Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments, this disclosure describes a viscoelastic surfactant fluid for a subterranean formation comprising: brine solution; at least one polyacrylamide viscosity modifier with a weight averaged molecular weight (Mw) from 250,000 g/mol to 40,000,000 g/mol; and a viscoelastic surfactant according to formula (I): where R1 is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group of from 17 to 29 carbon atoms, R2 and R3 are each independently selected from a straight chain or branched alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R4 is selected from H, hydroxyl, alkyl or hydroxyalkyl groups of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; k is an integer of from 2-20; m is an integer of from 1-20; and n is an integer of from 0-20.

Abstract: A method for providing power to an artificial lift system includes providing at least two conductors, each conductor being an insulated conductor having insulating material surrounding such conductor. The at least two conductors are surrounded with a composite fiber jacket to form a power cable, the composite fiber jacket being an outermost member of the power cable and having a substantially smooth exterior surface. The power cable is connected to the artificial lift system such that a load of the artificial lift system is transferred to the composite fiber jacket of the power cable.

Abstract: A method of cracking a hydrocarbon feed which includes introducing vaporizing a hydrocarbon feed and a heat generating material (HGM) stream comprising at least one aldehyde or ketone to a cracking reactor. The hydrocarbon feed and the HGM stream are vaporized and may be vaporized prior or subsequent to introduction to the cracking reactor. The addition of the HGM to the endothermic cracking process provides the heat needed for cracking and helps the overall process to achieve thermal neutrality. The method includes cracking the hydrocarbon feed to produce a cracking product, where the cracking product comprises C1-C4 hydrocarbons and C5+ hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Embodiments for an integrated hydrotreating and steam pyrolysis process for the processing of crude oil comprising recycling the higher boiling point fraction of the upgraded crude oil to increase the yield of petrochemicals such as olefins and aromatics.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments, this disclosure describes a viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation comprising: viscoelastic surfactant comprising the general formula: where R1 is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group of from 17 to 29 carbon atoms, R2 and R3, are each independently selected from a straight chain or branched alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R4 is selected from H, hydroxyl, alkyl or hydroxyalkyl groups of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; k is an integer of from 2-20; m is an integer of from 1-20; and n is an integer of from 0-20; brine solution; and at least one nanoparticle viscosity modifier comprising a particle size of 0.1 to 500 nanometers, or 0.1 to 100 nanometers.

Abstract: A system includes a waste heat recovery heat exchanger configured to heat a heating fluid stream by exchange with a heat source in a crude oil associated gas processing plant. The system includes a modified Goswami cycle energy conversion system including a first group of heat exchangers configured to heat a first portion of a working fluid by exchange with the heated heating fluid stream and a second group of heat exchangers configured to heat a second portion of the working fluid.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed relating to composite photonic materials used to design structures and detecting material deformation for the purpose of monitoring structural health of physical structures. According to one aspect, a composite structure is provided that includes a base material, an optical diffraction grating and one or more fluorophore materials constructed such that localized perturbations create a measurable change in the structure's diffraction pattern. An inspection device is also provided that is configured to detect perturbations in the composite structure. The inspection device is configured to emit an inspecting radiation into the structure and capture the refracted radiation and measure the change in the diffraction pattern and quantify the perturbation based on the wavelength and the angular information for the diffracted radiation.

Abstract: A system and a method for calculating the cetane number, pour point, cloud point and aniline point of gas oil fractions of a crude oil sample from the density and gas chromatographic simulated distribution of the sample.

Abstract: A power generation system includes four heating fluid circuits thermally coupled to heat sources from sub-units of a petrochemical refining system. The sub-units include a hydrocracking plant, an aromatics plant, and a diesel hydro-treating plant. Subsets of the heat sources includes hydrocracking plant heat exchangers coupled to streams in the hydrocracking plant, aromatics plant heat exchangers coupled to streams in the aromatics plant, and diesel hydro-treating plant heat exchangers coupled to streams in the diesel hydro-treating plant. A power generation system includes three organic Rankine cycles, each including a working fluid that is thermally coupled to at least one heating fluid circuit to heat the working fluid, and an expander to generate electrical power from the heated working fluid. The system includes a control system to activate a set of control valves to selectively thermally couple each heating fluid circuit to at least a portion of the heat sources.

Abstract: A fuel separation system includes a fuel separator configured to receive a fuel stream and separate the fuel stream, based on a volatility of the fuel stream, into a vapor stream defined by a first auto-ignition characteristic value and a first liquid stream defined by a second auto-ignition characteristic value, the second auto-ignition characteristic value greater than the first auto-ignition characteristic value; and a heat exchanger fluidly coupled between a fuel input of the fuel stream and the fuel separator, the heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the vapor stream to the fuel stream, and output a heated fuel stream to the fuel separator and a second liquid stream defined by the first auto-ignition characteristic value.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include systems, methods, and computer-readable mediums for optimizing the placement of wells in a reservoir. Embodiments include, for example, determining for a reservoir a productivity index for each coordinate of a reservoir using reservoir metrics associated with the reservoir, generating a grid pattern of the reservoir using the productivity index with time values extracted for each coordinate, determining a total dynamic productivity index for each coordinate, and determining placement of one or more wells responsive to the total dynamic productivity index and minimum spacing between the one or more wells. Embodiments further include, for example, generating a production analysis report for the reservoir that includes an assessment of well placement and generating a wells placement map using one or more total dynamic productivity index indicators.

Abstract: Copolymers having General Formula (I): in which R1 and R3 are chosen from divalent C4-C7 aliphatic groups and divalent C4-C7 heteroaliphatic groups, optionally substituted with one or more C1-C6 aliphatic groups, heteroatoms independently chosen from O, N, and S, or combination thereof, where the divalent C4-C7 heteroaliphatic groups of R1 and R3 include one or two heteroatoms independently chosen from O, N, and S, and the maximum number of heteroatoms in R1 or R3 is two, R2 is chosen from Q1 and Q2, x is a molar fraction range chosen from 0.1 to 0.9, y is a molar fraction range chosen from 0.1 to 0.9, and z is a molar fraction range chosen from 0 to 0.8, where the summation of x, y, and z equals 1. Methods for inhibiting formation of clathrate hydrates include contacting a fluid with at least one copolymer of General Formula (I).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for evaluating performance, performing process control, optimization and design of gravity separation process systems that are used to separate immiscible liquid dispersions (e.g., water-in-oil, oil-in-water mixtures) and emulsions for two-phase (liquid-liquid) or three-phase (gas-liquid-liquid) systems. According to one aspect, the design, simulation and control of such systems is performed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software that is configured for determining the separation efficiency of separators on the basis of the true geometry and multidimensional flow field and for a distribution of droplet sizes with the influence of the emulsion concentration on the rheology of the oil-in-water or water-in-oil dispersion.

Abstract: Copolymers having General Formula (I): in which R1, R2, and R3 are chosen from C1 to C30 aliphatic groups, R4 is chosen from divalent C4 to C7 linear aliphatic groups and divalent C4 to C7 linear heteroaliphatic groups, optionally substituted with one or more C1-C6 linear aliphatic groups, C1-C6 branched aliphatic groups, or combination thereof, R5, R6, and R7 are each independently chosen from methyl or hydrogen, x is chosen from 0 to 0.8, y is chosen from 0 to 0.8, when y is 0, x is greater than 0, and when x is 0, y is greater than 0, and z is chosen from 0.1 to 0.9. The summation of x, y, and z equals 1. Methods for inhibiting formation of clathrate hydrates in a fluid capable of forming the clathrate hydrates, including contacting the fluid with at least one copolymer of General Formula (I).

Abstract: Methods for synthesizing acryloyl-based copolymers. The methods include providing a free radical initiator with a solution including monomeric repeating units, a chain transfer agent, and an organic solvent to form a reaction mixture, in which the monomeric repeating units include a first monomeric repeating unit having formula (1a), a second monomeric repeating unit having formula (1b) or (1d), and optionally a third monomeric repeating unit having formula (1c): in which the organic solvent is chosen from monoethylene glycol, ethanol, toluene, or combination thereof; and (B) initiating a polymerization reaction in the reaction mixture to polymerize the monomeric repeating units, thereby synthesizing the acryloyl-based copolymer. Methods for inhibiting formation of clathrate hydrates include contacting a fluid with the acryloyl-based copolymer synthesized in the reaction mixture.

Abstract: Novel methods for processing fumed metallic oxides into globular metallic oxide agglomerates are provided. The methodology may allow for fumed metallic oxide particles, such as fumed silica and fumed alumina particles, to be processed into a globular morphology to improve handling while retaining a desirable surface area. The processes may include providing fumed metallic oxide particles, combining the particles with a liquid carrier to form a suspension, atomizing the solution of suspended particles, and subjecting the atomized droplets to a temperature range sufficient to remove the liquid carrier from the droplets, to produce metallic oxide-containing agglomerations.

Abstract: Copolymers having General Formula (I): in which R1 is chosen from divalent C4-C7 aliphatic groups and divalent C4-C7 heteroaliphatic groups, optionally substituted with one or more C1-C6 aliphatic groups, heteroatoms independently chosen from O, N, and S, or combinations thereof, where: the divalent C4-C7 heteroaliphatic groups include one or two heteroatoms independently chosen from O, N, and S, and the maximum number of heteroatoms in R1 is two; x is a molar fraction range chosen from 0.05 to 0.95; and y is a molar fraction range chosen from 0.05 to 0.95, where the summation of x and y equals 1. Methods for inhibiting formation of clathrate hydrates in a fluid capable of forming the clathrate hydrates. The methods include contacting the fluid with at least one copolymer of General Formula (I) under conditions suitable for forming the clathrate hydrates.

Abstract: Wireless power transmission to downhole well installations is provided using acoustic guided Lamb waves and a tubular conduit (production tubing, casing) as the power transmission medium. A phased array of acoustic transmitters is present at the transmitting end (surface) and an array of acoustic receivers at the receiving end (downhole). Both transmitter and receiver arrays are coupled to the tubular conduit. Beamforming techniques are used along with power amplifiers to generate directional, high power and low frequency acoustic guided Lamb waves along the wellbore to transmit power over long distances. A downhole multi-channel acoustic energy collecting system receives the transmitted acoustic signal, and generates electrical power and stores the power in downhole electrical power storage. This power is used to operate downhole well equipment including sensing, control and telemetry devices.

Abstract: Systems for determining a size, extent, and orientation of a hydraulic fracture of a reservoir, are provided. An exemplary system can include a plurality of RFID transponders modified to include an acoustic transmitter, and an RFID reader modified to include both an RF transmitter and a pair of acoustic receivers, to be deployed in a wellbore adjacent a hydraulic fracture. In embodiments, the acoustic transmitter includes a thermo-acoustic device. The system includes program product configured to receive acoustic return signal data to determine the three-dimensional location of each RFID transponder within the reservoir, to map the location of each RFID transponder, and to responsively determine the size, extent, and orientation can be determined.

Abstract: A calcium looping combustion process for sour gas combustion comprising a system that includes several reaction zones. The system is configured to provide oxygen transfer media production, generation of a syngas product stream, and in-situ H2S removal from the sour gas. The system is also configured such that the calcium-based transfer media and the calcium-based oxygen carrier are reproduced via reactions in another reaction zone, and recirculated in the system.