Patents by Inventor Alain Zaitoun

Alain Zaitoun 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).

  • Publication number: 20230323190
    Abstract: A method for limiting and/or preventing the migration of fines in a geological formation, in particular a subterranean formation, the method including bringing the formation into contact with one or more copolymers including at most 40 mol % of repeating units derived from a cationic monomer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: POWELTEC
    Inventors: Alain ZAITOUN, Nazanin SALEHI, Jérôme BOUILLOT, Arnaud TEMPLIER, Nicolas GAILLARD
  • Patent number: 11149186
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for enhanced oil recovery by flushing an underground formation, comprising the injection into the underground formation of an aqueous composition comprising microgels having at least one crosslinked polymer, characterized in that the polymer is crosslinked with at least one crosslinking agent capable of being degraded under the temperature conditions of the underground formation, and a content of crosslinking agent between 1 and 90 ppm per mole with respect to the total number of moles of monomer constituting the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignees: S.P.C.M. SA, POWELTEC
    Inventors: Cédrick Favero, Olivier Braun, Elvire Tognisso, Alain Zaitoun, Nazanin Salehi, Jérôme Bouillot
  • Publication number: 20200115618
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for enhanced oil recovery by flushing an underground formation, comprising the injection into the underground formation of an aqueous composition comprising microgels having at least one crosslinked polymer, characterized in that the polymer is crosslinked with at least one crosslinking agent capable of being degraded under the temperature conditions of the underground formation, and a content of crosslinking agent between 1 and 90 ppm per mole with respect to the total number of moles of monomer constituting the polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicants: S.P.C.M. SA, POWELTEC
    Inventors: Cédrick FAVERO, Olivier BRAUN, Elvire TOGNISSO, Alain ZAITOUN, Nazanin SALEHI, Jérôme BOUILLOT
  • Patent number: 9267257
    Abstract: A process for the treatment of a rock formation or cavity, including the step of injecting, into the rock formation or cavity, a water solution of a water-soluble thermo-thickening polymer, the thermo-thickening polymer being able to form a gel at a threshold temperature (Tg), an inner temperature (Tint) of the rock formation or cavity being equal or superior to the threshold temperature (Tg), the process being characterized in that the thermo-thickening polymer is a cellulose chain, partially etherified with C1-C6 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl groups, or a polyacrylamide-based copolymer including N-isopropylacrylamide and/or N-vinylpyrrolidone groups. Such a process is advantageous for water shutoff in gas- or oilfields, or to solve to water channelling problems between injection wells and production wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Poweltec
    Inventors: Alain Zaitoun, Guillaume Dupuis, Rashid Al Maamari, Abdulaziz Al Hashmi, Hamed Al Sharji
  • Publication number: 20150233073
    Abstract: A process for the treatment of a rock formation or cavity, including the step of injecting, into the rock formation or cavity, a water solution of a water-soluble thermo-thickening polymer, the thermo-thickening polymer being able to form a gel at a threshold temperature (Tg), an inner temperature (Tint) of the rock formation or cavity being equal or superior to the threshold temperature (Tg), the process being characterized in that the thermo-thickening polymer is a cellulose chain, partially etherified with C1-C6 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl groups, or a polyacrylamide-based copolymer including N-isopropylacrylamide and/or N-vinylpyrrolidone groups. Such a process is advantageous for water shutoff in gas- or oilfields, or to solve to water channelling problems between injection wells and production wells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Alain Zaitoun, Guillaume Dupuis, Rashid Al Maamari, Abdulaziz Al Hashmi, Hamed Al Sharji
  • Patent number: 8680028
    Abstract: A method for the treatment of rock formations which may or may not be underground and, more particularly, of oil or gas production wells, water-injection wells intended to flood hydrocarbon (oil or gas) reservoirs or gas mines or gas storage wells includes a step of injecting, into the rock formation or well, a microgel obtained by dilution in water of a self-invertible inverse latex or of a self-invertible inverse microlatex of a crosslinked polyelectrolyte, obtained by copolymerization, in the presence of a crosslinking agent of partially- or totally-salified free 2-methyl-2-[(1-oxo-2-propenyl)amino]-1-propanesulfonic acid, with at least one cationic monomer chosen from: 2,N,N,N-tetramethyl-2-[(1-oxo-2-propenyl)amino]propanammonium chloride; N,N,N-trimethyl-3-[(1-oxo-2-propenyl)amino]propanammonium chloride; diallyldimethylammonium chloride; N,N,N-trimethyl-2-[(1-oxo-2-propenyl)]ethanammonium chloride; N,N,N-trimethyl-2-[(1-oxo-2-methyl-2-propenyl)]ethanammonium chloride; or N,N,N-trimethyl-3-[(1-oxo-2-meth
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignees: Societe d'Exploitation de Produits pour les Industries Chimiques SEPPIC, Poweltec
    Inventors: Olivier Braun, Paul Mallo, Alain Zaitoun
  • Patent number: 8263533
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of treating porous and permeable underground formations or cavities of reservoir rock or sand foundation type. The method consists in injecting a liquid composition comprising microgels into the formations in order to reduce the production of water, gas or sands, and/or for zone abandonment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignees: IFP, Ste Exploit. de Produits pour Industries Chimiques
    Inventors: René Tabary, Guy Chauveteau, Paul Mallo, Olivier Braun, Eric Vilain, Alain Zaitoun
  • Publication number: 20110118152
    Abstract: A method for the treatment of rock formations which may or may not be underground and, more particularly, of oil or gas production wells, water-injection wells intended to flood hydrocarbon (oil or gas) reservoirs or gas mines or gas storage wells includes a step of injecting, into the rock formation or well, a microgel obtained by dilution in water of a self-invertible inverse latex or of a self-invertible inverse microlatex of a crosslinked polyelectrolyte, obtained by copolymerization, in the presence of a crosslinking agent of partially- or totally-salified free 2-methyl-2-[(1-oxo-2-propenyl)amino]-1-propanesulfonic acid, with at least one cationic monomer chosen from: 2,N,N,N-tetramethyl-2-[(1-oxo-2-propenyl)amino]propanammonium chloride; N,N,N-trimethyl-3-[(1-oxo-2-propenyl)amino]propanammonium chloride; diallyldimethylammonium chloride; N,N,N-trimethyl-2-[(1-oxo-2-propenyl)]ethanammonium chloride; N,N,N-trimethyl-2-[(1-oxo-2-methyl-2-propenyl)]ethanammonium chloride; or N,N,N-trimethyl-3-[(1-oxo-2-meth
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicants: SOCIETE D'EXPLOITATION DE PRODUITS POUR LES INDUSTRIES CHIMIQUES SEPPIC, POWEL TEC
    Inventors: Olivier Braun, Paul Mallo, Alain Zaitoun
  • Publication number: 20080096774
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of treating porous and permeable underground formations or cavities of reservoir rock or sand foundation type. The method consists in injecting a liquid composition comprising microgels into the formations in order to reduce the production of water, gas or sands, and/or for zone abandonment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicants: INSTITUT FRANCAIS DU PETROLE, SOCIETE D'EXPLOITATION DES PRODUITS POUR LES INDUS
    Inventors: Rene Tabary, Guy Chauveteau, Paul Mallo, Olivier Braun, Eric Vilain, Alain Zaitoun
  • Patent number: 5082577
    Abstract: For selectively reducing permeability to water in an underground formation producing oil and/or gas, injecting into the formation a composition comprising water, at least one water soluble aldehyde compound at a concentration (by weight) of 180 to 20,000 ppm and at least one non-ionic polysaccharide at a concentration (by weight) of 200 to 5000 ppm, the concentration of aldehyde compound being higher than that of polysaccharide. The composition may be used in the water injection well or the hydrocarbon producing well and may assist in the recovery of hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1992
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Norbert Kohler, Alain Zaitoun
  • Patent number: 4842071
    Abstract: This process comprises injecting a non-hydrolyzed acrylamide polymer or copolymer into the producing formation and producing hydrolysis thereof in situ by subsequent injection of an alkali metal basic compound. It is then possible to restart the well in oil or gas production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Alain Zaitoun, Norbert Kohler
  • Patent number: 4718491
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for reducing or completely stopping a water inflow from a formation towards a producing well.The process according to the invention, using the injection of an aqueous dispersion of hydrosoluble polysaccharide in this producing well, blocks the water inflow without however decreasing the oil and gas flow towards this well.This process is particularly of high interest when the produced water is hot, e.g. at a temperature from 70.degree. to 130.degree. C., and/or salted, e.g. of a salt content of at least 30 g/l.This process is used for oil and/or gas production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Norbert Kholer, Rene Tabary, Alain Zaitoun