| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080210422 | Reservoir Stimulation While Running Casing - A method for stimulating a reservoir formation while running a casing string into the wellbore includes the steps of: connecting a stimulation assembly to a casing string, the stimulation assembly including a packer actuator in operational connection with a packer and a logging sensor; running the casing string into the wellbore and positioning the logging assembly proximate to a selected reservoir formation; logging the reservoir formation; positioning the stimulation assembly proximate to the reservoir formation; actuating the packer to substantially isolate the reservoir formation from the wellbore; performing the stimulation operation; releasing the packers from sealing engagement with the wellbore; positioning the logging assembly proximate to the reservoir formation; logging the reservoir formation; and disconnecting the stimulation assembly from the casing string. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080238427 | Lightweight, Low Cost Structure for Formation Conductivity Measuring Instrument - A well logging instruments includes an electrically conductive sonde mandrel. At least one electrical sensor is affixed to an exterior of the mandrel. The sensor is configured to be attached to the mandrel by sliding along an exterior surface thereof. A pressure-sealing electrical feedthrough bulkhead makes electrical connection from the at least one sensor through a wall of the mandrel. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080308271 | Deployment of Underground Sensors in Casing - The present invention discloses a monitoring system integrated on a casing or tubing sub ( | 12-18-2008 |
| 20080314585 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MAKING DRILLING PARAMETER AND OR FORMATION EVALUATION MEASUREMENTS DURING CASING DRILLING - A casing drilling system includes a casing having a drill bit at one end. The drill bit is capable of drilling subsurface formations and formed from a material removable by drilling or chemical exposure. The chemical is substantially harmless to the casing. The system includes a centralizer affixed to an interior of the casing. The centralizer includes a receptacle therein for engaging a measurement while drilling tool. The centralizer is formed from a material removable by drilling or chemical exposure, wherein the chemical is substantially harmless to the casing. The system includes a measurement while drilling tool configured to move along the interior of the casing and to engage with the centralizer. The tool includes a device to measure a drilling parameter or a formation parameter. The tool including a latch at an upper end thereof for engagement with a retrieval tool moved through the interior of the casing. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090030615 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPTIMIZING MAGNETIC SIGNALS AND DETECTING CASING AND RESISTIVITY - A method of locating a conductive target from a wellbore includes generating a current flowing across an insulated gap in a downhole tool positioned in the wellbore, measuring an azimuthal magnetic field with at least one external magnetometer located proximate the exterior of the downhole tool, measuring a secondary magnetic field using a magnetometer disposed inside the downhole tool, computing at least one of a direction and a distance to the conductive target. | 01-29-2009 |
| 20090091328 | Determining correction factors representing effects of different portions of a lining structure - To determine effect on a magnetic field caused by a lining structure in a wellbore, an array may be deployed into the wellbore lined with the lining structure. The array comprises a plurality of sensors including sensor A configured to operate as a transmitter, sensor B configured to operate as either a transmitter or a receiver, and sensor C configured to operate as a receiver. The array measures magnetic fields using sensor B as a receiver and sensor C in response to activation of sensor B as a transmitter and sensor A. A plurality of lining structure correction factors can be calculated based on the measured magnetic fields, based on the reciprocity of the sensors. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090255661 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DRILLING MULTILATERAL WELLS USING MAGNETIC RANGING WHILE DRILLING - Systems and methods for drilling a multilateral well using magnetic ranging while drilling are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a method of drilling a multilateral well includes drilling and casing a mother wellbore, installing a multilateral junction, drilling and casing a first lateral well from the multilateral junction, and drilling a second lateral well from the multilateral junction using magnetic ranging while drilling such that the second lateral well has a controlled relationship relative to the first lateral well. The first and second lateral wells may form a SAGD well pair, in which case the first lateral well may be a producer well and the second lateral well may be an injector well. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090260878 | METHOD FOR DRILLING WELLS IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIP USING MAGNETIC RANGING WHILE DRILLING - Methods for drilling wells using magnetic ranging while drilling to position the wells with respect to one another are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a method of drilling a well includes leaving a drill string in position within a primary well, and drilling a secondary well using the drill string as a target for magnetic ranging while drilling such that the secondary well is positioned with a specified orientation relative to the drill string. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090260879 | MAGNETIC RANGING WHILE DRILLING USING AN ELECTRIC DIPOLE SOURCE AND A MAGNETIC FIELD SENSOR - A system and methods for drilling a well in a field having an existing well are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a method of drilling a new well in a field having an existing well includes drilling the new well using a bottom hole assembly (BHA) having a drill collar divided by an insulated gap, generating a current on the drill collar of the BHA while drilling the new well, and measuring from the existing well a magnetic field caused by the current on the drill collar of the BHA. Using measurements of the magnetic field, the relative position of the new well to the existing well may be determined. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090272580 | DRILLING SYSTEM WITH DRILL STRING VALVES - A method to control borehole fluid flow includes detecting a drilling condition and operating at least one valve in the drill string to place an exterior of the drill string in fluid communication with an interior of the drill string in response to detecting the drilling condition. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090308657 | MAGNETIC RANGING AND CONTROLLED EARTH BOREHOLE DRILLING - A method for determining the distance and/or direction of a second earth borehole with respect to a first earth borehole, includes the following steps: providing, in the first borehole, first and second spaced apart magnetic field sources; providing, in the second borehole, a magnetic field sensor subsystem for sensing directional magnetic field components; activating the first and second magnetic field sources, and producing respective first and second outputs of the magnetic field sensor subsystem, the first output being responsive to the magnetic field produced by the first magnetic field source, and the second output being responsive to the magnetic field produced by the second magnetic field source; and determining distance and/or direction of the second earth borehole with respect to the first earth borehole as a function of the first output and the second output. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20090322553 | ELECTROMAGNETIC WELLBORE TELEMETRY SYSTEM FOR TUBULAR STRINGS - A coaxial transmission line for an electromagnetic wellbore telemetry system is disclosed. An inner conductive pipe is disposed inside an axial bore of the outer conductive pipe. An insulator is positioned between the outer conductive pipe and the inner conductive pipe. In a specific embodiment, the inner conductive pipe is perforated or slotted. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20100007519 | METHOD AND CONDUIT FOR TRANSMITTING SIGNALS - An expandable tubular sleeve having utility for lining a downhole tubular member includes a tubular body having a portion that is predisposed to initiate expansion thereof under the application of internal fluid pressure. The predisposed portion of the body may be a plastically-deformed portion formed, e.g., by application of mechanical force to a wall of the body. The predisposed portion of the body may be defined by a portion of the body having reduced wall thickness. The reduced wall thickness may be achieved, e.g., by reinforcing the wall thickness everywhere except the predisposed portion. The predisposed portion of the body may be formed by modifying the material properties of the body, e.g., by localized heat treatment. The sleeve and related apparatuses and methods are useful for securing and protecting a cable having one or more insulated conductive wires for transmission of signals between locations downhole and at the surface. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100108386 | SYSTEM, APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF CONDUCTING MEASUREMENTS OF A BOREHOLE - A method is provided for conducting measurements of a borehole while drilling the borehole in a geological formation. First, a rotatable drilling assembly is provided that has, at a forward end, a drill bit and a borehole measurement tool connected rearward of the drill bit. The measurement tool includes at least one caliper arm extendible outward from the measurement tool. The method involves drilling the borehole by operating the rotatable drilling assembly. While drilling, the wall of the borehole is contacted with at least one extendable caliper arm of the borehole measurement tool and the extension of the caliper arm contacting the borehole wall is measured, thereby determining a distance between the measurement tool and the borehole wall. During rotation of the drilling assembly, contact is maintained between the caliper arm and the borehole wall and the measuring step is repeated at multiple positions of the drilling assembly. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100171638 | WELLBORE TELEMETRY AND NOISE CANCELLATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THE SAME - A method of signal processing includes providing at least a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor spaced in a drilling system and using an algorithm to separate the downwardly propagating waves from the upwardly propagating waves. In one or more examples, an algorithm may include determining a velocity of pressure signals in a wellbore, time-shifting and stacking pressure signals from at least the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor to determine a downwardly propagating noise signal, and subtracting the downwardly propagating noise signal from at least the signal from the first pressure sensor. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100171639 | WELLBORE TELEMETRY AND NOISE CANCELLATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THE SAME - A method of signal processing includes providing at least a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor spaced in a drilling system and using an algorithm to separate the downwardly propagating waves from the upwardly propagating waves. In one or more examples, an algorithm may include determining a velocity of pressure signals in a wellbore, time-shifting and stacking pressure signals from at least the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor to determine a downwardly propagating noise signal, and subtracting the downwardly propagating noise signal from at least the signal from the first pressure sensor. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100172210 | WELLBORE TELEMETRY AND NOISE CANCELLATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THE SAME - A method of signal processing includes providing at least a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor spaced in a drilling system and using an algorithm to separate the downwardly propagating waves from the upwardly propagating waves. In one or more examples, an algorithm may include determining a velocity of pressure signals in a wellbore, time-shifting and stacking pressure signals from at least the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor to determine a downwardly propagating noise signal, and subtracting the downwardly propagating noise signal from at least the signal from the first pressure sensor. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100201540 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING DUAL TELEMETRY - A system and a method use dual telemetry for tools located in a wellbore. A first telemetry system and a second telemetry system coordinate communication with the tools. Both the first telemetry system and the second telemetry system may transmit data regarding the tools and/or drilling conditions from the tools to a surface location simultaneously. The first telemetry system or the second telemetry system may communicate with the surface location if communication using the other telemetry system is interrupted. The first telemetry system and the second telemetry system may have a master/slave relationship so that data requests from a specific telemetry system do not interfere with data requests from the other telemetry system. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100215327 | STRUCTURE FOR ELECTRICAL AND/OR OPTICAL CABLE USING IMPREGNATED FIBER STRENGTH LAYER - A cable includes at least one plastic impregnated fiber layer and at least one conductor in contact with the at least one fiber layer. In some examples, the fiber may be glass fiber, aramid fiber or carbon fiber. In some examples, the plastic may be thermoset plastic, thermoplastic or chemically set resin. In some examples, the conductor may be an electrical conductor or an optical fiber. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100271232 | ANTI-COLLISION METHOD FOR DRILLING WELLS - Methods for drilling a new well in a field having a plurality of existing cased wells using magnetic ranging while drilling are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a method of drilling a new well in a field having an existing cased well includes drilling the new well using a bottom hole assembly (BHA) having a drill collar having by an insulated gap, generating a current on the BHA while drilling the new well, such that some of the current passes through a surrounding formation and travels along a casing of the existing cased well, measuring from the BHA a magnetic field caused by the current traveling along the casing of the existing cased well, and adjusting a trajectory of the BHA to avoid a collision between the new well and the existing cased well based on measurements of the magnetic field. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100308832 | Determining Correction Factors Representing Effects of Different Portions of a Lining Structure - To determine effect on a magnetic field caused by a lining structure in a wellbore, an array may be deployed into the wellbore lined with the lining structure. The array comprises a plurality of sensors including sensor A configured to operate as a transmitter, sensor B configured to operate as either a transmitter or a receiver, and sensor C configured to operate as a receiver. The array measures magnetic fields using sensor B as a receiver and sensor C in response to activation of sensor B as a transmitter and sensor A. A plurality of lining structure correction factors can be calculated based on the measured magnetic fields, based on the reciprocity of the sensors. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20110011580 | WIRELESS TRANSFER OF POWER AND DATA BETWEEN A MOTHER WELLBORE AND A LATERAL WELLBORE - A technique enables wireless communication of signals in a well. The technique is employed for communication of power signals and/or data signals between a mother wellbore and at least one lateral wellbore. A first wireless device is positioned in a mother wellbore proximate a lateral wellbore, and a second wireless device is positioned in the lateral wellbore. The power and/or data signal is transferred wirelessly between the first and second wireless devices via magnetic fields. A plurality of the first and second wireless devices may be employed in cooperating pairs to enable communication between the mother wellbore and a plurality of lateral wellbores. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110018542 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOCATING WELL CASINGS FROM AN ADJACENT WELLBORE - A wellbore tool for locating a target wellbore containing a conductive member from a second wellbore and directing the trajectory of the second wellbore relative to the target wellbore includes an electric current driver having an insulated gap; a three-axis magnetometer positioned within a non-magnetic housing that is disposed within a non-magnetic tubular, the three-axis magnetometer positioned below the electric current driver; a drill bit positioned below the three-axis magnetometer; a hollow tubular connected between the electric current driver and the three-axis magnetometer; and a measurement-while-drilling tool. The current driver generates an electric current across the gap to the portion of the tool below the insulated gap. In a method a current is generated across the insulated gap to the portion of the tool below the insulated gap to the conductive material in the target wellbore returning to a portion of the bottom hole assembly above the insulated gap thereby producing a target magnetic field. Measuring the target magnetic field at the bottom hole assembly and the earth's magnetic field; and determining the position of the second wellbore relative to the target wellbore. Then steering the bottom hole assembly to drill the second wellbore along a trajectory relative to the target wellbore. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110079431 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DENSELY PACKING WELLS USING MAGNETIC RANGING WHILE DRILLING - Systems and methods for drilling a plurality of densely packed wells to efficiently utilize available drilling space. In accordance with one embodiment, a method of drilling densely packed wells may include drilling a second well using magnetic ranging while drilling to control a distance between the second well and a first well (the first well being either existing or drilled immediately prior to starting to drill the second well), and drilling a third well using magnetic ranging while drilling to control a distance between the third well and the first and second wells. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110088890 | MULTIPLE MAGNETIC SENSOR RANGING METHOD AND SYSTEM - A system and methods for drilling a well in an orientation with respect to an existing well are provided. Specifically, one method in accordance with present embodiments includes producing a magnetic field with a magnetic field source positioned in the first well, producing a first output from a first magnetic field sensor subsystem for sensing directional magnetic field components, and producing a second output from a second magnetic field sensor subsystem for sensing directional magnetic field components. The first and second magnetic field sensor subsystems are positioned a distance apart from one another within the second well. Further, the first and second outputs are responsive to the magnetic field produced by the magnetic field source. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110094729 | ELECTRICAL CONDUCTION ACROSS INTERCONNECTED TUBULARS - A wired tubular string includes a first joint having an axial bore, a box end, a pin end, a concentric inner conductor, and a concentric outer conductor; a second joint having an axial bore, a box end, a pin end, a concentric inner conductor and a concentric outer conductor; a joint-to-joint connection formed at the connection of the pin end of the second joint with the box end of the second joint; and an isolation assembly positioned at the joint-to-joint connection to operationally connect the corresponding concentric inner conductors and the correspond concentric outer conductor across the joint-to-joint connection and electrically isolate the inner conductor from the outer conductor. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110109470 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING CASING IN A FORMATION USING CURRENT - The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for relative positioning of wells. A method in accordance with an exemplary embodiment may include drilling a new well in a field having at least three completed wells using a drilling tool that includes a magnetometer. The method may further include driving current on a first pair of the at least three completed wells and then driving current on a second pair of the at least three completed wells, wherein the current is driven on each of the first and second pairs in a balanced mode. The method may also include measuring a direction of a first magnetic field generated by the current on the first pair using the magnetometer, measuring a direction of a second magnetic field generated by the current on the second pair using the magnetometer, and determining a location of the drilling tool relative to the completed wells based on the direction of the first magnetic field and the direction of the second magnetic field. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110133741 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EMPLOYING ALTERNATING REGIONS OF MAGNETIC AND NON-MAGNETIC CASING IN MAGNETIC RANGING APPLICATIONS - A system and methods for facilitating drilling and/or drilling a well in an orientation with respect to an existing well are provided. Specifically, one method in accordance with present embodiments is directed to producing a magnetic field with a magnetic field source positioned in a non-magnetic region of casing within a first well, wherein the first well is cased with alternating regions of magnetic casing and non-magnetic casing. The method may also include producing at least one output from at least one magnetic field sensor capable of sensing directional magnetic field components, wherein the at least one output is based on detection of the magnetic field and wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor is positioned in a second well. | 06-09-2011 |
