Patents Examined by Anuradha Ahuja
  • Patent number: 11952859
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of repairing one or more fractures in a wellbore cement by an electric field to move micelles from crude oil to the area to be repaired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: UNM Rainforest Innovations
    Inventors: Ishtiaque Anwar, Mahmoud Reda Taha, John Stormont
  • Patent number: 11898415
    Abstract: Cement slurries are prepared that comprise water, a hydraulic cement and particles of an oil-absorbent material. The particles are present in an amount sufficient to alter a property of a non-aqueous drilling fluid. The cement slurry is placed in a subterranean well, whereupon the slurry contacts residual drilling fluid on casing and formation surfaces. The oil-absorbent material in the cement slurry may reduce the mobility of the drilling fluid, thereby improving zonal isolation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anatoly Vladimirovich Medvedev, Dominic Vincent Perroni, Laure Martin-Al-Khatib, Adam Ethan Keilers, Petr Kolchanov
  • Patent number: 11898431
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for treating hydrocarbon-bearing formations previously subjected to hydraulic fracturing, in which at least some of the methods include pumping into a wellbore a treatment composition comprising LPG combined with one or more surfactants each of which is fully or partially dissolved into the LPG, causing the treatment composition to make contact with water residing in the formation such that at least a portion of the one or more surfactants dissolves into the water, and recovering a composition that includes residual hydrocarbons and at least some of the LPG and water that resided in the formation and at least some of the one or more surfactants that were pumped into the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Universal Chemical Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Tadd Wallace, Kevin Lange, Dave Szabo, Susan Starr, Andrea Balestrini
  • Patent number: 11851613
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for controlled delivery of acid to a desired location, for instance to a subterranean formation, are disclosed. A method for in situ acid stimulation of a subterranean formation that contains a hydrocarbon reservoir and a method for in situ acid treatment of a subterranean formation includes contacting the subterranean formation with (a) a sulfonate-based ammonium salt capable of being oxidized to produce acid; and (b) an oxidizing agent capable of oxidizing the sulfonate-based ammonium salt, where the ammonium salt and oxidizing agent in the aqueous fluid react to produce acid. The method for in situ acid stimulation of a subterranean formation includes stimulating the subterranean formation with the produced acid. The method for in situ acid treatment of a subterranean formation includes treating the subterranean formation with the produced acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Amy J. Cairns, Katherine L. Hull, Desmond E. Schipper
  • Patent number: 11851997
    Abstract: Method for production of hydrocarbons from shale oil reservoirs via a cyclic injection and production process. The method determines the composition of injected hydrocarbon-containing composition to be injected, performing injection and production steps, and then re-determines the composition of the injected hydrocarbon-containing composition to be injected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Shale Ingenuity, LLC
    Inventor: Robert A. Downey
  • Patent number: 11834607
    Abstract: A method for recovering bitumen that includes contacting the bitumen with steam and/or water and an organic amine having a boiling point at one atmosphere of greater than 145° C. and recovering the bitumen. The bitumen can be in oil sands, where the step of contacting includes contacting the oil sands having bitumen with the steam and/or water and the organic amine. Contacting the bitumen with the steam and/or water and the organic amine and recovering the bitumen can be done in-situ in a subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Cole A. Witham, Roxanne M. Jenkins, Biplab Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 11827841
    Abstract: A method of treating a lost circulation zone may include positioning a cured lost circulation material composition in the lost circulation zone of a subterranean natural resource well to produce a barrier operable to mitigate wellbore fluids from passing into the lost circulation zone. The cured lost circulation material composition may be a foam comprising a gas phase and a liquid phase. The cured lost circulation material composition may include a cured bisphenol epoxy resin, one or more surfactants positioned at the interface of the liquid phase and the gas phase of the foam and carbon dioxide in the gas phase of the foam. The cured bisphenol epoxy resin may be a reaction product of a bisphenol epoxy resin system including uncured bisphenol epoxy resin, one or more curing agents, and optionally, a diluent. The carbon dioxide may be a reaction product of one or more carbon dioxide gas-generating compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Vikrant Wagle, Abdullah Al-Yami, Ali Al Safran, Mohammad Alharthi
  • Patent number: 11827849
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon-bearing formation treatment fluid compositions and systems. Methods of hydraulic fracturing a hydrocarbon-bearing formation and/or mitigating well-to-well communication between an infill well and an adjacent well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: XPand Oil & Gas Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Amr Radwan
  • Patent number: 11795371
    Abstract: Y-grade NGL or L-grade is used as a carrier fluid to transport one or more chemical additives into a hydrocarbon bearing reservoir to treat the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir. The Y-grade NGL or L-grade and the chemical additives may be chilled and/or foamed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignees: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: John A. Babcock, Charles P. Siess, III, Kevin G. Watts
  • Patent number: 11781409
    Abstract: A formation-fracking system has an gas/fluid accumulator, one or more pumps for pumping a fracking fluid, a fracking string extending to a subterranean formation and defining a fracking channel and a circulation channel, a valve subsystem coupling the pumps to the gas/fluid accumulator and the fracking string, and a bypass valve in fluid communication with the fracking channel and a fracking section. The valve subsystem alternately transitions between a first state for directing fracking fluid from the pumps and the gas/fluid accumulator to the fracking channel to create a kinetic-energy surge, and a second state for directing fracking fluid from the pumps to the gas/fluid accumulator for storing energy therein and for fracturing the formation using the kinetic-energy surge. The bypass valve enables a bypass channel fluidly connecting the fracking channel to the circulation channel in the first state and abruptly disables the bypass channel in the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: THE ANDERS FAMILY LIVING TRUST
    Inventor: Edward Anders
  • Patent number: 11767737
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for reducing fluid loss in a well bore, methods for wellbore strengthening and increasing the integrity of the borehole of an oil or gas well. Also disclosed are methods for artificially increasing the temperature of a subsurface formation in the wellbore to increase the apparent wellbore strength. The mechanism for accomplishing this revolves around increasing fracture propagation pressure by actively manipulating thermal wellbore stresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
    Inventors: Eric Van Oort, Besmir B. Hoxha, Ali Karimi Vajargah, Robert O. Williams, III, Hugh Smyth, Silvia Ferrati
  • Patent number: 11753574
    Abstract: A downhole system includes a packer sealing an annular space around a downhole tubing and an insulating packer fluid positioned within the annular space and adjacent to the packer. The insulating packer fluid includes a sodium bicarbonate activator and an acidic nanosilica dispersion having silica nanoparticles and a stabilizer, wherein the pH of the acidic nanosilica dispersion ranges from 2 to 5, and the silica nanoparticles form at least 20 percent by weight of the acidic nanosilica dispersion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Vikrant Wagle, Rajendra Kalgaonkar, Abdullah S. Al-Yami
  • Patent number: 11725130
    Abstract: A cement slurry in a downhole well has a composition that includes a cement in an amount of 60% to 80% by weight of the cement slurry, water in an amount of 20% to 40% by weight of the cement slurry, and a retarder in an amount of 0.1% to 2% by weight of the cement slurry. The cement includes 70% to 90% of at least one silicate by weight of the cement. The retarder includes sodium lignosulfonate with an alkali content of no more than 5.0 g Na2O equivalent/liter of admixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Sara Abdulaziz Alkhalaf, Abdullah Al-Yami, Vikrant Wagle, Ali Alsafran
  • Patent number: 11708753
    Abstract: Methods and systems for breaching a ceramic disk installed in a wellbore during oil and gas well completion and production activities. A ceramic disk dissolves with a strong acid. Additionally, the strong acid is further used to stimulate a reservoir. The strong acid can be introduced to the wellbore through coiled tubing or directly from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Inventors: Abdulrahman Al Ahmari, Mohammed Al Dabbous
  • Patent number: 11708750
    Abstract: A method for enhanced oil recovery from a hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formation includes withdrawing hydrocarbons from a production well extending into the formation, identifying a high permeability streak in the formation, and injecting a dense CO2 composition from an injection well into the high permeability streak. The dense CO2 composition includes dense CO2 and a thickener soluble in the dense CO2. The thickener includes copolymer. The method includes, after injecting the dense carbon dioxide composition into the high permeability streak, injecting an aqueous treatment fluid into the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Zuhair AlYousif, Muhammad Majid Almajid
  • Patent number: 11697983
    Abstract: A first well, configured to act as a production well or an injection well, is formed. The first well includes a first horizontal portion. A second well, configured to act as a production well or an injection well, is formed. The second well includes a second horizontal portion substantially parallel to the first horizontal portion. The first horizontal portion and the second horizontal portion are at different depths. A fluid is injected into a geologic formation through the first well for a first duration of time. Hydrocarbons are produced from the geologic formation through the second well for the first duration of time. A fluid is injected into a geologic formation through the second well for a second duration of time. Hydrocarbons are produced from the geologic formation through the first well for the second duration of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: AbdulAziz Salah AlKhateeb, Amar Jaber M. Alshehri, Surajit Haldar, Fahmi Aulia
  • Patent number: 11668176
    Abstract: A well configuration for co-injection processes, wherein a horizontal producer well at the bottom of the pay is combined with injection or injection and producer wells that are vertical and above the lower horizontal production well. This well arrangement minimizes “blanket” effects by non-condensable gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY
    Inventors: Bo Chen, Qing Chen
  • Patent number: 11624019
    Abstract: Compositions with modified tannins can be used in wellbore operations. A composition can include an oil, a modified tannin, a dimer fatty acid, an aqueous liquid, and an emulsifier, where the material is injectable into a wellbore. The modified tannin may be treated with a primary amine, secondary amine, tertiary amine, or quaternary amine. The compositions may be used as drilling fluids having enhanced yield point and fluid loss control properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: William Walter Shumway, Hui Zhou
  • Patent number: 11598184
    Abstract: A method of fracturing multiple productive zones of a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore is disclosed. The method comprises injecting a fracturing fluid into each of the multiple production zones at a pressure sufficient to enlarge or create fractures in the multiple productive zones, wherein the fracturing fluid comprises an upconverting nanoparticle that has a host material, a dopant, and a surface modification such that the upconverting nanoparticle is soluble or dispersible in water, a hydrocarbon oil, or a combination thereof; recovering a fluid from one or more of the multiple production zones; detecting the upconverting nanoparticle in the recovered fluid by exposing the recovered fluid to an excitation radiation having a monochromatic wavelength; and identifying the zone that produces the recovered fluid or monitoring an amount of water or oil in the produced fluid by measuring an optical property of the upconverting nanoparticle in the recovered fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Sankaran Murugesan, Valery Khabashesku, Qusai Darugar
  • Patent number: 11578252
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for introducing a treatment fluid into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation wherein the treatment fluid comprises: a base fluid; and composite diverting particulates, wherein the composite diverting particulates each comprise a degradable polymer and an oil-soluble material, wherein the composite diverting particulate 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Travis Hope Larsen, Aaron Michael Beuterbaugh, Larry Steven Eoff