Patents by Inventor Euthimios Vittoratos

Euthimios Vittoratos 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: 20180283149
    Abstract: A method for waterflooding of a reservoir in a subterranean formation includes (a) appraising the reservoir to obtain a plurality of physical properties relating to the formation and the oil in the reservoir. The plurality of physical properties include a reservoir pressure and a Bubblepoint pressure of the oil in the reservoir. The method also includes (b) determining that the Bubblepoint pressure is greater than 60% of the reservoir pressure. In addition, the method includes (c) waterflooding the reservoir at a voidage replacement ratio (VRR) less than 1.0 based on the determination in (b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: BP Corporation North America Inc.
    Inventors: Euthimios Vittoratos, Ahouyuan Zhu, Christopher C. West, Giovanna Boccardo
  • Patent number: 8939211
    Abstract: Method for increasing recovery of crude oil from a reservoir having an oil-bearing porous subterranean formation with a permeability of greater than 10 millidarcies, the formation including rock having pores with crude oil and connate water having a multivalent cation content present within the pores. The crude oil in the formation has an API gravity of less than 30°, a viscosity greater than 1 centipoise, and undissolved solids suspended therein. Injection water having undissolved solids suspended therein, a total dissolved solids content of 30,000 ppm or less and a multivalent cation content such that a ratio of the multivalent cation content of the injection water to the multivalent cation content of the connate water is less than 0.9, is injected into the formation, to produce an emulsion within the formation. The emulsion has an undissolved suspended solids content of at least 0.05% by weight of emulsion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: BP Corporation North America Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Lee McGuire, Euthimios Vittoratos
  • Patent number: 8356665
    Abstract: Methods are provided for improving the production of heavy/viscous crude oil from subterranean formations. The methods include secondary production through use of a displacement fluid (typically a waterflood) wherein the subterranean formation is subjected to cyclic periods of overinjection of the displacement fluid followed by underinjection of the displacement fluid, but keeping the overall cumulative voidage replacement ratio (VRR) within a defined range, typically targeted to be about 1. In some aspects, the initial production of such heavy/viscous crude oil is limited, if possible, followed this cyclic secondary production methodology. By keeping the initial production, VRR, and cumulative VRR in defined ranges, the expected ultimate recovery (EUR) can be optimized, and overall production increased for example by as much as 100% or more relative to conventional production methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: BP Corporation North America Inc.
    Inventors: Euthimios Vittoratos, Bradley W. Brice
  • Publication number: 20110278002
    Abstract: A method for increasing the recovery of crude oil from a reservoir comprising at least one oil-bearing porous subterranean formation having a permeability of greater than 10 millidarcies wherein (a) crude oil and connate water are present within the pore space of the formation rock, and (b) the crude oil that is present in the formation has an American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity of less than 30°, a viscosity under reservoir conditions of greater than 1 centipoise, and undissolved solids suspended therein, the method comprising: (A) injecting an injection water into the formation wherein the injection water has undissolved solids suspended therein, a total dissolved solids content (TDS) of 30,000 ppm or less, and a ratio of the total multivalent cation content of the injection water to the total multivalent cation content of the connate water of less than 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventors: Patrick Lee McGuire, Euthimios Vittoratos
  • Publication number: 20100089573
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for improving the production of heavy/viscous crude oil from subterranean formations comprising secondary production through use of a displacement fluid (typically a waterflood) wherein the subterranean formation is subjected to cyclic periods of overinjection of the displacement fluid followed by underinjection of the displacement fluid, but keeping the overall cumulative voidage replacement ratio (VRR) within a defined range, typically targeted to be about 1. In some aspects, the initial production of such heavy/viscous crude oil is limited, if possible, followed this cyclic secondary production methodology. By keeping the initial production, VRR, and cumulative VRR in defined ranges, the expected ultimate recovery (EUR) can be optimized, and overall production increased for example by as much as 100% or more relative to conventional production methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC.
    Inventors: Euthimios Vittoratos, Bradley W. Brice
  • Patent number: 7569507
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of making a small crystal SSZ-32 zeolite, known as SSZ-32X. The catalyst is suitable for use in a process whereby a feed including straight chain and slightly branched paraffins having 10 or more carbon atoms is dewaxed to produce an isomerized product, with increased yield of isomerized material and decreased production of light ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventors: Stacey I. Zones, Guang Zhang, Kamala Krishna, Joseph A. Biscardi, Paul Marcantonio, Euthimios Vittoratos
  • Patent number: 7468126
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of making a small crystal SSZ-32 zeolite, known as SSZ-32X. The catalyst is suitable for use in a process whereby a feed including straight chain and slightly branched paraffins having 10 or more carbon atoms is dewaxed to produce an isomerized product, with increased yield of isomerized material and decreased production of light ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventors: Stacey I. Zones, Guang Zhang, Kamala Krishna, Joseph A. Biscardi, Paul Marcantonio, Euthimios Vittoratos
  • Patent number: 7390763
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of making a small crystal SSZ-32 zeolite, known as SSZ-32X. The catalyst is suitable for use in a process whereby a feed including straight chain and slightly branched paraffins having 10 or more carbon atoms is dewaxed to produce an isomerized product, with increased yield of isomerized material and decreased production of light ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Stacey I. Zones, Guang Zhang, Kamala R. Krishna, Joseph A. Biscardi, Paul Marcantonio, Euthimios Vittoratos
  • Publication number: 20070048214
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of making a small crystal SSZ-32 zeolite, known as SSZ-32X. The catalyst is suitable for use in a process whereby a feed including straight chain and slightly branched paraffins having 10 or more carbon atoms is dewaxed to produce an isomenized product, with increased yield of isomerized material and decreased production of light ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Stacey Zones, Guang Zhang, Kamala Krishna, Joseph Biscardi, Paul Marcantonio, Euthimios Vittoratos
  • Publication number: 20070041898
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of making a small crystal SSZ-32 zeolite, known as SSZ-32X. The catalyst is suitable for use in a process whereby a feed including straight chain and slightly branched paraffins having 10 or more carbon atoms is dewaxed to produce an isomerized product, with increased yield of isomerized material and decreased production of light ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Inventors: Stacey Zones, Guang Zhang, Kamala Krishna, Joseph Biscardi, Paul Marcantonio, Euthimios Vittoratos
  • Publication number: 20050092651
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of making a small crystal SSZ-32 zeolite, known as SSZ-32X. The catalyst is suitable for use in a process whereby a feed including straight chain and slightly branched paraffins having 10 or more carbon atoms is dewaxed to produce an isomerized product, with increased yield of isomerized material and decreased production of light ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Stacey Zones, Guang Zhang, Kamala Krishna, Joseph Biscardi, Paul Marcantonio, Euthimios Vittoratos