Patents Examined by Jeffrey Washville
  • Patent number: 9714377
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and techniques for manufacturing proppant or lost circulation material from drilling cuttings. In an example embodiment, a method for manufacturing proppant or lost circulation material from drilling cuttings includes obtaining solid drilling cuttings from drilling fluid, removing any remaining hydrocarbon from the solid drilling cuttings, and rending the solid drilling cuttings into a powder form. The method further includes using the powdered drilling cuttings as raw material in a proppant or lost circulation material manufacturing process. In an example embodiment, the proppant or lost circulation material manufacturing process can be sintering or flame spheroidization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Edward Malachosky, Jonathan Mark Getliff
  • Patent number: 9701900
    Abstract: Ultrabright fluorescent silica particles that can take stable temperature measurements, and methods of their manufacture. The particles have encapsulated fluorescent substances, some of which can exhibit altering fluorescent characteristics depending on temperature. The particles function as a thermometer allowing one to measure the temperature of the environment. A ratio of the fluorescent peaks in the fluorescent spectrum of each particle depends on temperature, but is dependent on neither the amount of exciting light nor the size of the particles. Further, the particle size can be confined to the range of 8 nm to 100 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: CLARKSON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Igor Sokolov, Vivekanand Kalaparthi, Shajesh Palantavida
  • Patent number: 9701893
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for mineral oil extraction by means of Winsor type III microemulsion flooding, in which an aqueous surfactant formulation comprising at least three ionic surfactants which are different with regard to the alkyl moiety (R1)(R2)—CH—CH2— and are of the general formula (R1)(R2)—CH—CH2—O-(D)n-(B)m-(A)l-XYa?a/bMb+ is injected through injection boreholes into a mineral oil deposit, and crude oil is withdrawn from the deposit through production boreholes. The invention further relates to surfactant formulations of ionic surfactants of the general formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Christian Bittner, Günter Oetter, Jack Tinsley, Christian Spindler, Gabriela Alvarez-Juergenson, Sophie Vogel, Petra Neumann, Veronika Wloka, Martin Bock
  • Patent number: 9687579
    Abstract: Superabsorbent material, comprising first superabsorbent polymers, coated with second clay-crosslinked superabsorbent polymers, said second clay-crosslinked superabsorbent polymers being obtainable by the step of polymerization of a solution/dispersion of polymerizable compounds and clay particles, to obtain said second superabsorbent polymers, crosslinked by said clay particles, of a weight average largest particle dimension of less than 800 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Torsten Lindner, Axel Meyer, Mattias Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9688878
    Abstract: A coating composition having a solids content of greater than 70% by weight and/or a Volatile Organic Content (VOC) of less than 250 g/l, comprising a novel polyester polyol and a curing agent, wherein the coating composition is capable of curing at ambient temperature, and which provides a coating having excellent durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: AKZO NOBEL COATING INTERNATIONAL B.V.
    Inventors: Steven Alister Nixon, Susan Pritchard
  • Patent number: 9688781
    Abstract: Superabsorbent material, comprising clay-crosslinked superabsorbent polymers, obtainable by polymerizing in a spray-stream, polymerizable compounds in the presence of a polymerization initiator system, and nano-sized or individual clay particles, which are all introduced into a vessel by a spraying step in the form of a said spray-stream thereof, whereby said clay particles crosslink said polymers during polymerization. The invention also relates to such a process and absorbent articles comprising such superabsorbent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Axel Meyer, Torsten Lindner, Mattias Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9683160
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the petroleum drilling field and discloses a reservoir protecting agent composition comprising a structured nanometer film reservoir protecting agent and a water block preventing agent, a drilling fluid containing the same and use thereof for drilling in low-permeability reservoirs. The reservoir protecting agent composition comprises a structured nanometer film reservoir protecting agent and a water block preventing agent, wherein the structured nanometer film reservoir protecting agent comprises montmorillonite laminas, structural units represented by formula (1) and structural units represented by formula (2), wherein each of R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 is independently selected from H, C1-C4 alkyl and C1-C4 alkoxy, R6 is C1-C6 alkylene. The present invention further provides a drilling fluid that contains the reservoir protecting agent composition according to the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: CHINA UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM (EAST CHINA)
    Inventors: Jinsheng Sun, Jingping Liu, Kaihe Lv
  • Patent number: 9676669
    Abstract: Method of converting calcium bentonite to sodium bentonite that is suitable for use as drilling mud or a cement additive. After the addition of a calcium bentonite sample to a prepared soda ash solution at predetermined soda ash/bentonite weight ratios, the bentonite suspension is continuously heated and stirred for up to 24 h. The heating and stirring are crucial towards enhancing the sodium activation of the bentonite, as well as other rheological properties of the bentonite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Musaab Ibrahim Magzoub, Mustafa Saleh Nasser, Ibnelwaleed Ali Hussein, Mohamed Ahmed Nasr Eldin Mahmoud, Abdullah Saad Sultan
  • Patent number: 9678247
    Abstract: A radiation curable composition is disclosed that includes a curable cross-linker essentially free of urethane and urea functional groups, a curable diluent, and a non-radiation curable component comprising (thio)urethane and/or urea groups. Coated optical fibers having a primary coating formed from this radiation curable composition, as well as optical fiber ribbons that contain the coated optical fibers are disclosed. Methods of making the optical fibers and ribbons are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder, Michael Edward DeRosa, Kevin Robert McCarthy, Weijun Niu, David Neal Schissel
  • Patent number: 9676121
    Abstract: Certain polyamide beads or granules are useful as a sustaining material for underground natural or artificial cracks of the earth's crust essentially employed for the extraction of hydrocarbons such as crude oil or natural gas; such polyamide beads have a spherical or ellipsoidal shape and have a surface free of concave portions, advantageously having a uniform shape, and having a mean diameter lower than or equal to 1.7 mm and a porosity lower than 0.1 ml/g, and are produced using a particular cutting device/extruder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignees: RHODIA OPERATIONS, GALA INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Estur, Eric Roche, Michael Eloo, Berthold Druschel
  • Patent number: 9670324
    Abstract: A composition of the formulae MZAORSnR1F1mOAZ1M1, wherein O and S have their normal meaning of oxygen and sulfur, n is at least 2 and not more than 8, F1 is of the formula —OAORSnR1—, m is at least 1, Z and Z1 are the same or different and are oxy or amino, M and M1 are the same or different and are hydrogen or an organic substituent, R and R1 are the same or different and are organic divalent radicals, each having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms, and A is the residue of a dicarboxylic acid of from 2 to 40 carbon atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Leonid Rappoport, Aleksander Yam, Alexander Vainer
  • Patent number: 9670402
    Abstract: Gellable treatment fluids may have their gel times modified by using a polymer mixture therein that contains two or more polymers having disparate average molecular weights. Methods for treating a subterranean formation using such gellable treatment fluids can comprise providing a gellable treatment fluid comprising a polymer mixture and a crosslinking agent, introducing the gellable treatment fluid into a subterranean formation, and allowing the gellable treatment fluid to form a gel in the subterranean formation. The polymer mixture comprises a base polymer and an addend polymer, where the base polymer and the addend polymer each comprise an acrylamide monomer unit or a derivative thereof and have different average molecular weights, such that a molecular weight distribution of the polymer mixture contains at least two local maxima.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: B. Raghava Reddy, Larry S. Eoff, Freddy Crespo
  • Patent number: 9663708
    Abstract: Synthetic ceramic proppants are described. Proppants having a monodispersity of 3-sigma distribution or lower are also described, including methods to make these proppants and methods of using these proppants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Skala, Christopher Y. Fang, Christopher E. Coker
  • Patent number: 9657218
    Abstract: Methods and systems for predicting properties of well bore treatment fluids are disclosed. An embodiment includes a method of predicting fluid properties comprising: determining an operational window for a well bore fluid system; collecting data at vertices of the operational window; and developing a model comprising predicted properties for a plurality of data points within the operational window, wherein developing the model uses Barycentric interpolation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Lucas D. Albrighton, Herron J. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 9637679
    Abstract: Compounds comprising multiple hydrophilic heads and a lipophilic tail may be contacted with a metal or other surface so as to adhere to the surface and inhibit corrosion, among other things. Suitable hydrophilic heads may include quaternary ammonium cation moieties, phosphonium cation moieties, and combinations thereof. Such corrosion-inhibiting compounds may be introduced into a wellbore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation, for instance in oil and/or gas recovery operations and the like, whereupon the compound may adhere to a metal or other surface downhole so as to inhibit corrosion of the surface. These compounds may be employed in various other environments, such as any metal or other surface that may be exposed to corrosive conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Liangwei Qu, Nathan Darrell Davis, Funian Zhao, Qiang Fu
  • Patent number: 9637678
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a powdery composition comprising a chloride selected from sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium chloride and mixtures thereof; metal particles of zinc and/or of aluminum and/or a metal salt; and optionally another corrosion inhibitor, and its method of preparation. It also relates to the use of metal particles in such compositions to protect steel or iron structures against the corrosion induced by chloride ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: HITAM FRANCE
    Inventors: Victor Seita, Yann Denolle
  • Patent number: 9637611
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a polymer nanocapsule and a preparing method thereof, and more particularly, a 3D covalent molecular network nanocapsule, and a preparing method thereof. According to the present invention, a nanocapsule having thermal stability and solvent resistance due to a 3D covalent molecular network structure may be easily prepared without performing an additional post-processing process such as addition of a cross-linking agent or catalyst or removal of a template or core. Since the nanocapsule formed as described above may support an organic dye, metal particles, and the like, it is expected that the nanocapsule will be variously applied to material storage and transport, drug delivery, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: GWANGJU INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Ji-woong Park, Ji-Yoon Jeong, Su-Young Moon
  • Patent number: 9637675
    Abstract: Loss of wellbore fluids (such as drilling fluids, completion fluids and workover fluids) into the flow passages of a subterranean formation may be reduced or eliminated by introducing into the wellbore in communication with the formation a composition containing a composite of a deformable core having a hardened coating which contains a viscosifying agent and, optionally, a crosslinking agent. The viscosity of the composition increases in-situ as the viscosifying agent, and optional crosslinking agent, disassociate from the deformable core and react. A fluid-impermeable barrier is thereby formed. The composites may also be used in spacers, well cements, workover and completion fluids as their need arises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Harold Dean Brannon, Harold Gene Hudson, Windal Scott Bray
  • Patent number: 9637674
    Abstract: At least one petroleum coke may be added to an oil-based fluid to improve the electrical conductivity of the oil-based fluid. The oil-based fluid may be a drilling fluid, a completion fluid, a drill-in fluid, a stimulation fluid, a servicing fluid, and combinations thereof. In a non-limiting embodiment, the downhole fluid composition may be circulated in a subterranean reservoir wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Jianzhong Yang
  • Patent number: 9631043
    Abstract: A stable partly cured polyisocyanate composition is disclosed which comprises polyisocyanurate (intermediate polyisocyanurate comprising material) and which is further curable. Furthermore a process for making the intermediate (partly cured) polyisocyanurate comprising material and a process for further curing the partly cured polyisocyanurate composition is disclosed. Also polyisocyanurate comprising materials made or obtainable from partly cured intermediate polyisocyanurate comprising material are disclosed and processes for further curing a partly cured polyisocyanurate comprising composition (intermediate material).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: HUNTSMAN INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventors: Christian Esbelin, Hugo Verbeke, Hans Godelieve Guido Verbeke