Patents by Inventor Clifford C. Walters

Clifford C. Walters 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: 11846184
    Abstract: A quantitative simulation process for producing quantitative model predictions of hydrocarbon composition. The quantitative simulation may include measuring a chemical and isotopic composition of a hydrocarbon sample from a hydrocarbon reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
    Inventors: David T. Wang, Cara L. Davis, Michael J. Formolo, Sarah E. Gelman, Michael Lawson, Clifford C. Walters, Yitian Xiao
  • Publication number: 20220042413
    Abstract: A quantitative simulation process for producing quantitative model predictions of hydrocarbon composition may comprise: measuring a chemical and isotopic composition of a hydrocarbon sample from a hydrocarbon reservoir; measuring geochemical data, geophysical data, and/or geological data for the hydrocarbon reservoir and/or source rock; deriving temperature versus time relationships from a basin model for the hydrocarbon reservoir and/or source rock based on the geochemical data, geophysical data, and/or geological data; generating estimated source-rock maturity parameters based on the temperature versus time relationships; generating an estimated compositional yield for hydrocarbon fractions based on the temperature versus time relationships and the chemical composition of the hydrocarbon sample; and generating, using a mass-conserving isotopic fraction (MCIF) simulator, an estimated isotopic composition of the hydrocarbon fractions based on the estimated compositional yield and the isotopic composition of t
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: David T. Wang, Cara L. Davis, Michael J. Formolo, Sarah E. Gelman, Michael Lawson, Clifford C. Walters, Yitian Xiao
  • Publication number: 20190316166
    Abstract: A method of evaluating subsurface connectivity, including: extracting biological material from samples obtained from a plurality of hydrocarbon wellbores, the biological material including nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids; determining microbial community structures based on the biological material, which includes determining an abundance of various species included in the samples; generating a reservoir connectivity analysis model, wherein the reservoir connectivity analysis model identifies a connectivity between at least two of the plurality of hydrocarbon wellbores in accordance with similarities in the microbial community structures at a plurality of subsurface locations that establish a path of fluid communication between the at least two of the plurality of hydrocarbon wellbores, wherein the reservoir connectivity analysis model includes a timing of the connectivity based on molecular biology; and generating a subsurface image or visualization, from the reservoir connectivity analysis model, that ind
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Zarath M. Summers, Clifford C. Walters
  • Patent number: 9552462
    Abstract: A method for predicting petroleum expulsion. A chemical structure of a kerogen is defined and a plurality of reaction products of the kerogen under geologic heating rates are identified. The plurality of reaction products are grouped into a plurality of product lumps based on their chemical composition and predicting petroleum expulsion for each of the plurality of product lumps based on secondary cracking reactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Clifford C. Walters, Howard J. Freund, Simon R. Kelemen, Paul J. Hicks, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9052296
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for analysis and/or profiling of petroleum samples. The systems and methods allow for compositional analysis of samples using techniques that can be implemented outside of a laboratory setting, such as in a refinery or even at a petroleum or hydrocarbon source. The techniques are enabled by using desorption electrospray ionization as a method for generating ions for detection by mass spectroscopy. Desorption electrospray ionization can be used to generate ions for detection from a liquid or solid petroleum (or other hydrocarbon) sample with minimal sample preparation. For solid samples, the technique can also be used to identify changes in composition of a petroleum sample relative to a dimension of the solid sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Chunping Wu, Clifford C. Walters, Kuangnan Qian
  • Patent number: 8663455
    Abstract: High molecular weight naphthenic tetra-acids are added to a base crude oil to prevent and/or reduce fouling of crude oil refinery equipment. The method includes adding an effective amount of a high molecular weight naphthenic tetra-acid to the base crude oil to form a crude oil mixture and feeding the crude oil mixture to a crude oil refinery component. Particularly, the high molecular weight naphthenic tetra-acids include ARN acids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Steven W. Levine, Glen B. Brons, George A. Lutz, Daniel P. Leta, Clifford C. Walters
  • Patent number: 8445841
    Abstract: A first waveguide has a top face positioned in an oil well borehole for wetting by returning drilling mud from a drill bit as drilling progresses. A second waveguide is positioned in the borehole for wetting by new drilling mud being pumped to the drill bit. MIR light rays are fed from an MIR light source into the first and second waveguides for causing evanescent waves to be generated by each waveguide for reacting with the molecules of the associated drilling mud, respectfully, whereby a modulated optical signal representative of spectra of components and particles in the associated drilling mud, respectively, are emitted from each waveguide. The modulated optical signals are converted to electrical signals, subtracted from one another to remove common mode signals, and passed into a processor programmed for extracting the spectra hydrocarbon components contained in the returning drilling mud as the result of the drilling activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: John S. Szobota, James M. Brown, Clifford C. Walters, Mark M. Disko, Boris Mizaikoff
  • Patent number: 8352228
    Abstract: A method for predicting petroleum production is provided. An exemplary embodiment of The computer-implemented comprises computing a first approximation of an amount of generated petroleum that is retained with a complex organic product using a Threshold and a Maximum Retention value. The exemplary method also comprises revising the first approximation by approximating a process of chemical fractionation using at least one partition factor to create a revised approximation and predicting petroleum production based on the revised approximation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Clifford C. Walters, Howard Freund, Simon R. Kelemen, Mehmet Deniz Ertas, William Symington
  • Publication number: 20130000908
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for fracturing rock in a formation to enhance the production of fluids from the formation. In one exemplary method, one or more wells are drilled into a reservoir, wherein each well comprises a main wellbore with two or more lateral wellbores drilled out from the main wellbore. One or more explosive charges are placed within each of the two or more lateral wellbores, and the explosive charges are detonated to generate pressure pulses which at least partially fracture a rock between the two or more lateral wellbores. The detonations are timed such that one or more pressure pulses emanating from different lateral wellbores interact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Clifford C. Walters, Nancy Hyangsil Choi, Michael Edward McCracken, Jeff H. Moss
  • Patent number: 8329941
    Abstract: A method for recovering high molecular weight naphthenic tetra-acids, particularly ARN acids from a calcium naphthenate deposit. Calcium naphthenate deposits contain large amounts of calcium naphthenate salts of ARN acids. The method dual solvent extraction process in which the naphthenic tetra-acids chemically bound as calcium naphthenate salts are converted into free acid monomers by an aqueous acid. The resulting free acid monomers are then dissolved into an organic solvent phase and the counterions dissolve in the aqueous acid phase. The naphthenic tetra-acids are then recovered from the organic solvent phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Steven W. Levine, Manuel A. Francisco, Sharon A. Feiller, Clifford C. Walters
  • Publication number: 20100161302
    Abstract: A method for predicting petroleum production is provided. An exemplary embodiment of the method comprises computing a first approximation of an amount of generated petroleum that is retained with a complex organic product using a Threshold and a Maximum Retention value. The exemplary method also comprises revising the first approximation by approximating a process of chemical fractionation using at least one partition factor to create a revised approximation and predicting petroleum production based on the revised approximation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Clifford C. Walters, Howard Freund, Simon R. Kelemen, Mehmet Deniz Ertas, William Symington
  • Publication number: 20100155078
    Abstract: A method for predicting petroleum expulsion is provided. An exemplary embodiment of the method comprises defining a chemical structure of a kerogen and identifying a plurality of reaction products of the kerogen under geologic heating rates. The exemplary method also comprises grouping the plurality of reaction products into a plurality of product lumps based on their chemical composition and predicting petroleum expulsion for each of the plurality of product lumps based on secondary cracking reactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Clifford C. Walters, Howard J. Freund, JR., Simon R. Kelemen, Paul J. Hicks, JR.
  • Publication number: 20100147739
    Abstract: High molecular weight naphthenic tetra-acids are added to a base crude oil to prevent and/or reduce fouling of crude oil refinery equipment. The method includes adding an effective amount of a high molecular weight naphthenic tetra-acid to the base crude oil to form a crude oil mixture and feeding the crude oil mixture to a crude oil refinery component. Particularly, the high molecular weight naphthenic tetra-acids include ARN acids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Steven W. LEVINE, Glen B. Brons, George A. Lutz, Daniel P. Leta, Clifford C. Walters
  • Patent number: 6162282
    Abstract: A method for determining the efficiency of a carbon filter used to absorb hydrocarbons from organic solvents. A sample of the solution, used to remove CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 S from natural hydrocarbon gases, is taken after it has passed through the carbon filter. A solution of an internal standard and carbon disulfide is added to the sample to concentrate the hydrocarbons into the solution. A second sample taken from the solution containing the concentrated hydrocarbons and is passed through a gas chromatograph which has a fast temperature ramp to measure the peak areas of the hydrocarbons and the internal standard. The concentration of the measured hydrocarbons are determined by comparing the peak area counts against that of the internal standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Clifford C. Walters, Constance L. Hellyer