Patents by Inventor Katherine Price Hoelscher

Katherine Price Hoelscher 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: 20170174975
    Abstract: Methods may include drilling at least a section of a wellbore using an invert emulsion wellbore fluid, where the invert emulsion wellbore fluid may contain an emulsifier, a first wellbore strengthening material (WBS)-forming component, and a second WBS-forming component; and increasing the shear experienced at the bit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Guido De Stefano, Steven Young, Brandi Katherine Price Hoelscher
  • Publication number: 20170107787
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of forming a polymer composite by exposing a solution that includes nanomaterials (e.g., functionalized graphene nanoribbons) and cross-linkable polymer components (e.g., thermoset polymers and monomers) to a microwave source, where the exposing results in the curing of the cross-linkable polymer component in the presence of the nanomaterial to form the polymer composite. The solution may be exposed to a microwave source in a geological formation such that the formed polymer composite becomes embedded with the geological formation and thereby enhances the stability of the geological formation. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to the aforementioned polymer composites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Applicants: William Marsh Rice University, M-I, L.L.C.
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Nam Dong Kim, Andrew Metzger, Anton Kovalchuk, Brandi Katherine Price-Hoelscher, James E. Friedheim
  • Publication number: 20160319180
    Abstract: Wellbore fluids, and methods of use thereof, are disclosed. Wellbore fluids may include a non-oleaginous internal phase; an oleaginous external phase; at least one two-dimensional platelet-like material; a first latex-containing copolymer comprising at least one copolymer formed from at least one natural polymer and at least one latex monomer; and a second latex polymer distinct from the first latex polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Applicant: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Guido De Stefano, Brandi Katherine Price Hoelscher, Aaron Blue, Clint Falgout
  • Publication number: 20160319179
    Abstract: Wellbore fluids, and methods of use thereof, are disclosed. Wellbore fluids may include a non-oleaginous internal phase, an oleaginous external phase, a first latex-containing copolymer comprising at least one copolymer formed from at least one natural polymer and at least one latex monomer, and a second latex polymer distinct from the first latex polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Applicant: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Guido De Stefano, Brandi Katherine Price Hoelscher, Aaron Blue, Clint Falgout
  • Patent number: 9449743
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of making magnetic carbon nanoribbons. Such methods generally include: (1) forming carbon nanoribbons by splitting carbon nanomaterials; and (2) associating graphene nanoribbons with magnetic materials, precursors of magnetic materials, or combinations thereof. Further embodiments of the present disclosure also include a step of reducing the precursors of magnetic materials to magnetic materials. In various embodiments, the associating occurs before, during or after the splitting of the carbon nanomaterials. In some embodiments, the methods of the present disclosure further comprise a step of (3) functionalizing the carbon nanoribbons with functionalizing agents. In more specific embodiments, the functionalizing occurs in situ during the splitting of carbon nanomaterials. In further embodiments, the carbon nanoribbons are edge-functionalized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignees: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY, M-I, L.L.C.
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Bostjan Genorio, Wei Lu, Brandi Katherine Price-Hoelscher
  • Publication number: 20150368539
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods of making wellbore fluids with enhanced electrical conductivities. In some embodiments, such methods comprise: (1) pre-treating a carbon material with an acid; and (2) adding the carbon material to the wellbore fluid. Further embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to wellbore fluids formed by the methods of the present disclosure. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods for logging a subterranean well by utilizing the aforementioned wellbore fluids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Applicants: William Marsh Rice University, M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Gabriel Ceriotti, Alexander Slesarev, Ruquan Ye, Katherine Price-Hoelscher, Cara Bovet, Jim Friedheim, Steve Young
  • Publication number: 20150284619
    Abstract: Electrically conductive oil-based wellbore fluids and methods of using same are provided. Wellbore fluids provided may contain one or more carbon nanotubes, where the one or more carbon nanotubes have a particular d/g ratio as determined by Raman spectroscopy. Also provided are methods for electrical logging of a subterranean well that include emplacing a logging medium into a subterranean well, wherein the logging medium contains a non-aqueous fluid and one or more carbon nanotubes, where the one or more carbon nanotubes are present in a concentration so as to permit the electrical logging of the subterranean well; and acquiring an electrical log the subterranean well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicant: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Brandi Katherine Price Hoelscher, Cara Bovet, James Friedheim, Guido Destefano
  • Publication number: 20150114646
    Abstract: A method of triggering heating within a subterranean formation, that includes introducting a wellbore fluid containing a dispersed carbon nanomaterial into a wellbore through the subterranean formation; lowering a microwave or ultraviolet radiation source into the wellbore; and irradiating the wellbore with microwave or ultraviolet radiation, thereby increasing the temperature of the wellbore fluid and/or wellbore is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Brandi Katherine Price Hoelscher, Steven Philip Young, James Friedheim
  • Publication number: 20150108391
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of making magnetic carbon nanoribbons. Such methods generally include: (1) forming carbon nanoribbons by splitting carbon nanomaterials; and (2) associating graphene nanoribbons with magnetic materials, precursors of magnetic materials, or combinations thereof. Further embodiments of the present disclosure also include a step of reducing the precursors of magnetic materials to magnetic materials. In various embodiments, the associating occurs before, during or after the splitting of the carbon nanomaterials. In some embodiments, the methods of the present disclosure further comprise a step of (3) functionalizing the carbon nanoribbons with functionalizing agents. In more specific embodiments, the functionalizing occurs in situ during the splitting of carbon nanomaterials. In further embodiments, the carbon nanoribbons are edge-functionalized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicants: M-I L.L.C., William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Bostjan Genorio, Wei Lu, Brandi Katherine Price-Hoelscher
  • Publication number: 20140367091
    Abstract: A wellbore fluid may include an oleaginous continuous phase, one or more magnetic carbon nanoribbons, and at least one weighting agent. A method of performing wellbore operations may include circulating a wellbore fluid comprising a magnetic carbon nanoribbon composition and a base fluid through a wellbore. A method for electrical logging of a subterranean well may include placing into the subterranean well a logging medium, wherein the logging medium comprises a non-aqueous fluid and one or more magnetic carbon nanoribbons, wherein the one or more magnetic carbon nanoribbons are present in a concentration so as to permit the electrical logging of the subterranean well; and acquiring an electrical log of the subterranean well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Bostjan Genorio, Wei Lu, Katherine Price Hoelscher, James Friedheim, Arvind D. Patel
  • Publication number: 20140120024
    Abstract: Methods for producing macroscopic quantities of oxidized graphene nanoribbons are disclosed herein. The methods include providing a plurality of carbon nanotubes and reacting the plurality of carbon nanotubes with at least one oxidant to form oxidized graphene nanoribbons. The at least one oxidant is operable to longitudinally open the carbon nanotubes. In some embodiments, the reacting step takes place in the presence of at least one acid. In some embodiments, the reacting step takes place in the presence of at least one protective agent. Various embodiments of the present disclosure also include methods for producing reduced graphene nanoribbons by reacting oxidized graphene nanoribbons with at least one reducing agent. Oxidized graphene nanoribbons, reduced graphene nanoribbons and compositions and articles derived therefrom are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Dmitry V. Kosynkin, Amanda Dugue, Brandi Katherine Price-Hoelscher