Company Filing History:
Years Active: 2000-2010
Title: Ray Ballantyne: Innovator in Drilling Technology
Introduction
Ray Ballantyne is a notable inventor based in Houston, TX, who has made significant contributions to the field of drilling technology. With a total of 3 patents to his name, Ballantyne has focused on optimizing drilling processes and enhancing the efficiency of drilling systems.
Latest Patents
One of Ballantyne's latest patents is titled "Drilling wellbores with optimal physical drill string conditions." This innovative drilling system includes a control unit and a bottomhole assembly (BHA) coupled to a drill string. The control unit utilizes measurements from sensors distributed throughout the drill string and BHA to assess their physical condition and determine if drilling can be optimized. The sensors are housed in receiver subs and can be positioned on extensible members. The receiver sub may also include a short-hop telemetry module, a processor module, and a clock module. In one embodiment, seismic sensors are included for enabling vertical seismic profiling. During operation, the processor visually presents a dynamically updated pictorial image of the drilling system to the operator, annotated with visual signals indicating the physical condition at specific locations or components. The processor can also recommend adjustments to drilling parameters to increase drilling rates, improve tool life, and enhance steering precision.
Another significant patent is the "Directional cased hole side track method applying rotary closed loop system and casing mill." This patent describes a bottomhole assembly (BHA) designed for single trip sidetracking operations. It features a mill for forming an open hole section in a cased wellbore and a steering unit for controlling drill bit orientation. The drilling system is assembled at the surface and tripped into the wellbore, with the mill positioned adjacent to a kick-off point to create an open hole section. The drill bit is then positioned adjacent to this section, and the steering unit includes force application members that displace the drill bit to point in a specified direction into the open hole section.
Career Highlights
Ray Ballantyne is currently employed at Baker Hughes Corporation, a leading company in the oil and gas industry. His work focuses on developing advanced drilling technologies that enhance operational efficiency and safety.
Collaborations
Throughout his career, Ballantyne has collaborated with notable colleagues, including Holger Mathiszik and Michael Neubert, contributing to the advancement of drilling technology.
Conclusion
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