Patents Assigned to Nexen Inc.,
  • Publication number: 20140096950
    Abstract: A method of stimulating an interval in a hydrocarbon reservoir equipped with a deviated wellbore having a casing, wherein said interval comprises at least two sequential stages in said wellbore without isolation means, said method comprising: i) introducing a first stage ii) introducing a second stage in the same wellbore wherein said first stage, and second stage are not separated by any isolation means; and optionally iii) recovering hydrocarbon from said hydrocarbon reservoir to a surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Nexen Inc.
    Inventors: James Frederick Pyecroft, Peter Chernik
  • Publication number: 20140037526
    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: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicants: NEXEN INC., SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Chad L. Felch, Matthew Patterson, Bryan J. Kumfer, Timothy Schleusner, Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Publication number: 20140000888
    Abstract: A Single Well Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SWSAGD) process to recover liquid hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon reservoir, wherein the single well includes a single substantially horizontal well including a heel area and a toe area, wherein the toe area of the horizontal well extends upwardly into the reservoir, the process including 1- injecting steam into the reservoir via a steam injection area, proximate the toe area of the horizontal well, 2- allowing the steam to condense causing heated hydrocarbon liquids and water to drain into a liquid recovery zone of the horizontal well between the toe area and the heel area of the horizontal well, and 3- recovering the heated hydrocarbon liquids to the ground surface from the liquid recovery zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: NEXEN INC.
    Inventor: Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Publication number: 20140000887
    Abstract: A method to operate a Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage with Oxygen (SAGDOX) process, in a leaky bitumen reservoir, wherein the process includes start-up, growth, decline and shut down phases. The start-up phase includes (1) Circulating steam in two horizontal (SAGD) wells, until communication is established between the two wells, (2) Injecting and optionally circulating steam in a SAGDOX oxygen injector well and vent gas well until communication is established, (3) Switching the wells to operate in a SAGD mode, with the upper well as a steam injector and the lower well as a fluid producer, creating a steam chamber, (4) Starting oxygen injection in the oxygen injector well, and (5) Opening at least one Produced Gas (PG) vent gas well, until steam injection is substantially limited to the upper well, oxygen injection has started and PG vent gas removal has started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: NEXEN INC.
    Inventor: Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Publication number: 20140000876
    Abstract: The use of a water recycle ratio for controlling at least one Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) parameter in a leaky bitumen reservoir. Further, a process to control a steam injection rate for an individual SAGD well pair, in a leaky bitumen reservoir wherein the process replaces a pressure control for an SAGD steam injection rate with a volume control determined by a Water Recycle Ratio (WRR).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: NEXEN INC.
    Inventors: Peter Yang, Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Publication number: 20130327525
    Abstract: A method for remediation of at least one cold spot in a producer well in a Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) process to increase hydrocarbon recovery from a hydrocarbon reservoir, wherein the SAGD process occurs at a site including an injection well, a production well and a steam chamber. The method includes shutting the production well and maintaining or increasing steam injection through the injection well until pressure in the steam chamber increases. The production well is then resumed while continuing steam injection at rates for normal SAGD or greater until reservoir pressure reaches normal operational pressure. Optionally, the injection/production is adjusted to return to normal SAGD operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: NEXEN INC.
    Inventors: Peter Yang, Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Publication number: 20130284435
    Abstract: A SAGDOX satellite system for recovering hydrocarbons includes a central SAGDOX site, at least one SAGDOX satellite site, and a pipeline corridor for communication between the central SAGDOX site and the SAGDOX satellite site. The satellite system is designed to recover hydrocarbons using a SAGDOX process at the satellite site and transfer recovered hydrocarbons to the central site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: NEXEN INC.
    Inventor: Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Publication number: 20130284461
    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 said 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: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: NEXEN INC.
    Inventors: Richard Kelso Kerr, Peter Yang
  • Publication number: 20130248177
    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: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: NEXEN INC.
    Inventor: Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Publication number: 20130175031
    Abstract: A process to recover bitumen from a subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir comprising the following steps: a) injection of steam and oxygen separately into said bitumen reservoir and when mixed therein said mix being in the range of 5 to 50% O2, b) production of hot bitumen and water using a horizontal production well, and c) production/removal of non-condensable combustion gases to control reservoir pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: Nexen Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Publication number: 20130098607
    Abstract: A process to recover heavy oil from a hydrocarbon reservoir, said process comprising injecting oxygen-containing gas and steam separately injected via separate wells into the reservoir to cause heated hydrocarbon fluids to flow more readily to a production well, wherein: (i) the hydrocarbon is heavy oil (API from 10 to 20; with some initial gas injectivity (ii) the ratio of oxygen/steam injectant gas is controlled in the range from 0.05 to 1.00 (v/v) (iii) the process uses Cyclic Steam Stimulation or Steam Flooding techniques and well geometry, with extra well(s) or a segregated zone to inject oxygen gas wherein the oxygen contact zone within the reservoir is less than substantially 50 metres long.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: Nexen Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Publication number: 20130098603
    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: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: Nexen Inc.
    Inventor: Nexen Inc.
  • Patent number: 8388831
    Abstract: Staged crushing combined with water addition and mixing is practiced at the mine site to prepare an oil sand slurry ready for hydrotransport. More particularly, as-mined oil sand is crushed to conveyable size (e.g. ?24?) using a mobile crusher. The pre-crushed ore product is conveyed to a dry ore surge bin. Ore is withdrawn from the bin and elevated to the upper end of a slurry preparation tower having downwardly aligned process components to enable gravity feed. The ore is further crushed in stages to pumpable size (e.g. ?4?) by a stack of crushers and water is added during comminution. The ore and water are mixed in a mixing box and delivered to a pump box. The surge bin and tower are relocatable. Screening and oversize reject treatment have been eliminated to achieve compactness and enable relocatability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignees: Canadian Oil Sands Limited Partnership, Canadian Oil Sands Limited, Conocophillips Oilsands Partnership II, Imperial Oil Resources, Mocal Energy Limited, Nexen Inc., Murphy Oil Company Ltd., Petro-Canada Oil and Gas
    Inventors: Ron Cleminson, David Fudge, Michael Carniato
  • Publication number: 20130015100
    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: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: Nexen Inc.
    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
  • Publication number: 20120213694
    Abstract: Systems and methods of removing sulfur from a gas stream comprising hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are 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: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicants: NEXEN INC., SIEMENS INDUSTRY, INC.
    Inventors: Chad L. Felch, Matthew Patterson, Bryan J. Kumfer, Timothy J. Schleusner, Richard Kelso Kerr
  • Publication number: 20120205112
    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 prig of current designs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: Nexen Inc.
    Inventors: Dana Pettigrew, Wojciech A. Limanowka, Zoran Vukadin
  • Publication number: 20120160502
    Abstract: Method of fracturing, hydrocarbon deposits comprising using as source of water an aquifer containing water stable and clear in the aquifer but which may include undesirable soluble chemical compounds that are not in solution when subjected to reduced pressures at surface conditions such as hydrogen sulfide, utilizing aquifer source water in a fracturing process to pump water under pressure at above the water's bubble point pressure to prevent undesirable constituents thereof from separating, maintaining said pressure at a minimum at all times during fracturing, drilling a source and disposal well to/from the aquifer, providing a pump capable of maintaining the minimum pressure, establishing a closed loop, to keep the aquifer water circulating at all times and the undesirable constituents remaining in solution and the water remaining clear thereby avoiding the necessity of treating the water from the aquifer prior to using it in a fracturing processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Nexen Inc.
    Inventor: Dana Pettigrew
  • Patent number: 7984866
    Abstract: A relocatable oil sand slurry preparation system is provided for preparing an aqueous oil sand slurry amenable to pipeline conveyance while producing minimum overall rejects, comprising (a) a relocatable rotary digester for slurrying oil sand and water and digesting oil sand lumps to form a pumpable slurry, the rotary digester having a feed end for receiving oil sand and water, a slurrying chamber comprising a plurality of lifters for slurrying the oil sand and water, and a trommel screen end for screening out oversize rejects from the oil sand slurry which falls through the trommel screen; and (b) a relocatable rejects recirculation unit operably associated with the rotary digester for receiving oversize rejects and delivering the rejects back to the rotary digester for further digestion. In a preferred body, relocatable oil sand slurry preparation system further comprises a rejects crusher for crushing oversize rejects prior to delivering rejects back to the rotary digester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignees: Canadian Oil Sands Limited Partnership, Canadian Oil Sands Limited, Conocophillips Oils Sands Partnership II, Imperial Oil Resources, Mocal Energy Limited, Nexen Inc., Murphy Oil Company Ltd., Petro-Canada Oil and Gas
    Inventors: George J. Cymerman, Khaled Helmy Obaia, Stewart Alexander Johnson
  • Patent number: 7717175
    Abstract: The invention provides an improved method for extracting heavy oil or bitumen contained in a reservoir. The invention involves directing the formation of a solvent fluid chamber through the combination of directed solvent fluid injection and production at combinations of horizontal and/or vertical injection wells so as to increase the recovery of heavy oil or bitumen contained in a reservoir. The wells are preferably provided with flow control devices to achieve uniform production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Nexen Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard Compton Chung, Mintu Bose, Stewart Allan Morton, Kenneth James Elkow, Ed Erlendson, Frances Lai, David Peter Meeks, Kenneth Myron Oberg, Louis Chiu-Hung Leung, James Nelson Ireland
  • Publication number: 20100112375
    Abstract: A powder form of a hard phase component, selected from the group consisting of boron carbide, silicon carbide and a mixture of boron carbide and silicon carbide, is combined with an aluminum alloy matrix powder and applied to a metal substrate using plasma transferred arc (“PTA”) welding to produce a hardfaced structure having a wear-resisting carbide metal matrix composite overlay. The metal substrate can be any metal structure, such as an aluminum, aluminum alloy, steel or carbon steel structure, where wear resistance is desirable. Further, a process for hardfacing a metal substrate is disclosed comprising feeding a hard phase powder, selected from the group consisting of boron carbide, silicon carbide and a mixture of boron carbide and silicon carbide, and an aluminum alloy metal matrix powder to an operative PTA welding torch and welding to form a carbide metal matrix composite overlay fused to a metal substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicants: CANADIAN OIL SANDS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, CANADIAN OIL SANDS LIMITED, CONOCOPHILLIPS OILSANDS PARTNERSHIP II, IMPERIAL OIL RESOURCES, MOCAL ENERGY LIMITED, NEXEN INC., MURPHY OIL COMPANY LTD., PETRO-CANADA OIL AND GAS
    Inventor: Stefano CHIOVELLI