Salinity Or Acidity Patents (Class 166/252.3)
  • Patent number: 11635031
    Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to simultaneously pumping and measuring density of an aircraft fuel. The aircraft fuel is pumped by a centrifugal pump having an impeller. A rotational frequency of the impeller is determined while the centrifugal pump is pumping the aircraft fuel. Flow rate of the aircraft fuel through the centrifugal pump is sensed. Pressure of the aircraft fuel is measured at two different points within or across the centrifugal pump or a differential pressure is measured between the two different points while the centrifugal pump is pumping the aircraft fuel. Density of the aircraft fuel is determined based on a head-curve relation characterizing the centrifugal pump. The head-curve relation relates the fuel density to the rotational frequency, the flow rate, and pressures at the two different points or the differential pressure between the two different points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles E. Reuter, Gerald P. Dyer
  • Patent number: 11567058
    Abstract: A method for simulating a microemulsion system in a chemical enhanced oil recovery process is disclosed. The method includes receiving a geological model of a subsurface reservoir that defines a grid having a plurality of cells, determining a surfactant concentration for each cell based on a volume of surfactant and a volume of water within the cell and independently from a volume of oil in the cell, and simulating fluids flowing in the subsurface reservoir. Results from simulation can be used to optimize a chemical enhanced oil recovery process in a subsurface reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Xundan Shi, Choongyong Han, Yih-Bor Chang, Christian Wolfsteiner, Baris Guyaguler
  • Patent number: 11066594
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide compositions and methods suitable for injection of a nanosurfactant composition into a hydrocarbon-bearing formation for enhanced recovery operations. The nanosurfactant composition includes nanoassemblies that contain a petroleum sulfonate surfactant, mineral oil, a zwitterionic co-surfactant. The nanosurfactant composition also includes a functionalized zwitterionic copolymer present in an aqueous environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Inventors: Ayrat Gizzatov, Chang Da, Amr Abdel-Fattah, Shitong Zhu
  • Patent number: 10954764
    Abstract: Provided are oil recovery compositions and processes for enhancing oil recovery from a carbonate reservoir. A process for enhancing oil recovery includes injecting a first slug of an aqueous solution having a salinity in the range of about 5,000 ppm TDS to about 7,000 ppm TDS and sulfate ions in the range of about 500 ppm to about 5000 ppm. After injection of the first slug, the process includes injecting a second slug of an aqueous solution having a salinity in the range of about 5,000 ppm TDS to about 7,000 ppm TDS, calcium ion concentrations in the range of about 100 ppm to about 1000 ppm, and magnesium ions in the range of about 200 ppm to about 2000 ppm. A third slug of seawater or produce water may then be injected as chase water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Subhash C. Ayirala, Ammar AlShehri, Sultan Enezi, Ali Al-Yousef
  • Patent number: 9464512
    Abstract: Methods for fluid monitoring in a subterranean formation can comprise: providing a diverting fluid comprising a diverting agent; introducing the diverting fluid into a subterranean formation comprising one or more subterranean zones; and monitoring a disposition of the diverting fluid within the subterranean formation using one or more integrated computational elements in optical communication with the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Nitika Kalia, Robert Freese
  • Patent number: 9239406
    Abstract: A disclosed system includes a plurality of ion selective fiber sensors configured to measure treatment concentration variance, and a computer in communication with the plurality of ion selective fiber sensors. The computer determines treatment coverage for different downhole zones using information received from the plurality of ion selective fiber sensors. A disclosed method includes collecting data from a plurality of ion selective fiber sensors configured to measure treatment concentration variance. The method also includes determining treatment coverage for different downhole zones using information received from the plurality of ion selective fiber sensors. A disclosed downhole treatment management system includes a data analysis unit that collects data from a plurality of downhole ion selective fiber sensors configured to measure treatment concentration variance, and that determines treatment coverage for different downhole zones using the collected data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Nitika Kalia, Etienne M. Samson, John L. Maida
  • Patent number: 8464790
    Abstract: Temperature and pressure measurements that are made downhole are used to predict a compressional wave velocity for pure water under downhole conditions. The predicted velocity and a measured compressional velocity of a formation brine are used in a non-iterative method to estimate a value of the formation brine salinity that is between 0 and 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Rocco DiFoggio
  • Patent number: 8439111
    Abstract: Hydrocarbons are recovered from subterranean formations by waterflooding. The method comprises passing an aqueous displacement fluid via an injection well through a porous and permeable sandstone formation to release oil and recovering said released oil from a production well spaced from said injection well, wherein (a) the sandstone formation comprises at least one mineral having a negative zeta potential under the formation conditions; (b) oil and connate water are present in the pores of the formation; and (c) the fraction of the divalent cation content of the said aqueous displacement fluid to the divalent cation content of said connate water is less than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignees: BP Exploration Operating Company Limited, BP Corporation North America Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Ralph Collins, Gary Russell Jerauld, Arnaud Lager, Patrick Lee McGuire, Kevin Webb
  • Patent number: 7987907
    Abstract: Method for increasing the recovery of crude oil from a reservoir containing at least one porous and permeable subterranean formation wherein the formation includes sandstone rock and at least one mineral that has a negative zeta potential under the reservoir conditions and wherein crude oil and connate water are present within the pores of the formation. The method is carried out by (A) injecting into the formation a slug of an aqueous displacement fluid that displaces crude oil from the surface of the pores of the formation wherein the pore volume (PV) of the slug of the aqueous displacement fluid is at least 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignees: BP Exploration Operating Company Limited, BP Corporation North America Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Ralph Collins, Gary Russell Jerauld
  • Patent number: 7658226
    Abstract: Although the methods have been described here for, and are most typically used for, hydrocarbon production, fluid diversion measurement systems and methods are described. One method includes inserting a tubular tubing having one more fluid injection ports into a wellbore, injecting a treatment fluid through the injection port, and determining differential flow of the treatment fluid at one or more wellbore based on measuring the concentration of at least one particular component of a wellbore fluid located in the annulus formed between the wellbore and tubular; and using the measured parameters in realtime to monitor, control, or both monitor and control diversion of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Murtaza Ziauddin, Bhavani Raghuraman, Li Jiang, Xuefei Sun, Sebastien Fremont, Ballard Andrews, Robert Schroeder, Stephen Hill, Mahmuda Afroz, Frank Espinosa, Michael Orlet, John Lovell, Steve Davies
  • Publication number: 20090194276
    Abstract: Systems and methods for the determination of an optimum salinity type and an optimum salinity of a surfactant microemulsion system are shown. Optimum salinity type and optimum salinity in surfactant/polymer flooding is determined, according to embodiments, by core-flood experiments so that a variety of multiphase flow parameters such as relative permeability and phase trapping that affects oil recovery factor, influences the determination of the optimum salinity type and optimum salinity. The optimum salinity determined from this approach preferably corresponds to the highest oil recovery factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: Total E&P USA, Inc.
    Inventor: James J. Sheng
  • Patent number: 7426960
    Abstract: A method to stimulate the biogenic production of a metabolite with enhanced hydrogen content that includes forming an opening in a geologic formation to provide access to a consortium of microorganisms, and injecting water into the opening to disperse at least a portion of the consortium over a larger region of a hydrocarbon deposit. The method may also include measuring a change in the rate of production of the metabolite in the formation. Also, an method to stimulate biogenic production of a metabolite that includes measuring a salinity level of formation water in a geologic formation, and injecting water into the opening to reduce the salinity level of the formation water in the formation. The method may also include measuring a change in the rate of production of the metabolite in the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: LUCA Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Pfeiffer, Glenn Ulrich, Gary Vanzin, Verlin Dannar, Roland P. DeBruyn, James B. Dodson
  • Patent number: 7324929
    Abstract: The invention is a method for simulating one or more characteristics of a multi-component, hydrocarbon-bearing formation into which a displacement fluid having at least one component is injected to displace formation hydrocarbons. The first step of the method is to equate at least part of the formation to a multiplicity of gridcells. Each gridcell is then divided into two regions, a first region representing a portion of each gridcell swept by the displacement fluid and a second region representing a portion of each gridcell essentially unswept by the displacement fluid. The distribution of components in each region is assumed to be essentially uniform. A model is constructed that is representative of fluid properties within each region, fluid flow between gridcells using principles of percolation theory, and component transport between the regions. The model is then used in a simulator to simulate one or more characteristics of the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Chun Huh, Gary F. Teletzke, Sriram S. Nivarthi
  • Patent number: 7303009
    Abstract: This invention relates to the field of water flood monitoring in low saline water environment in a subterranean formation. In particular, the method of the invention relates to detecting the encroachment of low salinity water into oil formations. This invention provides the means to gain valuable information about water movement within the oil reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Ahmed J. Al-Muraikhi
  • Patent number: 7006959
    Abstract: The invention is a method for simulating one or more characteristics of a multi-component, hydrocarbon-bearing formation into which a displacement fluid having at least one component is injected to displace formation hydrocarbons. The first step of the method is to equate at least part of the formation to a multiplicity of gridcells. Each gridcell is then divided into two regions, a first region representing a portion of each gridcell swept by the displacement fluid and a second region representing a portion of each gridcell essentially unswept by the displacement fluid. The distribution of components in each region is assumed to be essentially uniform. A model is constructed that is representative of fluid properties within each region, fluid flow between gridcells using principles of percolation theory, and component transport between the regions. The model is then used in a simulator to simulate one or more characteristics of the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Chun Huh, Gary F. Teletzke, Sriram S. Nivarthi
  • Patent number: 6913080
    Abstract: This invention is directed to treating fluid production and subterranean formation treating methods as well as compositions for treating fluids that reuse at least part of a prior treating fluid, particularly a fluid having one or more constituents that can be relinked. This includes conditioning a selected at least partially delinked flow-back fluid, recovered from a first treating fluid pumped into a well, such that the conditioned selected at least partially delinked flow-back fluid provides a constituent for a second treating fluid. Also included are pricing considerations. A composition for a treating fluid includes a treating fluid residual recovered from a well, preferably conditioned as described. Examples of such fluids include fracturing fluids and gravel pack fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Lyle V Lehman, Will E. Haley, Jim Weaver, Billy Slabaugh
  • Patent number: 6886632
    Abstract: A method and system of monitoring the movement of at least one front in an inter-well region is comprised of: providing a first well representing the origination of at least one front (such as a saturation front or a salinity front); providing one or more monitoring locations, each equipped with at least one sensor; and monitoring the arrival of at least one front at one or more monitoring locations. The origination well may be any type of permanent or temporary well, but is preferably an injector well. Likewise, the monitoring location(s) may be any type of permanent or temporary well such as an observation well, a production well, an exploratory well, and an appraisal well. Information regarding front arrival times may be used to characterize or appraise the formation. Front arrivals may be monitored as a function of time to develop their respective time evolution and shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Bhavani Raghuraman, Francois M. Auzerais