Patents by Inventor Douglas J. Patterson

Douglas J. Patterson 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: 11822032
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices, and products for hydrocarbon tubular evaluation. Methods comprise conveying the logging tool in the tubular with a carrier; inducing with a transmitter a horizontal shear (SH) wave; identifying higher order SH mode signals received at a plurality of offset receivers responsive to a higher order SH mode engendered by the horizontal shear (SH) wave; estimating a dominant frequency for higher order SH mode from the higher order SH mode signals; estimating a group velocity for the higher order SH mode from the higher order SH mode signals; and estimating a tubular parameter using the dominant frequency and the group velocity. The tubular parameter may be at least tubular thickness. The method includes estimating the tubular parameter independent of the fundamental horizontal shear wave mode (SH0).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Wei Han, Douglas J. Patterson
  • Patent number: 11719090
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for inspecting oilfield infrastructure components. Methods include methods of identifying a micro-annulus outside a casing in a cemented wellbore. Methods may include transmitting an acoustic pulse incident on the casing; making a measurement of a first acoustic impedance property value from pulse-echo information generated responsive to an echo of the acoustic pulse reflected from the casing; propagating a circumferential guided wave in the casing; making a measurement of a second acoustic impedance property value from propagating wave information generated responsive to the propagating acoustic wave; and determining from the first acoustic impedance value and the second acoustic impedance value a presence of a micro-annulus between the casing and the cement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventors: Pawel J. Matuszyk, Douglas J. Patterson
  • Patent number: 11378708
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for downhole evaluation using a sensor assembly that includes a sensor plate, wherein a surface of the sensor plate forms a portion of a surface of a downhole tool. Methods include bringing the surface of the sensor plate into contact with downhole fluid; generating a guided wave that propagates in the sensor plate by activating the sensor assembly at at least one frequency configured to excite both a symmetric mode and an anti-symmetric mode; making at least one first attenuation measurement of the symmetric mode of the guided wave; making at least one second attenuation measurement of the anti-symmetric mode of the guided wave; and using the at least one first attenuation measurement and the at least one second attenuation measurement to estimate at least one parameter of interest of the fluid. Methods may include submerging the surface of the sensor plate in a downhole fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaochu Yao, Douglas J. Patterson, Pawel J. Matuszyk
  • Patent number: 11359484
    Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring deployment of filtration media at least partially surrounding a tubular disposed in a borehole penetrating the earth includes a carrier configured to be conveyed through the tubular, a low-frequency acoustic wave source disposed on the carrier and configured to transmit acoustic waves in a frequency that is less than 3000 Hz into the tubular, and an acoustic wave receiver disposed on the carrier a distance from the low-frequency acoustic wave source and configured to receive acoustic waves transmitted by the low-frequency acoustic wave source. The apparatus also includes a controller configured to compare data characterizing the received acoustic waves to reference data characterizing acoustic waves with the filtration media not deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventor: Douglas J. Patterson
  • Patent number: 11066920
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for inspecting oilfield infrastructure components. Methods include estimating an optimal value for at least one excitation parameter for an acoustic excitation source to produce a guided wave of mixed multiple modes in the component; selecting at least one excitation parameter corresponding to an optimal simulated guided wave determined in dependence upon the application of waveform criteria to the time domain waveforms; and generating a guided wave in the tubular using the at least one optimal excitation parameter. Methods may include calculating a guided wave dispersion relation; modeling each of the plurality of simulated guided waves, wherein the modeling comprises generating a time domain waveform for each of a plurality of wave modes in dependence upon the acoustic excitation source; selecting the at least one excitation parameter corresponding to an optimal simulated guided wave determined in dependence upon the application of waveform criteria to the time domain waveforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Xiaochu Yao, Pawel J. Matuszyk, Douglas J. Patterson, Rajdeep Das
  • Publication number: 20200300077
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for inspecting oilfield infrastructure components. Methods include methods of identifying a micro-annulus outside a casing in a cemented wellbore. Methods may include transmitting an acoustic pulse incident on the casing; making a measurement of a first acoustic impedance property value from pulse-echo information generated responsive to an echo of the acoustic pulse reflected from the casing; propagating a circumferential guided wave in the casing; making a measurement of a second acoustic impedance property value from propagating wave information generated responsive to the propagating acoustic wave; and determining from the first acoustic impedance value and the second acoustic impedance value a presence of a micro-annulus between the casing and the cement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventors: Pawel J. Matuszyk, Douglas J. Patterson
  • Publication number: 20200157935
    Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring deployment of filtration media at least partially surrounding a tubular disposed in a borehole penetrating the earth includes a carrier configured to be conveyed through the tubular, a low-frequency acoustic wave source disposed on the carrier and configured to transmit acoustic waves in a frequency that is less than 3000 Hz into the tubular, and an acoustic wave receiver disposed on the carrier a distance from the low-frequency acoustic wave source and configured to receive acoustic waves transmitted by the low-frequency acoustic wave source. The apparatus also includes a controller configured to compare data characterizing the received acoustic waves to reference data characterizing acoustic waves with the filtration media not deployed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Applicant: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventor: Douglas J. Patterson
  • Publication number: 20200150304
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices, and products for hydrocarbon tubular evaluation. Methods comprise conveying the logging tool in the tubular with a carrier; inducing with a transmitter a horizontal shear (SH) wave; identifying higher order SH mode signals received at a plurality of offset receivers responsive to a higher order SH mode engendered by the horizontal shear (SH) wave; estimating a dominant frequency for higher order SH mode from the higher order SH mode signals; estimating a group velocity for the higher order SH mode from the higher order SH mode signals; and estimating a tubular parameter using the dominant frequency and the group velocity. The tubular parameter may be at least tubular thickness. The method includes estimating the tubular parameter independent of the fundamental horizontal shear wave mode (SH0).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Applicant: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Wei Han, Douglas J. Patterson
  • Patent number: 10605944
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for performing formation evaluation in a borehole intersecting an earth formation. Methods may include exciting at a first borehole depth at least one critical refraction wave by steering an acoustic beam transmitted by at least one ultrasonic transmitter to an interface in the formation to intercept the interface at a critical angle; receiving an acoustic signal comprising critical refraction wave data at a logging tool in the borehole; and obtaining a wave property measurement from the critical refraction wave data. The interface may be the borehole wall in an open-hole well or behind casing. Methods include using ultrasonic transmitter(s) to generate the plurality of acoustic beams, identifying critical refraction wave data within the response signal corresponding to the at least one critical refraction wave, and obtaining the wave property measurement from the critical refraction wave data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Wei Han, Jason M. Harris, Douglas J. Patterson, Stephen Dymmock, John Dahl
  • Patent number: 10557959
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining physical properties of a material in contact with an external surface of a casing disposed in a borehole including inducing, with a transducer, a first shear horizontal (SH) wave in the casing at a first SH order, measuring, with a sensor disposed on the casing, an attenuation of the first SH wave to generate a first measurement, inducing a second SH wave in the casing at a second SH order that is different from the first SH order, measuring an attenuation of the second SH wave to generate a second measurement, and extracting a physical properties of the material in contact with the external surface of the casing from the first and second measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Paweł Jerzy Matuszyk, Douglas J. Patterson
  • Publication number: 20200033494
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for evaluating an earth formation intersected by a borehole. Methods include estimating a property of cement surrounding a tubular in the earth formation by: generating an acoustic signal with a logging tool in the borehole; estimating the property in dependence upon a late reflected wave field of a modified response acoustic signal, wherein the modified response acoustic signal is produced by suppression of a direct mode component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: Baker Hughes, a GE compnay, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas J. Patterson, Xiaochu Yao, Pawel J. Matuszyk, Roger Steinsiek, Howard B. Glassman
  • Patent number: 10436018
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for estimating a value of a downhole parameter of interest. Aspects include an apparatus for evaluating a tubular. The apparatus may include a sensor including an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) device configured to be conveyed into the tubular. The EMAT device may include measurement circuitry comprising at least one conductive coil; and a magnet array comprising magnets arranged with a corresponding direction of magnetization of each magnet oriented according to a configuration producing a greater magnetic flux on a first side of the array than on a second side opposing the first side. The magnetic flux produced from the second side may be substantially zero. In embodiments, the configuration of magnets comprises at least a first set of permanent magnets in a linear Halbach configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Babak Kouchmeshky, Xiaochu Yao, Stanislav Forgang, Pawel J. Matuszyk, Marc S. Ramirez, Otto N. Fanini, Douglas J. Patterson, Vimal Shah
  • Patent number: 10416330
    Abstract: A transducer assembly for downhole imaging includes a 1-3 Piezoelectric composite transducer of high Q ceramic rods in a polymer matrix. The assembly also includes a Teflon® window, a fluid-filled cavity adjacent to the window, and impedance matching material between the composite transducer and the fluid. The transducer is positioned to reduce the reverberation time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Roger R. Steinsiek, Douglas J. Patterson, Charles E. Redding, Anjani R. Achanta
  • Publication number: 20190196041
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for downhole evaluation using a sensor assembly that includes a sensor plate, wherein a surface of the sensor plate forms a portion of a surface of a downhole tool. Methods include bringing the surface of the sensor plate into contact with downhole fluid; generating a guided wave that propagates in the sensor plate by activating the sensor assembly at at least one frequency configured to excite both a symmetric mode and an anti-symmetric mode; making at least one first attenuation measurement of the symmetric mode of the guided wave; making at least one second attenuation measurement of the anti-symmetric mode of the guided wave; and using the at least one first attenuation measurement and the at least one second attenuation measurement to estimate at least one parameter of interest of the fluid. Methods may include submerging the surface of the sensor plate in a downhole fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaochu Yao, Douglas J. Patterson, Pawel J. Matuszyk
  • Patent number: 10302792
    Abstract: Systems, devices and methods for evaluating an earth formation intersected by a borehole. Method include detecting a reflective boundary in the earth formation by: generating a multipole acoustic signal with a logging tool in the borehole; identifying a shear wave signal resulting from shear body waves reflected in the formation in a near-field region of the formation around the borehole responsive to the generated multipole acoustic signal; and estimating at least a depth along the borehole of the boundary based on the shear wave signal. The boundary may have an angle of incidence with respect to the borehole of greater than 70 degrees. The boundary may be at least one of i) a fracture; and ii) a fault. The method may include evaluating the boundary using at least one attribute of the shear wave signal and the estimated depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas J. Patterson, Eduardo A. Cazeneuve
  • Publication number: 20190145241
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for inspecting oilfield infrastructure components. Methods include estimating an optimal value for at least one excitation parameter for an acoustic excitation source to produce a guided wave of mixed multiple modes in the component; selecting at least one excitation parameter corresponding to an optimal simulated guided wave determined in dependence upon the application of waveform criteria to the time domain waveforms; and generating a guided wave in the tubular using the at least one optimal excitation parameter. Methods may include calculating a guided wave dispersion relation; modeling each of the plurality of simulated guided waves, wherein the modeling comprises generating a time domain waveform for each of a plurality of wave modes in dependence upon the acoustic excitation source; selecting the at least one excitation parameter corresponding to an optimal simulated guided wave determined in dependence upon the application of waveform criteria to the time domain waveforms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Applicant: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaochu YAO, Pawel J. MATUSZYK, Douglas J. PATTERSON, Rajdeep DAS
  • Patent number: 10222501
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for evaluating an earth formation intersected by a borehole using signals produced at a plurality of borehole depths by an ultrasonic transducer in the borehole, the signals produced by the transducer including ringdown signals from the ultrasonic transducer and echo signals from a wall of the borehole from a plurality of azimuthal orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhijuan Zhang, Douglas J. Patterson, Roger R. Steinsiek, Wei Han
  • Publication number: 20180372902
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for performing formation evaluation in a borehole intersecting an earth formation. Methods may include exciting at a first borehole depth at least one critical refraction wave by steering an acoustic beam transmitted by at least one ultrasonic transmitter to an interface in the formation to intercept the interface at a critical angle; receiving an acoustic signal comprising critical refraction wave data at a logging tool in the borehole; and obtaining a wave property measurement from the critical refraction wave data. The interface may be the borehole wall in an open-hole well or behind casing. Methods include using ultrasonic transmitter(s) to generate the plurality of acoustic beams, identifying critical refraction wave data within the response signal corresponding to the at least one critical refraction wave, and obtaining the wave property measurement from the critical refraction wave data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Wei Han, Jason M. Harris, Douglas J. Patterson, Stephen Dymmock, John Dahl
  • Publication number: 20180164462
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining physical properties of a material in contact with an external surface of a casing disposed in a borehole including inducing, with a transducer, a first shear horizontal (SH) wave in the casing at a first SH order, measuring, with a sensor disposed on the casing, an attenuation of the first SH wave to generate a first measurement, inducing a second SH wave in the casing at a second SH order that is different from the first SH order, measuring an attenuation of the second SH wave to generate a second measurement, and extracting a physical properties of the material in contact with the external surface of the casing from the first and second measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Pawel Jerzy Matuszyk, Douglas J. Patterson
  • Publication number: 20180100387
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for estimating a value of a downhole parameter of interest. Aspects include an apparatus for evaluating a tubular. The apparatus may include a sensor including an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) device configured to be conveyed into the tubular. The EMAT device may include measurement circuitry comprising at least one conductive coil; and a magnet array comprising magnets arranged with a corresponding direction of magnetization of each magnet oriented according to a configuration producing a greater magnetic flux on a first side of the array than on a second side opposing the first side. The magnetic flux produced from the second side may be substantially zero. In embodiments, the configuration of magnets comprises at least a first set of permanent magnets in a linear Halbach configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: BABAK KOUCHMESHKY, XIAOCHU YAO, STANISLAV FORGANG, PAWEL J. MATUSZYK, MARC S. RAMIREZ, OTTO N. FANINI, DOUGLAS J. PATTERSON, VIMAL SHAH