Patents by Inventor Clayton S. Smith

Clayton S. Smith 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: 10914139
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to the increasing the amount of stimulated efficiency and production from a given well area by determining a number of diverter slugs and the timing for the injection of the slugs for the given well area. A number of data sets are determined using Monte Carlo analysis, each data set including a quantity of diversion slugs and the timing for the injection of the diversion slugs. A simulation is performed on a plurality of the data sets to determine the production outcome of employing the data set in a stimulation job. The results of the simulation are used to determine the optimized data set for the stimulation job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Mojtaba Pordel Shahri, Jian Huang, Clayton S. Smith, Francisco E. Fragachan
  • Patent number: 10597982
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to the determining the efficiency of stimulation operations in a hydrocarbon well. Stimulation is performed in a hydrocarbon well and various data is obtained therefrom. The data is used to develop a simulation of fluid flow in the well and the simulation is used to model a synthetic tracer log, which corresponds to a modeled level of efficiency. Numerous synthetic tracer logs may be generated in this way so that tracer logs are available for a variety of different stimulation efficiencies. In order to determine the efficiency of an actual stimulation, the real tracer log of the stimulated well may be compared to the synthetic tracer logs in search of a match. When the real tracer log matches a synthetic tracer log the modeled efficiency of the synthetic log may be used as the actual or true efficiency of the real well stimulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Mojtaba Pordel Shahri, Jian Huang, Clayton S. Smith, Francisco E. Fragachan
  • Publication number: 20190186247
    Abstract: A fracturing operation stimulate a region of a well by alternating between pumping liquid intervals and injecting gas intervals to the region. A given liquid interval can include slick water with or without proppant. The gas interval can include produced gas, and a given interval can be injected at pressures above or below fracture initiation pressures. In a depleted region, the stimulation can energize an existing fracture and can carry the proppant into the energized fracture. In an under-developed region, the stimulation can create a new fracture and can carry proppant into the new fracture. The liquid delivers the proppant, and turbulence from the injected gas at the fracture can help further carry the proppant therein. A diverter then temporarily seals the energized or new fracture so the injected gas temporarily sealed therein can interface with residual formation fluid therein, providing for enhanced oil recovery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: KeongAik Lau, Jian Huang, Clayton S. Smith
  • Patent number: 10221649
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to the design and implementation of a diversion procedure for geologic openings. Embodiments involve performing a screening analysis to determine if a well or formation is appropriate for stimulation. If a well is appropriate, a modeling analysis is performed to determine candidate parameters for a diversion procedure. The analysis is divided into two segments, a dry analysis of jamming and a wet and full-physics-based analysis of plugging. The jamming analysis provides candidates to the plugging analysis to reduce the work of the more intensive wet full-physics modeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Mojtaba Pordel Shahri, Clayton S. Smith, Francisco E. Fragachan, Ovunc Mutlu
  • Publication number: 20180238147
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to the increasing the amount of stimulated efficiency and production from a given well area by determining a number of diverter slugs and the timing for the injection of the slugs for the given well area. A number of data sets are determined using Monte Carlo analysis, each data set including a quantity of diversion slugs and the timing for the injection of the diversion slugs. A simulation is performed on a plurality of the data sets to determine the production outcome of employing the data set in a stimulation job. The results of the simulation are used to determine the optimized data set for the stimulation job.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Mojtaba Pordel Shahri, Jian Huang, Clayton S. Smith, Francisco E. Fragachan
  • Publication number: 20180209260
    Abstract: Compositions include (1) aggregating compositions capable of forming deformable partial or complete coatings on formation surfaces, formation particle surfaces, downhole fluid solid surfaces, and/or proppant surfaces, where the coatings increase aggregation and/or agglomeration propensities of the particles and surfaces to form particles clusters or pillars having deformable coatings, and (2) aggregation stabilizing and/or strengthening compositions capable of altering properties of the coated clusters or pillars to form consolidated, stabilized, and/or strengthened clusters or pillars. Methods for stabilizing aggregated particle clusters or pillars include (1) treating the particles with an aggregating composition to form aggregated clusters or pillars and (2) treating the aggregated particle clusters or pillars with a stabilizing or strengthening composition to form consolidated, stabilized, and/or strengthened clusters or pillars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Chih-Chau Hwang, Rajesh K. Saini, Leonid Vigderman, Duane Treybig, Clayton S. Smith, Mathew M. Samuel, Kern L. Smith
  • Patent number: 10001769
    Abstract: Systems and methods generate optimized formation fracturing operational parameters by iteratively optimizing bottom hole temperature design, perforation design, fracturing fluid pulse design, and proppant design based on formation properties, proppant properties, candidate selection, flow and geomechanical modeling, and engineering design, where the systems and methods as implemented on a digital processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Jian Huang, Kedar M. Deshpande, Mohammad Reza Safariforoshani, Ovunc Mutlu, Chih-Chau Hwang, Rajesh K. Saini, Leonid Vigderman, Duane Treybig, Clayton S. Smith, Mathew M. Samuel, Kern L. Smith
  • Patent number: 9945220
    Abstract: Methods for forming proppant pillars in a formation during formation fracturing include include periods of pumping a first fracturing fluid including a proppant and an aggregating composition including a reaction product of a phosphate compound or a plurality of phosphate and an amine, periods of pumping a second fracturing fluid excluding a proppant and an aggregating composition including a reaction product of a phosphate compound and periods of pumping a third fracturing fluid including an aggregating composition including a reaction product of a phosphate compound, where the pumping of the three fracturing fluids may be in any order and may involve continuous pumping, pulse pumping, or non-continuous pumping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: The Lubrizol Corporation
    Inventors: Rajesh K. Saini, Clayton S. Smith, Mathew M. Samuel, Kern L. Smith, Chih- Chau Hwang, Leonid Vigderman, Duane Treybig, Pratyush Singh
  • Patent number: 9909404
    Abstract: Compositions include (1) aggregating compositions capable of forming deformable partial or complete coatings on formation surfaces, formation particle surfaces, downhole fluid solid surfaces, and/or proppant surfaces, where the coatings increase aggregation and/or agglomeration propensities of the particles and surfaces to form particles clusters or pillars having deformable coatings, and (2) aggregation stabilizing and/or strengthening compositions capable of altering properties of the coated clusters or pillars to form consolidated, stabilized, and/or strengthened clusters or pillars. Methods for stabilizing aggregated particle clusters or pillars include (1) treating the particles with an aggregating composition to form aggregated clusters or pillars and (2) treating the aggregated particle clusters or pillars with a stabilizing or strengthening composition to form consolidated, stabilized, and/or strengthened clusters or pillars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: The Lubrizol Corporation
    Inventors: Chih-Chau Hwang, Rajesh K. Saini, Leonid Vigderman, Duane Treybig, Clayton S. Smith, Mathew M. Samuel, Kern L. Smith
  • Patent number: 9664009
    Abstract: Methods include the injection of a gelled, gelling or gellable composition into a horizontal section of a well at a location, where produced well gases or a combination of well gases and injected gases are sufficient to move the pill through the horizontal section into heal section, sweeping the horizontal section of accumulated liquids. Once in the heal section, the pill and the accumulated liquids are uplifted to the surface resulting in a cleaned well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Inventors: Jeffrey John Lembcke, William Charles Lane, Clayton S. Smith
  • Publication number: 20170122077
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to the determining the efficiency of stimulation operations in a hydrocarbon well. Stimulation is performed in a hydrocarbon well and various data is obtained therefrom. The data is used to develop a simulation of fluid flow in the well and the simulation is used to model a synthetic tracer log, which corresponds to a modeled level of efficiency. Numerous synthetic tracer logs may be generated in this way so that tracer logs are available for a variety of different stimulation efficiencies. In order to determine the efficiency of an actual stimulation, the real tracer log of the stimulated well may be compared to the synthetic tracer logs in search of a match. When the real tracer log matches a synthetic tracer log the modeled efficiency of the synthetic log may be used as the actual or true efficiency of the real well stimulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Mojtaba Pordel Shahri, Jian Huang, Clayton S. Smith, Francisco E. Fragachan
  • Publication number: 20170124228
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to the design and implementation of a diversion procedure for geologic openings. Embodiments involve performing a screening analysis to determine if a well or formation is appropriate for stimulation. If a well is appropriate, a modeling analysis is performed to determine candidate parameters for a diversion procedure. The analysis is divided into two segments, a dry analysis of jamming and a wet and full-physics-based analysis of plugging. The jamming analysis provides candidates to the plugging analysis to reduce the work of the more intensive wet full-physics modeling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Mojtaba Pordel Shahri, Clayton S. Smith, Francisco E. Fragachan, Ovunc Mutlu
  • Publication number: 20160139588
    Abstract: Systems and methods generate optimized formation fracturing operational parameters by iteratively optimizing bottom hole temperature design, perforation design, fracturing fluid pulse design, and proppant design based on formation properties, proppant properties, candidate selection, flow and geomechanical modeling, and engineering design, where the systems and methods as implemented on a digital processing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Jian Huang, Kedar M. Deshpande, Mohammad Reza Safariforoshani, Ovunc Mutlu, Chih-Chau Hwang, Rajesh K. Saini, Leonid Vigderman, Duane Treybig, Clayton S. Smith, Mathew M. Samuel, Kern L. Smith
  • Publication number: 20150252250
    Abstract: Downhole fluid compositions including a base fluid and an effective amount of a synthetic hydratable polymer system including a hydrophobically modified, cross-linked polyacrylate polymer, a hydrophilic, anionic, high molecular weight, cross-linked polyacrylic acid polymer, or mixtures and combinations thereof, where the effective amount is sufficient to achieve a desired viscosity profile and a desired breaking profile in the present of a breaking system in the absence of natural hydratable polymers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Simon Levey, Clayton S. Smith, Rajesh Saini, Susanna Wong
  • Publication number: 20150101808
    Abstract: Methods for forming proppant pillars in a formation during formation fracturing include include periods of pumping a first fracturing fluid including a proppant and an aggregating composition including a reaction product of a phosphate compound or a plurality of phosphate and an amine, periods of pumping a second fracturing fluid excluding a proppant and an aggregating composition including a reaction product of a phosphate compound and periods of pumping a third fracturing fluid including an aggregating composition including a reaction product of a phosphate compound, where the pumping of the three fracturing fluids may be in any order and may involve continuous pumping, pulse pumping, or non-continuous pumping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Rajesh K. Saini, Clayton S. Smith, Mathew M. Samuel, Kern L. Smith, Chih- Chau Hwang, Leonid Vigderman, Duane Treybig
  • Publication number: 20150068747
    Abstract: Compositions include (1) aggregating compositions capable of forming deformable partial or complete coatings on formation surfaces, formation particle surfaces, downhole fluid solid surfaces, and/or proppant surfaces, where the coatings increase aggregation and/or agglomeration propensities of the particles and surfaces to form particles clusters or pillars having deformable coatings, and (2) aggregation stabilizing and/or strengthening compositions capable of altering properties of the coated clusters or pillars to form consolidated, stabilized, and/or strengthened clusters or pillars. Methods for stabilizing aggregated particle clusters or pillars include (1) treating the particles with an aggregating composition to form aggregated clusters or pillars and (2) treating the aggregated particle clusters or pillars with a stabilizing or strengthening composition to form consolidated, stabilized, and/or strengthened clusters or pillars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Chih-Chau Hwang, Rajesh K. Saini, Leonid Vigderman, Duane Treybig, Clayton S. Smith, Mathew M. Samuel, Kern L. Smith
  • Publication number: 20130312977
    Abstract: Methods include the injection of a gelled, gelling or gellable composition into a horizontal section of a well at a location, where produced well gases or a combination of well gases and injected gases are sufficient to move the pill through the horizontal section into heal section, sweeping the horizontal section of accumulated liquids. Once in the heal section, the pill and the accumulated liquids are uplifted to the surface resulting in a cleaned well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Jeffrey John Lembcke, William Charles Lane, Clayton S. Smith
  • Patent number: 6525652
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vehicle warning lighting system having a novel automatic warning light activation system utilized with a conventional vehicle brake lighting system. The downshifting deceleration safety system, including and accelerometer and an optional tachometer, will automatically activate the conventional vehicle brake lighting system under conditions of downshifting causing deceleration. The conventional vehicle brake lighting system includes a battery member being a power source connected through a brake pedal switch to brake light members. Depression of a brake pedal closes the brake pedal switch to energize the brake light members in a conventional manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Inventor: Clayton S. Smith
  • Publication number: 20020121968
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vehicle warning lighting system having a novel automatic warning light activation system utilized with a conventional vehicle brake lighting system. The downshifting deceleration safety system, including and accelerometer and an optional tachometer, will automatically activate the conventional vehicle brake lighting system under conditions of downshifting causing deceleration. The conventional vehicle brake lighting system includes a battery member being a power source connected through a brake pedal switch to brake light members. Depression of a brake pedal closes the brake pedal switch to energize the brake light members in a conventional manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Inventor: Clayton S. Smith
  • Patent number: 5338565
    Abstract: Methods of forming a chemical barrier against the transmission of disease-causing microbes and other harmful agents through a membrane such as latex. In the principal method, a mold or former is coded with a coagulant, which is dried, and then the former is dipped into liquid latex, which is allowed to gel, and then the former is dipped into a solution containing the biocide, and then the former is dipped again into the liquid latex, after which the entire coating on the former is cured. Alternatively, the biocide may be sprayed or otherwise applied onto the gelled latex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Robin R. T. Shlenker
    Inventors: Robin R. T. Shlenker, Clive C. Solomons, Jerry D. Plunkett, Clayton S. Smith