Patents by Inventor Randy C. Tolman

Randy C. Tolman 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).

  • Publication number: 20180135383
    Abstract: Pump-through standing valves, wells including the pump-through standing valves, and methods of utilizing a pump-through standing valve to deploy a downhole device are disclosed herein. The pump-through standing valves include a valve body, a standing valve at least partially formed within the valve body, and a flow-through valve at least partially formed within the valve body. The standing valve includes a standing valve fluid conduit and a standing valve flow control device. The flow-through valve includes a flow-through valve fluid conduit and a flow-through valve flow control device. The wells include a wellbore, which extends within a subterranean formation, a wellbore tubular, which extends within the wellbore, and the pump-through standing valve, which is operatively attached to the wellbore tubular.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Randy C. Tolman
  • Publication number: 20180135381
    Abstract: Autonomously conveyable and actuatable wellbore completion tool assemblies and methods for using the same, comprising: an onboard controller and location sensing device, a plurality of adaptable perforation sealing devices comprising a primary sealing portion and at least one secondary sealing portion extending radially outward from the primary sealing portion to form a secondary seal in the perforation; an autonomously actuatable transport member for supporting the plurality of adaptable sealing devices during conveyance of the tool assembly within the wellbore, and an on-board controller configured to send an actuation signal to actuate at least release of the plurality of adaptable perforation sealing devices from the transport member, wherein the tool assembly comprises a friable material and self-destructs within the wellbore in response to a signal from the on-board controller that affects self-destruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Randy C Tolman, Timothy G. Benish
  • Publication number: 20180135398
    Abstract: A tool assembly for performing a wellbore operation including an actuatable tool, a location device, and on-board controller are together dimensioned and arranged to be deployed in the wellbore as an autonomous unit. The actuatable tool, such as a perforating gun having associated charges, perforates a wellbore along a selected zone of interest. The location device, such as casing collar locator, senses the location of the actuatable tool based on a physical signature provided along the wellbore. The on-board controller or micro-processor is configured to send an activation signal to the actuatable tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the tool based on the physical signature. The tool assembly further includes a multi-gate safety system. The safety system prevents premature activation of the actuatable tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Pavlin B. Entchev, Renzo M. Angeles Boza, George R. King, Robert C. Stanton, Elton Winemiller, Randy C. Tolman, Peter W. Sauermilch, Jason Z. Gahr
  • Patent number: 9970261
    Abstract: Flow control assemblies for downhole operations and systems and methods including the same are disclosed herein. The systems include a flow control assembly that is configured to control a fluid flow between a casing conduit and a subterranean formation. The flow control assembly includes a housing that includes a housing body that defines at least a portion of the casing conduit. The housing also includes an injection conduit, which extends between the casing conduit and the subterranean formation, and a ball sealer seat, which defines a portion of the injection conduit. The flow control assembly further includes a hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve that controls a fluid flow through the injection conduit. The methods include pressurizing a portion of the casing conduit, transitioning the hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve from a closed configuration to an open configuration, stimulating the subterranean formation, and receiving a ball sealer on the ball sealer seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, Timothy G. Benish, Geoffrey F. Steiner
  • Patent number: 9963960
    Abstract: Methods for stimulating a subterranean formation comprising providing a stimulating fluid stream to a casing conduit that is defined by a production casing that extends within the subterranean formation to increase a fluid pressure within the casing conduit. The methods further include locating an isolation device on an isolation sleeve to fluidly isolate a downhole portion of the casing conduit from an uphole portion of the casing conduit and opening an injection port that is associated with the isolation sleeve to permit an injection port fluid flow into the subterranean formation. The methods also include sealing the injection port and creating an uphole perforation in the uphole longitudinal section of the production casing responsive to the fluid pressure exceeding the threshold perforating pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, Timothy G. Benish, Geoffrey Steiner, Kris J. Nygaard
  • Patent number: 9963955
    Abstract: Autonomous units and methods for downhole, multi-zone perforation and fracture stimulation for hydrocarbon production. The autonomous unit may be a perforating gun assembly, a bridge plug assembly, or fracturing plug assembly. The autonomous units are dimensioned and arranged to be deployed within a wellbore without an electric wireline. The autonomous units may be fabricated from a friable material so as to self-destruct upon receiving a signal. The autonomous units include a position locator for sensing the presence of objects along the wellbore and generating depth signals in response. The autonomous units also include an on-board controller for processing the depth signals and for activating an actuatable tool at a zone of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, Pavlin B. Entchev, Renzo M. Angeles Boza, Dennis H. Petrie, Kevin H. Searles, Abdel Wadood M. El-Rabaa
  • Patent number: 9945208
    Abstract: Flow control assemblies comprise a housing that includes a housing body that defines a housing conduit, an injection conduit that extends through the housing body, and a ball sealer seat. The ball sealer seat defines a portion of the injection conduit, is defined on an inner surface of the housing, and is sized to receive a ball sealer to restrict fluid flow from the casing conduit through the injection conduit. The flow control assemblies further include a sliding sleeve that is located within the housing conduit and defines an isolation ball seat. The flow control assemblies also include a retention structure that is configured to retain the sliding sleeve in a first configuration and to selectively permit the sliding sleeve to transition from the first configuration to a second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, Timothy G. Benish, Geoffrey F. Steiner
  • Patent number: 9945218
    Abstract: The well includes a wellbore with a casing string that extends within the wellbore, defining a casing conduit including existing perforations. A re-completion liner extends within the casing conduit and defines a liner conduit therein, and an annular space extends between the re-completion liner and the casing string. Systems and methods include perforating the re-completion liner to create liner perforations and perforating the casing string to create re-completion perforations that are generally aligned with respective liner perforations, stimulating the subterranean formation by flowing a completing fluid through the plurality of liner perforations and re-completion perforations, controlling flow of a fluid within the annular space, and/or producing a reservoir fluid from the subterranean formation and through both the existing perforations and the re-completion perforations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, Renzo M. Angeles Boza, Kris J. Nygaard, Christian Mayer, Abdel Wadood M. El-Rabaa
  • Publication number: 20180058191
    Abstract: A real-time system for monitoring plunger properties in a gas producing well is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Randy C. Tolman, Timothy I. Morrow
  • Patent number: 9903192
    Abstract: A tool assembly for performing a wellbore operation including an actuatable tool, a location device, and on-board controller are together dimensioned and arranged to be deployed in the wellbore as an autonomous unit. The actuatable tool, such as a perforating gun having associated charges, perforates a wellbore along a selected zone of interest. The location device, such as casing collar locator, senses the location of the actuatable tool based on a physical signature provided along the wellbore. The on-board controller or micro-processor is configured to send an activation signal to the actuatable tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the tool based on the physical signature. The tool assembly further includes a multi-gate safety system. The safety system prevents premature activation of the actuatable tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Pavlin B. Entchev, Renzo M. Angeles Boza, George R. King, Robert C. Stanton, Elton Winemiller, Randy C. Tolman, Peter W. Sauermilch, Jason Z. Gahr
  • Patent number: 9869164
    Abstract: A system for removing liquids from an inclined wellbore includes a plug member positioned within a heel section of the inclined wellbore, the plug member including an orifice therethrough; a first tubular member having a first end for providing fluid flow from the first portion of the wellbore to the second portion of the wellbore, a second end positioned at least partially within the second portion of the wellbore and providing fluid flow from the first portion of the wellbore to the second portion of the wellbore; a second tubular member positioned within the second portion of the wellbore, the second tubular member having a first end for receiving fluid from the second portion of the wellbore, the second end positioned adjacent the surface of the inclined wellbore; and a pump for pumping fluid from the second tubular member to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, Federico A. Tavarez
  • Publication number: 20170314372
    Abstract: Autonomous tools for use in tubular members associated with managing hydrocarbons. The autonomous tools are at least partially fabricated from a dissolvable material, which is configured to dissolve in the fluid within the tubular member. The autonomous tool includes one or more components that determine the location of the autonomous tool within the tubular member and actuate the actuatable tool component once a predetermined or selected location has been reached within the tubular member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, Timothy I. Morrow, Timothy F. Kinn, P. Matthew Spiecker
  • Patent number: 9790762
    Abstract: Corrodible wellbore plugs, systems and methods are disclosed herein. The methods include flowing a corrodible wellbore plug that is at least partially formed from a corrodible metal to a downhole location within a wellbore conduit and retaining the corrodible wellbore plug at the downhole location by operatively engaging an engagement structure with a wellbore tubular that defines the wellbore conduit. The methods include pressurizing a portion of the wellbore conduit uphole from the corrodible wellbore plug and flowing a corrosive reservoir fluid from the subterranean formation into contact with the corrodible metal to release the corrodible wellbore plug from the downhole location. The methods also may include removing the wellbore plug without utilizing a drill-out process. The systems include a corrodible wellbore plug that includes a plug body and a retention mechanism, which includes a slip ring formed from the corrodible metal and that includes the engagement structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, Timothy J. Hall
  • Patent number: 9765592
    Abstract: Systems and methods for secondary sealing of a perforation present within a wellbore casing associated with a primary sealing agent. The wellbore casing defines a casing conduit present within a wellbore that extends between a surface region and a subterranean formation. The systems and methods include a sealing apparatus that retains a charge of sealing material with a secondary sealing agent and is conveyed within the casing conduit to within a threshold distance of the perforation. The systems and methods further include selectively releasing the charge of sealing material from the sealing apparatus, such as by a release mechanism, to deliver the charge of sealing material to the perforation, to supplement the primary sealing agent (and/or a seal formed thereby), and/or to decrease a flow rate of a fluid from the casing conduit through the perforation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, Renzo M. Angeles Boza, Kris J. Nygaard, Christian S. Mayer, Pavlin B. Entchev
  • Publication number: 20170183945
    Abstract: A plunger apparatus, comprising: a plunger body able to travel within the tubular string; a flow channel through the plunger body; an actuatable external seal assembly operatively provided on or within an outer surface of the plunger body; and a plug mechanism mechanically integrated with the plunger body and reversibly moveable between a closed position and an open position with respect to the plunger body and flow channel, the open position configured to permit the passage of a continuous water slug past the plug mechanism and through the flow channel; and wherein the actuatable external seal assembly is actuated between the deployed position when the plug mechanism is operatively in the closed position and the retracted position when the plug mechanism is operatively in the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, Nicholas R. Ainsworth, Michael C. Romer, Timothy J. Hall
  • Publication number: 20170183946
    Abstract: A method of removing a liquid from a wellbore with a plunger, comprising: flowing a wellbore fluid stream in contact with the plunger and in an uphole direction within the wellbore conduit, wherein the plunger is located within a downhole region of the wellbore conduit and includes an actuatable external seal assembly operable between a retracted position in a low fluid drag state and a deployed position in a high fluid drag state; maintaining the plunger in a low fluid drag state while a variable associated with the wellbore fluid stream is outside a threshold range to permit the plunger to remain within the target region of the wellbore conduit during the flowing; transitioning the external seal assembly to a high fluid drag state responsive to the variable associated with the wellbore fluid stream being within the threshold range and thereby conveying the plunger and liquid in the uphole direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, Nicholas R. Ainsworth, Michael C. Romer, Timothy J. Hall
  • Publication number: 20170167229
    Abstract: A method of disposing of fluids produced from a wellbore extending into a subsurface formation, the subsurface formation having a production zone and a disposal zone, at least a portion of the wellbore lined with a string of production casing. The method includes placing a wellbore tubular conduit within the casing; placing a pump in fluid communication with the wellbore tubular conduit, the pump having an inlet and a discharge, the inlet in fluid communication with a source of produced fluids; and injecting the produced fluids through a plurality of perforations positioned about the casing into a disposal zone of the subsurface formation. A system for disposing of fluids produced from a wellbore extending into a subsurface formation is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, Michael C. Romer
  • Publication number: 20170167237
    Abstract: Disclosed techniques include a method of removing wellbore liquid from a wellbore that extends within a subterranean formation, comprising positioning a pump downhole in the wellbore, electrically powering the pump, expanding and contracting a membrane by pumping a fluid with the pump, wherein expanding and contracting the membrane creates a pressure for removing the wellbore liquid from the well, and removing the wellbore liquid from the well using the pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Randy C. Tolman, Louis-Claude Porel, Francois Ramon Leon Porel
  • Publication number: 20170159419
    Abstract: Selective stimulation ports (SSPs), wellbore tubulars that include the SSPs, and methods of operating the same are disclosed herein. The SSPs are configured to be operatively attached to a wellbore tubular and include an SSP body, an isolation device extending within an SSP conduit of the SSP body, a retention device coupling the isolation device to the SSP body, and a sealing device seat. The isolation device is configured to selectively transition from a closed state to an open state responsive to a shockwave, which has greater than a threshold shockwave intensity, within a wellbore fluid that extends within a tubular conduit of the wellbore tubular. The methods include generating the shockwave within the wellbore fluid such that the shockwave has greater than the threshold shockwave intensity. The methods further include transitioning the isolation device from the closed state to the open state responsive to receipt of the shockwave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Randy C. TOLMAN, P. Matthew Spiecker, Steve Lonnes, Timothy J. Hall
  • Publication number: 20170159407
    Abstract: Selective stimulation ports including sealing device retainers and methods of utilizing the same are disclosed herein. The selective stimulation ports (SSPs) are configured to be operatively attached to a wellbore tubular that defines a tubular conduit. The SSPs include an SSP conduit, which extends at least substantially perpendicular to a wall of the wellbore tubular, and a sealing device receptacle, which defines at least a portion of the SSP conduit and is sized to receive a sealing device. The SSPs also include a sealing device seat, which is shaped to form a fluid seal with the sealing device. The SSPs further include a sealing device retainer, which is configured to retain the sealing device within the sealing device receptacle. The methods include methods of stimulating the hydrocarbon well utilizing the SSPs and/or methods of conveying a downhole tool within the hydrocarbon well utilizing the SSPs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Randy C. TOLMAN, P. Matthew Spiecker, Steve Lonnes, Timothy J. Hall