Patents by Inventor Sheena Xina Xie

Sheena Xina Xie 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: 10519362
    Abstract: A method for residual oil recovery from oil reservoirs, and diagnostic tests for determining its efficiency using a single well are described. The method includes injecting oil into a well in a reservoir that has been previously waterflooded or an oil reservoir or zone of an oil reservoir which contains immobile oil at the time of discovery, and extracting the oil by waterflooding the charged zones by placing the injection well in production. The target zone from which oil is recovered may be increased by following injection of oil with injection of water to push an oil bank which grows in volume as a function of distance of propagation, because of the effect of waterflooding on residual oil. The well may then be placed in production and the oil bank volume will continue to increase in volume as it returns to the well, again because of the waterflooding effect. The oil bank is then produced at the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: University of Wyoming
    Inventors: Norman R. Morrow, Sheena Xina Xie, Nina Loahardjo
  • Patent number: 8413718
    Abstract: A method for enhancing oil recovery from reservoirs is described. The method includes partially recharging zones of pore space in a reservoir that has been previously waterflooded to extract oil, in order to obtain increased ultimate oil recovery by re-waterflooding the recharged zones. The recharging may be achieved by either reinjection of oil or by change in injection scheme, such as changing an oil producing well to a water injection well. This procedure of recharging with oil followed by waterflooding may be repeated. Application of the present method to increase recovery from reservoirs producing dry (water-free) oil to mature reservoirs which produce at high water-to-oil ratios is anticipated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: University of Wyoming
    Inventors: Norman R. Morrow, Sheena Xina Xie, Nina Loahardjo
  • Publication number: 20130025853
    Abstract: A method for residual oil recovery from oil reservoirs, and diagnostic tests for determining its efficiency using a single well are described. The method includes injecting oil into a well in a reservoir that has been previously waterflooded or an oil reservoir or zone of an oil reservoir which contains immobile oil at the time of discovery, and extracting the oil by waterflooding the charged zones by placing the injection well in production. The target zone from which oil is recovered may be increased by following injection of oil with injection of water to push an oil bank which grows in volume as a function of distance of propagation, because of the effect of waterflooding on residual oil. The well may then be placed in production and the oil bank volume will continue to increase in volume as it returns to the well, again because of the waterflooding effect. The oil bank is then produced at the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Norman R. Morrow, Sheena Xina Xie, Nina Loahardjo
  • Publication number: 20110036580
    Abstract: A method for enhancing oil recovery from reservoirs is described. The method includes partially recharging zones of pore space in a reservoir that has been previously waterflooded to extract oil, in order to obtain increased ultimate oil recovery by re-waterflooding the recharged zones. The recharging may be achieved by either reinjection of oil or by change in injection scheme, such as changing an oil producing well to a water injection well. This procedure of recharging with oil followed by waterflooding may be repeated. Application of the present method to increase recovery from reservoirs producing dry (water-free) oil to mature reservoirs which produce at high water-to-oil ratios is anticipated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: University of Wyoming
    Inventors: Norman R. Morrow, Sheena Xina Xie, Nina Loahardjo