Patents by Inventor John Justin Freeman

John Justin Freeman 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: 11879825
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for estimating the permeability of rock from a digital image of the rock. A three-dimensional image of a rock is obtained and segmented, and an image permeability is determined from the segmented image of the rock. Permeability correction factors are obtained from the segmented image and from a non-wetting liquid capillary pressure curve derived from the segmented image, and the permeability correction parameters are applied to the image permeability to obtain a corrected image permeability of the rock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SHELL USA, INC.
    Inventors: Nishank Saxena, Amie Marie Hows, Ronny Hofmann, Matthias Appel, John Justin Freeman
  • Publication number: 20230408431
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a direct flow simulation of a rock sample involves providing a 3D image of a rock sample and generating a segmented structural image of the rock sample from the 3D image by selecting voxels to represent either a pore space or a solid material. Fluid flow is simulated on the segmented structural image with a direct flow simulation. A 3D spatially-resolved fluid velocity map is generated for one or more fluid phases at a pore-scale resolution using pulsed field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. The simulated fluid flow and the 3D spatially-resolved fluid velocity map are compared to calibrate the direct flow simulation across the rock sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Daan Willem DE KORT, Matthias APPEL, Benjamin Charles ANGER, John Justin FREEMAN, Faruk Ömer ALPAK, Lynn Faith GLADDEN, Andrew John SEDERMAN, Michael David MANTLE, Kaspars KARLSONS
  • Publication number: 20230221236
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for estimating hydrocarbon saturation of a hydrocarbon-bearing rock from a measurement for an electrical property a resistivity log and a rock image. The image is segmented to represent either a pore space or solid material in the rock. An image porosity is estimated from the segmented image, and a corrected porosity is determined to account for the sub-resolution porosity missing in the image of the rock. A corrected saturation exponent of the rock is determined from the image porosity and the corrected porosity and is used to estimate the hydrocarbon saturation. A backpropagation-enabled trained model can be used to segment the image. A backpropagation-enabled method can be used to estimate the hydrocarbon saturation using an image selected from a series of 2D projection images, 3D reconstructed images and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Nishank SAXENA, Amie Marie HOWS, John Justin FREEMAN, John Justin FREEMAN, Matthias APPEL, Ronny HOFMANN, Bochao ZHAO
  • Publication number: 20230137288
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for estimating fluid saturation of a hydrocarbon-bearing rock from a rock image. The image is segmented to represent either a pore space or solid material in the rock. An image pore volume is estimated from the segmented image, and a corrected pore volume is determined to account for the sub-resolution pore volume missing in the image of the rock. An image-derived wetting fluid saturation of the rock is estimated using a direct flow simulation on the rock image and corrected for the corrected pore volume. A backpropagation-enabled trained model can be used to segment the image. A backpropagation-enabled method can be used to estimate the fluid saturation using an image selected from a series of 2D projection images, 3D reconstructed images and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Nishank SAXENA, Faruk Ömer ALPAK, Amie Marie HOWS, John Justin FREEMAN, Bochao ZHAO
  • Publication number: 20220404330
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for estimating hydrocarbon saturation of a hydrocarbon-bearing rock from a resistivity log and a rock image. The image is segmented to represent either a pore space or solid material in the rock. An image porosity is estimated from the segmented image, and a corrected porosity is determined to account for the sub-resolution porosity missing in the image of the rock. A corrected cementation exponent of the rock is determined from the image porosity and the corrected porosity and is used to estimate the hydrocarbon saturation. A backpropagation-enabled trained model can be used to segment the image. A backpropagation-enabled method can be used to estimate the hydrocarbon saturation using an image selected from a series of 2D projection images, 3D reconstructed images and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Nishank SAXENA, Amie Marie HOWS, Matthias APPEL, John Justin FREEMAN
  • Publication number: 20220099551
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for estimating the permeability of rock from a digital image of the rock. A three-dimensional image of a rock is obtained and segmented, and an image permeability is determined from the segmented image of the rock. Permeability correction factors are obtained from the segmented image and from a non-wetting liquid capillary pressure curve derived from the segmented image, and the permeability correction parameters are applied to the image permeability to obtain a corrected image permeability of the rock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Nishank SAXENA, Amie Marie HOWS, Ronny HOFMANN, Matthias APPEL, John Justin FREEMAN
  • Patent number: 11119025
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for determining the porosity of rock from a digital image of the rock. A three-dimensional image of a rock is obtained and segmented, and an image porosity is determined from the segmented image of the rock. A porosity correction parameter is obtained from a non-wetting liquid capillary pressure curve derived from the segmented image, and the porosity correction parameter is applied to the image porosity to obtain a corrected porosity of the rock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: SHELL OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Nishank Saxena, Amie Marie Hows, Ronny Hofmann, Matthias Appel, John Justin Freeman
  • Publication number: 20200191698
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for determining the porosity of rock from a digital image of the rock. A three-dimensional image of a rock is obtained and segmented, and an image porosity is determined from the segmented image of the rock. A porosity correction parameter is obtained from a non-wetting liquid capillary pressure curve derived from the segmented image, and the porosity correction parameter is applied to the image porosity to obtain a corrected porosity of the rock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Nishank SAXENA, Amie Marie HOWS, Ronny HOFMANN, Matthias APPEL, John Justin FREEMAN
  • Patent number: 10234314
    Abstract: A nuclear magnetic flowmeter (1) for determining the flow of a medium flowing through a measuring tube (2) having a magnetic field generator (4), a measuring unit (5) and an antennae unit (6) with an antenna (7). wherein the antennae unit (6) has at least one further antenna (11, 12), that is designed as a coil and is designed for transmitting the excitation signal to the magnetized medium (3) and for detecting the measuring signal over a further measuring section (13, 14) aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis (8) of the measuring tube and located in the magnetic field path (9), and the measuring section (10) and the further measuring section (13, 14) are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: KROHNE AG
    Inventors: Cornelis Johannes Hogendoorn, Rutger Reinout Tromp, Marco Leendert Zoeteweij, John Justin Freeman, Matthias Appel
  • Patent number: 10001395
    Abstract: A method for assessing a gas phase in a flowing multi-phase fluid comprises flowing the fluid through magnetic resonance and pre-polarization modules and applying to the fluid a radio-frequency pulse sequence at least once with and at least once without a magnetic field gradient. The method further includes measuring an NMR signal. The method also includes using a calibration between the ratio of slope and intercept of the NMR signal and flow velocity for at least one non-gas phase with the gradient applied to determine that phase's velocity. A calibration between the signal intensity of the liquid phases as function of flow velocity is used, with and without gradient, to correct the gradient-induced attenuation of the liquid signals and to calculate a gradient-corrected signal intensity of the liquid phases without a magnetic field gradient. Additionally, the method includes subtracting the gradient-corrected signal intensity from the NMR signal to calculate the volumetric fraction of the liquid phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: SHELL OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Matthias Appel, John Justin Freeman
  • Publication number: 20160313159
    Abstract: A method for assessing a gas phase in a flowing multi-phase fluid comprises flowing the fluid through magnetic resonance and pre-polarization modules and applying to the fluid a radio-frequency pulse sequence at least once with and at least once without a magnetic field gradient. The method further includes measuring an NMR signal. The method also includes using a calibration between the ratio of slope and intercept of the NMR signal and flow velocity for at least one non-gas phase with the gradient applied to determine that phase's velocity. A calibration between the signal intensity of the liquid phases as function of flow velocity is used, with and without gradient, to correct the gradient-induced attenuation of the liquid signals and to calculate a gradient-corrected signal intensity of the liquid phases without a magnetic field gradient. Additionally, the method includes subtracting the gradient-corrected signal intensity from the NMR signal to calculate the volumetric fraction of the liquid phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: Matthias APPEL, John Justin FREEMAN
  • Patent number: 9404344
    Abstract: A method of treating a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation comprising: providing an asphaltene solvent, wherein the asphaltene solvent comprises at least 75 mol % dimethyl sulfide and introducing the asphaltene solvent into the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Stanley Nemec Milam, Erik Willem Tegelaar, John Justin Freeman, Richard B. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9399904
    Abstract: A system and process for recovering oil from an oil-bearing formation. An oil recovery formulation that is first contact miscible with a liquid petroleum composition that is comprised of at least 15 mol % dimethyl sulfide is introduced together with steam or hot water into a subterranean oil-bearing formation comprising heavy oil, extra heavy oil, or bitumen, and oil is produced from the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Stanley Nemec Milam, Erik Willem Tegelaar, John Justin Freeman
  • Publication number: 20160202100
    Abstract: A nuclear magnetic flowmeter (1) for determining the flow of a medium flowing through a measuring tube (2) having a magnetic field generator (4), a measuring unit (5) and an antennae unit (6) with an antenna (7). wherein the antennae unit (6) has at least one further antenna (11, 12), that is designed as a coil and is designed for transmitting the excitation signal to the magnetized medium (3) and for detecting the measuring signal over a further measuring section (13, 14) aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis (8) of the measuring tube and located in the magnetic field path (9), and the measuring section (10) and the further measuring section (13, 14) are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: Krohne AG
    Inventors: Cornelis Johannes HOGENDOORN, Rutger Reinout TROMP, Marco Leendert ZOETEWEIJ, John Justin FREEMAN, Matthias APPEL
  • Publication number: 20160186042
    Abstract: A process is provided for recovering oil from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation comprised of hydrocarbons and formation water. The process presented herein includes an oil recovery formulation comprising at least 75 mol % dimethyl sulfide and between 1 mol % and 18 mol % of dimethyl ether, wherein the amount of dimethyl ether in the oil recovery formulation is selected relative to the solubility of dimethyl ether in the formation water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Richard Bruce TAYLOR, Stanley Nemec MILAM, Erik Willem TEGELAAR, John Justin FREEMAN
  • Publication number: 20160063150
    Abstract: Performing an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) injection operation in an oilfield having a reservoir may include obtaining a EOR scenarios that each include a chemical agent, obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) porous solid image of a core sample, and generating a 3D pore scale model from the 3D porous solid image. The core sample is a 3D porous medium representing a portion of the oilfield. The 3D pore scale model describes a physical pore structure in the 3D porous medium. Simulations are performed using the EOR scenarios to obtain simulation results by, for each EOR scenario, simulating, on the first 3D pore scale model, the EOR injection operation using the chemical agent specified by the EOR scenario to generate a simulation result. A comparative analysis of the simulation results is performed to obtain a selected chemical agent. Further, an operation is performed using the selected chemical agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Sergey Sergeevich Safonov, Oleg Yirievich Dinariev, Nikolay Vyacheslavovich Evseev, Omer M. Gurpinar, Dmitry Anatolievich Koroteev, Steffen Berg, John Justin Freeman, Cornelius Petrus Josephus Walthera Van Kruijsdijk, Michael T. Myers, Lori Hathon, Denis Vladimirovich Klemin
  • Publication number: 20150204170
    Abstract: Injecting an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) agent into a subterranean formation in at least one injection interval of a hydrocarbon well extending into the subterranean formation, then producing fluid from the formation from at least one production interval of the same hydrocarbon well, and not from a neighboring well. Logging data associated with at least one of the formation, the injected EOR agent and the produced fluid may then be obtained and utilized in assessing effectiveness of the EOR agent injection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Cosan Ayan, Omer M. Gurpinar, Daniel Palmer, Albert Hendrik De Zwart, Cornelius Petrus Josephus Walthera Van Kruijsdijk, Diederik Michiel Boersma, Paul Marie te Riele, John Justin Freeman
  • Publication number: 20150175873
    Abstract: A system, composition, and process are provided for recovering oil from an oil-bearing formation. An oil recovery formulation comprising a polymer dispersed in a fluid that is at least 75 mol % dimethyl sulfide is introduced into an oil-bearing formation, and oil is produced from the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Stanley Nemec MILAM, Erik Willem TEGELAAR, John Justin FREEMAN, Richard B. TAYLOR
  • Publication number: 20150000915
    Abstract: A method of treating a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation comprising: providing an asphaltene solvent, wherein the asphaltene solvent comprises at least 75 mol % dimethyl sulfide and introducing the asphaltene solvent into the wellbore
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Stanley Nemec MILAM, Erik Willem TEGELAAR, John Justin FREEMAN, Richard B. TAYLOR
  • Publication number: 20150000907
    Abstract: Dimethyl sulfide is produced from sour gas. The dimethyl sulfide is utilized in an oil recovery formulation introduced into a petroleum-bearing formation to enhance recovery of petroleum from the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Stanley Nemec MILAM, Erik Willem TEGELAAR, John Justin FREEMAN, Richard B. TAYLOR