Patents by Inventor Mark Alan Trautman
Mark Alan Trautman 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: 10502041Abstract: A method is for hydrocarbon resource recovery. The method may include positioning an RF antenna assembly within a wellbore in a subterranean formation, the RF antenna assembly having first and second tubular conductors and a dielectric isolator defining a dipole antenna, and a dielectric coating surrounding the dielectric isolator and extending along a predetermined portion of the first and second tubular conductors. The method may include operating an RF source coupled to the RF antenna assembly during a start-up phase to desiccate water adjacent the RF antenna assembly, and operating the RF source coupled to the RF antenna assembly during a sustainment phase to recover hydrocarbons from the subterranean formation.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2018Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: EAGLE TECHNOLOGY, LLCInventors: Brian N. Wright, Murray T. Hann, Verlin A. Hibner, Mark Alan Trautman
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Publication number: 20190249530Abstract: A method is for hydrocarbon resource recovery. The method may include positioning an RF antenna assembly within a wellbore in a subterranean formation, the RF antenna assembly having first and second tubular conductors and a dielectric isolator defining a dipole antenna, and a dielectric coating surrounding the dielectric isolator and extending along a predetermined portion of the first and second tubular conductors. The method may include operating an RF source coupled to the RF antenna assembly during a start-up phase to desiccate water adjacent the RF antenna assembly, and operating the RF source coupled to the RF antenna assembly during a sustainment phase to recover hydrocarbons from the subterranean formation.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2018Publication date: August 15, 2019Inventors: Brian N. Wright, Murray T. Hann, Verlin A. Hibner, Mark Alan Trautman
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Patent number: 10260325Abstract: A method of recovering hydrocarbon resources in a subterranean formation may include injecting a solvent via a wellbore into the subterranean formation while supplying radio frequency (RF) power from the wellbore and into the subterranean formation. The method may also include recovering hydrocarbon resources via the wellbore and from the subterranean formation while supplying RF power from the wellbore and into the subterranean formation.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2015Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: HARRIS CORPORATIONInventors: Brian N. Wright, Murray T. Hann, Mark Alan Trautman, Steven Stresau
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Patent number: 9970275Abstract: A method of producing heavy oil from a heavy oil formation by combining electromagnetic heating to achieve fluid communication between wells, following by in situ combustion to mobilize and upgrade the heavy oil.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2013Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignees: ConocoPhillips Company, Harris CorporationInventors: Daniel R Sultenfuss, Mark Alan Trautman
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Patent number: 9474108Abstract: A device for processing hydrocarbon resources in a subterranean formation may include a radio frequency (RF) source, a dielectric cooling liquid source, and an RF applicator in the subterranean formation and coupled to the RF source to supply RF power to the hydrocarbon resources. The RF applicator may include concentric tubular conductors defining cooling passageways therebetween coupled to the dielectric cooling fluid source. At least one property of the dielectric cooling liquid, a flow rate of the dielectric cooling liquid, and a configuration of the cooling passageways may be operable together to generate a turbulent flow of the dielectric cooling liquid adjacent surfaces of the plurality of concentric tubular conductors to enhance thermal transfer.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2013Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: HARRIS CORPORATIONInventors: Murray Hann, Mark Alan Trautman, John E. White, Brian Wright
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Patent number: 9453400Abstract: A method for heating heavy oil inside a production well. The method raises the subsurface temperature of heavy oil by utilizing an activator that has been injected below the surface. The activator is then excited with a generated non-microwave frequency from 0.1 MHz to 300 MHz such that the excited activator heats the heavy oil.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2011Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignees: ConocoPhillips Company, Harris CorporationInventors: Thomas James Wheeler, Wayne Reid Dreher, Francis Eugene Parsche, Mark Alan Trautman
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Patent number: 9322254Abstract: A method for hydrocarbon resource recovery in a subterranean formation includes forming a laterally extending injector well in the subterranean formation and forming a laterally extending producer well spaced below the injector well. The method may also include radio frequency (RF) heating the subterranean formation to establish hydraulic communication between the injector well and the producer well. The method may further include injecting heated liquid water into the injector well to recover hydrocarbon resources from the producer well based upon the hydraulic communication therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2011Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignees: HARRIS CORPORATION, CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANYInventors: Mark Alan Trautman, Daniel Sultenfuss
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Publication number: 20150337637Abstract: A method of recovering hydrocarbon resources in a subterranean formation may include injecting a solvent via a wellbore into the subterranean formation while supplying radio frequency (RF) power from the wellbore and into the subterranean formation. The method may also include recovering hydrocarbon resources via the wellbore and from the subterranean formation while supplying RF power from the wellbore and into the subterranean formation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2015Publication date: November 26, 2015Inventors: BRIAN N. WRIGHT, MURRAY T. HANN, MARK ALAN TRAUTMAN, STEVEN STRESAU
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Patent number: 9027638Abstract: A method of producing hydrocarbons from a well. The method begins by injecting steam into a well. The bitumen in the formation is then heated with the injected steam, followed by ceasing the injection of steam into the well and then by soaking the bitumen with the injected steam and collecting the heated oil. Steam that has condensed is revaporized by directing RF/MW radiation to the steam allowing for more bitumen to be produced without injecting more steam. In addition, some of the steam could become superheated, wherein the temperature of the superheated steam is greater than the temperature of the steam. The bitumen is heated by the revaporized steam and the superheated steam, followed by soaking the bitumen with the revaporized steam and the superheated steam. Hydrocarbons are then produced from the well.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2011Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignees: ConocoPhillips Company, Harris CorporationInventors: Maxine Jones Madison, Wayne Reid Dreher, Francis Eugene Parsche, Mark Alan Trautman
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Publication number: 20150068706Abstract: A device for processing hydrocarbon resources in a subterranean formation may include a radio frequency (RF) source, a dielectric cooling liquid source, and an RF applicator in the subterranean formation and coupled to the RF source to supply RF power to the hydrocarbon resources. The RF applicator may include concentric tubular conductors defining cooling passageways therebetween coupled to the dielectric cooling fluid source. At least one property of the dielectric cooling liquid, a flow rate of the dielectric cooling liquid, and a configuration of the cooling passageways may be operable together to generate a turbulent flow of the dielectric cooling liquid adjacent surfaces of the plurality of concentric tubular conductors to enhance thermal transfer.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2013Publication date: March 12, 2015Applicant: Harris CorporationInventors: Murray Hann, Mark Alan Trautman, John E. White, Brian Wright
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Patent number: 8807220Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing upgraded hydrocarbons in-situ from a production well. The method begins by operating a subsurface recovery of hydrocarbons with a production well. An RF absorbent material is heated by at least one RF emitter and used as a heated RF absorbent material, which in turn heats the hydrocarbons to be produced. Hydrocarbons are upgraded in-situ and then produced from the production well.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2011Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Maxine Jones Madison, Dwijen Kumar Banerjee, Francis Eugene Parsche, Mark Alan Trautman
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Publication number: 20140090834Abstract: A method of producing heavy oil from a heavy oil formation by combining electromagnetic heating to achieve fluid communication between wells, following by in situ combustion to mobilize and upgrade the heavy oil.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2013Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicants: Harris Corporation, ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Daniel R. Sultenfuss, Mark Alan Trautman
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Publication number: 20130098610Abstract: A method for hydrocarbon resource recovery in a subterranean formation includes forming a laterally extending injector well in the subterranean formation and forming a laterally extending producer well spaced below the injector well. The method may also include radio frequency (RF) heating the subterranean formation to establish hydraulic communication between the injector well and the producer well. The method may further include injecting heated liquid water into the injector well to recover hydrocarbon resources from the producer well based upon the hydraulic communication therebetween.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2011Publication date: April 25, 2013Applicant: Harris CorporationInventors: Mark Alan Trautman, Daniel Sultenfuss
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Publication number: 20130008651Abstract: A method for hydrocarbon resource recovery in a subterranean formation may include forming spaced apart injector/producer well pairs in the subterranean formation, with each well pair including a laterally extending producer well and a laterally extending injector well spaced thereabove. The method may also include forming laterally extending infill wells in the subterranean formation, with each infill well being located between respective adjacent injector/producer well pairs. The method may also include recovering hydrocarbon resources from the producer wells based upon Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) via the injector/producer well pairs, and recovering hydrocarbon resources from the infill wells based upon RF heating regions of the subterranean formation surrounding the respective infill wells.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2011Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicants: ConocoPhillips Company, Harris CorporationInventors: Mark Alan Trautman, Daniel Sultenfuss
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Patent number: 8330081Abstract: A heating device for an optical fiber may include a crucible body having an optical fiber receiving slotted passageway therein for receiving the optical fiber therein, and a heating element receiving passageway therein adjacent the optical fiber receiving slotted passageway and spaced apart therefrom. The heating device may include a respective electrically powered resistance heating element enclosed within the heating element receiving passageway for heating the optical fiber within the optical fiber receiving slotted passageway.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2009Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Harris CorporationInventors: Timothy Eugene Dimmick, Eric Karl Johnson, Brian Edward Simpson, Mark Alan Trautman
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Publication number: 20120234536Abstract: A method for heating heavy oil inside a production well. The method raises the subsurface temperature of heavy oil by utilizing an activator that has been injected below the surface. The activator is then excited with a generated non-microwave frequency from 0.1 MHz to 300 MHz such that the excited activator heats the heavy oil.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2011Publication date: September 20, 2012Applicants: Harris Corporation, ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Thomas James Wheeler, Wayne Reid Dreher, Francis Eugene Parsche, Mark Alan Trautman
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Publication number: 20120090844Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing upgraded hydrocarbons in-situ from a production well. The method begins by operating a subsurface recovery of hydrocarbons with a production well. An RF absorbent material is heated by at least one RF emitter and used as a heated RF absorbent material, which in turn heats the hydrocarbons to be produced. Hydrocarbons are upgraded in-situ and then produced from the production well.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2011Publication date: April 19, 2012Applicants: Harris Corporation, ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Maxine Jones Madison, Dwijen Kumar Banerjee, Francis Eugene Parsche, Mark Alan Trautman
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Publication number: 20120085533Abstract: A method of producing hydrocarbons from a well. The method begins by injecting steam into a well. The bitumen in the formation is then heated with the injected steam, followed by ceasing the injection of steam into the well and then by soaking the bitumen with the injected steam and collecting the heated oil. Steam that has condensed is revaporized by directing RF/MW radiation to the steam allowing for more bitumen to be produced without injecting more steam. In addition, some of the steam could become superheated, wherein the temperature of the superheated steam is greater than the temperature of the steam. The bitumen is heated by the revaporized steam and the superheated steam, followed by soaking the bitumen with the revaporized steam and the superheated steam. Hydrocarbons are then produced from the well.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2011Publication date: April 12, 2012Applicants: Harris Corporation, ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Maxine Jones Madison, Wayne Reid Dreher, JR., Francis Eugene Parsche, Mark Alan Trautman
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Publication number: 20110042367Abstract: A heating device for an optical fiber may include a crucible body having an optical fiber receiving slotted passageway therein for receiving the optical fiber therein, and a heating element receiving passageway therein adjacent the optical fiber receiving slotted passageway and spaced apart therefrom. The heating device may include a respective electrically powered resistance heating element enclosed within the heating element receiving passageway for heating the optical fiber within the optical fiber receiving slotted passageway.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2009Publication date: February 24, 2011Applicant: Harris CorporationInventors: Timothy Eugene Dimmick, Eric Karl Johnson, Brian Edward Simpson, Mark Alan Trautman
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Publication number: 20110042359Abstract: A heating device for an optical fiber may include a crucible body having an optical fiber receiving slotted passageway therein for receiving the optical fiber therein, and a heating element receiving passageway therein adjacent the optical fiber receiving slotted passageway and spaced apart therefrom. The heating device may further include a respective electrically powered plasma heating element enclosed within the heating element receiving passageway for heating the optical fiber within the optical fiber receiving slotted passageway.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2009Publication date: February 24, 2011Applicant: Harris Corporation Corporation of the State of DelawareInventors: Timothy Eugene Dimmick, Eric Karl Johnson, Todd Earl Deese, Brian Edward Simpson, Mark Alan Trautman