Patents Examined by Ryan Schneer
  • Patent number: 9546313
    Abstract: Magnesium oxysulfate cement compositions and methods for controlling and preventing fluid and gas flow through a wellbore are described. The compositions and methods may be implemented to provide a barrier to fluid and gas flow between casings or in other operations such as squeeze operations. Magnesium oxysulfate cement compositions may include an admixture of magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate trihydrate and water. When admixed with water, the compositions rapidly transition from a flowable state to a solid state with formation of little or no gel strength before the transition and further have a near-linear relationship between the time required for the transition to occur and the composition temperature at which the transition occurs enabling the user to determine the time within which the transition will occur. Additives, such as accelerators and inhibitors can be added to modify the time in which the compositions make the transition from flowable state to solid state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Inventor: Brian Henry Tomlinson
  • Patent number: 9546316
    Abstract: This invention generally relates to the field of oil recovery from reservoirs. More specifically, it relates to the recovery of oil from sandstone and carbonate reservoirs using a process for preparing a dispersion of capsules for use downhole including the steps of providing capsules containing a dense liquid, each capsule having a capsule wall defining an inner area, the capsule wall having an outer side. The capsules are functionalized by adding a carbon dioxide-philic compound to the outer side of the capsule wall. A dispersion is then prepared by adding the functionalized capsules to supercritical carbon dioxide such that a stable dispersion of capsules in supercritical carbon dioxide is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Fawaz Al-Otaibi, Yun Chang, Sunil Kokal, Howard Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9512704
    Abstract: A method of recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation includes placing a wellbore in the formation, wherein the wellbore is approximately horizontal in the formation; forming one or more fractures in the formation in fluid communication with the wellbore; recovering hydrocarbons from the formation through the wellbore; injecting a volume of fluid comprising greater than 98 mass % water and greater than 0.005 mass % active surfactant into the formation through the wellbore, wherein at least 10 mass % of said volume is injected at a bottom hole pressure at the heel of the wellbore that is less than the minimum horizontal stress in at least a portion of the overburden and at least 5 mass % of said volume is injected at a bottom hole pressure at the heel of the wellbore that is greater than the median minimum horizontal stress in the subterranean formation; and subsequently recovering in situ hydrocarbons from the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: STATOIL GULF SERVICES LLC
    Inventor: Matthew A. Dawson
  • Patent number: 9494026
    Abstract: Methods of treating a wellbore in a subterranean formation including providing an aqueous treatment fluid comprising a liquid resin agent, wherein the liquid resin agent comprises the reaction product of a multifunctional electrophilic compound and at least one nucleophilic compound selected from the group consisting of a dimer acid; a dimer amine; any derivative thereof; and any combination thereof, and wherein the multifunctional electrophilic compound comprises least two electrophilic reactive groups; introducing the aqueous treatment fluid into the wellbore in the subterranean formation; and, curing the liquid resin agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Loan Vo, Feng Liang, Philip D. Nguyen, Tingji Tang
  • Patent number: 9441151
    Abstract: A method of servicing a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising placing a wellbore servicing fluid in the wellbore and/or subterranean formation, wherein the wellbore servicing fluid comprises a hydrophobically modified relative permeability modifier, an oxygenated alkylating agent, and an aqueous base fluid, and allowing the wellbore servicing fluid to modify the permeability of at least a portion of the wellbore and/or subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Serives, Inc.
    Inventors: B. Raghava Reddy, Larry S. Eoff, Christopher A. Lewis, Natalie L. Pascarella
  • Patent number: 9441471
    Abstract: Introducing a fluid composition and a heat-generating fluid into a wellbore may improve timing and/or conditions of generating in situ heat downhole. The generated heat may be used to melt wax, and dissolve paraffins and asphaltenes or other deposits within the wellbore or in the reservoir itself. The fluid composition may include a base fluid and a metallic powder having a plurality of metallic powder particles. The base fluid may be or include a drilling fluid, a completion fluid, a stimulation fluid, a workover fluid, an activation fluid, and mixtures thereof. Each metallic powder particle may have a metallic particle core, and a coating disposed on the metallic particle core having a coating material. The metallic particle core may be released from the metallic powder particle. A heat-generating fluid may contact the released metallic particle core and thereby generate heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Kushal Seth, Zhiyue Xu
  • Patent number: 9388332
    Abstract: Method comprising the steps of obtaining a sample of a return drilling fluid, the return drilling fluid containing a tagged detectable additive, the tagged detectable additive comprising a polymer comprising at least one chemical tag bonded to the polymer; and determining a concentration of the tagged detectable additive in the return drilling fluid based on a spectroscopic signal of the sample. The tagged detectable additive may include a polymer comprising at least one chemical tag bonded to the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Paul Deville, Phillip Wayne Livanec, Sherif Eldin
  • Patent number: 9334721
    Abstract: A three step method of using a non-acidic stimulation fluid in high temperature sandstone formation is provided. The method consists of using a preflush brine, a non-acidic stimulation fluid, and an overflush brine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Mohammed Nasser Al Dahlan, Khalid Abdullah Al Dossary, Abdullah Mohammed Al Harith
  • Patent number: 9328284
    Abstract: Compositions of plant oil-based biodegradable crude oil thinning fluids are described having a performance especially suitable to reducing crude oil viscosity in extraction and retrieval operations. A method to recover oil from an oil well is described, comprising the steps of: a) providing a formulation comprising one or more terpenoid compounds, soy methyl esters, and glycol ether esters; b) introducing a first portion of the formulation into an oil well; and c) recovering a mixture from the oil well, where the mixture comprises at least a portion of the formulation together with oil from the oil well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: BIOSPAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Sheldon R. Chesky
  • Patent number: 9316097
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for recovering bitumen from a bitumen reserve. The method includes recovering bitumen from an alternative pay region in the bitumen reserve via gravity drainage using an inclined horizontally drilled well drilled from a drainage pit upwardly into the bitumen reserve. The drainage pit has been excavated into an area of an underlying formation that is, at least in part, adjacent to and underlying the bitumen reserve. The alternative pay region includes a region unsuitable for recovering bitumen by surface mining or by in situ recovery using wells that produce bitumen to ground level above the alternative pay region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: SUNCOR ENERGY INC.
    Inventors: Russell Peter Warren Stancliffe, Grant John Duncan, Clayton Robert Phair, Gordon Theodore Stabb
  • Patent number: 9267371
    Abstract: Methods of tracing fracking liquid in oil or gas bearing formations using plural unique oligonucleotide markers. Method includes pumping the plural volumes of fracking liquid, each marked with a unique oligonucleotide, into the formation, thereby defining plural fracture zones in the formation, and, pumping fluids out of the formation while taking plural fluid samples. Then, analyzing the concentration of the unique oligonucleotides in each of the plural fluid samples, and, calculating the ratio of each of the plural volumes of fracking liquid recovered for each of the plural fluid samples according to the concentration of the unique oligonucleotides present in each of the plural samples. And, then, establishing the quantity of the plural volumes of fracking liquids removed from the plural fracture zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Trace Logic, Inc
    Inventors: Tyler W. Blair, J. Lynn Myers
  • Patent number: 9206683
    Abstract: Tracing fracking liquid in oil and gas wells using unique DNA sequences. For each of the DNA sequences, bonding to magnetic core particles, and encapsulating them with silica. Pumping the volumes of fracking liquid, each marked with one of the unique DNA sequences, into the well. Pumping fluids out of the well while taking fluid samples. For each of the plural fluid samples, gathering the silica encapsulated DNA using magnetic attraction with the magnetic core particles, dissolving away the silica shells, thereby separating the plural unique DNA sequences form the magnetic core particles, and analyzing the concentration of the unique DNA sequences in each of the plural fluid samples. Then, calculating the ratio of each of the volumes of fracking liquid recovered for each of the fluid samples, and thereby establishing the quantity of the volumes of fracking liquids removed from the fracture zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Trace Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Tyler W. Blair, Richard K. Baldwin
  • Patent number: 9194226
    Abstract: Tracing fracking liquid in oil and gas wells using unique DNA sequences. For each of the DNA sequences, bonding to magnetic core particles, and encapsulating them with silica. Pumping the volumes of fracking liquid, each marked with one of the unique DNA sequences, into the well. Pumping fluids out of the well while taking fluid samples. For each of the plural fluid samples, gathering the silica encapsulated DNA using magnetic attraction with the magnetic core particles, dissolving away the silica shells, thereby separating the plural unique DNA sequences form the magnetic core particles, and analyzing the concentration of the unique DNA sequences in each of the plural fluid samples. Then, calculating the ratio of each of the volumes of fracking liquid recovered for each of the fluid samples, and thereby establishing the quantity of the volumes of fracking liquids removed from the fracture zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Inventor: Tyler W. Blair
  • Patent number: 9051510
    Abstract: Methods including providing a treatment fluid comprising a perfluorinated carboxylic acid; introducing the treatment fluid into a subterranean formation having a temperature of at least about 82° C. and having a siliceous material and/or carbonate material therein; and generating hydrofluoric acid from the perfluorinated carboxylic acid; and dissolving at least a portion of the siliceous material with the generated hydrofluoric acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Enrique Antonio Reyes, Aaron M. Beuterbaugh, Alyssa Lynn Smith