Patents Represented by Attorney Michael A. Nametz
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Patent number: 4591393Abstract: Certain high strength alloys lacking resistance to hydrogen embrittlement are cold worked and heat treated utilizing critical preselected conditions to result in a unique alloy having increased resistance to hydrogen embrittlement without unacceptable loss of strength. It is theorized that this unexpected improved resistance correlates with the concentration of certain elements, such as phosphorus and sulfur as impurities on the crystallographic boundary surfaces of the alloy.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 1978Date of Patent: May 27, 1986Assignees: Exxon Production Research Co., Exxon Research & Engineering Co.Inventors: Russell D. Kane, James B. Greer, Dawn F. Jacobs, Barry J. Berkowitz
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Patent number: 4493774Abstract: An aqueous heteropolysaccharide solution is treated to improve its injectivity into a subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir by passing the solution through a colloid mill.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 1982Date of Patent: January 15, 1985Assignee: Exxon Production Research Co.Inventor: James R. Bragg
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Patent number: 4479542Abstract: To reduce the surfactant adsorption in a subterranean formation during a surfactant or microemulsion flooding process, lignosulfonate salts are injected into the formation after the surfactant solution has already been injected. The lignosulfonate afterflush may contain a thickener to promote better sweep efficiency, and water or brine will usually be used to drive the lignosulfonate salts through the reservoir to a production well.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 1982Date of Patent: October 30, 1984Assignee: Exxon Production Research Co.Inventors: Mark P. Warchol, Walter W. Gale
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Patent number: 4344485Abstract: A thermal method is disclosed for recovering normally immobile oil from a tar sand deposit. Two wells are drilled into the deposit, one for injection of heated fluid and one for production of liquids. Thermal communication is established between the wells. The wells are operated such that heated mobilized oil and steam flow without substantially mixing. Oil drains continuously by gravity to the production well where it is recovered.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 1980Date of Patent: August 17, 1982Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventor: Roger M. Butler
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Patent number: 4337159Abstract: Additional amounts of crude oil are recovered from a subterranean formation by flooding with a translucent emulsion comprising an upper- or middle-phase microemulsion as an external phase and a polymer-containing brine solution as an internal phase. The translucent emulsion tends to coalesce into its component phases under conditions of no shear, but is stabilized by low shears such as those imposed on fluids flowing through a subterranean formation.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 1980Date of Patent: June 29, 1982Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventors: Ronald L. Reed, Clarence W. Carpenter, Jr.
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Patent number: 4296969Abstract: Normally immobile mineral values are recovered from a subterranean formation by penetrating the formation with an access shaft and drilling two radial arrays of substantially horizontal wells out into the formation from the shaft, one array of wells being substantially shorter than the other array. A mobilizing fluid is injected into the formation via alternate longer wells so that an outer zone of high fluid mobility is created in the formation. Then the mobilizing fluid is injected into all of the longer wells to sweep the mineral values to the shorter wells where such values are recovered. Improved sweep efficiency of the mineral values is achieved thereby.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 1980Date of Patent: October 27, 1981Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventor: Bertram T. Willman
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Patent number: 4293428Abstract: A method for recovering oil from a subterranean formation is disclosed wherein a novel solution is injected into and driven through the formation. The solution contains an effective amount of surface-active agent having the general formulaR.sub.1 O(C.sub.3 H.sub.6 O,.sub.m (C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.n YXwhereinR.sub.1 is a linear or branched alkyl radical, an alkenyl radical, or an alkyl or alkenyl substituted benzene radical, the non-aromatic portion of the radical containing from about 6 to about 24 carbon atoms;m has an average value of between about 1 and about 10;n has an average value of between about 1 and about 10;Y is a hydrophilic group; andX is a cation, preferably monovalent.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 1978Date of Patent: October 6, 1981Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventors: Walter W. Gale, Maura C. Puerto, Thomas L. Ashcraft, Rhoderick K. Saunders, Ronald L. Reed
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Patent number: 4280559Abstract: A process for the in situ recovery of viscous oil from a subterranean formation is disclosed. Steam is injected into the formation via a well, permitted to soak, and heated fluids including heated viscous oil are produced sufficient to create a substantial fluid mobility in the formation. Then a hydrocarbon solvent having a low concentration of low molecular weight paraffinic hydrocarbons is injected into the formation, and another steam injection, soak and oil production cycle is performed to recover significant additional quantities of oil.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 1979Date of Patent: July 28, 1981Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventor: Donald A. Best
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Patent number: 4271907Abstract: To improve the sweep efficiency of a microemulsion flooding process to recover crude oil from a subterranean formation, a mobility control polymer is added to the microemulsion to increase its viscosity. To enable the compatible incorporation of the polymer and surfactant into the microemulsion, while still utilizing an aqueous component having a salinity near that of the formation, a microemulsion oil component is used for which the surfactant's optimal salinity is substantially higher than for reservoir crude oil.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 1979Date of Patent: June 9, 1981Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventor: Walter W. Gale
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Patent number: 4269539Abstract: Heat pipes are installed in the soil directly beneath a buried refrigerated gas pipeline and operate continuously in conjunction with operation of the pipeline to beneficially alter the heat and water flow patterns thereby substantially preventing frost heaving without regard to the season.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 1978Date of Patent: May 26, 1981Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventor: Scott W. Hopke
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Patent number: 4240504Abstract: A method of enhanced oil recovery is disclosed wherein an upper-phase or a middle-phase microemulsion and an immiscible aqueous phase are simultaneously injected into a subterranean formation. The viscosities of the injected phases are adjusted so that the aqueous phase/microemulsion viscosity ratio approximates the reservoir brine/oil viscosity ratio. The injection rates of the injected phases are such that similar oil, microemulsion and aqueous phase velocities are achieved in the reservoir. Oil is displaced to a production well and recovered.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1978Date of Patent: December 23, 1980Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventor: Ronald L. Reed
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Patent number: 4194856Abstract: In order to prevent damage due to frost heaving of a refrigerated gas pipeline which traverses frost-susceptible soil resulting from horizontal ice lense formation beneath the pipeline, heat pipes are located in diametrically opposed pairs, one on either side of the pipeline. Frost bulbs are formed in the soil around each heat pipe adjacent to the pipeline, causing the horizontal ice lenses to be formed further below the pipeline. Heaving rate is reduced due to the lower temperature gradient in the vertical direction, a greater overburden above the horizontal ice lenses and a reduced water supply directly beneath the pipeline. Also, lateral expansion of the frost bulbs provides opposing horizontal forces to counteract the upward force of the horizontal ice lenses.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 1978Date of Patent: March 25, 1980Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventor: Hans O. Jahns
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Patent number: 4176986Abstract: A marine drilling riser is provided with a plurality of buoyancy cans having fail safe dump valves operative to vent compressed gas from the buoyancy cans and thereby cause rapid loss of buoyancy.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 1977Date of Patent: December 4, 1979Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventors: Daniel G. Taft, Joe K. Heilhecker
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Patent number: 4158957Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining the relative amounts of two fluid phases in a subterranean formation, one phase being mobile and the other being substantially immobile. A sweep fluid which is substantially free of the immobile fluid is injected into the formation by means of a well in an amount such that a measurable first portion of the sweep fluid in the formation adjacent the injection well remains unsaturated with the immobile fluid, and a second portion adjacent the first portion becomes saturated. The sweep fluid is then produced from the formation, preferably by means of the injection well. The concentration of immobile fluid dissolved in the produced sweep fluid is measured as a function of volume produced to determine the volumes of the two sweep fluid portions; these volumes are then used to calculate the relative amounts of the two fluid phases in the formation.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 1978Date of Patent: June 26, 1979Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventors: Harry A. Deans, James R. Bragg
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Patent number: 4137971Abstract: A method of preventing the failure of a sand consolidation treatment due to contamination of the resinous material with aqueous rathole fluids during injection is described. The method involves displacing the aqueous rathole fluids with a dense, nonaqueous liquid prior to introducing the resinous material into the formation.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 1978Date of Patent: February 6, 1979Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventors: Christopher M. Shaughnessy, William M. Salathiel
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Patent number: 4127173Abstract: A method of forming a gravel pack in a wellbore is disclosed which involves disposing a pipe adjacent the incompetent formation, depositing gravel around the pipe, consolidating the resulting gravel bed using a suitable resinous material, and removing the pipe to leave a high permeability, high strength, self-supporting annular gravel sheath.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 1977Date of Patent: November 28, 1978Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventors: Larry A. Watkins, John W. Graham
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Patent number: 4127168Abstract: An improved well packer for use in sour gas wells is disclosed. The improved packer includes a cylindrical mandrel encircled with a resilient metal seal ring, means for anchoring the packer at a predetermined vertical depth, means for radially expanding the seal rings so as to cause sealing engagement with the casing and mandrel, and ratchet means for maintaining the seal rings in expanded form. The packer is adapted to be run into the cased wellbore on tubing and is particularly useful in sour gas wells.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1977Date of Patent: November 28, 1978Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventors: Harry R. Hanson, Hollis A. Baugh, Thomas W. Childers, James B. Greer
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Patent number: 4118941Abstract: Apparatus for constructing an island in a body of water including a plurality of caissons and means for connecting the caissons in an end-to-end configuration to form a ring. Once the caissons have been connected together to form a ring and ballasted to set the caissons upon the bottom of the body of water, sufficient fill material is placed inside the ring of caissons to construct an island in the body of water.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 1977Date of Patent: October 10, 1978Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventors: John C. Bruce, John F. Davies, Jacobus J. A. DE Jong, Kalju Pullerits, Richard H. B. Sangster
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Patent number: 4098342Abstract: An insulated electric conductor employed in a tubular drill string to transmit electric energy between subsurface and surface locations is arranged within the drill string in a convoluted configuration to provide an excess length of conductor. The convoluted conductor is prevented from entangling during drilling by rotation limiting assemblies mounted in the drill string over a selected interval.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 1977Date of Patent: July 4, 1978Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventors: Leon H. Robinson, Jerry M. Speers, Adelbert Barry, Daniel J. Campbell
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Patent number: 4091869Abstract: A method is disclosed for recovering carbonaceous material from a subterranean deposit such as oil shale. A first zone of the subterranean deposit is heated to liquefy and vaporize carbonaceous materials contained therein. A substantial portion of the carbonaceous materials are removed from this first zone. Thereafter a second zone of the deposit is rubblized such that material of the second zone occupies a portion of the space occupied by the first zone. The second zone is then heated and carbonaceous materials are removed therefrom.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 1976Date of Patent: May 30, 1978Assignee: Exxon Production Research CompanyInventor: Wilmer A. Hoyer