Patents by Inventor Christopher C. Frazier

Christopher C. Frazier 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: 11952887
    Abstract: A plunger lift system, as well as a method for monitoring plunger parameters within a wellbore using such a plunger lift system, are provided. The plunger lift system includes a lubricator attached to a wellhead at the surface and a plunger dimensioned to travel through the production tubing upon being released from the lubricator. The plunger lift system also includes magnetic sensor systems installed along the production tubing, where each magnetic sensor system includes a magnetic sensor for detecting the passage of the plunger as it travels through the production tubing, as well a communication device for transmitting communication signals between the magnetic sensor systems and a computing system located at the surface, where the computing system includes a processor and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium including computer-executable instructions that direct the processor to dynamically determine the plunger position and/or velocity based on the received communication signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Michael C. Tschauner, Christopher C. Frazier, Andrew D. McFadden, Salvador G. Vela, III, Billy-Bob K. Walker, Adam J. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20230019787
    Abstract: A plunger lift system, as well as a method for monitoring plunger parameters within a wellbore using such a plunger lift system, are provided. The plunger lift system includes a lubricator attached to a wellhead at the surface and a plunger dimensioned to travel through the production tubing upon being released from the lubricator. The plunger lift system also includes magnetic sensor systems installed along the production tubing, where each magnetic sensor system includes a magnetic sensor for detecting the passage of the plunger as it travels through the production tubing, as well a communication device for transmitting communication signals between the magnetic sensor systems and a computing system located at the surface, where the computing system includes a processor and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium including computer-executable instructions that direct the processor to dynamically determine the plunger position and/or velocity based on the received communication signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Michael C. Tschauner, Christopher C. Frazier, Andrew D. McFadden, Salvador G. Vela, Billy-Bob K. Walker, Adam J. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11035201
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including electrically actuated gas lift valve assemblies and methods of providing gas lift in a hydrocarbon well. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subterranean formation and downhole tubing that extends within the wellbore. The hydrocarbon wells also include a lift gas supply system configured to provide a lift gas stream to a lift gas supply conduit of the wellbore, a plurality of electrically actuated gas lift valve assemblies, a valve power supply system, and a controller. The methods include measuring a respective pressure differential between a lift gas supply conduit and a production conduit of the hydrocarbon well at each electrically actuated gas lift valve assembly in a plurality of electrically actuated gas lift valve assemblies of the hydrocarbon well. The methods also include selectively opening a selected electrically actuated gas lift valve assembly based on the respective pressure differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Christopher C. Frazier, Ted A. Long, Dustin H. Rose, Joseph Salviz, Michael C. Romer, Anthony J. Bermea, Billy-Bob Walker
  • Publication number: 20200063525
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including electrically actuated gas lift valve assemblies and methods of providing gas lift in a hydrocarbon well. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subterranean formation and downhole tubing that extends within the wellbore. The hydrocarbon wells also include a lift gas supply system configured to provide a lift gas stream to a lift gas supply conduit of the wellbore, a plurality of electrically actuated gas lift valve assemblies, a valve power supply system, and a controller. The methods include measuring a respective pressure differential between a lift gas supply conduit and a production conduit of the hydrocarbon well at each electrically actuated gas lift valve assembly in a plurality of electrically actuated gas lift valve assemblies of the hydrocarbon well. The methods also include selectively opening a selected electrically actuated gas lift valve assembly based on the respective pressure differential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher C. Frazier, Ted A. Long, Dustin H. Rose, Joseph Salviz, Michael C. Romer, Anthony J. Bermea, Billy-Bob Walker