Patents by Inventor Peter Schexnayder

Peter Schexnayder 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: 20240140844
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are well treatment composition and methods. In a specific embodiment, a well treatment composition includes: denatured algae, where the denatured algae have a protein content from about 20.0 wt % to about 90.0 wt %, and where the denatured algae have a lipid content from about 0.1 wt % to about 30.0 wt %; one or more carrier fluids; and one or more additives. In another specific embodiment, a method of making a well treatment composition can include contacting one or more algae with one or more denaturants to make a denatured algae, where the denatured algae have a protein content from about 20.0 wt % to about 90.0 wt %, and where the denatured algae have a lipid content from about 0.1 wt % to about 30.0 wt %; and contacting the denatured algae with one or more carrier fluids to make a well treatment composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE
    Inventors: William Chirdon, Peter Schexnayder, Garrett Thibodeaux, Nicholas Baudoin
  • Patent number: 11739253
    Abstract: Proteinaceous enhanced oil recovery operates on the principle that proteins can be denatured using chemicals to break them down into a viscous polymeric mixture that exhibits an EOR effect. In one or more embodiments, the proteins in question are sourced from an algae (spirulina) meal, which could be obtained as a waste product from wastewater treatment or bioprocessing operations, including biofuel production where the lipids are extracted for fuel but the large volumes of proteins are considered a waste material with little or negative value. In other embodiments, other biomasses are used, especially edible biomasses, thereby mitigating public resistance to drilling operations due to concerns of perceived toxicity of chemicals. This also mitigates legal liability from the use of chemicals that are known to be toxic. Additionally, the agents are denatured biomasses that have not undergone expensive purification or separation steps. This will make these agents highly cost competitive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: University of Louisiana at Lafayette
    Inventors: William Chirdon, Peter Schexnayder, Garrett Thibodeaux, Nicholas Baudoin
  • Patent number: 11028306
    Abstract: GSH Dry Lubricant Additive is, chemically, magnesium aluminum silicate. It is a clay rich in titanium, magnesium, and aluminum. As an inanimate object, it does not “function” per se, but rather its properties are as such that it is highly beneficial to the drilling industry. It has a naturally high lubricity, a high stall torque, high gel strength, but a low plastic viscosity. This means that it effectively cools the bit while drilling, reduces friction in the system, supports cuttings better, but is easier to break out of a static gel strength than traditional engineered muds. Finally, as a high suspendability, low solids content material, it acts as a natural gel-state cement for unconsolidated LCM particles, effectively strengthening the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: University of Louisiana at Lafayette
    Inventors: Asadollah Hayatdavoudi, Gordon Guillory, Peter Schexnayder
  • Publication number: 20210071066
    Abstract: Proteinaceous enhanced oil recovery operates on the principle that proteins can be denatured using chemicals to break them down into a viscous polymeric mixture that exhibits an EOR effect. In one or more embodiments, the proteins in question are sourced from an algae (spirulina) meal, which could be obtained as a waste product from wastewater treatment or bioprocessing operations, including biofuel production where the lipids are extracted for fuel but the large volumes of proteins are considered a waste material with little or negative value. In other embodiments, other biomasses are used, especially edible biomasses, thereby mitigating public resistance to drilling operations due to concerns of perceived toxicity of chemicals. This also mitigates legal liability from the use of chemicals that are known to be toxic. Additionally, the agents are denatured biomasses that have not undergone expensive purification or separation steps. This will make these agents highly cost competitive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: William Chirdon, Peter Schexnayder, Garrett Thibodeaux
  • Publication number: 20190169481
    Abstract: GSH Dry Lubricant Additive is, chemically, magnesium aluminum silicate. It is a clay rich in titanium, magnesium, and aluminum. As an inanimate object, it does not “function” per se, but rather its properties are as such that it is highly beneficial to the drilling industry. It has a naturally high lubricity, a high stall torque, high gel strength, but a low plastic viscosity. This means that it effectively cools the bit while drilling, reduces friction in the system, supports cuttings better, but is easier to break out of a static gel strength than traditional engineered muds. Finally, as a high suspendability, low solids content material, it acts as a natural gel-state cement for unconsolidated LCM particles, effectively strengthening the wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Asadollah Hayatdavoudi, Gordon Guillory, Peter Schexnayder