Patents by Inventor James Arukhe

James Arukhe 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).

  • Patent number: 11629572
    Abstract: A surface safety valve for a well system includes a main valve body with a central bore through it. The main valve body has a centerline axis and is configured to be connected at a surface location above a surface of the Earth to a surface assembly of the well system and to receive through the central bore a flow of wellbore fluid from a subterranean zone conveyed by a production tubing. A gate is positioned within the main valve body and is configured to move from an open position in which the gate does not block flow of wellbore fluid through the central bore to a closed position in which the gate blocks flow of wellbore fluid through the central bore. The gate travels from the open position to the closed position along a gate movement axis perpendicular to the centerline bore axis. The gate includes a gate front end positioned on a first side of the centerline bore axis and a gate back end positioned on a second side of the centerline bore axis opposite the first side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Hamad Al-Marri, James Arukhe, Ammal F. Al-Anazi
  • Publication number: 20230050658
    Abstract: A surface safety valve for a well system includes a main valve body with a central bore through it. The main valve body has a centerline axis and is configured to be connected at a surface location above a surface of the Earth to a surface assembly of the well system and to receive through the central bore a flow of wellbore fluid from a subterranean zone conveyed by a production tubing. A gate is positioned within the main valve body and is configured to move from an open position in which the gate does not block flow of wellbore fluid through the central bore to a closed position in which the gate blocks flow of wellbore fluid through the central bore. The gate travels from the open position to the closed position along a gate movement axis perpendicular to the centerline bore axis. The gate includes a gate front end positioned on a first side of the centerline bore axis and a gate back end positioned on a second side of the centerline bore axis opposite the first side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Hamad Al-Marri, James Arukhe, Ammal F. Al-Anazi
  • Patent number: 11512557
    Abstract: Measurement data including data of a sand production rate from a sand metering sensor, pressure data from a pressure sensor, and data of a metal loss value from a metal loss sensor is obtained. A maximum sand erosional velocity ratio and a pressure drawdown are determined. An optimum choke valve setting is determined based on a predefined correlation between the sand production rate, the pressure drawdown, and the maximum sand erosional velocity ratio, in response to determining that the maximum sand erosional velocity ratio is not within a predetermined maximum sand erosional velocity ratio limit. An updated pressure drawdown produced by the determined optimum choke valve setting is within a predetermined pressure drawdown operating window. The surface choke valve is set based on the determined optimum choke valve setting. The well is shutdown by triggering an emergency shutdown device in response to determining that the obtained metal loss value has reached a predefined metal loss limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Ammal Al-Anazi, James Arukhe
  • Patent number: 11459857
    Abstract: Techniques for managing water disposal include circulating a mixed water-oil liquid in a pipeline from a water-oil separation plant toward at least one disposal well that includes a wellbore formed from a terranean surface to a subterranean formation; determining, based on a sampling of the mixed water-oil liquid by an OIW meter, an amount of oil in the mixed water-oil liquid; based on the amount of oil being within a desired amount range: controlling each a choke valve and a surface safety valve to modulate toward an open position, and controlling a recycle valve to modulate to a closed position; and based on the amount of oil being outside of the desired amount range: controlling the choke valve and the surface safety valve to modulate toward a closed position, and controlling the recycle valve to modulate to an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Ammal F. Al-Anazi, James Arukhe
  • Publication number: 20220243562
    Abstract: Measurement data including data of a sand production rate from a sand metering sensor, pressure data from a pressure sensor, and data of a metal loss value from a metal loss sensor is obtained. A maximum sand erosional velocity ratio and a pressure drawdown are determined. An optimum choke valve setting is determined based on a predefined correlation between the sand production rate, the pressure drawdown, and the maximum sand erosional velocity ratio, in response to determining that the maximum sand erosional velocity ratio is not within a predetermined maximum sand erosional velocity ratio limit. An updated pressure drawdown produced by the determined optimum choke valve setting is within a predetermined pressure drawdown operating window. The surface choke valve is set based on the determined optimum choke valve setting. The well is shutdown by triggering an emergency shutdown device in response to determining that the obtained metal loss value has reached a predefined metal loss limit value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Ammal Al-Anazi, James Arukhe
  • Patent number: 11391132
    Abstract: A turbine-powered electrical submersible pump (ESP) that has intake and discharge ports. The ESP intakes wellbore fluid from the intake port at an intake pressure, pressurizes the fluid, and discharges the fluid from the discharge port at a discharge pressure higher than the intake pressure. A motor is coupled to and drives the ESP. A turbine generator has a flow passage disposed between turbine intake and discharge ports. The turbine intake port is fluidly coupled to the pump discharge port. The turbine generator generates electric power from the pressurized wellbore fluid flowing through the flow passage and is electrically coupled to the motor and powers the motor with the generated electric power. A rechargeable battery is electrically coupled to the motor and provides power to initially start the motor. The turbine generator is further electrically coupled to the battery and recharges the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: James Arukhe, Emeka Agbo, Jaafar Sawad, Fahad Altwimi, Mohannad Abo Khamseen
  • Publication number: 20220213762
    Abstract: Techniques for managing water disposal include circulating a mixed water-oil liquid in a pipeline from a water-oil separation plant toward at least one disposal well that includes a wellbore formed from a terranean surface to a subterranean formation; determining, based on a sampling of the mixed water-oil liquid by an OIW meter, an amount of oil in the mixed water-oil liquid; based on the amount of oil being within a desired amount range: controlling each a choke valve and a surface safety valve to modulate toward an open position, and controlling a recycle valve to modulate to a closed position; and based on the amount of oil being outside of the desired amount range: controlling the choke valve and the surface safety valve to modulate toward a closed position, and controlling the recycle valve to modulate to an open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Ammal F. Al-Anazi, James Arukhe
  • Publication number: 20210372243
    Abstract: A turbine-powered electrical submersible pump (ESP) that has intake and discharge ports. The ESP intakes wellbore fluid from the intake port at an intake pressure, pressurizes the fluid, and discharges the fluid from the discharge port at a discharge pressure higher than the intake pressure. A motor is coupled to and drives the ESP. A turbine generator has a flow passage disposed between turbine intake and discharge ports. The turbine intake port is fluidly coupled to the pump discharge port. The turbine generator generates electric power from the pressurized wellbore fluid flowing through the flow passage and is electrically coupled to the motor and powers the motor with the generated electric power. A rechargeable battery is electrically coupled to the motor and provides power to initially start the motor. The turbine generator is further electrically coupled to the battery and recharges the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: James Arukhe, Emeka Agbo, Jaafar Sawad, Fahad Altwimi, Mohannad Abo Khamseen