Patents by Inventor Eric B. Frantz
Eric B. Frantz 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).
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Patent number: 9896380Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method for thermally insulating a portion of a tubular located inside an enclosed conduit comprises the steps of: (A) introducing a grouting composition into an annulus between the tubular and the enclosed conduit, the grouting composition comprising: (i) a water-swellable binding material comprising water-swellable clay; (ii) an aqueous liquid, wherein the aqueous liquid is the continuous phase of the grouting composition; and (iii) an insulating material; and (B) allowing the grouting composition to set after the step of introducing, wherein after setting the grouting composition has a thermal conductivity of less than 0.3 BTU/hr·ft·° F.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2015Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Eric B. Frantz, Charles R. Landis
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Patent number: 9657522Abstract: Beneficiating drilling fluids that comprise low-quality clay and high-quality clay may be performed by adding a polymer and a high-quality clay to a fluid that comprises an aqueous base fluid and a low-quality clay, so as to yield a drilling fluid, wherein the ratio of the low-quality clay to the high-quality clay is about 90:10 to about 80:20.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2013Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Thomas S. Cortner, Charles R. Landis, Eric B. Frantz
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Patent number: 9222012Abstract: Stabilizing smectite shale may include treating a smectite shale in a subsurface formation with a dewatering fluid so as to yield a stabilized smectite shale, the dewatering fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a dewatering additive. In some instances, at least a portion of a highwall in a highwall mine may be formed at a highwall mine site comprising stabilized smectite shale.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2013Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Charles R. Landis, Thomas S. Cortner, Eric B. Frantz
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Publication number: 20150232384Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method for thermally insulating a portion of a tubular located inside an enclosed conduit comprises the steps of: (A) introducing a grouting composition into an annulus between the tubular and the enclosed conduit, the grouting composition comprising: (i) a water-swellable binding material comprising water-swellable clay; (ii) an aqueous liquid, wherein the aqueous liquid is the continuous phase of the grouting composition; and (iii) an insulating material; and (B) allowing the grouting composition to set after the step of introducing, wherein after setting the grouting composition has a thermal conductivity of less than 0.3 BTU/hr·ft·° F.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2015Publication date: August 20, 2015Inventors: Eric B. Frantz, Charles R. Landis
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Patent number: 9109338Abstract: Methods to control dewatering of confined, saturated formations in excavation mines may include treating a portion of an untreated smectite shale barrier with a dewatering fluid thereby yielding a treated smectite shale barrier, wherein the untreated smectite shale barrier is associated with a confined, saturated formation that comprises water, and wherein the dewatering fluid comprises an aqueous base fluid and a dewatering additive; and draining at least a portion of the water from the confined, saturated formation through the treated smectite shale barrier. In some instances, the dewatering additive may include potassium citrate and potassium nitrate each independently in a concentration of about 0.5% to about 5% by weight of the aqueous base fluid.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2013Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Charles R. Landis, Thomas S. Cortner, Eric B. Frantz
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Patent number: 9062240Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method for thermally insulating a portion of a tubular located inside an enclosed conduit comprises the steps of: (A) introducing a grouting composition into an annulus between the tubular and the enclosed conduit, the grouting composition comprising: (i) a water-swellable binding material comprising water-swellable clay; (ii) an aqueous liquid, wherein the aqueous liquid is the continuous phase of the grouting composition; and (iii) an insulating material; and (B) allowing the grouting composition to set after the step of introducing, wherein after setting the grouting composition has a thermal conductivity of less than 0.3 BTU/hr·ft·° F.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2010Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Eric B. Frantz, Charles R. Landis
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Publication number: 20140321925Abstract: Stabilizing smectite shale may include treating a smectite shale in a subsurface formation with a dewatering fluid so as to yield a stabilized smectite shale, the dewatering fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a dewatering additive. In some instances, at least a portion of a highwall in a highwall mine may be formed at a highwall mine site comprising stabilized smectite shale.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2013Publication date: October 30, 2014Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Charles R. Landis, Thomas S. Cortner, Eric B. Frantz
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Publication number: 20140321914Abstract: Methods to control dewatering of confined, saturated formations in excavation mines may include treating a portion of an untreated smectite shale barrier with a dewatering fluid thereby yielding a treated smectite shale barrier, wherein the untreated smectite shale barrier is associated with a confined, saturated formation that comprises water, and wherein the dewatering fluid comprises an aqueous base fluid and a dewatering additive; and draining at least a portion of the water from the confined, saturated formation through the treated smectite shale barrier. In some instances, the dewatering additive may include potassium citrate and potassium nitrate each independently in a concentration of about 0.5% to about 5% by weight of the aqueous base fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2013Publication date: October 30, 2014Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Charles R. Landis, Thomas S. Cortner, Eric B. Frantz
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Publication number: 20140291029Abstract: Beneficiated clay viscosifying additives may include a low-quality clay and a polymer coated high-quality clay that comprises a high-quality clay at least partially coated with a polymer, wherein the ratio of low-quality clay to high-quality clay is about 90:10 to about 80:20 by weight. Such beneficiated clay viscosifying additives may be used in drilling fluids.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2013Publication date: October 2, 2014Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Thomas S. Cortner, Charles R. Landis, Eric B. Frantz
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Publication number: 20140291028Abstract: Beneficiating drilling fluids that comprise low-quality clay and high-quality clay may be performed by adding a polymer and a high-quality clay to a fluid that comprises an aqueous base fluid and a low-quality clay, so as to yield a drilling fluid, wherein the ratio of the low-quality clay to the high-quality clay is about 90:10 to about 80:20.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2013Publication date: October 2, 2014Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Thomas S. Cortner, Charles R. Landis, Eric B. Frantz
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Patent number: 8481463Abstract: A grouting composition for use in insulating a portion of a tubular located inside an enclosed conduit comprises: (A) an oil-swellable binding material comprising a organophilic clay; and (B) a hydrocarbon liquid, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is the continuous phase of the grouting composition; and (C) an insulating material comprising a hollow microsphere, wherein after the grouting composition has set, the grouting composition has a thermal conductivity of less than 0.3 BTU/hr·ft·° F.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2012Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventor: Eric B. Frantz
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Patent number: 8322423Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method for thermally insulating a portion of a tubular located inside an enclosed conduit comprises the steps of: (A) introducing a grouting composition into an annulus between the tubular and the enclosed conduit, the grouting composition comprising: (i) an oil-swellable binding material; and (ii) a hydrocarbon liquid, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is the continuous phase of the grouting composition; and (iii) an insulating material comprising a hollow microsphere; and (B) allowing or causing the grouting composition to set after the step of introducing, wherein after setting the grouting composition has a thermal conductivity of less than 0.3 BTU/hr·ft·° F.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2010Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventor: Eric B. Frantz
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Publication number: 20120260826Abstract: A grouting composition for use in insulating a portion of a tubular located inside an enclosed conduit comprises: (A) an oil-swellable binding material comprising a organophilic clay; and (B) a hydrocarbon liquid, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is the continuous phase of the grouting composition; and (C) an insulating material comprising a hollow microsphere, wherein after the grouting composition has set, the grouting composition has a thermal conductivity of less than 0.3 BTU/hr·ft·° F.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.Inventor: Eric B. Frantz
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Publication number: 20110303412Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method for thermally insulating a portion of a tubular located inside an enclosed conduit comprises the steps of: (A) introducing a grouting composition into an annulus between the tubular and the enclosed conduit, the grouting composition comprising: (i) an oil-swellable binding material; and (ii) a hydrocarbon liquid, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is the continuous phase of the grouting composition; and (iii) an insulating material comprising a hollow microsphere; and (B) allowing or causing the grouting composition to set after the step of introducing, wherein after setting the grouting composition has a thermal conductivity of less than 0.3 BTU/hr·ft·° F.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2010Publication date: December 15, 2011Applicant: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.Inventor: Eric B. Frantz
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Publication number: 20110305830Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method for thermally insulating a portion of a tubular located inside an enclosed conduit comprises the steps of: (A) introducing a grouting composition into an annulus between the tubular and the enclosed conduit, the grouting composition comprising: (i) a water-swellable binding material comprising water-swellable clay; (ii) an aqueous liquid, wherein the aqueous liquid is the continuous phase of the grouting composition; and (iii) an insulating material; and (B) allowing the grouting composition to set after the step of introducing, wherein after setting the grouting composition has a thermal conductivity of less than 0.3 BTU/hr·ft·° F.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2010Publication date: December 15, 2011Applicant: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.Inventors: Eric B. Frantz, Charles R. Landis