Bruce A Houtchens

7108080, Sep 19, 2006

Mar 12, 2004

10/799217

Robert M. Tessari - Calgary, CA
Bruce D. Houtchens - Spring TX, US

Tesco Corporation - Calgary

E21B 7/26

175 21, 175 38, 175 72, 175234, 175318, 175324

A method for drilling a borehole includes; providing a drill string of drill pipe including a center bore, a distal end, a bit assembly at the distal end; hanging a liner from the drill string, thereby forming an annular space between the drill string and the liner and with the bit assembly extending from a lower end of the liner; positioning the drill string with the liner attached thereto in a borehole such that a second annular space is formed between the liner and the borehole wall; operating the bit assembly to proceed with drilling the borehole; and circulating drilling fluid down through the center bore of the drill string out through the bit assembly and down through the second annular space between the liner and the borehole wall, the drilling fluid returning up through the annular space between the drill string and the liner.

45631980, Jan 7, 1986

Dec 4, 1984

6/677794

Bruce A. Houtchens - Houston TX

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System - Austin TX

B01D 1900

55 41

A compact, fast-reacting, centrifugal fluid separator which serves to separate a fluid into gaseous and liquid components without the aid of gravity. The fluid separator is primarily designed for use as a biological fluid suction and separation device, the separator being particularly useful in space-based applications where a microgravity environment exists. Broadly speaking, the separator includes a cylindrical chamber, an elongated shaft rotatably mounted in the chamber, and a propeller and flat disc coupled to the shaft adjacent each other. A source of negative pressure is connected to the chamber adjacent one end of the shaft and the biological fluid is passed into the chamber adjacent the other end of the shaft so as to impinge upon the propeller. The propeller directs a portion of the fluid onto the rotating disc; the centrifugal action of the propeller and disc biases the heavier liquid component of the fluid radially outward while the lighter gaseous component remains close to the shaft and is extracted by the suction source. While the fluid separator is ideal for use in space-based applications, it is also a viable alternative to conventional fluid separators, particularly where compactness and short response time are desirable.