Patents Represented by Attorney James McAleenan
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Patent number: 7784330Abstract: A micro-fluidic device and methods for measuring one or more rheologic properties of a fluid. The micro-fluidic device includes a substrate and at least one cover bonded to a surface of the substrate with a fluid channel formed in at least one of the cover or the substrate. Further, the micro-fluidic device includes a first differential pressure gauge that can have a first differential pressure sensor in fluid communication with both a first pressure site and a second pressure site. Further still, the micro-fluidic device includes the first pressure site and the second pressure site that can be spaced apart by a first section of the fluid channel. Also, the micro-fluidic device includes a data processor communicatively coupled to the first differential pressure sensor, so as to receive data generated by the first differential pressure sensor.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2007Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Dan E. Angelescu, Hua Chen, Christopher Harrison, Matthew Sullivan, Jacques Jundt
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Patent number: 7784339Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus an methods for detecting the behavior of perforations in a wellbore casing, the apparatus including a sensor array movable within the internal diameter of the casing, the sensor array having one or more sensors located proximate the internal surface of the casing with the sensors being located or oriented such that properties of flow from a proximate perforation can be distinguished from properties of a main flow through the wellbore.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2005Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: John Mervyn Cook, Ashley Bernard Johnson
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Patent number: 7781737Abstract: Methods and apparatus for analyzing gas-oil-water compounds in oilfield and other applications are disclosed using terahertz radiation. A sample analyzer includes a sample chamber having a fluid communication port configured to receive the sample. The analyzer also includes a filter to filter samples and selectively remove oil, water or gas from reservoir mixture received by the sample chamber. A terahertz (THz) radiation detector is provided in electromagnetic communication with the sample. The terahertz detector provides a detected output signal indicative of the terahertz electromagnetic radiation detected from the sample. In some embodiments, the device also includes a terahertz source illuminating the sample, the terahertz detector detecting a portion of the terahertz source illumination as modified by the sample. The detected portion of the spectrum of terahertz radiation can be processed to analyze the composition of the sample.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2006Date of Patent: August 24, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Oleg Zhdaneev
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Patent number: 7782708Abstract: A method of filtering seismic signals is described using the steps of obtaining the seismic signals generated by activating a seismic source and recording signals emanating from the source at one or more receivers; defining a source signature deconvolution filter to filter the seismic signal, wherein the filter is scaled by a frequency-dependent term based on an estimate of the signal-to-noise (S/N) based on the spectral power of a signal common to a suite of angle-dependent far-field signatures normalized by the total spectral power of the signatures within the angular suite and performing a source signature deconvolution using the source signature deconvolution filter.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2009Date of Patent: August 24, 2010Assignee: WesternGeco LLCInventors: Philip Christie, Zoe Lunnon
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Patent number: 7770645Abstract: Methods and system are described for providing electric power in a wellbore including at least one thermoelectric generator at a downhole location; and one or more thermally insulated sections of wellbore tubing located such as to reduce heat loss of fluid flowing through the wellbore from the entry point of the fluid to the location of the generator.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2006Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Benjamin Peter Jeffryes
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Patent number: 7767461Abstract: This invention relates to methods and apparatus for determination of ion concentrations, particularly in downhole water from hydrocarbon wells, aquifers etc. It is useful in a wide range of applications, including predicting the formation of scale and fingerprinting waters from different sources. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of ligands whose electronic configuration is altered by the binding of the scaling ions within a water sample. These alterations are detected, for example by electrochemical means, and are indicative of the concentration of scaling ions in the sample.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2004Date of Patent: August 3, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Li Jiang, Timothy Gareth John Jones, Andrew Meredith, Markus Pagels, Amilra Prasanna De Silva
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Patent number: 7765862Abstract: A drilling operation wherein a borehole can be drilled through earth formations with a drill bit at the end of a drill string, using recirculating drilling mud that flows downward through the drill string, exits through the drill bit, and returns to the earth's surface in the annulus between the drill string and the borehole wall, at least a portion of which has a mudcake thereon, and a surface pumping system for pumping the mud to recirculate.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2007Date of Patent: August 3, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Charles Flaum
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Patent number: 7758734Abstract: An electrochemical sensor for measuring the amount of hydrogen sulphide or thiols in a fluid in a wellbore comprises a temperature- and pressure-resistant housing containing a flow path for the fluids. The fluids flow over one side of a gas permeable membrane made of zeolite or a suitable ceramic material, the other side of the membrane being exposed to a chamber containing a reaction solution which together with the hydrogen sulphide or thiols create a redox reaction resulting in an electrical current dependent upon the amount of hydrogen sulphide or thiols in the fluid.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2003Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Li Jiang, Timothy Gareth John Jones, Jonathan Webster Brown, Andrew Gilbert
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Patent number: 7717000Abstract: A method of sampling a multi-phase fluid stream is provided which comprises the steps of: sampling, with a sampling probe, a portion of the fluid stream; measuring the flow rate of said sampled portion; and measuring, independently of the sampling step, the total flow rate of the fluid stream, wherein the flow rate of the sampled portion is controlled according to the ratio of the flow rate of the sampled portion to the flow rate of the fluid stream, in order to obtain substantially isokinetic sampling of the fluid stream. The method may provide isokinetic sampling to an accuracy of 5% or less and preferably only samples a small portion of the fluid stream. The method has particular application for high rate condensate gas wells. A corresponding sampling system is provided which has particular application in the sampling of streams from well-heads.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2004Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Cheng-gang Xie, Ian Atkinson, Paul Hammond, Gary Oddie, Paul Bolchover
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Patent number: 7712380Abstract: Systems and methods are described for measuring flow properties of a high gas-cut multiphase mixture flowing in a conduit, such as a wet-gas produced from a hydrocarbon well. In aspects of the present invention, one or more receivers are used to receive Doppler shifted signals resulting from an interaction between a propagating dominant microwave mode developed in the conduit and the high gas-cut multiphase mixture flowing in the conduit. Analysis of the Doppler shift in the received signals may provide for determining the velocity of the gas and/or the liquid phase of the high gas-cut multiphase mixture. In other aspects, analysis of the phase difference of Doppler signals received at the plurality of receivers provides for a determination of the content of the wet-gas, such as the water holdup.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2008Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Chang-gang Xie
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Patent number: 7710000Abstract: The present invention, in one set of embodiments, provides methods and systems for integrating conducting diamond electrodes into a high power acoustic resonator. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, in certain embodiments of the present invention, diamond electrodes may be integrated into a high power acoustic resonator to provide a robust sensing device that may provide for acoustic cleaning of the electrodes and increasing the rate of mass transport to the diamond electrodes. The diamond electrodes may be used as working, reference or counter electrodes or a combination of two or more of such electrodes. In certain aspects, the high power acoustic resonator may include an acoustic horn for focusing acoustic energy and the diamond electrodes may be coupled with the acoustic horn.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2006Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Clive E. Hall, Li Jiang, Timothy G. J. Jones, Andrew Meredith, Nathan S. Lawrence, Markus Pagels
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Patent number: 7707898Abstract: According to the invention, a system for determining at least one property of a fluid flow through a conduit is disclosed. The system may include a bearing, at least one blade member, and a monitoring device. The bearing may be coupled with an interior of the conduit, and may include an inner race, where the inner race may rotate. The blade members may be coupled with the inner race, and may extend from the inner race toward the interior of the conduit. The blade members may rotate when a fluid flows through the interior of the conduit, and the inner race of the bearing may rotate when the blade members rotate. The monitoring device may be configured to determine a rate of rotation of the blade members. At least one property of the fluid flow may be determined based at least in part on the rate of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2008Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Gary Oddie
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Patent number: 7704926Abstract: The present invention provides aqueous viscoelastic compositions comprising a cleavable surfactant and possibly also an electrolyte. The cleavable surfactants useful in the present invention comprise at least one weak chemical bond, which is capable of being broken under appropriate conditions, to produce oil soluble and water soluble products typically having no interfacial properties and surface activity compared with the original surfactant molecule. Further, the rheological properties of the aqueous viscolelastic composition are usually altered upon cleavage of the cleavable surfactant generally resulting in the elimination of the viscofying, viscoelastic and surfactant properties of the composition. Aqueous viscoelastic compositions in accordance with the present invention are suitable for use in oil-field applications, particularly for hydraulic fracturing of subterranean formations. Thus, the present invention also relates to a wellbore service fluid and a method of fracturing a subterranean formation.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2002Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Jian Zhou, Trevor Hughes
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Patent number: 7705295Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate in general to methods and apparatus for determining downhole mud flow rates and other downhole parameters.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2007Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Benjamin Jeffryes
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Patent number: 7673525Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for reliable and accurate flow assurance and pipeline monitoring. More specifically but not by way of limitation, systems and methods of the present invention provide for using Doppler profiles through a pipeline section to monitor and/or measure depositing on and corrosion of a pipeline configured for flowing one or more hydrocarbons. In other embodiments of the present invention, thermal probe sensors may be used to monitor the depositing on and corrosion of the section of the pipeline. And in still further embodiments, combinations of Doppler sensors, thermal sensors and/or acoustic impedance sensors are provided with outputs from one or more of the sensors used to control one or more of the sensors or to provide for determination of flow assurance or pipeline monitoring.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2007Date of Patent: March 9, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Songming Huang
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Patent number: 7669653Abstract: The invention concerns a system or a method for maintaining zonal isolation in a wellbore. According to the invention, the system comprises, at a specific location along said wellbore, a sealing element, said sealing element being able to deform both during and after placement and is maintained after placement under compression through a pressurizing fluid or by confinement in a volume.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2004Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Bernadette Craster, Roger Card, Ashley Johnson, Paul Way, Hemant Ladva, Jonathan Phipps, Geoffrey Maitland, Paul Reid
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Patent number: 7670995Abstract: A viscoelastic wellbore treatment fluid comprises an effective amount of an oligomeric surfactant for controlling the viscoelasticity of the fluid.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2001Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Trevor Hughes, Timothy Gareth John Jones, Gary John Tustin, Jian Zhou
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Patent number: 7665519Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for downhole sampling or sensing of clean samples of component fluids of a multi-fluid mixture. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, embodiments of the present invention provide for, amongst other things, separating downhole multi-fluid mixtures into an oil-based fluid, a water-based fluid and/or the like and sampling and/or sensing of the clean separated fluids. Such sampling or sensing may be provided by a downhole tool in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention and the downhole tool may be used for production logging, formation testing and/or the like.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2007Date of Patent: February 23, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Gary Martin Oddie
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Patent number: 7667462Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance apparatus that may be used in connection with a variety of different tools, including a down-hole side-wall coring tool as well as with manufacturing process controllers. In one embodiment, the nuclear magnetic resonance apparatus may include a magnet assembly constructed around a sample chamber. The magnet assembly is constructed and arranged to provide a non-uniform magnetic field having a known magnetic field gradient inside the sample chamber. The use of gradient fields may allow for a more flexible and robust magnet assembly design that may be suitable for a variety of different applications.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2006Date of Patent: February 23, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Yi-Qiao Song, Richard Gaylor
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Patent number: 7660198Abstract: A method of identifying passive seismic events in seismic data that contains at least first seismic data traces acquired at a first seismic receiver and second seismic data traces acquired at a second receiver spatially separated from the first receiver comprises determining an overall measure of similarity for a pair of events in the seismic traces. The overall measure of similarity is indicative of similarity between the events acquired at the first seismic receiver and of similarity between the events acquired at the second seismic receiver. In one method, the overall measure of similarity is an overall cross-correlation coefficient. The overall cross-correlation coefficient is found by determining a first correlation coefficient for the pair of events from the data acquired at the first receiver and determining a second correlation coefficient for the pair of events from the data acquired at the second receiver.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2004Date of Patent: February 9, 2010Assignee: WesternGeco LLCInventors: Stephen Arrowsmith, Leo Eisner