"Transmission of documents via telephone wires is possible in principle, but the apparatus required is so expensive that it will never become a practical proposition."
Dennis Gabor, British physicist
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7644757 | Fixed-point packoff element with primary seal test capability A fixed-point packoff element for a full-bore pressure isolation tool supports a primary seal and a test seal to permit the primary seal to be tested by injecting test fluid through a side port of a tubing head spool before the pressure isolation tool is rigged up f... | 01/12/2010 |
| 7347283 | Using a rotating inner member to drive a tool in a hollow outer member A rotating inner member is used to drive a downhole tool housed within the hollow outer member of a dual-member drill string. The downhole tool preferably will be adapted to receive rotational energy from the inner member. In a preferred embodiment, the downhole too... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7322410 | Controllable production well packer An apparatus and method for operating an electrically powered device in a packer using the piping structure of the well as an electrical conductor for providing power and/or communications. The electrically powered device may comprise an electrically controllable va... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7284606 | Downhole position locating device with fluid metering feature A tool for multiple purposes features one ore more dogs that can engage a collar groove or restriction sub in the wellbore. The dogs are extendable through a sleeve biased in opposed directions and are supported from a mandrel. The dogs can retract into mandrel groo... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7281578 | Apparatus and methods for positioning in a borehole A borehole tool positioning and measuring apparatus and its methods of use are provided. The apparatus and method can be used to centralize a logging tool in a wellbore, or position a logging tool at a desired relative alignment relative to the wellbore perimeter su... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7259688 | Wireless reservoir production control A reservoir production control system includes a plurality of wells for producing a reservoir linked to a central computer over a downhole communication network and a surface communication network. Both the downhole and the surface communication networks are wireles... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7252152 | Methods and apparatus for actuating a downhole tool The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for remotely actuating a downhole tool. In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for activating a downhole tool in a wellbore, the downhole tool having an actuated and unactuated positions. The... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7249633 | Release tool for coiled tubing A bottom hole assembly for use with fracturing or fracing a wellbore using coiled tubing is described having a first packing element and a second packing element on a mandrel. The bottom hole assembly may be run into the wellbore such that the packing elements strad... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7246663 | Positive engagement indicator for wireline fishing operations A device and method for retrieving a tool string from downhole locations through the use of one or more engagement sensors. The one or more engagement sensors are activated by the tool string engaging an overshot device. The one or more engagement sensor may be mech... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7243727 | Isolation assembly for coiled tubing An isolation assembly for use with coiled tubing is described. The isolation assembly has a check valve for providing selective fluid communication through from the coiled tubing, through the isolation assembly, and into a downhole tool, such a straddle packer. The ... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7240728 | Expandable tubulars with a radial passage and wall portions with different wall thicknesses A tubular liner including a first tubular portion, a second tubular portion, and an intermediate tapered tubular portion coupled to, and positioned between, the first and second tubular portions. ... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7240738 | Self-orienting selectable locating collet and method for location within a wellbore A self orienting selectable locating collet including a collet having at least one deflectable finger; an orientation key positioned at the deflectable finger and being deflectable with the finger; and a collet profile disposed at an outside dimension of the collet.... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7234356 | Shock resistant blood pressure measuring apparatus A pressure measuring apparatus includes a gage that is at least partially imbedded within a flexible elastomeric member disposed within an interior cavity of a device housing. A shock resistant member into which the gage is inserted permits fluid interconnection bet... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7234517 | System and method for sensing load on a downhole tool A system and method for determining load on a downhole tool according to which one or more sensors are embedded in one or more components of the tool or in a material on one or more of the components. The sensors are adapted to sense load on the components. ... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7216703 | Method and apparatus for testing and treatment of a completed well with production tubing in place A method and apparatus is used to test and/or treat individual production zones of a well in conjunction with a conventional coiled tubing unit. This method and apparatus allows testing and treatment of a well with production tubing in place. The return flowpath for... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7213644 | Cavity positioning tool and method In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method is provided for preventing formation of sludge in a subsurface cavity having particulate laden fluid disposed therein. The method includes positioning a downhole device having a fluid agitator into ... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7189319 | Axial current meter for in-situ continuous monitoring of corrosion and cathodic protection current First and second axial current meters (ACM) are mechanically connected to a well casing just above and below a corrosive zone and a master axial current meter (MACM) is connected to the casing at the earth's surface, the MACM periodically obtaining measurements of a... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7134488 | Isolation assembly for coiled tubing An isolation assembly for use with coiled tubing is described. The isolation assembly has a check valve for providing selective fluid communication through from the coiled tubing, through the isolation assembly, and into a downhole tool, such a straddle packer. The ... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7090010 | Gauge carrier sub apparatus A sub apparatus for delivering and protecting a gauge being lowered down a well bore, which includes a sub body having a first and second ends threadably engageable to sections of pipe in the drill or production string; the sub body including a first chamber for hou... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7073582 | Method and apparatus for positioning a downhole tool A tool positioning assembly for positioning downhole tools at desired locations within a wellbore. The current invention further provides methods for using a tool positioning assembly. The tool positioning assembly and methods for using the same reduce the number of... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7063146 | System and method for processing signals in a well A system and method for transferring data across a component in a well, according to which a first module receives the data and transmits the data, via electromagnetic waves, through the component, and a second module receives the transmitted data from the first mod... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7055592 | Toroidal choke inductor for wireless communication and control An induction choke in a petroleum well where a voltage potential is developed across the choke to power and communicate with devices and sensors in the well. Preferably, the induction choke is a ferromagnetic material and acts as an impedance to a time-varying curre... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7043965 | Double-walled containment enclosure A containment enclosure system at least a portion of which is double-walled. An exemplary system of the invention provides enhanced leak protection by monitoring the space within the double-walled portion of the containment enclosure system. The system is capable of... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7025138 | Method and apparatus for hydrogen sulfide monitoring The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for detection of hydrogen sulfide in downhole operations. A downhole tool is provided with a coupon adapted to react at varying degrees to exposure to concentrations of hydrogen sulfide. The downhole tool is po... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7025152 | Using a rotating inner member to drive a tool in a hollow outer member A rotating inner member is used to drive a downhole tool housed within the hollow outer member of a dual-member drill string. The downhole tool preferably will be adapted to receive rotational energy from the inner member. In a preferred embodiment, the downhole too... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7000693 | Control of hydrocarbon wells An apparatus controls the operation of a hydrocarbon production well. The apparatus includes a supply means for providing an electric power supply. The apparatus also includes a plurality of electrically operated actuating devices. The actuating devices can be a plu... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6968905 | Distributed control system A distributed control system for local or remote control of equipment. The distributed control system provides a communication bridge through a local control panel between a non-real-time network, and a real-time network, such as a controller area network. Both soft... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6938461 | Constant-head soil permeameter for determining the hydraulic conductivity of earthen materials at a wide range of depths A constant-head soil permeameter for determining hydraulic conductivity of earthen materials is inserted into a borehole at the desired test depth. A calibrated reservoir, disposed on the ground surface, is attached thereto with a suitable length of hose. Water is a... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6935431 | Well reference apparatus and method The well reference apparatus and method of the present invention includes a reference member preferably permanently installed within the borehole at a preferred depth and orientation in one trip into the well. The reference member provides a permanent reference for ... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6928868 | Water well monitoring system An apparatus and method for monitoring a liquid level in a 4-20 mA closed loop system are provided. A process instrument and a measuring unit are powered for a predetermined time and power is provided by a battery. ... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6924745 | System and method for monitoring packer slippage A system and method for monitoring a device in a well, according to which a sensor associated with the device monitors any movement of the device in the well and outputs a corresponding signal. The signal is processed and transmitted to a remote location. ... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6915856 | Apparatus and methods for preventing axial movement of downhole tool assemblies A slip assembly apparatus is adapted (i) to be deployed into a wellbore (ii) to prevent axial movement of a downhole tool assembly in the wellbore when the slip assembly apparatus is actuated and external forces are imposed on the downhole tool assembly; (iii) to al... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6860325 | Downhole flow meter This invention comprises the use of a variable orifice valve as a flow controller and flow meter. Pressure measurements are taken upstream and downstream of the variable orifice valve by way of a differential pressure measurement mechanism. The differential pressure... | 03/01/2005 |
| 6655452 | Downhole gauge carrier apparatus A carrier apparatus for connection with a pipe string for use in transporting at least one gauge downhole through a borehole. The apparatus includes a tubular body for connection with the pipe string having a bore for conducting a fluid therethrough and a... | 12/02/2003 |
| 6547016 | Apparatus for measuring weight and torque on drill bit operating in a well An apparatus for measuring the weight and torque on a drill bit operating down hole in a well. The apparatus comprises at least three pockets circumferentially spaced equidistantly around the drill collar of the drill string to which the drill bit is atta... | 04/15/2003 |
| 6405588 | Monitoring well The present invention relates to a monitoring well which includes an enclosure defining a cavity and a water reservoir enclosed within the cavity and wherein the reservoir has an inlet and an outlet. The monitoring well further includes a porous housing b... | 06/18/2002 |
| 6374913 | Sensor array suitable for long term placement inside wellbore casing A system based on a series of data accumulation hubs, connected together by high speed communication backbone for routing a limited number of data and power cables is suggested. Each hub is connected to arrays of sensor pods which contain the actual senso... | 04/23/2002 |
| 6349766 | Chemical actuation of downhole tools Downhole tools and systems can be actuated chemically by placing a chemical sensor downhole and introducing a chemical slug into fluids being pumped downhole. When the slug reaches the sensor a reaction in the sensor may be employed to trigger an event (e... | 02/26/2002 |
| 6334486 | Downhole flow control devices Several downhole flow control devices are disclosed which are meterable and are also capable of shutting of a particular zone in a well. The several embodiments include a multiple valve body, a toroidal inflatable valve, and a series of related choke syst... | 01/01/2002 |
| 6321845 | Apparatus for device using actuator having expandable contractable element An apparatus and method of operating devices (such as devices in a wellbore or other types of devices) utilizes actuators having expandable or contractable elements. Such expandable or contractable elements may include piezoelectric elements, magnetostric... | 11/27/2001 |