Patents by Inventor Hoang V. Le

Hoang V. Le 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).

  • Compositions and methods for hydraulic fracturing
    Patent number: 6169058
    Abstract: A subterranean formation is treated by introducing a fracturing treatment composition comprising a polymer treatment fluid containing a dispersion of hydrophilic water swellable particles into the formation. The water swellable particles comprise synthetic polymers that are crosslinked so that they are water insoluble, but capable of swelling in the presence of relatively small amounts of water. When used with treatment fluids containing at least a small amount of water, the particles swell and reduce fluid loss to the formation during the treatment. When used during a hydraulic fracturing treatment of a hydrocarbon bearing formation, the particles may also reduce or eliminate water production following the fracturing treatment by restricting the extension of a fracture into water-bearing formations, and/or by restricting the flow of fluids from water-bearing areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: BJ Services Company
    Inventors: Hoang V. Le, Subramanian Kesavan, Jeffrey C. Dawson, David J. Mack, Scott G. Nelson
  • Controlled degradation of polymer based aqueous gels
    Patent number: 5447199
    Abstract: A method of fracturing a subterranean formation in a well bore is shown in which a gellable fracturing fluid is first formed by blending together an aqueous fluid, a hydratable polymer, a suitable crosslinking agent for crosslinking the hydratable polymer to form a polymer gel and a breaker comprising a slightly water soluble, organic peroxide. The crosslinked polymer gel is pumped into the well bore under sufficient pressure to fracture the surrounding formation. The breaker is allowed to degrade the crosslinked polymer with time to reduce the viscosity of the fluid so that the fluid can be pumped from the formation back to the well surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1995
    Assignee: BJ Services Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Dawson, Hoang V. Le
  • Method for increasing the stability of water-based fracturing fluids
    Patent number: 5226481
    Abstract: A method for increasing the stability of water-based fracturing fluids is shown in which a base fracturing fluid is formulated by mixing together a hard mix water containing multivalent cations, a water soluble polymer and a cross-linking agent for the water soluble polymer. A water softener is added to the base fracturing fluid which hinders the ability of the multivalent cations present in the hard mix water to compete with the water soluble polymer for borate based cross-linking agent, thereby stabilizing the resulting fracturing fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: BJ Services Company
    Inventors: Hoang V. Le, William R. Wood