Patents Assigned to ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
  • Patent number: 11229874
    Abstract: Systems and methods for selectively removing hydrogen sulfide from a feed gas stream. The systems include an absorber-heat exchanger (ABHEX) assembly configured to exchange thermal energy between a mixed stream and a thermal management fluid stream. The ABHEX assembly defines a mixed stream volume and a thermal management fluid stream volume. The ABHEX assembly includes an isolation structure that maintains fluid separation between the mixed stream and the thermal management fluid stream and facilitates thermal communication between the mixed stream and the thermal management fluid stream. The ABHEX assembly is configured to receive and to mix the feed gas stream and a lean solvent stream to generate the mixed stream, to separate the mixed stream into a product gas stream and a rich solvent stream, and to cool the mixed stream. The methods include methods of operating the systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Donald J. Victory, Suhas P. Mondkar, P. Scott Northrop, Jenny P. Seagraves
  • Patent number: 11231514
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating attenuation-compensated images of subsurface region, including: computing an image of the region utilizing elastic wave propagation, based on field data and subsurface model; generating forward-modeled data utilizing forward viscoelastic wave propagation, based on the image; computing secondary image by migration; computing NMF based on the images; and applying the NMF to the image to generate the attenuation-compensated image. A method and apparatus includes: iteratively computing attenuation-compensated gradient of the region utilizing an elastic wave propagation operator in the back-propagation and a viscoelastic wave propagation operator in the forward modelling, based on field data and subsurface model; computing search direction based on the attenuation-compensated gradient, searching for an improved model, and checking the improved model for convergence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Sirui Tan, Junzhe Sun
  • Patent number: 11215410
    Abstract: A scraped heat exchanger apparatus, including a vessel and a plurality of internally cooled plates disposed parallel to each other within the vessel. A rotating shaft is disposed at a central axis of the vessel. A rotating scraper arm, connected to the rotating shaft, moves between adjacent plates. The rotating scraper arm includes a scraper positioned to scrape solids from the outer surfaces of adjacent plates. A cooling fluid flows through an interior of each plate. The cooling fluid cools a gaseous process fluid flowing between adjacent plates. An opening in each of the plates permits the process fluid, and solids removed from the process fluid and scraped by the rotating scraper arm, to pass through the plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Kaminsky, Marcel Staedter
  • Patent number: 11208886
    Abstract: Various embodiments described herein provide methods of hydrocarbon management and associated systems and/or computer readable media including executable instructions. Such methods (and by extension their associated systems and/or computer readable media for implementing such methods) may include obtaining geophysical data (e.g., seismic or other geophysical data) from a prospective subsurface formation (that is, a potential formation or other subsurface region of interest for any of various reasons, but in particular due to potential for production of hydrocarbons) and using a trained machine learning (ML) system for direct hydrocarbon indicators (DHI) analysis of the obtained geophysical data. Hydrocarbon management decisions may be guided by the DHI analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Kurt J. Steffen, Cody J. MacDonald, Jie Zhang
  • Patent number: 11208875
    Abstract: A method of lifting liquids from a formation using a plunger lift assembly. The method includes dropping a multi-component plunger lift assembly from a wellhead and into a wellbore. This is done in response to a release signal or in response to a wellhead being shut in. The wellbore has a deviated section which may extend to horizontal. The multi-component plunger lift assembly includes a cylindrical plunger and a sphere. These components are released into the wellbore simultaneously. In response to reservoir formation gases passing into the wellbore, the method also includes allowing the plunger lift assembly to move up the wellbore and to the wellhead, thereby pushing liquids upwardly towards the wellhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Jason T. Sodowsky, Harold Douglas Selby, Kirk B. Ross
  • Patent number: 11203927
    Abstract: A method and system are described for wirelessly communicating along tubular members. The method includes determining, constructing and installing a communication network, which communicates using one or more communication coupling devices along one or more tubular members. The communication network is used to perform operations for a system, such as hydrocarbon operations, which may involve hydrocarbon exploration, hydrocarbon development, and/or hydrocarbon production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Timothy F. Kinn, Xiaohua Yi, Scott William Clawson, Mark M. Disko, Kenneth W. Desmond, Jeff H. Moss
  • Patent number: 11180976
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining the frequency of a multi-rate well testing operation in a gas-lifted hydrocarbon well. A well performance characteristic of the well is monitored using single-rate well tests. The monitored well performance characteristic is compared to a current well model performance characteristic. If the monitored well performance characteristic differs from the current well model performance characteristic by less than a predetermined amount, an amount of gas is injected into the well based on the current well model performance characteristic. If the monitored well performance characteristic differs from the current well model performance characteristic by more than a predetermined amount, a multi-rate well test is initiated the results of the multi-rate well test are fitted to a revised well model performance characteristic, and an amount of gas is injected into the well based on the revised well model performance characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Marco De Mattia, Mahsa Memarzadeh, Curtis J. Holub, Amr S. El-Bakry
  • Patent number: 11181653
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating an image of a subsurface region including obtaining geophysical data/properties for the subsurface region; resampling the geophysical data/properties to generate a resampled data set; iteratively (a) inverting the resampled data set with an initial prior model to generate a new model; and (b) updating the new model based on learned information to generate an updated prior model; substituting the initial prior model in each iteration with the updated prior model from an immediately-preceding iteration; and determining an end point for the iteration. A final updated model may thereby be obtained, which may be used in managing hydrocarbons. Inversion may be based upon linear physics for the first one or more iterations, while subsequent iterations may be based upon non-linear physics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Jan Schmedes, Di Yang, Ratnanabha Sain, David D. McAdow
  • Patent number: 11180986
    Abstract: Discrete wellbore devices, hydrocarbon wells including a downhole communication network and the discrete wellbore devices, and systems and methods including the same are disclosed herein. The discrete wellbore devices include a wellbore tool and a communication device. The wellbore tool is configured to perform a downhole operation within a wellbore conduit that is defined by a wellbore tubular of the hydrocarbon well. The communication device is operatively coupled for movement with the wellbore tool within the wellbore conduit. The communication device is configured to communicate with a downhole communication network that extends along the wellbore tubular via a wireless communication signal. The methods include actively and/or passively detecting a location of the discrete wellbore device within the wellbore conduit. The methods additionally or alternatively include wireless communication between the discrete wellbore device and the downhole communication network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Timothy I. Morrow, Renzo M. Angeles Boza, Bruce A. Dale
  • Patent number: 11181493
    Abstract: A method for determining the porosity of a core sample can include: submerging a core sample in a NMR saturation fluid, wherein the core sample has a permeability of 10 mD or less; exposing the fluid to a vacuum while the core sample is submerged the NMR saturation fluid for a sufficient period of time to saturate the core sample; removing the vacuum while maintaining the core sample submerged the NMR saturation fluid; taking a NMR measurement of fluids in the core sample; and determining a porosity of the core sample based on a correlation between the NMR measurement and a NMR signal to fluid volume calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Pavel Kortunov, Hubert E. King, Harry W. Deckman, Shreerang S. Chhatre
  • Patent number: 11180985
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a liquid level above a horizontal segment of a wellbore in a formation are disclosed. Local temperatures and pressures are determined for each of a plurality of zones along the wellbore segment. For each zone, a local inflow rate is determined for fluids entering the wellbore from the formation. Based on the local inflow rate, local temperature, and local pressure, a local reservoir pressure is determined, and a local liquid level is determined based on the local reservoir pressure and a pressure associated with an injector wellbore positioned above the horizontal segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Sriram Doraiswamy, Ted A. Long, Neal L. Adair
  • Patent number: 11163081
    Abstract: A method including: obtaining intercept and gradient stacks and an effective stress volume that correspond to seismic data for a subsurface region; determining Chi angles as a function of effective stress; and generating a seismic volume with the Chi angles that vary as a function of effective stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Rick A. Box
  • Patent number: 11163092
    Abstract: System and method for scalable and reliable scheduling of iterative seismic full wavefield inversion algorithms with alternating parallel and serial stages of computation on massively parallel computing systems. The workers are independent, initiating actions and unaware of each other, and given limited information. This enables application of optimal scheduling, load-balancing, and reliability techniques specific to seismic inversion problems. The central dispatcher specifies the structure of the inversion, including task dependency, and keeps track of progress of work. Management tools enable the user to make performance and reliability improvements during the execution of the seismic inversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Aleksandar Bobrek, Anoop A. Mullur, Christopher S. Beard, Arrian M. Brantley, Michael B. Townsley, Pavel Dimitrov
  • Patent number: 11156570
    Abstract: A method for determining the fluid mobility of a core sample can include: determining a porosity of a core sample having a permeability of 10 mD or less; saturating the core sample with a NMR saturation fluid; taking a first NMR measurement of fluids in the core sample; diffusionally exchanging a hydrophobic fluid or a hydrophilic fluid in the core sample in a hydrophobic NMR exchange fluid or a hydrophilic NMR exchange fluid, respectively; taking a second NMR measurement of the fluid in the core sample after diffusional exchange; and deriving a property of the core sample based on the porosity, a NMR signal to fluid volume calibration, and a comparison between the first and the second NMR measurements, the property being selected from the group consisting of a mobile oil volume, an immobile hydrocarbon volume, a mobile water volume, an immobile water volume, and a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Pavel Kortunov, Hubert E. King, Harry W. Deckman
  • Patent number: 11156081
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for operating and maintaining downhole wireless networks. The methods and systems utilize a downhole tool, such as a downhole tool comprising a communications device, to perform maintenance on the downhole wireless network, and for overcoming and/or correcting communications errors along the network. The downhole tool may also be used for updating and reprograming communication nodes in the downhole wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Mark M. Disko, Scott W. Clawson, Katie M. Walker, Renzo M. Angeles Boza, Limin Song
  • Patent number: 11148091
    Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing and using a self-supporting structure in processing unit for adsorption or catalytic processes. The self-supporting structure has greater than 50% by weight of the active material in the self-supporting structure to provide a foam-geometry structure providing access to the active material. The self-supporting structures, which may be disposed in a processing unit, may be used in swing adsorption processes and other processes to enhance the recovery of hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: John F. Brody, Paul J. Tindall
  • Patent number: 11143453
    Abstract: A system and method for producing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from a natural gas stream. Each of a plurality of LNG trains liquefies a portion of the natural gas stream to generate a warm LNG stream in a first operating mode, and a cold LNG stream in a second operating mode. A sub-cooling unit is configured to, in the first operating mode, sub-cool the warm LNG streams generated by each of the plurality of LNG trains to thereby generate a plurality of cold LNG streams. The warm LNG streams have a higher temperature than a temperature of the cold LNG streams in the second operating mode and the plurality of cold LNG streams. The combined flow rate of the plurality of cold LNG streams has, in the first operating mode, a higher flow rate than the combined flow rate of the cold LNG streams in the second operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Sorin Lupascu, Yow-Yeen Lee
  • Patent number: 11142681
    Abstract: Methods to optimize solvent use in solvent-dominated processes for recovery of hydrocarbons. Methods include injecting a solvent composition into a reservoir at a pressure above a liquid/vapor phase change of the solvent composition; injecting a chaser into the reservoir at a pressure above the liquid/vapor phase change of the solvent composition; allowing the solvent composition to mix with hydrocarbons in the reservoir and at least partially dissolve into the hydrocarbons to produce a solvent/hydrocarbon mixture; reducing the pressure in the reservoir below the liquid/vapor phase change pressure of the solvent composition thereby flowing at least a fraction of the solvent/hydrocarbon mixture from the reservoir; and repeating these steps as required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Jianlin Wang, Weidong Guo, Lu Dong, Chen Fang, Mathew D. Suitor
  • Patent number: 11131181
    Abstract: A method and controller system are described for automatically tuning a controller of a drilling rig. The controller system includes a controller that determines a moving average of measured values, determines a moving standard deviation of the measured values, defines an outer zone of measured values with the determined moving average and the determined moving standard deviation, defines an inner zone of measured values with the determined moving average and the determined moving standard deviation, monitors the measured values for the occurrence of statistical events with respect to the outer zone and inner zone. Based on the detected statistical event, the controller adjusts the gain of the controller the based on the statistical event being associated with the outer zone or inner zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Thomas A. Badgwell, Paul E. Pastusek, Krishnan Kumaran, David J. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11131177
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and techniques for deep reservoir stimulation of a hydrocarbon-containing subsurface formation. The methods may comprise introducing or injecting a formation-dissolving fluid, such as a wet acid-forming gas, into the subsurface formation; allowing the formation-dissolving fluid, such as the wet acid-forming gas, to react with the subsurface formation for a period of time; and producing hydrocarbons from the subsurface formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Mauro Lo Cascio, William L. Esch, Richard E. Beckham, Edward C. Wanat, Shawn Fullmer, Chris Eric Shuchart