Patents by Inventor Stephen J. Hekelaar

Stephen J. Hekelaar 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: 20190106957
    Abstract: A downhole tool includes a section mill, a bridge plug, and a connector releasably coupling the section mill to the bridge plug. A guide is coupled to the connector and maintains the section mill centered within a wellbore during sue of the section mill. A method for setting a bridge plug and cutting casing includes deploying a tool string downhole in a wellbore, with the tool string including a casing cutting tool releasably coupled to a bridge plug. The bridge plug is set within the wellbore and the casing cutting tool is released from the bridge plug. In the same trip during which the bride plug is set, the casing cutting tool is expanded and used to remove an axial section of casing while maintaining the casing cutting tool centered within the casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Inventors: Adam M. Bennett, Ryan F. Strachan, David A. Stokes, Stephen J. Hekelaar
  • Patent number: 10151164
    Abstract: A downhole tool may include a bridge plug releasably coupled to a casing cutting tool. The bridge plug may be set within a wellbore and the casing cutting tool may be used in a milling or perforating operation during a single downhole trip of the downhole tool. A method for using a downhole tool may include setting the bridge plug in a wellbore and performing a casing cutting operation during a same downhole trip. The casing cutting tool may be a section mill and a section milling operation may be performed before or after uncoupling the bridge plug from the section mill while downhole. The section milling operation may remove an entire portion of casing within a region of the wellbore for receiving a cement plug. The casing cutting too may be a perforation tool and perforating may be used to remove portions of casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adam M. Bennett, Stephen J. Hekelaar, Ryan F. Strachan, David A. Stokes
  • Patent number: 10113394
    Abstract: A multi-stage flow sub usable in wellbore operations provides for flow of fluid from a tool string to a wellbore annulus, and may provide for one or more of controlling wellbore pressure during a tool operation, or preventing stripping of wet string. The multi-stage flow sub may include a housing having an axial bore and at least one flow passage. A sleeve within the housing may have an axial bore, a shoulder acting as a ball seat, and first and second axially offset flow passages. A first burst disc may be in fluid communication with the first flow passage, and a second burst disc may be in fluid communication with the second flow passage, the second burst disc having a higher burst pressure than the first burst disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SMITH INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Stephen J. Hekelaar
  • Publication number: 20150275605
    Abstract: A downhole tool may include a bridge plug releasably coupled to a casing cutting tool. The bridge plug may be set within a wellbore and the casing cutting tool may be used in a milling or perforating operation during a single downhole trip of the downhole tool. A method for using a downhole tool may include setting the bridge plug in a wellbore and performing a casing cutting operation during a same downhole trip. The casing cutting tool may be a section mill and a section milling operation may be performed before or after uncoupling the bridge plug from the section mill while downhole. The section milling operation may remove an entire portion of casing within a region of the wellbore for receiving a cement plug. The casing cutting too may be a perforation tool and perforating may be used to remove portions of casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Adam M. Bennett, Stephen J. Hekelaar, Ryan F. Strachan, David A. Stokes
  • Publication number: 20150226031
    Abstract: A multi-stage flow sub usable in wellbore operations provides for flow of fluid from a tool string to a wellbore annulus, and may provide for one or more of controlling wellbore pressure during a tool operation, or preventing stripping of wet string. The multi-stage flow sub may include a housing having an axial bore and at least one flow passage. A sleeve within the housing may have an axial bore, a shoulder acting as a ball seat, and first and second axially offset flow passages. A first burst disc may be in fluid communication with the first flow passage, and a second burst disc may be in fluid communication with the second flow passage, the second burst disc having a higher burst pressure than the first burst disc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventor: Stephen J. Hekelaar