Patents by Inventor Donn J. Brown

Donn J. Brown 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).

  • Patent number: 11746641
    Abstract: Methods to improve fluid flow of a multi-phase mixture, methods to separate fluids of a multi-phase mixture, and downhole multi-phase fluid mixture systems are disclosed. A method to improve fluid flow of a multi-phase mixture includes positioning a first acoustic device and a second acoustic device around a conveyance that provides a fluid flow path for a first fluid in a first phase and a second fluid in a second phase to simultaneously flow through the conveyance. The method also includes determining a flow rate and a fluid condition of the fluid mixture. The method further includes generating a standing acoustic wave through the conveyance based on the flow rate and the fluid condition to break down the first fluid into droplets having volume within a threshold volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Ketankumar Kantilal Sheth, Robert Charles De Long, Donn J. Brown
  • Patent number: 11739619
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) electric motor. The ESP electric motor comprises a housing; a stator retained within the housing; a drive shaft; and an at least one rotor mechanically coupled to the drive shaft and located concentric with and inside of the stator, wherein an inside surface of the stator defines a groove extending from an upper end to a lower end of the stator, an outside surface of the at least one rotor defines a groove extending from an upper end to a lower end of the at least one rotor, an inside surface of the at least one rotor defines a groove extending from an upper end to a lower end of the at least one rotor, or an outside surface of the drive shaft defines a groove extending from below an male splines at an upper end to a lower end of the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Ketankumar Kantilal Sheth, Donn J. Brown, Dezhi Zheng, Robert Charles De Long
  • Patent number: 11719086
    Abstract: A reverse flow gas separator having a housing having a housing intake and a first void space within the housing. The reverse flow gas separator further includes a driveshaft disposed adjacent to the first void space. The drive shaft is hollow and comprises a second void space disposed within the interior of the drive shaft. The second void space is continuous from a driveshaft intake to an opening in a terminal end of the driveshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Donn J. Brown, Trevor Alan Kopecky, Casey L. Newport
  • Publication number: 20230175378
    Abstract: Pumping of wellbore fluid to a surface may have a detrimental effect on the pump performance due to high gas concentrations in the fluid. A pump system that utilizes a helix gas separator provides greater pump efficiency by effectively removing the gas phase of the fluid. The wellbore fluid received at a pump system is directed from an intake to a gas separator that utilizes a stationary auger. The stationary auger induces rotational motion of the wellbore fluid causing the wellbore fluid to separate into a gas phase and a liquid phase. The stationary auger utilizes a tapered diameter and an opening between one or more helixes or vanes to separate a gas phase more efficiently from a liquid phase of a fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Casey Laine NEWPORT, Donn J. BROWN, Ketankumar Kantilal SHETH
  • Publication number: 20230160286
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) electric motor. The ESP electric motor comprises a housing; a stator retained within the housing; a drive shaft; and an at least one rotor mechanically coupled to the drive shaft and located concentric with and inside of the stator, wherein an inside surface of the stator defines a groove extending from an upper end to a lower end of the stator, an outside surface of the at least one rotor defines a groove extending from an upper end to a lower end of the at least one rotor, an inside surface of the at least one rotor defines a groove extending from an upper end to a lower end of the at least one rotor, or an outside surface of the drive shaft defines a groove extending from below an male splines at an upper end to a lower end of the drive shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: Ketankumar Kantilal SHETH, Donn J. BROWN, Dezhi ZHENG, Robert Charles DE LONG
  • Publication number: 20230151816
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly. The ESP assembly comprises a centrifugal pump assembly; a seal section; and an electric motor comprising a drive shaft having a bore concentric with a longitudinal axis of the drive shaft and a fluid mover disposed within and coupled to the bore of the drive shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Yuzhu HU, Dezhi ZHENG, Yu Dong SUN, Donn J. BROWN
  • Publication number: 20230111850
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly. The ESP assembly comprises an electric motor; a seal section; a fluid intake; a charge pump assembly located downstream of the fluid intake and having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the fluid intake, having a fluid mover coupled to a drive shaft, and having a fluid reservoir located downstream of the fluid mover; a gas separator located downstream of the charge pump assembly and having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the charge pump assembly; an inverted shroud coupled at an upper end to the gas separator or to the charge pump assembly and coupled at a lower end to the ESP assembly below the fluid intake; and a production pump assembly located downstream of the gas separator and having an inlet in fluid communication with a liquid phase discharge port of the gas separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Ketankumar Kantilal SHETH, Donn J. BROWN, Randy Louis MATHES
  • Publication number: 20230105823
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly. The ESP assembly comprises an electric motor; a seal section; a fluid intake; a charge pump assembly located downstream of the fluid intake and having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the fluid intake, having a fluid mover coupled to a drive shaft, and having a fluid reservoir located downstream of the fluid mover; a gas separator assembly located downstream of the charge pump assembly and having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the charge pump assembly; and a production pump assembly located downstream of the gas separator assembly and having an inlet in fluid communication with a liquid phase discharge port of the gas separator assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Donn J. BROWN, Ketankumar Kantilal SHETH, Randy Louis MATHES, Casey Laine NEWPORT
  • Publication number: 20230108948
    Abstract: A downhole gas separator fluid mover assembly comprising a fluid mover having an inlet and an outlet, a separation device, a separation chamber, and a flow path separator located downstream of the fluid mover. The fluid mover comprising a centrifugal pump stage with an impeller and a diffuser moves production fluid comprising a high viscosity fluid portion and a gas portion to the separation device. The separation device produces a fluid motion that separates the gas phase from the liquid phase in response to the flow rate of production fluid from the fluid mover. A portion of the high viscosity fluid passes through the gas phase discharge port in response to the over-supply of high viscosity fluid to the liquid discharge port in response to the flow rate of the production fluid through the fluid mover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Donn J. BROWN, Ketankumar Kantilal SHETH, Casey Laine NEWPORT
  • Patent number: 11608728
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for passive gas separation in a through-tubing-conveyed (TTC) pump system comprise abruptly reversing a flow direction of wellbore fluids from flowing up the wellbore to down into a liquids reservoir. The generally annular liquids reservoir is formed between a production tubing and a pump of the TTC pump system. Wellbore fluids flowing up the production tubing are diverted into the annulus via one or more outlet ports in the production tubing. The wellbore fluids flow up the annulus until encountering one or more inlet ports in the production tubing, which redirects the wellbore fluids from the annulus down into the liquids reservoir. The reversal of flow direction causes gas in the wellbore fluids to separate from liquids as the gas continues moving up the wellbore instead of changing direction with the liquids. The substantially gas free liquids are then pumped by the pump up to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services. Inc.
    Inventors: Donn J. Brown, Trevor A. Kopecky, Casey L. Newport
  • Patent number: 11572760
    Abstract: A downhole tool and method therefor use a deviated flow path to prevent/mitigate fallback of solids during shutdown of an ESP. The deviated flow path leverages the direction of fallback downhole and the relative inertias of the solid particulates and the fluid to minimize fallback into the ESP. The particulates change flow direction more slowly than fluid, and thus largely avoid the deviated flow path to instead fall through a bypass path during fallback. This obviates the need for mechanical valves that may be subject to excessive mechanical wear or other issues associated with solid particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn J. Brown, David Christopher Beck
  • Patent number: 11542800
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly. The ESP assembly comprises a pump intake defining a plurality of intake ports disposed circumferentially around the pump intake, a first plurality of centralizer wings disposed radially about the pump intake on a downhole side of the intake ports, a second plurality of centralizer wings disposed radially about the pump intake on an uphole side of the intake ports, and a self-orienting sleeve disposed around the intake ports, captured by the first and second plurality of centralizer wings, and free to hang down on upward facing intake ports when the ESP assembly is disposed in a horizontal or offset position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn J. Brown, Casey Laine Newport
  • Patent number: 11525448
    Abstract: A system includes an electric submersible pump (ESP) configured for pumping fluid through a flow path. An autonomous inflow control device (AICD) is included in fluid communication with the flow path to separate one of gas or liquid out of the flow path. A method includes producing liquid from a wellbore using an electric submersible pump (ESP) in the wellbore. The method includes bypassing gas from a headspace the wellbore using an autonomous inflow control device (AICD) to prevent gas locking the ESP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn J. Brown, Michael L. Fripp, Stephen M. Greci, Richard D. Ornelaz
  • Patent number: 11480039
    Abstract: A motor of an electric submersible pump (ESP) is positioned in a wellbore. Measured data is received from one or more sensors. A first deep learning model running on a motor controller of the ESP determines first operating parameters or first operating conditions for the ESP based on the measured data. The motor controller sends the first operating parameters or first operating conditions to a centralized computer system. A second deep learning model running on the centralized computer system determines second operating parameters or second operating conditions associated with the ESP based on the first operating parameters or first operating conditions. The centralized computer system sends the second operating parameters or second operating conditions to the motor controller. The motor controller adjusts operation of the motor of the ESP based on the second operating parameters or second operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Beck, Luke Golden Janger, Donn J. Brown
  • Publication number: 20220316309
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for passive gas separation in a through-tubing-conveyed (TTC) pump system comprise abruptly reversing a flow direction of wellbore fluids from flowing up the wellbore to down into a liquids reservoir. The generally annular liquids reservoir is formed between a production tubing and a pump of the TTC pump system. Wellbore fluids flowing up the production tubing are diverted into the annulus via one or more outlet ports in the production tubing. The wellbore fluids flow up the annulus until encountering one or more inlet ports in the production tubing, which redirects the wellbore fluids from the annulus down into the liquids reservoir. The reversal of flow direction causes gas in the wellbore fluids to separate from liquids as the gas continues moving up the wellbore instead of changing direction with the liquids. The substantially gas free liquids are then pumped by the pump up to the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Donn J. Brown, Trevor A. Kopecky, Casey L. Newport
  • Publication number: 20220282603
    Abstract: Methods and systems for producing hydrocarbons. An example method includes producing a non-hydrocarbon liquid from a first horizontal wellbore, the first horizontal wellbore extending from a vertical wellbore and through a hydrocarbon producing formation. The method further includes pumping the non-hydrocarbon liquid with a first pump into a second horizontal wellbore, the second horizontal wellbore extending from the vertical wellbore and disposed downhole and underneath the first horizontal wellbore. The method additionally includes pumping a hydrocarbon liquid uphole to a surface with a second pump disposed downhole of the first horizontal wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Donn J. BROWN, Trevor A. KOPECKY
  • Publication number: 20220259958
    Abstract: A system for protecting an Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) string from gas slugs in a downhole well environment. The system comprises an intake tube having a first and second end and one of a packer having a bypass channel and an inverted shroud coupled to the intake tube and the ESP string. The intake tube is independent of a pump and a motor of the ESP string. The system can comprise a bypass tube for channeling the gas slug downstream of the pump. The bypass tube is integrated with the packer. The inverted shroud is coupled with the first end of the intake tube and a section of production tubing downstream from the pump and the motor. The inverted shroud forms a bypass path channel within a casing annulus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn J. BROWN, David C. BECK, Trevor A. KOPECKY
  • Patent number: 11408427
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly. The ESP assembly comprises an inverted shroud separating a centrifugal ESP pump from a well casing, the ESP pump rotatably coupled to an ESP motor, the inverted shroud having an opening on an upstream terminal side, the upstream terminal side terminating at a head of the ESP motor, at least a portion of the ESP motor extending through the opening, the portion of the ESP motor extending through the opening exposed to formation fluid, and the opening sealed to the formation fluid at the head of the ESP motor tapered and wedged to the inverted shroud, wherein a centerline of the inverted shroud is offset from a centerline of the ESP motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Wayne Webster, Wesley John Nowitzki, Jason Eugene Hill, Steven Andrew Lovell, Casey Laine Newport, Donn J. Brown
  • Patent number: 11371510
    Abstract: A fluid pump test system. The fluid pump test system comprises a plurality of fluid tanks, each different fluid tank holding a different test fluid, a fluid plumbing, a plurality of valves coupling the fluid tanks to the fluid plumbing, and a compressed air source coupled to the fluid plumbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Vance Lee Fielder, Bryan Don Mullins, Trevor Alan Kopecky, Donn J. Brown
  • Patent number: 11352864
    Abstract: A system for protecting an Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) string from gas slugs in a downhole well environment. The system comprises an intake tube having a first and second end and one of a packer having a bypass channel and an inverted shroud coupled to the intake tube and the ESP string. The intake tube is independent of a pump and a motor of the ESP string. The system can comprise a bypass tube for channeling the gas slug downstream of the pump. The bypass tube is integrated with the packer. The inverted shroud is coupled with the first end of the intake tube and a section of production tubing downstream from the pump and the motor. The inverted shroud forms a bypass path channel within a casing annulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn J. Brown, David C. Beck, Trevor A. Kopecky