is described having an outer circumferential surface which is contoured and adapted to engage the wall of the borehole with a small angle of attack while exerting during rotary drilling operations an compacting pressure on mud cake and/or cuttings present in the annulus between the drill string and the borehole.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2010Publication date: December 23, 2010Inventors: Iain Cooper, Claude Vercaemer, William Lesso, Benjamin Peter Jeffryes, Michael Charles Sheppard
-
Patent number: 7810559Abstract: A subpart of a drill string is described having an outer circumferential surface which is contoured and adapted to engage the wall of the borehole with a small angle of attack while exerting during rotary drilling operations an compacting pressure on mud cake and/or cuttings present in the annulus between the drill string and the borehole.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2008Date of Patent: October 12, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Iain Cooper, Claude Vercaemer, William Lesso, Benjamin Peter Jeffryes, Michael Charles Sheppard
-
Publication number: 20090071722Abstract: A subpart of a drill string is described having an outer circumferential surface which is contoured and adapted to engage the wall of the borehole with a small angle of attack while exerting during rotary drilling operations an compacting pressure on mud cake and/or cuttings present in the annulus between the drill string and the borehole.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2008Publication date: March 19, 2009Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Iain Cooper, Claude Vercaemer, William Lesso, Benjamin Peter Jeffryes, Michael Charles Sheppard
-
Patent number: 7493948Abstract: The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and methods for improving the stability of a wellbore during drilling operations using a rotary drill string. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for enhancing the performance of the filter or mud cake layer on the wall of the wellbore as a protective and isolating layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2003Date of Patent: February 24, 2009Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Iain Cooper, Claude Vercaemer, William Lesso, Benjamin Peter Jeffryes, Michael Charles Sheppard
-
Publication number: 20090044980Abstract: This disclosure relates in general to a method and a system for directionally drilling a borehole with a rotary drilling system. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, methods and system provide for controlling motion of the rotary drilling system in the borehole when a side force is applied to the drilling system to bias or focus the motion so that the drilling system directionally drills the borehole through an earth formation. In certain aspects, side cutting of a sidewall of the borehole by a drill bit under an applied side force is controlled by a geostationary element to provide for directional side cutting and, as a result, directional drilling of the borehole through the earth formation. In other aspects, a non-concentrically coupled gauge pad assembly may rotate with the drilling system and bias or focus the applied side force.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2008Publication date: February 19, 2009Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Michael Charles Sheppard, Ashley Bernard Johnson, Geoff Downton
-
Publication number: 20090044981Abstract: A drill bit direction system and method is disclosed that modifies or biases the stochastic movement of the drill bit to change a drilling direction of a drilling system. The direction of the drill bit is monitored to determine if the direction happens to align in some way with a preferred direction. If the direction isn't close enough to a preferred or desired direction, stochastic motion of the drill bit in the borehole may be controlled and/or motion of the drill bit under a side force acting on the drill bit to direct the drilling may be focused or biased to modify the direction of drilling closer to the preferred direction. Any of a number of stochastic motion control mechanisms or biasing mechanisms can be used. Some embodiments can resort to conventional steering mechanisms to supplement the stochastic motion control or side force biasing mechanisms.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2008Publication date: February 19, 2009Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Michael Charles Sheppard, Ashley Bernard Johnson, Geoff Downton
-
Publication number: 20090044979Abstract: The present specification describes a drill bit for drilling a cavity. The drill bit may include a chassis, a plurality of gauge pad sets, and at least one gauge pad structure. The chassis may be configured to rotate about an axis. The plurality of gauge pad sets may each include at least one gauge pad. The at least one gauge pad structure may moveably couple at least one of the gauge pads of at least one of the plurality of gauge pad sets with the chassis.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2008Publication date: February 19, 2009Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Ashley Bernard Johnson, Michael Charles Sheppard, Geoff Downton
-
Publication number: 20090044978Abstract: A drill bit direction system and method is disclosed that modifies or biases the stochastic movement of the drill bit and/or stochastic interactions between the drill bit and an inner-wall of a borehole being drilled by a drilling system to change the direction of drilling of the drilling system. The direction of the drill bit is monitored to determine if the direction happens to align in some way with a preferred direction. If the direction isn't close enough to a preferred direction, a biasing mechanism modifies the stochastic movement in an attempt to modify the direction closer to the preferred direction. Any of a number of biasing mechanisms can be used. Some embodiments can resort to conventional steering mechanisms to supplement the biasing mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2008Publication date: February 19, 2009Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Ashley Bernard Johnson, Michael Charles Sheppard, Geoff Downton
-
Patent number: 6971265Abstract: A sensing apparatus is provided for use downhole, comprising a housing and sensing means with the housing containing a plurality of separable elements to which data acquired by the sensing means is transferred. The separable elements are releasable from the housing to convey the acquired data to surface. The separable elements have a spherical outer casing of around 1 to 10 cm diameter which surrounds a memory chip. The casing has a sealable aperture so that electrical connection to the chip can be established within the housing.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2000Date of Patent: December 6, 2005Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Michael Charles Sheppard, Thomas Harvey Zimmerman