Patents Assigned to Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
  • Publication number: 20220387965
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to processes for the selective separation of carbon dioxide (CO2) from multi-component feedstreams containing CO2. The processes use a potassium-form MER framework type zeolite having a stick-like morphology. The potassium is present in the zeolite as K+ in extra-framework locations, and the zeolite is essentially free of an extra-framework cation other than potassium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Allen Thompson, Dan Xie
  • Patent number: 11518944
    Abstract: Provided in one embodiment is a continuous process for converting waste plastic into recycle for polyethylene polymerization. The process comprises selecting waste plastics containing polyethylene and/or polypropylene, and passing the waste plastics through a pyrolysis reactor to thermally crack at least a portion of the polyolefin waste and produce a pyrolyzed effluent. The pyrolyzed effluent is separated into offgas, a pyrolysis oil and optionally wax comprising a naphtha/diesel and heavy fraction, and char. The pyrolysis oil and wax is passed to a refinery FCC unit from which a liquid petroleum gas C3-C5 olefin/paraffin mixture fraction is recovered. The liquid petroleum gas C3-C5 olefin/paraffin mixture fraction is passed to a refinery alkylation unit, with a propane and butane fraction recovered from the alkylation unit. The propane and butane fraction is then passed to a steam cracker for ethylene production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Hye-Kyung Timken
  • Patent number: 11518945
    Abstract: A continuous process for converting waste plastic into recycle for polypropylene polymerization is provided. The process integrates refinery operations to provide an effective and efficient recycle process. The process comprises selecting waste plastics containing polyethylene and polypropylene and then passing the waste plastics through a pyrolysis reactor to thermally crack at least a portion of the polyolefin waste and produce a pyrolyzed effluent. The pyrolyzed effluent is separated into offgas, a naphtha/diesel fraction, a heavy fraction, and char. The naphtha/diesel fraction is passed to a refinery FCC unit, from which is recovered a liquid petroleum gas C3 olefin/paraffin mixture. The C3 paraffins and C3 olefins are separated into different fractions with a propane/propylene splitter. The C3 olefin fraction is passed to a propylene polymerization reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Hye-Kyung Timken
  • Patent number: 11518943
    Abstract: Provided is a continuous process for converting waste plastic into recycle for polyethylene polymerization or for normal alpha olefins. The process comprises selecting waste plastics containing polyethylene and/or polypropylene and then passing the waste plastics through a pyrolysis reactor to thermally crack at least a portion of the polyolefin waste and produce a pyrolyzed effluent. The pyrolyzed effluent is separated into offgas, a naphtha/diesel fraction, a heavy fraction, and char. The naphtha/diesel fraction is passed to a crude unit in a refinery from which is recovered a straight run naphtha fraction (C5-C8) or a propane/butane (C3-C4) fraction. The straight run naphtha fraction, or propane and butane (C3-C4) fraction, is passed to a steam cracker for ethylene production. The ethylene is converted to normal alpha olefin and/or polyethylene. Also, a heavy fraction from the pyrolysis reactor can be combined with a heavy fraction of normal alpha olefin stream recovered from the steam cracker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Hye-Kyung Timken
  • Publication number: 20220380660
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided herein for in situ upgrading of a heavy hydrocarbon in a reservoir having an injection well and a production well, or a well that is alternately operated as an injection well and a production well. Embodiments are also provided herein for selecting a degradable solvent for use in a process for in situ upgrading of a heavy hydrocarbon in a reservoir having an injection well and a production well, or a well that is alternately operated as an injection well and a production well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicant: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. WOOLFORD, Cesar OVALLES, Babak FAYYAZ-NAJAFI, Ian P. BENSON, Juan D. MUNOZ
  • Publication number: 20220372361
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to surfactants (in particular olefin sulfonates), surfactant packages, compositions derived thereof, and uses thereof in hydrocarbon recovery. Methods of making olefin sulfonate surfactants are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicants: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC., CHEVRON ORONITE COMPANY LLC
    Inventors: Gayani W. PINNAWALA, Varadarajan DWARAKANATH, Andrew M. THOMAS, Curtis B. CAMPBELL, Andrew M. DAVIDSON, Ping WANG
  • Patent number: 11506813
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating subsurface feature prediction probability distributions from a subsurface feature as a function of position in a subsurface volume of interest. For example, a computer-implemented method may include: obtaining subsurface data and well data, generating subsurface feature values, generating subsurface feature realizations, generating subsurface feature realization uncertainty values, generating subsurface parameter values, generating subsurface parameter realizations, generating subsurface feature prediction probability distributions, generating a first representation of likelihoods of the subsurface feature values, and displaying the first representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Shane J. Prochnow, Patrick R K Brennan, Amy C. Moss-Russell
  • Patent number: 11507069
    Abstract: Methods and systems for building and maintaining model(s) of a physical process are disclosed. One method includes receiving training data associated with a plurality of different data sources, and performing a clustering process to form one or more clusters. For each of the one or more clusters, the method includes building a data model based on the training data associated with the data sources in the cluster, automatically performing a data cleansing process on operational data based on the data model, and automatically updating the data model based on updated training data that is received as operational data. For data sources excluded from the clusters, automatic building, data cleansing, and updating of models can also be applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignees: Chevron U.S.A. Inc., University of Southern California
    Inventors: Yining Dong, Alisha Deshpande, Yingying Zheng, Lisa Ann Brenskelle, Si-Zhao Qin
  • Publication number: 20220363979
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to surfactants (in particular olefin sulfonates), surfactant packages, compositions derived thereof, and uses thereof in hydrocarbon recovery. Methods of making olefin sulfonate surfactants are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicants: CHEVRON ORONITE COMPANY LLC, CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Andrew M. THOMAS, Curtis B. CAMPBELL, Gayani W. PINNAWALA, Varadarajan DWARAKANATH, Andrew M. DAVIDSON, Ping WANG
  • Publication number: 20220362740
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a potassium-form MER framework type zeolite, a MER framework type zeolite having a stick-like morphology, wherein the potassium is present as K+ in extra-framework locations. The zeolite is essentially free of an extra-framework cation other than potassium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Dan Xie
  • Patent number: 11499102
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to improved processes and catalysts for aromatization. The processes generally contacting a feed stream comprising a naphtha fraction having a C6 to C8 content with a catalyst pellet composition to form aromatic hydrocarbons. The catalyst pellet composition generally comprises a plurality of cylindrical pellets each pellet comprising a Group VIII metal on a zeolite. The pellets may have (a) a plurality of holes passing through the length of the cylindrical pellets, (b) a dome-shaped top and bottom, and (c) a plurality of semi-circular grooves along the length of the exterior of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC
    Inventor: Vijay R. Sampath
  • Patent number: 11499413
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and storage media for predicting physical changes to a wellhead coupled to a riser in an aquatic volume of interest are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: obtain training data; obtain a machine learning algorithm; generate a riser response model by applying a machine learning algorithm to the training data; store the riser response model, obtain target environmental data, target tension data, and target mud data, generate predicted riser response data, transform predicted riser response data, generate a representation, and display the representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Wangming Lu, Wei Wu
  • Patent number: 11491441
    Abstract: A method for scrubbing flue gas, comprising: providing a rotating packed bed device onboard a ship or an offshore floating vessel; mixing seawater with the flue gas under centrifugal force in the rotating packed bed device to prevent blow-by and produce a scrubbed flue gas having low sulfur; and discharging the scrubbed flue gas; wherein the scrubbed flue gas has less than half of the sulfur that was originally present in the flue gas before the mixing. Also, a system for scrubbing the flue gas according to the method described. Also, a marine ship, comprising: an engine that combusts HSFO; a rotating packed bed device, in a hull or funnel of the ship, comprising a rotating shaft and a porous material that mixes seawater with flue gas and reduces sulfur in the flue gas; and a connector from the engine and the rotating packed bed device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Marcus Vinicius Dutra e Mello, Vijay R. Sampath, Steven Xugi Song
  • Patent number: 11486513
    Abstract: A portable valve handwheel tool includes a main drive arm that is configured to rotate a valve handwheel. The main drive arm includes a first drive spoke having a first retainer configured to engage a first spoke of the valve handwheel. The main drive arm further includes a first plate and a drive hub that extends from a broad side of the first plate of the main drive arm. The portable valve handwheel tool also includes a second drive arm having a second drive spoke with a second retainer. The second retainer is configured to engage a second spoke of the valve handwheel. The second drive arm further includes a second plate having a second center hole that allows the drive hub to pass therethrough. The portable valve handwheel tool also includes a locking mechanism that attaches the main drive arm to the second drive arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventor: Albert E. Butterfield, IV
  • Patent number: 11486223
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include swellable smart gel sealants and methods of using smart gel sealants. In certain embodiments, the smart gel sealants reversibly swell when exposed to a certain trigger, such as temperature or pH. In specific embodiments, the smart gel is disposed within voids in a well and triggered to swell in order to seal the voids. One application of the smart gel sealant is to seal the casing of a well against the leakage of gas, such as H2S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Robert Clifford Roback, Hakim Boukhalfa, Robert David Gilbertson, Harvey Edwin Goodman
  • Patent number: 11480709
    Abstract: Methods and systems for predicting hydrocarbon production and production uncertainty are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Julian Thorne, Lewis Li
  • Patent number: 11473016
    Abstract: Provided is a continuous process for converting waste plastic into recycle for polyethylene polymerization. In one embodiment, the process comprises selecting waste plastics containing polyethylene and/or polypropylene and passing the waste plastics through a pyrolysis reactor to thermally crack at least a portion of the polyolefin waste and produce a pyrolyzed effluent. The pyrolyzed effluent is separated into offgas, a naphtha/diesel fraction, a heavy fraction, and char. The naphtha/diesel fraction is passed to a crude unit distillation column in a refinery where a straight run naphtha (C5-C8) fraction or a propane/butane (C3-C4) fraction is recovered. The straight run naphtha fraction (C5-C8) or the propane/butane (C3-C4) fraction is passed to a steam cracker for ethylene production. The heavy fraction from the pyrolysis unit can also be passed to an isomerization dewaxing unit to produce a base oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Hye-Kyung Timken
  • Patent number: 11467007
    Abstract: An improved optical fiber distributed acoustic sensor system uses an optical fiber having reflector portions distributed along its length in at least a first portion. The reflector portions are positioned along the fiber separated by a distance that is equivalent to twice the distance an optical pulse travels along the fiber in a single sampling period of the data acquisition opto-electronics within the sensor system. No oversampling of the reflections of the optical pulses from the reflector portions is undertaken. The sampling points for data acquisition in the sensor system are aligned with the reflections that arrive at the sensor system from along the sensing fiber. Adaptive delay componentry adaptively aligns the reflected optical signals (or their electrical analogues) with the sampling points. Control over the sampling points can re-synchronise the sampling points with the returning reflections. Reflection equalisation componentry may reduce the dynamic range of the returning reflections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignees: Silixa Ltd., Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey Shatalin, Julian Dajczgewand, Mahmoud Farhadiroushan, Tom Parker
  • Patent number: 11466557
    Abstract: Embodiments of determining proppant distribution for a plurality of clusters within a fracture stage of a wellbore are provided herein. The embodiments include performing computational fluid dynamics modeling on at least a portion of a wellbore without any openings and a portion of the wellbore comprising at least one opening along a single azimuth to determine proppant efficiency for the at least one opening along the single azimuth while simulating flow of fluid, proppant, or any combination thereof through the wellbore, an equilibrium proppant concentration profile for the portion of the wellbore without any openings, and an equilibrium velocity profile for the portion of the wellbore without any openings. The embodiment further comprises determining proppant efficiency for at least one other opening of the wellbore at a different azimuth, generating a model that correlates the single azimuth among other items, and using the model to determine the proppant distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Jiehao Wang, Amit Kumar Singh, Xinghui Liu, Margaretha Catharina Maria Rijken
  • Patent number: 11469584
    Abstract: A portable wire management ring configured to secure wires. The wire management ring includes an outer housing that has an outer housing base in a ring shape, the outer housing including a wire clamping region that is disposed along a circumference of the outer housing, and an outer housing cover that is attached to the outer housing base. The wire management ring also includes an inner securing ring that is disposed within the outer housing base. The inner securing ring includes a plurality of notches that are configured to secure a plurality of wires passing through the wire management ring, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventor: Albert E. Butterfield, IV