Did You Know...
...that when IBM conducted a market study of Chester Carlson's invention in 1959, the company concluded that it would take only 5000 units of his new product to saturate the market? IBM therefore declined to be part of the new product introduction. Too bad for IBM. Carlson's invention was the xerography process, and his new product was the beginning of the Xerox Corporation. It is estimated that every day, worldwide, 3,000,000,000 copies are made!!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8327930 | Equipment for remote launching of cementing plugs Apparatus and methods for remotely launching cementing plugs during the primary cementation of a subterranean well. The apparatus includes a flexible sleeve that absorbs force exerted by activation devices as they arrive at a cementing head, thereby preventing prema... | 12/11/2012 |
| 7559363 | Wiper darts for subterranean operations Methods and devices useful in subterranean treatment operations are provided. One example of a device is a dart having a deformable body, a nosepiece connected to a lower terminus of the deformable body, and a channel extending through the deformable body and the no... | 07/14/2009 |
| 7370699 | One trip cemented expandable monobore liner system and method An apparatus to protect the mounting area of casing and a locating profile and optionally a sliding sleeve valve and a flow path from the outside of the valve to the annulus when subsequent attachment of an expanded liner is intended and the expanded liner is to be ... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7350578 | Diverter plugs for use in well bores and associated methods of use Zonal isolation of well bores is often desirable for performing downhole operations such as stimulation operations. In certain embodiments, diverter plugs for achieving zonal isolation in a casing string in a well bore may comprise a mandrel having a first end and a... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7347274 | Annular barrier tool The present invention provides for an annular barrier tool to block or restrict the flow of well fluids in the annular region of a well. ... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7325617 | Frac system without intervention A system allows for sequential treatment of sections of a zone. Access to each portion can be with a sliding sleeve that has a specific internal profile. Pump down plugs can be used that have a specific profile that will make a plug latch to a specific sleeve. Press... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7314080 | Slidable sleeve plunger An improved plunger lift mechanism comprises an internal hollow body having bypass orifices that, when exposed, allow fluid to pass through during plunger descent in a downhole tube to the bottom of a production well. A slidable sleeve slides along the hollow body t... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7275595 | Method and apparatus to isolate fluids during gravel pack operations The present invention provides for an apparatus and method to displace fluids and to prevent the mixing or bypassing of fluids used in gravel pack operations. A moveable plug is used to create a physical partition between fluids. ... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7275592 | Oil well pump apparatus An oil well pumping apparatus for pumping oil from a well to a wellhead provides a tool body that is sized and shaped to be lowered into the production tubing string of the oil well. A working fluid is provided that can be pumped into the production tubing. A prime ... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7234522 | Apparatus and method for drilling a wellbore with casing and cementing the casing in the wellbore A float system for use in cementing a casing in a wellbore. The wellbore is drilled with a drill bit attached to the casing. The drill bit is removed after the wellbore is drilled. The float system is lowered into the casing after the drill bit is removed. The float... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7234533 | Well packer having an energized sealing element and associated method The present invention provides for a seal assembly that maintains a seal under various conditions by providing a source of stored energy that can be used to insure contact forces are maintained. ... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7219725 | Instrumented plunger for an oil or gas well A plunger for use in a plunger lift system of an oil or natural gas well includes one or more sensor assemblies, each including one or more sensors for measuring various physical and operational conditions during the operation of the well. The data acquired from the... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7195064 | Mono-diameter wellbore casing A device for forming a wellbore casing in a borehole, according to which the device includes a support member including a first fluid passage, and an expansion cone coupled to the support member. The support member includes a second fluid passage, which is fluidicly... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7168494 | Dissolvable downhole tools A disposable downhole tool comprises a material that dissolves when exposed to a chemical solution, an ultraviolet light, a nuclear source, or a combination thereof. In an embodiment, the material comprises an epoxy resin, a fiberglass, or a combination thereof. In ... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7165634 | Method and apparatus for cementing drill strings in place for one pass drilling and completion of oil and gas wells The steel drill string attached to a drilling bit during typical rotary drilling operations used to drill oil and gas wells is used for a second purpose as the casing that is cemented in place during typical oil and gas well completions. Methods of operation are des... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7163066 | Gravity valve for a downhole tool A gravity valve for a downhole tool for use in a subterranean well and a method of use thereof. The gravity valve is adapted to control the flow of a dowuhole fluid through the downhole tool. The gravity valve typically includes a plunger and a seat. The plunger may... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7147068 | Methods and apparatus for cementing drill strings in place for one pass drilling and completion of oil and gas wells The steel drill string attached to a drilling bit during typical rotary drilling operations used to drill oil and gas wells is used for a second purpose as the casing that is cemented in place during typical oil and gas well completions. Methods of operation are des... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7147056 | Subterranean fluids and methods of using these fluids in subterranean formations The present invention provides subterranean fluids comprising a hydraulic cement in an invert emulsion, and methods of using such fluids in subterranean well cementing operations. The fluids comprise a hydraulic cement and an invert emulsion of oil, water, and a sur... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7128154 | Single-direction cementing plug The present invention generally relates to apparatus and methods for completing a well. Particularly, the present invention relates to a single-direction plug for use with cementing applications and with drilling with casing applications. One embodiment comprises a ... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7124816 | Liquid separation device A device for keeping liquids separate in a pipe, especially for use in a petroleum well, where the device comprises a diaphragm, which in its operative position and through use of pretensioned slats is stretched across the cross section of the pipe, and where each o... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7121347 | Liquid sampler A method and an apparatus raise samples of liquid such as water from a low level to a higher level, for example for obtaining a sample of groundwater from a borehole. The apparatus comprises a pair of tubes (14 and 16) extending alongside each other, w... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7117947 | Well chemical treatment utilizing plunger lift delivery system An apparatus and method for delivery of treatment chemicals to the bottom of the wellbore. The delivery system can be a chemical dispenser which can be attached to a plunger used in plunger lift operations, a plunger which has been impregnated with treatment chemica... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7096949 | Wiper plug with packer A self-retaining cementing wiper plug with a packer element has two or more steel or carbide tipped holddown fingers or slips extending radially outward from the plug for engaging the inner surface of the casing and preventing the plug from moving uphole over time a... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7080687 | Anti-rotation method and apparatus for limiting rotation of cementing plugs An apparatus for preventing or limiting the rotation of cementing plugs in a casing string during drillout. The apparatus includes an outer housing with a sleeve disposed therein. The sleeve has an inner surface configured to engage cementing plugs received therein ... | 07/25/2006 |
| 7066253 | Casing shoe A shoe for guiding a string within a well-bore comprises an annular body of relatively hard material and a nose portion of relatively soft material which are interlocked so that when the nose portion is drilled through, any remaining parts are held against the annul... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7048050 | Method and apparatus for cementing drill strings in place for one pass drilling and completion of oil and gas wells The steel drill string attached to a drilling bit during typical rotary drilling operations used to drill oil and gas wells is used for a second purpose as the casing that is cemented in place during typical oil and gas well completions. Methods of operation are des... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7036610 | Apparatus and method for completing oil and gas wells A method of drilling and completing a wellbore in a geological formation to produce hydrocarbons from a well comprising at least the following four steps: drilling the well with a retrievable drill bit attached to a casing; removing the retrievable drill bit from th... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7025134 | Surface pulse system for injection wells The present invention relates to petroleum recovery operations, and more particularly, to the use of pulse technology to enhance the effectiveness of waterflooding operations. The systems of the present invention generally comprise an injection means for continually... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6997253 | Anti-rotation method and apparatus for limiting rotation of cementing plugs An apparatus for preventing or limiting the rotation of cementing plugs in a casing string during drillout. The apparatus includes an outer housing with a sleeve disposed therein. The sleeve has an inner surface configured to engage cementing plugs received therein ... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6973966 | Compressible darts and methods for using these darts in subterranean wells The present invention relates generally to subterranean well construction, and more particularly, to improved darts and methods of using these darts in subterranean wells. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a dart for activating a plug located within ... | 12/13/2005 |
| 6966368 | Plug and expel flow control device Devices and methods for fluid flow control within a production tubing string wherein a temporary flow blockage is established and selectively removed from the tubing string so that pressure testing or operation of a hydraulic tool within the string may be performed.... | 11/22/2005 |
| 6951246 | Self-anchoring cementing wiper plug A self-retaining cementing wiper plug has two or more steel or carbide tipped holddown fingers or slips extending radially outward from the plug for engaging the inner surface of the casing and preventing the plug from moving uphole over time and potentially interfe... | 10/04/2005 |
| 6952009 | Apparatus, a system and a method for monitoring a position of a shaft element in a cylinder and an apparatus, a system and a method for cleaning of the shaft element An apparatus, a system and a method are provided for monitoring position of a machine element within a mechanical system and/or cleaning a machine element. A light source and sensor may be positioned within a cylinder. The sensor may detect the intensity of light wi... | 10/04/2005 |
| 6945326 | Non-rotating cement wiper plugs A non-rotating cement wiper plug has an insert, with inner and outer telescoping sleeves, within a resilient outer body. The outer body has annular fins which bear against a casing wall. The inner sleeve has a tapering nose within a tapered cavity in the outer sleev... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6918441 | Cup tool for high pressure mandrel A cup tool for use with a mandrel of a wellhead isolation tool has a substantially right-angled stepped shoulder over which an elastomeric sealing element is forced by elevated fluid pressures. A top end of the elastomeric sealing element is inhibited from extrusion... | 07/19/2005 |
| 6896051 | Anti-rotation method and apparatus for limiting rotation of cementing plugs An apparatus for preventing or limiting the rotation of cementing plugs in a casing string during drillout. The apparatus includes an outer housing with a sleeve disposed therein. The sleeve has an inner surface configured to engage cementing plugs received therein ... | 05/24/2005 |
| 6868908 | Anti-rotation method and apparatus for limiting rotation of cementing plugs An apparatus for preventing or limiting the rotation of cementing plugs in a casing string during drillout. The apparatus includes an outer housing with a sleeve disposed therein. The sleeve has an inner surface configured to engage cementing plugs received therein ... | 03/22/2005 |
| 6848511 | Plug and ball seat assembly Aspects of the present invention provide apparatus and methods of releasing a plug. In one aspect, a plug and ball seat assembly for releasing a plug is disclosed. The assembly is selectively maintained in a housing using a mounting system. The plug and ball seat as... | 02/01/2005 |
| 6834719 | Drillpipe sub A drillpipe sub (30) comprises a shaft (32), a first frustoconical member (34) encircling, and fixedly mounted on, the shaft (32), and a second, opposed frustoconical member (36) encircling, and slidably mounted on, the shaft (3... | 12/28/2004 |
| 6796377 | Anti-rotation apparatus for limiting rotation of cementing plugs An apparatus for preventing or limiting the rotation of cementing plugs in a casing string during drillout. The apparatus includes an outer housing with a sleeve disposed therein. The sleeve has an inner surface configured to engage cementing plugs received therein ... | 09/28/2004 |
