Patents by Inventor Don Conkle
Don Conkle 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).
-
Publication number: 20230203365Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a micromesh proppant for use in hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells. In one embodiment, a process for forming proppant particles includes providing a slurry comprising a ceramic raw material containing alumina, atomizing the slurry into droplets, coating seeds comprising alumina with the droplets to form green pellets, sintering the green pellets to form sintered pellets, and breaking the sintered pellets to form proppant particles comprising a sintered ceramic material and having a size of from about 150 mesh to about 500 mesh and a crush strength at 7,500 psi of from about 1% to about 20%. In one embodiment, a proppant particle includes a sintered ceramic material and having a size of from about 150 mesh to about 500 mesh and a crush strength at 7,500 psi of from about 1% to about 20%.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2023Publication date: June 29, 2023Inventor: Don CONKLE
-
Patent number: 11597872Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a micromesh proppant for use in hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells. In one embodiment, a process for forming proppant particles includes providing a slurry comprising a ceramic raw material containing alumina, atomizing the slurry into droplets, coating seeds comprising alumina with the droplets to form green pellets, sintering the green pellets to form sintered pellets, and breaking the sintered pellets to form proppant particles comprising a sintered ceramic material and having a size of from about 150 mesh to about 500 mesh and a crush strength at 7,500 psi of from about 1% to about 20%. In one embodiment, a proppant particle includes a sintered ceramic material and having a size of from about 150 mesh to about 500 mesh and a crush strength at 7,500 psi of from about 1% to about 20%.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2018Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: CARBO CERAMICS INC.Inventor: Don Conkle
-
Publication number: 20190187326Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for identifying chemical diverter material placed in a borehole region and provides chemical diverter material. In one embodiment, a method for detecting diverter material placed in a borehole region includes (a) obtaining a first data set by: emitting pulses of neutrons from the pulsed neutron source into the borehole region and detecting capture gamma rays resulting from nuclear reactions in the borehole region; (b) placing a diverter material comprising aqueous-swellable particles and a thermal neutron absorbing material into the borehole region; (c) obtaining a second data set by: emitting pulses of neutrons from the first pulsed neutron source or a second pulsed neutron source into the borehole region, and detecting capture gamma rays in the borehole; and (d) comparing the first data set and the second data set to determine the location of diverter material placed in the borehole region.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2019Publication date: June 20, 2019Inventors: Lyle V. LEHMAN, Bradley TODD, Don CONKLE
-
Patent number: 10215882Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for identifying chemical diverter material placed in a borehole region and provides chemical diverter material. In one embodiment, a method for detecting diverter material placed in a borehole region includes (a) obtaining a first data set by: emitting pulses of neutrons from the pulsed neutron source into the borehole region and detecting capture gamma rays resulting from nuclear reactions in the borehole region; (b) placing a diverter material comprising aqueous-swellable particles and a thermal neutron absorbing material into the borehole region; (c) obtaining a second data set by: emitting pulses of neutrons from the first pulsed neutron source or a second pulsed neutron source into the borehole region, and detecting capture gamma rays in the borehole; and (d) comparing the first data set and the second data set to determine the location of diverter material placed in the borehole region.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2017Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: CARBO CERAMICS INC.Inventors: Lyle V. Lehman, Bradley Todd, Don Conkle
-
Publication number: 20190010386Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a micromesh proppant for use in hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells. In one embodiment, a process for forming proppant particles includes providing a slurry comprising a ceramic raw material containing alumina, atomizing the slurry into droplets, coating seeds comprising alumina with the droplets to form green pellets, sintering the green pellets to form sintered pellets, and breaking the sintered pellets to form proppant particles comprising a sintered ceramic material and having a size of from about 150 mesh to about 500 mesh and a crush strength at 7,500 psi of from about 1% to about 20%. In one embodiment, a proppant particle includes a sintered ceramic material and having a size of from about 150 mesh to about 500 mesh and a crush strength at 7,500 psi of from about 1% to about 20%.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2018Publication date: January 10, 2019Inventor: Don CONKLE
-
Publication number: 20180180762Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for identifying chemical diverter material placed in a borehole region and provides chemical diverter material. In one embodiment, a method for detecting diverter material placed in a borehole region includes (a) obtaining a first data set by: emitting pulses of neutrons from the pulsed neutron source into the borehole region and detecting capture gamma rays resulting from nuclear reactions in the borehole region; (b) placing a diverter material comprising aqueous-swellable particles and a thermal neutron absorbing material into the borehole region; (c) obtaining a second data set by: emitting pulses of neutrons from the first pulsed neutron source or a second pulsed neutron source into the borehole region, and detecting capture gamma rays in the borehole; and (d) comparing the first data set and the second data set to determine the location of diverter material placed in the borehole region.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2017Publication date: June 28, 2018Inventors: Lyle V. LEHMAN, Bradley TODD, Don CONKLE
-
Patent number: 8714244Abstract: A method for preparing a formation surrounding a wellbore to bear hydrocarbons through a borehole is disclosed. In one step, a bottomhole assembly is inserted into the borehole. The formation is drilled with the bottomhole assembly. The formation may be characterized with logging tools, probes, sensors, seismic system and/or the like to create first information. One or more fractures are placed in the formation without removal of the bottomhole assembly from the wellbore. Further, continuous drilling of the formation is performed with the bottomhole assembly after/during placing the fractures. Further characterizing of the formation with the probes, sensors/systems or the like is performed to produce second information. Another fracture is placed with feedback from the second information. Repeating the drilling, characterizing and placing of fractures as necessary during the formation preparing process.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2007Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Don Conkle, Ashley Johnson, J. Ernest Brown, Trevor McLeod, Matthew Miller, Philip Sullivan, Dean Willberg
-
Publication number: 20090151938Abstract: A method for preparing a formation surrounding a wellbore to bear hydrocarbons through a borehole is disclosed. In one step, a bottomhole assembly is inserted into the borehole. The formation is drilled with the bottomhole assembly. The formation may be characterized with logging tools, probes, sensors, seismic system and/or the like to create first information. One or more fractures are placed in the formation without removal of the bottomhole assembly from the wellbore. Further, continuous drilling of the formation is performed with the bottomhole assembly after/during placing the fractures. Further characterizing of the formation with the probes, sensors/systems or the like is performed to produce second information. Another fracture is placed with feedback from the second information. Repeating the drilling, characterizing and placing of fractures as necessary during the formation preparing process.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2007Publication date: June 18, 2009Inventors: Don Conkle, Ashley Johnson, J. Ernest Brown, Trevor McLeod, Matthew Miller, Philip Sullivan, Dean Willberg