Patents by Inventor David E. Clark

David E. Clark 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: 11955845
    Abstract: An axial flux motor incorporates a rotor having a plurality of pockets receiving magnet assemblies. A retention device is engaged from an inactive surface of at least one magnet assembly to one or more structural elements surrounding an associate one of the plurality of pockets in the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: LaunchPoint Electric Propulsion Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Ricci, David B. Paden, Brian J. Clark, Claire Cappe, Zachary J. Marshall, Bradley E. Paden
  • Patent number: 8997896
    Abstract: Methods and related systems are configured to treat a drilling fluid to cause water droplets to coalesce. One or more phases are thereafter separated from the treated drilling fluid. The oil and/or solids separated from the treated drilling fluid may be added to a base fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: David E. Clark, Lirio Quintero, Anuradee Witthayapanyanon, Alexander John McKellar, Martin Gilbert
  • Publication number: 20150031588
    Abstract: Nanoemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both (Winsor III) or single phase microemulsions (Winsor IV) may be formed in situ during hydrocarbon recovery operations after drilling with OBM or SBM using one or more fluid pills. The nanoemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both or single phase microemulsions remove oil and solids from the well and wellbore surfaces. In one non-limiting embodiment, a single phase microemulsion (SPME) or other in situ-formed fluid may be created from a polar phase, a nonpolar phase, at least one viscosifier, and at least one surfactant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: LIRIO Quintero, Chad F. Christian, Alexander McKellar, Cristina Torres, David E. Clark, Thomas A. Jones
  • Publication number: 20140349894
    Abstract: Nanomaterial compositions are useful for applications in drilling and completion fluids as enhancers of electrical and thermal conductivity, emulsion stabilizers, wellbore strength improvers, drag reduction agents, wettability changers, corrosion coating compositions and the like These nanomaterials may be dispersed in the liquid phase in low volumetric fraction, particularly as compared to corresponding agents of larger size. Nanofluids (fluids containing nano-sized particles) may be used to drill at least part of the wellbore. Nanofluids for drilling and completion applications may be designed including nanoparticles such as carbon nanotubes. These fluids containing nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, meet the required rheological and filtration properties for application in challenging HPHT drilling and completions operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: LIRIO QUINTERO, ANTONIA ENRIQUE CARDENAS, DAVID E. CLARK
  • Patent number: 8871695
    Abstract: Nanoemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both (Winsor III) or single phase microemulsions (Winsor IV) may be formed in situ during hydrocarbon recovery operations after drilling with OBM or SBM using one or more fluid pills. The nanoemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both or single phase microemulsions remove oil and solids from the well and wellbore surfaces. In one non-limiting embodiment, a single phase microemulsion (SPME) or other in situ-formed fluid may be created from a polar phase, a nonpolar phase, at least one viscosifier, and at least one surfactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, Chad F. Christian, Alexander McKellar, Cristina Torres, David E. Clark, Thomas A. Jones
  • Patent number: 8822385
    Abstract: Nanoemulsions have been discovered to be useful to the oil field. More particularly water-in-oil (W/O), oil-in-water (O/W) and other classes of nanoemulsions have found beneficial application in drilling, completion, well remediation and other oil and gas industry related operations. Additionally, nanoemulsions may reduce friction pressure losses, as well as reduce subsidence of solid weight material during oil and gas operations. New preparation methods for nanoemulsions have also been discovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, David E. Clark, Alexander John McKellar
  • Patent number: 8822386
    Abstract: Nanomaterial compositions are useful for applications in drilling and completion fluids as enhancers of electrical and thermal conductivity, emulsion stabilizers, wellbore strength improvers, drag reduction agents, wettability changers, corrosion coating compositions and the like. These nanomaterials may be dispersed in the liquid phase in low volumetric fraction, particularly as compared to corresponding agents of larger size. Nanofluids (fluids containing nano-sized particles) may be used to drill at least part of the wellbore. Nanofluids for drilling and completion applications may be designed including nanoparticles such as carbon nanotubes. These fluids containing nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, meet the required rheological and filtration properties for application in challenging HPHT drilling and completions operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, Antonio Enrique Cardenas, David E. Clark
  • Patent number: 8544565
    Abstract: Compositions including relatively low reactivity acids and having a pH of from about 2 to about 5, mixed with viscoelastic surfactants (VESs) and internal breakers may serve as fluids, in a non-limiting embodiment as drilling fluids, to open underground hydrocarbon reservoirs with carbonate contents of 10 wt % or above. The fluids initially have low viscosities. After the fluid flows out of the drill bit, the acids react with carbonates in the formation thereby increasing the pH of the fluids causing the VES to gel the fluid at the bottom of the hole and within the formation rock. Even when the subterranean formation contains naturally-occurring fractures, the viscosified fluid will reduce fluid loss into the formation. After drilling through the targeted formation, internal breakers in the viscosified fluids will break down the fluids to permit their removal, and production of the well with very little or no near well bore damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Tianping Huang, James B. Crews, David E. Clark
  • Publication number: 20130096036
    Abstract: Nanoemulsions have been discovered to be useful to the oil field. More particularly water-in-oil (W/O), oil-in-water (O/W) and other classes of nanoemulsions have found beneficial application in drilling, completion, well remediation and other oil and gas industry related operations. Additionally, nanoemulsions may reduce friction pressure losses, as well as reduce subsidence of solid weight material during oil and gas operations. New preparation methods for nanoemulsions have also been discovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, David E. Clark, Alexander John McKellar
  • Patent number: 8415279
    Abstract: Nanoemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both (Winsor III) or single phase microemulsions (Winsor IV) may be pre-formed and used as one or more fluid pills during hydrocarbon recovery operations after drilling with OBM or SBM. The nanoemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both or single phase microemulsions remove oil and solids from the well and wellbore surfaces. In one non-limiting embodiment, a single phase microemulsion (SPME) or other pre-formed fluid may be created from a polar phase, a nonpolar phase, an optional viscosifier, and at least one surfactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, Chad F. Christian, Alexander McKellar, Cristina Torres, David E. Clark, Thomas A. Jones
  • Patent number: 8357639
    Abstract: Nanoemulsions have been discovered to be useful to the oil field. More particularly water-in-oil (W/O), oil-in-water (O/W) and other classes of nanoemulsions have found beneficial application in drilling, completion, well remediation and other oil and gas industry related operations. Additionally, nanoemulsions may reduce friction pressure losses, as well as reduce subsidence of solid weight material during oil and gas operations. New preparation methods for nanoemulsions have also been discovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, David E. Clark, Alexander John McKellar
  • Patent number: 8356667
    Abstract: Fluids containing liquid crystal-forming surfactants or polymeric surfactants, or polymers, or complex polymers or copolymers, or graphite nanotubes or Janus particles in a polar and/or non polar liquid, and optionally, co-surfactants, are useful in drilling, completion and production operations to give increased viscosity (solids suspension ability) and/or decreased fluid loss, as compared to otherwise identical fluids absent the liquid crystals. These liquid crystal compositions contain organized micelles. The liquid crystal-containing fluids are useful in completion fluids, fracturing fluids, formation damage remediation, waste management, lost circulation, drilling optimization, reducing trapped annular pressure during the hydrocarbon production process, well strengthening, friction and drag reducers, fluids introduced through an injection well, for geothermal wells, and the controlled release of additives into a wellbore, at a subterranean formation or at the oil production facilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, David E. Clark, Antonio Enrique Cardenas, Hartley H. Downs, Christopher T. Gallagher
  • Publication number: 20120241220
    Abstract: Modified surfactants may be added to an oil-based drilling fluid where the modified surfactant is selected from the group consisting of an extended surfactant, a dendritic surfactant, a dendritic extended surfactant, and combinations thereof. These oil-based drilling fluids may be used for drilling a well through a subterranean reservoir, while circulating the oil-based drilling fluid through the wellbore. The oil-based drilling fluid may include at least modified surfactant, at least one non-polar continuous phase, and at least one polar non-continuous phase. The modified surfactant may have propoxylated/ethoxylated spacer arms extensions. The modified surfactant may have intramolecular mixtures containing hydrophilic and lipophilic portions. They attain high solubilization in the oil-based drilling fluid and may be, in some instances, insensitive to temperature making them useful for a wide variety of oil types.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, David E. Clark, Antonio Enrique Cardenas, Jean-Louis Salager, Ana Forgiarini, Ali Hasan Bahsas
  • Patent number: 8235120
    Abstract: Mesophase fluids may be pre-formed or formed in situ and may be used downhole for various treatments including, but not limited to, cleaning up and removing non-polar materials from reservoir production zones, removing wellbore damage, releasing stuck pipe, components in spacers and pills and the like in oil and gas wells. These treatments involve solubilization of the non-polar material into the emulsion when the treatment fluid contacts non-polar materials. These mesophase fluids use extended chain surfactants having propoxylated/ethoxylated spacer arms. The extended chain surfactants are intramolecular mixtures containing hydrophilic and lipophilic portions. They attain high solubilization in the mesophase fluids (e.g. single phase microemulsions), are in some instances insensitive to temperature and are useful for a wide variety of oil types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, David E. Clark, Jean-Louis Salager, Ana Forgiarini
  • Publication number: 20120181085
    Abstract: One method for treating cuttings from a subsurface formation may include treating the cuttings with at least one surfactant and at least one stabilizing agent. The method may include contacting the cuttings with the stabilizing agent(s) before contacting the cuttings with the surfactant(s). Another method for treating drill cuttings includes returning the drill cuttings to a substantially water-wet condition by using at least one stabilizing agent to remove at least a portion of a hydrocarbon from the drill cuttings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, Anuradee Witthayapanyanon, Jonathan J. Brege, David E. Clark
  • Patent number: 8210263
    Abstract: Single-phase microemulsions (SPMEs) and in situ-formed microemulsions in water-wetting pills may be used to reverse the wettability of subterranean rock previously drilled with an oil-based mud or synthetic-based mud before pumping a high fluid loss squeeze pill or crosslink pill or other water-based pill. This wettability reversal occurs by solubilization of the non-polar material into the microemulsion when the water-wetting pill contacts the non-polar material. An in situ microemulsion may be formed when one or more surfactant and a polar phase (e.g. water or brine), and eventually some amount of organic phase, contacts the reservoir formation and reverses the wettability encountered in the porous media. The microemulsions are effective for reversing the wettability that occurs from non-polar materials which include, but are not necessarily limited to, oil-based mud, synthetic-based mud, paraffins, asphaltenes, emulsions, slugs, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, David E. Clark, Thomas A. Jones
  • Publication number: 20120015852
    Abstract: Nanomaterial compositions are useful for applications in drilling and completion fluids as enhancers of electrical and thermal conductivity, emulsion stabilizers, wellbore strength improvers, drag reduction agents, wettability changers, corrosion coating compositions and the like. These nanomaterials may be dispersed in the liquid phase in low volumetric fraction, particularly as compared to corresponding agents of larger size. Nanofluids (fluids containing nano-sized particles) may be used to drill at least part of the wellbore. Nanofluids for drilling and completion applications may be designed including nanoparticles such as carbon nanotubes. These fluids containing nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, meet the required rheological and filtration properties for application in challenging HPHT drilling and completions operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, Antonio Enrique Cardenas, David E. Clark
  • Patent number: 8091644
    Abstract: Nanoemulsion, macroemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both (Winsor I, II or III phase behavior) or single phase microemulsions (Winsor IV) improve the removal of filter cakes formed during hydrocarbon reservoir wellbore drilling with OBM. Such filter cakes and their particles can contact, impact and affect the movement of the drill string undesirably resulting in a “stuck pipe” condition. The macroemulsion, nanoemulsion, miniemulsion, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both or single phase microemulsion removes oil and solids from the filter cake, thereby releasing the drill string from its stuck condition. In one non-limiting embodiment, the emulsion system may be formed in situ (downhole) rather than produced or prepared in advance and pumped downhole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: David E. Clark, Lirio Quintero, Thomas A. Jones, Chad F. Christian, Alexander McKellar
  • Patent number: 8091646
    Abstract: Single phase microemulsions (SPMEs) and in situ-formed microemulsions may be used to clean up and remove non-polar materials from reservoir production zones of oil and gas wells. This clean up occurs by solubilization of the non-polar material into the microemulsion when the treatment fluid contacts the non-polar material. An in situ microemulsion may be formed when one or more surfactant and a polar phase (e.g. water or brine), and eventually some small amount of organic phase, contacts the reservoir formation and solubilizes the non-polar material encountered in the porous media. The microemulsions are effective for removing the formation damage caused by non-polar materials which include, but are not necessarily limited to oil-based mud, synthetic-based mud, paraffins, asphaltenes, emulsions, slugs, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, Thomas A. Jones, David E. Clark, Allen D. Gabrysch, Ana Forgiarini, Jean-Louis Salager
  • Patent number: 8091645
    Abstract: Nanoemulsion, macroemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both (Winsor I, II or III phase behavior) or single phase microemulsions (Winsor IV) improve the removal of filter cakes formed during hydrocarbon reservoir wellbore drilling with OBM. The macroemulsion, nanoemulsion, miniemulsion, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both or single phase microemulsion removes oil and solids from the deposited filter cake. In one non-limiting embodiment, the emulsion system (e.g. single phase microemulsion, nanoemulsion, or other emulsions) may be formed in situ (downhole) rather than produced or prepared in advance and pumped downhole. Skin damage removal from internal and external filter cake deposition can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, David E. Clark, Thomas A. Jones, Jean-Louis Salager, Ana Forgiarini