Louisiana Patent of the Month – September 2021

One-way float valves are commonly used in the oil and gas industry, especially in wellbore operations. One of these applications includes the use of float shoes and float collars which prevent backflow of cement slurry from entering the annulus of a casing. These float shoes and collars are attached to the end of a casing string and lowered into the wellbore during operation – but this opens them up to vulnerability and a slew of problems. You might experience obstruction, deformation from debris, or other complications. Drilling Innovative Solutions, LLC. has designed a new device which can help control the fluid flow in a wellbore.

Their design is a mechanical isolation device which is positioned within the casing string before it is lowered into the wellbore. By using a subsequent trip of an inner-string tool, the device can be manipulated to close and open the flow path within the device. Essentially, the device has a port which allows fluid flow between an internal bore of a sleeve and the inside of the tubular wellbore. A receiver is positioned in the internal bore with two holes. The second hole is either aligned or not aligned with the port of the sleeve, and the alignment is adjustable. Adjustments are made by that inner-string tool which can move it to either align the holes and allow fluid flow, or unaligned and prevent flow. This device can replace the existing cement retainer equipment and processes, ultimately simplifying the wellboring procedures. This improves reliability, reduces costs, and makes everyone’s life better when it comes to wellbores.

Are you developing new technology for an existing application? Did you know your development work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? Even if your development isn’t successful your work may still qualify for R&D credits (i.e. you don’t need to have a patent to qualify). To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

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