Patents by Inventor Etuan Zhang

Etuan Zhang 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).

  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation producing a mixture with oxygenated hydrocarbons
    Publication number: 20020076212
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. The produced mixture may include a hydrocarbon component. The hydrocarbon component may include a relatively low weight percentage of compounds having carbon numbers greater than 25. The hydrocarbon component may include oxygenated hydrocarbon compounds and a relatively low amount of olefins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Etuan Zhang, Scott Lee Wellington, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Harold J. Vinegar, Ajay Madhav Madgavkar
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation with a selected ratio of heat sources to production wells
    Publication number: 20020074117
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The mixture may be produced from the formation through a plurality of production wells. A selected number of heat sources may be positioned in the formation for each production well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Gordon Thomas Shahin, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation with a selected atomic oxygen to carbon ratio
    Publication number: 20020062959
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The formation to be treated may be selected based on initial elemental oxygen to carbon ratio of the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation with a selected moisture content
    Publication number: 20020062051
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The formation to be treated may be selected based on initial moisture content of the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Inventors: Scott L. Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya E. Berchenko, George L. Stegemeier, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation using a selected production well spacing
    Publication number: 20020062052
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The mixture may be produced from the formation through production wells. A spacing between production wells, and operating conditions of production wells and heat injection wells, may allow the produced mixture to have a desired ratio of condensable hydrocarbons to non-condensable hydrocarbons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Inventors: Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation in a reducing environment
    Publication number: 20020056551
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. A reducing environment may be maintained within a portion of the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation to produce sulfur containing formation fluids
    Publication number: 20020056552
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The produced mixture may contain condensable hydrocarbons with sulfur containing hydrocarbons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation to produce oxygen containing formation fluids
    Publication number: 20020057905
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The mixture produced from the formation may contain condensable hydrocarbons, with some of the hydrocarbons being oxygen containing hydrocarbons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a coal formation to pyrolyze a selected percentage of hydrocarbon material
    Publication number: 20020053436
    Abstract: A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat may be allowed to transfer from one or more heat sources to a selected section of the formation such that superimposed heat from the one or more heat sources pyrolyzes a relatively large portion of hydrocarbon material within the selected section of the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation to produce a selected ratio of components in a gas
    Publication number: 20020053431
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation mixtures may be produced from the formation. The produced mixture may include non-condensable hydrocarbons having carbon numbers of less than 5. The weight percentage of non-condensable hydrocarbons with carbon numbers from 2 to 4 may be large as compared to methane weight percentage within the non-condensable hydrocarbons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Etuan Zhang, Ajay Madhav Madgavkar
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation using pressure and/or temperature control
    Publication number: 20020053429
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Presure within the formation may be controlled as a function of temperature or temperature within the formation may be controlled as a function of pressure to yield a desired mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventors: George Leo Stegemeier, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Gordon Thomas Shahin, John Michael Karanikas, Ilya Emil Berchenko, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation using a relatively slow heating rate
    Publication number: 20020053435
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat input into the formation may be controlled to raise the temperature of portion at a selected rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre Rouffignac, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation by controlling a pressure of the formation
    Publication number: 20020052297
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. A pressure within a majority of the portion may be controlled and/or maintained to alter a composition of the produced mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Inventors: Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation to produce formation fluids having a relatively low olefin content
    Publication number: 20020050357
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. A hydrocarbon condensate produced from the formation may be a high quality oil that has a low olefin content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a coal formation with a selected oxygen content and/or selected O/C ratio
    Publication number: 20020050356
    Abstract: A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. A formation may be selected that will produce a relatively large amount of condensable hydrocarbons and/or a relatively large amount of non-condensable hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons within the formation may have a relatively low initial elemental oxygen weight percentage. The formation to be treated may be selected based on initial elemental oxygen to carbon ratio of the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation to control product composition
    Publication number: 20020050352
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat and pressure applied to the formation may be controlled so that a majority of the hydrocarbons produced from the formation have carbon numbers less than 25. Conditions may be controlled to produce low quantities of olefins in condensable hydrocarbons produced from the formation and low quantities of olefins in non-condensable hydrocarbons produced from the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation to convert a selected amount of total organic carbon into hydrocarbon products
    Publication number: 20020046832
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heating may be controlled such that at least a selected amount of a total organic carbon content of the hydrocarbon material in the formation may be converted into formation fluids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Etuan Zhang, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation to produce a mixture including ammonia
    Publication number: 20020049360
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. The produced mixture may include hydrogen and ammonia. The mixture may be separated into condensale hydrocarbons, non-condensable component, and an aqueous phase. The ammonia may be recovered from the aqueous phase. H2 may be separated from the non-condensable component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Ajay Madhav Madgavkar
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation with carbon dioxide sequestration
    Publication number: 20020046838
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. Hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The portion may be allowed or forced to cool after mixture production is ended. Carbon dioxide may be stored within the portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: John Michael Karanikas, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Lanny Gene Schoeling, Phillip Temmons Baxley
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation with a selected oxygen content
    Publication number: 20020046837
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. A formation to be treated may produce a relatively large amount of condensable hydrocarbons and/or a relatively large amount of non-condensable hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons within the formation may have a relatively low initial elemental oxygen weight percentage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan