Patents by Inventor Branden Ruyle

Branden Ruyle 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).

  • Fracturing method using low-viscosity fluid with low proppant settling rate
    Patent number: 11618850
    Abstract: A fluid design with enhanced proppant-carrying capacity utilizes a low-viscosity fluid with high proppant carrying capacity and low required power for injection into a hydrocarbon-bearing, subterranean formation. A preferred viscosifying agent that comprises a copolymer polymerized from an acrylic acid monomer and a monomer selected from: a) at least one carboxylic acid monomer; b) at least one C1 to C5 alkyl ester and/or at least one C1 to C5 hydroxyalkyl ester of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid; c) one crosslinking monomer; and optionally d) at least one ?,?-ethylenically unsaturated monomer, may be used to produce a fracturing fluid that has the pumpability of a slick water fluid and the proppant-carrying ability of a cross-linked gel. An optimization process to optimize hydraulic fracture design evaluates and quantifies the proppant-carrying capacity of the invented fluid and its impact in the proppant transport during fracturing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Branden Ruyle, Jian Huang, Clayton Smith
  • Fracturing Method Using Low-Viscosity Fluid with Low Proppant Settling Rate
    Publication number: 20200123436
    Abstract: A fluid design with enhanced proppant-carrying capacity utilizes a low-viscosity fluid with high proppant carrying capacity and low required power for injection into a hydrocarbon-bearing, subterranean formation. A preferred viscosifying agent that comprises a copolymer polymerized from an acrylic acid monomer and a monomer selected from: a) at least one carboxylic acid monomer; b) at least one C1 to C5 alkyl ester and/or at least one C1 to C5 hydroxyalkyl ester of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid; c) one crosslinking monomer; and optionally d) at least one ?,?-ethylenically unsaturated monomer, may be used to produce a fracturing fluid that has the pumpability of a slick water fluid and the proppant-carrying ability of a cross-linked gel. An optimization process to optimize hydraulic fracture design evaluates and quantifies the proppant-carrying capacity of the invented fluid and its impact in the proppant transport during fracturing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Branden Ruyle, Jian Huang, Clayton Smith
  • Fracturing method using a low-viscosity fluid with low proppant settling rate
    Publication number: 20190040305
    Abstract: A fluid design with enhanced proppant-carrying capacity utilizes a low-viscosity fluid with high proppant carrying capacity and low required power for injection into a hydrocarbon-bearing, subterranean formation. A preferred viscosifying agent that comprises a copolymer polymerized from an acrylic acid monomer and a monomer selected from: a) at least one carboxylic acid monomer; b) at least one C1 to C5 alkyl ester and/or at least one C1 to C5 hydroxyalkyl ester of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid; c) one crosslinking monomer; and optionally d) at least one ?,?-ethylenically unsaturated monomer, may be used to produce a fracturing fluid that has the pumpability of a slick water fluid and the proppant-carrying ability of a cross-linked gel. An optimization process to optimize hydraulic fracture design evaluates and quantifies the proppant-carrying capacity of the invented fluid and its impact in the proppant transport during fracturing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Branden Ruyle, Jian Huang, Clayton Smith