Patents Examined by Crystal J Miller
  • Patent number: 10760399
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with the treatment of produced water, obtained from a chemically enhanced oil recovery process using viscosity-increasing polymeric compounds. Said treatment comprises particularly the steps of obtaining a produced water, from an oil-water mixture recovered from an oil-bearing formation, wherein the produced water comprises the viscosity-increasing polymeric compounds; and, of directing the produced water to a specific filtration device, and subjecting the produced water to filtration, for obtaining a retentate stream and a permeate stream. Said process allows particularly obtaining a permeate comprising the viscosity-increasing polymeric compounds, said permeate being substantially free of suspended solids, free oil and emulsified oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: SNF SA
    Inventors: Mouloud Hendou, Camille Sagne, Cedrick Favero, Ludwig Gil, Christophe Rivas
  • Patent number: 10731071
    Abstract: Methods and compositions comprising an emulsion or a microemulsion for use in various aspects of the life cycle of an oil and/or gas well are provided. In some embodiments, the emulsion or the microemulsion comprises water, a solvent, and a surfactant, and optionally, one or more additives. In some embodiments, methods for preventing, reducing, or eliminating a crude oil emulsion in an oil and/or gas well are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Flotek Chemistry, LLC
    Inventors: Hasnain Saboowala, Randal M. Hill, Angus Fursdon-Welsh
  • Patent number: 10723935
    Abstract: Methods including precipitated and mined calcium carbonate lost circulation materials for use in subterranean formation operations. The precipitated calcium carbonate lost circulation materials are formed under a chosen set of precipitation conditions, including in situ in a subterranean formation. The mined calcium carbonate lost circulation materials are obtained in a desired morphological form under naturally occurring mined conditions. The precipitated and mined calcium carbonate lost circulation materials may be needle-shaped aragonite having an aspect ratio of about 1.4 to about 15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale E. Jamison, Cato Russell McDaniel, Xiangnan Ye, Sharath Savari, Chesnee Lae Davis, Jonathan Paul Walker
  • Patent number: 10697261
    Abstract: Particulate dispenser can include a housing enclosing a receiving space. The housing having a fluid inlet aperture and a particulate input aperture, and a fluid outlet aperture. A hopper can be disposed above the housing and coupled to feed particulate from the hopper to the particulate input aperture. A wheel disposed within in the receiving space having at least one distribution aperture extending from the top surface to the bottom surface. The apertures being disposed at respective positions so that rotation of the wheel alternately aligns the distribution aperture with the particulate input aperture to feed particulate from the particulate input aperture into the distribution aperture and then aligns the distribution aperture with the fluid input aperture and the fluid output aperture to feed the particulate from the distribution aperture into the fluid flowing through the distribution aperture as the wheel rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Wayne Henry, Courtney Pierre Robinson
  • Patent number: 10683739
    Abstract: Methods including introducing a first high-viscosity treatment fluid (HVTF) into a subterranean formation through an opening and applying incrementally increased fracturing rate steps (IIFRSs) to the first HVTF to create or enhance a dominate fracture, wherein between each IIFRS applied to the first HVTF a downhole pressure slope over time will increase, decline, or stabilize at a first HVTF measured pressure slope. Evaluating the first HVTF measured pressure slope prior to applying a subsequent IIFRS to the first HVTF. Introducing a first low-viscosity treatment fluid (LVTF) through the opening to create or enhance a secondary azimuth fracture extending from the dominate fracture, and performing a first net pressure operation after the first LVTF is introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Nguyen, Matthew Lewis Lahman, Jesse Clay Hampton, Vladimir Nikolayevich Martysevich, Stephen Byrne Persac
  • Patent number: 10662372
    Abstract: Methods including introducing a treatment fluid into a subterranean formation having at least one fracture therein, the treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and brush photopolymerized coated proppant particulates (bPCPPs), and placing the bPCPPs into the at least one fracture to form a proppant pack therein. The bPCPPs comprise proppant modified with a coupling agent photopolymerized to a derivatized hydrophilic polymer, thereby resulting in a brush polymer structure of the derivatized hydrophilic polymer extending from the proppant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Dipti Singh, Prashant D. Chopade, Janette Cortez, Philip D. Nguyen, Ronald Glen Dusterhoft
  • Patent number: 10662748
    Abstract: The flow of a stimulation fluid may be diverted from a high permeability zone to a low permeability portion of a subterranean formation by use of an acid soluble or acid degradable solid particulate and a composite of an acid or an acid generating compound adsorbed onto a water-insoluble adsorbent. Conductive flow of hydrocarbons from an occluded fracture may be resumed by release of the acid from the adsorbent or the acid generating compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Harold Dean Brannon, Stephen Jan Szymczak, D. V. Satyanarayana Gupta, Charles Elmer Bell
  • Patent number: 10655057
    Abstract: An emulsion for hydraulic fracturing to provide a one-step delivery of a fracturing fluid and a breaker for hydraulic fracturing of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation is provided. The emulsion for hydraulic fracturing is a water-in-oil-in-water emulsion having an internal aqueous phase that includes a breaker, an external aqueous phase that includes a fracturing fluid and a proppant, and an intermediate hydrocarbon phase separating the internal aqueous phase and external aqueous phase. The emulsion may include nanometer-sized or micrometer-sized particles to form a Pickering emulsion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Rajendra Arunkumar Kalgaonkar
  • Patent number: 10655444
    Abstract: Methods including introducing a solids-free high-viscosity fracturing fluid into a subterranean formation above the fracture gradient to create or enhance at least one dominate fracture. Introducing a first low-viscosity pad fluid (LVPadF) above the fracture gradient to create or enhance at least one first microfracture extending from the dominate fracture. The first LVPadF comprises an aqueous base fluid, high-density micro-proppants (HDMPs), and low-density micro-beads (LDMBs), the HDMPs having a specific gravity that is at least about 100% greater than the specific gravity of the LDMBs. Placing at least a portion of the HDMPs and LDMBs into the microfracture to form at least a partial monolayer. Introducing a low-viscosity proppant fluid (LVPropF) into the subterranean formation above the fracture gradient. The LVPropF comprises an aqueous base fluid and medium-sized proppants (MSPs). Placing at least a portion of the MSPs into the dominate fracture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Nguyen, Ronald Glen Dusterhoft, Matthew Lewis Lahman, Aaron Gene Russell
  • Patent number: 10655041
    Abstract: Methods of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore, by providing a treatment fluid comprising non-homogeneous particulates including a degradable material and a stabilizer; by introducing the treatment fluid into the well bore; and by creating a plug with the treatment fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Zinaida Yurievna Usova, Shitong S. Zhu, Bruno Lecerf
  • Patent number: 10648309
    Abstract: Methods including introducing a high-viscosity treatment fluid into a subterranean formation through an opening and applying incrementally increased fracturing rate steps (IIFRSs) to create or enhance a dominate fracture, wherein between each IIFRS a downhole pressure slope over time will increase, decline, or stabilize at a HVTF measured pressure slope. Further evaluating the HVTF measured pressure slope prior to applying a subsequent IIFRS. Performing a particulate sequence transport operation with a first, second, and third low-viscosity treatment fluid (LVTF), wherein the LVTFs collectively create or enhance at least one near-wellbore secondary azimuth fracture and at least one far-field secondary azimuth fracture extending from the dominate fracture, and further propping the dominate fracture, near-wellbore, and far-field secondary azimuth fractures with the particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Nguyen, Matthew Lewis Lahman, Jesse Clay Hampton, Vladimir Nikolayevich Martysevich, Stephen Byrne Persac
  • Patent number: 10647905
    Abstract: Methods and systems are presented in this disclosure for evaluating performance of cement fluid-loss-control additives and generating cement slurries with controlled fluid losses for cementing operations. A normalized pressure along a wellbore length can be first specified based on properties of the proposed cement slurry formulation and properties of the wellbore in a subterranean formation. A volume loss of a fluid of the proposed cement slurry formulation can be calculated using a model associated with the fluid obtained based at least in part on the normalized pressure and properties of the fluid. The proposed cement slurry formulation can be manipulated by adding one or more fluid-loss control additives to the proposed cement slurry formulation based on the calculated volume loss of the fluid to produce a preferred cement slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Elias D. Rodrigues, Rafael M. Oliveira, Flavio H. Marchesini
  • Patent number: 10648278
    Abstract: A wellbore tool includes a rotatable elongate pipe that includes a first elongate portion extending along a longitudinal axis of the elongate pipe. A first bending portion with a first end attaches to a downhole end of the first elongate portion. The first bending portion deviates from a longitudinal axis of the first elongate portion in a first direction. A second bending portion has a first end attached to a second end of the first bending portion. The second bending portion is positioned downhole of the first bending portion. The second bending portion deviates towards the longitudinal axis in a second direction different from the first direction. The first bending portion and the second bending are eccentric relative to the first elongate portion. The wellbore tool is rotated a set amount and stabbed in a downhole direction until the wellbore tool enters the parted casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Adib A. Al-Mumen, Abdullah E. Noaimi, Ibrahim A. Al-Obaidi, Nelson O. Pinero Zambrano
  • Patent number: 10648279
    Abstract: A method for creating access to annular spacing during P&A operations is described. Specifically, helical coils are cut into one or more casings before the plugging material is set. The plugging material is able to exit the helical coils, forming multiple, small rock-to-rock seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventor: Randall S. Shafer
  • Patent number: 10648280
    Abstract: A chemical packer composition having a polyurethane foam with nanoparticles or micron-sized particles for use as an annular chemical packer in openhole horizontal wells is provided. The chemical packer composition may be used in a horizontal well having a screen (for example, a gravel pack screen) and completed using an openhole completion. The chemical packer composition may include, for example, silica nanoparticles or sand micron-sized particles. The chemical packer composition may be placed in an annulus section defined by the wellbore and the screen that traverses one or more fluid producing zones. In some instances, a portion of the chemical packer composition may be selectively removed to open a fluid producing zone to the wellbore and form plugs blocking other fluid producing zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Prasad Baburao Karadkar, Mohammed Bataweel
  • Patent number: 10647910
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to oil and gas well proppant compositions and methods for enhancing the conductivity of a propped fracture formed during a hydraulic fracturing operation. The method introduces a micro-proppant slurry prepared with slickwater containing both a low-density and a conventional micro-proppant during injection of the pad fluid stages to prop the natural and induced microfractures open and then injecting a proppant slurry prepared with slickwater containing low-density proppant and conventional frac sand during proppant slurry stage to prop the dominant fractures or large branches, provide open flow paths to keep them connective with the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Philip D. Nguyen, Baidurja Ray, Vishwajit Manajirao Ghatge, Larry Steven Eoff, Christopher Austin Lewis
  • Patent number: 10647911
    Abstract: Disclosed are coated particles. The coated particles include substrate particles and a coating disposed over at least a portion of the substrate particles. The coating includes a condensation reaction product of a reaction mixture that includes a liquid isocyanate-functional component and an isocyanate-reactive composition. Also disclosed are methods for making such particles and methods for using such particles as proppants in hydraulic fracturing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Covestro LLC
    Inventors: Stephen J. Harasin, Kenneth R. Riddle, Michael T. Wellman
  • Patent number: 10557074
    Abstract: A method of cementing a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the method comprising: injecting into the wellbore an oil-based fluid; injecting into the wellbore a cement spacer fluid comprising an aqueous carrier, an oil swellable elastomer, and a viscosifier; contacting the oil-based fluid with the cement spacer fluid to swell the oil swellable elastomer in the cement spacer fluid; injecting a cement slurry into the wellbore; and allowing the cement slurry to set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas S. Sodhi, Shannon E. Bryant
  • Patent number: 10550663
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for sealing stage tool leaks are disclosed. In one aspect a stage tool for wellbore cementing comprises an external stage tool body and a sliding sleeve within the external stage tool body configured to regulate cement flow through the stage tool. At least a portion of the sliding sleeve comprises a meltable alloy configured to seal a leak. The meltable alloy is configured to be melted by a heating source, flow into the leak, and resolidify as the melted alloy cools, thereby sealing the leak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventor: Dale R. Doherty
  • Patent number: 10544665
    Abstract: A method of preparing a fracturing slurry comprising a concentrated gel and water, the method comprising preparing a concentrated gel from a polymer and water, diluting the concentrated gel with additional water to form a fracturing carrier fluid at a predefined downhole concentration, preparing a fracturing slurry comprising the fracturing carrier fluid, and pumping the fracturing slurry downhole at or below a predefined maximum slurry rate. The fracturing carrier fluid is formed upon allowing the concentrated gel sufficient residence time to at least partially hydrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Miguel Angel Lopez, Rajesh Luharuka