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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8132618 | Systems for retarding rod string backspin A system comprises a progressive cavity pump including a helical rotor disposed within a mating stator. In addition, the system comprises a rod string having a longitudinal axis, a first end, and a second end coupled to the rotor. Further, the system comprises a rot... | 03/13/2012 |
| 8047277 | Method and apparatus for removing casing A method and apparatus for removing a string of casing from a well bore. The method and apparatus include a plurality of drill bits substantially aligned with each other for drilling a plurality of holes in the string of casing. The plurality of holes can be used to... | 11/01/2011 |
| 8011426 | Method of gripping a tubular with a tubular gripping mechanism A method for gripping a tubular with a tubular gripping mechanism includes the steps of moving the tubular gripping mechanism adjacent the tubular, positioning a jaw assembly of the tubular gripping mechanism around the tubular, applying a force by an actuator onto ... | 09/06/2011 |
| 7857044 | Tool manipulator especially for onshore and offshore drilling platforms A manipulator apparatus carries tools for connecting drillpipes to the drillstring in a wellbore on a drilling platform. A telescopically extendable horizontal work arm is carried on a telescopically extendable vertical column, and the tools are to be mounted on a f... | 12/28/2010 |
| 7621321 | Method and apparatus for removing casing A method and apparatus for removing a string of casing from a well bore. The method and apparatus include a plurality of drill bits substantially aligned with each other for drilling a plurality of holes in the string of casing. The plurality of holes can be used to... | 11/24/2009 |
| 7559360 | Tong positioning and alignment device An improved tong positioning apparatus which includes a base positionable on the rig floor; a hydraulic cylinder positioned on the base, having a first end engageable to a rear support member and a second end engageable to a pivotal moment arm; a forward shock attac... | 07/14/2009 |
| 7552764 | Tubular handling device A tubular handling apparatus comprising a slotted member having a plurality of elongated slots each extending in a direction, a recessed member slidably coupled to the slotted member and having a plurality of recesses each tapered in the direction from a shallow end... | 06/30/2009 |
| 7438127 | Pipe gripping clamp A pipe-gripping clamp assembly is provided for use on a top drive unit to grip sections of drilling pipe. The clamp assembly includes of a pair of hinged jaws that are opened and closed by a pair of rams attached to the jaws and the frame members that make up the as... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7438126 | Apparatus for controlling a tool having a mandrel that must be stroked into or out of a well An apparatus for controlling vertical movement of a tubular within a wellhead includes an anchor spool connected atop the wellhead, and a detachable superstructure supporting the tubular. The anchor spool provides connectors for detachably connecting bottom ends of ... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7431077 | Cable hanger for use in a cable guided fishing assembly A cable hanger for use in a cable-guided fishing operation is disclosed. The disclosed invention provides a cable hanger in which a specially-shaped hanger body is connected to a handle having a cable groove running through it. The cable groove allows for the center... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7431092 | Assembly and method for intervention of a subsea well A well assembly for intervention of a subsea well or a well head with a wireline or a coiled tubing connected to a tool or a toolstring and including lubricator and an injector package. The injector package is adapted to inject the wireline or coiled tubing into the... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7422066 | System for direct vertical connection between contiguous subsea equipment and method of installation of said connection A system for the direct vertical connection between contiguous sub sea equipment is described, having one or more hydrocarbon flow and/or control interconnection between same, so as to dispense with the use of connecting jumpers. One mode of said system comprises a ... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7422056 | Pipe running tool having wireless telemetry A system for measuring desired drilling parameters of a pipe string during an oil and gas well drilling operation is provided that includes a top drive assembly; a pipe running tool engageable with the pipe string and coupled to the top drive assembly to transmit tr... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7398833 | Heavy load carry slips and method A tubular handling device. The device includes a plurality of slips, and wherein the slips have an arcuate inner face that has a longitudinally disposed slot and a ledge therein. The device further comprises an insert having a shoulder that is configured to fit with... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7377324 | Pipe handling device, method and system A pipe handling device for mounting to use with a top drive and possibly a pipe engaging apparatus, includes a link arm having a first end pivotally connectable to move with the top drive and an outboard end pivotally connectable to a pipe elevator segment, and a dr... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7350562 | Drilling flange and independent screwed wellhead with metal-to-metal seal and method of use A drilling flange and an independent screwed wellhead provides a metal-to-metal seal that supplements the traditional elastomeric O-rings for providing a fluid seal between the drilling flange and the wellhead. The metal-to-metal seal may be achieved using a metal r... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7322406 | Elevation sensor for a service hose and an apparatus for positioning and stabbing well tubulars An operational system and method and improved apparatus for positioning and stabbing well tubulars wherein: the grasping members of the apparatus can be folded and unfolded; the boom assembly can be pivoted to a downward clearance position; a plurality of stabbing a... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7320374 | Wellbore top drive systems A system for wellbore operations, the system, in at least certain aspects, including a derrick, a guide beam connected to the derrick, a top drive movable on the guide beam, torque reaction structure connected to the guide beam and to the derrick, skid apparatus hel... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7308933 | Power assisted lift for lubricator assembly An improved lubricator assembly for receiving a well plunger or other downhole tool wherein a hinge is connected between a lower portion and an upper riser of the lubricator assembly and a power lifting device is included for moving the upper riser off of and onto t... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7296632 | Casing alignment tool An alignment apparatus for use with the assembly of tubular segments with a tubular string in a well bore is disclosed. The alignment apparatus includes an actuator assembly functionally associated with an engagement assembly. Upon actuation of the actuator assembly... | 11/20/2007 |
| 7293607 | Automated system for positioning and supporting the work platform of a mobile workover and well-servicing rig A method and apparatus for positioning and supporting the work platform of a mobile workover rig is disclosed. The work platform of the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes a unique support structure and automated positioning system for positioning... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7290621 | Integrated mast and top drive for drilling rig A process to lower or raise a drilling rig for transportation wherein the drilling rig includes a mast and a top drive. The process to lower includes the steps of moving the top drive within the mast with a vertical guide and torque reaction mechanism to a locked po... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7284617 | Casing running head Methods and apparatus for drilling with a top drive system. In one aspect, the apparatus provides a tubular gripping member for use with a top drive to handle a tubular comprising a housing operatively connected to the top drive and a plurality of gripping elements ... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7281587 | Apparatus and methods for tubular makeup interlock Apparatus and methods used to prevent an operator from inadvertently dropping a string into a wellbore during assembling and disassembling of tubulars. Additionally, the apparatus and methods may be used for running in wellbore components or for a drill string. ... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7278490 | Blast joint swivel for wellhead isolation tool and method of using same A blast joint swivel for use in a wellhead isolation tool includes a blast joint hanger mounted to a top of the wellhead isolation tool and a swivel body rotatably received in the blast joint hanger. The swivel body threadedly connects to a blast joint, which in tur... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7249639 | Automated arm for positioning of drilling tools such as an iron roughneck The invention relates to an apparatus for moving an Iron Roughneck into position to allow making-up or breaking-out of threaded joints in a drill string. The apparatus may also be used to move other drilling equipment into position on the centerline of the well or a... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7234528 | Multi-purpose sleeve for tieback connector A tieback connector connects a riser between a subsea wellhead housing and a floating platform. The tieback connector has a tubular body that stabs into and seals with a casing hanger. A latch member on the tieback connector engages a locking profile to secure the t... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7231969 | Wellbore top drive power systems and methods of use A top drive system having a drive motor, a gear system coupled to the drive motor, a drive quill coupled to the gear system, a top drive support system for supporting the drive motor, the gear system, and the drive quill, a lower support apparatus connected to the t... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7228913 | Tubular clamp apparatus for top drives and methods of use An apparatus for releasably clamping and holding a member for wellbore operations, the apparatus having a main body, two opposed clamping apparatuses in the main body, the two opposed clamping apparatuses spaced-apart for selective receipt therebetween of a member t... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7225865 | Apparatus for positioning a tong and drilling rig provided with such an apparatus A method and apparatus for positioning a tong comprises a piston and cylinder assembly and a mounting assembly therefor. The mounting assembly is mounted on a support beam in the drilling derrick and the piston and cylinder assembly is pivotally mounted on the mount... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7222683 | Wellbore top drive systems An containerized top drive system including a container, top drive apparatus removably disposed within the container, an extension system for moving the top drive apparatus generally horizontally within a derrick, the top drive apparatus secured to the extension sys... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7216717 | Dual elevator system and method A dual elevator system and method which, in one embodiment, includes two elevators and a table for supporting one or both of the elevators thereon, for shuttling an elevator between well center and offset standby positions, and for hands-free coupling and uncoupling... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7213656 | Apparatus and method for facilitating the connection of tubulars using a top drive An apparatus and method for facilitating the connection of tubulars using a top drive and is, more particularly but not exclusively, intended for facilitating the connection of a section or stand of casing to a string of casing. ... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7210525 | Apparatus for controlling a tool having a mandrel that must be stroked into or out of a well An apparatus for controlling vertical movement of a tubular within a wellhead includes an anchor spool connected atop the wellhead, and a detachable superstructure supporting the tubular. The anchor spool provides connectors for detachably connecting bottom ends of ... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7191840 | Casing running and drilling system A method and apparatus for holding and turning a tubular and string of tubulars, such as casing, for make-up and drilling with the tubulars are disclosed. The apparatus generally includes a spear and a clamping head, both of which are mounted to a top drive. The spe... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7191839 | Drilling rig apparatus and downhole tool assembly system and method A drilling rig is provided which is adapted to selectively drill using coiled tubing and jointed-pipe. The rig includes a base, a mast, a top drive slidably mounted to said mast for performing jointed-pipe operations, and a tubing injector for performing coiled tubi... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7188686 | Top drive systems A top drive system for wellbore operations including a hollow bore alternating current permanent magnet motor with a motor bore therethrough, a planetary gear system coupled to the motor, the gear system having a gear system bore therethrough, a quill drivingly conn... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7178612 | Automated arm for positioning of drilling tools such as an iron roughneck The invention relates to an apparatus for moving an Iron Roughneck into position to allow making-up or breaking-out of threaded joints in a drill string. The apparatus may also be used to move other drilling equipment into position on the centerline of the well or a... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7178593 | Piggable separation system and method An inline well fluid separator is movable for pigging operations. The separator assembly has a housing with an inlet port and an outlet port. A separation unit is carried within the housing. The separation unit has an operational position in alignment with the ports... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7165609 | Apparatus for handling tubular goods An apparatus for handling tubular goods which includes an elongate tubular body having a peripheral sidewall and opposed ends. The peripheral sidewall has a plurality of axial slots arranged circumferentially around the tubular body parallel to an axis of the tubula... | 01/23/2007 |