Did You Know...
...that it was melting ice cream that inspired the invention of the outboard motor? It was a lovely August day and Ole Evinrude was rowing his boat to his favorite island picnic spot. As he rowed, he watched his ice cream melt and wished he had a faster way to get to the island. At that moment the idea for the outboard motor was born!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8100199 | Continuous fluid circulation valve for well drilling Fluid circulation valve (10) is provided for use with a well drilling operation, so that a drill joint may be added to or removed from the drill string while continuously circulating fluid into the well. Valve housing (12, 18) has a central flow path t... | 01/24/2012 |
| 7419012 | Wellbore top drive systems A drive system for wellbore operations, the drive system, in certain, but not necessarily all aspects, including a main body, a motor apparatus, a main shaft extending from the main body and rotatable by the motor, the main shaft having a top end and a bottom end, a... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7360611 | Flow system for a hydraulic choke solids strainer A strainer system having two separate strainers positioned in parallel, where one strainer can be cleaned while still permitting normal flow through the other strainer. The system flow circuit is arranged so that a high pressure backwashing flow can be applied to on... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7350597 | Drilling system and method A drilling system for drilling a bore hole into an earth formation, the bore hole having an inside wall. A drill string reaches into the bore hole from a surface, leaving a drilling fluid return passage between the drill string and the bore hole inside wall. A botto... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7347286 | Drill string valve assembly A drill string valve assembly includes a tubular valve body, including an outer surface and an inner bore for housing a valve mechanism to control fluid flow through the bore; and an axial load support releasably securable to the outer surface of the valve body, the... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7322418 | Continuous circulation drilling method A method for drilling wells in which the tubular can be added or removed from the drill string whilst mud and drilling fluids being circulated continuously and kept separated from the environment to reduce pollution. A connector is used with an inlet and outlet for ... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7299866 | Apparatus and method for cleaning out sand from an underbalanced hydrocarbon producing well An apparatus and method is used in the cleaning out of sand in underbalanced gas wells. The present invention includes a valve subassembly equipped with an emergency shutin device to remotely control the actuation of the valve via an air or hydraulic control line. O... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7281593 | Method for the circulation of gas when drilling or working a well A method for the circulation of gas when drilling or working a well. The method includes the step of pressurizing at least two chambers of a multi-chambered accumulator with inert gas. The chambers of the multi-chambered accumulator are operatively connected to one ... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7275606 | Solids strainer system for a hydraulic choke The invention contemplates a strainer based upon a four-way, two-position rotary cylindrical plug valve having a hollow plug. The normal entry port for the sealing plug of the plug valve is a circular radial hole passing from the exterior of the plug into the interi... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7252151 | Drilling method Methods and apparati are disclosed for continuous circulation of drilling fluids while adding or removing tubulars to and from a drill string, and also for continuing drilling during the addition or removal of tubulars to and from the drill string. ... | 08/07/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7201238 | Low friction face sealed reaction turbine rotors Rotary jetting tool including a rotor with axially-opposed pressure-balanced mechanical face seals. Vented upper mechanical face seal enables the rotor to be operated with the relativity low starting torque achievable using reaction forces from offset jets energized... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7198456 | Floating head reaction turbine rotor with improved jet quality A rotary jetting tool including a pressure-balanced rotor, which is achieved using a vented volume. Axial movement of the rotor relative to the housing caused by pressure imbalances acting on the rotor selectively uncovers or opens a vent that places the volume in f... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7195084 | Systems and methods for storing and handling drill cuttings Vessels for selectively holding drilling cuttings material and methods employing such vessels; the vessels, in at least certain aspects, having a body with a hollow container with an interior space for receiving drilling cuttings material and from which the material... | 03/27/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7185719 | Dynamic annular pressure control apparatus and method A drilling system for drilling a bore hole into a subterranean earth formation, wherein at least a portion of the mud flow from the primary mud pump is diverted to the mud discharge outlet, thereby creating a backpressure system to readily increase annular pressure.... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7140455 | Valve method for drilling with casing using pressurized drilling fluid A valve (30), a drill string valve assembly (10) and a method of drilling using compressed fluid as a drill drilling fluid are described. The valve and valve assembly (10) may be used in order to prevent escape of compressed fluid during the tim... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7048079 | Mud saver valve A three-part sub-assembly comprising a wire line retrievable spear. The spear having two fluid chambers. A diverter valve having a truncated, inverted cone valve seat is preferably threaded into the interior of the spear. A diverter valve stem, having back-to-back c... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7028586 | Apparatus and method relating to tongs, continous circulation and to safety slips A tong system includes an upper tong having grips for gripping a tubular and a rotation mechanism to rotate the grips and the tubular. A lower tong also has grips and a rotation mechanism to rotate the grips to provide rotation to a lower tubular, such that the uppe... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7025140 | Large particulate removal system A choke for removing large diameter particulate matter from an oil or natural gas well includes a housing having a chamber with an integral solids receptacle. The chamber is in communication with a flow stream outlet and a flow stream inlet. The flow stream inlet is... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7021385 | Method and apparatus for controlling well pressure in open-ended casing A system and method for preventing blowouts during the deployment of a casing string into a wellbore. The system includes securing a casing coupling to a casing string and securing a retrievable check valve within the casing coupling. The retrievable check valve all... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7011160 | High torque and high capacity rotatable center core with ram body assemblies An apparatus for use in a drill string is disclosed. The apparatus includes an inner core assembly having a first and second transverse bore, and wherein the inner core assembly has a first end and a second end. The apparatus further includes a first and second pist... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6935143 | Washing-machine laundry drum A laundry drum is configured for high-speed spinning of damp linen. The drum has a rotating drum shell, which is curved from a thin-walled material strip to form a cylinder. The parallel end edges of the material strip contact to form a joint line. So that the drum ... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6779599 | Tubular filling system A system for capturing displaced fluid or pumping fluid through tubulars being run into or out of the wellbore is described. Embodiments are supported by a traveling block and top drive unit with telescoping features to rapidly seal over a tubular to connect the tub... | 08/24/2004 |
| 6766856 | Large particulate removal system A hydraulic choke for a flow stream from a well with large diameter particulate matter of a finite amount includes an inlet with a defined inlet flow area and a chamber with a defined chamber flow area. The inlet flow area is about ⅓ the size of the chamber flow a... | 07/27/2004 |
| 6739408 | Apparatus and method for preparing variable density drilling muds Disclosed is an apparatus for preparing variable density drilling muds. The invention is particularly useful in offshore operations where storage and transportation of consumable materials is an important economic issue. One version of the apparatus is a portable ap... | 05/25/2004 |
| 6739397 | Continuous circulation drilling method Methods and apparati are disclosed for continuous circulation of drilling fluids while adding or removing tubulars to and from a drill string, and also for continuing drilling during the addition or removal of tubulars to and from the drill string. ... | 05/25/2004 |
| 6732819 | Mudsaver valve with retrievable inner sleeve A mudsaver valve with retrievable inner sleeve. An annular piston is secured to a first end of the inner sleeve such that movement of the annular piston results in movement of the inner sleeve between a valve closed position and a valve open position. In the valve c... | 05/11/2004 |
| 6722425 | Tubular filling system Multiple embodiments of a system for capturing displaced fluid or adding fluid to tubulars being run into or out of the wellbore are described. Several embodiments are supported by a top drive with telescoping features to rapidly seal over a tubular to connect the t... | 04/20/2004 |
| 6688394 | Drilling methods and apparatus A method for drilling wells in which the tubular (5) can be added or removed from the drill string (17) whilst the drill is rotating with the mud and drilling fluids being circulated continuously and kept separated from the environment to reduce pollution... | 02/10/2004 |
| 6675889 | Tubular filling system A mudsaver valve having a large flow capacity is described to keep fluid from spilling when the apparatus is removed from the tubular. This mudsaver valve also provides for pumping of fluid into the tubular or flow of fluid from the tubular to the mud sys... | 01/13/2004 |
| 6662886 | Mudsaver valve with dual snap action A mudsaver valve is described that has a bi-directional snap action in opening and closing the valve. The mudsaver valve is adjustable for different mud weights and includes a preassembled valve cartridge for ease of assembly. Furthermore, elevated pressu... | 12/16/2003 |
| 6637516 | High torque and high capacity rotatable center core and floatable sealed body assemblies with universal RAM applications and method A high torque and high capacity rotatable center core and floatable sealed body assembly with universal ram applications and method for use in a drill string, including a central core assembly, connected between a swivel on its upper end and the drill str... | 10/28/2003 |
| 6591916 | Drilling method Methods and apparati are disclosed for continuous circulation of drilling fluids while adding or removing tubulars to and from a drill string, and also for continuing drilling during the addition or removal of tubulars to and from the drill string.... | 07/15/2003 |
| 6571876 | Fill up tool and mud saver for top drives A tubular tool body carried at the end of a drilling rig top drive is received within a drill string being used as a landing string to position casing in a wellbore. External threads on the tool body can be mated with the box threads of the drill string t... | 06/03/2003 |
| 6505691 | Subsea mud pump and control system The invention is a subsea pump that includes pumping elements, each pumping element including a pressure vessel with a first and a second chamber therein and a separating member disposed between the first and second chambers. The first and second chambers... | 01/14/2003 |
| 6474418 | Wellbore fluid recovery system and method A wellbore fluid recovery system and method is disclosed for recovering a column of wellbore fluid within a stand of pipe when breaking out joints of a wellbore tubular string. The system comprises a container that can be mounted to seal around the joint.... | 11/05/2002 |
| 6460620 | Mudsaver valve A mudsaver valve for use in well drilling operations includes an elongated tubular main body supporting a tubular mandrel-like mudsaver closure member therein for movement between valve open and closed positions. A coil spring is disposed in the main body... | 10/08/2002 |
| 6394194 | Method and apparatus for a drill cutting injection system A drill cuttings injection system for a well with a wellhead housing and a casing hanger supported in the wellhead housing. The wellhead has an axial flow port with an upper end in communication with an outer surface of the housing and a lower end in comm... | 05/28/2002 |
| 6390190 | Tubular filling system Multiple embodiments of a system for capturing displaced fluid or adding fluid to tubulars being run into or out of the wellbore are described. Several embodiments are supported by a top drive with telescoping features to rapidly seal over a tubular to co... | 05/21/2002 |
