Patents by Inventor Dean M. Willberg
Dean M. Willberg has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8230925Abstract: A method for minimizing the amount of metal crosslinked viscosifier necessary for treating a wellbore with proppant or gravel is given. The method includes using fibers to aid in transporting, suspending and placing proppant or gravel in viscous carrier fluids otherwise having insufficient viscosity to prevent particulate settling. Fibers are given that have properties optimized for proppant transport but degrade after the treatment into degradation products that do not precipitate in the presence of ions in the water such as calcium and magnesium. Crosslinked polymer carrier fluids are identified that are not damaged by contaminants present in the fibers or by degradation products released by premature degradation of the fibers.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2010Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Dean M. Willberg, Christopher N. Fredd, Marina Bulova
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Publication number: 20120125618Abstract: The invention provides economically effective methods for hydraulic fracturing a subterranean formation that ensure improvement of the hydraulic fracture conductivity because of forming strong proppant clusters uniformly placed in the fracture throughout its length. One of these methods comprises: a first stage comprising injection of fracturing fluid into a borehole, the fluid containing thickeners to create a fracture in the formation; and a second stage comprising introduction of proppant into the injected fracturing fluid to prevent closure of the created fracture, and further, comprising introducing an agent into the fracturing fluid to provide formation of proppant clusters in the created fracture and channels for flowing formation fluids.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2011Publication date: May 24, 2012Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Dean M. Willberg, Matthew J. Miller, Marc Jean Thiercelin, Ivan Vitalievich Kosarev
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Publication number: 20120129737Abstract: A method of heterogeneous proppant placement in a subterranean fracture is disclosed. The method comprises injecting well treatment fluid including proppant and a channelant through a wellbore into the fracture, heterogeneously placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters or islands spaced apart by the channelant, and removing the channelant filler material to form open channels around the pillars for fluid flow from the formation through the fracture toward the wellbore. The proppant and channelant can be segregated within the well treatment fluid, or segregated during placement in the fracture. The channelant can be dissolvable particles, initially acting as a filler material during placement of the proppant, and later dissolving to leave the flow channels between the proppant pillars. The well treatment fluid can include fibers to provide reinforcement and consolidation of the proppant and/or to inhibit settling of the proppant in the treatment fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2011Publication date: May 24, 2012Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Timothy Lesko, J. Ernest Brown, Dean M. Willberg, Ivan Kosarev, Anatoly Medvedev
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Patent number: 8167043Abstract: A method for well treatment by forming a temporary plug in a fracture, a perforation, a wellbore, or more than one of these locations, in a well penetrating a subterranean formation is provided, in which the method of well treatment includes: injecting a slurry comprising a degradable material, allowing the degradable material to form a plug in a perforation, a fracture, or a wellbore in a well penetrating a formation; performing a downhole operation; and allowing the degradable material to degrade after a selected time such that the plug disappears.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2008Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Dean M. Willberg, Marina Bulova, Christopher N. Fredd, Alexey Vostrukhov, Curtis L. Boney, John Lassek, Ann M. W. Hoefer, Philip F. Sullivan
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Patent number: 8163826Abstract: A composition is formed from a polymeric acid precursor, such as polylactic acid (PLA), that is a least partially dissolved within a polymer dispersing solvent. An emulsion may be from polymeric acid precursor that is at least partially dissolved within a solvent and a liquid that is substantially immiscible with the solvent. In certain cases, the molecular weight of the polymeric acid precursor may be reduced in forming the solution. The solution may be used in treating a formation penetrated by a wellbore.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2006Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Dean M. Willberg, Carlos Abad, Marina Bulova, Dzanis Menshikau
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Publication number: 20120085536Abstract: Methods of treating a subterranean formation as a portion of steam-assisted gravity drainage operation including providing a fluid containing a diverting agent, injecting the fluid into a first wellbore, allowing the diverting agent to divert fluid placement, performing steam-assisted gravity drainage, and producing formation fluids from a second wellbore.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2011Publication date: April 12, 2012Inventors: Hussein Alboudwarej, Dean M. Willberg, Shawn David Taylor, Rae Spickett
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Patent number: 8061424Abstract: The invention provides economically effective methods for hydraulic fracturing a subterranean formation that ensure improvement of the hydraulic fracturcconductivity because of forming strong proppant clusters uniformly placed in the fracture throughout its length. One of these methods comprises: a first stage that involves injection into a borehole of fracturing fluid containing thickeners to create a fracture in the formation; and a second stage that involves periodic introduction of proppant into the injected fracturing fluid to supply the proppant into a created fracture, to form proppant clusters within the fracture to prevent fracture closure and channels for flowing formation fluids between the clusters, wherein the second stage or its sub-stages involve additional introduction of either a reinforcing or consolidation material or both, thus increasing the strength of the proppant clusters formed into the fracture fluid.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2006Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Dean M. Willberg, Matthew J. Miller, Marc Jean Thiercelin, Ivan Vitalievich Kosarev
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Publication number: 20110240293Abstract: A method of heterogeneous proppant placement in a subterranean fracture is disclosed. The method comprises injecting well treatment fluid including proppant (16) and proppant-spacing filler material called a channelant (18) through a wellbore (10) into the fracture (20), heterogeneously placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters or islands (22) spaced apart by the channelant (24), and removing the channelant filler material (24) to form open channels (26) around the pillars (28) for fluid flow from the formation (14) through the fracture (20) toward the wellbore (10). The proppant and channelant can be segregated within the well treatment fluid, or segregated during placement in the fracture. The channelant can be dissolvable particles, initially acting as a filler material during placement of the proppant in the fracture, and later dissolving to leave the flow channels between the proppant pillars.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Inventors: Timothy Lesko, J. Ernest Brown, Dean M. Willberg, Ivan V. Kosarev, Anatoly Medvedev
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Publication number: 20110114313Abstract: A method of heterogeneous proppant placement in a subterranean fracture is disclosed. The method comprises injecting well treatment fluid including proppant (16) wherein the proppant comprises from 1 to 100 percent in weight of stiff, low-elasticity and low-deformability elongated particles (34) and proppant-spacing filler material called a channelant (18) through a wellbore (10) into the fracture (20), heterogeneously placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters or islands (22) spaced apart by the channelant (24), and removing the channelant filler material (24) to form open channels (26) around the pillars (28) for fluid flow from the formation (14) through the fracture (20) toward the wellbore (10). The proppant and channelant can be segregated within the well treatment fluid, or segregated during placement in the fracture.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2010Publication date: May 19, 2011Inventors: Timothy Lesko, J. Ernest Brown, Dean M. Willberg, Ivan V. Kosarev, Anatoly Medvedev, Jonathan Abbott, Alexander Burukhin
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Patent number: 7931089Abstract: A proppant consists of a core part and shell of a material different from the material of the core part. The shell comprises a soft material attached rigidly to the core part in such a way that the total surface area of the points where the shell and the core part are joined is less than the surface area of the core part.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2006Date of Patent: April 26, 2011Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Matthew J. Miller, Dean M. Willberg, Anatoly Vladimirovich Medvedev, Marina Nikolaevna Bulova
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Publication number: 20110083849Abstract: A method of heterogeneous proppant placement in a subterranean fracture is disclosed. The method comprises injecting a first treatment fluid comprising a gas and substantially free of macroscopic particles through a wellbore to initiate a fracture in a subterranean formation; injecting a second treatment fluid comprising proppant and channelant through the wellbore into the fracture; placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters forming pillars spaced apart by the channelant; and removing the channelant to form open channels around the pillars for fluid flow from the subterranean formation through the fracture toward the wellbore.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2010Publication date: April 14, 2011Inventors: Oleg Medvedev, Alejandro Pena, Timothy Lesko, J. Ernest Brown, Dean M. Willberg, Ivan V. Kosarev, Anatoly Medvedev
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Publication number: 20110056684Abstract: A method for minimizing the amount of metal crosslinked viscosifier necessary for treating a wellbore with proppant or gravel is given. The method includes using fibers to aid in transporting, suspending and placing proppant or gravel in viscous carrier fluids otherwise having insufficient viscosity to prevent particulate settling. Fibers are given that have properties optimized for proppant transport but degrade after the treatment into degradation products that do not precipitate in the presence of ions in the water such as calcium and magnesium. Crosslinked polymer carrier fluids are identified that are not damaged by contaminants present in the fibers or by degradation products released by premature degradation of the fibers.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2010Publication date: March 10, 2011Inventors: Dean M. Willberg, Christopher N. Fredd, Marina Bulova
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Patent number: 7833950Abstract: A method for minimizing the amount of metal crosslinked viscosifier necessary for treating a wellbore with proppant or gravel is given. The method includes using fibers to aid in transporting, suspending and placing proppant or gravel in viscous carrier fluids otherwise having insufficient viscosity to prevent particulate settling. Fibers are given that have properties optimized for proppant transport but degrade after the treatment into degradation products that do not precipitate in the presence of ions in the water such as calcium and magnesium. Crosslinked polymer carrier fluids are identified that are not damaged by contaminants present in the fibers or by degradation products released by premature degradation of the fibers.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2008Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Dean M. Willberg, Christopher N. Fredd, Marina Bulova
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Patent number: 7775278Abstract: A method for well treatment by forming a temporary plug in a fracture, a perforation, a wellbore, or more than one of these locations, in a well penetrating a subterranean formation is provided, in which the method of well treatment includes: injecting a slurry comprising a degradable material, allowing the degradable material to form a plug in a perforation, a fracture, or a wellbore in a well penetrating a formation; performing a downhole operation; and allowing the degradable material to degrade after a selected time such that the plug disappears.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 2008Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Dean M. Willberg, Marina Bulova, Christopher N. Fredd, Alexey Vostrukhov, Curtis L. Boney, John Lassek, Ann M. W. Hoefer, Philip F. Sullivan
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Publication number: 20100029516Abstract: Emulsions, either water-in-oil or oil-in-water, may be formed by combining an aqueous component, a non-aqueous component and a surfactant in combination with fibers. The fibers decrease the time and energy required to form the emulsion and, in some cases, allow emulsion formation that would not be possible with the use of such fibers.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2009Publication date: February 4, 2010Inventors: Dean M. Willberg, Curt Dacar
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Publication number: 20090286700Abstract: A method of heterogeneous proppant placement in a subterranean fracture is disclosed. The method comprises injecting well treatment fluid including proppant (16) and proppant-spacing filler material called a channelant (18) through a wellbore (10) into the fracture (20), heterogeneously placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters or islands (22) spaced apart by the channelant (24), and removing the channelant filler material (24) to form open channels (26) around the pillars (28) for fluid flow from the formation (14) through the fracture (20) toward the wellbore (10). The proppant and channelant can be segregated within the well treatment fluid, or segregated during placement in the fracture. The channelant can be dissolvable particles, initially acting as a filler material during placement of the proppant in the fracture, and later dissolving to leave the flow channels between the proppant pillars.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2009Publication date: November 19, 2009Inventors: Timothy Lesko, J. Ernest Brown, Dean M. Willberg, Ivan Kosarev, Anatoly Medvedev
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Patent number: 7581590Abstract: A method of heterogeneous proppant placement in a subterranean fracture is disclosed. The method comprises injecting well treatment fluid including proppant (16) and proppant-spacing filler material called a channelant (18) through a wellbore (10) into the fracture (20), heterogeneously placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters or islands (22) spaced apart by the channelant (24), and removing the channelant filler material (24) to form open channels (26) around the pillars (28) for fluid flow from the formation (14) through the fracture (20) toward the wellbore (10). The proppant and channelant can be segregated within the well treatment fluid, or segregated during placement in the fracture. The channelant can be dissolvable particles, initially acting as a filler material during placement of the proppant in the fracture, and later dissolving to leave the flow channels between the proppant pillars.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2006Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Timothy Lesko, J. Ernest Brown, Dean M. Willberg, Ivan Kosarev, Anatoly Medvedev
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Publication number: 20090044945Abstract: The invention provides economically effective methods for hydraulic fracturing a subterranean formation that ensure improvement of the hydraulic fracture conductivity because of forming strong proppant clusters uniformly placed in the fracture throughout its length. One of these methods comprises: a first stage that involves injection into a borehole of fracturing fluid containing thickeners to create a fracture in the formation; and a second stage that involves periodic introduction of proppant into the injected fracturing fluid to supply the proppant into a created fracture, to form proppant clusters within the fracture to prevent fracture closure and channels for flowing formation fluids between the clusters, wherein the second stage or its sub-stages involve additional introduction of either a reinforcing or consolidation material or both, thus increasing the strength of the proppant clusters formed into the fracture fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2006Publication date: February 19, 2009Applicant: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Dean M. Willberg, Matthew J. Miller, Marc Jean Thiercelin, Ivan Vitalievich Kosarev
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Publication number: 20090014176Abstract: A proppant consists of a core part and shell of a material different from the material of the core part. The shell comprises a soft material attached rigidly to the core part in such a way that the total surface area of the points where the shell and the core part are joined is less than the surface area of the core part.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2006Publication date: January 15, 2009Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Matthew J. Miller, Dean M. Willberg, Anatoly Vladimirovich Medvedev, Marina Nikolaevna Bulova
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Publication number: 20080289823Abstract: A method for well treatment by forming a temporary plug in a fracture, a perforation, a wellbore, or more than one of these locations, in a well penetrating a subterranean formation is provided, in which the method of well treatment includes: injecting a slurry comprising a degradable material, allowing the degradable material to form a plug in a perforation, a fracture, or a wellbore in a well penetrating a formation; performing a downhole operation; and allowing the degradable material to degrade after a selected time such that the plug disappears.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2008Publication date: November 27, 2008Inventors: Dean M. Willberg, Marina Bulova, Christopher N. Fredd, Alexey Vostrukhov, Curtis L. Boney, John Lassek, Ann M.W. Hoefer, Philip F. Sullivan