Patents Assigned to ExxonMobil Upstream Research
  • Patent number: 9932874
    Abstract: The present techniques are directed to a system and methods for operating a gas turbine system. An exemplary gas turbine system includes an oxidant system, a fuel system, and a control system. A combustor is adapted to receive and combust an oxidant from the oxidant system and a fuel from the fuel system to produce an exhaust gas. A catalyst unit including an oxidation catalyst that includes an oxygen storage component is configured to reduce the concentration of oxygen in the exhaust gas to form a low oxygen content product gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Tilman W Beutel, Sulabh K Dhanuka
  • Patent number: 9919237
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for reducing maldistribution of liquids and vapors in packed towers. An exemplary separation system includes a separation tower including at least two packed beds, and a vapor redistribution plate disposed between two sequentially disposed packed beds, wherein the vapor redistribution plate is configured to mix a vapor from a lower packed bed before introducing the vapor into an upper packed bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Srinivas N. Moorkanikkara, Edward J. Grave, John T. Cullinane
  • Patent number: 9922142
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a reservoir simulation are based on data from an unstructured grid using a structured grid reservoir simulator. Exemplary methods comprise obtaining an unstructured grid reservoir model comprising a reservoir model discretized on an unstructured grid. A virtual structured grid is defined for the unstructured grid reservoir model. The unstructured grid is aligned with the virtual structured grid by adding cells to the unstructured grid to make the unstructured grid and virtual structured grid have the same number of cells. The virtual structured grid may be represented in the unstructured grid. Structured grid reservoir simulator input data comprising reservoir model data assigned to the virtual structured grid is prepared based on reservoir model data in the unstructured grid model. A structured grid reservoir simulation is performed using the structured grid reservoir simulator input data to produce a reservoir simulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Li Dachang, Aaron G. Dawson, III, Abimbola B. Obigbesan, Dosite Samuel Perkins, II, Steven Gale Smith, Andrew W. Stackel
  • Patent number: 9915200
    Abstract: A system includes a fuel control system configured to control a fuel flow to one or more combustors and an oxidant control system configured to control an oxidant flow to each combustor of the one or more combustors, wherein the oxidant flow is configured to at least partially react with the fuel flow within the one or more combustors to form an exhaust gas flow. The system also includes an exhaust gas system configured to direct a recirculation flow of the exhaust gas flow to each combustor of the one or more combustors; and a controller coupled to the fuel control system, the oxidant control system, and the exhaust gas system. The controller is configured to independently control a fuel-to-oxidant ratio and an exhaust gas-to-oxidant ratio. The FOR is the fuel flow divided by the oxidant flow, and the EGOR is the recirculation flow divided by the oxidant flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignees: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, EXXONMOBIL UPSTREAM RESEARCH COMPANY
    Inventors: Karl Dean Minto, Ilya Aleksandrovich Slobodyanskiy, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., John Joseph Lipinski
  • Patent number: 9915742
    Abstract: Method and system are described for generating a stratigraphic model of a subsurface volume. Measured geophysical data are converted into a vector volume (106) by assigning to each sample in each trace in the data volume a vector representing dip, azimuth or confidence. Then a labeled volume is generated from the vector volume by assigning a label to each sample in an initial trace (1006), then selecting a propagation pattern (1008) and propagating the labels to other traces (1010). Horizons can be extracted (110) from the labeled volume, and utilized to enhance the process of producing hydrocarbons (114).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Pavel Dimitrov, Matthias Imhof
  • Patent number: 9910189
    Abstract: Method for rapidly computing updates to frequency-domain seismic wave fields by utilizing a matrix perturbation approach. The method speeds up model (e.g., velocity) parameter estimation by iterative inversion of measured seismic data. The method applies to the line search where the optimal size of the model update is estimated by testing different size updates to see which one generates the minimum objective function. By treating the model update as a perturbation, perturbation theory is used to relate the model perturbation to a corresponding wavefield perturbation. Thus, the Helmholtz equation is solved only once per iteration cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Thomas A. Dickens
  • Patent number: 9903271
    Abstract: Methods and systems 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 C02 separator which discharges C02 and a nitrogen-rich gas which can be expanded in a gas expander to generate additional mechanical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Russell H. Oelfke, Moses Minta
  • Patent number: 9903588
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a turbine combustor having a combustor liner disposed about a combustion chamber, a head end upstream of the combustion chamber relative to a downstream direction of a flow of combustion gases through the combustion chamber, a flow sleeve disposed at an offset about the combustor liner to define a passage, and a barrier within the passage. The head end is configured to direct an oxidant flow and a first fuel flow toward the combustion chamber. The passage is configured to direct a gas flow toward the head end and to direct a portion of the oxidant flow toward a turbine end of the turbine combustor. The gas flow includes a substantially inert gas. The barrier is configured to block the portion of the oxidant flow toward the turbine end and to block the gas flow toward the head end within the passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignees: General Electric Company, ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Ilya Aleksandrovich Slobodyanskiy, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Karl Dean Minto
  • Patent number: 9903279
    Abstract: Provided are more efficient techniques for operating gas turbine systems. In one embodiment a gas turbine system comprises an oxidant system, a fuel system, a control system, and a number of combustors adapted to receive and combust an oxidant from the oxidant system and a fuel from the fuel system to produce an exhaust gas. The gas turbine system also includes a number of oxidant-flow adjustment devices, each of which are operatively associated with one of the combustors, wherein an oxidant-flow adjustment device is configured to independently regulate an oxidant flow rate into the associated combustor. An exhaust sensor is in communication with the control system. The exhaust sensor is adapted to measure at least one parameter of the exhaust gas, and the control system is configured to independently adjust each of the oxidant-flow adjustment devices based, at least in part, on the parameter measured by the exhaust sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Franklin F. Mittricker, Richard A. Huntington
  • Patent number: 9903192
    Abstract: A tool assembly for performing a wellbore operation including an actuatable tool, a location device, and on-board controller are together dimensioned and arranged to be deployed in the wellbore as an autonomous unit. The actuatable tool, such as a perforating gun having associated charges, perforates a wellbore along a selected zone of interest. The location device, such as casing collar locator, senses the location of the actuatable tool based on a physical signature provided along the wellbore. The on-board controller or micro-processor is configured to send an activation signal to the actuatable tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the tool based on the physical signature. The tool assembly further includes a multi-gate safety system. The safety system prevents premature activation of the actuatable tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Pavlin B. Entchev, Renzo M. Angeles Boza, George R. King, Robert C. Stanton, Elton Winemiller, Randy C. Tolman, Peter W. Sauermilch, Jason Z. Gahr
  • Patent number: 9903316
    Abstract: 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 derived from enriched air and a fuel in the presence of a compressed recycle exhaust gas and expand the discharge in an expander to generate a recycle exhaust stream and drive a main compressor. A boost compressor receives and increases the pressure of the recycle exhaust stream and prior to being compressed in a compressor configured to generate the compressed recycle exhaust gas. To promote the stoichiometric combustion of the fuel and increase the CO2 content in the recycle exhaust gas, the enriched air can have an increased oxygen concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Himanshu Gupta, Richard Huntington, Moses K. Minta, Franklin F. Mittricker, Loren K. Starcher
  • Patent number: 9896902
    Abstract: A method and systems are provided for injecting a hydrate slurry into a reservoir. The method includes combining gas and water within a subsea simultaneous water and gas (SWAG) injection system. The method also includes forming a hydrate slurry from the gas and the water, and injecting the hydrate slurry into a reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Richard F. Stoisits, Larry D. Talley, Jason W. Lachance, Douglas J. Turner
  • Patent number: 9890617
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for exploration, production and development of hydrocarbons. The method involves analyzing a sample for a geochemical signature, which includes a multiply substituted isotopologue signature and/or a position specific isotope signature. Then, historical temperatures are determined based on the signature. The historical temperature is used to define generation timing, which is used to develop or refine an exploration, development, or production strategy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Michael Lawson, Brian K. Peterson, Cara L. Davis, Michael J. Formolo, Isolde Belien, Lori L. Summa, Robert J. Pottorf, John M. Eiler
  • Patent number: 9885290
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes flowing an exhaust gas from a turbine of a gas turbine system to an exhaust gas compressor of the gas turbine system via an exhaust recirculation path; evaluating moist flow parameters of the exhaust gas within an inlet section of the exhaust gas compressor using a controller comprising non-transitory media programmed with instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions; and modulating cooling of the exhaust gas within the exhaust recirculation path, heating of the exhaust gas within the inlet section of the exhaust gas compressor, or both, based on the evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignees: General Electric Company, ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Gabriel Della-Fera, Todd F. Denman, Scott E. Ellis
  • Patent number: 9879525
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring a condition of a tubular configured to convey a fluid such as for use in producing hydrocarbons in relationship with a hydrocarbon system related wellbore operation. The methods include transmitting a data signal along the tubular with the communication network. The methods may include initiating a tubular operation responsive to the data signal indicating that the condition of the tubular is outside a predetermined condition range. The methods may include transmitting the data signal by propagating the data signal along the tubular via a plurality of node-to-node communications between communication nodes of the communication network and monitoring a signal propagation property of the plurality of node-to-node communications that is indicative of the condition of the tubular. The methods may include detecting the condition of the tubular and generating a condition indication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Timothy I. Morrow, Mark M. Disko
  • Patent number: 9874395
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for preventing accumulation of solids in a distillation tower. The method includes introducing a feed stream into a controlled freeze zone section of a distillation tower; forming solids in the controlled freeze zone section from the feed stream; discontinuously injecting a first freeze-inhibitor solution into the controlled freeze zone section toward a location in the controlled freeze zone section that accumulates the solids; and destabilizing accumulation of the solids from the location with the first freeze-inhibitor solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Jaime A. Valencia, Paul Scott Northrop
  • Patent number: 9875421
    Abstract: Methods and systems described herein are useful for determining a thickness of a substance on a surface of a body of water, in particular through the use of a thickness detection apparatus that includes a body and at least one camera. The body has a plurality of sides with at least a portion of one of the sides comprising a light transmitting material. At least one camera is disposed within the body and configured to generate at least one image through the light transmitting material of the substances extending a depth below an air-substance interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: David A. Palandro, Timothy J. Nedwed, Timothy A. Thornton
  • Patent number: 9874396
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for separating a feed stream in a distillation tower which includes separating a feed stream in a stripper section into an enriched contaminant bottom liquid stream and a freezing zone vapor stream; contacting the freezing zone vapor stream in the controlled freeze zone section with a freezing zone liquid stream at a temperature and pressure at which a solid and a hydrocarbon-enriched vapor stream form; directly applying heat to a controlled freeze zone wall of the controlled freeze zone section with a heating mechanism coupled to at least one of a controlled freeze zone internal surface of the controlled freeze zone wall and a controlled freeze zone external surface of the controlled freeze zone wall; and at least one of destabilizing and preventing adhesion of the solid to the controlled freeze zone wall with the heating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Jaime A. Valencia, Harry W. Deckman, Charles J. Mart, James T. Wilkins, Paul Scott Northrop
  • Patent number: 9874648
    Abstract: There is provided a system and method for reservoir connectivity analysis in a 3D earth model. A subsurface region is identified and a baseline reservoir connectivity model is obtained from the subsurface region. Compartments and connections are determined from the baseline reservoir connectivity model using reservoir connectivity analysis, and a set of 3D objects representing the compartments and/or connections is created from the 3D earth model. A mathematical graph structure is created from the 3D objects and reservoir connectivity scenarios are evaluated based on analysis of the mathematical graph structure and 3D objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Hendrik Braaksma, Yao-Chou Cheng
  • Patent number: 9869797
    Abstract: A method, including: obtaining a grain size for amorphous silica associated with a basin and a grain size for quartz associated with the basin; obtaining kinetics of silica dissolution corresponding to the basin and quartz precipitation corresponding to the basin; determining, with a processor, a concentration of amorphous silica in water based on the grain size for amorphous silica, the grain size for quartz, and the kinetics of silica dissolution and quartz precipitation; comparing, with the processor, the concentration of amorphous silica in water to an amorphous silica saturation condition; and determining, with the processor, a presence of microquartz based on a result of the comparing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Hubert E. King, Jr., Stephen D. Cameron, Marsha W. French