Patents Assigned to ExxonMobil Upstream Research
  • Patent number: 11293276
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells that include interrogation devices positioned within a fracture and methods of monitoring at least one property of a fracture. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subsurface region and a fracture that extends from the wellbore. The hydrocarbon wells also include a plurality of interrogation devices entrained within a carrier fluid and positioned within the fracture and a downhole communication device positioned within the wellbore and proximal the fracture. The methods include flowing the interrogation devices into the fracture and conveying the excitation signal into the fracture. The methods also include receiving the excitation signal with the interrogation devices and generating a plurality of corresponding resultant signals with the interrogation devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Kevin H. Searles, Ted A. Long
  • Patent number: 11286755
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including crosslinked polymer granules in sand control structures and/or methods of completing the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subsurface region and a downhole tubular that extends within the wellbore, defines a tubular conduit, and includes a fluid-permeable segment. The hydrocarbon wells also include a sand control structure that is positioned within an annular space that extends between the wellbore and the fluid-permeable segment of the downhole tubular. The sand control structure is configured to restrict migration of formation sands from the subsurface region and into the tubular conduit via the fluid-permeable segment and includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules. The methods include positioning a downhole tubular within a wellbore and providing a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules to an annular space that extends between the wellbore and a fluid-permeable segment of the downhole tubular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Charles S. Yeh, Robert M. Shirley, Pavlin B. Entchev
  • Patent number: 11286748
    Abstract: Pump-through standing valves, wells including the pump-through standing valves, and methods of utilizing a pump-through standing valve to deploy a downhole device are disclosed herein. The pump-through standing valves include a valve body, a standing valve at least partially formed within the valve body, and a flow-through valve at least partially formed within the valve body. The standing valve includes a standing valve fluid conduit and a standing valve flow control device. The flow-through valve includes a flow-through valve fluid conduit and a flow-through valve flow control device. The wells include a wellbore, which extends within a subterranean formation, a wellbore tubular, which extends within the wellbore, and the pump-through standing valve, which is operatively attached to the wellbore tubular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Randy C. Tolman
  • Patent number: 11287541
    Abstract: A method, including: determining, with a computer, point spread functions for a plurality of parameter locations by performing at least a portion of a first iteration of an iterative full wavefield inversion process; determining at least one property for each of the point spread functions; and evaluating a candidate survey design based on the at least one property for each of the point spread functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: William A Burnett, Martin J. Terrell, Pavel Dimitrov, Thomas A. Dickens, Yaxun Tang, Partha S. Routh, William Curry, Dennis E. Willen
  • Patent number: 11274880
    Abstract: A drive system for liquefied natural gas (LNG) refrigeration compressors in a LNG liquefaction plant. Each of three refrigeration compression strings include refrigeration compressors and a multi-shaft gas turbine capable of non-synchronous operation. The multi-shaft gas turbine is operationally connected to the refrigeration compressors and is configured to drive the one or more refrigeration compressors. The multi-shaft gas turbine uses its inherent speed turndown range to start the one or more refrigeration compressors from rest, bring the one or more refrigeration compressors up to an operating rotational speed, and adjust compressor operating points to maximize efficiency of the one or more refrigeration compressors, without assistance from electrical motors with drive-through capability and variable frequency drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Ashley R. Guy, Sorin T. Lupascu, Donna J. Parker, Yow-Yeen Lee
  • Patent number: 11268341
    Abstract: Wellbore plugs that include an interrogation device, hydrocarbon wells that include the wellbore plugs, and methods of operating the hydrocarbon wells are disclosed herein. The wellbore plugs include a plug body, an interrogation device, and a sealing structure. The interrogation device is contained within the plug body and includes a sensor configured to detect at least one parameter of the hydrocarbon well. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore, a downhole tubular, the plug, and a communication device configured to receive communication data from the interrogation device. The methods include releasing an interrogation device from a plug, detecting at least one parameter within the hydrocarbon well with the interrogation device, transmitting communication data from the interrogation device, and receiving the communication data with a communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Rami Jabari, Timothy J. Hall, P. Matthew Spiecker, Michael C. Romer
  • Patent number: 11268358
    Abstract: Methods include positioning a downhole completion assembly in a tubular conduit of a downhole tubular of a hydrocarbon well. The downhole completion assembly includes a downhole sub-assembly and an uphole sub-assembly. The methods also include forming a fluid seal within the tubular conduit with the downhole sub-assembly, decoupling the uphole sub-assembly from the downhole sub-assembly, translating the uphole sub-assembly in an uphole direction, perforating the downhole tubular with the uphole sub-assembly, translating the uphole sub-assembly in a downhole direction, coupling the uphole sub-assembly to the downhole sub-assembly, ceasing the fluid seal, and translating the downhole completion assembly in the uphole direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Rami Jabari, P. Matthew Spiecker, Michael C. Romer, Michael T. Hecker, Timothy J. Hall
  • Patent number: 11270078
    Abstract: The invention is a data processing method and system for suggesting insightful and surprising sentences to geoscientists from unstructured text. The data processing system makes the necessary calculations to assign a surprisingness score to detect sentences containing several signals which when combined exponentially, have tendencies to give rise to surprise. In particular, the data processing system operates on any digital unstructured text derived from academic literature, company reports, web pages and other sources. Detected sentences can be used to stimulate ideation and learning events for geoscientists in industries such as oil and gas, economic mining, space exploration and Geo-health.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Paul Hugh Cleverley
  • Patent number: 11268378
    Abstract: In conjunction with a communication network, for example, a downhole wireless network for transmission of data along a tubular body, disclosed herein are: (1) a variety of hardware interfacing methods with sensors and downhole tools; (2) sensing concepts that are enabled by the unique interfaces; (3) physical implementation of the integrated sensor/communication node structures; (4) related software communication protocols. The interfaces may support both data communication and power transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Yibing Zhang, Limin Song, Katie M. Walker, Mark M. Disko, Scott William Clawson, Patrick M. Moore, David M. Chorneyko
  • Patent number: 11261725
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a liquid level in a formation between a horizontal segment of an injection wellbore and a horizontal segment of a production wellbore are disclosed. Under shut-in conditions, local temperatures and pressures are determined for each of a plurality of inflow zones along the production wellbore segment. Local profile values are determined based on local shut-in subcool values and local shut-in liquid levels. After flow has resumed, a local liquid level is determined based on the local operating subcool value and the local profile value for that inflow zone. The local profile values may be updated during subsequent shut-ins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Robin Gupta, Neal L. Adair, Sriram Doraiswamy, Ted A. Long
  • Patent number: 11260342
    Abstract: A fractionation system for removing heavy hydrocarbons in a gas stream. A stripping section receives a predominantly liquid phase of the feed gas stream. A co-current contacting system receives a predominantly vapor phase of the feed gas stream. The co-current contacting system includes a compact contacting bundle disposed within a vessel and including a plurality of substantially parallel contacting units, each of the plurality of contacting units having a droplet generator, a mass transfer section, and a separation system. Each droplet generator generates droplets from a liquid disperses the droplets into a gas stream. Each mass transfer section provides a mixed, two-phase flow having a vapor phase and a liquid phase. Each separation system separates the vapor phase from the liquid phase such that the concentration of heavy hydrocarbons in the vapor phase is lower than in the liquid phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Norman K. Yeh, Edward J. Grave, Shwetha Ramkumar, Juan C. Juarez
  • Patent number: 11260339
    Abstract: Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. This swing adsorption process may involve passing streams through adsorbent bed units to remove contaminants, such as water, from the stream. As part of the process, the adsorbent bed unit may provide access to the adsorbent material within the adsorbent bed unit without having to remove one or more of valves, conduits and manifolds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Robert F. Tammera, Bruce T. Kelley, Sebastian Chialvo, Ananda K. Nagavarapu, William Barnes, Tracy A. Fowler
  • Patent number: 11255993
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for imaging seismic data includes obtaining an initial model of a subsurface formation, wherein the model includes a plurality of nodes that form at least part of a grid; an initial dip value for the nodes; and a set of origin coordinates for each of the nodes; performing bottom-up ray tracing for each node in the model, resulting in a set of arrival coordinates for each node; identifying a plurality of gathers from the seismic data; for each gather: calculating a set of midpoint coordinates; defining a midpoint vicinity surrounding the set of midpoint coordinates; identifying the nodes having arrival coordinates within the midpoint vicinity; and estimating a unique aperture for each of the gathers based on the respective origin coordinates; storing the estimated apertures in a table; and generating a subsurface volume or image with subsurface reflectors determined with apertures of the respective gathers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Valeriy V. Brytik, Yaxun Tang, David Gaines, Fuxian Song, Anton Spirkin
  • Patent number: 11255190
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells and methods of interrogating fluid flow within hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore and downhole tubing that defines a tubing conduit and extends within the wellbore. The hydrocarbon wells also include an interrogation device. The interrogation device is configured to indicate at least one property of fluid flow within the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells also include a downhole location at which the interrogation device is released into the tubing conduit and a detection structure configured to query the interrogation device to determine the at least one property of fluid flow within the hydrocarbon wells. The methods include releasing an interrogation device at a downhole location within a hydrocarbon well and flowing the interrogation device from the downhole location to a surface region. The methods also include querying the interrogation device to determine at least one property of fluid flow within the hydrocarbon well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Ted A. Long, Tony W. Hord
  • Patent number: 11255603
    Abstract: A method of designing, constructing, and operating a hydrocarbon gas treatment plant is disclosed. A target hydrocarbon production range for a hydrocarbon gas meeting a required product specification is established. A cryogenic distillation column is designed and constructed with a vapor capacity to meet the target hydrocarbon production range. A variable feed refrigeration system is incorporated to cool an inlet feed of the hydrocarbon gas. The variable feed refrigeration system is designed to handle the target hydrocarbon production range and a wide range of contaminant concentrations in the inlet feed. A variable bottoms heating system is incorporated to handle heating duties associated with the wide range of contaminant concentrations in the inlet feed. A variable bottoms pumping system is incorporated to handle liquid flows associated with the wide range of contaminant concentrations in the inlet feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Jaime A. Valencia, Robert D. Denton, David W. Maher
  • Patent number: 11247168
    Abstract: A co-axial co-current contactor (CA-CCC) is described herein. The CA-CCC includes an outer annular support ring and an inner annular support ring configured to maintain the CA-CCC within an outer pipe and an inner pipe, respectively. The CA-CCC includes rich liquid flow channels located between the outer annular support ring and the inner annular support ring that are configured to allow a rich liquid stream to flow through the CA-CCC, and a central gas entry cone and gas flow channels configured to allow a gas stream to flow through the CA-CCC. The CA-CCC further includes radial blades configured to secure the central gas entry cone to the inner annular support ring and allow a lean liquid stream to flow into the central gas entry cone and the gas flow channels. The CA-CCC provides for efficient incorporation of liquid droplets formed from the lean liquid stream into the gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Sean T. Philbrook, Shwetha Ramkumar
  • Patent number: 11237147
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and techniques for determining one or more characteristics of a hydrocarbon source. The method comprises obtaining a hydrocarbon fluid sample, determining at least one measured clumped isotope signature or measured position specific isotope signature for at least one hydrocarbon species of interest in the hydrocarbon fluid sample, determining at least one expected clumped isotope signature or expected position specific isotope signature for the hydrocarbon species of interest, comparing the measured clumped isotope signature or measured position specific isotope signature with the expected clumped isotope signature or expected position specific isotope signature, and determining at least one characteristic of the source of the hydrocarbon sample based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Brian K. Peterson, Michael Lawson, Michael J. Formolo, Meytal B. Higgins
  • Patent number: 11237283
    Abstract: A method, including: obtaining, with a computer, an initial geophysical model; modeling, with a computer, a forward wavefield based on the initial geophysical model with wave equations including a second order z-derivative in a rotated coordinate system that accounts for a tilted transverse isotropic (TTI) medium; modeling, with a computer, an adjoint wavefield with adjoint wave equations including a second order z-derivative in a rotated coordinate system that accounts for a tilted transverse isotropic (TTI) medium, wherein the wave equations and the adjoint wave equations include relaxation terms accounting for anelasticity of earth in an update of a primary variable and an evolution relationship for the relaxation terms; and obtaining, with a computer, a gradient of a cost function based on a combination of a model of the forward wavefield and a model of the adjoint wavefield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Praveen Nakshatrala, Anoop A. Mullur, Hong Zhao, Valeriy V. Brytik
  • Patent number: 11237146
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for enhancing hydrocarbon production. The method and system involve geochemistry analysis and include multiply substituted isotopologue and position specific isotope geochemistry. The method and system involve using clumped isotope and position-specific isotope signatures to enhance reservoir surveillance operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Formolo, Michael Lawson, Cara L. Davis
  • Patent number: 11231516
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for hydrocarbon management including generating an image of a subsurface formation by: obtaining simultaneous-source survey data, an earth model, and a first and a second velocity model of the subsurface formation; generating synthetic survey data with at least one of the earth model, the first velocity model, and the second velocity model. The method and apparatus may include directly migrating the simultaneous-source survey data; migrating the synthetic survey data; and subtracting the migrated synthetic survey data from the migrated simultaneous-source survey data. The method and apparatus may include subtracting the synthetic survey data from the simultaneous-source survey data; and directly migrating the result of the subtraction. The method and apparatus may include generating an artifact-reduced image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Young Ho Cha, Dennis E. Willen