Patents Assigned to EnCana Corporation
  • Patent number: 8851179
    Abstract: A process and process line is provided for preparing a friction-reduced hydraulic fracturing fluid at a central location which can be readily transported to an oil or gas well in a formation at a well site, comprising: preparing a mixture of polymer and water at the central location by shearing the polymer in the water in a high shear environment to create the friction-reduced hydraulic fracturing fluid; pumping the friction-reduced hydraulic fracturing fluid through a series of pumps and pipelines to the well site; and injecting the hydraulic fracturing fluid into the oil or gas well at a pressure sufficient to cause fracturing of the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Encana Corporation
    Inventors: Grant Todd DeFosse, Lois Louise McCorriston
  • Publication number: 20130319668
    Abstract: An assembly and process for fracturing, stimulating and producing a wellbore having a plurality of oil or gas producing zones is provided comprising introducing into the well the pumpable seat assembly comprising a generally cylindrical tube having an outer diameter and an inner diameter with an upper end forming a ball seat; setting the pumpable seat assembly below an oil or gas producing zone to be produced; introducing a dissolvable ball into the well, said dissolvable ball having a sufficiently large enough outer circumference so that it can sit on the ball seat and temporarily restrict a flow of fluids to the portion of the wellbore located below the pumpable seat assembly; and fracturing the oil and gas producing zone to stimulate oil or gas production; whereby the biodegradable ball is configured to dissolve within a predetermined period of time so that when it dissolves any oil or gas produced from zones below the pumpable seat assembly can flow through the cylindrical tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Encana Corporation
    Inventors: SAM TSCHETTER, ARMIN JAHANGIRI
  • Publication number: 20130312870
    Abstract: A compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station module is provided. The module includes a vault for below grade installation, the vault comprising a compressor for compressing natural gas, a storage tank for holding compressed natural gas, a dispenser for dispensing compressed natural gas, each of the compressor, the storage tank and the dispenser in fluid communication with each other. Secured to the vault is a canopy for above grade orientation, the canopy comprising a CNG fuel nozzle in fluid communication with the dispenser and an interface for allowance purchase of the CNG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: EnCana Corporation
    Inventors: Paul D. Evans, Mark Epp, Sean Marte, Jan Kroman, Michael L. Farrar
  • Patent number: 8518159
    Abstract: A process and process line for treating water containing hydrogen sulfide for use as a hydraulic fracturing fluid is provided, to practice the following steps: separating a gaseous portion containing hydrogen sulfide from the water to form a first degassed water product; introducing the first degassed water product into a mechanical gas stripping unit and treating the first degassed water product with a stripper gas; recovering from the mechanical gas stripping unit at least one overhead vapor stream containing hydrogen sulfide and a stripped water stream as a bottom stream; degassing the stripped water stream in a degassing tank to produce a second degassed water product; and treating the second degassed water product with a hydrogen sulfide scavenger to produce a sweet water product having substantially reduced hydrogen sulfide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Encana Corporation
    Inventors: Lois Louise McCorriston, Jennifer N. Pond
  • Patent number: 8360152
    Abstract: A process and process line is provided for preparing a friction-reduced hydraulic fracturing fluid at a central location which can be readily transported to an oil or gas well in a formation at a well site, comprising: preparing a mixture of polymer and water at the central location by shearing the polymer in the water in a high shear environment to create the friction-reduced hydraulic fracturing fluid; pumping the friction-reduced hydraulic fracturing fluid through a series of pumps and pipelines to the well site; and injecting the hydraulic fracturing fluid into the oil or gas well at a pressure sufficient to cause fracturing of the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Encana Corporation
    Inventors: Grant DeFosse, Lois McCorriston
  • Patent number: 8235112
    Abstract: A gas flow system for removing a liquid from a well bore and allowing for gas production is provided. The gas flow system comprises a casing in the well bore for allowing flow of the liquid and gas; a tubing string in the casing for allowing flow of the liquid and gas; pressure measurement devices for use in determining a rate of liquid influx into the well bore; a casing control valve moveable between various positions ranging from fully open to fully closed for controlling flow through the casing; a tubing control valve moveable between various positions ranging from fully open to fully closed for controlling flow through the tubing; and flow measurement devices for determining the rate of flow through the tubing and the total rate of flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: EnCana Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Lowe, Javier Alfonso Becaria Valero, Clarence Robert Dyck
  • Patent number: 8215387
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for natural gas and oil recovery, which include the use of air injection and in situ combustion in natural gas reservoirs to facilitate production of natural gas and heavy oil in gas over bitumen formations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Encana Corporation
    Inventors: Larry Weiers, Ben Nzekwu
  • Patent number: 8167040
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for natural gas and oil recovery, which include the use of air injection and in situ combustion in natural gas reservoirs to facilitate production of natural gas and heavy oil in gas over bitumen formations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Encana Corporation
    Inventors: Larry Weiers, Ben Nzekwu
  • Patent number: 7954547
    Abstract: A gas flow system for removing a liquid from a well bore and allowing for gas production is provided. The gas flow system comprises a casing in the well bore for allowing flow of the liquid and gas; a tubing string in the casing for allowing flow of the liquid and gas; pressure measurement devices for use in determining a rate of liquid influx into the well bore; a casing control valve moveable between various positions ranging from fully open to fully closed for controlling flow through the casing; a tubing control valve moveable between various positions ranging from fully open to fully closed for controlling flow through the tubing; and flow measurement devices for determining the rate of flow through the tubing and the total rate of flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: EnCana Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Lowe, Javier Alfonso Becaria Valero, Clarence Robert Dyck
  • Patent number: 7900701
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for natural gas and oil recovery, which include the use of air injection and in situ combustion in natural gas reservoirs to facilitate production of natural gas and heavy oil in gas over bitumen formations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Encana Corporation
    Inventors: Larry Weiers, Ben Nzekwu
  • Publication number: 20100051267
    Abstract: A gas flow system for removing a liquid from a well bore and allowing for gas production is provided. The gas flow system comprises a casing in the well bore for allowing flow of the liquid and gas; a tubing string in the casing for allowing flow of the liquid and gas; pressure measurement devices for use in determining a rate of liquid influx into the well bore; a casing control valve moveable between various positions ranging from fully open to fully closed for controlling flow through the casing; a tubing control valve moveable between various positions ranging from fully open to fully closed for controlling flow through the tubing; and flow measurement devices for determining the rate of flow through the tubing and the total rate of flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: EnCana Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Lowe, Javier Alfonso Becaria Valero, Clarence Robert Dyck
  • Patent number: 7556099
    Abstract: A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir by operating a first injector-producer well pair under a substantially gravity-controlled recovery process, the first injector-producer well pair forming a first mobilized zone, operating a second injector-producer well pair under a substantially gravity-controlled recovery process, the second injector-producer well pair forming a second mobilized zone, the first injector-producer well pair and the second injector-producer well pair together being the adjacent well pairs, providing an infill well in a bypassed region, the bypassed region formed between the adjacent well pairs when the first mobilized zone and the second mobilized zone merge to form a common mobilized zone, operating the infill well to establish fluid communication between the infill well and the common mobilized zone, operating the infill well and the adjacent well pairs under a substantially gravity-controlled recovery process, and recovering hydrocarbons from the infill well
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Encana Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Arthur, Simon D. Gittins, Harbir S. Chhina
  • Publication number: 20090130732
    Abstract: A process for the conversion of heavy oil or bitumen to methane by chemical oxidation and bioconversion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: EnCana Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip M. Fedorak, Julia M. Foght Robinson, Murray R. Gray
  • Patent number: 7516789
    Abstract: The invention provides hydrocarbon recovery processes that may be utilized in heavy oil reservoirs. Horizontal hydrocarbon production wells may be provided below horizontal oxidizing gas injection wells, with distant combustion gas production wells offset from the injection well by a distance that is greater than the hydrocarbon production well offset distance. Oxidizing gases injected into the reservoir through the injection well support in situ combustion, to mobilize hydrocarbons. The process may be adapted for use in a reservoir that has undergone depletion of petroleum in a precedential petroleum recovery process, such as a steam-assisted-gravity-drainage process, leaving a residual oil deposit in the reservoir as well as mobile zone chambers. Processes of the invention may be modulated so that a portion of the residual oil supports in situ combustion, while a larger portion of the residual oil is produced, by channelling combustion gases along the pre-existing mobile zones with the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: EnCana Corporation
    Inventors: Harbir S. Chhina, Ben Nzekwu
  • Publication number: 20090014174
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an approach to reducing or eliminating the plugging of slots in a slotted liner while otherwise allowing the liner to function in its normal capacity as a solids exclusion device which permits the reservoir fluids to flow through relatively freely. The approach taught by the present invention involves coating the surface of the slot with a suitable material. The coating at least partially covers the irregularities that are formed on the slot surfaces as a consequence of the slot manufacturing process. The presence of the coating results in a markedly reduced slot plugging problem while still enabling the slot to perform its main function in excluding or inhibiting the inflow of larger particles and allowing the inflow of fluids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: EnCana Corporation
    Inventor: E. Douglas Hollies
  • Patent number: 6984292
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for treating produced water from a heavy oil thermal recovery unit to achieve water recovery and recycle levels of greater than 80% and as high as 100% to achieve zero discharge criteria. The method includes the initial steps of capturing the waste heat energy from the high pressure steam separator located downstream of the steam generators. Further, transferring the heat energy into a heated separator and reboiler exchanger to distill oil reservoir produced water and recover distilled water and a concentrated brine or solid product. The heated separator concentrated stream is circulated through the reboiler exchanger to maintain from 1% to about 50% mass vapour in the stream returning to the heated separator and prevent fouling and scaling. The apparatus includes a low pressure waste energy separator, heated separator and vapour compressor in combination with a forced circulation circuit to generate the distilled water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: EnCana Corporation
    Inventors: Steve Kresnyak, Alex Braun
  • Patent number: D675340
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: EnCana Corporation
    Inventors: Paul D. Evans, Mark Epp, Sean Marte, Jan Kroman, Michael L. Farrar