Patents Examined by Doug Hutton, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9303202
    Abstract: Method of increasing the production rate of reservoir fluid from a reservoir including a wellbore pump for pumping wellbore fluid within the wellbore to a surface. The wellbore pump is associated with a production tube and within a casing, whereby an annulus is defined between the casing and the pump and the production tube, and includes reservoir fluid which is contacted with a treatment formulation containing active materials, including a first optionally crosslinked polymeric material having —O— moieties pendent from a polymeric backbone thereof. The wellbore pump is operated to recover liquid hydrocarbons from the wellbore at a rate which is greater after contact with the treatment formulation compared to the rate of recovery of liquid hydrocarbons before contact with the treatment formulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: OILFLOW SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Michael John Crabtree, Philip Fletcher, Jeffrey Forsyth
  • Patent number: 9290689
    Abstract: A process of making observations of a subterranean reservoir penetrated by a wellbore uses distinguishable sets of tracer particles and comprises steps of: (i) delivering a plurality of sets of tracer particles to respective subterranean locations via the wellbore, the particles in each set comprising a tracer substance which distinguishes that set form the other sets; (ii) causing or allowing the tracer substances to flow out from the tracer particles whilst the particles are at the respective subterranean locations; (iii) causing or allowing production of fluid out of said reservoir via the wellbore; and (iv) detecting the presence or absence of the tracer substances in the produced fluid. The tracer substances are sufficiently distinguishable from each other to enable a tracer substance detected in the produced fluid to identify the set of tracer particles from which it has come and hence identify the location from which it has come.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Valerie Lafitte, Trevor Hughes, Slaheddine Kefi, Matthew Miller, Gary Tustin, Shiyi Wang
  • Patent number: 9284827
    Abstract: A process for hydrocarbon recovery performs a steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) operation by injecting steam in a steam injection well of a SAGD well pair and continuing to inject steam to establish fluid communication between the steam injection well and an oxidizing gas injection well that includes an oxidizing gas injection well segment that is spaced generally above the steam injection well segment, and producing hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon production well of the SAGD well pair, the hydrocarbon production well including a generally horizontal production well segment disposed generally parallel to and vertically below a generally horizontal steam injection well segment of the steam injection well such that the steam injection well segment is disposed generally vertically between the production well segment and the oxidizing gas injection well segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Cenovus Energy Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Canas, Simon Gittins, Subodh Gupta, Arun Sood, Xinjie Wu
  • Patent number: 9284478
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a treatment fluid for a well includes: (a) a water-soluble polymer, wherein the water-soluble polymer comprises a polymer of at least one non-acidic ethylenically unsaturated polar monomer; (b) an organic crosslinker comprising amine groups, wherein the organic crosslinker is capable of crosslinking the water-soluble polymer; (c) a salt of a weak Bronsted base and a Bronsted acid; and (d) water; wherein the treatment fluid is a crosslinkable polymer composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: B. Raghava Reddy, Larry S. Eoff, Julio Estuardo Vasquez, Eldon Dwyann Dalrymple
  • Patent number: 9279077
    Abstract: Methods of treating a subterranean formation comprising placing a treatment fluid comprising a base fluid, proppant particulates, a consolidating agent, a thermoplastic material, and a degradable polyester material into the subterranean formation; coating the proppant particulates and the consolidating agent with the thermoplastic material and the degradable polyester material together so as to form proppant pillars; and degrading the degradable polyester material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Feng Liang, Philip D. Nguyen, Christopher Parton, Jeff Fleming, Jimmie D. Weaver
  • Patent number: 9267243
    Abstract: A water drainage system for collecting and directing water in an outdoor installation such as an artificial turf athletic field having a plurality of elongated fluid flow, edge drain conduits having an interior fluid opening therethrough and formed with a generally rectangular cross section so as to be mounted in a vertical position at the end of the artificial turf. Various drain openings, outlets and water collection apparatus are disclosed for use in the drainage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Inventors: John E. Kreikemeier, Brett Travis Long
  • Patent number: 9260955
    Abstract: Mineral oil is produced from underground mineral oil deposits by injecting one or more flooding media into an injection well and withdrawing mineral oil from a production well. Highly permeable zones are blocked in the region between the injection well and the production well by separately injecting, in succession, two different aqueous formulations, one having water and urotropin and the other having water and urea, through the injection well into the deposit. The two different aqueous formulations mix in the formation after injection to form viscous gels. Either or both formulations have at least one further metal or semimetal compound that can form gels when admixed with bases. The injection well temperature is not more than 60° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignees: Institute of Petroleum Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Wintershall Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Vladimir Stehle, Konrad Siemer, Liubov Altunina, Vladimir Kuvshinov, Ivan Kuvshinov
  • Patent number: 9255375
    Abstract: An adapter assembly for transmitting a drive force from a pile driving system defining a drive axis to a pile defining a pile axis comprising a base assembly and an adapter assembly. The base assembly is operatively supported such that the drive force is transmitted to the base assembly. The adapter assembly comprises a plate member, a skirt member defining a skirt chamber, and an adapter connector configured to support the skirt member relative to the base assembly, the plate member, and the pile member. The adapter assembly substantially aligns the drive axis with the pile axis. The drive force is transmitted from the base assembly to the plate member. The pile is received within the skirt chamber such that the drive force is transmitted from the plate member to the pile. The skirt member is substantially isolated from the drive force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: American Piledriving Equipment, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Yingling, Joseph G. Wright, Steven N. Cress
  • Patent number: 9243456
    Abstract: The invention relates to an earth drilling device (1) for boring a borehole into the soil and/or for drawing a line (9) into an underground passage, comprising at least one system line (4, 6) extending from the earth drilling device to a start region, wherein the system line is designed in an electrically insulating manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: TRACTO-TECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Franz-Josef Püttmann, Gerhard Völkel, Peter Grass, Meinolf Rameil
  • Patent number: 9222338
    Abstract: A tool for lowering, alternatively later retrieval, of a pipeline end which is provided with a connecting part designed for mating with and connection to a first connecting part on the seabed is shown. The tool is so arranged that the tool can be brought to the surface again for reuse. The tool comprises a central lifting frame, a guiding part forming an extension of the lifting frame and a lifting yoke, which tool includes gripping mechanisms which, in one situation, are actuatable to partly circumscribe and retain the pipeline end, and, in a second situation, the gripping mechanisms are releasable to release the pipeline end from the lifting frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Aker Subsea AS
    Inventors: Johan Larsson, Sigvard Omvik
  • Patent number: 9212462
    Abstract: A method for making a wall in soil. The method may include forming a trench in the soil; filling the trench with a self-hardening material; supplying at least one prefabricated element that has two plates connected together by a connection member; and positioning the prefabricated element in the trench filled with the self-hardening material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: SOLETANCHE FREYSSINET
    Inventors: Serge Borel, Jean Pierre Hamelin, Joël Cano, Fabrice Mathieu
  • Patent number: 9206659
    Abstract: Compositions, apparatuses and methods for isolating target zones for hydraulic fracturing, in particular, the use of smart fluids (i.e., magnetorheological fluids) to isolate target zones for fracturing by inducing an electromagnetic field to increase the viscosity of the fluids to form packers or plugs in the annulus of the wellbore and to isolate the target zone are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: TRICAN WELL SERVICE LTD.
    Inventors: Kewei Zhang, Scott Sherman
  • Patent number: 9206575
    Abstract: An oil containment system aboard a vessel which includes a pneumatic system to provide power to a winch and reel assembly containing boom whereby the pneumatic supply is capable of simultaneously powering the winch-reel assembly for boom deployment through inflatable gas fed to a pneumatic motor while also inflating the boom. The system would be utilized to confine a discharge of a floating material such as hydrocarbons floating on the surface from a vessel or structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Inventors: Michael T. D. Miller, Dorin Boldor, Jeffrey D. Ortego
  • Patent number: 9200727
    Abstract: A ship for laying flexible undersea lines at sea, the ship having a deck including a cavity receiving said turntable and a motor-driven device for rotating the turntable and fastened to the carrier structure of the hull of the ship, also known as the “hull girder”. The top face of the circular turntable does not project significantly above the plane of the deck that is juxtaposed therewith. The turntable presents attachment elements for attaching a modular storage and handling device for storing and handling flexible lines by winding and unwinding the flexible lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: SAIPEM S.A.
    Inventors: François-Régis Pionetti, Xavier Rocher
  • Patent number: 9194223
    Abstract: Subterranean formations, such as tight gas formations, may be subjected to hydraulic fracturing by introducing into the formation a fracturing fluid of an aqueous fluid, a hydratable polymer, a crosslinking agent and proppant. The fluid enters the reservoir through an entrance site. The apparent viscosity of the fluid decreases distally from the entrance site such that at in situ conditions: (a) the apparent viscosity of the fracturing fluid 100 feet from the entrance site is less than 10 percent of the apparent viscosity of the fracturing fluid at the entrance site; (b) the apparent viscosity of the fracturing fluid 15 minutes after introduction into the entrance site is less than 15% of the apparent viscosity of the fracturing fluid at the entrance site; and/or (c) the apparent viscosity of the fracturing fluid is less than 10 cP within 15 minutes after being introduced through the entrance site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Charles Elmer Bell, Harold Dean Brannon
  • Patent number: 9188987
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a machine arranged for sawing micro trenches and placing ducts/communication cables in micro trenches, said machine comprising a saw blade arranged for sawing a micro trench in an area; said machine further comprises a stabilizing device arranged for stabilizing the walls of said micro trench when placing ducts/communication cables into said micro trench, said stabilizing device being positioned immediately behind said saw blade in said micro trench, and said stabilizing device comprising guiding means for guiding at least one duct/communication cable when placed into said micro trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: DellCron AB
    Inventors: Conny Gustavsson, Hasse Hultman
  • Patent number: 9182054
    Abstract: An apparatus for feeding an elongate article (6) from a floating vessel and suspending a first portion (6a) of the elongate article in a body of water below the vessel, comprises a cylindrical body (10) rotatably supported on the vessel and driving means (85, 86) for controlling the rotation of the cylindrical body. The cylindrical body (10) further comprises a spooling-on region (P) and a spooling-off region (U) for the elongate article, and a cylindrical contacting surface (18) for interaction with at least a portion of the elongate article (6); the contacting surface (18) being configured so as to support the first portion (6a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Kongsberg Oil & Gas Technologies AS
    Inventors: Robert Haugen, Johan Peter Schwartz, Stener Døhlen, Gunnar Bolkesjø Herø
  • Patent number: 9175488
    Abstract: An open chamber of predetermined size and shape is positioned within a pool bed so as to contain telescopic modules which occupy the chamber area. Each of the telescopic modules is independently extended and retracted in length by increase or decrease of the volume of water contained within a bellows, establishing in selected telescopic modules a specific reef size, shape, and orientation. When kinetic-energy within the water passes over the predetermined shape, size, and orientation of the reef, a wave is generated having specific features resulting from the properties of the specific reef configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Inventor: Phillip James Fricano
  • Patent number: 9162263
    Abstract: A barge system for hydraulic spreading of aquatic capping material is provided. The barge system includes a barge, a piping system, a spreader, a system for moving the barge and a controller. The barge has a deck extending between a front end and a rear end and two opposing sides. The piping system is mounted on the deck and used for the transmission of capping material slurry that includes a capping material. The piping system has a first end and a second end. A source of capping material slurry is connected to the first end and fed through the piping system to the spreader. The spreader has an inlet end in communication with the second end of the piping system and a discharge end. The spreader evenly distributes the capping material slurry from the end of the barge. The controller positions the barge based on the flow rate and density of the slurry. The barge system is used to deposit a predetermined thickness of the capping material on the bottom of the body of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Sevenson Environmental Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Elia, Timothy M. Donegan, Michael D. Crystal, Wayne A. Kostuk
  • Patent number: 9157306
    Abstract: A treatment fluid for treating a portion of a subterranean formation comprises: a base fluid, wherein the base fluid comprises a hydrocarbon liquid; and a gellant, wherein the gellant: is a polymer; and is activated at an activation temperature, wherein the thermal activation of the gellant causes the treatment fluid to become a gel. A method of treating a portion of a subterranean formation includes introducing the treatment fluid into the portion of the subterranean formation, wherein the subterranean formation is penetrated by a well, wherein at least a portion of the well has a bottomhole temperature greater than or equal to the activation temperature, and wherein the step of introducing comprises introducing the treatment fluid into the portion of the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew L. Miller, Jay P. Deville