David B Curry

US Patent:

7510034, Mar 31, 2009

Filed:

Oct 11, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/545914

Inventors:

David A. Curry - The Woodlands TX, US
James L. Overstreet - Tomball TX, US
Jimmy W. Eason - The Woodlands TX, US

Assignee:

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

International Classification:

E21B 10/46
C22C 29/08

US Classification:

175425, 175374, 75240, 75242, 51307, 51308, 51309

Abstract:

An earth-boring drill bit having a bit body with a cutting component formed from a tungsten carbide composite material is disclosed. The composite material includes a binder and tungsten carbide crystals comprising sintered pellets. The composite material may be used as a hardfacing on the body and/or cutting elements, or be used to form portions or all of the body and cutting elements. The pellets may be formed with a single mode or multi-modal size distribution of the crystals.

US Patent:

8210280, Jul 3, 2012

Filed:

Oct 13, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/250072

Inventors:

Tu Tien Trinh - Houston TX, US
Eric Sullivan - Houston TX, US
David A. Curry - The Woodlands TX, US

Assignee:

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

International Classification:

E21B 47/01

US Classification:

175 41, 175 45

Abstract:

A drill bit made according to one embodiment includes at least a gamma ray sensor configured to provide signals representative of a presence and/or amount of a naturally occurring gamma ray source when the drill bit is used for cutting into a formation. A circuit may be configured to process signals from the gamma ray sensor to provide an estimate a parameter relating to the naturally occurring gamma ray source, which may used for purposes such as optimizing drilling parameters and geosteering.

US Patent:

8292985, Oct 23, 2012

Filed:

Feb 24, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/391690

Inventors:

David A. Curry - The Woodlands TX, US
James L. Overstreet - Tomball TX, US
Jimmy W. Eason - The Woodlands TX, US

Assignee:

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

International Classification:

C22C 29/08
C22C 1/04

US Classification:

75240, 419 18

Abstract:

An earth-boring drill bit having a bit body with a cutting component formed from a tungsten carbide composite material is disclosed. The composite material includes a binder and tungsten carbide crystals comprising sintered pellets. The composite material may be used as a hardfacing on the body and/or cutting elements, or be used to form portions or all of the body and cutting elements. The pellets may be formed with a single mode or multi-modal size distribution of the crystals.

US Patent:

8387722, Mar 5, 2013

Filed:

Apr 5, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/754154

Inventors:

Umesh Prasad - Spring TX, US
David A. Curry - The Woodlands TX, US

Assignee:

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

International Classification:

E21B 47/00
E21B 49/00

US Classification:

175 50, 16625001

Abstract:

Acoustic velocities measured downhole are used to predict a rock strength using results of a regression analysis that include grain size. The grain size can be obtained from drill cuttings or from NMR measurements. The determined rock strength is used in drilling operations.

US Patent:

20070107942, May 17, 2007

Filed:

Nov 15, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/560148

Inventors:

James Overstreet - Tomball TX, US
David Curry - The Woodlands TX, US
Jimmy Eason - The Woodlands TX, US
John Stevens - Spring TX, US
Eric Sullivan - Houston TX, US

International Classification:

E21B 10/00

US Classification:

175057000, 175374000, 175375000

Abstract:

An earth-boring bit, and a method of increasing the durability of the same, which includes the step providing a pliable sheet of a hardfacing matrix material. The pliable sheet of hardfacing material has a nickel and chromium matrix combined with a first element. The first element is selected from a group consisting of spherical sintered tungsten carbide, spherical cast tungsten carbide, and metallic glass. The hardfacing matrix material sheet is placed on a preselected surface of the drill bit. The hardfacing matrix material sheet is then fusion bonded to the drill bit.

US Patent:

20090205873, Aug 20, 2009

Filed:

Feb 9, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/367787

Inventors:

Aaron J. Dick - Houston TX, US
David A. Curry - The Woodlands TX, US
Anton F. Zahradnik - Sugar Land TX, US
Dan E. Scott - Montgomery TX, US
Terry J. Koltermann - The Woodlands TX, US
Chih Lin - Spring TX, US
Brendan P. Kirwan - Cratloe, IE

Assignee:

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

International Classification:

E21B 10/22

US Classification:

175371

Abstract:

Downhole tool bearings are provided with diamond enhanced materials. The diamond enhanced materials comprise diamond grains in a matrix of tungsten or silicon carbide. A brazed diamond grit or diamond particles coated with a reactive braze may be utilized for bearing applications. Bearing rings formed at least in part with diamond enhanced material are installed on at least one of the bearing pin journal, the nose and the cone cavity. The bearing rings may be continuous rings or partial rings and attached to the journal pin or cone cavity. These may include thrust bearings, rollers, roller race, balls and ball races made of diamond enhanced material. These bearing surfaces also are formed at least in part with diamond enhanced material and attached to portions of the journal or cone bearing surfaces.

US Patent:

20100071960, Mar 25, 2010

Filed:

Sep 24, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/565914

Inventors:

David A. Curry - The Woodlands TX, US
Terry J. Koltermann - The Woodlands TX, US
Chih C. Lin - Spring TX, US
Stuart Hall - Sale, GB

Assignee:

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

International Classification:

E21B 10/25

US Classification:

175371

Abstract:

A composite seal gland insert for a roller cone rock bit is a polymer composite sleeve containing one or more constituents that function to significantly lower the wear of the elastomeric seal ring. A fluid lubricant film also may be used between the elastomer seal and the gland. The outer surface of the insert is profiled to provide a sealing surface against which the elastomer seal runs. The insert is installed over the bearing pin and has a surface that engages the last machined surface of the leg. A static seal, which may comprise an additional elastomeric seal, may be used beneath the gland insert to provide a pressure seal between the insert and the pin. An adhesive also may be used as the pressure seal and also to retain the gland insert in the desired position. In addition, a mechanical anti-rotation device may be used to prevent rotation of the gland insert.

US Patent:

20100329081, Dec 30, 2010

Filed:

Jun 26, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/492705

Inventors:

Eric Sullivan - Houston TX, US
David Curry - The Woodlands TX, US
Xiamin Cheng - The Woodlands TX, US
Tu Tien Trinh - Houston TX, US
Terry Watts - Spring TX, US
John F. Bradford - Katy TX, US
Aaron J. Dick - Houston TX, US
Chih Lin - Spring TX, US

International Classification:

G01S 3/80
E21B 10/36

US Classification:

367120, 175432

Abstract:

A method of non-destructively identifying and characterizing defects in a rotary drill component is provided. The method includes providing a drill component and an ultrasonic test system including a phased array ultrasonic transducer (PAUT). The method also includes acoustically coupling the PAUT to a surface location, transmitting focused ultrasonic acoustic waves at the location into the PAUT and recording a reflected acoustic response corresponding to a portion of a predetermined volume of a microstructure of the component associated with the location on the surface. The method also includes storing the response and moving one of the transducer or the component to a plurality of unique locations representative of the predetermined microstructure and repeating these steps. The method also includes processing the responses and providing an output signal to an output device configured to provide an output indicative of differences in the output signal within the predetermined volume of the microstructure.