Patents by Inventor Richard Lee Giroux

Richard Lee Giroux 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: 11773666
    Abstract: A float valve is used in a tubular having a through-bore for flow. The tubular can be a casing joint, a casing pup joint, a housing or a shell of a float collar/shoe, or other tubular element. A sleeve of drillable material is expanded inside the tubular. Sealing and/or anchor elements on the exterior of the sleeve can engage inside the tubular. Caps composed of drillable material are disposed on ends of the sleeve and have passages connected to ends of a flow tube. The flow tub is also composed of drillable material and has a bore therethrough for flow. A valve composed of drillable material is disposed in the passage of one of the caps and is configured to control the flow in the tubing through the flow tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Lee Giroux
  • Patent number: 11713646
    Abstract: A stage cementing system includes a stage cementing assembly having a stage tool. The stage tool has an outer mandrel, an inner mandrel coupled to and disposed inside of the outer mandrel, an annular chamber between the outer mandrel and the inner mandrel, a first outer port through the outer mandrel, and longitudinally spaced first and second inner ports through the inner mandrel. The stage cementing system further includes an inner string assembly configured to be located inside the inner mandrel. The inner string assembly has a tubular body having a central throughbore and longitudinally spaced first and second side ports, a lower external seal element below the first and second side ports, a middle external seal element between the first and second side ports, and an upper external seal element above the first and second side ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Lee Giroux, Jeffery Morrison, Jobby T. Jacob
  • Patent number: 11634972
    Abstract: A catcher for use in a wellbore includes a housing and an insert disposed within the housing. A method of using the catcher includes disintegrating at least a portion of the insert while the insert is held rotationally stationary with respect to the housing by a taper connection between the insert and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Lee Giroux, Rohit Joshi, Joshua Vernon Symms, Ryan Bacsik
  • Publication number: 20230101467
    Abstract: A float valve is used in a tubular having a through-bore for flow. The tubular can be a casing joint, a casing pup joint, a housing or a shell of a float collar/shoe, or other tubular element. A sleeve of drillable material is expanded inside the tubular. Sealing and/or anchor elements on the exterior of the sleeve can engage inside the tubular. Caps composed of drillable material are disposed on ends of the sleeve and have passages connected to ends of a flow tube. The flow tub is also composed of drillable material and has a bore therethrough for flow. A valve composed of drillable material is disposed in the passage of one of the caps and is configured to control the flow in the tubing through the flow tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventor: Richard Lee GIROUX
  • Patent number: 11542781
    Abstract: A float valve is used in a tubular having a through-bore for flow. The tubular can be a casing joint, a casing pup joint, a housing or a shell of a float collar/shoe, or other tubular element. A sleeve of drillable material is expanded inside the tubular. Sealing and/or anchor elements on the exterior of the sleeve can engage inside the tubular. Caps composed of drillable material are disposed on ends of the sleeve and have passages connected to ends of a flow tube. The flow tub is also composed of drillable material and has a bore therethrough for flow. A valve composed of drillable material is disposed in the passage of one of the caps and is configured to control the flow in the tubing through the flow tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Lee Giroux
  • Publication number: 20220259946
    Abstract: A catcher for use in a wellbore includes a housing and an insert disposed within the housing. A method of using the catcher includes disintegrating at least a portion of the insert while the insert is held rotationally stationary with respect to the housing by a taper connection between the insert and the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Richard Lee GIROUX, Rohit JOSHI, Joshua Vernon SYMMS, Ryan BACSIK
  • Publication number: 20220154553
    Abstract: A float valve is used in a tubular having a through-bore for flow. The tubular can be a casing joint, a casing pup joint, a housing or a shell of a float collar/shoe, or other tubular element. A sleeve of drillable material is expanded inside the tubular. Sealing and/or anchor elements on the exterior of the sleeve can engage inside the tubular. Caps composed of drillable material are disposed on ends of the sleeve and have passages connected to ends of a flow tube. The flow tub is also composed of drillable material and has a bore therethrough for flow. A valve composed of drillable material is disposed in the passage of one of the caps and is configured to control the flow in the tubing through the flow tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventor: Richard Lee GIROUX
  • Publication number: 20220003069
    Abstract: A stage cementing system includes a stage cementing assembly having a stage tool. The stage tool has an outer mandrel, an inner mandrel coupled to and disposed inside of the outer mandrel, an annular chamber between the outer mandrel and the inner mandrel, a first outer port through the outer mandrel, and longitudinally spaced first and second inner ports through the inner mandrel. The stage cementing system further includes an inner string assembly configured to be located inside the inner mandrel. The inner string assembly has a tubular body having a central throughbore and longitudinally spaced first and second side ports, a lower external seal element below the first and second side ports, a middle external seal element between the first and second side ports, and an upper external seal element above the first and second side ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Richard Lee GIROUX, Jeffery MORRISON, Jobby T. JACOB
  • Patent number: 11125048
    Abstract: A stage cementing system includes a stage cementing assembly having a stage tool. The stage tool has an outer mandrel, an inner mandrel coupled to and disposed inside of the outer mandrel, an annular chamber between the outer mandrel and the inner mandrel, a first outer port through the outer mandrel, and longitudinally spaced first and second inner ports through the inner mandrel. The stage cementing system further includes an inner string assembly configured to be located inside the inner mandrel. The inner string assembly has a tubular body having a central throughbore and longitudinally spaced first and second side ports, a lower external seal element below the first and second side ports, a middle external seal element between the first and second side ports, and an upper external seal element above the first and second side ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Lee Giroux, Jeffery Morrison, Jobby T. Jacob
  • Patent number: 11078750
    Abstract: A system for cementing a tubular within a wellbore includes a connector; a tubular housing attached to the connector and disposed in the tubular; and a plug disposed in the tubular housing and releasably attached to the tubular housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Lee Giroux
  • Patent number: 10883333
    Abstract: A sealing device includes a tubular body having a bore; a collet seat having a plurality of collets; a frangible sealing element disposed in the collet seat and blocking fluid communication through the bore; and a releasable sleeve releasably attached to the tubular body and retaining the collet seat against the tubular body. In one embodiment, the plurality of the collets includes threads mated with threads on the tubular body. In another embodiment, the plurality of the collets is attached to the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Lee Giroux, Jobby T. Jacob, Jeffery Morrison, Joshua Vernon Symms, Luis A. Urdaneta
  • Patent number: 10808490
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a sealing device includes a tubular body having a bore; a collet seat having a plurality of collets; a frangible sealing element disposed in the collet seat and blocking fluid communication through the bore; and a releasable sleeve releasably attached to the tubular body and retaining the collet seat against the tubular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Lee Giroux
  • Patent number: 10808508
    Abstract: A liner deployment assembly (LDA) for use in a wellbore includes: a crossover tool. The crossover tool includes: a seal for engaging a tubular string cemented into the wellbore; a tubular housing carrying the seal and having bypass ports straddling the seal; a mandrel having a bore therethrough and a port in fluid communication with the mandrel bore, the mandrel movable relative to the housing between a bore position where the mandrel port is isolated from the bypass ports and a bypass position where the mandrel port is aligned with one of the bypass ports; a bypass chamber formed between the housing and the mandrel and extending above and below the seal; and a control module. The control module includes: an electronics package; and an actuator in communication with the electronics package and operable to move the mandrel between the positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Lee Giroux, Daniel Purkis, Richard Dalzell, Jason Duthie, Ian Jaffrey
  • Publication number: 20200063524
    Abstract: A system for cementing a tubular within a wellbore includes a connector; a tubular housing attached to the connector and disposed in the tubular; and a plug disposed in the tubular housing and releasably attached to the tubular housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventor: Richard Lee GIROUX
  • Publication number: 20190352994
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a sealing device includes a tubular body having a bore; a collet seat having a plurality of collets; a frangible sealing element disposed in the collet seat and blocking fluid communication through the bore; and a releasable sleeve releasably attached to the tubular body and retaining the collet seat against the tubular body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventor: Richard Lee GIROUX
  • Publication number: 20190352995
    Abstract: A sealing device includes a tubular body having a bore; a collet seat having a plurality of collets; a frangible sealing element disposed in the collet seat and blocking fluid communication through the bore; and a releasable sleeve releasably attached to the tubular body and retaining the collet seat against the tubular body. In one embodiment, the plurality of the collets includes threads mated with threads on the tubular body. In another embodiment, the plurality of the collets is attached to the sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Richard Lee GIROUX, Jobby T. JACOB, Jeffery MORRISON, Joshua Vernon SYMMS, Luis A. URDANETA
  • Patent number: 10221638
    Abstract: A plug release system for cementing a tubular string into a wellbore includes: a wiper plug; a tubular housing; a latch for releasably connecting the wiper plug to the housing. The latch includes: a fastener engageable with one of the wiper plug and the housing; a lock movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the lock keeping the fastener engaged in the locked position; and an actuator connected to the lock and operable to at least move the lock from the locked position to the unlocked position. The plug release system further includes an electronics package disposed in the housing and in communication with the actuator for operating the actuator in response to receiving a command signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Rocky A. Turley, Robin L. Campbell, Richard Lee Giroux
  • Patent number: 10198606
    Abstract: A system for operating a downhole tool includes a tag carrier; a RFID tag coupled with the tag carrier; and a control sub having a bore extending therethrough, the control sub comprising: an antenna located adjacent to the bore; and a stop for catching the tag carrier, wherein: the radio frequency identification tag is coupled with the tag carrier in relation to the stop and the antenna such that the radio frequency identification tag is aligned with the antenna when the tag carrier is caught in the stop, and the stop is operable to allow passage of the tag carrier through the stop after the tag carrier is caught by the stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: John Fielding Ownby, Jobby T. Jacob, Richard Lee Giroux, Matthew David Knight, Richard Alastair Howard Dalzell, Jake M. Boudreaux, Robert B. Marcel, Jr., Rupa Sharma, Larry A. Kendziora, Eric R. Evans, Rajesh D. Patel
  • Publication number: 20190032456
    Abstract: A liner deployment assembly (LDA) for use in a wellbore includes: a crossover tool. The crossover tool includes: a seal for engaging a tubular string cemented into the wellbore; a tubular housing carrying the seal and having bypass ports straddling the seal; a mandrel having a bore therethrough and a port in fluid communication with the mandrel bore, the mandrel movable relative to the housing between a bore position where the mandrel port is isolated from the bypass ports and a bypass position where the mandrel port is aligned with one of the bypass ports; a bypass chamber formed between the housing and the mandrel and extending above and below the seal; and a control module. The control module includes: an electronics package; and an actuator in communication with the electronics package and operable to move the mandrel between the positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Richard Lee GIROUX, Daniel PURKIS, Richard DALZELL, Jason DUTHIE, Ian JAFFREY
  • Patent number: 10138690
    Abstract: An apparatus for gripping a tubular for use with a top drive includes a connector at one end for rotationally fixing the apparatus relative to the top drive; one or more gripping members at a second end for gripping the tubular; an actuator configured to move and hold the gripping members in contact with the tubular; and a lock coupled to the connector for preventing the apparatus and the top drive from rotating independently of one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Albert C. Odell, II, Richard Lee Giroux, Tuong Thanh Le, Gary Thompson, Karsten Heidecke, Joerg Lorenz, Doyle Fredric Boutwell, Jr., Michael Hayes