Donald Ray Sitton

US Patent:

8561720, Oct 22, 2013

Filed:

Oct 11, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/649482

Inventors:

Jose Victor Guerrero - Spring TX, US
Duncan Charles MacDonald - Houston TX, US
James Bryon Rogers - Katy TX, US
Donald Ray Sitton - Humble TX, US

Assignee:

Shell Oil Company - Houston TX

International Classification:

E21B 7/06

US Classification:

175 26, 175 62

Abstract:

A method of steering a drill bit to form an opening in a subsurface formation, comprises a) determining a distance from design of a well, and b) determining an angle offset from design of the well wherein angle offset from design is the difference between the inclination and azimuth of the hole and the inclination and azimuth of plan, c) wherein at least one distance from design and at least one angle offset from design are determined in real time based, at least in part, on a position of the hole at the last survey, a position at a projected current location of the bit, and a projected position of the bit.

US Patent:

20130032407, Feb 7, 2013

Filed:

Oct 11, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/649434

Inventors:

Shell Oil Company - Houston TX, US
Jose Victor GUERRERO - Spring TX, US
Duncan Charles MACDONALD - Houston TX, US
James Bryon ROGERS - Katy TX, US
Donald Ray SITTON - Humble TX, US

Assignee:

SHELL OIL COMPANY - Houston TS

International Classification:

E21B 7/10

US Classification:

175 61

Abstract:

A method of controlling a direction of a toolface of a bottom hole assembly for slide drilling, comprises a) synchronizing the toolface wherein synchronizing the toolface comprises determining a relationship between the rotational position of the down hole toolface with a rotational position at the surface of the formation for at least one point in time, b) stopping rotation of the drill string coupled to the bottom hole assembly, c) controlling torque at the surface of the drill string to control a rotational position of the toolface, and d) commencing a slide of the drill string.

US Patent:

20130270005, Oct 17, 2013

Filed:

Oct 11, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/649462

Inventors:

Jose Victor GUERRERO - Spring TX, US
Duncan Charles MACDONALD - Houston TX, US
James Bryon ROGERS - Katy TX, US
Donald Ray SITTON - Humble TX, US

International Classification:

E21B 7/06

US Classification:

175 24, 175 61

Abstract:

A method of controlling a direction of drilling of the drill string used to form an opening in a subsurface formation, comprises varying a speed of the drill string during rotational drilling such that the drill string is at a first speed during a first portion of the rotational cycle and at a second speed during a second portion of the rotational cycle wherein the first speed is higher than the second speed, and wherein operating at the second speed in the second portion of the rotational cycle causes the drill string to change the direction of drilling.

US Patent:

20130277111, Oct 24, 2013

Filed:

Oct 11, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/649374

Inventors:

Shell Oil Company - , US
Jose Victor GUERRERO - Spring TX, US
Duncan Charles MACDONALD - Houston TX, US
James Bryon ROGERS - Katy TX, US
Donald Ray SITTON - Humble TX, US

International Classification:

E21B 44/02

US Classification:

175 27

Abstract:

A method of automatically placing a drill bit used to form an opening in a subsurface formation on a bottom of the opening being formed comprises a) increasing a flow rate in a drill string to a target flow; b) controlling a flow rate of fluid into the drill string to be substantially the same as a flowrate of fluid out of the opening; c) allowing a fluid pressure to reach a relatively steady state; and d) automatically moving the drill bit toward the bottom of the opening at a selected rate of advance until an increase in measured differential pressure indicates that the drill bit is at the bottom of the opening.

US Patent:

20130277112, Oct 24, 2013

Filed:

Oct 11, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/649397

Inventors:

Shell Oil Company - , US
Jose Victor GUERRERO - Spring TX, US
Duncan Charles MACDONALD - Houston TX, US
James Bryon ROGERS - Katy TX, US
Donald Ray SITTON - Humble TX, US

International Classification:

E21B 44/06

US Classification:

175 27

Abstract:

A method of automatically picking up a drill bit off the bottom of an opening in a subsurface formation, comprises a) setting a predetermined level of differential pressure across a mud motor at which pickup of the drill bit is to be initiated; b) monitoring the differential pressure across the mud motor; c) allowing differential pressure across the mud motor to decrease to the predetermined level; and d) when the predetermined level is reached, automatically picking up the drill bit.

US Patent:

20140041941, Feb 13, 2014

Filed:

Aug 6, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/960315

Inventors:

- , unknown
Jose Victor GUERRERO - Spring TX, US
Duncan Charles MACDONALD - Houston TX, US
James Bryon ROGERS - Katy TX, US
Donald Ray SITTON - Humble TX, US
Jason NORMAN - Houston TX, US

Assignee:

Shell Oil Company - Shenzhen

International Classification:

E21B 21/08
E21B 44/00

US Classification:

175 24, 7315219

Abstract:

A method of assessing hole cleaning effectiveness of drilling comprises a) determining a mass of cuttings removed from a well wherein determining the mass of cuttings removed from a well comprises: i) measuring a total mass of fluid entering a well; ii) measuring a total mass of fluid exiting the well; and iii) determining a difference between the total mass of fluid exiting the well and total mass of fluid entering the well; b) determining a mass of rock excavated in the well; and c) determining a mass of cuttings remaining in the well wherein determining the mass of cuttings remaining in the well comprises: determining a difference between the determined mass of rock excavated in the well and the determined mass of cuttings removed from the well.

US Patent:

20170260822, Sep 14, 2017

Filed:

May 24, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/604157

Inventors:

- Houston TX, US
Jose Victor GUERRERO - Spring TX, US
Duncan Charles MACDONALD - Houston TX, US
James Bryon ROGERS - Katy TX, US
Donald Ray SITTON - Humble TX, US
Jason B. NORMAN - Houston TX, US

International Classification:

E21B 21/08
E21B 21/01
E21B 44/00
E21B 44/06
E21B 47/00
E21B 49/00
E21B 7/06
E21B 44/02

Abstract:

A method of controlling a direction of drilling of the drill string used to form an opening in a subsurface formation, comprises varying a speed of the drill string during rotational drilling such that the drill string is at a first speed during a first portion of the rotational cycle and at a second speed during a second portion of the rotational cycle wherein the first speed is higher than the second speed, and wherein operating at the second speed in the second portion of the rotational cycle causes the drill string to change the direction of drilling.

US Patent:

20140291023, Oct 2, 2014

Filed:

Jul 28, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/812734

Inventors:

s Alston Edbury - Reading, GB
Jose Victor Guerrero - Spring TX, US
Duncan Charles MacDonald - Houston TX, US
Jason B. Norman - Houston TX, US
James Bryon Rogers - Katy TX, US
Donald Ray Sitton - Humble TX, US

International Classification:

E21B 44/00
G06T 11/20
E21B 47/10

US Classification:

175 24, 7315219, 7315221, 3454402

Abstract:

A system includes one or more sensors configured to sense at least one characteristic of fluid entering a well, one or more sensors configured to sense at least one characteristic of fluid exiting a well; and one or more control systems that receive data from at least one of the sensors.