| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| 6971448 |
Methods and compositions for sealing subterranean zones |
December 6, 2005 |
| Methods and compositions for sealing subterranean zones having temperatures in the range of from about 80.degree. F. to about 300.degree. F. are provided. A method of the invention is basically comprised of the steps of providing a subterranean zone sealing composition that becomes s |
| 6971447 |
Vent screen pressure deployment tool and method of use |
December 6, 2005 |
| A vent screen pressure deployment tool and method for use in running tubular members into a pressurized well. The apparatus comprises a top sub and a stinger. The top sub is adapted for connection to the upper end of a tubular member, such as a vent screen. An upper end of the top sub is |
| 6968898 |
System and method for removing particles from a well bore penetrating a possible producing forma |
November 29, 2005 |
| A system and method for removing particles from a well bore penetrating a possible hydrocarbon producing formation, according to which drilling fluid is mixed with a weighted material, and the mixture is introduced into a well bore so that the mixture scours any particles accumulated in |
| 6968894 |
Coiled tubing injector apparatus |
November 29, 2005 |
| A coiled tubing injector apparatus for use in inserting coiled tubing into a well, temporarily suspending the coiled tubing, and removing the coiled tubing from the well is described. The apparatus includes a base with a pair of spaced-apart carriages extending upwardly therefrom. The ba |
| 6967322 |
Method and apparatus for performing rapid isotopic analysis via laser spectroscopy |
November 22, 2005 |
| Method and apparatus for providing real-time data indicative of the isotopic composition of formation fluids during drilling. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a reference fluid having a known isotopic composition in a reference cell; (b) capturing a sample of formation |
| 6966386 |
Downhole sealing tools and method of use |
November 22, 2005 |
| A downhole tool apparatus for insertion into and sealing engagement with a wellbore. The apparatus comprises a tube having an expandable diameter, and a gripping member joined to the tube adapted to engage a portion of the wellbore to limit movement of the tube within the wellbore. The t |
| 6966379 |
Methods of fracturing a subterranean formation using a pH dependent foamed fracturing fluid |
November 22, 2005 |
| Methods of fracturing a subterranean formation include providing a fracturing fluid having a first pH. The fracturing fluid may be made by combining a gelling agent, a surfactant, and a proppant. The surfactant is capable of facilitating foaming of the fracturing fluid at the first pH |
| 6964302 |
Zeolite-containing cement composition |
November 15, 2005 |
| Methods and cement compositions are provided for sealing a subterranean zone penetrated by a wellbore, wherein the cement composition comprises zeolite, cementitious material, and a mixing fluid. |
| 6963290 |
Data recovery for pulse telemetry using pulse position modulation |
November 8, 2005 |
| The specification discloses algorithms for error recovery in pulse position modulation-based mud pulse telemetry. More particularly, the specification discloses detection and attempted correction of at least five possible error mechanisms: the missed detection of a pulse that creates an |
| 6962215 |
Underbalanced well completion |
November 8, 2005 |
| Equipment and methods which may be used in conjunction with an underbalanced well completion. In a described embodiment, a valve for use in a subterranean well in conjunction with a tool conveyed through the valve in a container is provided. The valve includes a passage formed longit |
| 6962201 |
Cement compositions with improved mechanical properties and methods of cementing in subterranean |
November 8, 2005 |
| Cement compositions with improved mechanical properties and associated methods are provided, which are useful in conjunction with subterranean well operations. In certain embodiments, the cement compositions comprise carbon fibers, rubber particles, a hydraulic cement material, sufficien |
| 6962200 |
Methods and compositions for consolidating proppant in subterranean fractures |
November 8, 2005 |
| Improved methods and compositions for coating proppant particles with a hardenable resin composition, suspending the coated proppant particles in a fracturing fluid, and consolidating the proppant particles after being placed in fractures into permeable masses are provided. These methods |
| 6960303 |
Alum pellets |
November 1, 2005 |
| Compositions including pellets of alum, a smectite mineral material and optionally sodium or calcium carbonate that can be delivered to a phosphate impoundment located at the bottom of a body of water at the bottom. The pellets of alum, smectite mineral material and optionally sodium |
| 6959773 |
Method for drilling and completing boreholes with electro-rheological fluids |
November 1, 2005 |
| In a method for drilling, completing and fracturing a subterranean formation, an electrical potential is applied to oil or synthetic based drilling fluid to increase the viscosity of the fluid and enable the fluid to entrain drill cuttings and proppant. The same base fluid may be used |
| 6959766 |
Downhole ball drop tool |
November 1, 2005 |
| A ball drop tool for dropping an actuating ball to a ball seat located in a tool or tool string therebelow. The ball drop tool includes a housing with a ball drop cage positioned therein. The ball drop cage has a rocker arm pivotably attached thereto. In a first position, the rocker arm |
| 6959609 |
Inferential densometer and mass flowmeter |
November 1, 2005 |
| A system for measuring the density and mass flow rate of a fluid stream. The system generally comprises a volumetric flow device, a momentum device, and a data processing device. The present invention also provides methods for using such system. |
| 6958610 |
Method and apparatus measuring electrical anisotropy in formations surrounding a wellbore |
October 25, 2005 |
| A logging tool is disclosed having transmitting and receiving antennas to measure formation anisotropy. The antennas may preferably be combinations of toroidal, horizontal electric dipole, and horizontal magnetic dipole antennas. In one embodiment, the tool: (a) induces a current flow in |
| 6957704 |
Limit clamp for use with casing attachments |
October 25, 2005 |
| A limit clamp for securing a tool to a casing having a groove in its outer surface. The limit clamp comprises a block having a base and a flange. The base is positioned in the groove to contact at least one stop in the groove and the flange extends out of the groove. The limit clamp also |
| 6957702 |
Cement compositions with improved mechanical properties and methods of cementing in a subterrane |
October 25, 2005 |
| Cement compositions having enhanced mechanical properties and comprising microspheres and carbon fibers are provided herein. Methods are provided herein for cementing in a subterranean formation using such cement compositions. The cement compositions comprise a cement material, carbon |
| 6957700 |
Self-calibrated ultrasonic method of in-situ measurement of borehole fluid acoustic properties |
October 25, 2005 |
| Tools and methods are provided that determine the acoustic impedance of drilling fluid using reflections from a precise metal disk. Because the reverberation characteristics of an acoustic wave depend in part on the acoustic wave shape, the first reflection from the metal disk may be use |
| 6957576 |
Subterranean well pressure and temperature measurement |
October 25, 2005 |
| A well pressure and temperature measurement system and method are provided. In a described embodiment, a sensor system includes multiple strain sensors attached to a structure which changes dimensionally in response to well pressure and temperature changes. The strain sensors may be fibe |
| 6957145 |
Methods for determining characteristics of earth formations |
October 18, 2005 |
| A method for measuring one or more characteristics of an earth formation wherebyenergy is emitted circumferentially about a borehole into the formation, and the amount reflected back is detected during a plurality of sample periods. The samples are grouped into two or more groups by the |
| 6956372 |
System and method for NMR logging with helical polarization |
October 18, 2005 |
| Nuclear magnetic resonance well logging apparatus and method of use for geophysical examination of a borehole as the borehole is drilled. The apparatus is connected to the drill bit to follow it through the borehole as the borehole is formed. The apparatus comprises a non-magnetic pr |
| 6956371 |
Method and apparatus for detecting diffusion sensitive phases with estimation of residual error |
October 18, 2005 |
| A method and system are disclosed for NMR echo-train data acquisition and processing for enhanced tracking of the error in the signal due to magnetoacoustic effects, known as ringing, that are not cancelled out or otherwise corrected. In one aspect, the method enables correction of r |
| 6954066 |
Abnormal pressure determination using nuclear magnetic resonance logging |
October 11, 2005 |
| A method and apparatus for determining abnormal pressure zones of a geologic formation using NMR measurements, preferably for logging-while-drilling applications. In a preferred embodiment, a normal compaction trend is constructed using NMR-derived clay bound water volume (CBW) conte |
| 6953505 |
Stable and biodegradable foamed cement slurries, additives and methods |
October 11, 2005 |
| The present invention relates to stable and biodegradable foamed cement slurries, additives and methods. A foamed cement slurry of the invention comprises a hydraulic cement, sufficient water to form a slurry, sufficient gas to form a foam and a biodegradable foaming and stabilizing |
| 6953094 |
Subterranean well completion incorporating downhole-parkable robot therein |
October 11, 2005 |
| A subterranean well completion has a tubular structure in which a remote controlled robot is permanently disposed. The robot is self-propelled, programmable, receives instructions from and communicates data to the surface, and is adapted to receive power from a downhole source and pe |
| 6953093 |
Communication tool for accessing a non annular hydraulic chamber of a subsurface safety valve |
October 11, 2005 |
| A tubing retrievable safety valve (50) having a non annular hydraulic chamber (60) in a sidewall portion thereof is operable to received a communication tool (100) therein such that relative rotation between at least a portion of the communication tool (100) and the tubing retrievable |
| 6953090 |
Cementing subterranean zones using cement compositions containing biodegradable dispersants |
October 11, 2005 |
| Methods of cementing subterranean zones using cement compositions containing biogradable dispersants are provided. The methods are basically comprised of the steps of preparing a hydraulic cement, a biodegradable dispersant comprised of polyaspartic acid containing side chains formed by |
| 6951252 |
Surface controlled subsurface lateral branch safety valve |
October 4, 2005 |
| A surface controlled subsurface lateral branch safety valve provides flow control for each branch wellbore in a multilateral well. In a described embodiment, a completion system for a well having an intersection between parent and branch wellbores includes an apparatus having multiple pa |
| 6951250 |
Sealant compositions and methods of using the same to isolate a subterranean zone from a disposa |
October 4, 2005 |
| A method of isolating a subterranean zone using a sealant composition comprising a partially polymerized furfuryl compound selected from the group consisting of furfuryl alcohol, furfuryl aldehyde, and combinations thereof, and pumping the sealant composition into a well bore positioned |
| 6951249 |
Foamed cement slurries, additives and methods |
October 4, 2005 |
| The present invention relates to foamed cement slurries, additives and methods. A foamed cement slurry of the invention comprises a hydraulic cement, sufficient water to form a slurry, sufficient gas to form a foam and an environmentally benign foaming and stabilizing additive comprising |
| 6948572 |
Command method for a steerable rotary drilling device |
September 27, 2005 |
| In a drilling system of the type comprising a rotatable drilling string, a drilling string communication system and a drilling direction control device connected with the drilling string, a method is provided for issuing one or more commands to the drilling direction control device u |
| 6948535 |
Apparatus and method for accurately metering and conveying dry powder or granular materials to a |
September 27, 2005 |
| The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for accurately metering and conveying a dry powder or granular material to a blender in a substantially closed system. The apparatus includes a storage tank adapted to hold the dry powder or granular material, a hopper disposed |
| 6945329 |
Methods and compositions for placing particulate materials in subterranean zones |
September 20, 2005 |
| Methods and compositions for placing particulate materials in subterranean zones penetrated by well bores. In one embodiment, the methods comprise: providing a compacted particulate material fluid that comprises a compacted particulate material, and a foam within the pore spaces of the |
| 6944546 |
Method and apparatus for inversion processing of well logging data in a selected pattern space |
September 13, 2005 |
| Method and apparatus for deriving information regarding a subsurface geophysical formation. Well logging data is acquired for the subsurface geophysical formation. Geometrical parameters for the subsurface geophysical formation are determined by inversion processing of the acquired w |
| 6943709 |
Self-adaptable data compression technique |
September 13, 2005 |
| A self-adaptable data compression technique includes compressing the digital data points of a waveform according to at least a first protocol and a second protocol, and various comparing the compressed data under various protocols to determine which would require the least memory for |
| 6942045 |
Drilling with mixed tooth types |
September 13, 2005 |
| A rotary-cutter Earth-penetrating bit in which a given track of bottom hole is attacked by inserts of two different types, e.g. chisel-shaped and pointed, wider and narrower, higher and shorter, and/or of different materials. The different types of inserts can both be included within a |
| 6941652 |
Methods of fabricating a thin-wall expandable well screen assembly |
September 13, 2005 |
| An expandable well screen has a desirable thin-wall construction together with a simplified fabrication method. In fabricating the screen, a flexible sheet of metal mesh filter media is diffusion bonded to an inner side of a perforated metal sheet which is then deformed to a tubular shap |
| 6938692 |
Permeable cement composition and method for preparing the same |
September 6, 2005 |
| An improved permeable cement composition for formation of downhole sand screens. The improved composition includes an effective amount of a surfactant. Addition of the surfactant to the permeable cement composition yields at least a pumpable slurry with a minimal amount of water or brine |
| 6938690 |
Downhole tool and method for fracturing a subterranean well formation |
September 6, 2005 |
| A downhole tool for fracturing a subterranean formation according to which a tool having a plurality of discharge jets or nozzles is located in a spaced relation to a wall of the formation to form an annulus between the nozzles and the formation. An acid-containing, stimulation fluid is |
| 6938458 |
Acoustic doppler downhole fluid flow measurement |
September 6, 2005 |
| An apparatus and system are disclosed for in situ measurement of downhole fluid flow using Doppler techniques. First, a baseline speed of sound is established as close to the desired measurement point as possible. This speed of sound measurement is then used in Doppler calculations for |
| 6936574 |
Process for controlling gas migration during well cementing |
August 30, 2005 |
| The present invention provides a cement composition and a process for using the cement composition to inhibit gas migration from a subterranean zone into the cement. The process comprises displacing a gelling additive, preferably comprised within a cement composition, into a well bore su |
| 6935432 |
Method and apparatus for forming an annular barrier in a wellbore |
August 30, 2005 |
| In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus and method are provided which utilize an expandable media assembly to create an annular barrier in a subterranean well. The apparatus comprises a tubing assembly for placement in the wellbore, the tubing assembly having an outer surf |
| 6935428 |
Apparatus and methods for anchoring and orienting equipment in well casing |
August 30, 2005 |
| Apparatus and methods for anchoring and orienting equipment in a well provide a latch assembly having a substantially unobstructed bore, thereby increasing access and flow therethrough while the latch assembly is operatively engaged with an anchoring and orienting profile in the well. |
| 6935424 |
Mitigating risk by using fracture mapping to alter formation fracturing process |
August 30, 2005 |
| A formation fracturing method with which to mitigate risk to hydrocarbon productivity includes pumping fracturing fluid, during at least part of a fracturing job time period, into a well to fracture a formation; generating signals, within the fracturing job time period, in response to |
| 6935423 |
Borehole retention device |
August 30, 2005 |
| A borehole retention assembly for anchoring a well tool within a wellbore including a gripping assembly and an actuation assembly. The gripping assembly includes expandable members such that upon expanding the expandable members, the gripping assembly engages the wall of the borehole |
| 6935422 |
Expanding wellbore junction |
August 30, 2005 |
| An expanding wellbore junction system, apparatus and methods are provided for forming a sealed wellbore intersection in a subterranean well. In one described method, an expandable wellbore junction is expanded within an under-reamed cavity in a wellbore. Intersecting tubular legs of the |
| 6933856 |
Adaptive acoustic transmitter controller apparatus and method |
August 23, 2005 |
| The invention describes a method and apparatus for effectively communicating data along the acoustic channel of a subterranean well. The method comprises optimally driving an acoustic transmitter with an adaptive transmitter controller. A data signal is transmitted along the acoustic |
| 6932169 |
System and method for developing and recycling drilling fluids |
August 23, 2005 |
| A system and method for developing and recycling drilling fluids at the site of a subterranean well is described, thus eliminating the need for transporting the fluids to the site. |
