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...that Thomas Edison's patent application on his phonograph was approved by the Patent Office in just seven weeks? In contrast, it took Gordon Gould, the inventor of the laser, 30 years to obtain his patent -- finally awarded in 1988!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7967082 | Downhole mechanism A tubular downhole tool string component having a sidewall with a fluid passageway formed therein between a first end and second end, and a valve mechanism disposed within the fluid passageway adapted to substantially cyclically build-up and release pressure within ... | 06/28/2011 |
| 7950472 | Downhole local mud weight measurement near bit A method for detecting a change in a wellbore fluid includes estimating at least two pressure differences in the wellbore fluid and estimating a change in a density of the fluid using the at least two pressure differences. The density change may be estimated by the ... | 05/31/2011 |
| 7823656 | Method for monitoring drilling mud properties A method for monitoring drilling mud properties, the drilling mud being transported through a well drilling system and stored in a mud pit includes directing the flow of drilling mud in the well drilling system from the mud pit to a sampling unit. A sample of the dr... | 11/02/2010 |
| 7762353 | Downhole valve mechanism In one aspect of the invention, a downhole tool string component comprises a fluid passageway formed between a first and second end. A valve mechanism is disposed within the fluid passageway adapted to substantially cyclically build-up and release pressure within th... | 07/27/2010 |
| 7699120 | On demand actuation system A downhole tool includes a tubular body having an upper connection and a lower connection and an axial borehole therethrough, wherein the upper and lower connections are configured to connect to a drilling assembly. The downhole tool further includes at least one ex... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7426967 | Rotary steerable tool including drill string rotation measurement apparatus Aspects of this invention include a downhole tool (such as a steering tool) including first and second sensor sets for measuring substantially instantaneous drill string rotation rates. Each of the sensor sets includes at least one accelerometer disposed to measure ... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7407019 | Method of dynamically controlling open hole pressure in a wellbore using wellhead pressure control A method of dynamically controlling open hole pressure within a wellbore having a drill string positioned therein. The method comprising the steps of pumping a fluid down the drill string, into an annulus formed by the drill string and the interior of the wellbore, ... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7395878 | Drilling system and method Drilling system and method for drilling a bore hole into an earth formation, the bore hole having an inside wall. A drill string reaches into the bore hole and leaves a drilling fluid return passage between the drill string and the bore hole inside wall. A drilling ... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7392857 | Apparatus and method for vibrating a drill bit In one aspect of the invention a drill bit comprises an axis of rotation a body and a working face. The body comprises a fluid passageway with a first seat and houses a jack element substantially coaxial with the axis. A stop element is disposed within the passagewa... | 07/01/2008 |
| 7367411 | Drilling system and method A closed-loop circulating system for drilling wells has control of the flow rates in and out of the wellbore. Kicks and fluid losses are quickly controlled by adjusting the backpressure. Kick tolerance and tripping margins are eliminated by real-time determination o... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7360595 | Method and system for underground treatment of materials A method for underground treatment of subsurface materials comprises providing an injection pattern and a recovery pattern, the injection pattern and the recovery pattern located proximate to a subsurface treatment zone and at least one of the injection pattern and ... | 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 |
| 7341108 | Well downhole liquid dispenser A well downhole liquid dispenser is disclosed in which an inlet/discharge port assembly is provided having an inlet port in fluid communication with the shoulders of a conical piston. The point of the conical piston is in physical contact with the discharge channel ... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7337660 | Method and system for reservoir characterization in connection with drilling operations A method for analyzing reservoir fluids in connection with a drilling operation includes determining composition and isotopes of injection fluids injected into a wellbore during a drilling operation and production fluids recovered from the wellbore during the drilli... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7334651 | Kick warning system using high frequency fluid mode in a borehole Techniques for detecting a kick in a borehole include acquiring a set of measurements with a sonic tool in the borehole; determining borehole mud slowness from the set of measurements; and comparing the mud slowness with a selected criterion, wherein the determining... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7331469 | Vibratory separator with automatically adjustable beach A vibratory separator having a basket for supporting screen apparatus for treating material, the basket pivotably mounted on a base, vibratory apparatus connected to the basket for vibrating the basket, the material forming a pool on the screen apparatus, and a beac... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7320365 | Methods for increasing production from a wellbore The present invention generally relates to a method for recovering productivity of an existing well. First, an assembly is inserted into a wellbore, the assembly includes a tubular member for transporting drilling fluid downhole and an under-reamer disposed at the e... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7319638 | Hydraulic oscillator for use in a transmitter valve An oscillating valve driven by the pressure in a mud pulser develops a pressure variation in the mud pulse signal that is at a frequency that is different than the frequencies of the mud system. The oscillating valve is coupled to or integral with the pulse drive cy... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7278496 | Drilling system and method A closed-loop circulating system for drilling wells has control of the flow rates in and out of the wellbore. Kicks and fluid losses are quickly controlled by adjusting the backpressure. Kick tolerance and tripping margins are eliminated by real-time determination o... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7278540 | Adjustable basket vibratory separator A vibratory separator having a base, a basket movably mounted on the base and for supporting screen apparatus for treating material introduced into the vibratory separator, the basket on a base and pivotable with respect thereto, vibratory apparatus connected to the... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7264058 | Arrangement and method for regulating bottom hole pressures when drilling deepwater offshore wells An arrangement and a method to control and regulate the bottom hole pressure in a well during subsea drilling at deep waters: The method involves adjustment of a liquid/gas interface level in a drilling riser up or down. The arrangement comprises a high pressure dri... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7243736 | Method of controlling a well experiencing gas kicks A method of controlling a well experiencing gas kicks, which includes the step of increasing pressure above maximum allowable casing pressure to offset decreases in circulating pressure. The method includes calculating a difference between initial circulating pressu... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7245229 | Drill string rotation encoding A method for communicating with a downhole device is provided. The method includes predefining an encoding language including codes understandable to the device, the codes represented in the language as predefined value combinations of drill string rotation variable... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7226248 | Device for the continuous gravimetric metering and pneumatic conveying of pourable material Disclosed is a device for the continuous gravimetric metering and pneumatic conveying of pourable material which is conveyed across a given distance by a metering rotor (1) which is arranged in a pressure-proof manner in a housing (2) and is provided w... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7222681 | Programming method for controlling a downhole steering tool A method for communicating with a downhole tool located in a subterranean borehole is disclosed. Exemplary embodiments of the method include encoding data and/or commands in a sequence of varying drill string rotation rates and drilling fluid flow rates. The varying... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7207395 | Method and system for testing a partially formed hydrocarbon well for evaluation and well planning refinement A method and system for testing a partially formed well includes forming a first well bore intersecting a subterranean formation. The first well bore includes a portion of a planned well having a first configuration. A production characteristic of the subterranean f... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7207390 | Method and system for lining multilateral wells In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for lining a lateral wellbore includes drilling a main wellbore extending from a surface to a subterranean zone, casing the main wellbore with a main casing having a plurality of lateral wellbore w... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7207396 | Method and apparatus of assessing down-hole drilling conditions A method and apparatus for use in assessing down-hole drilling conditions are disclosed. The apparatus includes a drill string, a plurality of sensors, a computing device, and a down-hole network. The sensors are distributed along the length of the drill string and ... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7198118 | Communication adapter for use with a drilling component A communication adapter is disclosed that provides for removable attachment to a drilling component when the drilling component is not actively drilling and for communication with an integrated transmission system in the drilling component. The communication adapter... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7191829 | Gripper assembly for downhole tools A gripper assembly for anchoring a tool within a downhole passage and for possibly assisting movement of the tool within the passage. The gripper assembly includes an elongated mandrel and flexible toes that can be radially displaced to grip onto the surface of the ... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7178592 | Closed loop multiphase underbalanced drilling process The present invention provides apparatus and methods for handling fluids returning from a well. The fluids are introduced into a separator and a separated gas stream is recovered or recycled. The gas stream may comprise more than one phase. The separated gas stream ... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7168507 | Recalibration of downhole sensors In downhole drilling tools, a first set of inexpensive and/or relatively small sensors that typically have lower accuracy and higher drift than conventional downhole sensors are located in the drill string adjacent to the bit. A second set of highly accurate sensors... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7163063 | Method and system for extraction of resources from a subterranean well bore A method for stimulating production of resources from a coal seam includes forming a drainage well bore in the coal bed that has a first end coupled to a ground surface and a second end in the coal seam. The method further includes inserting a liner into the well bo... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7156181 | Puller-thruster downhole tool A method and apparatus for propelling a tool having a body within a passage. The tool includes a gripper including at least a gripper portion which can assume a first position that engages an inner surface of the passage and limits relative movement of the gripper p... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7145834 | Well bore communication pulser The preferred pulser is a mud powered oscillator powered by the pressure variation produced across the signal valve by the unstable action. The signal valve comprises a poppet and cooperating orifice. The pressure drop across the orifice is used to urge the poppet a... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7139219 | Hydraulic impulse generator and frequency sweep mechanism for borehole applications This invention discloses a valve that generates a hydraulic negative pressure pulse and a frequency modulator for the creation of a powerful, broadband swept impulse seismic signal at the drill bit during drilling operations. The signal can be received at monitoring... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7108080 | Method and apparatus for drilling a borehole with a borehole liner A method for drilling a borehole includes; providing a drill string of drill pipe including a center bore, a distal end, a bit assembly at the distal end; hanging a liner from the drill string, thereby forming an annular space between the drill string and the liner ... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7108068 | Floating plate back pressure valve assembly A back pressure valve assembly for use in a well casing string. The valve assembly comprises a housing with a stationary and a floating plate therein. The floating plate is moveable between an open position spaced from the stationary plate and a closed position enga... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7100708 | Autodriller bit protection system and method A controller provides an automatic bit protection sequence for an autodriller that can be initiated during the initial stage of set down of the bit within the formation. The automatic protection sequence establishes a setpoint for a parameter of interest (such as we... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7100687 | Multi-purpose well bores and method for accessing a subterranean zone from the surface A well system includes at least two well bores extending from a surface to a subterranean zone. Each of the two well bores is used to form a well bore pattern for the subterranean zone that intersects the other well bore and transports fluid from the subterranean zo... | 09/05/2006 |
