Quotables
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM ; 1943
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of PatentStorm
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest patents by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Got questions? Ask a Patent Expert!
Registered users: Manage your profile, comments and alerts.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 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 |
| 7281582 | Double swivel apparatus and method A double swivel for use with a top drive power unit supported for connection with a well string in a well bore to selectively impart longitudinal and/or rotational movement to the well string, a feeder for supplying a pumpable substance such as cement and the like f... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7268100 | Shale inhibition additive for oil/gas down hole fluids and methods for making and using same An under-balanced drilling fluid additive is disclosed which reduces reactive shale and/or clay swelling during under-balanced drilling operations, where the additive includes an effective amount of a choline salt. A method for under-balanced drilling is also disclo... | 09/11/2007 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 7205263 | Recyclable foamed fracturing fluids and methods of using the same Fracturing fluids and methods of fracturing a subterranean formation using such fluids are provided. A fracturing fluid having a first pH is foamed by introducing a gas to the fluid. The fracturing fluid comprises a surfactant that facilitates formation of the foam ... | 04/17/2007 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 7185718 | Method and system for hydraulic friction controlled drilling and completing geopressured wells utilizing concentric drill strings A method and system of drilling straight directional and multilateral wells utilizing hydraulic frictional controlled drilling, by providing concentric casing strings to define a plurality of annuli therebetween; injecting fluid down some of the annuli; returning th... | 03/06/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7175716 | Critical and supercritical cleaning of hydrocarbon-containing materials A method for cleaning materials containing solids and/or liquids is disclosed which involves contacting the materials with an extracting fluid including Xe, NH3, lower aromatics, nitrous oxide, water, CO, CO2, H2O, lower alcohols, lo... | 02/13/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7148183 | Surfactant-polymer composition for substantially solid-free water based drilling, drill-in, and completion fluids Water based drilling, drill-in, and completion fluids comprising surfactant-polymer blends that are effective to generate effective rheology comprising low shear rate viscosity and effective fluid loss control properties. The water based fluids preferably are substa... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7111695 | Pneumatic rock-boring device and method for horizontal drilling using compressed air and drilling medium The invention relates to a method for horizontal ground drilling, in particular for rock drilling, by means of a ground drilling apparatus which can be driven forward in rotation and percussively, the apparatus having compressed air and drilling medium applied to it... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7108066 | Variable density treatment fluids and methods of using such fluids in subterranean formations The present invention provides variable density fluid compositions and methods for using such compositions in a subterranean formation. One exemplary embodiment of the variable density fluid compositions of the present invention comprises a variable density fluid co... | 09/19/2006 |
| 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 |
| 7093662 | System for drilling oil and gas wells using a concentric drill string to deliver a dual density mud A system for controlling drilling mud density at a location either at the seabed (or just above the seabed) or alternatively below the seabed of wells in offshore and land-based drilling applications is disclosed. The present invention combines a base fluid of lesse... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7090018 | Reverse circulation clean out system for low pressure gas wells The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for removing undesirable material from a well bore in a hydrocarbon formation with minimum damage to the formation. The apparatus comprises a concentric tubing string, said concentric tubing string further com... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7077219 | Foamed treatment fluids and associated methods Methods in which temperature is used to control the foaming and/or defoaming of foamed treatment fluids comprising an aqueous liquid, an ionic foaming surfactant, and a gas are provided. A method of treating at least a portion of a subterranean formation is provided... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7073595 | Method and system for controlling pressure in a dual well system A method for controlling pressure of a dual well system includes drilling a substantially vertical well bore from a surface to a subterranean zone and drilling an articulated well bore from the surface to the subterranean zone using a drill string. The articulated w... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7055628 | Well drilling method and drilling fluid A well drilling method comprises removing the drilling cuttings using an aqueous drilling fluid such as a foam including a foaming agent which includes at least one mono-(aliphatic hydrocarbyl) phosphate ester. More specifically, the drilling fluid takes the form of... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7048049 | Slant entry well system and method A system for accessing a subterranean zone from the surface includes an entry well bore extending down from the surface. A plurality of slanted well bores extend from the entry well bore to the subterranean zone. Drainage patterns extend from the slanted well bores ... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7040419 | Foamed compositions and methods of use in subterranean zones The current invention provides improved methods and compositions for completing a well bore. In one aspect, the current invention provides a process for preparing a foamed well composition. The process utilizes air to foam the composition after the air has been trea... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7036584 | Method and system for accessing a subterranean zone from a limited surface area A method and system for accessing subterranean resources from a limited surface area includes a first well bore extending from the surface to the target zone. The first well bore includes an angled portion disposed between the target zone and the surface to provide ... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7033977 | Compositions and methods for sealing formations The present invention generally relates to compositions of matter and methods of using those compositions. More particularly, and as part of one of the preferred embodiments, the present invention relates to compositions and methods of use of fluids useful for seali... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7028776 | Methods for the inhibition of salt blockages in oil and gas wells Compositions and methods for the inhibition of salt formation in oil and gas wells are disclosed. In particular, nitrilotriacetamide and its salts are effective at treating existing salt formations, and in inhibiting formation of new deposits. ... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7025137 | Three-dimensional well system for accessing subterranean zones A drainage system for accessing multiple subterranean zones from the surface includes an entry well extending from the surface. The system also includes two or more exterior drainage wells extending from the entry well through the subterranean zones. The exterior dr... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7025154 | Method and system for circulating fluid in a well system A method for circulating drilling fluid in a well system includes drilling a substantially vertical well bore from a surface to a subterranean zone and drilling an articulated well bore from the surface to the subterranean zone. The articulated well bore is horizont... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6976533 | Method and system for accessing subterranean deposits from the surface Improved An improved method and system for accessing subterranean deposits from the surface that substantially eliminates or reduces the disadvantages and problems associated with previous systems and methods. In particular, the present invention provides an articul... | 12/20/2005 |
| 6966367 | Methods and apparatus for drilling with a multiphase pump The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and method for removing hydrocarbons and other material from a wellbore. In one aspect, a method of drilling a sub-sea wellbore is provided. The method includes circulating a drilling fluid through a drill stri... | 11/22/2005 |
| 6964308 | Method of drilling lateral wellbores from a slant well without utilizing a whipstock In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for drilling a lateral wellbore from a slant well includes drilling the slant well below the surface of the earth such that the slant well is angled toward a first horizontal direction that coincid... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6964298 | Method and system for accessing subterranean deposits from the surface An improved method and system for accessing subterranean deposits from the surface substantially eliminates or reduces the disadvantages and problems associated with previous systems and methods. In particular, the present invention provides an articulated well with... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6959762 | Method and apparatus for formation damage removal A method for evaluating the permeability and formation damage in the porous rock around a well bore. This method relates to the use of a single string coiled tubing and a down hole assembly which includes a microcontroller, an electrically operable fluid control val... | 11/01/2005 |
| 6942030 | Three-dimensional well system for accessing subterranean zones A method for accessing a plurality of subterranean zones from the surface includes forming an entry well from the surface and forming two or more exterior drainage wells from the entry well through the subterranean zones. The exterior drainage wells each extend outw... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6904981 | Dynamic annular pressure control apparatus and method A system and method for controlling formation pressures during drilling of a subterranean formation utilizing a selectively fluid backpressure system in which fluid is pumped down the drilling fluid return system in response to detected borehole pressures. A pressur... | 06/14/2005 |
| 6817427 | Device and method for extracting a gas hydrate This invention aims to provide a gas-hydrate extracting device and method whereby a high-performance jet fluid is injected from a nozzle at the tip of an extraction pipe inserted into a gas-hydrate stratum, and whereby said jet fluid breaks said stratum so as to for... | 11/16/2004 |
| 6802673 | Tunnel boring with foamed composition A process of boring a tunnel using an earth-pressure balance shield boring tunnelling machine having a cutting head, an excavation chamber for soil removed by boring and conveying means for removal of said soil from the excavation chamber; wherein there is injected ... | 10/12/2004 |
| 6745857 | Method of drilling sub-sea oil and gas production wells A method of drilling sub-sea oil and gas production wells in which a liquid hydrocarbon substance, such as a natural gas liquid, is injected into the drilling mud supplied to the well in order to reduce the mud density. The method of the present invention enables re... | 06/08/2004 |
| 6722436 | Apparatus and method for operating an internal combustion engine to reduce free oxygen contained within engine exhaust gas A method and apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine to reduce the presence of free oxygen in the exhaust gas of the engine. The method and apparatus provides for the internal combustion engine to be operated with a fuel-to-air ratio... | 04/20/2004 |