Patents Assigned to ConocoPhillips
  • Publication number: 20230324361
    Abstract: Robust methods for quantitating the amount of elemental sulfur in a fluid whereby a caustic solution is mixed with the fluid, and the elemental sulfur present in the fluid reacts to form a colored solution that can be compared to a series of standards. The methods can be performed in a laboratory or the field and allow for real time feedback. Once the concentration of the elemental sulfur is known, appropriate methods of treatment can proceed. Test kits for performing the methods in the field are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Jay LOCKLEAR, Clinton CROWE
  • Patent number: 11768307
    Abstract: Various aspects described herein relate to a machine learning based detecting of fracture hits in offset monitoring wells when designing hydraulic fracturing processes for a particular well. In one example, a computer-implemented method includes receiving a set of features for a first well proximate to a second well, the second well undergoing a hydraulic fracturing process for extraction of natural resources from underground formations; inputting the set of features into a trained neural network; and providing, as output of the trained neural network, a probability of a fracture hit at a location associated with the set of features in the first well during a given completion stage of the hydraulic fracturing process in the second well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Ge Jin, Kevin Mendoza, Baishali Roy, Darryl G. Buswell
  • Patent number: 11746651
    Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for developing resources from an unconventional reservoir. In one implementation, raw reservoir data for the unconventional reservoir is obtained. The raw reservoir data includes geology data, completion data, development data, and production data. The raw reservoir data is transformed to transformed data. The raw reservoir data is transformed to the transformed data based on a transformation from a set of one or more raw variable to a set of one or more transformed variables. The set of one or more transformed variables is statistically uncorrelated. Resource development data is extracted from the transformed data. Performance analytics are generated for the unconventional reservoir using the resource development data. The performance analytics are generated through ensemble machine learning. The unconventional reservoir is developed based on the performance analytics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Hui Zhou, Benjamin Lascaud
  • Patent number: 11668180
    Abstract: A stick-slip vibration mitigation system and a method of using the system are provided. The system includes a sensor, a processor, a non-transitory storage medium, and a controller. The system is operable to be used with a drill-string in a wellbore during a drilling process to mitigate stick-slip vibration of the drill-string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Yang Zha, Son V. Pham
  • Patent number: 11662141
    Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for processing liquefied natural gas (LNG). In one implementation, a solvent is injected into a feed of natural gas at a solvent injection point. A mixed feed is produced from a dispersal of the solvent into the feed of natural gas. The mixed feed contains heavy components. A chilled feed is produced by chilling the mixed feed. The chilled feed includes a vapor and a condensed liquid. The condensed liquid contains a fouling portion of the heavy components condensed by the solvent during chilling. The liquid containing the fouling portion of the heavy components is separated from the vapor. The vapor is directed into a feed chiller heat exchanger following separation of the liquid containing the fouling portion of the heavy components from the vapor, such that the vapor being directed into feed chiller heat exchanger is free of freezing components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Calderon, Dale L. Embry, Paul R. Davies, Attilio J. Praderio
  • Publication number: 20230147327
    Abstract: A method for producing heavy oil, the method including testing a plurality of samples either from a reservoir play or simulating a reservoir play in a temperature and pressure controlled gravity drainage experiment. Test injection fluids are injected into the samples at a reservoir temperature and pressure and Cumulative Oil Production (COP) or Recovery Factor (RF) or similar feature measured over time. An injection profile is obtained by selecting n injection fluids based on a best COP or RF at a given time Tn, wherein n is a number of fluid injection stages and switching to an n+1 injection fluid when a rate of change (ROC) in the COP or RF drops at least 25%-75%, but preferably 40-60% or 50%. The injection profile is then implemented in the reservoir to produce heavy oil. Optimized injection profiles for certain reservoirs are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventor: Alex FILSTEIN
  • Patent number: 11619756
    Abstract: Methods of designing seismic survey and acquisition of seismic data with reduced noise using equally or optimally irregularly spaced sources or receivers are described. Specifically, prime number ratios for the station to line spacing is used to prevent harmonic leakage and other noise contaminations in the acquired seismic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Peter M. Eick, Joel D. Brewer
  • Patent number: 11604025
    Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for processing liquefied natural gas (LNG). In one implementation, a dry feed gas is received. The dry feed gas is chilled with clean vapor from a heavies removal column to form a chilled feed gas. The chilled feed gas is partially condensed into a vapor phase and a liquid phase. The liquid phase retains freezing components. The freezing components are extracted using a reflux stream in the heavies removal column. The freezing components are removed as a condensate. The vapor phase is compressed into a clean feed gas. The clean feed gas is free of the freezing components for downstream liquefaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Jinghua Chan, Qi Ma, Dale L. Embry, Attilio J. Praderio
  • Publication number: 20230020657
    Abstract: Method of carbon sequestration by capturing CO2 emissions and making a proppant from the captured carbon in either a carbon mineralization process or in a carbon nanomaterial manufacturing process, followed by treatments to ensure the quality control of the proppants so that they are suitable for use in hydraulic and other reservoir fracturing methods. Injection of the manufactured proppant in fracking thus sequesters the carbon from the original captured CO2 in the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Dallin P. LAYCOCK, Charlotte PLOMBIN, Samuel K. Huisman
  • Patent number: 11542750
    Abstract: A drill string system includes a drill bit disposed at a distal end of a drill string. A clutch is coupled with the drill bit. A mud motor is coupled to the clutch, and the mud motor is operable to receive a drilling fluid therein and transfer torque to the drill bit through the clutch. The clutch disengages upon application of a torque exceeding a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventor: Hans-Jacob Lund
  • Publication number: 20220356393
    Abstract: Method of making and using a proppant from captured carbon in either a carbon mineralization process or in a carbon nanomaterial manufacturing process, followed by treatments to ensure the quality control of the proppants so that they are suitable for use in hydraulic and other reservoir fracturing methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Dallin P. Laycock, Charlotte Plombin, Samuel K. Huisman
  • Publication number: 20220325170
    Abstract: The instant application relates to nanogels or compositions that hold multivalent metal ions until some level of nanogel degradation has occurred, then slowly release the multivalent metal ions for gelation with carboxylate containing polymers. Compositions comprising such nanogels, together with polymers that can be crosslinked with multivalent metal ions, allow the deployment of such mixtures in various applications, and greatly increased gelation times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicants: ConocoPhillips Company, UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
    Inventors: Huili GUAN, Cory BERKLAND, Ahmad MORADI-ARAGHI, Jenn-Tai LIANG, Terry M. CHRISTIAN, Riley B. NEEDHAM, Min CHENG, Faye Lynn SCULLY, James H. HEDGES
  • Patent number: 11377918
    Abstract: The invention relates to the measurement of the rheology of drilling fluid down a hydrocarbon well in real time during operations. A sensor device comprising a pipe rheometer with multiple diameters is installed in a bottom hole assembly tool, such that a portion of the total flow of drilling fluid passes through it. In this way the rheological properties of the drilling fluid can be determined under the high pressures and elevated temperatures encountered downhole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventor: Gunvald Nesheim
  • Patent number: 11377925
    Abstract: Method of plugging a hydrocarbon well by a through-tubing technique are described. The method allows the tubing to be left in place. Only a short (<2 m) section is cut, milled, perforated, ruptured and expanded, or combinations thereof. A blocking device is sent downhole to block a bottom of the plug section, and bismuth alloy pellets dropped onto the blocking device. A heater is deployed to melt the bismuth alloy pellets. Next, the alloy liquid is allowed to cool and solidify. During solidification, the alloy expands and fills the section of well to be plugged or a portion thereof. Once primary and secondary barriers are in place, the well can be closed and the Christmas tree removed. A rock-to-rock plug can be set by removing or partially removing the tubular and outer casing, or just inner casing/tubulars can be removed if the exterior cement and casing are of sufficient quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Dan Mueller, Geir Ove Titlestad, David D. Hearn, Curtis G. Blount, Rick D. Watts, Randall S. Shafer, Dale R. Doherty
  • Patent number: 11353443
    Abstract: Methods of combining mineral composition and laboratory test results for reservoir rock samples to predict future responses to secondary and tertiary oil recovery treatments are disclosed. Particular, SEM and EDS will be combined to produce a mineral map, including mineral distribution around the rock's pore space, for comparison with laboratory data to predict and/or interpret how certain mineral distributions will respond to various fluid-rock interactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: James J. Howard, Gary Lovell
  • Patent number: 11352878
    Abstract: Monitoring and diagnosing completion during hydraulic fracturing operations provides insights into the fracture geometry, inter-well frac hits and connectivity. Conventional monitoring methods (microseismic, borehole gauges, tracers, etc.) can provide a range of information about the stimulated rock volume but may often be limited in detail or clouded by uncertainty. Utilization of DAS as a fracture monitoring tool is growing, however most of the applications have been limited to acoustic frequency bands of the DAS recorded signal. Low-frequency Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) signal is used to constrain hydraulic fracture geometry. Events like fracture opening and closing, stress shadow creation and relaxation, ball seat and plug isolation can be clearly identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Ge Jin, Baishali Roy
  • Patent number: 11346176
    Abstract: A plug for Plug and Abandonment (P&A) operations. The plug is a two-part plug of bismuth-based alloy and resin, allowing for sealing of an oil well using two different mechanisms with a shorter plug. The sealing can be rock-to-rock and/or cast-in-place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventor: Randall S. Shafer
  • Patent number: 11286764
    Abstract: A system and method to conform data flow are provided. The system includes a queue configured to receive at least one data stream, and a processor configured to convert the at least one data stream to a continuous data stream, and output the continuous data stream at a constant rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Bradford L. Cobb, Stacey C. Ramsay
  • Patent number: 11286771
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for determining surfactant retention values in subterranean reservoirs. In particular, the methods comprise conducting at least one single well chemical tracer test and performing a straight line analysis on a saturation profile of the subterranean reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Gaoming Li, Riley B. Needham, Sriram Solairaj
  • Patent number: 11243317
    Abstract: Methods of analyzing and optimizing a seismic survey design are described. Specifically, the sampling quality is analyzed as opposed to the overall quality of the whole survey. This allows for analysis of the impact of the offsets, obstacles, and other aspects of the survey on the sampling quality, which will improve the ability to compress the resulting data and minimize acquisition footprints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Peter M. Eick, Joel D. Brewer