Patents by Inventor AHMED GMIRA
AHMED GMIRA has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11939521Abstract: A solution for injection to a formation containing hydrocarbons includes an ionic liquid and a brine having a salinity of at least 60,000 ppm total dissolved solids (TDS). The ionic liquid is configured to lower an interfacial tension between the solution and the hydrocarbons in the formation.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Adrian Cesar Cavazos Sepulveda, Abdulkareem AlSofi, Subhash C. Ayirala, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Publication number: 20240059958Abstract: A solution for injection to a formation containing hydrocarbons includes an ionic liquid and a brine having a salinity of at least 60,000 ppm total dissolved solids (TDS). The ionic liquid is configured to lower an interfacial tension between the solution and the hydrocarbons in the formation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2022Publication date: February 22, 2024Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Adrian Cesar Cavazos Sepulveda, Abdulkareem AlSofi, Subhash C. Ayirala, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Publication number: 20230330658Abstract: A method includes 3d printing a polymer substrate having microfluidic channels and depositing calcite onto the polymer substrate then using atomic layer deposition to form a calcite microfluidic device. A device made from the method includes a 3d printed polymer substrate having microfluidic channels. The 3d printed polymer substrate has a calcite coating.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2022Publication date: October 19, 2023Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Dong Kyu Cha, Mohammed Badri Al-Otaibi, Subhash C. Ayirala, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Patent number: 11774437Abstract: A method of making a portion of a microfluidic channel includes lithographically patterning a first pattern into a first layer of photoresist disposed on a substrate, the first pattern representative of morphology of a reservoir rock; etching the first pattern into the substrate to form a patterned substrate; disposing a second layer of photoresist onto the patterned substrate; lithographically patterning a second pattern into the second layer of photoresist to reveal portions of the patterned substrate; and depositing calcite onto the exposed portions of the patterned substrate.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Dong Kyu Cha, Ahmed Gmira, Mohammed Badri AlOtaibi, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Publication number: 20230279754Abstract: A method for determining interfacial tension of a hydrocarbon in a brine fluid, the method including injecting a first brine fluid into a test cell, the first brine fluid having an initial ionic composition, injecting a hydrocarbon fluid into the test cell, contacting the hydrocarbon fluid with the first brine fluid, forming a droplet, measuring the interfacial tension of the hydrocarbon fluid in contact with the first brine fluid, at least partially displacing the first brine fluid with an inert gas, measuring a ionic composition salinity of the displaced first brine fluid in an ionic chromatograph, and comparing the measured ionic composition salinity to the initial ionic composition.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2023Publication date: September 7, 2023Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Salah Hamad Al-Saleh, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Patent number: 11712694Abstract: A method includes flowing an inlet solution having an inlet salinity and an inlet ion concentration from an inlet to a membrane filtration system, dynamically adjusting the salinity or ion concentration of the inlet solution in situ as the inlet solution flows to an inlet of a microfluidic cell, and determining a wettability alteration in situ while dynamically adjusting the salinity or ion concentration of the inlet solution. A system includes a fluid inlet, a microfluidic cell fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet, the microfluidic cell having a surface representative of a reservoir rock, and a membrane filtration system coupled between the microfluidic cell and the fluid inlet.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2020Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Dong Kyu Cha, Subhash C. Ayirala, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Patent number: 11649708Abstract: A method for determining interfacial tension of a hydrocarbon in a brine fluid, the method including injecting a first brine fluid into a test cell, the first brine fluid having an initial ionic composition, injecting a hydrocarbon fluid into the test cell, contacting the hydrocarbon fluid with the first brine fluid, forming a droplet, measuring the interfacial tension of the hydrocarbon fluid in contact with the first brine fluid, at least partially displacing the first brine fluid with an inert gas, measuring a ionic composition salinity of the displaced first brine fluid in an ionic chromatograph, and comparing the measured ionic composition salinity to the initial ionic composition.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2020Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Salah Hamad Al-Saleh, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdullah Al-Yousef
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Patent number: 11448635Abstract: A method for determining a contact angle of a hydrocarbon on a rock surface, the method including injecting a first brine fluid into a test cell, the first brine fluid having an initial ionic composition, injecting a hydrocarbon fluid into the test cell, contacting the hydrocarbon fluid with the first brine fluid, forming a droplet, measuring the contact angle of the hydrocarbon fluid, at least partially displacing the first brine fluid with an inert gas, measuring a ionic composition of the displaced first brine fluid in an ionic chromatograph, and comparing the measured ionic composition to the initial ionic composition.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Salah Hamad Al-Saleh, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdullah Al-Yousef
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Patent number: 11300554Abstract: A method of making a portion of a microfluidic channel includes lithographically patterning a first pattern into a first layer of photoresist disposed on a substrate, the first pattern representative of morphology of a reservoir rock; etching the first pattern into the substrate to form a patterned substrate; disposing a second layer of photoresist onto the patterned substrate; lithographically patterning a second pattern into the second layer of photoresist to reveal portions of the patterned substrate; and depositing calcite onto the exposed portions of the patterned substrate.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2020Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Dong Kyu Cha, Ahmed Gmira, Mohammed Badri AIOtaibi, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Publication number: 20220107302Abstract: A method of making a portion of a microfluidic channel includes lithographically patterning a first pattern into a first layer of photoresist disposed on a substrate, the first pattern representative of morphology of a reservoir rock; etching the first pattern into the substrate to form a patterned substrate; disposing a second layer of photoresist onto the patterned substrate; lithographically patterning a second pattern into the second layer of photoresist to reveal portions of the patterned substrate; and depositing calcite onto the exposed portions of the patterned substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2021Publication date: April 7, 2022Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Dong Kyu CHA, Ahmed GMIRA, Mohammed Badri AlOtaibi, Ali Abdallah AL-YOUSEF
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Publication number: 20220008920Abstract: A method includes flowing an inlet solution having an inlet salinity and an inlet ion concentration from an inlet to a membrane filtration system, dynamically adjusting the salinity or ion concentration of the inlet solution in situ as the inlet solution flows to an inlet of a microfluidic cell, and determining a wettability alteration in situ while dynamically adjusting the salinity or ion concentration of the inlet solution. A system includes a fluid inlet, a microfluidic cell fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet, the microfluidic cell having a surface representative of a reservoir rock, and a membrane filtration system coupled between the microfluidic cell and the fluid inlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2020Publication date: January 13, 2022Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Dong kyu Cha, Subhash C. Ayirala, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Publication number: 20210381352Abstract: A method for determining interfacial tension of a hydrocarbon in a brine fluid, the method including injecting a first brine fluid into a test cell, the first brine fluid having an initial ionic composition, injecting a hydrocarbon fluid into the test cell, contacting the hydrocarbon fluid with the first brine fluid, forming a droplet, measuring the interfacial tension of the hydrocarbon fluid in contact with the first brine fluid, at least partially displacing the first brine fluid with an inert gas, measuring a ionic composition salinity of the displaced first brine fluid in an ionic chromatograph, and comparing the measured ionic composition salinity to the initial ionic composition.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2020Publication date: December 9, 2021Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Salah Hamad Al-Saleh, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdullah Al-Yousef
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Publication number: 20210382029Abstract: A method for determining a contact angle of a hydrocarbon on a rock surface, the method including injecting a first brine fluid into a test cell, the first brine fluid having an initial ionic composition, injecting a hydrocarbon fluid into the test cell, contacting the hydrocarbon fluid with the first brine fluid, forming a droplet, measuring the contact angle of the hydrocarbon fluid, at least partially displacing the first brine fluid with an inert gas, measuring a ionic composition of the displaced first brine fluid in an ionic chromatograph, and comparing the measured ionic composition to the initial ionic composition.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2020Publication date: December 9, 2021Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Salah Hamad Al-Saleh, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdullah Al-Yousef
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Publication number: 20210215658Abstract: A method of making a portion of a microfluidic channel includes lithographically patterning a first pattern into a first layer of photoresist disposed on a substrate, the first pattern representative of morphology of a reservoir rock; etching the first pattern into the substrate to form a patterned substrate; disposing a second layer of photoresist onto the patterned substrate; lithographically patterning a second pattern into the second layer of photoresist to reveal portions of the patterned substrate; and depositing calcite onto the exposed portions of the patterned substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2020Publication date: July 15, 2021Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Dong Kyu CHA, Ahmed GMIRA, Mohammed Badri AlOtaibi, Ali Abdallah AL-YOUSEF
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Patent number: 10908063Abstract: Techniques for determining a rock wettability alteration include circulating a first brine fluid into a test cell that includes a rock sample and a hydrocarbon fluid disposed on a surface of the rock sample, the first brine fluid having a property at a first value; contacting the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid with the first brine fluid; measuring a first contact angle between the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid in contact with the first brine fluid; at least partially displacing the first brine fluid with a second brine fluid in the test cell, the second brine fluid having the property at a second value; contacting the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid with the second brine fluid; measuring a second contact angle between the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid in contact with the second brine fluid; and determining a wettability alteration of the rock sample based on at least one of the measured first or second contact angles.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2020Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Ahmed Gmira, Mohammed AlGeer
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Publication number: 20200371010Abstract: Techniques for determining a rock wettability alteration include circulating a first brine fluid into a test cell that includes a rock sample and a hydrocarbon fluid disposed on a surface of the rock sample, the first brine fluid having a property at a first value; contacting the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid with the first brine fluid; measuring a first contact angle between the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid in contact with the first brine fluid; at least partially displacing the first brine fluid with a second brine fluid in the test cell, the second brine fluid having the property at a second value; contacting the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid with the second brine fluid; measuring a second contact angle between the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid in contact with the second brine fluid; and determining a wettability alteration of the rock sample based on at least one of the measured first or second contact angles.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2020Publication date: November 26, 2020Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Ahmed Gmira, Mohammed AlGeer
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Patent number: 10794812Abstract: Techniques for determining a rock wettability alteration include circulating a first brine fluid into a test cell that includes a rock sample and a hydrocarbon fluid disposed on a surface of the rock sample, the first brine fluid having a property at a first value; contacting the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid with the first brine fluid; measuring a first contact angle between the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid in contact with the first brine fluid; at least partially displacing the first brine fluid with a second brine fluid in the test cell, the second brine fluid having the property at a second value; contacting the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid with the second brine fluid; measuring a second contact angle between the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid in contact with the second brine fluid; and determining a wettability alteration of the rock sample based on at least one of the measured first or second contact angles.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2018Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Ahmed Gmira, Mohammed AlGeer
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Publication number: 20190094120Abstract: Techniques for determining a rock wettability alteration include circulating a first brine fluid into a test cell that includes a rock sample and a hydrocarbon fluid disposed on a surface of the rock sample, the first brine fluid having a property at a first value; contacting the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid with the first brine fluid; measuring a first contact angle between the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid in contact with the first brine fluid; at least partially displacing the first brine fluid with a second brine fluid in the test cell, the second brine fluid having the property at a second value; contacting the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid with the second brine fluid; measuring a second contact angle between the rock sample and the hydrocarbon fluid in contact with the second brine fluid; and determining a wettability alteration of the rock sample based on at least one of the measured first or second contact angles.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2018Publication date: March 28, 2019Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Ahmed Gmira, Mohammed AlGeer
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Patent number: 9110094Abstract: An instrument (and corresponding method) performs AFM techniques to characterize properties of a sample of reservoir rock. The AFM instrument is configured to have a probe with a tip realized from reservoir rock that corresponds to the reservoir rock of the sample. The AFM instrument is operated to derive and store data representing adhesion forces between the tip and the sample at one or more scan locations in the presence of a number of different fluids disposed between the tip and the sample. The AFM instrument is further configured to perform computational operations that process the data representing the adhesion forces for a given scan location in order to characterize at least one property of the rock sample at the given scan location. The properties can include total surface energy of the rock sample as well as wettability of the rock sample.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2014Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignees: Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Ahmed Gmira, Wael Abdallah, Mikhail Stukan, Johannes J. M. Buiting
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Publication number: 20150204903Abstract: An instrument (and corresponding method) performs AFM techniques to characterize properties of a sample of reservoir rock. The AFM instrument is configured to have a probe with a tip realized from reservoir rock that corresponds to the reservoir rock of the sample. The AFM instrument is operated to derive and store data representing adhesion forces between the tip and the sample at one or more scan locations in the presence of a number of different fluids disposed between the tip and the sample. The AFM instrument is further configured to perform computational operations that process the data representing the adhesion forces for a given scan location in order to characterize at least one property of the rock sample at the given scan location. The properties can include total surface energy of the rock sample as well as wettability of the rock sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2014Publication date: July 23, 2015Inventors: AHMED GMIRA, WAEL ABDALLAH, Mikhail Stukan, JOHANNES J. M. BUITING