Patents Examined by Andrew Sue-Ako
  • Patent number: 11584878
    Abstract: A variety of methods, systems, and compositions are disclosed, including, in one embodiment, method of scale inhibition including: introducing a treatment fluid comprising a brine, a scale inhibitor in neutralized form, and a thermally activated acid precursor through a wellbore and into a producing formation; wherein the thermally activated acid precursor is heated to release an acid that enhances miscibility of the scale inhibitor in the brine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiwei Yue, Ping Chen, Hui Zhou
  • Patent number: 11578262
    Abstract: Proppant particulates like sand are commonly used in hydraulic fracturing operations to maintain one or more fractures in an opened state following the release of hydraulic pressure. Fracturing fluids and methods of hydraulic fracturing may also use proppant particulates composed of fluid coke material (also referred to as fluid coke proppant particulates). In some instances, the fluid coke proppant particulates are characterized by a bulk density of less than about 0.9 grams per cubic centimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Peter A. Gordon, Michael Siskin, Harry W. Deckman
  • Patent number: 11578249
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to spacer fluids for use in subterranean operations and, more particularly, in certain embodiments, to spacer fluids that include a spacer additive comprising a solid scouring material and a biopolymer gum while being essential free of clay. An example method may comprise spacer fluid comprise water and a spacer additive. The spacer additive may comprise a solid scouring material and a biopolymer gum, wherein the solid scouring material comprises crystalline silica in an amount of about 5 wt. % or less, and wherein the spacer fluid is essentially free of clay. The example method may further comprise and introducing the spacer fluid into a wellbore to displace at least a portion of a first fluid in the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Joseph Jones, Ryan Keeran
  • Patent number: 11572497
    Abstract: Accordingly, this disclosure describes systems, compositions, and methods that may use pelletized diverting agent particulates for diversion, fluid loss control, and/or other subterranean treatments for controlling fluid flow in subterranean formations. In an embodiment, a method comprising: introducing a treatment fluid into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation wherein the treatment fluid comprises: a base fluid; a pelletized diverting agent comprising a degradable polymer, wherein the pelletized diverting agent at least partially plugs a zone in the subterranean formation; and diverting at least a portion of the treatment fluid and/or a subsequently introduced fluid away from the zone. In an embodiment, a treatment fluid comprising: a base fluid; and a pelletized diverting agent comprising a degradable polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Travis Hope Larsen, Larry Steven Eoff, Aaron Michael Beuterbaugh, Chris A. Lewis
  • Patent number: 11572776
    Abstract: Hydraulic fracturing a subterranean formation with frac fluid, the hydraulic fracturing including complex shear fracturing of the subterranean formation. The technique includes determining an amount of the complex shear fracturing occurring, and adjusting operating parameters of the hydraulic fracturing to increase the complex shear fracturing occurring. The amount may consider fracture surface area. The adjusting may consider resonant frequency of the subterranean formation rock being fractured. The complex shear fracturing may assist with diffusion production. The techniques may include a non-transitory, computer-readable medium having instructions executable by a processor of a computing device to facilitate the aforementioned actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Shea Frac Group, LLC
    Inventors: Wesley W. Johnson, Danny C. Phillips
  • Patent number: 11572498
    Abstract: A thixotropic composition having a cross-linkable polymer, cross-linking agent, initiator and a thixotropic agent. The thixotropic agent may be a clay or a saccharide polymer. The thixotropic composition may be introduced into a drill string via a batch or on-the-fly process to prevent loss of drilling fluid into the surrounding formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Joseph Jones, Samuel J. Lewis, Thomas Jason Pisklak
  • Patent number: 11566157
    Abstract: Water-based drilling fluids may include an aqueous base fluid and a mixture of polyethylene polyamines in an amount of from 1 lbm/bbl to 20 lbm/bbl relative to the total volume of the water-based drilling fluid. The polyethylene polyamines of the mixture may have a first chemical structure H2NCH2CH2(NHCH2CH2)xNH2, where x may be an integer greater than or equal to 3. The average molecular weight of the polyethylene polyamines in the water-based drilling fluid having the first chemical structure may be from 200 g/mol to 400 g/mol. Methods for drilling a subterranean well with the water-based drilling fluids are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Vikrant Wagle, Sara Alkhalaf, Abdullah Al-Yami
  • Patent number: 11566488
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of delaying viscosification of a well treatment fluid within a well or within a subterranean formation penetrated by a well by introducing into the well a hydratable viscosifying agent of particulates having a minimum of 40% retention on a 60 mesh screen and a minimum of 1% retention on a 20 mesh screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Andreas Brandl, Christina Magelky, Angela Anh Doan, Windal Scott Bray
  • Patent number: 11536125
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for proppant suspension and suspension parameter optimization based on bubble bridge effect, comprising: select a proppant and hydrophobically modify its surface to obtain a hydrophobically surface-modified proppant; prepare a bubbly fracturing base fluid; make the first optimization of the base fluids according to the average radius of the proppant and the average radius of the bubbles of the base fluids; optimally select the base fluids selected for the second time according to the interaction energy between the proppant particle and the bubble after the hydrophobically surface-modified proppant mixed with the base fluid; the basic parameters of the bubbly fracturing base fluid selected at the third time were used for the perfect selection for proppant suspension. The present invention establishes a procedure on experimental evaluation and parameter calculation optimization by suspending fracturing proppant with the bubble bridge effect on the hydrophobic surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Chengdu University of Technology
    Inventors: Bin Yang, Hao Zhang, Yufan Guo, Bo Yang, Yin Zhong, Yang Yang, Wenjing Ma, Yue Li
  • Patent number: 11535787
    Abstract: According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a spacer fluid includes an aqueous fluid, a weighting agent, and a clay stabilizer consisting of one or more polyethylene polyamines having a first structure H2NCH2CH2(NHCH2CH2)xNH2, where x is an integer greater than or equal to 3. The amount of the clay stabilizer may be from 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. % relative to the total weight of the spacer fluid. The average molecular weight of the polyethylene polyamines in the spacer fluid having the first structure may be from 200 g/mol to 400 g/mol. All of the polyethylene polyamines in the spacer fluid having the first structure may be encompassed in the clay stabilizer. Methods for cementing a casing in a wellbore using the spacer fluid are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Sara Abdulaziz Alkhalaf, Abdullah Al-Yami, Vikrant Wagle, Ali Alsafran
  • Patent number: 11525330
    Abstract: Methods and systems for diverting the flow of fluids within a wellbore are disclosed. The methods and systems use a flow conveyed diverter pack, which includes a package portion and a wing portion. The package portion may contain a ball (a.k.a. a diverter ball) and may contain additional components. The diverter pack may be formed by sandwiching a diverter ball between films of a flexible material, for example, films of a dissolvable polymer. The diverter pack may be deployed in a wellbore, whereby the pack is conveyed by fluid flow to an opening to be sealed. The diverter pack seats upon the opening, thereby diverting flow from the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Workover Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl Andrew Rosenholm
  • Patent number: 11518930
    Abstract: An aqueous cross-linking suspension composition having brine, water-soluble suspending agent and borate cross-linker in a single package and methods for using the package composition for increasing the efficiency of fracturing subterranean formations and effectively delivering borate cross-linkers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Univar USA Inc.
    Inventors: Abdelaziz Rahy, DeWitt Knox, Mohand Melbouci
  • Patent number: 11518929
    Abstract: Compositions and methods using subterranean treatment fluids comprising water-soluble polymers are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include: adding an anionic or amphoteric water-soluble polymer to a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid; adding a dewatering agent to the treatment fluid, wherein the dewatering agent comprises an aqueous phase, a solvent, a co-solvent, and one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of: ethoxylated alcohol, a polyamine polyether, a resin alkoxylated oligomer, and any combination thereof; and introducing the treatment fluid into a well bore penetrating at least a portion of the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Antonio Recio, III, Gladys Rocio Montenegro-Galindo, Jason Maxey, Denise Nicole Benoit
  • Patent number: 11512574
    Abstract: Techniques of the present disclosure relate to proppant flowback control using a plug and perf completion. A method comprises disposing a resin in at least one cluster of fractures of a stage; disposing an activator for the resin in the stage; displacing the activator from the wellbore and into the at least one cluster of the stage with a plug attached to a perforating apparatus; setting the plug such that the resin and the activator are contained in the stage; and perforating a subsequent stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Philippe Quero
  • Patent number: 11512572
    Abstract: Methods of stimulating a hydrocarbon well are disclosed herein. The hydrocarbon well includes a wellbore that extends within a subterranean formation and a tubular that extends within the wellbore and defines a tubular conduit. The methods include retaining a sealing structure within the tubular conduit and, during the retaining, stimulating a zone of the subterranean formation. Subsequent to the stimulating, the methods include fluidly isolating the zone of the subterranean formation from the uphole region by at least partially sealing the plurality of perforations. Subsequent to the fluidly isolating, the methods include moving the sealing structure in a downhole direction within the tubular conduit. The methods also include repeating the retaining, the stimulating, the fluidly isolating, and the moving a plurality of times to stimulate a plurality of corresponding zones of the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: James B. Thomas, Owen J. Hehmeyer, Nancy H. Choi, Erik N. English, Eric R. Grueschow
  • Patent number: 11505732
    Abstract: Modified Drilling fluid compositions, lost circulation material compositions and methods for using drilling fluid compositions are provided with enhanced loss control properties where the modified drilling fluid may include a carrier fluid, one or more drilling fluid additives, and a lost circulation shape-adaptable material. The loss lost circulation shape-adaptable material may include a plurality of oval shaped composite particles, wherein the plurality of oval shaped composite particles comprise a first component, a second component, and a high temperature, high pressure (HTHP) binding adhesive. Methods to control lost circulation in a lost circulation zone in a wellbore may include introducing a modified drilling fluid into the wellbore such that the modified drilling fluid contacts the lost circulation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Md Amanullah, Timothy Eric Moellendick
  • Patent number: 11499086
    Abstract: A method for strengthening a subterranean formation is disclosed herein. A method of strengthening a subterranean formation includes: introducing a first fluid into the subterranean formation, wherein the first fluid includes polyvalent cations; and introducing a second fluid into the subterranean formation, wherein the second fluid includes a dissolved silicate in an aqueous-base fluid; wherein the dissolved silicate reacts with the polyvalent cations in the subterranean formation to form a reaction product including precipitated silicate in the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale E. Jamison, Brian Alan Evans, William Walter Shumway, Denise Nicole Benoit
  • Patent number: 11492543
    Abstract: Proppant particulates like sand are commonly used in hydraulic fracturing operations to maintain one or more fractures in an opened state following the release of hydraulic pressure. Fracturing fluids and methods of hydraulic fracturing may also use proppant particulates composed of flexicoke material. Such proppant particulates may have improved transport into fractures because of lower density than traditional proppants like sand and may produce fewer fines that reduce fluid flow through proppant packs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Peter A. Gordon, Michael Siskin, Harry W. Deckman
  • Patent number: 11473007
    Abstract: The present invention provides environmentally-friendly compositions and methods for degrading polymers used in fracking operations to enhance the recovery of oil and gas. Specifically, the compositions and methods utilized microorganisms and/or their growth by-products to degrade polymers, such as PGA, PLA and PAM, used in fracking wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: LOCUS OIL IP COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Sean Farmer, Ken Alibek, Kent Adams, Karthik N. Karathur
  • Patent number: 11473398
    Abstract: Fluid flows, such as slurries, conditioning fluids, spacer fluids, or the like, may be modified to carry materials having high magnetic permeability characteristics that can be detected by a magnetic permeability sensing apparatus positioned along the fluid flow path in wellbores or downhole tools. Sensed presence of the high magnetic permeability material by the sensing apparatus positioned in the fluid flow path may result in initiation of an operational event. The operational event may include, but not limited to closing or opening a valve, moving a component, conveying a signal, activating or deactivating a device, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Jones, Gregory T. Werkheiser