Patents by Inventor Ali Al-Yousef

Ali Al-Yousef 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: 20230220752
    Abstract: Methods of enhancing productivity of a subterranean wellbore may include introducing a carbonated mixture comprising water and carbonate anions to a target zone of the subterranean wellbore; introducing basaltic particles to the target zone of the subterranean wellbore; contacting the basaltic particles with the carbonated mixture; dissolving at least a part of the basaltic particles with the carbonated mixture to release divalent cations including calcium cations, magnesium cations and ferrous cations; reacting, in the target zone of the subterranean wellbore, the divalent cations with the carbonate anions in the carbonated mixture to produce carbonate minerals; providing stimulus to the basaltic particles and the carbonated mixture to promote the dissolving and the reacting; depositing at least a part of the carbonate minerals to fractures of the target zone; and monitoring the reacting of the divalent cations with the carbonated anions and depositing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Abdulaziz S. Al-Qasim, Ali A. Al-Yousef
  • Patent number: 11572747
    Abstract: A method of mitigating lost circulation in a subterranean wellbore for oil and gas includes introducing basaltic particles and a carbonated mixture to the lost circulation zone of the subterranean wellbore, contacting the basaltic particles with the carbonated mixture, dissolving at least a part of the basaltic particles with the carbonated mixture, reacting divalent cations with the carbonate anions in the carbonated mixture to produce carbonate minerals, providing stimulus to the basaltic particles and the carbonated mixture, depositing at least a part of the carbonate minerals to fractures of the lost circulation zone, monitoring the reacting and depositing; and optionally repeating one or more of the aforementioned steps. A drilling system for oil and gas extraction includes basaltic particles, a carbonated mixture, at least one stimulus generator, and a mitigation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Abdulaziz S. Al-Qasim, Ali A. Al-Yousef
  • Patent number: 11066910
    Abstract: A method for extracting hydrocarbons from a carbonate reservoir in a formation, the method includes: injecting an aqueous conditioning slug having a primary reducing agent into the carbonate reservoir; injecting an aqueous main slug having an alkalinity agent and a secondary reducing agent into the carbonate reservoir to treat the carbonate reservoir and surface of the formation to reduce interfacial tension and alter wettability of the surface of the formation towards water-wet; injecting an aqueous buffering slug into the carbonate reservoir, the aqueous buffering slug having a tertiary reducing agent to treat the carbonate reservoir and surface of the formation to maintain altered wettability; wherein the primary reducing agent, secondary reducing agent, and tertiary reducing agent are inorganic sodium salts selected from the group consisting of: sodium sulfate, trisodium phosphate, sodium tetraborate, sodium iodide, and combinations of the same; and injecting a displacing fluid to drive the hydrocarbons i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Inventors: Subhash Ayirala, Sultan Alenezi, Muhannad Alabdullateef, Salah Seleh, Waleed Mohammed Alhodythi, Ali Al-Yousef
  • Patent number: 10954764
    Abstract: Provided are oil recovery compositions and processes for enhancing oil recovery from a carbonate reservoir. A process for enhancing oil recovery includes injecting a first slug of an aqueous solution having a salinity in the range of about 5,000 ppm TDS to about 7,000 ppm TDS and sulfate ions in the range of about 500 ppm to about 5000 ppm. After injection of the first slug, the process includes injecting a second slug of an aqueous solution having a salinity in the range of about 5,000 ppm TDS to about 7,000 ppm TDS, calcium ion concentrations in the range of about 100 ppm to about 1000 ppm, and magnesium ions in the range of about 200 ppm to about 2000 ppm. A third slug of seawater or produce water may then be injected as chase water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Subhash C. Ayirala, Ammar AlShehri, Sultan Enezi, Ali Al-Yousef
  • Publication number: 20210062629
    Abstract: A method for extracting hydrocarbons from a carbonate reservoir in a formation, the method includes: injecting an aqueous conditioning slug having a primary reducing agent into the carbonate reservoir; injecting an aqueous main slug having an alkalinity agent and a secondary reducing agent into the carbonate reservoir to treat the carbonate reservoir and surface of the formation to reduce interfacial tension and alter wettability of the surface of the formation towards water-wet; injecting an aqueous buffering slug into the carbonate reservoir, the aqueous buffering slug having a tertiary reducing agent to treat the carbonate reservoir and surface of the formation to maintain altered wettability; wherein the primary reducing agent, secondary reducing agent, and tertiary reducing agent are inorganic sodium salts selected from the group consisting of: sodium sulfate, trisodium phosphate, sodium tetraborate, sodium iodide, and combinations of the same; and injecting a displacing fluid to drive the hydrocarbons i
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Subhash AYIRALA, Sultan ALENEZI, Muhannad ALABDULLATEEF, Salah SELEH, Waleed Mohammed ALHODYTHI, Ali AL-YOUSEF
  • Publication number: 20200284130
    Abstract: Provided are oil recovery compositions and processes for enhancing oil recovery from a carbonate reservoir. A process for enhancing oil recovery includes injecting a first slug of an aqueous solution having a salinity in the range of about 5,000 ppm TDS to about 7,000 ppm TDS and sulfate ions in the range of about 500 ppm to about 5000 ppm. After injection of the first slug, the process includes injecting a second slug of an aqueous solution having a salinity in the range of about 5,000 ppm TDS to about 7,000 ppm TDS, calcium ion concentrations in the range of about 100 ppm to about 1000 ppm, and magnesium ions in the range of about 200 ppm to about 2000 ppm. A third slug of seawater or produce water may then be injected as chase water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Subhash C. Ayirala, Ammar AlShehri, Sultan Enezi, Ali Al-Yousef
  • Patent number: 10429372
    Abstract: A method for measuring liquid-rock and liquid-liquid interfaces including performing at least one measurement technique proximate a subterranean rock sample and an interfacial liquid hydrocarbon fraction, where a liquid hydrocarbon fraction and the subterranean rock sample are combined to exhibit a first interface between the liquid hydrocarbon fraction and the subterranean rock sample, producing the interfacial liquid hydrocarbon fraction. The method includes performing at least one measurement technique proximate the interfacial liquid hydrocarbon fraction and a brine solution, where the liquid hydrocarbon fraction and the brine solution are combined to exhibit a second interface between the liquid hydrocarbon fraction and the brine solution, and where the measurement techniques result in measurements of the interfacial liquid hydrocarbon fraction at macro, micro to nano, nano to sub-nano, and sub-nano scales, and result in measurements of the second interface at macro and micro to nano scales.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Ali Al-Yousef, Subhash Ayirala
  • Publication number: 20180259499
    Abstract: Methods, compositions, and techniques for enhancing the production of hydrocarbons such as crude oil from subterranean hydrocarbon bearing formations. In some embodiments, the invention relates to processes for evaluating enhanced oil recovery mechanisms in carbonate based reservoirs at both the rock-fluid and oil-water interfaces using spectroscopic and interfacial techniques. In further embodiments, the spectroscopic and interfacial techniques include microscopic, rheometric and tensiometric measurements. In preferred embodiments, the disclosed methods and techniques provide reservoir based details at that allow for optimized “smart water” flooding practices and correspondingly higher oil recovery rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Ali Al-Yousef, Subhash Ayirala
  • Patent number: 10000687
    Abstract: Methods, compositions, and techniques for enhancing the production of hydrocarbons such as crude oil from subterranean hydrocarbon bearing formations are disclosed. In some embodiments, the invention relates to processes for evaluating enhanced oil recovery mechanisms in carbonate based reservoirs at both the rock-fluid and oil-water interfaces using spectroscopic and interfacial techniques. In further embodiments, the spectroscopic and interfacial techniques include microscopic, rheometric and tensiometric measurements. In preferred embodiments, the disclosed methods and techniques provide reservoir based details at that allow for optimized “smart water” flooding practices and correspondingly higher oil recovery rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Ali Al-Yousef, Subhash Ayirala
  • Publication number: 20170015893
    Abstract: Methods, compositions, and techniques for enhancing the production of hydrocarbons such as crude oil from subterranean hydrocarbon bearing formations are disclosed. In some embodiments, the invention relates to processes for evaluating enhanced oil recovery mechanisms in carbonate based reservoirs at both the rock-fluid and oil-water interfaces using spectroscopic and interfacial techniques. In further embodiments, the spectroscopic and interfacial techniques include microscopic, rheometric and tensiometric measurements. In preferred embodiments, the disclosed methods and techniques provide reservoir based details at that allow for optimized “smart water” flooding practices and correspondingly higher oil recovery rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Ali Al-Yousef, Subhash Ayirala