Kenneth E Ruddy

US Patent:

49863614, Jan 22, 1991

Filed:

Aug 31, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/401086

Inventors:

Mark D. Mueller - Santa Maria CA
Frank Jones - Balikpapan, ID
Julio Quintana - Bakersfield CA
Kenneth E. Ruddy - Houston TX
Michael Mims - Bakersfield CA

Assignee:

Union Oil Company of California - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

E21B 3310

US Classification:

166381

Abstract:

A ported float shoe and a landing collar are attached at one end of a casing string and a sliding air trapping insert attached by shear pins at the other end. The air trapping insert includes a fluid flow passageway blocked by a plug attached by shear pins to the insert. The air trapping insert and float shoe form an air cavity within the string portion. After running the string into a deviated well bore, the shear pin supported plug is pressure actuated open to allow air to be vented and drilling mud to flow into the cavity. A wiper plug followed by pressurized cement slurry shears away the attached insert, opens the float shoe, moves the insert to the bottom of the well, and allows cementing of the casing. Moved apparatus (near well bottom) forms a single drillable unit until drilled out in normal post-cementing operations. The flotation method reduces insertion drag and the related chance of a differentially stuck casing, and avoids the separate removal steps required by current flotation techniques.

US Patent:

51815710, Jan 26, 1993

Filed:

Feb 10, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/820997

Inventors:

Mark D. Mueller - Santa Maria CA
Frank L. Jones - Balikpapan, ID
Julio M. Quintana - Bakersfield CA
Kenneth E. Ruddy - Houston TX
Michael G. Mims - Bakersfield CA

Assignee:

Union Oil Company of California - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

E21B 3310

US Classification:

166381

Abstract:

A ported float shoe (5) and a landing collar (16) are attached at a first end of a portion of a casing string (4) and a sliding air trapping insert (20) is attached at the other end. The air trapping insert (20) includes a fluid flow passageway (24) blocked by a plug (22) attached by shear pins to the insert (20) or the air trapping insert is an inflatable insert (55) having a conduit (60) providing a fluid passageway to the first end. The air trapping insert and float shoe form an air cavity (12a or 12b) within the string portion (4). The air cavity provides buoyant forces during running, cementing or other casing operations within a borehole (2), reducing running drag and the related chance of a differentially stuck casing (4). It also allows reciprocation and rotation during cementing and avoids separate removal steps.

US Patent:

51179156, Jun 2, 1992

Filed:

Aug 22, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/569691

Inventors:

Mark D. Mueller - Santa Maria CA
Frank L. Jones - Batikpapan CA
Julio M. Quintana - Bakersfield CA
Kenneth E. Ruddy - Houston TX
Michael G. Mims - Bakersfield CA

Assignee:

Union Oil Company of California - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

E21B 3310

US Classification:

166381

Abstract:

A ported float shoe (5) and a landing collar (16) are attached at a first end of a portion of a casing string (4) and a sliding air trapping insert (20) is attached at the other end. The air trapping insert (20) includes a fluid flow passageway (24) blocked by a plug (22) attached by shear pins to the insert (20) or the air trapping insert is an inflatable insert (55) having a conduit (60) providing a fluid passageway to the first end. The air trapping insert and float shoe form an air cavity (12a or 12b) within the string portion (4). The air cavity provides buoyant forces during running, cementing or other casing operations within a borehole (2), reducing running drag and the related chance of a differentially stuck casing (4). It also allows reciprocation and rotation during cementing and avoids separate removal steps.

US Patent:

20190300123, Oct 3, 2019

Filed:

Oct 22, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/167174

Inventors:

Kenneth Edward Ruddy - Houston TX, US
Robert Hoff - Houston TX, US
Andrew Martin Ruddy - Houston TX, US

International Classification:

B63B 3/08
B63B 35/44
B63B 39/10
B63B 43/04
B63B 21/20

Abstract:

A method to rapidly form a reconfigurable multihull multiplatform floating vessel includes installing a plurality of pin connectors on a plurality of longitudinal hulls, installing a plurality of joints on the plurality of longitudinal hulls, positioning the plurality of longitudinal hulls with the plurality of pin connectors and the plurality of joints proximate each other, mounting a first moveable planar platform having a first end and a second end with the first moveable planar platform mounted a preset distance above a load line of the first longitudinal hull, mounting a second moveable planar platform having a first end and a second end, forming a platform void extending between pairs of moveable planar platforms to provide increased safety for equipment and personnel on the moveable planar platform by preventing impact together of longitudinal hulls, and forming a hull void extending between pairs of longitudinal hulls.