Patents by Inventor Rodney K. Ridley
Rodney K. Ridley 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).
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Patent number: 10066468Abstract: An apparatus including a sealing device for sealing a wellbore, a first pump for pumping fluids from a lower wellbore section, a pump drive powered using wellbore gas, a gas inlet for supplying the pump drive with wellbore gas, and a gas outlet for exhausting wellbore gas to an upper wellbore section from the pump drive. The apparatus may further include a second pump for pumping fluids from the upper wellbore section into the lower wellbore section, a vent for venting wellbore gas to the upper wellbore section, and a switch for controlling the pump drive. A method for moving fluids in a wellbore including sealing the wellbore, supplying wellbore gas to a pump drive and driving a first pump with the pump drive. The method may further include driving a second pump with the pump drive and venting the wellbore gas to an upper wellbore section.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2013Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: LIFTECK INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Guy William Farebrother, Serge Gilbert Bonnet, Rodney K. Ridley
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Publication number: 20160130920Abstract: An apparatus including a sealing device for sealing a wellbore, a first pump for pumping fluids from a lower wellbore section, a pump drive powered using wellbore gas, a gas inlet for supplying the pump drive with wellbore gas, and a gas outlet for exhausting wellbore gas to an upper wellbore section from the pump drive. The apparatus may further include a second pump for pumping fluids from the upper wellbore section into the lower wellbore section, a vent for venting wellbore gas to the upper wellbore section, and a switch for controlling the pump drive. A method for moving fluids in a wellbore including sealing the wellbore, supplying wellbore gas to a pump drive and driving a first pump with the pump drive. The method may further include driving a second pump with the pump drive and venting the wellbore gas to an upper wellbore section.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2013Publication date: May 12, 2016Applicant: LIFTECK INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Guy William FAREBROTHER, Serge Gilbert BONNET, Rodney K. Ridley
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Patent number: 8411930Abstract: A system and a method for detecting a damaged or missing machine part. The system includes an image capturing device for capturing images of the machine and a processor for processing the captured images. The system may further include a sensible output for providing an indication of a damaged or missing machine part. The method includes capturing images of the machine against a background which moves relative to the machine over time, selecting a pair of time-separated images from the captured images, generating a displacement image from the pair of images, comparing the machine from the displacement image with a machine model, and identifying a damaged or missing machine part from the comparison of the displacement image with the machine model. The method may further include providing a sensible output which indicates a damaged or missing machine part.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2007Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Alberta Research Council Inc.Inventors: Rodney K. Ridley, Tadeusz Kazmierczak, Linsong Cai, Paul Charles Johnston, Helen Pinto, Jun Sun, Marc Provencher, John Harry Woolley, Garry Cardinal
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Publication number: 20100142759Abstract: A system and a method for detecting a damaged or missing machine part. The system includes an image capturing device for capturing images of the machine and a processor for processing the captured images. The system may further include a sensible output for providing an indication of a damaged or missing machine part. The method includes capturing images of the machine against a background which moves relative to the machine over time, selecting a pair of time-separated images from the captured images, generating a displacement image from the pair of images, comparing the machine from the displacement image with a machine model, and identifying a damaged or missing machine part from the comparison of the displacement image with the machine model. The method may further include providing a sensible output which indicates a damaged or missing machine part.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2007Publication date: June 10, 2010Applicant: ALBERTA RESEARCH COUNCIL INC.Inventors: Rodney K. Ridley, Tadeusz Kazmierczak, Linsong Cai, Paul Charles Johnston, Helen Pinto, Jun Sun, Marc Provencher, John Harry Woolley, Garry Cardinal
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Patent number: 6359434Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method is provided for analyzing RFT data from a data file. The method includes parsing the data file into pipe lengths, calculating a phase profile for the data points within each pipe length, locating potential defects in the pipe length using the phase profiles, determining for each defect a total equivalent phase shift as a combination of a circumferential equivalent phase shift and a non-circumferential equivalent phase shift, and using the total equivalent phase shift to analyze the defect.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 1998Date of Patent: March 19, 2002Assignee: Hydroscope Cananda Inc.Inventors: Jens Winslow, Rodney K. Ridley, Varagur S. V. Rajan, Yuwu Yu, Lawrence B. Staples
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Patent number: 6234770Abstract: The invention is an apparatus for moving reservoir fluids from an underground reservoir using a wellbore extending from the surface to an end beneath the surface, wherein the wellbore communicates with the reservoir such that reservoir fluids enter the wellbore and separate into a liquid phase and a gas phase at a gas pressure. The apparatus includes a first pump, for containing within the wellbore in communication with the liquid, for pumping the liquid phase. The apparatus further includes a pump drive, for containing within the wellbore, operably connected to the first pump for driving the first pump. The pump drive is powered using the gas pressure of the gas phase in the wellbore. An intake communicates with the gas phase in the wellbore and directs the gas phase to the pump drive in order to power the pump drive, while an exhaust directs the gas phase from the pump drive. Further, the invention is a method for moving reservoir fluids from an underground reservoir using a wellbore.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 1998Date of Patent: May 22, 2001Assignee: Alberta Research Council Inc.Inventors: Rodney K. Ridley, Mario DeRocco
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Publication number: 20010000060Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining at least one property of a multiphase fluid. The method includes the steps of directing the multiphase fluid through a first flow passage, monitoring the multiphase fluid as it passes through the first flow passage to obtain a first signal representing a first flow characteristic of the multiphase fluid as a function of time, directing the multiphase fluid through a second flow passage, monitoring the multiphase fluid as it passes through the second flow passage to obtain a second signal representing a second flow characteristic of the multiphase fluid as a function of time, and then determining the property of the multiphase fluid by comparing the first signal and the second signal with a set of calibration maps. The second flow passage has a geometry different from the first flow passage which relates either to the cross section of the two flow passages or to the direction in which the multiphase fluid passes through the flow passages relative to gravity.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2000Publication date: March 29, 2001Inventors: Peter Toma, Rodney K. Ridley
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Patent number: 6155102Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining at least one property of a multiphase fluid. The method includes the steps of directing the multiphase fluid through a first flow passage, monitoring the multiphase fluid as it passes through the first flow passage to obtain a first signal representing a first flow characteristic of the multiphase fluid as a function of time, directing the multiphase fluid through a second flow passage, monitoring the multiphase fluid as it passes through the second flow passage to obtain a second signal representing a second flow characteristic of the multiphase fluid as a function of time, and then determining the property of the multiphase fluid by comparing the first signal and the second signal with a set of calibration maps. The second flow passage has a geometry different from the first flow passage which relates either to the cross section of the two flow passages or to the direction in which the multiphase fluid passes through the flow passages relative to gravity.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1998Date of Patent: December 5, 2000Assignee: Alberta Research CouncilInventors: Peter Toma, Rodney K. Ridley
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Patent number: 5900539Abstract: A method for evaluating rheological properties of certain non-Newtonian liquids employs the principle of a multiple forced flow of a single sample of the liquid through an orifice, thus effecting a significant elongation of the sample. The liquid is forced through the orifice by means of a piston. Preferably, the orifice is built into the piston so that the liquid remains stationary during the piston advance. The timing and rate of the sequential strokes of the piston are controlled and the differential pressure across the orifice is measured. A function between the timing of the piston strokes, the stroke rate and the differential pressure can be determined. The function has been found to represent a relatively reliable rheological "signature" of the tested liquid.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 1997Date of Patent: May 4, 1999Assignee: Alberta Research CouncilInventors: Bernard Tremblay, Mario De Rocco, Rodney K. Ridley, Surindar Singh, Kerry Scott
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Patent number: 5860795Abstract: The invention is a method for producing reservoir fluids from an underground reservoir through the wellbore. The method includes the steps of intaking the gas phase from the wellbore into the wellbore-contained pump drive, powering the pump drive using the gas pressure of the gas phase in the wellbore, pumping the liquid phase from the wellbore towards the surface by a first pump and exhausting the gas phase from the pump drive towards the surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 1996Date of Patent: January 19, 1999Assignee: Alberta Research CouncilInventors: Rodney K. Ridley, Mario DeRocco