Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Rodney F. Brown
  • Method of treating heterogeneous formation with potassium hydroxide
    Patent number: 4798245
    Abstract: Solid KCl is present in the front portion of KOH treatment solution to facilitate placement of the solution in low permeability zones of a subterranean formation wherein KOH treatment is desired. The solid KCl temporarily plugs the high permeability zones enabling the KOH solution to enter the low permeability zones. After a period of time the solid dissolves in situ restoring permeability to the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1989
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey E. Frank
  • Method and means for introducing treatment composition into a well bore
    Patent number: 4790386
    Abstract: Treatment composition is released into a well by lowering a container filled with the composition to the bottom of the well. The corrosive well fluid dissolves the composition through the open upper end of the container and corrodes away the walls of the container from the inside out. The outer surface of the container walls is coated with a material, such as tetrafluoroethylene, which acts as a barrier to the well fluid to prevent it from directly contacting the outer wall surface. In this manner treatment composition is gradually released from the top end of the ever-diminishing length of container and the container is degraded in the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventors: Irvin D. Johnson, Charles R. Bruce
  • Flow control apparatus and method
    Patent number: 4782847
    Abstract: Apparatus, and method, for controlling the flow of dilute solutions of polymers such as dilute aqueous solutions of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamides without causing any significant degradation of the polymer comprising the solutions. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a plurality of fixed restrictions connected in series with nipples having a larger internal diameter than the fixed restrictions. In another embodiment, the apparatus comprises at least one fixed restriction in communication with a flow control valve such as a needle valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Wayne E. Luetzelschwab
  • Hydraulic fracturing process using a polymer gel
    Patent number: 4779680
    Abstract: A subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation is hydraulically fractured using a crosslinked polymer gel as a fracturing fluid. The gel comprises a high molecular weight, water-soluble, carboxylate-containing polymer and a chromic carboxylate complex crosslinking agent. The gel components are premixed at the surface and injected into a wellbore in fluid communication with the formation at a pressure sufficient to hydraulically fracture the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Sydansk
  • Method of diluting a concentrated polymer solution for use in a hydrocarbon recovery process
    Patent number: 4778607
    Abstract: A water-soluble inorganic non-crosslinking salt is incorporated in an aqueous gel-like solution of a water-soluble uncrosslinked polymer at an initial higher polymer concentration. The salt accelerates the dilution of the polymer solution with an aqueous diluent to an aqueous polymer solution at a predetermined lower polymer concentration. The gel-like polymer solution is diluted without substantially degrading the polymer so that it retains desirable properties for use in a hydrocarbon recovery process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventors: Perry A. Argabright, Wayne E. Luetzelschwab
  • Method and apparatus for calibrating a differential pressure transducer
    Patent number: 4776201
    Abstract: A low range differential pressure transducer is connected in a closed fluid system which also contains a U-tube filled with oil in its upper portion and mercury in its lower portion. Under conditions of high line pressure similar quantities of oil are displaced within the closed system from one arm of the U-tube to the other, causing the mercury in the latter arm to be forced down while rising in the other arm. The difference in height between the levels of mercury is used in calculating the differential pressure. By connecting a number of U-tubes in series the cumulative differences between the levels of mercury in the arms of each U-tube can be used in calculating the differential pressure for a transducer designed to measure differential pressure over a wider range of low pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Stanley C. Jones
  • High pressure coupling
    Patent number: 4776618
    Abstract: A high-pressure coupling for small-diameter pipe is obtained with standard male and female pipe connectors, three ferrules, an O-ring and a flat metallic washer disposed around the pipe and designed such that when the connectors are hand tightened, the coupling compresses the ferrules, O-ring and flat washer to obtain a coupling that will withstand pressures up to 10,000 psi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Barree
  • Rate-controlled polymer gelation process for oil recovery applications
    Patent number: 4770245
    Abstract: A process for controlling the gelation rate of a carboxylate-containing polymer used in oil recovery applications. A gel is prepared by mixing a single aqueous gelation solution at the surface made up of the polymer and a crosslinking agent containing a chromic carboxylate complex and an inorganic chromic salt. The concentration of the inorganic chromic salt is selected at a level which achieves the desired rate of gelation for a given application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Sydansk
  • Oil recovery apparatus using an electromagnetic pump drive
    Patent number: 4768595
    Abstract: An apparatus for recovering oil from a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation wherein a subsurface pump in the wellbore is driven by an electromagnet submersed in the wellbore above the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Marty L. Smith
  • Delayed polyacrylamide gelation process for oil recovery applications
    Patent number: 4744418
    Abstract: A process for delaying the gelation rate of a polymer used in oil recovery applications. A gel is prepared by mixing a single aqueous gelation solution at the surface made up of a polyvalent metal cross-linking agent and a polyacrylamide having no hydrolysis or only a limited degree of hydrolysis. The solution is injected into a desired treatment region and gelled to completion in situ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Sydansk
  • Conformance improvement in a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation using a crosslinked polymer
    Patent number: 4744419
    Abstract: Conformance improvement is achieved in a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation using a gel comprising a high molecular weight, water-soluble, carboxylate-containing polymer, a chromium III/carboxylate complex capable of crosslinking the polymer and an aqueous solvent. The gel components are combined at the surface and injected into the desired treatment zone via a wellbore to form a continuous single-phase gel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Sydansk, Perry A. Argabright
  • Plugging a tubing/casing annulus in a wellbore with a polymer gel
    Patent number: 4730674
    Abstract: A tubing/casing annulus in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation is plugged using a gel comprising a high molecular weight, water-soluble carboxylate-containing polymer and a chromic carboxylate complex crosslinking agent. The gel components are combined at the surface and injected into the annulus to form a continuous single-phase gel therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventors: David N. Burdge, Richard W. McAtee, Robert D. Sydansk
  • Plugging an abandoned well with a polymer gel
    Patent number: 4730675
    Abstract: An abandoned well penetrating a subterranean formation is plugged using a gel comprising a high molecular weight, water-soluble carboxylate-containing polymer and a chromic carboxylate complex crosslinking agent. The gel components are combined at the surface and injected into the wellbore to form a continuous single-phase gel therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventors: Noel D. Wygant, Robert D. Sydansk
  • High speed, high temperature three-way valve for switching high pressure fluids under low pressure control
    Patent number: 4726398
    Abstract: Disclosed is a low internal volumn three-way valve for high speed switching of high pressure, high temperature fluids without volume change. Such valves have particular application with positive displacement pumps for precision laboratory measurements wherein corrosive fluids are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Barree
  • Wellbore cementing process using a polymer gel
    Patent number: 4724906
    Abstract: A volume in or near a wellbore penetrating a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation is plugged using a cementing gel comprising a high molecular weight, water-soluble carboxylate-containing polymer and a chromic carboxylate complex crosslinking agent. The gel components are combined at the surface and injected into the volume via the wellbore to form a continuous single-phase gel therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Sydansk
  • Accelerated polymer gelation process for oil recovery applications
    Patent number: 4723605
    Abstract: A process for accelerating the gelation rate of a carboxylate-containing polymer used in oil recovery applications. A gel is prepared by mixing a single aqueous gelation solution at the surface made up of the polymer and a crosslinking agent containing a chromic carboxylate complex and a simple mineral acid. The concentration of the simple mineral acid is selected at a level which achieves the desired rate of gelation for a given application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Sydansk
  • Preventing plugging by insoluble salts in a hydrocarbon-bearing formation and associated production wells
    Patent number: 4723603
    Abstract: Plugging in fluid passageways of a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation or associated production wells caused by the accumulation of insoluble salt precipitates therein which results from an in situ interaction between precipitate precursor ions in an injection water and resident ions already occurring in the formation is prevented by removing the precursor ions from the injection water by a reverse osmosis membrane before injecting the water into the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Mark A. Plummer
  • Well completion process using a polymer gel
    Patent number: 4722397
    Abstract: An uncased wellbore penetrating a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation is sealed by forming a gel at the open wellbore face comprising a high molecular weight, water-soluble carboxylate-containing polymer and a chromic carboxylate complex crosslinking agent. The gel components are combined at the surface and injected into the wellbore to form the continuous single-phase gel in situ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1988
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Sydansk, Lyndon C. Ibele
  • Brine tolerant polymer for oil recovery applications
    Patent number: 4708205
    Abstract: A beta-alanine-type branched partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide is added to an aqueous injection fluid to increase the viscosity of the fluid. The polymer resists plugging of the wellbore face and/or matrix pores and is brine tolerant when injected into a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1987
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: James E. Tackett
  • Water extraction from hydrocarbons in the presence of asphaltic precipitates
    Patent number: 4707264
    Abstract: A process for solubilizing asphaltic precipitates when extracting water from a hydrocarbon stream with a glycol-water stream by adding a solvent comprised of a bulk aromatic hydrocarbon and an oil-soluble alcohol dispersant to the hydrocarbon stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Mark A. Plummer