Patents by Inventor John Michael Karanikas
John Michael Karanikas 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).
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Patent number: 11927076Abstract: A method of reducing condensate accumulation in a natural gas well may include a first step of determining a pressure and a temperature of the natural gas well. The method may further include a second step of determining a dew point temperature based on the pressure of the natural gas well. The method may also include a third step of determining a cricondentherm temperature of the natural gas well. The method may also include a fourth step of heating the natural gas well to a temperature above the dew point temperature; and a fifth step of limiting the temperature of the natural gas well to the cricondentherm temperature.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2022Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Salamander IP Holdings LLCInventors: John Michael Karanikas, Robert Guy Harley, Guillermo Pastor
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Publication number: 20230313643Abstract: A method of reducing condensate accumulation in a natural gas well may include a first step of determining a pressure and a temperature of the natural gas well. The method may further include a second step of determining a dew point temperature based on the pressure of the natural gas well. The method may also include a third step of determining a cricondentherm temperature of the natural gas well. The method may also include a fourth step of heating the natural gas well to a temperature above the dew point temperature; and a fifth step of limiting the temperature of the natural gas well to the cricondentherm temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2022Publication date: October 5, 2023Applicant: Salamander IP Holdings LLCInventors: John Michael KARANIKAS, Robert Guy HARLEY, Guillermo Pastor
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Patent number: 10400563Abstract: Methods and systems for treating a subsurface hydrocarbon formation are described herein. In some embodiments, method for treating a subsurface hydrocarbon formation is provide wherein the hydrocarbon formation comprises a kerogen containing formation that is adjacent to a formation containing liquid hydrocarbons and not having a natural recharging system, the method comprising the steps of: providing heat sources in the kerogen containing formation; energizing the heat sources to heat the kerogen containing formation; heating at least a portion of the kerogen containing formation to a temperature and for a time period sufficient to pyrolyze at least some of the kerogen; limiting production of pyrolyzed hydrocarbons so that the pyrolyzed hydrocarbons increase the pressure within the formation containing liquid hydrocarbons; and producing hydrocarbons from the formation containing liquid hydrocarbons.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2015Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: Salamander Solutions, LLCInventors: Weijian Mo, John Michael Karanikas, Bernardus Van Den Brule
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Publication number: 20160145985Abstract: Methods and systems for treating a subsurface hydrocarbon formation are described herein. In some embodiments, method for treating a subsurface hydrocarbon formation is provide wherein the hydrocarbon formation comprises a kerogen containing formation that is adjacent to a formation containing liquid hydrocarbons and not having a natural recharging system, the method comprising the steps of: providing heat sources in the kerogen containing formation; energizing the heat sources to heat the kerogen containing formation; heating at least a portion of the kerogen containing formation to a temperature and for a time period sufficient to pyrolyze at least some of the kerogen; limiting production of pyrolyzed hydrocarbons so that the pyrolyzed hydrocarbons increase the pressure within the formation containing liquid hydrocarbons; and producing hydrocarbons from the formation containing liquid hydrocarbons.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2015Publication date: May 26, 2016Inventors: Weijian MO, John Michael KARANIKAS, Bernardus VAN DEN BRULE
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Publication number: 20160084051Abstract: Methods of treating a tar sands formation is described herein. The methods may include providing heat to a first section of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the first section of the formation. Heat is transferred from the heaters so that at least a first section of the formation reaches a selected temperature. At least a portion of residual heat from the first section transfers from the first section to a second section of the formation. At least a portion of hydrocarbons in the second section are mobilized by providing a solvation fluid and/or a pressurizing fluid to the second section of the formation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2015Publication date: March 24, 2016Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, John Michael Karanikas, Robert Charles Ryan
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Patent number: 9243487Abstract: A method is provided to produce hydrocarbons from a formation, the method includes the steps of: placing a pair of electrodes within a formation; applying differential voltages between pairs of electrodes wherein the voltage differences between the electrodes is greater than at least 10,000 volts; and producing hydrocarbons from the formation or an adjacent formation wherein the formation has an initial permeability of less than ten millidarcy. The invention also includes an apparatus effective to release pulses of electrical energy into the formation as this frequency and voltage at least until the formation has reached a point where the electrical potential arcs from one electrode to at least one other electrode.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2013Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: Shell Oil CompanyInventors: Mikhail Boris Geilikman, John Michael Karanikas, Mohamad Fereydoon Khodaverdian, Ernesto Rafael Fonseca Ocampos, Sau-Wai Wong
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Patent number: 9127544Abstract: A method of producing hydrocarbons from a tight formation includes injecting a fluid, such as a miscible gas, and retrieving the hydrocarbons. The fluid may be injected into an injection fracture via and retrieved from a recovery fracture. The injection fracture and recovery fractures may be in the same wellbore, the injection fracture may be in a first wellbore and the recovery fracture in a second wellbore, or the injection fracture and recovery fracture may be in a first wellbore and additional injection or recovery fractures may be in a second wellbore.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2013Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: Shell Oil CompanyInventors: Robert James Dombrowski, Ernesto Rafael Fonseca, John Michael Karanikas, Mauricio Jose Farinas Moya, Barbara Caterina Lamantia
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Patent number: 9127538Abstract: Methods for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. Some methods include providing heat from a plurality of heaters to a section of the hydrocarbon containing formation; controlling the heat from the plurality of heaters such that an average temperature in at least a majority of a first portion of the section is above a pyrolyzation temperature; providing heat from the plurality of heaters to a second portion substantially above the first portion of the section after heating the first portion for a selected time; controlling the heat from the plurality of heaters such that an average temperature in the second portion is sufficient to allow the second portion to expand into the first portion; and producing hydrocarbons from the formation.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2011Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: Shell Oil CompanyInventors: Ming Lin, John Michael Karanikas
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Publication number: 20150167434Abstract: A downhole device comprising: a body section, wherein the body section defines a cavity and has an inner diameter and an outer diameter and a nozzle section at a first end of the body section, wherein the nozzle section defines a cavity and has an inner diameter and an outer diameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2014Publication date: June 18, 2015Inventors: Deming MAO, John Michael KARANIKAS, Dahai CHANG
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Patent number: 9051829Abstract: A system for treating a subsurface formation includes a plurality of conduits at least partially located in a portion of a hydrocarbon containing formation. At least part of two of the conduits are aligned in relation to each other such that electrical current will flow from a first conduit to a second conduit. The first and second conduits include electrically conductive material and at least one of the first and second conduits is perforated or configured to be perforated. A power supply is coupled to the first and second conduits. The power supply electrically excites at least one of the conductive sections such that current flows between the first conduit and the second conduit in the formation and heats at least a portion of the formation between the two conduits.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2009Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: Shell Oil CompanyInventors: Xueying Xie, Oluropo Rufus Ayodele, Harold J. Vinegar, Christopher Kelvin Harris, John Michael Karanikas, Chester Ledlie Sandberg, Dhruv Arora
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Patent number: 9033042Abstract: Systems and methods used in treating a subsurface formation are described herein. Some embodiments also generally relate to barriers and/or methods to seal barriers. A method used to treat a subsurface formation may include heating a portion of a formation adjacent to a plurality of wellbores to raise a temperature of the formation adjacent to the wellbores above a mobilization temperature of bitumen and below a pyrolysis temperature of hydrocarbons in the formation; and allowing the bitumen to move outwards from the wellbores towards a portion of the formation comprising water cooler than the mobilization temperature of the bitumen so that the bitumen solidifies in the formation to form a barrier.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2011Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: Shell Oil CompanyInventors: John Michael Karanikas, Gary Lee Beer, Marian Marino, Robert Irving McNeil, III, Augustinus Wilhelmus Maria Roes, Robert Charles Ryan, Richard Pollard
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Patent number: 8881806Abstract: A system for treating a subsurface formation includes a wellbore at least partially located in a hydrocarbon containing formation. The wellbore includes a substantially vertical portion and at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions coupled to the vertical portion. A first conductor is at least partially positioned in a first of the two substantially horizontal or inclined portions of the wellbore. At least the first conductor includes electrically conductive material. A power supply electrically excites the electrically conductive materials of the first conductor such that current flows between the electrically conductive materials in the first conductor, through at least a portion of the formation, to a second conductor at least partially positioned in a second of the two substantially horizontal or inclined portions of the wellbore. The current resistively heats at least a portion of the formation between the two substantially horizontally oriented or inclined portions of the wellbore.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2009Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Shell Oil CompanyInventors: Xueying Xie, Oluropo Rufus Ayodele, Harold J. Vinegar, Christopher Kelvin Harris, John Michael Karanikas, Chester Ledlie Sandberg, Dhruv Arora
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Patent number: 8851170Abstract: A method for treating a tar sands formation includes providing heat from a first heater located between a steam injection well and a production well in a hydrocarbon containing layer. The first heater, the steam injection well, and the production well are located substantially horizontally in the layer. Heat is provided from a second heater horizontally offset from the first heater. The second heater is located vertically above an injection/production well and substantially horizontally in the layer. Steam is injected into the layer through the steam injection well after a selected amount of heat is provided from the first heater. Hydrocarbons are produced from the layer through the production well. Steam is injected and hydrocarbons are produced alternately through the injection/production well after a selected amount of heat is provided from the second heater.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2010Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: Shell Oil CompanyInventors: Oluropo Rufus Ayodele, Tulio Rafael Colmenares, Deniz Sumnu Dindoruk, John Michael Karanikas, Henry Eduardo Pino, Sr.
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Publication number: 20140190691Abstract: An in situ process for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation is provided. A method for treating a tar sands formation includes providing heat from one or more heaters to a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation such that at least some hydrocarbons in the layer are mobilized; and producing at least some of the hydrocarbons through one or more production wells located in the hydrocarbon containing layer. At least one of the production wells is located at a selected depth in the hydrocarbon containing layer so that hydrocarbons of a selected quality are produced from a part of the hydrocarbon containing layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2014Publication date: July 10, 2014Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Meliha Deniz Sumnu-Dindoruk, Scott Lee Wellington, Kevin Albert Maher, John Michael Karanikas, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Margaret Ann Messier, Bruce Edmunds Roberts, Steven Dexter Crane
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Patent number: 8739874Abstract: Systems and methods for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. Some embodiments generally relate to systems, methods, and/or processes for treating fluid produced from the subsurface formation. Some methods include providing heat to a first section of the hydrocarbon containing formation from a plurality of heaters located in the formation; allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to heat a portion of the first section to mobilize formation fluid; and producing formation fluid from the formation.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2011Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: Shell Oil CompanyInventors: Ernesto Rafael Fonseca Ocampos, John Michael Karanikas, Duncan Charles MacDonald, Ernest E. Carter, Jr.
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Patent number: 8662175Abstract: A method for treating a tar sands formation includes providing heat to at least part of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the formation. The heat is allowed to transfer from the heaters to at least a portion of the formation. A viscosity of one or more zones of the hydrocarbon layer is assessed. The heating rates in the zones are varied based on the assessed viscosities. The heating rate in a first zone of the formation is greater than the heating rate in a second zone of the formation if the viscosity in the first zone is greater than the viscosity in the second zone. Fluids are produced from the formation through the production wells.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2008Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Shell Oil CompanyInventors: John Michael Karanikas, Harold J. Vinegar
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Patent number: 8627887Abstract: An in situ process for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation is provided. The process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the formation. The heat may be allowed to transfer from the one or more heaters to a part of the formation such that heat from the one or more heat sources pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons within the part. Hydrocarbons may be produced from the formation.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2008Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: Shell Oil CompanyInventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Meliha Deniz Sumnu-Dindoruk, Scott Lee Wellington, Kevin Albert Maher, John Michael Karanikas, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Margaret Ann Messier, Bruce Edmunds Roberts, Steven Dexter Crane
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Patent number: 8555971Abstract: A method for treating a karsted formation containing heavy hydrocarbons and dolomite includes providing heat to at least part of one or more karsted layers in the formation from one or more heaters located in the karsted layers. A temperature in at least one of the karsted layers is allowed to reach a decomposition temperature of dolomite in the formation. The dolomite is allowed to decompose and at least some hydrocarbons are produced from at least one of the karsted layers of the formation.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2012Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignee: Shell Oil CompanyInventors: Harold J. Vinegar, John Michael Karanikas
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Publication number: 20130255936Abstract: A method is provided to produce hydrocarbons from a formation, the method includes the steps of: placing a pair of electrodes within a formation; applying differential voltages between pairs of electrodes wherein the voltage differences between the electrodes is greater than at least 10,000 volts; and producing hydrocarbons from the formation or an adjacent formation wherein the formation has an initial permeability of less than ten millidarcy. The invention also includes an apparatus effective to release pulses of electrical energy into the formation as this frequency and voltage at least until the formation has reached a point where the electrical potential arcs from one electrode to at least one other electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2013Publication date: October 3, 2013Inventors: Mikhail Boris GEILIKMAN, John Michael KARANIKAS, Mohamad Fereydoon KHODAVERDIAN, Ernesto Rafael Fonseca OCAMPOS, Sau-Wai WONG
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Publication number: 20130228337Abstract: A method of producing hydrocarbons from a tight formation includes injecting a fluid, such as a miscible gas, and retrieving the hydrocarbons. The fluid may be injected into an injection fracture via and retrieved from a recovery fracture. The injection fracture and recovery fractures may be in the same wellbore, the injection fracture may be in a first wellbore and the recovery fracture in a second wellbore, or the injection fracture and recovery fracture may be in a first wellbore and additional injection or recovery fractures may be in a second wellbore.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2013Publication date: September 5, 2013Applicant: Shell Oil CompanyInventors: Robert James DOMBROWSKI, Ernesto Rafael FONSECA, John Michael KARANIKAS, Mauricio Jose Farinas MOYA, Barbara Caterina LAMANTIA