Patents Examined by Silvana Runyan
  • Patent number: 9476291
    Abstract: This invention is a solvent based gravity drainage process whereby the vertical growth rate of the chamber is restricted by placing, monitoring and managing a buoyant gas blanket at the top of the vapor chamber. This invention reduces the heat loss to the overburden as well as providing a means to preserve a barrier layer of bitumen saturated reservoir sand at the top of the pay zone in reservoirs where there is limited or no confining layer present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: N-Solv Corporation
    Inventors: John Nenniger, Lowy Gunnewiek
  • Patent number: 9464504
    Abstract: Gel compositions include a high molecular weight water-soluble acrylamide polymer, a crosslinking system capable of crosslinking the polymer, a crosslink delay system and an aqueous solvent. The gel compositions are prepared at the surface and injected into a zone of a formation assessable by a wellbore to form a continuous single-phase gel. The gel compositions may be tailored to a specific formation by predetermining gelation rate, gel strength and/or gel stability to form gels having predetermined properties suitable for the zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: LUBRIZOL OILFIELD SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Sarkis R. Kakadjian, Frank Zamora
  • Patent number: 9458960
    Abstract: Gelled barrier fluids preventing the ingress of undesired fluids from subsurface environments into subsurface apparatus have a specific gravity which is within ±0.05 of the specific gravity of the undesired fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory E. Casey, Angel Hoover, Andrew J. Barden
  • Patent number: 9458694
    Abstract: A system and method for extending a slotted liner shoe is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a low density material is injected into a liner having a plurality of openings. The liner is suspended below a cemented casing in a wellbore of a well in a subterranean formation. The low density material extrudes through a lower portion of the liner into an annulus between the liner and the wellbore. A cement is circulated into the liner above the low density material. The cement extrudes through an upper portion of the liner into the annulus between the liner and the wellbore. Water is displaced from the wellbore, and a solid cemented casing string is formed at a desired depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: AltaRock Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Susan Petty, Daniel L. Bour
  • Patent number: 9447314
    Abstract: Chelating agents used in conjunction with stimulation operations in a subterranean formation can often be limited by the pH range over which they may effectively complex metal ions. Perfluorinated chelating agents may have a broader effective pH range for metal ion complexation than do other types of chelating agents, particularly at highly acidic pH values. Methods for treating a subterranean formation can comprise: providing a treatment fluid comprising a perfluorinated chelating agent having at least two carboxylic acid groups; introducing the treatment fluid into a subterranean formation; and complexing metal ions in the subterranean formation with the perfluorinated chelating agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Enrique Antonio Reyes, Aaron Michael Beuterbaugh, Alyssa Lynn Smith
  • Patent number: 9441455
    Abstract: A cement masking system includes a tubular having a wall with at least one radial port. At least one swellable member is arranged to cover the at least one port. The at least one swellable member is configured to at least partially displace cement radially of the tubular during radial expansion of the at least one swellable member. A method of masking ports in a tubular from cement employs the cement masking system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Edward J. O'Malley, Charles C. Johnson, James G. King
  • Patent number: 9441474
    Abstract: A method of backfilling a subsurface formation that includes forming a mixture tailings from at least two sources that have particles with different size distributions. The water content of the mixture is varied to control the rheology of the mixture. The mixture is injected through one or more pipes into a target location, such as a subsurface formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: David P. Yale, Andrey A. Troshko, Sergio A. Leonardi, Neal L. Adair
  • Patent number: 9441447
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods of treating a subterranean formation including introducing a coiled tubing string into a wellbore to a wellbore zone, wherein the string comprises a packer on a bottom hole assembly; introducing an acid fracture treatment through the string; introducing bridging fluid comprising particulates through the string; circulating a portion of fluid in the wellbore; introducing a final portion of fluid with a higher concentration of particulates to further form and consolidate bridge-packer, wherein the concentration of particulates in the final portion of fluid is higher than the introducing the bridging fluid comprising the particulates; squeezing the bridging fluid to isolate a perforation into the zone; moving the string to next zone; and repeating introducing and moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jamie Cochran
  • Patent number: 9435192
    Abstract: An electrochemical sensor of a downhole tool positionable in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation is provided. The downhole tool has a flowline to receive downhole fluid. The electrochemical sensor includes a bulkhead carried by the downhole tool, a membrane exposed to the downhole fluid in the flowline, and an electrochemical cell supported by the bulkhead about the membrane. The electrochemical cell includes a plurality of cell sensors, at least one cell electrode, and a sensing solution. The plurality cell sensors include an analyte sensor, a temperature sensor, and a pH sensor. The sensing solution is reactive to certain analytes in the downhole fluid to generate electrical signals measurable by the plurality of cell sensors whereby parameters of chemicals in the downhole fluid may be measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan S. Lawrence, Andrew Meredith, Kay McGuinness, Markus Pagels, Timothy G. J. Jones, Andrew Howe, Richard Ferguson
  • Patent number: 9435198
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for improving wellbores stability of a hydrocarbon bearing shale formation using nanoparticles to decrease swelling and plug pore throats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
    Inventors: Martin E. Chenevert, Mukul M. Sharma
  • Patent number: 9435333
    Abstract: Corrosion resistant alloys in fluid ends to prolong the life of a well service pump. Methods of using such corrosion resistant alloys that provide a fluid end that has a corrosion resistant alloy having a fatigue limit greater than or equal to the tensile stress on the fluid end at maximum working pressure in the fluid end for an aqueous-based fluid; installing the fluid end in a well service pump; and pumping the aqueous-based fluid through the fluid end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry H. McCoy, David M. Stribling, John Dexter Brunet, Stanley V. Stephenson, Timothy A. Freeney
  • Patent number: 9410069
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed relate to a viscosifier polymer for treatment of a subterranean formation, and methods and systems including the same. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method of treating a subterranean formation. The method can include obtaining or providing a composition including a viscosifier polymer. The method can also include placing the composition in a subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Weibin Zha, Hui Zhou
  • Patent number: 9410076
    Abstract: A method of servicing a wellbore comprising providing a degradable polymer and a delayed action construct within a portion of a wellbore, a subterranean formation or both; wherein the delayed action construct comprises (i) a degradation accelerator comprising an alkanolamine, an oligomer of aziridine, a polymer of azridine, a diamine, or combinations thereof, (ii) a solid support, and (iii) an encapsulating material; and placing the wellbore servicing fluid comprising the degradable polymer and delayed action construct into the wellbore, the subterranean formation or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: B. Raghava Reddy, Janette Cortez, James William Ogle
  • Patent number: 9410394
    Abstract: A method of treating a subterranean formation comprising generating a fracture in the subterranean formation, introducing a predetermined amount of proppant into a treatment fluid, and subsequently introducing a plugging agent into the treatment fluid before the entire predetermined amount of proppant reaches the fracture, minimizing overdisplacement of the proppant from the fracture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Bruno Lecerf, Chad Kraemer, Timothy L. Pope, Dean M. Willberg, Zinaida Usova
  • Patent number: 9404031
    Abstract: Stabilizers that include hydrophobically modified amine-containing polymers may be utilized as compositions or in methods for controlling particulate migration in a subterranean formation. For example, a method may include providing a treatment fluid that comprises a base fluid and a hydrophobically modified amine-containing polymer (HMAP), the HMAP comprising a plurality of hydrophobic modifications on an amine-containing polymer; introducing the treatment fluid into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the subterranean formation comprising a plurality of particulates; and allowing the HMAP to coat at least some of the particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Tingji Tang, Feng Liang, Loan Vo, Philip D. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9399903
    Abstract: A process and a system for enhancing recovery of oil from an oil-bearing formation are provided in which water having a total dissolved solids content is filtered to remove some solids in a filter assembly, the filtered water is treated to remove some ions in a capacitive deionization assembly, and the filtered deionized water is injected into the oil-bearing formation to mobilize crude oil and enhance oil recovery from the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Albert Joseph Hendrik Janssen, Guillo Alexander Schrader, Paulus Henricus Joannes Verbeek
  • Patent number: 9399727
    Abstract: A pellet made from a mixture of natural occurring clays comprising porcelain clay, earthenware clay, and kaolin clay. In some embodiment, the pellet has an alumina content between about 5.5% and about 35%, an apparent specific gravity from about 2.10 to about 2.55 g/cc, and a bulk density of from about 1.30 to about 1.50 g/cc. The pellet is useful in hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells, and has greater conductivity than sand at pressures up to 8,000 psi as measured by Stim-Lab after 50 hours and 275° F. on Ohio Sandstone, in the presence of deoxygenated aqueous 2% solution of KCI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Inventor: Zhijie Huang
  • Patent number: 9394474
    Abstract: Methods, fluids, and compositions are provided for treating subterranean formations. The fluids can be servicing or drilling fluids including a base fluid and a particulate agent or biocide precursor particulate agent. The particulate agent can seal flow paths in the subterranean formation and subsequently can be degraded to allow flow to resume. The particulate agent may be a reaction product of a urea containing compound and an aldehyde containing compound. An example of such a reaction product is a methylene urea.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Magnablend Inc.
    Inventors: Amy Lyn Brooks, Raynard Rene Veldman, Bradley Leon Todd
  • Patent number: 9376903
    Abstract: The method for enhancing of forming at least one fracture having a required width r and length L in the formation surrounding fracturing around a wellbore in the regime of resonance by means of applying vibrations to the formation which is undergoing pressurizing exceeding the fracture gradient pressure of the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Inventors: Sergey Kostrov, William Wooden
  • Patent number: 9365765
    Abstract: The Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process can be controlled to create water that has desirable characteristics for use in secondary processes such as fracking or irrigation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Velocys, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Claude LeViness, Ivan Greager