Robertson Intellectual Properties, LLC

Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Antony Forbes Grattan

Michael C Robertson

Douglas J Streibich

Cory L Huggins

William F Boelte

Marcelo J Laxalt

Mark Lancaster

Roy L Sparkman

Thomas Jeffrey Wuensche

George Bruce Martin

Amy C Stephens

James Marshall Barker

John A Barton

Dennis James Haggerty

Corbin Sean Glenn

Justine Marie Davidson

Michael L Patterson

Steve S Lin

Kevin O Morton

Scott L Hayes

Amy Stephens

Roy L Sparkaman

An apparatus for severing a conduit in the borehole includes a combustible fuel; a nozzle section comprising a cavity with apertures providing passages from the cavity to outside the apparatus; a movable swirl generator located between the combustible fuel and the nozzle section, the swirl generator comprising a piston and a plurality of helical vanes, the piston located initially above the apertures; and an activation device for igniting the combustible fuel for creating a matrix of combustion products that pass between and/or along the helical vanes and move the swirl generator in the cavity so that the piston is moved below the apertures for passage of the matrix of combustion products into the cavity and out of the apertures. The helical vanes rotate the matrix of combustion products and direct the rotating matrix of combustion products radially through of the apertures for cutting the conduit.

Borehole conduit cutting apparatus with swirl generator

Apparatus, systems, and methods are used for activating a downhole tool, powered by an exothermic reaction, for operation, while deploying a tubing string from a wellbore surface. The tubing string comprises a coupling for enabling pressurized activation of the downhole tool, which comprises a fuel (e.g., thermite) for producing the exothermic reaction. The coupling enables fluid to flow into an interior of the coupling through a first flow passage, during descent of the downhole tool. A stopper is dropped and/or seated to cause the coupling interior to pressurize to an activation pressure, which causes an activator to activate a burn within the downhole tool. Once the downhole tool completes its operation, the coupling interior is further pressurized to burst a burst disc, which opens a second flow passage for fluid to flow from the interior to exterior of the coupling, while downhole tool and coupling are raised to the surface.

Systems and methods for activating a pressure-sensitive downhole tool

An apparatus for cutting a conduit in a borehole includes combustible material within a body; a nozzle comprising apertures; a support element between the nozzle and the combustible material, the support element comprising a mixing cavity within the support element; an activation device for igniting the combustible material to form a matrix of combustion products for passage toward the nozzle via the mixing cavity; and a swirl diverter comprising an outer surface having a plurality of helical vanes which extend from one end of the swirl diverter toward an opposite end of the swirl diverter. The apertures of the nozzle are configured to direct the matrix of combustion products from the mixing cavity to the helical vanes, and the helical vanes are shaped to rotate the matrix of combustion products and direct the matrix of combustion products radially outward of the body for cutting the conduit.

Radial cutting apparatus with swirl diverter

A downhole torch system and method of use includes a cylindrical housing, a protective material provided on at least one of the cylindrical housing and the fuel load, and a fuel load located within the cylindrical housing. The protective material is provided between the fuel load and the cylindrical housing to protect the cylindrical housing from adverse effects caused by the reaction of the burning fuel and/or the subsequent production of combustion products for cutting and/or perforating processes during operation of the torch system. The protective material significantly improves the cutting and/or perforating performance of the torch system.

Protective material for fuel system

A location connector connects a first tubular to a second tubular, and includes a cylindrical main body extending in a longitudinal direction. An outer surface extends around a circumference of the main body, and an inner surface faces the central bore of the main body. A first connector, on a first end of the main body, is configured to attach to the first tubular. A second connector, on an opposite second end of the main body, is configured to attach to the second tubular. A female profile is provided on the inner surface, and includes a plurality of grooves for selective engagement with a discrete complementary profile comprising one or more protruding members of a downhole tool. Each of the grooves comprises a no-go shoulder that prevents movement of the tool in one direction, and each of the grooves permits clocking movement of the tool in an azimuthal direction.

Permanent or removable positioning apparatus and method for downhole tool operations

Systems and methods include an extreme range anchor, having extending assemblies configured to engage a wellbore, for providing a self-centering, reusable anchor location within a wellbore. The extending assemblies include a first set of arms connected to a first brace, a second set of arms connected to a second brace, and a set of footplates. Each footplate in the set of footplates is connected to the first set of arms and the second set of arms. Each footplate includes a fixator coupled to a radially external face and configured to securely engage the wellbore. The system also includes a pull rod rigidly coupled to the first brace and slidably connected to the second brace. Forcing the pull rod in an axial direction shortens a distance between the first brace and the second brace and forces the set of footplates to move in a radial direction toward the wellbore.

Systems and methods for setting an extreme-range anchor within a wellbore

A degradable plug device for a pipe has an outer plug body and an inner plug for preventing fluid flow through the pipe until the inner plug has been removed from the outer plug body. The outer plug body and the inner plug are of a degradable material. The inner plug has a chamber with at least one port to the exterior of the inner plug. The exposed surfaces of the degradable plug have a protective layer thereon. The inner plug is disposable in at least a first position, in which the inner plug prevents the fluid flow through the pipe. The inner plug is adapted to undergo, in use, a degradation initiation operation such that fluid is able to enter the chamber via the at least one port to initiate corrosion or dissolution of the inner plug from inside the chamber.

Degradable plug device for a pipe

A setting tool having a tool body, a chamber configured to contain a non-explosive fuel configured to generate gas and plasma, a cavity, a bleed sub located between the chamber and the cavity. The bleed sub is configured to bleed pressure from the chamber to the cavity after the non-explosive fuel has been initiated. The setting tool also includes a piston disposed within the cavity oriented to stroke in a first direction after the non-explosive fuel has been initiated. The piston may divide the cavity into an upper volume that may receive the pressure increase from the bleed sub and a lower volume. The setting tool may also include a shaft mechanically connected to the piston within the lower volume of the cavity. The shaft may include a dampening conduit configured to drain a fluid from the lower volume after the non-explosive fuel has been initiated.

Setting tool for downhole applications

Systems and methods for setting an extreme range anchor within a wellbore

A jarring tool includes a main body having a central bore extending therein, an upper connection at a proximal end of the main body for attaching the jarring tool to wireline or slickline, a lower portion at a distal end of main body, and a reciprocating hammer fixed at a first position within the central bore of the main body. The jarring tool further includes a central aperture extending along a length of the reciprocating hammer, an electrical connector extending from the upper connection and through the central aperture of the reciprocating hammer to at least the lower portion of the main body, and a release mechanism on the main body for releasing the reciprocating hammer from the first position and allowing reciprocating movement of the reciprocating hammer along the central bore. The electrical connector is configured to break when the reciprocating hammer is released from the first position.

Downhole jarring tool with electrical pass through

A location connector connects a first tubular to a second tubular, and includes a cylindrical main body extending in a longitudinal direction. An outer surface extends around a circumference of the main body, and an inner surface faces the central bore of the main body. A first connector is on a first end of the main body and is configured to attach to the first tubular. A second connector on an opposite second end of the main body is configured to attach to the second tubular. A female profile is provided on the inner surface, and includes a plurality of grooves for selective engagement with a discrete complementary profile comprising one or more protruding members of a downhole tool. Each of the grooves comprises a no-go shoulder that prevents movement of the tool in one direction, and each of the grooves permits clocking movement of the tool in an azimuthal direction.

An anchoring tool for positioning a downhole tool within a wellbore conduit is described herein. The anchor tool uses replaceable blades having protrusions that are configured to align with corresponding grooves in an anchor sub receptacle that is located at a known position along the wellbore conduit. The blades of the anchor tool are configured to move radially relative to the anchor tool body until the anchor tool is aligned with a compatible anchor sub. When the anchor tool and the compatible anchor sub are aligned, the protrusions of the anchor tool blade extend into the grooves of the anchor sub receptacle and a locking mechanism within the anchor tool inhibits further radial movement of the blades. A downhole tool connected to the anchor tool can therefore be positioned at a precise location relative to the known location of an anchor sub receptacle.

Downhole positioning and anchoring device

A setting tool for deploying a downhole tool within a wellbore is described herein. The setting tool uses an in situ non-explosive gas-generating power source to generate high-pressure gas, which drives a mechanical linkage to actuate the deployment of the downhole tool. According to certain embodiments the non-explosive gas-generating setting tool contains no hydraulic stages and may contain only a single piston. The setting tool may be fitted to provide different stroke lengths and can provide usable power over a greater percentage of its stroke length, compared to setting tools using explosive/pyrotechnic power sources. Methods of using a non-explosive gas-generating setting tool to deploy a downhole tool within a wellbore are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Mansfield, TX, United States of America

Antony Forbes Grattan