Patents Assigned to ExxonMobil Upstream Research
  • Patent number: 11125705
    Abstract: A method determining a volume of a pore type of a core sample can include: determining a porosity of a core sample, wherein the core sample has a permeability of 100 milliDarcy (mD) or less; saturating the core sample with a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) saturation fluid to achieve a saturated core sample; taking a NMR measurement of fluids in the saturated core sample; and deriving a volume for a pore type based on the porosity based on a correlation between the NMR measurement and a NMR signal to fluid volume calibration, wherein the pore type is selected from the group consisting of a nanopore, a micropore, a macropore, and any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Hubert E. King, Pavel Kortunov, Harry W. Deckman, Shreerang S. Chhatre, Hemantkumar R. Sahoo, Antonio S. Buono
  • Patent number: 11125077
    Abstract: A method for detecting wellbore inflows can include detecting a plurality of temperature values within a wellbore, wherein each temperature value corresponds to a different depth within the wellbore and the temperature values are detected with a distributed temperature measuring technique. The method can also include calculating a plurality of proxy temperatures, wherein each proxy temperature corresponds to one of the temperature values and a reference temperature value. The method can also include calculating a continuous wavelet transform based on the plurality of proxy temperatures. Additionally, the method can include identifying a wellbore inflow based on a combination of the continuous wavelet transform and a wellbore schematic, and generating an alert indicating a location of the wellbore inflow within the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Jerome Lewandowski, Sri Venkata Tapovan Lolla, Badrinarayanan Velamur Asokan
  • Patent number: 11125899
    Abstract: A method including: obtaining geophysical data for a subsurface region; generating, with a computer, at least two subsurface property models of the subsurface region for at least two subsurface properties by performing an inversion that minimizes a misfit between the geophysical data and forward simulated data subject to one or more constraints, the inversion including generating updates to the at least two subsurface property models for at least two different scenarios that both fit the geophysical data with a same likelihood but have different values for model materiality, with the model materiality being posed as an equality constraint in the inversion, wherein the model materiality is a functional of model parameters that characterize hydrocarbon potential of the subsurface region; analyzing a geophysical data misfit curve or geophysical data misfit likelihood curve, over a predetermined range of values of the model materiality to identify the at least two subsurface property models that correspond to a h
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Brent Wheelock, Jan Schmedes, Ratnanabha Sain
  • Patent number: 11118098
    Abstract: Solvent mixtures for dissolving elemental sulfur, methods of utilizing the solvent mixtures, and methods of forming the solvent mixtures. The solvent mixtures include an elemental sulfur solvent fraction and an odorant fraction. The elemental sulfur solvent fraction includes an elemental sulfur solvent that has a solvent odor and a solvent sulfur solubility of at least 10 weight percent (wt %). The odorant fraction includes at least one odorant that has an odorant odor that differs from the solvent odor. The solvent mixture includes at least 20 wt % and at most 80 wt % of both the elemental sulfur solvent fraction and the odorant fraction. The presence of the odorant fraction, within the solvent mixture, decreases an intensity of the mixture odor relative to the solvent odor and/or decreases an offensiveness of the mixture odor relative to the solvent odor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: P. Scott Northrop, Kevin A. Harnsberry
  • Patent number: 11119235
    Abstract: A method to automatically interpret a subsurface feature within geophysical data, the method including: storing, in a computer memory, geophysical data obtained from a survey of a subsurface region; and extracting, with a computer, a feature probability volume by processing the geophysical data with one or more fully convolutional neural networks, which are trained to relate the geophysical data to at least one subsurface feature, wherein the extracting includes fusing together outputs of the one or more fully convolutional neural networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Wei D. Liu, Diego A. Hernandez, Niranjan A. Subrahmanya, D. Braden Fitz-Gerald
  • Patent number: 11112530
    Abstract: A method including: defining a model space within which all subsurface models are in general local isostatic equilibrium; generating a representative set of trial models which span the model space, wherein a requirement that all of the trial models be in isostatic equilibrium provides a constraint that narrows a range of solutions that fit observed gravity data, wherein the trial models provide scenarios of Earth's crustal geometry, and crust and mantle rock properties; and determining, within an inversion process, a model solution based on minimizing a misfit between the observed gravity data and synthetic gravity data generated from at least one of the trial models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Ferderer, John Mariano
  • Patent number: 11111771
    Abstract: Methods of drilling a wellbore within a subsurface region and drilling control systems that perform the methods. The methods include accessing an objective map and calculating a plurality of critical points of the objective map. The methods also include scoring each critical point and selecting a selected critical point of the plurality of critical points. The selected critical point describes an estimated value of at least one drilling performance indicator for a selected value of at least one independent operational parameter. The methods further include operating the drilling rig at the selected value of the at least one independent operational parameter and, during the operating, determining an actual value of the at least one drilling performance indicator. The methods also include updating the objective map to generate an updated objective map and repeating at least a portion of the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Krishnan Kumaran
  • Patent number: 11112172
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for removing solidifiable gas from a process gas stream by direct contact with a cold liquid. The process gas stream includes at least gas that is frozen by the cold liquid while one or more other gases of the process gas stream remain in a gaseous state. The process gas stream may include water, and will have a different composition than the cold liquid. The contacting of the cold liquid with the process gas stream may be at a pressure that is less than 200 psia, and optionally less than 100 psia, 50 psia, or even 30 psia, and the solidified gas may be removed from the contacting assembly as a slurry with cold liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Kaminsky, Moses Minta
  • Patent number: 11110388
    Abstract: Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. This swing adsorption process may involve passing an input feed stream through two swing adsorption systems as a purge stream to remove contaminants, such as water, from the respective adsorbent bed units. The wet purge product stream is passed to a solvent based gas treating system, which forms a wet hydrocarbon rich stream and a wet acid gas stream. Then, the wet hydrocarbon rich stream and the wet acid gas stream are passed through one of the respective swing adsorption systems to remove some of the moisture from the respective wet streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Denton, Ananda K. Nagavarapu, Bruce T. Kelley, Robert A. Johnson, Bennett D. Marshall
  • Patent number: 11105553
    Abstract: A drive system for liquefied natural gas (LNG) production. A standardized machinery string consisting of a multi-shaft gas turbine with no more than three compressor bodies, where the compressor bodies are applied to one or more refrigerant compressors employed in one or more refrigerant cycles (e.g., single mixed refrigerant, propane precooled mixed refrigerant, dual mixed refrigerant). The standardized machinery strings and associated standardized refrigerators are designed for a generic range of feed gas composition and ambient temperature conditions and are installed in opportunistic liquefaction plants without substantial reengineering and modifications. The approach captures D1BM (“Design 1 Build Many) cost and schedule efficiencies by allowing for broader variability in liquefaction efficiency with location and feed gas composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Donald J. Victory, Sorin T. Lupascu, Kary E. Saleeby, O. Angus Sites
  • Patent number: 11105384
    Abstract: Systems and a method for braking an object are provided. An example method, includes determining the expected speed of the object, monitoring the expected speed of the object, and determining if the actual speed of the object is within a preset tolerance of the expected speed. If the speed is not within the preset tolerance of the expected speed, a magnetorheological brake is activated to slow the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Jeff H. Moss
  • Patent number: 11098575
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for determining movement of a fluid into or out of a subsurface wellbore, to thereby enable accurate allocation of fluids being produced by or injected into each of several zones of the wellbore. A temperature change is effected in the fluid at a first location in the wellbore. A temperature of the fluid is measured at one or more sensing locations downstream of the location of the temperature change. A simulated heat flow profile is generated from a wellbore model. The simulated heat flow profile is compared to the measured temperature of the fluid at the one or more sensing locations. An inversion model is used to determine, for a plurality of points of interest, a fluid flow direction and/or a cumulative flow rate contribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Brian C. Seabrook, Charles J. Mart, Ted A. Long
  • Patent number: 11090604
    Abstract: A gas processing system is described herein. The gas processing system includes a number of co-current contacting systems configured to contact a sour feed gas stream including an acid gas with a solvent stream to produce a partially-sweetened gas stream and a rich solvent stream including an absorbed acid gas. At least one of the co-current contacting systems is configured to send the rich solvent stream to a regenerator. The regenerator is configured to remove the absorbed acid gas from the rich solvent stream to produce a lean solvent stream. The gas processing system also includes a solvent treater configured to treat at least a portion of the lean solvent stream to produce an enhanced solvent stream, and a final co-current contacting system configured to contact the partially-sweetened gas stream with the enhanced solvent stream to produce a partially-loaded solvent stream and a final gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: P. Scott Northrop, J. Timothy Cullinane
  • Patent number: 11083994
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a hydrocarbon gas stream including sulfurous components and carbon dioxide. The hydrocarbon gas stream is separated into a sweetened gas stream and an acid gas stream. The acid gas stream and an air stream, enriched with oxygen such that the air stream comprises between 22% and 100% oxygen, are combusted in a sulfur recovery unit to separate the acid gas stream into a liquid stream of elemental sulfur and a tail gas stream comprising acid gas impurities. The tail gas stream and an air flow are sub-stoichiometrically combusted to produce an outlet stream comprising hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide. The outlet stream is hydrogenated to convert sulfur species to a gaseous catalytic output stream comprising hydrogen sulfide. Water is removed from the gaseous catalytic output stream to produce a partially-dehydrated acid gas stream, which is pressurized and injected into a subsurface reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: P. Scott Northrop, Tye R. Aikins
  • Patent number: 11078775
    Abstract: A method of identifying and diagnosing open gas lift valves in a gas lift production well, the gas lift production well including a production tubular having a plurality of mechanical gas lift valves, and a casing surrounding a portion of the tubular to form an annulus. The method includes reducing injection pressure below the minimum design opening pressure of each of the plurality of mechanical gas lift valves to close each of the plurality of mechanical gas lift valves; incrementally increasing injection pressure to operating or designed injection pressure to sequentially open one or more of the plurality of mechanical gas lift valves; measuring pressure, amplitude, frequency and/or wave patterns produced by the sequential opening of the one or more mechanical gas lift valves; and determining the location of the one or more mechanical gas lift valve locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Tony W. Hord
  • Patent number: 11079176
    Abstract: A method for producing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from a natural gas stream having a nitrogen concentration of greater than 1 mol %. At least one liquid nitrogen (LIN) stream is received at an LNG liquefaction facility. The LIN streams may be produced at a different geographic location from the LNG liquefaction facility. A natural gas stream is liquefied by indirect heat exchange with a nitrogen vent stream to form a pressurized LNG stream. The pressurized LNG stream has a nitrogen concentration of greater than 1 mol %. The pressurized LNG stream is directed to one or more stages of a column to produce an LNG stream and the nitrogen vent stream. The column has upper stages and lower stages. The LIN streams are directed to one or more upper stages of the column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Fritz Pierre, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11060791
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and processes to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG) using liquefied nitrogen (LIN) as the refrigerant. Greenhouse gas contaminants are removed from the LIN using a greenhouse gas removal unit. The LNG is compressed prior to being cooled by the LIN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Fritz Pierre, Jr., Parag A. Gupte, Richard A. Huntington, Robert D. Denton
  • Patent number: 11060395
    Abstract: Herein disclosed are methods and systems related to processes for injection wells generally utilized in the oil and gas industry. More particularly, disclosed herein are methods and systems related to improving the accuracy of profiling and determining individual cumulative fluid injection profiles for an injection period for multiple zones of an injection well in reservoir systems utilizing conventional warmback models. The methods herein allow for proper modeling and allocation of all injection zones, including zones experiencing a cooldown phenomena during shut-in by transforming the cooldown zonal temperature profiles into temperature profiles which can be utilized in a conventional warmback analysis. These methods are particularly useful in mature reservoir systems where the background reference temperature profile is no longer governed by the geothermal reference temperature profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Sri Venkata Tapovan Lolla, Badrinarayanan Velamur Asokan, Jerome Lewandowski
  • Patent number: 11060389
    Abstract: Systems and a method for efficient downhole separation of gas and liquids. An exemplary system provides a downhole gas separator for an artificial lift system. The downhole gas separator includes a separation section. The separation section includes a number of openings over an extended length, and wherein a size of each of the openings, a number openings, or both, is increased as a distance from a production tubing is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Jason Y. Wang, Carl J. Dyck, Federico G. Gallo
  • Patent number: 11041976
    Abstract: A method and system are described for creating and using a subsurface model. In this method, selected subregion are morphed to adjacent subregions to create a morphed surface and solid elements are created based on the selected subregion and the morphed surfaces. The resulting subsurface model may be used in simulations and hydrocarbon operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Sheng-Yuan Hsu, Kevin H. Searles