Means Traveling With Tool To Constrain Tool To Bore Along Curved Path Patents (Class 175/73)
  • Patent number: 12669027
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the drill cuttings agitator includes an elastomeric sleeve and a plurality of agitator members extending radially from the elastomeric sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2026
    Assignee: Paradigm Drilling Services Limited
    Inventor: Neil Andrew Abercrombie Simpson
  • Patent number: 12655760
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a tunnel excavation apparatus to which a spectroscopic analysis method is applied. The tunnel excavation apparatus to which a spectroscopic analysis method is applied may include a ground component measurement unit to measure the properties of the ground which is excavated, and control a first driving unit and a second driving unit to be operated on the basis of the measured information on the ground, thereby preventing cracks from occurring on the ground during a ground excavation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignee: KOREA RADIOACTIVE WASTE AGENCY
    Inventors: Seung Hyun Kim, Hyungoo Kang, Sang Hwan Lee, Sang Hyuk Yun, Yun Jung Choi, Tae Chul Moon
  • Patent number: 12560076
    Abstract: A system includes a rotatable steerable system (RSS) of a drilling system. The RSS includes a first steering pad, a first fluid actuator coupled to the first steering pad, a first vent passage coupled to the first fluid actuator, a first valve coupled to the first fluid actuator, and a first pressure sensor coupled to the first fluid actuator. The first pressure sensor is configured to monitor pressure of the first fluid actuator as an indication of a health condition of the RSS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2025
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2026
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Stuart Alan Kolbe, Denis Li
  • Patent number: 12540511
    Abstract: A rotary steerable system including a plurality of extendable pads deployed in a drill collar. Each of the pads is configured to extend radially outward from the drill collar and engage a wellbore wall and steer a direction of drilling. A plurality of digital valves is in fluid communication with corresponding ones of the plurality of extendable pads such that opening one of the plurality of digital valves provides high pressure drilling fluid to the corresponding pad thereby radially extending the pad. An electronic control unit deployed in a roll-isolated housing is configured to independently open and close each of the plurality of digital valves via a communications signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2025
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2026
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Charles Downton
  • Patent number: 12497836
    Abstract: A drilling system configured to drill a borehole into a subsurface formation, including a steering device. The steering device is configured to convey a fluid supply through a valve to an outside surface of the steering device, wherein the fluid flow causes a steering force on the steering device. A method for drilling a borehole into a subsurface formation, including disposing a steering device in the borehole, rotating the steering device, urging a fluid to flow through a valve of the steering device to an outside surface of the steering device, wherein the fluid flow causes a steering force on the steering device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2025
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Volker Peters, Andreas Peter, Christian Fulda, Tim Mueller, Ingo Roders, Olaf Gaertner
  • Patent number: 12435619
    Abstract: The invention relates to systems for monitoring the angles of the bottom of the borehole for horizontal directional drilling (HDD), used when performing works on trenchless laying of engineering communications. A system for monitoring the profile of the borehole bottom at the stages of reaming during the construction of communications using the method of horizontal directional drilling, which contains a computer, software installed on it for processing and constructing a profile of the bottom of the borehole, is made with the ability to connect to the computer a device for monitoring the angles of the bottom of the borehole. At the same time, the device for monitoring the angles of the bottom of the borehole consists of a housing with accelerometers installed in it, an electronic board with a processor, a device for recording and storing information, and a power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2025
    Inventor: Elena Alekseevna Tareeva
  • Patent number: 12435573
    Abstract: A method, device, and system is described herein for pushing a rotary drill bit. Pushing the rotary drill bit can include receiving a target direction in a formation to push the rotary drill bit while drilling a wellbore in a formation. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include opening, at a first rotational position of a rotary bit pushing device disposed proximate to the rotary drill bit within the wellbore, a first inlet port of a first flow regulator. Pushing the rotary drill bit can further include closing, after the first rotational position of the rotary bit pushing device, the first inlet port. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include sending, to a second flow regulator of the rotary bit pushing device, a second quantity of drilling fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2025
    Assignee: D-Tech (UK) Ltd
    Inventor: Richard Hutton
  • Patent number: 12428956
    Abstract: A system for use in navigating and/or forming a tunnel includes a tunneling device including a body assembly and a fluid line coupled to the body assembly. The body assembly includes a first section and a second section that are configured to selectively adjust their size and move the body assembly through an underground location when a pressurized fluid is delivered to the body assembly through the fluid line. The system further includes at least one sensor coupled to the body assembly and/or the fluid line. The at least one sensor is configured to provide information related to an operating parameter of at least one of the first section of the body assembly or the second section of the body assembly. The system also includes a controller configured to determine an environmental characteristic of the tunnel based on the information provided by the at least one sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2025
    Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology LLC
    Inventors: Deepak Trivedi, Yew Teck Tan, Emad A. Andarawis
  • Patent number: 12392198
    Abstract: A self-sufficient rotary steerable system configured to provide a bottom hole assembly with a build-up rate of at least 25 degrees per 100 feet of drilling distance. The rotary steerable system has a reduced length without the removal or omission of functional components, including a power module, a control module, a communication module, a filter module, a valve module, and/or a pressure regulation module. The build-up rate is defined as a function of a length between a first contact point on a drill bit of the bottom hole assembly and a second contact point at a piston assembly of the rotary steerable system; length between the second contact point and a third contact point at a stabilizer of the rotary steerable system; the drill bit outer diameter; the piston assembly outer diameter; and the stabilizer outer diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2025
    Assignee: OnTarget Drilling, LLC
    Inventor: Sylvain Bedouet
  • Patent number: 12345157
    Abstract: A piston and cylinder assembly of a downhole tool including a rotary steerable tool. The piston has an outer wall in direct sliding contact with a wall of the cylinder. The cylinder has a retainer for the piston, the retainer has a retaining part and the piston has a retained part, such that the retaining part and the retained part cooperate to retain the piston in the cylinder. The invention separates the function of retaining the piston from sealing the piston to cylinder interface. The invention also relates to a method of assembling the piston and cylinder including rotating the piston relative to the cylinder so that at least a portion of the retained part becomes aligned with at least a portion of the retaining part, and locking the piston against subsequent rotation relative to the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: ROCKATEK LIMITED
    Inventors: Daniel Brendan Crowley, Robert Donald John Sedgeman
  • Patent number: 12326083
    Abstract: A rotary steerable system is disclosed. The rotary steerable system includes a tool collar having cavities and through holes extending there through to interconnect the cavities. The rotary steerable system also includes pad pushers each positionable within the plurality of cavities to be coupled to the tool collar, each pad pusher coupled to a respective pad retention housing on the uphole end and the downhole end of the tool collar. A secondary retention mechanism is slidably attached to the tool collar and coupled with a respective pad retention housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Lizheng Zhang
  • Patent number: 12297737
    Abstract: A system includes a bottom hole assembly (BHA) that includes a drill bit configured to drill a pilot hole in a subterranean formation, such that the drill bit provides a first point of contact between the BHA and the subterranean formation. The BHA includes a steering pad assembly that includes one or more steering pads each configured to move over a path of travel between a retracted position and an extended position to provide a second point of contact between the BHA and the subterranean formation, and a reamer configured to expand the pilot hole into a borehole, such that the reamer provides a third point of contact between the BHA and the subterranean formation. The system includes a controller configured to steer the BHA via the first, second, and third points of contact and adjustments to the second point of contact via control of the steering pad assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Geoffrey Charles Downton, Riadh Boualleg, Edward Richards
  • Patent number: 12281562
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for controlling a wellbore drilling apparatus where the system may include a surface controller and a downhole controller. In certain instances, control of the drilling apparatus may be transferred from the surface controller to the downhole controller. The control of the drilling apparatus may be transferred to the downhole controller as the surface control monitors operation of the drilling operation. The surface controller may also send a command that transfers control of the drilling apparatus from the downhole controller to the surface controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Min Wu, Cili Sun, Robert Alan Friedrich, Ketan C. Bhaidasna, Bipin K. Pillai, Fernando Costa Oliveira Chagas, Vy Pho, Nazli Demirer
  • Patent number: 12252986
    Abstract: A steerable drilling device has an outer tube extending along a longitudinal axis; a drill bit joint inserted into said outer tube, a lower end of said drill bit joint extending out of a lower end of said outer tube for connection to a drill bit; a joint drive mechanism, provided in said outer tube and configured to drive said drill bit joint to swing relative to the longitudinal axis; and a lower connection mechanism. The lower connection mechanism has a connection body connected to said joint drive mechanism in such a manner that said joint drive mechanism is non-rotatable with respect to said connection body, a first centralizer arranged between said connection body and said outer tube, a circuit system arranged in said connection body and configured to provide an electrical signal to said joint driving mechanism, and an attitude sensor arranged in said connection body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignees: CHINA PETROLEUM & CHEMICAL CORPORATION, SINOPEC PETROLEUM ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY SERVICE CO., LTD, SINOPEC SHENGLI PETROLEUM ENGINEERING CO., LTD, SINOPEC MATRIX CORPORATION, GEOSTEERING & LOGGING RESEARCH INSTITUTE, SINOPEC MATRIX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Qingming Ma, Jieran Zhu, Ningning Yang, Guangquan Li, Yufeng Li, Nan Lin, Haiquan Tang, Haiyang Du, Chao Lu
  • Patent number: 12247485
    Abstract: A rotary steerable system on a bottom-hole assembly, that includes a first actuator row, that includes a first steering actuator, a second steering actuator, and a third steering actuator, and a second actuator row, disposed at a radial offset from the first actuator row, that includes a fourth steering actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Lizheng Zhang, Paravastu Badrinarayanan
  • Patent number: 12203370
    Abstract: A tunneling device includes a body assembly, an expander coupled to the body assembly and extending along a longitudinal axis, and a tip coupled to the expander. The expander is disposed between a force transmitter and the tip. The expander is expandable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis between a first configuration having a first width measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a second configuration having a second width measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The tip has a width measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The first width of the expander is equal to or less than the width of the tip. The force transmitter is configured to deliver a force through the expander to the tip to move the tip in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis with the expander in the second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Thomas Cross, Christopher Walter Falcone, Deepak Trivedi
  • Patent number: 12203358
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a control system may include a processor coupled to the database. The control system may include a memory accessible to the processor and storing instructions executable by the processor for: during slide drilling, detecting an increase to a first differential pressure (?P) that is greater than a first threshold pressure. In at least one embodiment, the control system may responsive to detecting the first ?P, determining a time duration for which the first ?P exceeds the first threshold pressure. In at least one embodiment, the control system may responsive to the first ?P exceeding the first threshold pressure for less than a first threshold time, continuing the slide drilling without modifying a drilling parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: MOTIVE DRILLING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: William Edward Weideman, John Jeremy Cantwell, An Binh Ho
  • Patent number: 12196069
    Abstract: A method for drilling, comprising receiving, by a surface steerable system coupled to a drilling rig, BHA information from a rotary steerable bottom hole assembly (BHA) located in a borehole, calculating, by the surface steerable system, torsional and spatial forces acting on the rotary steerable BHA at a first location of the rotary steerable BHA with respect to a target drilling path responsive to the BHA information, calculating, by the surface steerable system, a first vector to create a convergence path from the first location of the rotary steerable BHA to the target drilling path that accounts for the torsional and the spatial forces acting on the rotary steerable BHA, causing, by the surface steerable system, at least one drilling parameter to be modified in order to alter a drilling direction of the rotary steerable BHA based on the calculated first vector, transmitting the at least one drilling parameter to the drilling rig to target the rotary steerable BHA in accordance with the first vector, and
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: MOTIVE DRILLING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Todd W. Benson, Teddy Chen, Joel Wilmes
  • Patent number: 12188342
    Abstract: An intelligent drilling system is disclosed. The intelligent drilling system includes an inner drill pipe adapted to rotate around a longitudinal axis in a transversal plane of a wellbore to advance a drill bit during a drilling operation, an external drill string shield surrounding the inner drill pipe and coupled to the inner drill pipe via at least one bearing system, the at least one bearing system adapted to decouple the external drill string shield from a rotational motion of the inner drill pipe in the transversal plane such that the external drill string shield remains substantially stationary during the drilling operation, and an in-situ sensing system disposed on an interior wall of the external drill string shield to measure at least one downhole parameter of the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Guodong Zhan, Chinthaka P. Gooneratne, Abdulwahab Aljohar, Jianhui Xu, Timothy Eric Moellendick
  • Patent number: 12140005
    Abstract: Provided, in one aspect, is a spin control valve assembly, comprising a stationary valve plate having a first stationary valve plate opening and a second stationary valve plate opening; and a rotating valve plate coupled longitudinally adjacent to the stationary valve plate, the rotating valve plate having a rotating valve plate opening, wherein the rotating valve plate is configured to rotate among at least three positions such that at each position of the at least three positions fluid flows at a different flow rate through the spin control valve assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn J. Brown, Ketankumar Kantilal Sheth, Dezhi Zheng
  • Patent number: 12116894
    Abstract: A method, device, and system is described herein for pushing a rotary drill bit. Pushing the rotary drill bit can include receiving a target direction in a formation to push the rotary drill bit while drilling a wellbore in a formation. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include opening, at a first rotational position of a rotary bit pushing device disposed proximate to the rotary drill bit within the wellbore, a first inlet port of a first flow regulator. Pushing the rotary drill bit can further include closing, after the first rotational position of the rotary bit pushing device, the first inlet port. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include sending, to a second flow regulator of the rotary bit pushing device, a second quantity of drilling fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: D-Tech (UK) Ltd
    Inventor: Richard Hutton
  • Patent number: 12104466
    Abstract: A method includes directionally drilling, with a pulse power drill string, of a borehole into a subsurface formation using pulse power. The directionally drilling comprises generating, by an electrical source, an electrical energy and storing, by a primary capacitor, the electrical energy. The method includes periodically discharging the electrical energy from the primary capacitor to be received by a switching device having a number of outputs, wherein each output of the number of outputs is electrically coupled to an electrode of a number of electrodes positioned on an electrode assembly; and unevenly distributing, by the switching device, the electrical energy across the number of electrodes based on selecting a subset of the number of electrodes to receive the electrical energy to alter a direction of the drilling of the borehole based on emitting of the electrical energy by the selected subset of the number of electrodes into the subsurface formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Finke, Boguslaw Wiecek
  • Patent number: 12055040
    Abstract: A curvature controllable directional drilling device is disclosed. The drilling device includes: a drill bit, a power unit, a rigid bending unit, a bendable outer wall, and a wedge deflection tool. The power unit is to provide a rotary power to the drill bit. The rigid bending unit is set between the drill bit and the power unit, to bend on a basis of an initial curvature under an external force. The bendable outer wall is set on an outer side of the power unit and the rigid bending unit. The wedge deflection tool is set at one end of the bendable outer wall near the drill bit, to receive a reaction force and bend the rigid bending unit. By a coordination between the wedge deflection tool and the power unit, a drilling direction of the drill bit connected to the rigid bending unit can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: CHINA UNIVERSITY OF MINING AND TECHNOLOGY, BEIJING
    Inventors: Yifan Zeng, Weihong Yang, Qiang Wu, Xuan Xiao, Kai Pang, Xinjiang Wei, Xue Liu, Han Bao
  • Patent number: 12031433
    Abstract: A rotary steerable drilling system can be positioned in a subterranean formation to steer a drill to form a wellbore in the subterranean formation. An orientation of a steering valve, which is positioned in the rotary steerable drilling system, can be adjusted to cover each channel of one or more channels of a valve seat adjacent the steering valve to deactivate each steering pad of one or more steering pads of the rotary steerable drilling system. The orientation of the steering valve can be adjusted to activate at least one steering pad of the one or more steering pads of the rotary steerable drilling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Lizheng Zhang, Paravastu Badrinarayanan
  • Patent number: 12018556
    Abstract: A bit used in a downhole environment has an active element that is movable relative to the bit. The bit is rotated in the downhole environment, and at least one downhole parameter is measured. The at least one downhole parameter is compared against a target parameter value, and when the at least one downhole parameter is beyond a threshold value of the target parameter value, the active element is selectively relative to the bit. Movement of the active element alters the proportion of the weight on the active element as compared to the other cutting structure of the bit. Changing the proportion of weight can be used to reduce the depth of cut of the cutting structure and to reduce or eliminate motor stall or stick-slip behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Manoj D. Mahajan, Scott Richard Woolston, Huntington Tracy Hall, Jonathan D. Marshall
  • Patent number: 11970930
    Abstract: A downhole intelligent Circulating Sub controller detects the difference between rotary drilling and sliding drilling, responds appropriately and quickly to multiple changes between rotary drilling and sliding drilling that may occur several times each stand of pipe. Additional controls prevent actuation of the Circulating Sub at inappropriate times. In one embodiment, a separate modular control sub is disclosed that may be utilized with and/or removably secured to a Circulating Sub and/or other types of downhole tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Inventor: Mark May
  • Patent number: 11970942
    Abstract: A rotary steerable system including a steering section having at least one piston, at least one distribution flow passage extending from a valve to one of the pistons, and two main flow passages bypassing the pistons. At least a portion of each main flow passage is closer to a central point of the steering section than an outer boundary of the distribution flow passage. At least a portion of each main flow passage may also be closer to the central point of the steering section than an inner boundary of the pistons in a retracted position. The distribution flow passages are contained within a central area, with a ratio of a central area diameter to steering section diameter being 0.5 or less, preferably 0.4 or less. The steering section may include two piston sets and two distribution flow passages each extending from the valve to a piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: OnTarget Drilling, LLC
    Inventor: Sylvain Bedouet
  • Patent number: 11933172
    Abstract: Directional drilling is an extremely important area of technology for the extraction of oil and gas from earthen formations. The technology of the present application relates to improved non-stabilizer guidance positioning members for directional drilling assemblies and for drill strings. It also relates to an improved method for analyzing the fit and engagement of a directional drilling assembly in curved and straight wellbores in order to produce improved guidance positioning members. It also relates to a method of designing guidance positioning members for directional drilling. It also relates to drilling directional wellbores using the guidance positioning members of the present technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: XR Lateral LLC
    Inventors: Edward Spatz, Michael Reese, David Miess, Gregory Prevost
  • Patent number: 11933173
    Abstract: A system for monitoring installation of a utility product pipe within an underground borehole and detecting any issues with the installation process. The system utilizes one or more sensors to measure a parameter concerning the product pipe as the product pipe is pulled into the borehole, and one or more sensors to measure a parameter concerning the drill string as the drill string is pulled out of the borehole. The measured parameters are compared and analyzed to determine if any damage is likely to occur to the product pipe if the installation operation is not stopped and any issues remedied prior to continuing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: The Charles Machine Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley S. Marshall, Dustin L Blessum
  • Patent number: 11873715
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a sub-section of a pulse power drilling assembly including a transformer encircling a center flow tube through which a drilling mud is to flow for drilling a borehole into a subsurface formation based on periodic pulses of electrical discharges from the pulse power drilling assembly. The transformer comprises at least one primary winding that encircles the center flow tube; a core that encircles the at least one primary winding, wherein the core comprises an electrically non-conductive material; and at least one secondary winding that encircles the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., SDG LLC
    Inventors: Michael D. Finke, Boguslaw Wiecek, William M. Moeny
  • Patent number: 11867059
    Abstract: Systems and methods for drilling a borehole are disclosed. In an embodiment, the system includes a drill bit and a plasma inducing apparatus coupled to the drill bit. The plasma inducing apparatus is configured to generate plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: David Staack, Li-Jung Tai, Dion S. Antao, Xin Tang
  • Patent number: 11866997
    Abstract: A rotary percussive hydraulic drill comprises a body; a shank having female coupling splines and male coupling splines; a striking piston configured to strike the shank; a rotation drive device configured to drive the shank in rotation; a front abutment surface against which the shank is configured to come into abutment. The shank has an annular bearing flange which is provided on an outer surface of the shank and which has an annular bearing surface configured to come into abutment against the front abutment surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: MONTABERT
    Inventors: Michel Escolle, Gilbert Chervin
  • Patent number: 11852015
    Abstract: A bias subsystem for a steerable bottom hole assembly (BHA) includes a housing having a rotational axis; a plurality of flow conduits in the housing to convey drilling fluid received at an upstream end of the housing towards a downstream end of the housing; a plurality of hydraulic thrust structures each extending from within the housing to the periphery of the housing; and a plurality of valve conduits in the housing to each convey drilling fluid to a respective one of the hydraulic thrust structures, wherein the flow conduits are not intermediate the hydraulic thrust structures and the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SPARROW DOWNHOLE TOOLS LTD.
    Inventor: David Cramer
  • Patent number: 11835086
    Abstract: An apparatus for use in a drill string configured for use in a subterranean formation includes a drive shaft coupled to a drill bit, the drill bit configured to continuously rotate and penetrate within the subterranean formation, a drill string housing that houses the drive shaft, the drive shaft continuously rotating within the drill string housing relative to the drill string housing, and a bearing assembly configured bear the drive shaft within the drill string housing, the bearing assembly comprising a first bearing surface having a first curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Volker Peters
  • Patent number: 11788357
    Abstract: An extendable member diagnostic assembly determines performance of one or more components of a rotary steerable system. Based on the determined performance, an operation can be altered, such as a drilling operation. Performance may be based on measurements received from one or more sensors associated with components of the extendable member diagnostic assembly. For example, performance may be based on the time to transition a valve between states where the valve controls actuation of an extendable member, downhole temperature, downhole pressure or any other factors that affect performance of components that are used to perform the drilling operation. A controller receives the measurements from the one or more sensors and updates baseline parameters to determine an accurate performance. Using real time data to determine performance increases efficiency of an operation by eliminating unnecessary replacement of components and indicating that a downhole tool should be retrieved prior to failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Ravi P. Nanayakkara, Neelesh V. Deolalikar, Larry DeLynn Chambers, Richard Thomas Hay
  • Patent number: 11788359
    Abstract: A downhole steering system includes a substantially tubular housing, a shaft positioned within the substantially tubular housing, a first bearing and a second bearing, the first and second bearings being configured to support rotation of the shaft relative to the housing. The first bearing, the second bearing, the shaft, and the housing at least partially define a chamber therebetween. The system also includes at least one structure positioned axially between the first and second bearing and being configured to extend from an exterior of the housing in response to pressure communicated to the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Marshall, Edward George Parkin, Geoffrey Charles Downton, David C. Hoyle, Nalin Weerasinghe, Dennis Patrick Chesnutt
  • Patent number: 11788384
    Abstract: Provided is a wellbore leg, a multilateral junction, and well system. The wellbore leg, in one aspect, includes a tubular having a fluid passageway extending there through, and an articulating structures located within the fluid passageway. In at least one aspect, the articulating structures includes a first portion, and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are coupled to one another and operable to rotate relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: David Joe Steele
  • Patent number: 11773685
    Abstract: A drill string steering system includes a motor and a rotary valve body disposed in a tool body. The motor includes a motor shaft coupled to the motor and extending within a central bore of the tool body. The motor shaft has a downhole engagement portion that includes a first splined surface. The rotary valve body includes a disk-shaped component and a valve shaft coupled to the disk-shaped component and extending uphole of the disk-shaped component. The valve shaft includes a second splined surface engageable with the first splined surface for rotation of the motor shaft to be imparted to the rotary valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry DeLynn Chambers, Neelesh V. Deolalikar
  • Patent number: 11713623
    Abstract: The disclosure includes a power section for a bottom hole assembly for use in a wellbore. The power section may include a stator, the stator including a housing, a stator insert, a payload housing and a bent sub having a bend direction. The payload housing may be positioned on an outer surface of the housing, and the payload housing may include a payload pocket. The power section may include a rotor, the rotor rotatable eccentrically within the stator. The payload housing may positioned on the stator housing so as to be always aligned with the bend direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: SCIENTIFIC DRILLING INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: William Daniel Keiser
  • Patent number: 11697967
    Abstract: A rotary drill bit for use with a horizontal directional drill string. A coupler at a proximal axial end is configured to attach the rotary drill bit to a drill head at a distal end of the drill string. A cutting portion at a distal axial end is provided with a plurality of vanes with respective cutters that operate to cut a hole in earth when the rotary drill bit is rotated about a central axis. The plurality of vanes project radially outwardly from a surface of the cutting portion such that the surface forms respective troughs circumferentially interspersed with the plurality of vanes. A plurality of engagement features is positioned axially within the cutting portion and radially inward of an outer cutting diameter to facilitate attachment of a product pullback device between the plurality of vanes without removing the rotary drill bit, or any portion thereof, from the drill head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Jacob Richard Smith, Michael David Langenfeld, Tyler J. Dorin
  • Patent number: 11686342
    Abstract: An apparatus for use in a drill string configured for use in a subterranean formation includes a drive shaft coupled to a drill bit, the drill bit configured to continuously rotate and penetrate within the subterranean formation, a drill string housing that houses the drive shaft, the drive shaft continuously rotating within the drill string housing relative to the drill string housing, and a bearing assembly configured bear the drive shaft within the drill string housing, the bearing assembly comprising a first bearing surface having a first curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: Volker Peters
  • Patent number: 11674388
    Abstract: Boreholes used for generating geothermal energy or other purposes are formed at least in part by accelerating projectiles toward geologic material. Interaction between a projectile and the geologic material may generate debris or other material. The temperature of this generated material may be used to determine the potential for generation of geothermal energy using the borehole. Based on the temperature of the material, a fluid having a different temperature than that of the material is provided into the borehole for generation of power using geothermal energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: HYPERSCIENCES, INC.
    Inventors: Hossam Elbadawy, Mark C. Russell, Charles T. Russell, Timothy John Elder, Minh Button
  • Patent number: 11649680
    Abstract: A method, device, and system is described herein for pushing a rotary drill bit. Pushing the rotary drill bit can include receiving a target direction in a formation to push the rotary drill bit while drilling a wellbore in a formation. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include opening, at a first rotational position of a rotary bit pushing device disposed proximate to the rotary drill bit within the wellbore, a first inlet port of a first flow regulator. Pushing the rotary drill bit can further include closing, after the first rotational position of the rotary bit pushing device, the first inlet port. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include sending, to a second flow regulator of the rotary bit pushing device, a second quantity of drilling fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: D-TECH UK LTD
    Inventor: Richard Hutton
  • Patent number: 11629557
    Abstract: A downhole motor includes a driveshaft assembly including a driveshaft housing and a driveshaft rotatably disposed within the driveshaft housing, and a bearing assembly including a bearing housing and a bearing mandrel rotatably disposed within the bearing housing, wherein the bearing mandrel is configured to couple with a drill bit, wherein the bearing assembly is configured to provide a first flowpath extending into a central passage of the bearing mandrel from an annulus formed between the bearing mandrel and the bearing housing and a second flowpath separate from the first flowpath, that extends through a bearing of the bearing assembly that is disposed radially between the bearing mandrel and the bearing housing, wherein a plurality of rotary seals are positioned radially between the bearing mandrel and the bearing housing to form an sealed chamber that is spaced from the bearing of the bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Nicholas Ryan Marchand, Jeffery Ronald Clausen
  • Patent number: 11629555
    Abstract: A cam system for use with a rotary steerable system, the cam system includes a housing, a cam positioned at least partially within the housing, and a solid cam shaft engaged with the cam and positioned at least partially within the housing, wherein the cam is operable to adjust an azimuthal orientation of the solid cam shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Alben D'Silva
  • Patent number: 11608687
    Abstract: The systems and techniques described herein may allow for optimized boring through a variety of geologies. A plurality of different boring techniques may be utilized for boring through a geological formation, in order to suit the characteristics of various portions of the geological formation. The systems and techniques described herein includes determining geological features and adjusting operation of boring based on the geological features. In certain such embodiments, boring systems may include a bore head that includes a plurality of boring elements. Such boring elements may be contact and/or non-contact boring elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: ArcByt, Inc.
    Inventors: Shivani Torres, Thomas Egan, Barzin Moridian
  • Patent number: 11566481
    Abstract: A rotary valve can include a seat and a rotary actuator, each with a surface, the rotary actuator rotatably mounted to a housing. The surfaces can form a seal due to their engagement with an engagement force used to maintain the engagement. One biasing device can elevate pressure in a sealed volume in the valve at a constant level above an external pressure. The elevated pressure can produce a pressure differential across the rotary actuator, thereby producing at least a portion of the engagement force. Another biasing device can act between a splined hub and a mated splined shaft, thereby applying at least a portion of the engagement force through the shaft to the rotary actuator. Fluid flowing through a screen can create a pressure drop, thereby causing a pressure differential across the rotary actuator and applying at least a portion of the engagement force to the surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Chambers, Neelesh Deolalikar
  • Patent number: 11559149
    Abstract: A method of transitioning from rotary to slide drilling while maintaining a bit of a bottom hole assembly (“BHA”) on a wellbore bottom includes (a) recording a first toolface value of the BHA that is coupled to a drill string; (b) identifying a correlation between the first toolface value and a first quill position of a quill coupled to the drill string; (c) identifying a breakover torque for the drill string; (d) performing rotary drilling; (e) recording a second toolface value while the bit remains on the wellbore bottom; (f) receiving, while the bit remains on the wellbore bottom, a target toolface value; (g) calculating, while the bit remains on the wellbore bottom, an unwind amount to unwind the drill string; and (h) unwinding the drill string by the unwind amount to bring the second toolface value closer to the target toolface value while the bit remains on the bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: NABORS DRILLING TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC.
    Inventors: Austin Groover, Scott Coffey, Drew Curran, Adam Lacroix
  • Patent number: 11555373
    Abstract: A method for isolating a horizontal tie-in pipeline of an inactive hydrocarbon-producing well from a main pipeline to prevent flow of hydrocarbons into the tie-in pipeline includes the steps of: identifying a location of a junction of the tie-in pipeline and the main pipeline and cleaning the tie-in pipeline by deploying a locating and cleaning assembly into the tie-in pipeline, withdrawing the locating and cleaning assembly, deploying a plug device having a longitudinally extending forward probe and a sealing element to the location of the junction, and remotely actuating the sealing element. The locating and cleaning device includes a pipeline junction sensing element longitudinally extending from a forward end of the locating and cleaning device. The sensing element is connected to a valve which, when open, relieves pressure in the locating and cleaning assembly as an indicator of the location of the junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Inventor: John Robert Karl Krug
  • Patent number: 11512540
    Abstract: A method of mitigating whirl on a rotating device includes detecting force on a outer surface of the rotating device and switching the rotating device between a rotating mode and a non-rotating mode. In the rotating mode, the outer surface may rotate with an inner sleeve. In the non-rotating mode, the outer surface may be rotationally isolated from the inner sleeve. The rotating device may include a stabilizer with an active or passive system for switching modes. The stabilizer can include an outer collar, an inner sleeve, and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is changeable between a first mode in which the outer collar is rotationally fixed to the inner sleeve and a second mode in which the outer collar is rotationally isolated relative to the inner sleeve. An example passive device may include a magnetic clutch where the detected force overcomes magnetic forces to change mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Huseyin Murat Panayirci, Jonathan Robert Hird, Joachim Sihler, Ashley Bernard Johnson