Patents by Inventor Todd Travis
Todd Travis 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: 8479824Abstract: A power slip extends a joint from tubing disposed in casing at a well so that a casing head can install on the casing and the tubing can be packed-off from the casing. The joint attaches to an inner sleeve having collet members that fit onto the inner tubing so that the joint extends thereabove. An outer sleeve and interlocking collet assemble together and install onto the inner sleeve. The collet threads onto the inner sleeve and forces the outer sleeve downward onto the inner sleeve. Being forced, the outer sleeve causes the collet members to engage around the inner tubing. The casing head then installs on the casing with the joint extending up through the head's bowl. An H-plate installs in the open bowl around the extended joint, and another pack-off installs on the joint to pack it off from a spool attaching to the casing head.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2009Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Todd Travis, Elizabeth A. McClain, Paul Perez, Brandon M. Cain
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Patent number: 8479828Abstract: Wellhead control line deployment involves replacing the seat/retainer plate of a master valve of the wellhead with a modified retainer plate. The retainer plate defines a first port communicating from a central opening of the plate to outside the plate. A modified bonnet installs on the master valve, and the bonnet has two ports, one communicating with the first port in the retainer plate and the second communicating with a needle valve port. The communication ports are linked by a tube with outside diameter seals that inserts between the retainer plate and the bonnet. A control line hanger can be retained by locking into an adapter sleeve or directly in the back-pressure valve threads of a tubing hanger. The adapter sleeve can be attached to the retainer plate or have a collet to snap into the back-pressure valve threads of the tubing hanger.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2010Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Todd Travis, Eric Calzoncinth
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Publication number: 20130133898Abstract: To deploy a capillary string through a wellhead to a downhole safety valve, a control port and a retention port are drilled in an adapter between a casing hanger and a gate valve or elsewhere. The capillary string is connected to a first port of a capillary hanger and installed through the wellhead. The capillary hanger is landed on a tubing hanger, and a side port on the capillary hanger communicates with the control port. Because the side port's location may not align with the control port, operators may need to measure how long the capillary hanger should be. A control line connects to the control port in the wellhead's side to communicate with the capillary line, and a retention rod inserts in the retention port to support the capillary hanger.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2012Publication date: May 30, 2013Inventors: Todd Travis, Brandon Cain, Eric Calzoncinth, Paul Perez
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Patent number: 8312932Abstract: To deploy a capillary string through a wellhead to a downhole safety valve, a control port and a retention port are drilled in an adapter between a casing hanger and a gate valve or elsewhere. The capillary string is connected to a first port of a capillary hanger and installed through the wellhead. The capillary hanger is landed on a tubing hanger, and a side port on the capillary hanger communicates with the control port. Because the side port's location may not align with the control port, operators may need to measure how long the capillary hanger should be. A control line connects to the control port in the wellhead's side to communicate with the capillary line, and a retention rod inserts in the retention port to support the capillary hanger.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2009Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Richard Jones, Jean-Luc Jacob, Todd Travis, Brandon Cain, Eric Calzoncinth, Paul Perez
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Publication number: 20120125634Abstract: An assembly supports a control line of a downhole tool, such as a downhole deployment valve. The tool deploys on casing and has a control line extending from the wellhead to the tool. To support the line separately from any casing hanger, a split bowl disposes around the casing and lands on a shoulder in the head. A port in the bowl has one opening that aligns with a side port in the head. Another opening of the bowl's port connects to the control line that extends to the downhole tool. A section of the control line from the split bowl can be flexible to help prevent kinking or breaking of the line during installation procedures. A hanger disposes on another shoulder in the head uphole from the bowl. The hanger supports the casing in the head separate from the bowl's support of the control line.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2010Publication date: May 24, 2012Applicant: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Genith Guitierrez, Todd Travis, Brandon M. Cain
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Publication number: 20120085552Abstract: A rotating breech lock rotates tubing to distribute wear caused by a rotating or reciprocating rod of an artificial lift system. The rotating breech lock has a spool that disposes on a wellhead. A bowl element disposes in the spool's bore, and a hanger fits into the spool and lands on the bowl element with a thrust bearing. Above the hanger, a load ring fits against the hanger with a bearing, and a hold-down sleeve and locking pins hold the load ring against the hanger. The spool has a worm that mates with a wheel defined about the hanger so turning the worm by a ratchet or other mechanism rotates the hanger. Internally, the hanger has a bore with opposing shoulders separated by gaps. A mandrel couples to the tubing and disposes up into the hanger. Protrusions or keys on the hanger can selectively align with the gaps and the shoulders depending on how the mandrel is rotated in the hanger bore.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2010Publication date: April 12, 2012Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.Inventors: Todd Travis, Scott Menard, Brandon M. Cain, Ping Cai, Michael Mosher
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Patent number: 8100181Abstract: A safety valve apparatus has a housing with a bore and a projection in the bore. A flapper rotatably disposed on the housing is movable relative to the bore between opened and closed positions, and a packing element disposed on the housing is compressible to engage an inner conduit wall surrounding the housing. An upper sleeve disposed within the bore above the projection is hydraulically movable from a first position to a second position via the hydraulic communication with a port in the projection. The first sleeve when moved to the second position compresses the packing element. A piston disposed in the housing hydraulically communicates with the port and couples to a second sleeve disposed within the bore below the projection. The second sleeve conceals the piston and is hydraulically movable via the hydraulic communication of the port with the piston to open and close the flapper.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2008Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Richard C. Jones, Jean-Luc Jacob, Todd Travis, Brandon Cain, Eric Calzoncinth, Paul Perez
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Publication number: 20110278021Abstract: Wellhead control line deployment involves replacing the seat/retainer plate of a master valve of the wellhead with a modified retainer plate. The retainer plate defines a first port communicating from a central opening of the plate to outside the plate. A modified bonnet installs on the master valve, and the bonnet has two ports, one communicating with the first port in the retainer plate and the second communicating with a needle valve port. The communication ports are linked by a tube with outside diameter seals that inserts between the retainer plate and the bonnet. A control line hanger can be retained by locking into an adapter sleeve or directly in the back-pressure valve threads of a tubing hanger. The adapter sleeve can be attached to the retainer plate or have a collet to snap into the back-pressure valve threads of the tubing hanger.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2010Publication date: November 17, 2011Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.Inventors: Todd Travis, Eric Calzoncinth
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Publication number: 20110187098Abstract: Hydraulic flange connectors connect two flange components together, and hydraulic pressure applied to ports in connector holes of one of the flanges tension the flange studs and crush the gasket between the flange components. Each connector has a piston that dispose in the connector hole and can move therein when hydraulic pressure is applied through the port by a pump. A first stud connected to the piston extends beyond one open end of the hole for connection to a first nut, while a second stud connected to the piston extending beyond another open end of the to the second flange component for connection to a second nut. A retainer having seals threads in this other open end of the hole and seals between the hole and the second stud.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2011Publication date: August 4, 2011Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.Inventors: Todd Travis, Brandon M. Cain, Ping Cai
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Publication number: 20100288483Abstract: A wellhead completion assembly has a head connected to surface casing. A rotatable flange or the like can be used to connect various components to a threaded end of the head. A casing hanger installs in the head, and the hanger's upper end extends beyond the head's top edge. This exposed end has an external threaded connection to connect to various wellhead components using a rotatable flange or the like. For example, a locking ring can threadably connect to the head's threaded end to support the hanger in the head. Then, a rotatable flange can threadably connect to the hanger's exposed end so that another component, such as a completion spool or gate valve, can nippled up directly to the hanger. When the hanger is fluted, a pack-off assembly can allow testing off inner and outer sealing integrity via a test port accessible through an opening in the locking ring.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2010Publication date: November 18, 2010Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.Inventors: Brandon Matthew Cain, Todd Travis, Michael L. Bilyeu, Gordon Ronnie Altman, Steve Willard, Carl Edwin Davidson, John Rogers
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Patent number: 7779921Abstract: A wellhead completion assembly has a head connected to surface casing. A rotatable flange or the like can be used to connect various components to a threaded end of the head. A casing hanger installs in the head, and the hanger's upper end extends beyond the head's top edge. This exposed end has an external threaded connection to connect to various wellhead components using a rotatable flange or the like. For example, a locking ring can threadably connect to the head's threaded end to support the hanger in the head. Then, a rotatable flange can threadably connect to the hanger's exposed end so that another component, such as a completion spool or gate valve, can nippled up directly to the hanger. When the hanger is fluted, a pack-off assembly can allow testing off inner and outer sealing integrity via a test port accessible through an opening in the locking ring.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2007Date of Patent: August 24, 2010Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Brandon Matthew Cain, Todd Travis, Michael L. Bilyeu, Gordon Ronnie Altman, Steve Willard, Carl Edwin Davidson, John Rogers
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Publication number: 20100084136Abstract: A power slip extends a joint from tubing disposed in casing at a well so that a casing head can install on the casing and the tubing can be packed-off from the casing. The joint attaches to an inner sleeve having collet members that fit onto the inner tubing so that the joint extends thereabove. An outer sleeve and interlocking collet assemble together and install onto the inner sleeve. The collet threads onto the inner sleeve and forces the outer sleeve downward onto the inner sleeve. Being forced, the outer sleeve causes the collet members to engage around the inner tubing. The casing head then installs on the casing with the joint extending up through the head's bowl. An H-plate installs in the open bowl around the extended joint, and another pack-off installs on the joint to pack it off from a spool attaching to the casing head.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2009Publication date: April 8, 2010Applicant: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Todd Travis, Elizabeth A. McClain, Paul Perez, Brandon Cain
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Publication number: 20090294136Abstract: A safety valve apparatus has a housing with a bore and a projection in the bore. A flapper rotatably disposed on the housing is movable relative to the bore between opened and closed positions, and a packing element disposed on the housing is compressible to engage an inner conduit wall surrounding the housing. An upper sleeve disposed within the bore above the projection is hydraulically movable from a first position to a second position via the hydraulic communication with a port in the projection. The first sleeve when moved to the second position compresses the packing element. A piston disposed in the housing hydraulically communicates with the port and couples to a second sleeve disposed within the bore below the projection. The second sleeve conceals the piston and is hydraulically movable via the hydraulic communication of the port with the piston to open and close the flapper.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2008Publication date: December 3, 2009Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.Inventors: Richard C. Jones, Jean-Luc Jacob, Todd Travis, Brandon Cain, Eric Calzoncinth, Paul Perez
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Publication number: 20090294134Abstract: To deploy a capillary string through a wellhead to a downhole safety valve, a control port and a retention port are drilled in an adapter between a casing hanger and a gate valve or elsewhere. The capillary string is connected to a first port of a capillary hanger and installed through the wellhead. The capillary hanger is landed on a tubing hanger, and a side port on the capillary hanger communicates with the control port. Because the side port's location may not align with the control port, operators may need to measure how long the capillary hanger should be. A control line connects to the control port in the wellhead's side to communicate with the capillary line, and a retention rod inserts in the retention port to support the capillary hanger.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2009Publication date: December 3, 2009Inventors: Richard Jones, Jean-Luc Jacob, Todd Travis, Brandon Cain, Eric Calzoncinth, Paul Perez
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Publication number: 20090205728Abstract: A flow adjusting apparatus having a pair of discs can be used for a drilling or production choke or valve. A stationary disc fixedly positions in a flow passage and defines at least one first bore permitting fluid flow. A rotatable disc positions in the flow passage between the stationary disc and the distal end of a stem. The rotatable disc defines at least one second bore permitting fluid flow. Rotation of the rotatable disc adjusts relative orientation between the first and second bores and adjusts fluid flow through the first and second bores. The stationary disc has a greater length than the rotatable disc to control exiting fluid flow beyond the discs and reduce erosion. In addition, the rotatable disc's bore defines a tapered relief at the disc's front face to control inlet of fluid flow and reduce erosion.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2008Publication date: August 20, 2009Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.Inventors: Paul R. Perez, Todd Travis
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Publication number: 20090107685Abstract: A wellhead completion assembly has a head connected to surface casing. A rotatable flange or the like can be used to connect various components to a threaded end of the head. A casing hanger installs in the head, and the hanger's upper end extends beyond the head's top edge. This exposed end has an external threaded connection to connect to various wellhead components using a rotatable flange or the like. For example, a locking ring can threadably connect to the head's threaded end to support the hanger in the head. Then, a rotatable flange can threadably connect to the hanger's exposed end so that another component, such as a completion spool or gate valve, can nippled up directly to the hanger. When the hanger is fluted, a pack-off assembly can allow testing off inner and outer sealing integrity via a test port accessible through an opening in the locking ring.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2007Publication date: April 30, 2009Applicant: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Brandon Matthew Cain, Todd Travis, Michael L. Bilyeu, Gordon Ronnie Altman, Steve Willard, Carl Edwin Davidson, John Rogers