IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,723,485
Granted Patent B2
US 12,723,485 · App. 19/015,337 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Compact downhole tool

Inventors: Donald Roy Greenlee (Murchison, TX); Donald Jonathan Greenlee (Murchison, TX)
Assignee: Nine Downhole Technologies LLC
E21B33/129E21B33/1292E21B33/134E21B2200/01
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,723,485
App. No.
19/015,337
Filed
Jan 9, 2025
Granted
Sep 1, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3676
USPC
166/134
Abstract

A compact downhole tool, such as a frac plug, may include a single frustoconical member and a single set of slips. The slips may further include an internal button that engages with the frustoconical member. Various elements in the downhole tool may be dissolvable or degradable.

Claims (28)

1 . A downhole tool, comprising:

a single frustoconical member at a first end of the downhole tool;

a mandrel collar affixed to a first end of the single frustoconical member;

a single set of slips in contact with the mandrel collar;

an elastomeric element disposed around the single set of slips tending to pull the slips against the mandrel collar;

a shear screw passing through at least one slip of the single set of slips, wherein the shear screw is affixed to the slips, and wherein at least a portion of the shear screw is disposed in a hole in the mandrel collar;

and a plurality of interlocking members disposed around the single set of slips.

2 . The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein:

the shear screw is affixed to the at least one slip in the single set of the slips by being screwed into a set of threads in the slip.

3 . The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the frustoconical member and the mandrel collar each have a passageway along a long axis of the downhole tool.

4 . The downhole tool of claim 3 , wherein the passageway in the mandrel collar comprises shear threads.

5 . The downhole tool of claim 3 , wherein the mandrel collar comprises one or more threaded holes configured for the installation of shear screws.

6 . The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein at least one slip in the single set of slips is formed using a composite material.

7 . The downhole tool of claim 1 , further comprising one or more axially extending pins connecting one or more of the plurality of interlocking members to one or more slip of the single set of slips.

8 . A downhole apparatus, comprising:

a downhole tool comprising:

a single frustoconical member at a first end of the down-hole tool;

a mandrel collar affixed to a first end of the single frustoconical member;

a single set of slips in contact with the mandrel collar;

an elastomeric element disposed around the single set of slips tending to pull the slips against the mandrel collar, and

a shear screw passing through at least one slip of the single set of slips, wherein the shear screw is affixed to the slips, and wherein at least a portion of the shear screw is disposed in a hole in the mandrel collar; and

a plurality of interlocking members disposed around the single set of slips; and

a sealing member configured to engage a central opening in the downhole tool.

9 . The downhole apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the sealing element is dissolvable.

10 . The downhole apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the sealing element is degradable.

11 . The downhole apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a wireline adapter kit configured to engage the single frustoconical member.

12 . The downhole apparatus of claim 8 , wherein at least one slip of the single set of slips is formed using a composite material.

13 . The downhole apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising one or more axially extending pins connecting one or more of the plurality of interlocking members to one or more slip of the single set of slips.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2026
From: NINE DOWNHOLE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC; NINE ENERGY CANADA ULC
To: WHITE OAK COMMERCIAL FINANCE, LLC
Reel/Frame 075048/0092 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2026
From: WHITE OAK COMMERCIAL FINANCE, LLC
To: NINE ENERGY SERVICE, INC.; NINE DOWNHOLE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 075022/0210 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2025
From: NINE ENERGY SERVICE, INC.; NINE DOWNHOLE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC; NINE ENERGY CANADA INC.
To: WHITE OAK COMMERCIAL FINANCE, LLC
Reel/Frame 071147/0203 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 18349653 · Jul 10, 2023
Continuation In Part 17808051 · Jun 21, 2022
Continuation 16442311 · Jun 14, 2019
Related Publication 20250146382A1 · May 8, 2025
References Cited (67)
US 3661670A · Pierpont, Jr. · 1972 [cited by examiner]
US 3794540A · Griffith · 1974 [cited by examiner]
US 4151875A · Sullaway · 1979 [cited by examiner]
US 5810083A · Kilgore · 1998 [cited by examiner]
US 5984007A · Yuan · 1999 [cited by examiner]
US 6796376B2 · Frazier · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 8851166B2 · Foubister · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 9181772B2 · Frazier · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 9309744B2 · Frazier · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9316086B2 · VanLue · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9359855B2 · Frazier · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9441448B2 · Frazier · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9500061B2 · Frazier · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9506309B2 · Frazier · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9587475B2 · Frazier · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 9835003B2 · Harris · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10119359B2 · Frazier · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 10233720B2 · Tse · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10337279B2 · Frazier · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10352125B2 · Frazier · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10619446B2 · Webster · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 11365600B2 · Greenlee · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11697975B2 · Greenlee · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20080191420A1 · Imhoff · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20090163955A1 · Moumene · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20110277987A1 · Frazier · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20130068451A1 · Getzlaf · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130186646A1 · Xu · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130240203A1 · Frazier · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20140190685A1 · Frazier · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20140311752A1 · Streich · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20150021042A1 · Melenyzer · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20150226047A1 · Robb · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20150285026A1 · Frazier · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20150376975A1 · Flores · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160201427A1 · Fripp · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160215590A1 · Ravensbergen · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160222760A1 · Stair · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160265302A1 · Acosta · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170130553A1 · Harris · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170198545A1 · Jurgensmeier · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170218722A1 · Gordon · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170260825A1 · Schmidt · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180016862A1 · Meeks · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180148993A1 · Schmidt · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180238133A1 · Fripp · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180266205A1 · Martin · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180274325A1 · Greenlee · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180274330A1 · Sim · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180283121A1 · Zhang · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190078414A1 · Frazier · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190153808A1 · Hardesty · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190352998A1 · Wolf · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190352999A1 · Greenlee · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200040680A1 · Mhaskar · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200157914A1 · Graham · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200392807A1 · Greenlee · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200392808A1 · Greenlee · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210054704A1 · Merron · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210054719A1 · Nichols · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210079756A1 · Ornelaz · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210332661A1 · Tonti · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220356778A1 · Greenlee · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230349259A1 · Greenlee · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240263539A1 · Brown · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20250146381A1 · Greenlee · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 20250146382A1 · Greenlee · 2025 [cited by examiner]