Patents by Inventor Clayton F. Gardinier

Clayton F. Gardinier 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: 20230071272
    Abstract: Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use are disclosed herein. The proppant particles can include a sintered ceramic material and can have a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns. The methods of use can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein and injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle including a sintered ceramic material, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Benjamin T. ELDRED, Brett A. WILSON, Clayton F. GARDINIER, Robert DUENCKEL
  • Patent number: 11512025
    Abstract: Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use are disclosed herein. The proppant particles can include a sintered ceramic material and can have a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns. The methods of use can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein and injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle including a sintered ceramic material, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: CARBO CERAMICS, INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Eldred, Brett A. Wilson, Clayton F. Gardinier, Robert Duenckel
  • Publication number: 20200114415
    Abstract: A foundry media pellet includes a sintered ceramic material having a size from about 10 AFS GFN to about 110 AFS GFN, and a surface roughness of less than about 4 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Brett A. WILSON, Claude KRAUSE, Steve CANOVA, Keith LEW, Benjamin T. ELDRED, Clayton F. GARDINIER, Robert DUENCKEL
  • Patent number: 10513654
    Abstract: A method for making proppant particles is provided. The method can include providing a slurry of ceramic raw material, the slurry containing a reactant including a polycarboxylic acid, and flowing the slurry through a nozzle in a gas while vibrating the slurry to form droplets. The method can also include receiving the droplets in a vessel containing a liquid having an upper surface in direct contact with the gas, the liquid containing a coagulation agent. The method can further include reacting the reactant with the coagulation agent to cause coagulation of the reactant in the droplets. The droplets can then be transferred from the liquid and dried to form green pellets. The method can include sintering the green pellets in a selected temperature range to form the proppant particles. In one or more exemplary embodiments, the reactant can be or include a PMA:PAA copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: CARBO CERAMICS INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Eldred, Brett A. Wilson, Clayton F. Gardinier, Robert Duenckel, Todd Roper
  • Patent number: 10507517
    Abstract: A foundry media pellet includes a sintered ceramic material having a size from about 10 AFS GFN to about 110 AFS GFN, and a surface roughness of less than about 4 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: CARBO CERAMICS INC.
    Inventors: Brett A. Wilson, Claude Krause, Steve Canova, Keith Lew, Benjamin T. Eldred, Clayton F. Gardinier, Robert Duenckel
  • Publication number: 20190184450
    Abstract: A foundry media pellet includes a sintered ceramic material having a size from about 10 AFS GFN to about 110 AFS GFN, and a surface roughness of less than about 4 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Brett A. Wilson, Claude Krause, Steve Canova, Keith Lew, Benjamin T. Eldred, Clayton F. Gardinier, Robert Duenckel
  • Publication number: 20190071366
    Abstract: Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use are disclosed herein. The proppant particles can include a sintered ceramic material and can have a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns. The methods of use can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein and injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle including a sintered ceramic material, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin T. ELDRED, Brett A. WILSON, Clayton F. GARDINIER, Robert DUENCKEL
  • Publication number: 20190016944
    Abstract: Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use are disclosed herein. The proppant particles can include a sintered ceramic material and can have a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns. The methods of use can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein and injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle including a sintered ceramic material, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin T. ELDRED, Brett A. WILSON, Clayton F. GARDINIER, Robert DUENCKEL
  • Publication number: 20190016949
    Abstract: A method for making proppant particles is provided. The method can include providing a slurry of ceramic raw material, the slurry containing a reactant including a polycarboxylic acid, and flowing the slurry through a nozzle in a gas while vibrating the slurry to form droplets. The method can also include receiving the droplets in a vessel containing a liquid having an upper surface in direct contact with the gas, the liquid containing a coagulation agent. The method can further include reacting the reactant with the coagulation agent to cause coagulation of the reactant in the droplets. The droplets can then be transferred from the liquid and dried to form green pellets. The method can include sintering the green pellets in a selected temperature range to form the proppant particles. In one or more exemplary embodiments, the reactant can be or include a PMA:PAA copolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin T. ELDRED, Brett A. WILSON, Clayton F. GARDINIER, Robert DUENCKEL, Todd ROPER
  • Patent number: 10118863
    Abstract: Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use are disclosed herein. The proppant particles can include a sintered ceramic material and can have a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns. The methods of use can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein and injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle including a sintered ceramic material, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: CARBO CERAMICS INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Eldred, Brett A. Wilson, Clayton F. Gardinier, Robert Duenckel
  • Patent number: 10077398
    Abstract: A method for making proppant particles is provided. The method can include providing a slurry of ceramic raw material, the slurry containing a reactant including a polycarboxylic acid, and flowing the slurry through a nozzle in a gas while vibrating the slurry to form droplets. The method can also include receiving the droplets in a vessel containing a liquid having an upper surface in direct contact with the gas, the liquid containing a coagulation agent. The method can further include reacting the reactant with the coagulation agent to cause coagulation of the reactant in the droplets. The droplets can then be transferred from the liquid and dried to form green pellets. The method can include sintering the green pellets in a selected temperature range to form the proppant particles. In one or more exemplary embodiments, the reactant can be or include a PMA:PAA copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: CARBO Ceramics Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Eldred, Brett A. Wilson, Clayton F. Gardinier, Robert Duenckel, Todd Roper
  • Patent number: 10077395
    Abstract: Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use are disclosed herein. The proppant particles can include a sintered ceramic material and can have a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns. The methods of use can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein and injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle including a sintered ceramic material, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: CARBO Ceramics Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Eldred, Brett A. Wilson, Clayton F. Gardinier, Robert Duenckel
  • Publication number: 20170260104
    Abstract: Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use are disclosed herein. The proppant particles can include a sintered ceramic material and can have a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns. The methods of use can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein and injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle including a sintered ceramic material, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Benjamin T. ELDRED, Brett A. WILSON, Clayton F. GARDINIER, Robert DUENCKEL
  • Patent number: 9670400
    Abstract: Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use are disclosed herein. The proppant particles can include a sintered ceramic material and can have a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns. The methods of use can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein and injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle including a sintered ceramic material, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: CARBO CERAMICS INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Eldred, Brett A. Wilson, Clayton F. Gardinier, Robert Duenckel
  • Patent number: 9463092
    Abstract: Polycrystalline diamond compacts for use in artificial joints achieve reduced corrosion and improved biocompatibility through the use of solvent metal formulations containing tin and through the control of solvent metal pore size, particularly in inner layers of the compact. Solvent metal formulations containing tin have been discovered which provide sintering ability, part strength, and grind resistance comparable to levels achieved by using CoCrMo solvent metals. It has been discovered that limiting the solvent metal pore size in the diamond layers minimizes or eliminates the occurrence of micro cracks in the solvent metal and significantly reduces the corrosion of the compact as manifested by the release of heavy metal ions from the compact. Polycrystalline diamond compacts which utilize both the solvent metal formulations containing tin and the control of pore sizes achieve significantly reduced corrosion and improved biocompatibility compared to prior art polycrystalline diamond compacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: DIMICRON, INC.
    Inventors: Clayton F Gardinier, Alfred S Despres, Troy J Medford, Tim Bunton
  • Publication number: 20160264853
    Abstract: A method for making proppant particles is provided. The method can include providing a slurry of ceramic raw material, the slurry containing a reactant including a polycarboxylic acid, and flowing the slurry through a nozzle in a gas while vibrating the slurry to form droplets. The method can also include receiving the droplets in a vessel containing a liquid having an upper surface in direct contact with the gas, the liquid containing a coagulation agent. The method can further include reacting the reactant with the coagulation agent to cause coagulation of the reactant in the droplets. The droplets can then be transferred from the liquid and dried to form green pellets. The method can include sintering the green pellets in a selected temperature range to form the proppant particles. In one or more exemplary embodiments, the reactant can be or include a PMA:PAA copolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Eldred, Brett A. Wilson, Clayton F. Gardinier, Robert Duenckel, Todd Roper
  • Publication number: 20160017214
    Abstract: Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use are disclosed herein. The proppant particles can include a sintered ceramic material and can have a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns. The methods of use can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein and injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle including a sintered ceramic material, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Eldred, Brett A. Wilson, Clayton F. Gardinier, Robert Duenckel
  • Patent number: 9175210
    Abstract: Proppant material for hydraulic fracturing is provided. The particles of the proppant are formed by drip casting. A slurry of finely divided ceramic particles is flowed through nozzles and formed into droplets under the influence of vibration. Uniform sized, smooth surface, spherical green particles are formed. The green particles are dried and sintered to form the proppant. The proppant is used in the process of hydraulic fracturing of wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: CARBO Ceramics Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Eldred, Brett A. Wilson, Clayton F. Gardinier, Robert J. Duenckel
  • Publication number: 20150166880
    Abstract: Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use are disclosed herein. The proppant particles can include a sintered ceramic material and can have a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns. The methods of use can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein and injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle including a sintered ceramic material, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Eldred, Brett A. Wilson, Clayton F. Gardinier, Robert Duenckel
  • Patent number: 8883693
    Abstract: Proppant material for hydraulic fracturing is provided. The particles of the proppant are formed by drip casting. A slurry of finely divided ceramic particles is flowed through nozzles and formed into droplets under the influence of vibration. Uniform sized, smooth surface, spherical green particles are formed. The green particles are dried and sintered to form the proppant. The proppant is used in the process of hydraulic fracturing of wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Carbo Ceramics, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Eldred, Brett A. Wilson, Clayton F. Gardinier, Robert J. Duenckel