Patents Assigned to NEXEN ENERGY ULC
  • Patent number: 10145225
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon production process comprising operating a first early stage hydrocarbon production process within a first communication domain with a first well pair, and operating a second early stage hydrocarbon production process within a second communication domain with a second well pair, such that an intermediate reservoir region including stranded bitumen becomes disposed between the first and second communication domains; wherein the first early stage hydrocarbon production process includes injecting a first production-initiating fluid via a first injection well of the first well pair into a first communication domain such that hydrocarbon material is mobilized and conducted to a first production well of the first well pair, and producing the received hydrocarbon material via the first production well; and wherein the second early stage hydrocarbon production process includes injecting a second production-initiating fluid via a second injection well of the second well pair into a second communication do
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventors: Julio Sanchez, Jason Russell Bruce Dickson, Sergio Merchan
  • Publication number: 20180306693
    Abstract: A system for sensing an estimated composition of a produced fluid being conducted from a reservoir includes: at least one device for measuring temperature data; at least one device for obtaining flow rate data, pressure data, pump speed data and valve travel data; a first produced fluid density generator; a second produced fluid density generator; and a composition generator. The first produced fluid density generator is configured to generate a first produced fluid density based on the obtained flow rate, pressure, pump speed and valve travel data. The second produced fluid density generator is configured to generate a second produced fluid density based at least in part on the measured temperature data. The composition generator is configured to: iteratively generate a phantom component content, a bitumen content and a water content for the produced fluid based on at least in part on: a material balance of the produced fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventors: Alireza NAZARI, Yiming JI, Daniel Joseph GIESBRECHT
  • Patent number: 10041341
    Abstract: There is provided a process for producing hydrocarbons from a reservoir. The process includes within the hydrocarbon reservoir, electrically heating a liquid heating fluid such that the liquid heating fluid is evaporated to produce a gaseous heating fluid, heating hydrocarbon-comprising material with the gaseous heating fluid such that the heated hydrocarbon-comprising material is mobilized and such that the gaseous heating fluid is condensed to produce a condensed heating fluid, and electrically heating at least a fraction of the condensed heating fluid such that the at least a condensed heating fluid fraction is re-evaporated, and while the evaporation, the condensing, and the re-evaporation are being effected, producing a produced fluid including at least the mobilized hydrocarbon-comprising material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventors: Richard Kelso Kerr, Thomas Harding
  • Patent number: 10030491
    Abstract: A process for producing gaseous hydrocarbon from a subterranean formation by hydraulically fracturing with injection of a liquid material under pressure such that a connecting fracture is generated extending between a lower injection well and an upper production well, where a gas-liquid interface is defined within the fracture or within the upper producing well, and producing gas across the gas-liquid interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventors: James Frederick Pyecroft, Jurgen Siegfried Lehmann, Omar El-Naggar
  • Patent number: 10007015
    Abstract: Methods, devices and computer-readable media for predicting hydrocarbon production rates for a subterranean formation are described. A method includes: receiving or generating, by at least one processor, well logs from data collected from at least one well in the subterranean formation; generating from the well logs a predicted production rate log for the at least one well; receiving, by the at least one processor, a field dataset for the subterranean formation, the field dataset including field data at locations in 3-dimensions of a volume of the subterranean formation; identifying the predicted production rate log for the at least one well as one or more targets, determining a transform relating the field data and the predicted rate log for the at least one well; and using the transform, generating a predicted production rate for each location of the volume of the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventors: Frederick David Gray, Dragana Todorovic-Marinic, Byron Matthew Kelly
  • Patent number: 9828841
    Abstract: There is provided a process to recover bitumen from a subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir. The process includes injecting steam and oxygen separately into the bitumen reservoir. When mixed in the reservoir, the mix is in the range of 5 to 50% O2. The process also includes producing hot bitumen and water using a horizontal production well, and producing/removing non-condensable combustion gases to control reservoir pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventor: Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Patent number: 9803456
    Abstract: A process to utilize at least one water lean zone (WLZ) interspersed within a net pay zone in a reservoir and produce bitumen from the reservoir, includes using Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage with Oxygen (SAGDOX) to enhance oil recovery, locating a SAGDOX oxygen injector proximate the WLZ, and removing non-condensable gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventor: Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Patent number: 9650578
    Abstract: A process for upgrading oil including optionally pre-treating a heavy oil including at least one dissolved gas, asphaltenes, water, and mineral solids; reducing at least one dissolved gas content from said heavy oil, optionally further reducing water content from said heavy oil; adding a paraffinic solvent to said heavy oil, at a predetermined paraffinic solvent:heavy oil ratio, facilitating separation of asphaltenes, water, and mineral solids from the heavy oil resulting in a de-asphalted or partially de-asphalted oil (“DAO”)-paraffinic solvent stream, comprising a low asphaltenes content DAO-paraffinic solvent stream and an asphaltenes-mineral solids-paraffinic solvent-water slurry stream; optionally separating the paraffinic solvent and water from the asphaltenes-mineral solids-paraffinic solvent-water slurry stream; optionally separating the DAO-paraffinic solvent stream into a paraffinic solvent rich stream and a DAO stream; and optionally adding diluent to the DAO stream resulting in transportable oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventors: Amo De Klerk, Nestor Gregorio Zerpa Reques, Yuhan Xia, Ayyub Abduljawad Omer
  • Patent number: 9644468
    Abstract: A process to recover hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon reservoir, namely bitumen (API<10; in situ viscosity>100,000 c.p.), said process comprising; establishing a horizontal production well in said reservoir; separately injecting an oxygen-containing gas and steam into the hydrocarbon reservoir continuously to cause heated hydrocarbons and water to drain, by gravity, to the horizontal production well, the ratio of oxygen/steam injectant gases being controlled in the range from 0.05 to 1.00 (v/v). removing non-condensable combustion gases from at least one separate vent-gas well, which is established in the reservoir to avoid undesirable pressures in the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventor: Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Patent number: 9562199
    Abstract: This invention relates to systems and methods for catalytic steam cracking of non-asphaltene containing heavy hydrocarbon fractions. The method enables upgrading heavy hydrocarbons to hydrocarbons capable of being transported through pipelines and/or a pretreated step before further treatment in an upgrading refinery, including the steps of separating the heavy hydrocarbon mixture into a light fraction, a full gasoil fraction and a vacuum residue fraction with or without at least partial reduction or asphaltenes; adding a catalyst to the full gasoil and/or to the blend of this with a reduced asphaltenes fraction and subjecting the catalyst-full gasoil and/or deasphalted oil fraction to catalytic steam cracking to form an effluent stream; separating the effluent stream into a gas stream and a liquid stream; and mixing the liquid stream with the light fraction and the vacuum residue fraction to form an upgraded oil. The system includes hardware capable of performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventors: Pedro Pereira Almao, Gustavo Luis Trujillo, Enzo Peluso, Carmen Galarraga, Clementina Sosa, Carlos Scott Algara, Francisco Lopez-Linares, Lante Antonio Carbognani Ortega, Nestor Gregorio Zerpa Reques
  • Patent number: 9328592
    Abstract: A cyclic remediation process to restore oil recovery from a primary oil production well that has watered off from bottom water encroachment (cone or crest) whereby: (a) the primary oil production well has a produced water cut in excess of 95% (v/v); (b) the oil is heavy oil, with in-situ viscosity >1000 cp; wherein the process includes: (c) injecting a steam slug with a volume of 0.5 to 5.0 times the cumulative primary oil production, with steam volumes measured as water volumes; (d) shutting in the well for a soak period, after the steam injection is complete; and (e) producing the well until the water cut exceeds 95%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventors: Richard Kelso Kerr, Peter Yang
  • Patent number: 9163491
    Abstract: A steam assisted gravity drainage process that includes the addition of oxygen for recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon reservoir is described. Steam and an oxygen-containing gas are separately and continuously injected into the hydrocarbon reservoir to heat hydrocarbons and water to drain, by gravity, to a horizontal production well. The process can include controlling the ratio of oxygen and steam from about 0.05 to about 1.00 (v/v). The steam assisted gravity drainage process can further include removing non-condensable combustion gases from the reservoir to avoid undesirable pressures in the reservoir. The non-condensable combustion gases can be removed from the reservoir by at least one separate vent-gas well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventor: Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Patent number: 8944168
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multistage centrifugal pump design, which has the diffusers, impellors, and a shaft, inserted within a high pressure housing, such that this assembly is fully enclosed within the housing, and the housing is of sufficient strength to be suitable for safe pressure containment of the fluids being pumped. This invention describes the technical details used to reconfigure the multistage centrifugal pump design to increase the discharge pressure capabilities higher than the 6,000 psig of current designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Nexen Energy ULC
    Inventors: Dana Pettigrew, Wojciech A. Limanowka, Zoran Vukadin
  • Patent number: 8828351
    Abstract: Systems and methods of removing sulfur from a gas stream comprising hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is provided. The systems and methods may utilize iodine to remove sulfur from the gas stream. In certain systems and methods, the iodine may be regenerated. In particular, the present systems and methods may be capable of reducing sulfur content in a gas stream comprising hydrogen sulfide H2S gas to levels that are undetectable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignees: Siemens Energy, Inc., Nexen Energy ULC.
    Inventors: Chad L. Felch, Matthew R Patterson, Bryan J. Kumfer, Timothy J. Schleusner, Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Patent number: 8763704
    Abstract: A method or process for hydraulically fracturing an underground hydrocarbon deposit includes using as a source of water an underground aquifer which contains water which is stable and clear in the aquifer but which may include undesirable chemical compounds as soluble components that are not in solution when subjected to reduced pressure at atmospheric conditions. Water from the aquifer is used as a source of water for the hydrocarbon fracturing process. The water is pumped at a pressure above its bubble point pressure A source well and a disposal well are drilled into the aquifer. A pump capable of maintaining the water above its bubble point pressure is provided, and a closed loop is established with a manifold, or a manifold and pumps, to keep the aquifer water circulating at a pressure above its bubble point pressure. The hydrocarbon reserve is fractured using the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Nexen Energy ULC
    Inventor: Dana Pettigrew
  • Publication number: 20140166279
    Abstract: A process to recover hydrocarbons from a reservoir, where the hydrocarbons have an initial viscosity greater than 100,000 cp, preferably greater than 1,000 cp, the process including: (a) Initially injecting oxygen into the reservoir; (b) Allowing for combustion of the oxygen to vaporize connate water in the hydrocarbon reservoir; (c) Collecting hydrocarbons in a substantially horizontal production well in the reservoir and where the substantially horizontal production well has a length greater than about 800 metres.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventor: Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Publication number: 20140166278
    Abstract: A process to recover hydrocarbons from a reservoir having at least one lean zone, wherein said lean zone has an initial bitumen saturation level less than about 0.6, said process including: i) Initially injecting of oxygen into said reservoir; ii) Allowing for combustion of said oxygen to vaporize connate water in said at least one lean zone; and iii) Recovering said hydrocarbons from said reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventor: Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Publication number: 20140144623
    Abstract: A method of recovering product from a fracture below a surface, said method including: a. providing a first well that may be stimulated or has been stimulated at a first predetermined depth within a formation; b. stimulating said well resulting in at least one fracture in said formation; said fracture having at least one initiation point and at least one distal point; wherein said at least one initiation point is proximate said stimulated well and said at least one distal point is distant said stimulated well; c. providing at least one non-stimulated well, proximate said first well at a second predetermined depth in said formation and contacting said at least one distal point of said at least one fracture; said at least one non-stimulated well further including at least one access point to capture product from said at least one fracture in said formation; capturing said product from said fracture through said at least non-stimulated well, and recovering said captured product optionally at said surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventors: James Frederick Pyecroft, Brian Douglas Bearinger, Eric von Lunen
  • Publication number: 20140138287
    Abstract: A process for upgrading oil including optionally pre-treating a heavy oil including at least one dissolved gas, asphaltenes, water, and mineral solids; reducing at least one dissolved gas content from said heavy oil, optionally further reducing water content from said heavy oil; adding a paraffinic solvent to said heavy oil, at a predetermined paraffinic solvent:heavy oil ratio, facilitating separation of asphaltenes, water, and mineral solids from the heavy oil resulting in a de-asphalted or partially de-asphalted oil (“DAO”)-paraffinic solvent stream, comprising a low asphaltenes content DAO-paraffinic solvent stream and an asphaltenes-mineral solids-paraffinic solvent-water slurry stream; optionally separating the paraffinic solvent and water from the asphaltenes-mineral solids-paraffinic solvent-water slurry stream; optionally separating the DAO-paraffinic solvent stream into a paraffinic solvent rich stream and a DAO stream; and optionally adding diluent to the DAO stream resulting in transportable oil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventors: Arno De Klerk, Nestor Gregorio Zerpa Reques, Yuhan Xia, Ayyub Abduljawad Omer
  • Publication number: 20140096962
    Abstract: A process to recover hydrocarbons, from a hydrocarbon reservoir having a bottom, using a substantially horizontal production well, the substantially horizontal production well having a toe and a heel, the process including: (a) injecting oxygen into the hydrocarbon reservoir, the horizontal production well having at least one perforation zone for contact with the reservoir; (b) injecting steam into the hydrocarbon reservoir; the oxygen producing in situ heat and in situ carbon dioxide by combustion and the steam producing in situ heat by conduction and condensation; the in situ carbon dioxide dissolving into the liquid hydrocarbon, lowering its viscosity; (c) recovering the reservoir liquid hydrocarbons of lowered viscosity using the substantially horizontal production well; and (d) optionally conveying the recovered liquid hydrocarbons to the surface; where the process is absent a removal step of any non-condensable gas from the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: NEXEN ENERGY ULC
    Inventor: Richard Kelso Kerr