Patents by Inventor Allen D. Gabrysch

Allen D. Gabrysch 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).

  • Patent number: 8720560
    Abstract: In aspects, the disclosure provides a method for cementing a borehole that includes selecting a location in the borehole for cementing. The method further includes providing a cement slurry comprising a cement and shape memory members having a first shape, the shape memory members configured to expand from the first shape to a second shape upon application of heat to the shape memory members, placing the cement slurry in the selected space and heating the shape memory members in the selected space to attain the second shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Kushal Seth, Gregory A. Caraway, Allen D. Gabrysch
  • Publication number: 20130087333
    Abstract: In aspects, the disclosure provides a method for cementing a borehole that includes selecting a location in the borehole for cementing. The method further includes providing a cement slurry comprising a cement and shape memory members having a first shape, the shape memory members configured to expand from the first shape to a second shape upon application of heat to the shape memory members, placing the cement slurry in the selected space and heating the shape memory members in the selected space to attain the second shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kushal Seth, Gregory A. Caraway, Allen D. Gabrysch
  • Patent number: 8349771
    Abstract: Using a complex emulsion for treating a subterranean formation, such as to dissolve minerals therein (e.g. carbonates, scales, and/or filter cake) to improve permeability, substantially improves post treatment fluid clean-up for improved hydrocarbon production. The complex emulsion is made by mixing an acid aqueous phase with an oil external microemulsion to give an initial product, where the acid aqueous phase is an external phase and the microemulsion is an internal phase. Then the initial product is mixed with a second oil (e.g. xylene, diesel, toluene, kerosene, other aromatics, refined hydrocarbons and the like) containing an emulsifier to make a complex emulsion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Kushal Seth, Allen D. Gabrysch, Brian A. Evans, James B. Crews
  • Publication number: 20120283155
    Abstract: The migration of coal fines within a bed is reduced, inhibited or constrained by contacting the fines with nanoparticles, such as magnesium oxide crystals having an average particle size of about 30 nm. These nanoparticles may coat a proppant during the fracturing of a subterranean formation to produce methane from a coal bed therein. The nanoparticles may also treat a proppant pack in a fractured coal bed. The nanoparticles cause the coal fines to thus bind to or associate with the proppants. Thus, most of the coal fines entering fractures away from the near-wellbore region will be restrained or controlled near their origin or source and the production of methane at a desired level will be maintained much longer than a similar situation than where the nanoparticles are not used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Tianping Huang, James B. Crews, Allen D. Gabrysch, Rick M. Jeffrey
  • Patent number: 8240392
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a device that includes a shape memory member having a sealed outer surface and a permeable inner mass and a selected fluid placed and sealed within the inner mass at a first temperature. The selected fluid is released from the inner mass when the shape memory member is heated to a second temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Jason J. Barnard, Allen D. Gabrysch
  • Patent number: 8230923
    Abstract: The migration of coal fines within a bed is reduced, inhibited or constrained by contacting the fines with nanoparticles, such as magnesium oxide crystals having an average particle size of about 30 nm. These nanoparticles may coat a proppant during the fracturing of a subterranean formation to produce methane from a coal bed therein. The nanoparticles may also treat a proppant pack in a fractured coal bed. The nanoparticles cause the coal fines to thus bind to or associate with the proppants. Thus, most of the coal fines entering fractures away from the near-wellbore region will be restrained or controlled near their origin or source and the production of methane at a desired level will be maintained much longer than a similar situation than where the nanoparticles are not used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Tianping Huang, James B. Crews, Allen D. Gabrysch, Rick M. Jeffrey
  • Patent number: 8186433
    Abstract: Changing concentrations of brine in a gravel pack carrier fluid gelled with a viscoelastic surfactant (VES) increases the fluid efficiency for gravel packing long interval wells, such as wellbore producing interval greater than about 100 feet (about 30 m). VES-gelled fluids used as gravel packing fluids herein also include surfactants, fluid loss control agents, internal breakers and brine in addition to the grave. The viscoelasticity of fluid system can suspend and deliver high concentration of the gravels while reducing carrier fluid volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Tianping Huang, James B. Crews, Allen D. Gabrysch, Brian A. Evans
  • Patent number: 8188015
    Abstract: Viscoelastic surfactant (VES) gelled aqueous fluids containing water, a VES, an internal breaker, a VES stabilizer, a fluid loss control agent and a viscosity enhancer are useful as treating fluids and particularly as fracturing fluids for subterranean formations. These VES-based fluids have faster and more complete clean-up than polymer-based fracturing fluids. The use of an internal breaker permits ready removal of the unique VES micelle based pseudo-filter cake with several advantages including reducing the typical VES loading and total fluid volume since more VES fluid stays within the fracture, generating a more optimum fracture geometry for enhanced reservoir productivity, and treating reservoirs with permeability above the present VES limit of approximately 400 md to at least 2000 md.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: James B. Crews, Tianping Huang, Allen D. Gabrysch, James H. Treadway, John R. Willingham, Patrick A. Kelly, William R. Wood
  • Patent number: 8091646
    Abstract: Single phase microemulsions (SPMEs) and in situ-formed microemulsions may be used to clean up and remove non-polar materials from reservoir production zones of oil and gas wells. This clean up occurs by solubilization of the non-polar material into the microemulsion when the treatment fluid contacts the non-polar material. An in situ microemulsion may be formed when one or more surfactant and a polar phase (e.g. water or brine), and eventually some small amount of organic phase, contacts the reservoir formation and solubilizes the non-polar material encountered in the porous media. The microemulsions are effective for removing the formation damage caused by non-polar materials which include, but are not necessarily limited to oil-based mud, synthetic-based mud, paraffins, asphaltenes, emulsions, slugs, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, Thomas A. Jones, David E. Clark, Allen D. Gabrysch, Ana Forgiarini, Jean-Louis Salager
  • Publication number: 20110303414
    Abstract: Using a complex emulsion for treating a subterranean formation, such as to dissolve minerals therein (e.g. carbonates, scales, and/or filter cake) to improve permeability, substantially improves post treatment fluid clean-up for improved hydrocarbon production. The complex emulsion is made by mixing an acid aqueous phase with an oil external microemulsion to give an initial product, where the acid aqueous phase is an external phase and the microemulsion is an internal phase. Then the initial product is mixed with a second oil (e.g. xylene, diesel, toluene, kerosene, other aromatics, refined hydrocarbons and the like) containing an emulsifier to make a complex emulsion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Kushal Seth, Allen D. Gabrysch, Brian A. Evans, James B. Crews
  • Publication number: 20110100630
    Abstract: Acid-soluble cupric acetate may used in conjunction with potassium iodide to generate cuprous iodide (CuI) as an acid corrosion inhibition aid. A suitable corrosion inhibitor together with the aid protects steel surfaces in an acid environment, for instance, while acid fracturing or matrix acidizing subterranean formations. Cupric acetate monohydrate may be used with an alkali metal iodide salt such as potassium iodide or sodium iodide to generate cuprous iodide in situ in aqueous acid solutions. Use of cupric acetate provides a somewhat delayed reaction rate with potassium iodide to generate the desired product, cuprous iodide, which has very low solubility in acid systems. The method includes delayed and in situ production of cuprous iodide for enhancing performance of commercially available corrosion inhibitors, commonly referred to as intensifying the effect of the corrosion inhibitor (corrosion inhibitor intensifier or simply an intensifier).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Brian A. Evans, Kushal Seth, Allen D. Gabrysch, Patrick A. Kelly, Donald Nelson Horner, JR.
  • Publication number: 20110067873
    Abstract: In aspects, the present disclosure provides a device that includes a shape memory member having a sealed outer surface and a permeable inner mass and a selected fluid placed and sealed within the inner mass at a first temperature. The selected fluid is released from the inner mass when the shape memory member is heated to a second temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jason J. Barnard, Allen D. Gabrysch
  • Publication number: 20110030952
    Abstract: Changing concentrations of brine in a gravel pack carrier fluid gelled with a viscoelastic surfactant (VES) increases the fluid efficiency for gravel packing long interval wells, such as wellbore producing interval greater than about 100 feet (about 30 m). VES-gelled fluids used as gravel packing fluids herein also include surfactants, fluid loss control agents, internal breakers and brine in addition to the grave. The viscoelasticity of fluid system can suspend and deliver high concentration of the gravels while reducing carrier fluid volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Tianping Huang, James B. Crews, Allen D. Gabrysch, Brian A. Evans
  • Patent number: 7879767
    Abstract: An aqueous, viscoelastic fluid gelled with a viscoelastic surfactant (VES) is inhibited against hydrate formation with an effective amount of an additive that could be one or more halide salts of alkali metals and alkali earth metals, formate salts, alcohols, glycols, glycol amines, sugars, sugar alcohols, amidoamine oxides, polymers such as polyamines, polyvinylpyrrolidones and derivatives thereof, polyvinyl alcohols and derivatives thereof, polycaprolactams and derivatives thereof, hydroxyethylcellulose, and mixtures thereof. These fluids are inhibited against hydrate formation and may have increased viscosity as well. The additives may increase viscosity to the point where less VES is required to maintain a given viscosity. These inhibited, aqueous, viscoelastic fluids may be used as treatment fluids for subterranean hydrocarbon formations, such as in stimulation treatments, e.g. hydraulic fracturing fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Perry Douglas Baycroft, Allen D. Gabrysch, James B. Crews, Paul M. McElfresh
  • Publication number: 20100261622
    Abstract: Viscoelastic surfactant (VES) gelled aqueous fluids containing water, a VES, an internal breaker, a VES stabilizer, a fluid loss control agent and a viscosity enhancer are useful as treating fluids and particularly as fracturing fluids for subterranean formations. These VES-based fluids have faster and more complete clean-up than polymer-based fracturing fluids. The use of an internal breaker permits ready removal of the unique VES micelle based pseudo-filter cake with several advantages including reducing the typical VES loading and total fluid volume since more VES fluid stays within the fracture, generating a more optimum fracture geometry for enhanced reservoir productivity, and treating reservoirs with permeability above the present VES limit of approximately 400 md to at least 2000 md.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: James B. Crews, Tianping Huang, Allen D. Gabrysch, James H. Treadway, John R. Willingham, Patrick A. Kelly, William R. Wood
  • Patent number: 7723272
    Abstract: Viscoelastic surfactant (VES) gelled aqueous fluids containing water, a VES, an internal breaker, a VES stabilizer, a fluid loss control agent and a viscosity enhancer are useful as treating fluids and particularly as fracturing fluids for subterranean formations. These VES-based fluids have faster and more complete clean-up than polymer-based fracturing fluids. The use of an internal breaker permits ready removal of the unique VES micelle based pseudo-filter cake with several advantages including reducing the typical VES loading and total fluid volume since more VES fluid stays within the fracture, generating a more optimum fracture geometry for enhanced reservoir productivity, and treating reservoirs with permeability above the present VES limit of approximately 400 md to at least 2000 md.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: James B. Crews, Tianping Huang, Allen D. Gabrysch, James H. Treadway, John R. Willingham, Patrick A. Kelly, William R. Wood
  • Publication number: 20100000734
    Abstract: The migration of coal fines within a bed is reduced, inhibited or constrained by contacting the fines with nanoparticles, such as magnesium oxide crystals having an average particle size of about 30 nm. These nanoparticles may coat a proppant during the fracturing of a subterranean formation to produce methane from a coal bed therein. The nanoparticles may also treat a proppant pack in a fractured coal bed. The nanoparticles cause the coal fines to thus bind to or associate with the proppants. Thus, most of the coal fines entering fractures away from the near-wellbore region will be restrained or controlled near their origin or source and the production of methane at a desired level will be maintained much longer than a similar situation than where the nanoparticles are not used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incoporated
    Inventors: Tianping Huang, James B. Crews, Allen D. Gabrysch, Rick M. Jeffrey
  • Publication number: 20090008091
    Abstract: Single phase microemulsions (SPMEs) and in situ-formed microemulsions may be used to clean up and remove non-polar materials from reservoir production zones of oil and gas wells. This clean up occurs by solubilization of the non-polar material into the microemulsion when the treatment fluid contacts the non-polar material. An in situ microemulsion may be formed when one or more surfactant and a polar phase (e.g. water or brine), and eventually some small amount of organic phase, contacts the reservoir formation and solubilizes the non-polar material encountered in the porous media. The microemulsions are effective for removing the formation damage caused by non-polar materials which include, but are not necessarily limited to oil-based mud, synthetic-based mud, paraffins, asphaltenes, emulsions, slugs, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, Thomas A. Jones, David E. Clark, Allen D. Gabrysch, Ana Forgiarini, Jean-Louis Salager
  • Publication number: 20080202744
    Abstract: Viscoelastic surfactant (VES) gelled aqueous fluids containing water, a VES, an internal breaker, a VES stabilizer, a fluid loss control agent and a viscosity enhancer are useful as treating fluids and particularly as fracturing fluids for subterranean formations. These VES-based fluids have faster and more complete clean-up than polymer-based fracturing fluids. The use of an internal breaker permits ready removal of the unique VES micelle based pseudo-filter cake with several advantages including reducing the typical VES loading and total fluid volume since more VES fluid stays within the fracture, generating a more optimum fracture geometry for enhanced reservoir productivity, and treating reservoirs with permeability above the present VES limit of approximately 400 md to at least 2000 md.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: James B. Crews, Tianping Huang, Allen D. Gabrysch, James H. Treadway, John R. Willingham, Patrick A. KELLY, William R. Wood
  • Publication number: 20080185146
    Abstract: The invention adds a friction reducing agent or agents to gravel slurry to decrease pressure required for proper fluid velocities so as to obtain the desired gravel propagation in an annular space around a screen assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2007
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventors: Perry D. Baycroft, Allen D. Gabrysch, Paul M. McElfresh, Eugene E. Ratterman