Patents by Inventor Doneil M. Dorado

Doneil M. Dorado 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: 20230340864
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in an artificial lift system to provide under pumping mitigation functionality in which a sucker rod pump's pumping speed is adjusted through the use of a controller that determines whether: (a) the fillage level of the pump is equal to or above a pre-determined fillage level and (b) whether the fluid level in the wellbore in which the pump is positioned is not decreasing and increases the pumping rate of the pump if, over a given period, both (i) the fluid level is not decreasing and (ii) the pump fillage level is above the predetermined fillage level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Peter Westerkamp, Doneil M Dorado, Eric S Oestreich
  • Patent number: 9013322
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for well control and monitoring including an independent web server computer integrated with a pump controller located at each well in an oil field. The well controller locally controls the well pump, processes well and pump data, generates surface and downhole cards, and communicates production reports, recommendations for production improvements, and production statistics to remote sites via the internet. The controller can be queried remotely to provide production reports, etc. Furthermore, the controller can initiate alerts via email, text messaging, or internet messaging, for example, during fault conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Lufkin Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Alan L. Roberson, Doneil M. Dorado, David L. Pinnell, Eric S. Oestreich
  • Patent number: 8433516
    Abstract: An instrumentation system for assessing operation of a reciprocating pump system which produces hydrocarbons from a non-vertical or a vertical wellbore. The instrumentation system periodically produces a downhole pump card as a function of a directly or indirectly measured surface card and a friction law function from a wave equation which describes the linear vibrations in a long slender rod. A control signal or command signal is generated based on characteristics of the downhole pump card for controlling the pumping system. It also generates a pump and well analysis report that is useful for a pump operation and determination of its condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Lufkin Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Sam G. Gibbs, Doneil M. Dorado, Kenneth B. Nolen, Eric S. Oestreich, Jeffrey J. Dacunha
  • Patent number: 8036829
    Abstract: An instrumentation system for assessing operation of a reciprocating pump system which produces hydrocarbons from a non-vertical or a vertical wellbore. The instrumentation system periodically produces a downhole pump card as a function of a directly or indirectly measured surface card and a friction law function from a wave equation which describes the linear vibrations in a long slender rod. A control signal or command signal is generated based on characteristics of the downhole pump card for controlling the pumping system. It also generates a pump and well analysis report that is useful for a pump operation and determination of its condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Lufkin Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Sam G. Gibbs, Doneil M. Dorado, Kenneth B. Nolen, Eric S. Oestreich, Jeffrey J. DaCunha
  • Patent number: 7870900
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the speed of a progressing cavity liquid well pump to increase liquid production from a well while avoiding operation of the well in a pumped-off state. A controller controls a variable speed drive to drive a progressing cavity liquid well pump at a set pump speed while measuring well and system parameters indicative of pumping performance and/or liquid production from the well. The set speed of the pump is changed in steps either increasingly or decreasingly by the controller, acting through the variable speed drive, in response to the measured well and system parameters. The controller, responsive to the measured well and system parameters, challenges the set pump speed by varying the set pump speed so as to increase the production from the well while avoiding pump and well operation in a pumped-off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Lufkin Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Doneil M. Dorado, Kelly A. Woolsey
  • Publication number: 20100111716
    Abstract: An instrumentation system for assessing operation of a reciprocating pump system which produces hydrocarbons from a non-vertical or a vertical wellbore. The instrumentation system periodically produces a downhole pump card as a function of a directly or indirectly measured surface card and a friction law function from a wave equation which describes the linear vibrations in a long slender rod. A control signal or command signal is generated based on characteristics of the downhole pump card for controlling the pumping system. It also generates a pump and well analysis report that is useful for a pump operation and determination of its condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Sam G. Gibbs, Doneil M. Dorado, Kenneth B. Nolen, Eric S. Oestreich, Jeffrey J. DaCunha
  • Patent number: 7547196
    Abstract: Rod Float Mitigation (RFM) methods for rod-pumped oil wells having a variable frequency drive which controls the speed of the motor for the pump. Each method monitors rod loads or a similar condition and takes action only when rod load drops below a predefined minimum load. A first method reduces the speed of the motor to a preset level. A second method fixes the torque level on the pump downstroke by adjusting motor speed based on a calculated gearbox torque compared to a programmed fixed limit. Another method includes a program in the variable frequency drive which includes a preferred RFM Torque Curve for the pump to follow on its downstroke. When rod float occurs, the program monitors gearbox torque and adjusts the speed to follow the predetermined RFM Torque Curve thereby mitigating rod float with minimum decrease in production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Lufkin Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Lemoyne Boyer, Doneil M. Dorado
  • Publication number: 20090129942
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the speed of a progressing cavity liquid well pump to increase liquid production from a well while avoiding operation of the well in a pumped-off state. A controller controls a variable speed drive to drive a progressing cavity liquid well pump at a set pump speed while measuring well and system parameters indicative of pumping performance and/or liquid production from the well. The set speed of the pump is changed in steps either increasingly or decreasingly by the controller, acting through the variable speed drive, in response to the measured well and system parameters. The controller, responsive to the measured well and system parameters, challenges the set pump speed by varying the set pump speed so as to increase the production from the well while avoiding pump and well operation in a pumped-off state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Doneil M. Dorado, Kelly A. Woolsey
  • Publication number: 20090055029
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for well control and monitoring including an independent web server computer integrated with a pump controller located at each well in an oil field. The well controller locally controls the well pump, processes well and pump data, generates surface and downhole cards, and communicates production reports, recommendations for production improvements, and production statistics to remote sites via the internet. The controller can be queried remotely to provide production reports, etc. Furthermore, the controller can initiate alerts via email, text messaging, or internet messaging, for example, during fault conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: ALAN L. ROBERSON, Doneil M. Dorado, David L. Pinnell, Eric S. Oestreich
  • Patent number: 6857474
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods and products for monitoring/controlling a reciprocating well producing hydrocarbons from a wellbore, which determine the surface card from a well operating characteristics, determine the downhole card, and display both at the same scale for position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Lufkin Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Bobby R. Bramlett, Doneil M. Dorado, Sam Gavin Gibbs, Kenneth Bernard Nolen, LeMoyne Boyer
  • Publication number: 20030065447
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods and products for monitoring/controlling a reciprocating well producing hydrocarbons from a wellbore, which determine the surface card from a well operating characteristics, determine the downhole card, and display both at the same scale for position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Inventors: Bobby R. Bramlett, Doneil M. Dorado, Sam Gavin Gibbs, Kenneth Bernard Nolen, LeMoyne Boyer