Cypress inventor receives patent for new expandable tubing design developed for Weatherford

A new design for expandable tubing developed for Weatherford International has earned a U.S. patent for a Cypress inventor and a Houston-area team.

Expandable tubing is used in a variety of applications in oil wells. One of the main advantages of such tubing is that it can be passed through existing conduits and then expanded when it reaches the appropriate place in the operation. Engineers are constantly looking for ways to improve such components; in the patent, the inventors claim it has achieved a superior way of sealing the tubing.

The Houston-area inventors credited in the document are Merle E.  Evans of Spring, Ghazi J. Hashem of Seabrook, Robert P. Badrak of Sugar Land and Patrick G. Maguire of Cypress. John Richard Setterberg Jr. of Hunstville, Texas, was also part of the group. The patent's official number is 7,887,103. It was originally filed on Feb. 7, 2007, and was approved on Feb. 15 of this year. The filers were represented by intellectual property law firm Patterson & Sheridan, whose Houston offices are located at 3040 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 1500. The Houston offices of Weatherford/Lamb Inc. are listed as the owners of the patent.

Weatherford International is one of the world's largest oil and natural gas services companies. Originally founded in Texas, it is now based in Geneva. The company has offices throughout the Houston area.