Wei Xu

6499537, Dec 31, 2002

May 18, 2000

09/573584

Charles H. Dewey - Houston TX
John E. Campbell - Houston TX
Wei Xu - Houston TX

Smith International, Inc. - Houston TX

E21B 4709

1662551, 166382, 166387, 166 50, 166 882, 1661176, 166217, 175 61

The well reference apparatus and method of the present invention includes a reference member preferably permanently installed within the borehole at a preferred depth and orientation in one trip into the well. The reference member provides a permanent reference for the location of all operations, particularly in a multi-lateral well. The assembly of the present invention includes disposing the reference member on the end of a pipe string. An orienting tool such as an MWD collar is disposed in the pipe string above the reference member. This assembly is lowered into the borehole on the pipe string. Once the preferred depth is attained, the MWD is activated to determine the orientation of the reference member. If the reference member is not oriented in the preferred direction, the pipe string is rotated to align the reference member in the preferred direction. This process is repeated for further corrective action and to verify the proper orientation of the reference member.

6543536, Apr 8, 2003

May 18, 2001

09/860870

Charles H. Dewey - Houston TX
John E. Campbell - Houston TX
Wei Xu - Houston TX

Smith International, Inc. - Houston TX

E21B 4700

1662552, 166382, 1661176

The reference member provides a permanent reference for the depth and orientation of all well operations and includes a body with an engaging surface for an attaching engagement to the interior surface of an existing casing in a borehole and an orienting surface for orienting well tools within the cased borehole. No sealing engagement is required with the casing. The engaging surface on the body has a first non-engaged position where the engaging surface does not engage the casing and an engaged position where the engaging surface does engage the casing which causes adequate engagement between the body and the casing to permanently dispose the well reference member within the casing. The well reference member further includes an actuation member for actuating the engaging surface from the non-engaged position to the engaged position. The actuation member may be an expansion member which expands the body having an engaging surface into engagement with the casing or which expands engaging surfaces, reciprocably mounted on the body, into engagement with the casing.

6554062, Apr 29, 2003

May 19, 2000

09/575091

Charles H. Dewey - Houston TX
Mark J. Murray - Sugar Land TX
Wei Xu - Houston TX

Smith International, Inc. - Houston TX

E21B 708

166 50, 1661176, 175 81, 175 82

The well reference apparatus and method of the present invention includes an anchor member with a orientation member preferably permanently installed within the borehole at a preferred depth and orientation in one trip into the well. The orientation member provides a permanent reference for the orientation of well operations, particularly in a multi-lateral well. The assembly of the present invention includes disposing the anchor member and orientation member on the end of a pipe string. An orienting tool such as an MWD collar is disposed in the pipe string above the anchor member. This assembly is lowered into the borehole on the pipe string. Once the preferred depth is attained, the MWD is activated to determine the orientation of the orientation member. If the orientation member is not oriented in the preferred direction, the pipe string is rotated to align the orientation member in the preferred direction. This process is repeated for further corrective action and to verify the proper orientation of the orientation member.

6648069, Nov 18, 2003

Jun 12, 2002

10/171215

Charles H. Dewey - Houston TX
John E. Campbell - Houston TX
Wei Xu - Houston TX

Smith International, Inc. - Houston TX

E21B 4400

166 50, 1661176, 1662426, 175 61, 175 62

The well reference apparatus and method of the present invention includes a reference member preferably permanently installed within the borehole at a preferred depth and orientation in one trip into the well. The reference member provides a permanent reference for the location of all operations, particularly in a multi-lateral well. The assembly of the present invention includes disposing the reference member on the end of a pipe string. An orienting tool such as an MWD collar is disposed in the pipe string above the reference member. This assembly is lowered into the borehole on the pipe string. Once the preferred depth is attained, the MWD is activated to determine the orientation of the reference member. If the reference member is not oriented in the preferred direction, the pipe string is rotated to align the reference member in the preferred direction. This process is repeated for further corrective action and to verify the proper orientation of the reference member.

6732817, May 11, 2004

Feb 19, 2002

10/078067

Charles H. Dewey - Houston TX
Wei Xu - Houston TX

Smith International, Inc. - Houston TX

E21B 728

175 57, 175267, 175291, 175406

A downhole tool that functions as an underreamer, or alternatively, as a stabilizer in an underreamed borehole. The tool includes one or more moveable arms disposed within a body having a flowbore therethrough in fluid communication with the wellbore annulus. The tool alternates between collapsed and expanded positions in response to differential fluid pressure between the flowbore and the wellbore annulus. In one embodiment, the tool moves automatically in response to differential pressure. In a second embodiment, the tool must be selectively actuated before it is moveable. When the tool expands, the arms are preferably translated axially upwardly, while simultaneously being extended radially outwardly from the body. The expanded tool diameter is adjustable at the surface without changing components. The arms may include borehole engaging pads that comprise cutting structures or wear structures or both, depending upon the function of the tool.

6899183, May 31, 2005

May 10, 2002

10/143287

Charles H. Dewey - Houston TX, US
John E. Campbell - Houston TX, US
Wei Xu - Houston TX, US

Smith International, Inc. - Houston TX

E21B023/01

166387, 166138, 166208, 166216, 166217, 166382

A method and apparatus to affix a tool downhole in a cased wellbore, one embodiment comprising a tubular body with a slot along its length. A portion of the slot is V-shaped to accommodate a wedge with a corresponding V-shape. The outside of the tubular body has integral teeth. To set the apparatus, the wedge is driven into the V-shaped slot. This movement widens the slot and expands the diameter of the tubular body until it intersects with the casing. The teeth on the outside of the body bite into the casing wall to affix the tool to the casing.

6935431, Aug 30, 2005

Jul 30, 2003

10/629990

Charles H. Dewey - Houston TX, US
John E. Campbell - Houston TX, US
Wei Xu - Houston TX, US

Smith International, Inc. - Houston TX

E21B023/01

166382, 166 50, 1661175, 175 45

The well reference apparatus and method of the present invention includes a reference member preferably permanently installed within the borehole at a preferred depth and orientation in one trip into the well. The reference member provides a permanent reference for the location of all operations, particularly in a multi-lateral well. The assembly of the present invention includes disposing the reference member on the end of a pipe string. An orienting tool such as an MWD collar is disposed in the pipe string above the reference member. This assembly is lowered into the borehole on the pipe string. Once the preferred depth is attained, the MWD is activated to determine the orientation of the reference member. If the reference member is not oriented in the preferred direction, the pipe string is rotated to align the reference member in the preferred direction. This process is repeated for further corrective action and to verify the proper orientation of the reference member.

7048078, May 23, 2006

May 7, 2004

10/841314

Charles H. Dewey - Houston TX, US
Wei Xu - Houston TX, US

Smith International, Inc. - Houston TX

E21B 10/32

175 57, 175269, 175291, 175344, 175391, 175406

A downhole tool that functions as an underreamer or as a stabilizer in an underreamed borehole. The tool includes one or more moveable arms disposed within a body having a flowbore therethrough in fluid communication with the wellbore annulus. The tool alternates between collapsed and expanded positions in response to differential fluid pressure between the flowbore and the wellbore annulus. In one embodiment, the tool moves automatically in response to differential pressure. In a second embodiment, the tool must be selectively actuated before it is moveable. The tool may include borehole engaging pads that comprise cutting structures or wear structures or both, depending upon the function of the tool.