Patents by Inventor Richard D. Colvin

Richard D. Colvin 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: 9598938
    Abstract: Planning lateral wellbores within irregular boundaries. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: logically dividing an irregular polygon into a plurality of contiguous sub-areas, the irregular polygon representing an outer boundary of mineral rights; planning a first plurality of layouts of lateral wellbores residing in a first sub-area, each layout along a distinct azimuthal direction; selecting a layout of the first plurality of layouts based on a selection criteria, the selecting creates a first selected layout; planning a second plurality of layouts of lateral wellbores residing in a second sub-area, each layout of the second plurality of layouts along a distinct azimuthal direction; selecting a layout of the second plurality of layouts based on a selection criteria, the selecting creates a second selected layout; creating an overall layout for the irregular polygon by combining the first and second selected layouts; and displaying the overall layout on a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: LANDMARK GRAPHICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard D. Colvin, DeWayne E. Pratt
  • Publication number: 20150361767
    Abstract: Planning lateral wellbores within irregular boundaries. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: logically dividing an irregular polygon into a plurality of contiguous sub-areas, the irregular polygon representing an outer boundary of mineral rights; planning a first plurality of layouts of lateral wellbores residing in a first sub-area, each layout along a distinct azimuthal direction; selecting a layout of the first plurality of layouts based on a selection criteria, the selecting creates a first selected layout; planning a second plurality of layouts of lateral wellbores residing in a second sub-area, each layout of the second plurality of layouts along a distinct azimuthal direction; selecting a layout of the second plurality of layouts based on a selection criteria, the selecting creates a second selected layout; creating an overall layout for the irregular polygon by combining the first and second selected layouts; and displaying the overall layout on a display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Richard D. Colvin, DeWayne E. Pratt
  • Patent number: 9064066
    Abstract: Optimizing well planning scenarios. At least some of the illustrating embodiments include: receiving, by a computer system, a complex fracture model that estimates fractures in a subsurface target; applying the complex fracture model to a reservoir model that estimates geological features between the subsurface target and earth's surface; and determining an earth surface well site and a well path from the earth surface well site to the subsurface target based on the complex fracture model and the geological information, wherein the earth surface well site is offset from the subsurface target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: LANDMARK GRAPHICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Amit Kumar, Ronald G. Dusterhoft, Richard D. Colvin, Kenneth E. Williams
  • Publication number: 20130231910
    Abstract: Optimizing well planning scenarios. At least some of the illustrating embodiments include: receiving, by a computer system, a complex fracture model that estimates fractures in a subsurface target; applying the complex fracture model to a reservoir model that estimates geological features between the subsurface target and earth's surface; and determining an earth surface well site and a well path from the earth surface well site to the subsurface target based on the complex fracture model and the geological in formation, wherein the earth surface well site is offset from the subsurface target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: LANDMARK GRAPHICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Amit Kumar, Ronald G. Dusterhoft, Richard D. Colvin, Kenneth E. Williams