Patents by Inventor Harold Pfutzner

Harold Pfutzner 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: 20230258072
    Abstract: An intelligent completion module includes a flowmeter that uses one or more electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) sensors and a flow control valve. The flow rate and the speed of sound in the production fluid from a production zone is measured and used to make reservoir management decisions. The flowmeter includes at least two EMAT rings, including one or more EMAT sensors in a circular distribution which can be used in propagation or pulse-echo modes. In a segregated flow regime, a single EMAT sensor in pulse-echo mode is used to measure holdups of fluid components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Harold Pfutzner, Mohammed Badri
  • Patent number: 11680481
    Abstract: An intelligent completion module comprises a flowmeter that uses one or more electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) sensors and a flow control valve. The flow rate and the speed of sound in the production fluid from a production zone is measured and used to make reservoir management decisions. The flowmeter comprises at least two EMAT rings, comprising one or more EMAT sensors in a circular distribution which can be used in propagation or pulse-echo modes. In a segregated flow regime, a single EMAT sensor in pulse-echo mode is used to measure holdups of fluid components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Harold Pfutzner, Mohammed Badri
  • Publication number: 20230114341
    Abstract: A downhole tool has a tool body with an outer diameter equal to a borehole diameter, at least one cavity formed in and opening to an outer surface defining the outer diameter of the tool body, a light source, a filter, and a light detector mounted in the at least one cavity, and a window disposed at the opening of the at least one cavity, wherein the window encloses the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Harold Pfutzner, Bastian Sauerer
  • Patent number: 11530611
    Abstract: A downhole tool has a tool body with an outer diameter equal to a borehole diameter, at least one cavity formed in and opening to an outer surface defining the outer diameter of the tool body, a light source, a filter, and a light detector mounted in the at least one cavity, and a window disposed at the opening of the at least one cavity, wherein the window encloses the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Harold Pfutzner, Bastian Sauerer
  • Patent number: 11520070
    Abstract: Methods may include emplacing a resistivity logging tool in a borehole; stimulating an interval of the formation in the borehole; obtaining at least one resistivity log of the interval of the formation, wherein the resistivity log comprises a survey of one or more depths into the formation; determining a radial invasion of the stimulating fluid into the interval of the formation; and inverting the radial invasion to obtain an input and entering the input into an effective medium model; solving the effective medium model and generating an effective wormhole radius profile and thickness for the interval of the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dean Homan, John Rasmus, Gallyam Aidagulov, Harold Pfutzner
  • Patent number: 11163089
    Abstract: A neutron imaging device employs a neutron source including a sealed enclosure, gamma ray detector(s) spaced from the neutron source, and particle detector(s) disposed in the sealed enclosure of the neutron source. The output of the particle detector(s) can be used to obtain a direction of particles generated by the neutron source and corresponding directions of neutrons generated by the neutron source. Such information can be processed to determine locations in the surrounding borehole environment where the secondary gamma rays are generated and determine data representing formation density at such locations. In one aspect, the gamma ray detector(s) of the neutron imaging device can include at least one scintillation crystal with shielding disposed proximate opposite ends of the scintillation crystal. In another aspect, the particle detector(s) of the neutron imaging device can include a resistive anode encoder having a ceramic substrate and resistive glaze.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Harold Pfutzner, Mohammed Badri, Mustapha Abbad
  • Publication number: 20210270115
    Abstract: A downhole tool includes a metal carrier tool body having at least one cavity formed in and opening to an outer surface defining an outer diameter of the metal carrier tool body and one or more explosive notching elements mounted in the at least one cavity, wherein the one or more explosive notching elements are configured to install notches on a surface of an uncased formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Harold PFUTZNER, Gallyam AIDAGULOV, Mohammed BADRI
  • Patent number: 11041974
    Abstract: An x-ray imaging device for imaging a borehole environment employs a housing that encloses an x-ray generator spaced from an x-ray detector which cooperate to obtain an image of the borehole environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Harold Pfutzner, Mohammed Badri, Mustapha Abbad
  • Publication number: 20210164341
    Abstract: An intelligent completion module comprises a flowmeter that uses one or more electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) sensors and a flow control valve. The flow rate and the speed of sound in the production fluid from a production zone is measured and used to make reservoir management decisions. The flowmeter comprises at least two EMAT rings, comprising one or more EMAT sensors in a circular distribution which can be used in propagation or pulse-echo modes. In a segregated flow regime, a single EMAT sensor in pulse-echo mode is used to measure holdups of fluid components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Harold PFUTZNER, Mohammed BADRI
  • Publication number: 20210026034
    Abstract: A neutron imaging device employs a neutron source including a sealed enclosure, gamma ray detector(s) spaced from the neutron source, and particle detector(s) disposed in the sealed enclosure of the neutron source. The output of the particle detector(s) can be used to obtain a direction of particles generated by the neutron source and corresponding directions of neutrons generated by the neutron source. Such information can be processed to determine locations in the surrounding borehole environment where the secondary gamma rays are generated and determine data representing formation density at such locations. In one aspect, the gamma ray detector(s) of the neutron imaging device can include at least one scintillation crystal with shielding disposed proximate opposite ends of the scintillation crystal. In another aspect, the particle detector(s) of the neutron imaging device can include a resistive anode encoder having a ceramic substrate and resistive glaze.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Harold Pfutzner, Mohammed Badri, Mustapha Abbad
  • Publication number: 20210003739
    Abstract: An x-ray imaging device for imaging a borehole environment employs a housing that encloses an x-ray generator spaced from an x-ray detector which cooperate to obtain an image of the borehole environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Harold Pfutzner, Mohammed Badri, Mustapha Abbad
  • Publication number: 20190345822
    Abstract: A downhole tool has a tool body with an outer diameter equal to a borehole diameter, at least one cavity formed in and opening to an outer surface defining the outer diameter of the tool body, a light source, a filter, and a light detector mounted in the at least one cavity, and a window disposed at the opening of the at least one cavity, wherein the window encloses the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Harold Pfutzner, Bastian Sauerer
  • Publication number: 20190235122
    Abstract: Methods may include emplacing a resistivity logging tool in a borehole; stimulating an interval of the formation in the borehole; obtaining at least one resistivity log of the interval of the formation, wherein the resistivity log comprises a survey of one or more depths into the formation; determining a radial invasion of the stimulating fluid into the interval of the formation; and inverting the radial invasion to obtain an input and entering the input into an effective medium model; solving the effective medium model and generating an effective wormhole radius profile and thickness for the interval of the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Dean Homan, John Rasmus, Gallyam Aidagulov, Harold Pfutzner
  • Patent number: 10247849
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for using pulsed neutron ?-ray spectroscopy to measure formation water salinity from within a borehole. Through generating a cross-plot of database values of ratios of spectroscopically determined yields of hydrogen (H) and chlorine (Cl) from two detectors, deriving apparent salinities therefrom, formation and borehole water salinities can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignees: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Harold Pfutzner, James A. Grau, Nancy J. Fruhman, Raghu Ramamoorthy, Shouxiang Ma
  • Patent number: 10208582
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes various embodiments related to methods for determining salinity of water in a borehole of a formation and the water in the formation. Various methods may use inelastic and capture gamma-ray spectra obtained from a pulsed neutron logging tool. Various embodiments may use a ratio of chlorine from a capture spectrum to oxygen from an inelastic spectrum for a near and a far detector to calculate apparent salinity ratios for water in a borehole and a formation. From the apparent salinity ratios, a borehole salinity and a formation salinity may be calculated using a tool characterization database and without using formation water saturation for the calculation. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignees: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shouxiang Ma, Nedhal Mohamed Abdullah Al-Musharfi, Pablo J. Saldungaray, Harold Pfutzner
  • Publication number: 20180058188
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes various embodiments related to methods for determining salinity of water in a borehole of a formation and the water in the formation. Various methods may use inelastic and capture gamma-ray spectra obtained from a pulsed neutron logging tool. Various embodiments may use a ratio of chlorine from a capture spectrum to oxygen from an inelastic spectrum for a near and a far detector to calculate apparent salinity ratios for water in a borehole and a formation. From the apparent salinity ratios, a borehole salinity and a formation salinity may be calculated using a tool characterization database and without using formation water saturation for the calculation. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Shouxiang MA, Nedhal Mohamed Abdullah AL-MUSHARFI, Pablo J. SALDUNGARAY, Harold PFUTZNER
  • Patent number: 8990020
    Abstract: A system and method for use in a downhole tool having a fluid density measurement device positioned therein are provided. In one example, the method includes deploying the downhole tool at a first station in a borehole. The downhole tool is moved from the first station to a second station in the borehole. A plurality of fluid density values of fluid within the borehole between the first and second stations are measured using the fluid density measurement device in the downhole tool. The plurality of fluid density values may represent a continuous log of fluid densities between the first and second stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Harold Pfutzner, Peter D. Wraight
  • Publication number: 20140343857
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for using pulsed neutron ?-ray spectroscopy to measure formation water salinity from within a bore-hole. Through generating a cross-plot of database values of ratios of spectroscopically determined yields of hydrogen (H) and chlorine (Cl) from two detectors, deriving apparent salinities therefrom, formation and borehole water salinities can be determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicants: SAUDI ARAMCO OIL COMPANY, SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Harold Pfutzner, James A. Grau, Ronald E. Plasek, Raghu Ramamoorthy, S. Mark Ma
  • Patent number: 8866068
    Abstract: An ion source for use in a particle accelerator includes at least one cathode. The at least one cathode has an array of nano-sized projections and an array of gates adjacent the array of nano-sized projections. The array of nano-sized projections and the array of gates have a first voltage difference such that an electric field in the cathode causes electrons to be emitted from the array of nano-sized projections and accelerated downstream. There is a ion source electrode downstream of the at least one cathode, and the at least one cathode and the ion source electrode have the same voltage applied such that the electrons enter the space encompassed by the ion source electrode, some of the electrons as they travel within the ion source electrode striking an ionizable gas to create ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jani Reijonen, Luke Perkins, Harold Pfutzner
  • Publication number: 20140183348
    Abstract: An ion source for use in a particle accelerator includes at least one cathode. The at least one cathode has an array of nano-sized projections and an array of gates adjacent the array of nano-sized projections. The array of nano-sized projections and the array of gates have a first voltage difference such that an electric field in the cathode causes electrons to be emitted from the array of nano-sized projections and accelerated downstream. There is a ion source electrode downstream of the at least one cathode, and the at least one cathode and the ion source electrode have the same voltage applied such that the electrons enter the space encompassed by the ion source electrode, some of the electrons as they travel within the ion source electrode striking an ionizable gas to create ions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jani Reijonen, Luke Perkins, Harold Pfutzner