Patents by Inventor Thomas Geehan

Thomas Geehan 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: 10533384
    Abstract: A centrifuge, including a bowl having a composite material, a screw conveyor rotatably mounted within the bowl, and a feed pipe mounted within the screw conveyor for feeding a drilling mud through a feed port in a wall of the screw conveyor to an annular space between the bowl and the wall of the screw conveyor. Also, a method of replacing a centrifuge component, including removing the centrifuge component and installing a new centrifuge component, where the centrifuge components include a bowl and a screw conveyor rotatably mounted within the bowl, and where the new centrifuge component includes a composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Bradley Jones, Thomas Geehan
  • Patent number: 9915112
    Abstract: This disclosure is generally drawn to systems, devices, apparatuses, and/or methods, related to monitoring a shaker used for separating solids from fluid. Specifically, the disclosed systems, devices, apparatuses, and/or methods relate to controlling an actuated arm to inspect, remove, replace, repair, clean, and/or install screen assemblies based on monitoring the shaker and its screen assemblies. In some examples, a system may include an actuated arm, a monitoring tool, and a controller. The actuated arm may be adjacent a shaker for separating one or more solids from a fluid. The monitoring tool may be coupled to the actuated arm and may monitor a screen assembly in the shaker. The controller may be in electrical communication with the actuated arm and the monitoring tool, and may control the actuated arm based on the monitoring of the screen assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Thomas Geehan, Bradley Jones, Eric Cady
  • Patent number: 9908125
    Abstract: A centrifuge, including: a flange closing off one axial end of a separation chamber; a plurality of apertures that traverse axially through the flange at a radial distance from a flange axis, wherein at least one aperture is in fluid communication with a first outlet passage; a plurality of weir inserts removably disposed within the plurality of apertures to control a flow of one or more fluids from the separation chamber; wherein at least one weir insert disposed within the at least one aperture in fluid communication with the first outlet passage is changeable to prevent or allow fluid communication between the separation chamber and the first outlet passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: M-1 L.L.C.
    Inventors: Thomas Geehan, Leonardo Renzo Vicentini, Albert Walraven
  • Patent number: 9891152
    Abstract: Methods for determining fluid rheology, the methods including determining a first discharged volume or weight of a fluid at a first time, determining at least a second discharged volume or weight of the fluid at a second time, and calculating fluid rheology based on the determined first and at least second discharged fluid volumes or weights at the first and second times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Quanxin Guo, Cong Wang, Thomas Geehan, Lujun Ji
  • Patent number: 9869145
    Abstract: A system and method include a shaker configured to separate solids from a drilling fluid, the shaker having a screen assembly, and an actuated arm operatively coupled to the shaker, the actuated arm configured to interact with the screen assembly of the shaker. The actuated arm is configured to interact with the screen assembly of the shaker, with the actuated arm configured to remove, to inspect, to clean, to repair, or to replace the screen assembly of the shaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Bradley N. Jones, Thomas Geehan
  • Patent number: 9863240
    Abstract: Methods and software tools for determining wellbore-strengthening information for a drilling operation, the method including inputting wellbore parameters into a wellbore simulator, importing wellbore-strengthening options into the wellbore simulator, and performing a plurality of wellbore simulations to obtain fracture information, wherein the performing the plurality of wellbore simulations includes selecting at least one of the wellbore parameters and determining the affect of the selected wellbore parameter on the wellbore. The method further includes selecting a wellbore-strengthening option based on the fracture information and outputting the selected wellbore-strengthening option.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Thomas Geehan, Quanxin Guo, Mario Zamora
  • Patent number: 9441429
    Abstract: In one aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to modular drilling system, the system comprising a first module comprising a first work surface; and a second module comprising a second work surface; wherein the first module is disposed above the second module. In another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a modular drilling system, the system comprising a first module; and a second module; wherein at least one of the first and second modules comprises oilfield process equipment disposed on the module around a center point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Joe Sherwood, Thomas Geehan
  • Publication number: 20160090799
    Abstract: This disclosure is generally drawn to systems, devices, apparatuses, and/or methods, related to monitoring a shaker used for separating solids from fluid. Specifically, the disclosed systems, devices, apparatuses, and/or methods relate to controlling an actuated arm to inspect, remove, replace, repair, clean, and/or install screen assemblies based on monitoring the shaker and its screen assemblies. In some examples, a system may include an actuated arm, a monitoring tool, and a controller. The actuated arm may be adjacent a shaker for separating one or more solids from a fluid. The monitoring tool may be coupled to the actuated arm and may monitor a screen assembly in the shaker. The controller may be in electrical communication with the actuated arm and the monitoring tool, and may control the actuated arm based on the monitoring of the screen assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas Geehan, Bradley Jones, Eric Cady
  • Patent number: 8845506
    Abstract: A centrifuge, including: a flange closing off one axial end of a separation chamber; a plurality of apertures that traverse axially through the flange at a radial distance from a flange axis, wherein at least one aperture is in fluid communication with a first outlet passage; a plurality of weir inserts removably disposed within the plurality of apertures to control a flow of one or more fluids from the separation chamber; wherein at least one weir insert disposed within the at least one aperture in fluid communication with the first outlet passage is changeable to prevent or allow fluid communication between the separation chamber and the first outlet passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Albert Walraven, Leonardo Renzo Vicentini, Thomas Geehan
  • Publication number: 20140274651
    Abstract: A centrifuge, including: a flange closing off one axial end of a separation chamber; a plurality of apertures that traverse axially through the flange at a radial distance from a flange axis, wherein at least one aperture is in fluid communication with a first outlet passage; a plurality of weir inserts removably disposed within the plurality of apertures to control a flow of one or more fluids from the separation chamber; wherein at least one weir insert disposed within the at least one aperture in fluid communication with the first outlet passage is changeable to prevent or allow fluid communication between the separation chamber and the first outlet passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Thomas Geehan, Leonardo Renzo Vicentini, Albert Walraven
  • Publication number: 20140144708
    Abstract: In one aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to modular drilling system, the system comprising a first module comprising a first work surface; and a second module comprising a second work surface; wherein the first module is disposed above the second module. In another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a modular drilling system, the system comprising a first module; and a second module; wherein at least one of the first and second modules comprises oilfield process equipment disposed on the module around a center point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Joe Sherwood, Thomas Geehan
  • Publication number: 20140138323
    Abstract: A system and method include a shaker configured to separate solids from a drilling fluid, the shaker having a screen assembly, and an actuated arm operatively coupled to the shaker, the actuated arm configured to interact with the screen assembly of the shaker. The actuated arm is configured to interact with the screen assembly of the shaker, with the actuated arm configured to remove, to inspect, to clean, to repair, or to replace the screen assembly of the shaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Inventors: Bradley N. Jones, Thomas Geehan
  • Publication number: 20120245014
    Abstract: A centrifuge, including a bowl having a composite material, a screw conveyor rotatably mounted within the bowl, and a feed pipe mounted within the screw conveyor for feeding a drilling mud through a feed port in a wall of the screw conveyor to an annular space between the bowl and the wall of the screw conveyor. Also, a method of replacing a centrifuge component, including removing the centrifuge component and installing a new centrifuge component, where the centrifuge components include a bowl and a screw conveyor rotatably mounted within the bowl, and where the new centrifuge component includes a composite material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Bradley Jones, Thomas Geehan
  • Publication number: 20120203463
    Abstract: Methods for determining fluid rheology, the methods including determining a first discharged volume or weight of a fluid at a first time, determining at least a second discharged volume or weight of the fluid at a second time, and calculating fluid rheology based on the determined first and at least second discharged fluid volumes or weights at the first and second times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventors: Quanxin Guo, Cong Wang, Thomas Geehan, Lujun Ji
  • Publication number: 20110143906
    Abstract: A centrifuge, including: a flange closing off one axial end of a separation chamber; a plurality of apertures that traverse axially through the flange at a radial distance from a flange axis, wherein at least one aperture is in fluid communication with a first outlet passage; a plurality of weir inserts removably disposed within the plurality of apertures to control a flow of one or more fluids from the separation chamber; wherein at least one weir insert disposed within the at least one aperture in fluid communication with the first outlet passage is changeable to prevent or allow fluid communication between the separation chamber and the first outlet passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: M-I LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Geehan, Leonardo Renzo Vicentini, Albert Walraven
  • Patent number: 7890307
    Abstract: A method for determining distribution data for a disposal domain parameter to increase assurance in a cuttings injection process, including performing a fracturing simulation using a site specific datum to obtain a fracturing result, determining a probability of creating a new fracture using the fracturing result and a probability model, performing a plurality of fracturing simulations using the probability and a distribution associated with the probability to obtain disposal domain information, and extracting the distribution data for the disposal domain parameter from the disposal domain information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Thomas Geehan, Quanxin Guo
  • Publication number: 20100088078
    Abstract: Methods and software tools for determining wellbore-strengthening information for a drilling operation, the method including inputting wellbore parameters into a wellbore simulator, importing wellbore-strengthening options into the wellbore simulator, and performing a plurality of wellbore simulations to obtain fracture information, wherein the performing the plurality of wellbore simulations includes selecting at least one of the wellbore parameters and determining the affect of the selected wellbore parameter on the wellbore. The method further includes selecting a wellbore-strengthening option based on the fracture information and outputting the selected wellbore-strengthening option.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Thomas Geehan, Quanxin Guo, Mario Zamora
  • Patent number: 7571080
    Abstract: A system for simulating a wellbore used for cuttings re-injection, that includes functionality to obtain as input to the system at least one wellbore design parameter for the wellbore, at least one operating parameter for the cuttings re-injection, and a slurry design for a slurry to be injected into the wellbore, functionality to segment the wellbore into a plurality of elements, wherein each element includes a plurality of nodes, and functionality to perform a simulation at a current time interval. The functionality to perform the simulation includes functionality to update a solid accumulation at a bottom of the wellbore at the current time interval and functionality to perform for each of the plurality of nodes, until the wellbore reaches a steady-state condition for the current time interval, at least one calculation using the at least one wellbore design parameter, the at least one operating parameter, and/or the slurry design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Quanxin Guo, Thomas Geehan
  • Patent number: 7478020
    Abstract: A system for simulating a wellbore used for cuttings re-injection, that includes functionality to obtain as input to the system at least one wellbore design parameter for the wellbore, at least one operating parameter for the cuttings re-injection, and a slurry design for a slurry to be injected into the wellbore, functionality to segment the wellbore into a plurality of elements, wherein each element includes a plurality of nodes, and functionality to perform a simulation at a current time interval. The functionality to perform the simulation includes functionality to update a solid accumulation at a bottom of the wellbore at the current time interval and functionality to perform for each of the plurality of nodes, until the wellbore reaches a steady-state condition for the current time interval, at least one calculation using the at least one wellbore design parameter, the at least one operating parameter, and/or the slurry design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: M-I LLC
    Inventors: Quanxin Guo, Thomas Geehan
  • Patent number: 7440876
    Abstract: A method for determining distribution data for a disposal domain parameter to increase assurance in a cuttings injection process, including performing a fracturing simulation using a site specific datum to obtain a fracturing result, determining a probability of creating a new fracture using the fracturing result and a probability model, performing a plurality of fracturing simulations using the probability and a distribution associated with the probability to obtain disposal domain information, and extracting the distribution data for the disposal domain parameter from the disposal domain information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: M-I LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Geehan, Quanxin Guo