Patents Assigned to ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
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Patent number: 9732673Abstract: Methods and systems for low emission power generation in hydrocarbon recovery processes are provided. One system includes a gas turbine system configured to stoichiometrically combust a compressed oxidant and a fuel in the presence of a compressed recycle exhaust gas and expand the discharge in an expander to generate a gaseous exhaust stream and drive a main compressor. A boost compressor can receive and increase the pressure of the gaseous exhaust stream and inject it into an evaporative cooling tower configured to use an exhaust nitrogen gas having a low relative humidity as an evaporative cooling media. The cooled gaseous exhaust stream is then compressed and recirculated through the system as a diluent to moderate the temperature of the stoichiometric combustion.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2011Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Robert D. Denton, Himanshu Gupta, Richard Huntington, Moses Minta, Franklin F. Mittricker, Loren K. Starcher
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Patent number: 9733388Abstract: Systems and methods which utilize functional objects in connectivity analysis are shown. Functional objects may be denoted by a geological feature, a user-defined location, a critical point in a connection network, a region within a 3D volume, etc. Each functional object preferably possesses and/or has associated therewith an ability to obtain information such as relevant connection pathways, linked regions of interest, statistical connection information, etc. Such functional objects may have dynamic regions associated therewith, such as to define an area of uncertainty, for facilitating exploring connectivity. Desired connectivity information can be revealed interactively from within a confusing web of connection pathways through use of the functional objects. Through interactive manipulation of functional objects analysis may be refined or revised. Additionally or alternatively, logical operations may be applied with respect to one or more functional objects to extend or reduce the connectivity of interest.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2009Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream research CompanyInventors: James E. Holl, Yao-Chou Cheng, Mark W. Dobin
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Patent number: 9733391Abstract: Method and system is described for modeling one or more geophysical properties of a subsurface volume. In one embodiment, a method of modeling the subsurface comprises obtaining one or more subsurface volume and obtaining an interpretation of the subsurface volume. One or more flexible geologic concepts are defined and applied to the interpretation of the subsurface volume. The one or more geologic concepts comprise one or more flexible geologic concepts. A modified interpretation of the subsurface volume is obtained based upon the applied geologic concepts.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2014Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Pavel Dimitrov, Matthias Imhof, Martin Terrell, John S. Lien
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Patent number: 9733371Abstract: In the present inventive method, individual traces of seismic data are migrated (41) without any assembling of different midpoints or any summing of different offsets, so that post-migration processing or analysis, e.g. trace alignment, may be applied to the individual migrated traces (42) to compensate for any deficiencies among them, before stack and assembly. Thus, the present invention fully separates the steps of migration (41), assembly (43), and stacking (44), which are combined together in traditional migration. Thus, imaging deficiencies can be measured and addressed in the image space before they are obscured by summation. Afterward, summation can proceed to construct the improved final image (45).Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2014Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: William A. Burnett, Andrew P. Shatilo, Thomas A. Dickens
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Patent number: 9732675Abstract: Methods and systems for CO2 separation for low emission power generation in combined-cycle power plants are provided. One system includes a gas turbine system that stoichiometrically combusts a fuel and an oxidant in the presence of a compressed recycle stream to provide mechanical power and a gaseous exhaust. The compressed recycle stream acts as a diluent to moderate the temperature of the combustion process. A boost compressor can boost the pressure of the gaseous exhaust before being compressed into the compressed recycle stream. A purge stream is tapped off from the compressed recycle stream and directed to a CO2 separator configured to absorb CO2 from the purge stream using a potassium carbonate solvent.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2011Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Russell H. Oelfke, Moses Minta
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Patent number: 9725989Abstract: A sand control device is used for restricting the flow of particles from a subsurface formation into a tubular body within a wellbore during production operations. The sand control device is divided into compartments along its length that provide redundancy for particle filtration. Each compartment first comprises a base pipe. The base pipe defines an elongated tubular body having a permeable section and an impermeable section within each compartment. Each compartment also comprises a first filtering conduit and a second filtering conduit. The filtering conduits comprise filtering media and generally circumscribe the base pipe. The filtering conduits are arranged so that the first filtering conduit is adjacent to the non-permeable section of the base pipe, while the second filtering conduit is adjacent to the permeable section of the base pipe.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2014Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Christian S. Mayer, Charles S. Yeh, David A. Howell, Pavlin B. Entchev, Eric R. Grueschow, Ted A. Long, Tracy J. Moffett, Michael D. Barry, Michael T. Hecker, John S. Sladic, Christopher A. Hall, Stephen McNamee
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Patent number: 9719978Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting oil proximate to a body of ice is disclosed herein. An example system includes an energy emitter disposed proximate to a first surface of a body of ice. An energy detector is disposed proximate to a second surface of the body of ice. The energy detector is used to map a distribution of oil proximate to the body of ice based, at least in part, on differences in energy transmitted through the body of ice.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2016Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Timothy J. Nedwed, Changyong Zhang, David A. Palandro
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Patent number: 9719682Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and systems for controlling a combustion reaction and the products thereof. One embodiment includes a combustion control system having an oxygenation stream substantially comprising oxygen and CO2 and having an oxygen to CO2 ratio, then mixing the oxygenation stream with a combustion fuel stream and combusting in a combustor to generate a combustion products stream having a temperature and a composition detected by a temperature sensor and an oxygen analyzer, respectively, the data from which are used to control the flow and composition of the oxygenation and combustion fuel streams. The system may also include a gas turbine with an expander and having a load and a load controller in a feedback arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2014Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Franklin F. Mittricker, Loren K. Starcher, Chad C. Rasmussen, Richard A. Huntington, Frank Hershkowitz
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Patent number: 9719380Abstract: A system and methods for power generation uses non-aqueous solvent. The method includes treating oil sands with a non-aqueous solvent to extract bitumen in an extraction process and separating the non-aqueous solvent from the bitumen in a solvent recovery process. The method also includes heating the non-aqueous solvent, expanding the non-aqueous solvent to generate power, and cooling the non-aqueous solvent. The method further includes recycling at least a portion of the non-aqueous solvent to the extraction process.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2012Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Douglas W. Hissong, O. Angus Sites
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Patent number: 9714374Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a system and methods for protecting a fluid stream from fouling using particles that include phase change materials. In an example, the particles are injected into the fluid stream and release energy at a selected temperature, which may warm the fluid stream.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2012Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Nader S Berchane, Chisa K Brookes, Douglas J Turner, Jason W Lachance
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Patent number: 9713787Abstract: The embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to adsorbent beds, adsorbent contactors, and methods of using same. The disclosure includes polymer filaments that include an adsorbent particle, such as a zeolite, metal oxide, metal organic framework. A plurality of fibers composed of the polymer filaments can be formed into an adsorbent bed for use in pressure swing and/or temperature swing adsorption processes. The plurality of fibers can be packed into a bed randomly, spirally wound, or woven into a fabric that can be formed into a contacting structure. The adsorbent particle can be contained within the polymer filament and can interact with a medium having a component for adsorption by being in fluid communication with the medium via tortuous pathways within the polymer.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2015Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Tracie L. Owens, Daniel P. Leta
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Patent number: 9708977Abstract: A system includes a turbine having an exhaust flow path through a plurality of turbine stages, wherein the plurality of turbine stages is driven by combustion products flowing through the exhaust flow path, at least one main combustor disposed upstream from the turbine, wherein the at least one main combustor is configured to combust a fuel with a first oxidant and an exhaust gas to generate the combustion products, at least one reheat combustor disposed in or between turbine stages of the turbine, wherein the at least one reheat combustor is configured to reheat the combustion products by adding a second oxidant to react with unburnt fuel in the combustion products, and an exhaust gas compressor, wherein the exhaust gas compressor is configured to compress and route the exhaust gas from the turbine to the at least one main combustor along an exhaust recirculation path.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2013Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignees: General Electric Company, ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: John Farrior Woodall, Andrei Tristan Evulet, Samuel David Draper
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Patent number: 9703006Abstract: A method for matching production history to flow simulations includes identifying a plurality of parameters that control an objective function measuring the mismatch between a flow simulation response in a parameter subspace and a production history. A value is calculated for an objective function and for a static measurement at each of a plurality of experiments in the parameter subspace. These results are used to develop a mathematical relationship between one or more static measurements and the objective function. During subsequent adjustment of the simulation model, a target window in the objective function is identified, and flow simulations are performed for each modified model that is predicted from the static geologic measurement to produce an objective function within the window. An objective function of each flow simulation to the production history is calculated and the procedure is iterated until the objective function is within a target range.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2010Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: David Stern, Adedayo S. Oyerinde, Isha Sahni, Ganesan S. Subramanian
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Patent number: 9702993Abstract: Method for multi-parameter inversion using elastic inversion. This method decomposes data into offset/angle groups and performs inversion on them in sequential order. This method can significantly speed up convergence of the iterative inversion process, and is therefore most advantageous when used for full waveform inversion (FWI). The present inventive approach draws upon relationships between reflection energy and reflection angle, or equivalently, offset dependence in elastic FWI. The invention uses recognition that the amplitudes of small angle (near offset) reflections are largely determined by acoustic impedance alone (1), independent for the most part of Vp/Vs. Large angle (middle and far offset) reflections are affected by Ip, Vp/Vs (2) and other earth parameters such as density (3) and anisotropy.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2014Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Ke Wang, Spyridon Lazaratos
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Patent number: 9702995Abstract: Method for estimating geological properties in a subsurface region using multiple types of geophysical data (21). An initial physical properties model 22 is constructed. Some parameters in the model are frozen (23) and optionally portions of the model wave number and spatial domains (24) and the data frequency and data time domains (25), are also frozen. Then, a joint inversion (26) of the multiple data types is performed to calculate an update to the model only for the portions that are not frozen. The converged model (27) for this inversion is used as a new starting model, and the process is repeated (28), possibly several times, unfreezing more parameters and data each time until the desired spatial and parameter resolution (29) has been achieved.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2012Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream research CompanyInventors: Christopher DiCaprio, Jan Schmedes, Charlie Jing, Garrett M. Leahy, Anoop A. Mullur, Rebecca L. Saltzer
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Patent number: 9702998Abstract: Method for using the full wavefield (primaries, internal multiples and free-surface multiples) in inversion of marine seismic data, including both pressure and vertical velocity data (21), to infer a subsurface model of acoustic velocity or other physical property. The marine seismic data are separated (22) into up-going (23) and down-going (24) wavefields, and both wavefields are inverted in a joint manner, in which the final model is impacted by both wavefields. This may be achieved by inverting both wavefields simultaneously (25), or one after the other, i.e. in a cascaded approach (35?37, or 45?47), for the subsurface properties (26, 38, 48).Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2014Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Reeshidev Bansal, Anatoly Baumstein, Partha S. Routh
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Patent number: 9696442Abstract: A hydrocarbon exploration method for determining subsurface properties from geophysical survey data. Rock physics trends are identified and for each trend a rock physics model is determined that relates the subsurface property to geophysical properties (103). The uncertainty in the rock physics trends is also estimated (104). A geophysical forward model is selected (105), and its uncertainty is estimated (106). These quantities are used in an optimization process (107) resulting in an estimate of the subsurface property and its uncertainty.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2014Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Weichang Li, Max Deffenbaugh, Dominique G. Gillard, Ganglin Chen, Xiaoxia Xu
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Patent number: 9689309Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for generating power in combined low emission turbine systems and capturing and recovering carbon dioxide from the exhaust. In one or more embodiments, the exhaust from multiple turbine systems is combined, cooled, compressed, and separated to yield a carbon dioxide-containing effluent stream and a nitrogen-containing product stream. Portions of the recycled exhaust streams and the product streams may be used as diluents to regulate combustion in each combustor of the turbine systems.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2012Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Russell H. Oelfke, Richard A. Huntington, Sulabh K. Dhanuka, Dennis M. O'Dea, Robert D. Denton, O. Angus Sites, Franklin F. Mittricker
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Patent number: 9683777Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a method and systems for separating carbon dioxide from heavy hydrocarbons. The method includes cooling a first liquid stream including carbon dioxide and heavy hydrocarbons within an oscillatory crystallization unit to generate carbon dioxide solids and a second liquid stream including the heavy hydrocarbons. The method also includes separating the carbon dioxide solids from the second liquid stream via a solid-liquid separation system.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2013Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventor: Srinivas N. Moorkanikkara
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Patent number: 9683175Abstract: Systems and methods for removing fluid from a slurry fluid and a plurality of solid particles including flowing a slurry stream that includes the slurry through a slurry conduit, injecting a displacing fluid through a first perforated region that is in fluid communication with the slurry conduit, displacing at least a portion of the slurry fluid from the slurry, and producing a displaced fluid stream, which may include the displaced portion of the slurry fluid and/or a portion of the injected displacing fluid, from a second perforated region that is in fluid communication with the slurry conduit. The systems and methods also may include producing a product slurry stream from the slurry conduit, separating the components of the displaced fluid stream, separating the components of the product slurry stream, and/or recycling a portion of one or more of the streams.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2012Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Robert D. Kaminsky, Matthew A Dawson