Patents Assigned to BP Exploration Operating Company Limited
  • Patent number: 12203029
    Abstract: The problem of lost circulation is pertinent to the oil industry. To prevent fluid loss, a lost circulation material (LCM), or more generally, a plugging material, can be used to effectively plug the fractures in the rock formation. If the fractures are in the production zone, it is also ideal to unplug them when the drilling operation is complete. Therefore, a material engineered to degrade after a desired period would be useful. In examples, a plugging material has been developed by gelling an oil-based fluid using a low molecular weight gelator, dibenzylidene sorbitol (DBS). DBS gels are robust and show plugging behavior. DBS is shown to chemically degrade in presence of an acid. Hence, a self-degrading gel can be synthesized by incorporating an acid into the system. Further, by varying the type and concentration of the acid, the degradation time of the gel can be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignees: University of Maryland, College Park, BP Exploration Operating Company Limited
    Inventors: Faraz A. Burni, Srinivasa R. Raghavan, Joseph Wee, David Chappell, Shanshan Huang
  • Publication number: 20250018813
    Abstract: An end effector for an automated electric vehicle charging system includes a chassis including a chassis connector for coupling the end effector to an end of a robotic arm; and a support rail unit coupled to the chassis and including an elongate support rail, a carriage slidably coupled to the support rail and including a carriage connector configured to couple to an electric distributor charging connector of the electric vehicle charging system, and a carriage actuator coupled between the support rail and the carriage for transporting the carriage along the support rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Applicant: BP Exploration Operating Company Limited
    Inventors: Thais Moraes LAUER, Noman Nadeem RANA, Abigail Yuh Shyuan LEE, Udit SRIVASTAV, Raihan NOUSHAD, Romeo ORSOLINO, Stefan LIPPITSCH, Thomas SEEBACHER, Mario HIRZ
  • Patent number: 12043557
    Abstract: A method of operating a filtration unit of a filtration system includes feeding, during filtration, feed water containing suspended particulate material to an inside of each of a plurality of hollow fibres through a first inlet and a second inlet of each hollow fibre while simultaneously removing a filtrate from an outside of each of the hollow fibres through an outlet of a filtration elements. In addition, the method includes feeding, during back-washing, back-wash water to the outside of the hollow fibres through the outlet of the filtration element. Further the method includes discharging, in a first back-wash cycle, back-wash water containing entrained particulate material from the inside of the hollow fibres from one end thereof. Still further, the method includes discharging, in a second back-wash cycle, back-wash water containing entrained particulate material from the inside of the hollow fibres from the other end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: John Henry Crouch, James Lomax, John Dale Williams
  • Patent number: 12036511
    Abstract: A desalination system includes a desalination platform, a first skid disposed on a first deck of the desalination platform, the first skid including at least one of a first filtration unit configured to produce a first filtrate stream, and a first permeate unit configured to produce a first permeate stream, a first interconnecting pipework coupled to the first skid, and a first pipework support disposed on the first deck, wherein the first interconnecting pipework is disposed on the first pipework support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: BP Exploration Operating Company Limited
    Inventors: John Henry Crouch, John Dale Williams
  • Publication number: 20240154413
    Abstract: A method for facilitating the management of one or more energy production or processing facilities includes receiving an alert corresponding to an operational anomaly associated with the process equipment, interrogating a data structure linking together and organizing a plurality of distinct data sources, selecting a subset of data sources from the plurality of data sources identified as associated with a potential cause of the alert based on the interrogation of the data structure, statistically analyzing data sourced from the selected subset of data sources, identifying the potential cause of the alert based on the statistical analysis, and recommending a corrective action to resolve the identified potential cause of the alert using the plurality of distinct data sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicants: BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC., BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Jesus Pacheco-Rodriguez, Joshua Ellison, Greg Hickey, Adam Ballard, Martin R. Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 11966252
    Abstract: In some examples, the disclosure provides a method for determining a drift in clock data that is provided by a clock of a seismic sensor. The sensor is exposed to an ambient temperature that varies over time. The method includes obtaining temperature data associated with the ambient temperature as a function of time. The method also includes obtaining the clock data. The method also includes obtaining timestamp data provided by a global navigation satellite system. The method also includes determining drift data which minimizes a difference of a temporal drift in the clock data, based on the timestamp data and the temperature data. The method also includes outputting corrective data based on the determined drift data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: BP Exploration Operating Company Limited
    Inventor: Alistair George Crosby
  • Publication number: 20240103191
    Abstract: In some examples, the disclosure provides a method for deploying a plurality N of seismic sensors, wherein each seismic sensor is adapted to measure seismic energy with at least one gain, within a survey area, the method comprising: obtaining a plurality M of gains from which the at least one gain may be selected; configuring the plurality N of seismic sensors such that, for each given gain of the obtained plurality M of gains, at least N/M seismic sensors are adapted to measure the seismic energy with at least one corresponding gain; and deploying the plurality N of configured seismic sensors on the survey area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BP Exploration Operating Company Limited
    Inventor: Amine OURABAH
  • Patent number: 11920453
    Abstract: A method of dynamically allocating a total amount of produced water (PW) from a reservoir during enhanced oil recovery (EOR) via a low salinity or softened water EOR flood by receiving measurement data; receiving reservoir configuration information comprising: an EOR injection rate associated with one or more EOR injection zones, a disposal zone injection rate associated with one or more disposal injection zones, and a non-reinjection disposal rate associated with one or more non-reinjection disposal routes; determining a blending rate comprising at least a portion of the PW production rate and at least a portion of the low salinity or softened water injection rate to provide a blended injection fluid; blending at least a portion of the PW with at least a portion of the low salinity or softened water at the blending rate; and dynamically allocating the PW production rate among injection and/or non-reinjection routes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Stuart William Day, Christopher Kylie Mair
  • Patent number: 11859488
    Abstract: A method of identifying inflow locations along a wellbore includes obtaining an acoustic signal from a sensor within the wellbore, determining a plurality of frequency domain features from the acoustic signal, and identifying, using a plurality of fluid flow models, a presence of at least one of a gas phase inflow, an aqueous phase inflow, or a hydrocarbon liquid phase inflow at one or more fluid flow locations. The acoustic signal includes acoustic samples across a portion of a depth of the wellbore, and the plurality of frequency domain features are obtained across a plurality of depth intervals within the portion of the depth of the wellbore. Each fluid flow model of the plurality of fluid inflow models uses one or more frequency domain features of the plurality of the frequency domain features, and at least two of the plurality of fluid flow models are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Pradyumna Thiruvenkatanathan
  • Patent number: 11814572
    Abstract: A method of cementing a wellbore includes injecting into the wellbore a non-aqueous fluid; injecting into the wellbore a cement slurry and a non-ionic surfactant composition after injecting the non-aqueous fluid; and allowing the cement slurry to set, wherein the non-ionic surfactant composition comprises an alkyl end-capped ethoxylated fatty alcohol, a chain extended non-ionic surfactant, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignees: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC, BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Angela Anh Doan, Antonio Bottiglieri, Daniel J. Daulton, Cresencio Perez, Shanshan Huang, David James Hoolas, Emmanuel Therond, Paulo Jorge da Cunha Gomes
  • Publication number: 20230331592
    Abstract: An integrated system comprising a desalination plant comprising a reverse osmosis (RO) array configured to produce an RO permeate blending stream, a blending system comprising a flow line for a fines stabilizing additive blending stream and configured to blend the RO permeate blending stream with the fines stabilizing additive blending stream to produce a blended low salinity water stream having a salinity of less than or equal to 5,000, 4,000, 3,000, 2,000, 1,000, 500, 400, or 300 ppm and a molar ratio of divalent cations to monovalent cations of greater than about 0.2, 0.3, or 0.4, a control unit configured to control operation of the blending system, and an injection system for one or more injection wells, wherein the one or more injection wells penetrate an oil-bearing layer of a reservoir. A method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Applicant: BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: John William COUVES, Stuart William DAY, Chris GIBSON, Bilal RASHID, John Dale WILLIAMS
  • Patent number: 11648511
    Abstract: A method includes producing a first blended low salinity injection water for injection into at least one injection well that penetrates a first region of an oil-bearing reservoir and producing a second blended low salinity injection water for injection into at least one injection well that penetrates a second region of an oil-bearing reservoir. The reservoir rock of the first and second regions has first and second rock compositions, respectively, that present different risks of formation damage. The first and second blended low salinity injection waters comprise variable amounts of nanofiltration permeate and reverse osmosis permeate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Ian Ralph Collins, John William Couves, John Henry Crouch, John Dale Williams
  • Patent number: 11643923
    Abstract: A method of detecting an event by: obtaining a first sample data set; determining a frequency domain feature(s) of the first sample data set over a first time period; determining a first threshold for the a frequency domain feature(s) using the first sample data set; determining that the frequency domain feature(s) matches the first threshold; determining the presence of an event during the first time period based on determining that the frequency domain feature(s) matches the first threshold; obtaining a second sample data set; determining a frequency domain feature(s) of the second sample data set over a second time period; determining a second threshold for the frequency domain feature(s) using the second sample data set; determining that the frequency domain feature(s) matches the second threshold; and determining the presence of the event during the second time period based on determining that the frequency domain feature(s) matches the second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Pradyumna Thiruvenkatanathan
  • Publication number: 20230026535
    Abstract: An offshore node deployment system includes a control system, a surface vessel including a deck, and a propulsion system in signal communication with the control system, a node storage container supported by the deck of the surface vessel, wherein the node storage container is configured to store a plurality of nodes which are physically disconnected from each other, and a node deployment system supported by the deck of the surface vessel and controllable by the control system, wherein the node deployment system is configured to retrieve the nodes from the node storage container and deploy the nodes to a subsea location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: BP Exploration Operating Company Limited
    Inventors: Ted Manning, Johnathan Stone
  • Publication number: 20220414301
    Abstract: A method of identifying events includes obtaining an acoustic signal from a sensor, determining one or more frequency domain features from the acoustic signal, providing the one or more frequency domain features as inputs to a plurality of event detection models, and determining the presence of one or more events using the plurality of event detection models. The one or more frequency domain features are obtained across a frequency range of the acoustic signal, and at least two of the plurality of event detection models are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicants: BP Exploration Operating Company Limited, Lytt Limited
    Inventor: Pradyumna THIRUVENKATANATHAN
  • Patent number: 11530606
    Abstract: A method of detecting sand inflow into a wellbore is disclosed. The method can include obtaining a sample data set, detecting a broadband signal within the sample data set, comparing the broadband signal with a signal reference, determining that the broadband signal meets or exceeds the signal reference, and determining the presence of sand inflow into the wellbore based on determining that the broadband signal meets or exceeds the signal reference. The sample data set can be a sample of an acoustic signal originating within a wellbore including a fluid, and the broadband signal at least includes a portion of the sample data set at frequencies above 0.5 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Tommy Langnes, Pradyumna Thiruvenkatanathan
  • Patent number: 11505473
    Abstract: A predictive system for monitoring fouling of membranes of a desalination or water softening plant includes ultrafiltration (UF) membranes, reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, and/or nanofiltration (NF) membranes. In addition, the system includes one or more UF skids including a plurality of UF units. Each UF unit contains therein a plurality of UF membranes. Further, the system includes one or more RO/NF skids including one or more RO/NF arrays. Each of the one or more RO/NF arrays includes a plurality of RO units, with each RO unit containing therein a plurality of RO membranes, a plurality of NF units, with each NF unit containing therein a plurality of NF membranes, or a combination thereof. Still further, the system includes UF sensors and/or RO/NF sensors. The system also includes a controller comprising a processor in signal communication with the UF sensors and/or the RO/NF sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: George Leslie Cunningham
  • Patent number: 11493488
    Abstract: A method for analysing a crude oil to determine the amount of organic acid compounds contained in the crude oil includes extracting the organic acid compounds from a sample of crude oil to form an extract and determining the amount of the extracted organic acids In addition, the method includes dissolving the extract in a polar solvent to form a solution of the extracted organic acid compounds Further, the method includes introducing a sample of the solution of the extracted organic acid to an apparatus including a reversed phase liquid chromatography (LC) column and a mass spectrometer (MS) arranged in series. The reversed phase LC column contains a hydrophobic sorbent and the mobile phase for the LC column includes a polar organic solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: John William Couves, Christianne Clare Wicking
  • Patent number: 11486235
    Abstract: A process for use in managing a hydrocarbon production system includes: selecting, from among a plurality of changes proposed to operating parameters of the hydrocarbon production system, the proposed change with the greatest estimated positive change in production; assessing whether the selected change violates an operating constraint; based on said assessment, producing a valid change based on at least the selected change or identifying the selected change as an unusable change, iterating the above steps, the iteration excluding the valid change from the plurality of proposed changes; and implementing at least one valid change, the number of implemented valid changes being less than the number of proposed changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignees: BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC., BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Jean-Charles Dumenil, Richard Heddle, Shaojun Wang
  • Publication number: 20220275713
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for managing skin in a subterranean wellbore. In an embodiment, the method includes oscillating a drawdown pressure of the subterranean wellbore in a predetermined pattern that comprises a plurality of alternating drawdown pressure increases and drawdown pressure decreases. The drawdown pressure increases of the predetermined pattern comprise increasing the drawdown pressure at a first rate, and the drawdown pressure decreases of the predetermined pattern comprise decreasing the drawdown pressure at a second rate that is different from the first rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Applicant: BP Exploration Operating Company Limited
    Inventors: Patrick CALVERT, Gennaro DELLO IOIO, Andrew WOODS