Patents by Inventor John Nighswander

John Nighswander 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: 20220349302
    Abstract: Embodiments present a method for fluid type identification from a downhole fluid analysis that uses machine learning techniques that are trained and derived from a computer model using pressure, temperature and downhole optical characteristics of sampled fluid. The method comprises collecting optical spectral data for a downhole fluid; providing the collected optical spectral data to a trained classification module; processing the collected optical spectral data with the trained classification module configured to determine a fluid type classification; and determining a fluid type based upon the classification based upon the trained classification module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Shahnawaz Hossain Molla, Farshid Mostowfi, John Nighswander, Adriaan Gisolf, Kai Hsu, Shunsuke Fukagawa, Thomas Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 9068436
    Abstract: A system and method for sampling fluid from a production wellsite are provided. The system includes an interface operatively connectable to the port and a separation circuit operatively connectable to the interface for establishing fluid communication therebetween. The separation circuit includes a pumping unit and at least one sample chamber. The pumping unit includes pumping chambers having a cylinder with a piston therein defining a fluid cavity and a buffer cavity. The fluid cavities define a separation chamber for receiving the fluid and allowing separation of the fluid therein into phases. The buffer cavities have a buffer fluid selectively movable therebetween whereby the fluid flows through the separation circuit at a controlled rate. The sample chamber is for collecting at least one sample of the phases of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: ONESUBSEA, LLC
    Inventors: Bernard Theron, John Nighswander, Robert Saunders, Andrea Sbordone, Paul Guieze, Gerald Smith
  • Patent number: 8555969
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus that change the mobility of formation fluids using thermal and non-thermal stimulation including, an example apparatus to simultaneously provide thermal and non-thermal stimulation to change a mobility of a fluid in a subsurface formation includes one or more containers to hold one or more reactants. Additionally, the example apparatus includes a reactor to initiate a chemical reaction with at least one of the reactants. Further, the example apparatus includes an injector to inject a product of the chemical reaction into a formation. The product of the chemical reaction includes heat and a gaseous diluent to change a mobility of a fluid in a subsurface formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony Robert Holmes Goodwin, Tim Jones, Keith James Massie, John Nighswander, Gary Tustin
  • Publication number: 20130025854
    Abstract: A system and method for sampling fluid from a production wellsite are provided. The system includes an interface operatively connectable to the port and a separation circuit operatively connectable to the interface for establishing fluid communication therebetween. The separation circuit includes a pumping unit and at least one sample chamber. The pumping unit includes pumping chambers having a cylinder with a piston therein defining a fluid cavity and a buffer cavity. The fluid cavities define a separation chamber for receiving the fluid and allowing separation of the fluid therein into phases. The buffer cavities have a buffer fluid selectively movable therebetween whereby the fluid flows through the separation circuit at a controlled rate. The sample chamber is for collecting at least one sample of the phases of the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bernard Theron, John Nighswander, Robert Saunders, Andrea Sbordone, Paul Guieze, Gerald Smith
  • Publication number: 20130025874
    Abstract: Techniques for separating downhole fluid from a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation are provided. These techniques may involve a cyclone separator having a housing with an intake for receiving the downhole fluid and at least one outlet, a cyclone section for rotating the downhole fluid, and an isolation plate positioned below the cyclone section. The isolation plate has a plurality of slots along a perimeter thereof positionable adjacent an inner surface of the housing for selectively passing portions of the downhole fluid out of the cyclone section. The cyclone separator further having a catching section for receiving the portions of the downhole fluid passing through the isolation plate for gravitational separation into a plurality of phases therein. The catching section has a plurality of baffles for stopping rotation of the portions of the downhole fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Robert Saunders, John Nighswander, Bernard THERON, Andrew Gilbert
  • Patent number: 8293805
    Abstract: A method of tracking production from an NG source that includes the steps of providing one or more micro-scale GTL units, feeding NG from the source to the micro-scale GTL units, operating the micro-scale GTL units and adjusting the number of micro-scale GTL units employed to track or match the production from the source is provided. In some aspects of the invention, the micro-scale GTL unit includes both syngas manufacture and liquid product synthesis. The liquid product synthesis step may produce methanol, mixed higher carbon number alcohols, dimethyl ether, Fischer-Tropsch liquids, and/or any combination of these products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Moinuddin Khan, Andrew Kurkjian, Stephen C. Leviness, Keith Massie, John Nighswander
  • Publication number: 20100294493
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to change the mobility of formation fluids using thermal and non-thermal stimulation are described. An example apparatus to simultaneously provide thermal and non-thermal stimulation to change a mobility of a fluid in a subsurface formation includes one or more containers to hold one or more reactants. Additionally, the example apparatus includes a reactor to initiate a chemical reaction with at least one of the reactants. Further, the example apparatus includes an injector to inject a product of the chemical reaction into a formation. The product of the chemical reaction includes heat and a gaseous diluent to change a mobility of a fluid in a subsurface formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventors: Anthony Robert Holmes Goodwin, Tim Jones, Keith James Massie, John Nighswander, Gary Tustin
  • Publication number: 20100000153
    Abstract: A method of operating one or more production facilities located at a remote natural gas source is provided including providing one or more micro-scale GTL systems to the remote NG source; supplying natural gas feedstock from the remote source to the micro-scale GTL systems; operating the micro-scale GTL systems to produce a product stream; and utilizing the product stream in the production facilities located at the remote natural gas source. Also provided is a method of operating one or more production facilities located at a remote NG source that includes supplying a product stream to a central processing unit within the remote location to produce a fuel or chemical product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: KYROGEN USA, LLC
    Inventors: ANDREW KURKJIAN, STEPHEN C. LEVINESS, KEITH JAMES MASSIE, JOHN NIGHSWANDER
  • Publication number: 20090299795
    Abstract: A method of tracking production from an NG source that includes the steps of providing one or more micro-scale GTL units, feeding NG from the source to the micro-scale GTL units, operating the micro-scale GTL units and adjusting the number of micro-scale GTL units employed to track or match the production from the source is provided. In some aspects of the invention, the micro-scale GTL unit includes both syngas manufacture and liquid product synthesis. The liquid product synthesis step may produce methanol, mixed higher carbon number alcohols, dimethyl ether, Fischer-Tropsch liquids, and/or any combination of these products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: KYROGEN USA, LLC
    Inventors: Moinuddin Khan, Andrew Kurkjian, Stephen C. Leviness, Keith Massie, John Nighswander
  • Publication number: 20070143023
    Abstract: Methods of assuring that a representative formation and/or fluid sample of a subterranean reservoir is obtained are provided. One method of validating a reservoir fluid sample obtained from a wellbore includes the steps of acquiring a reservoir fluid sample in the wellbore; measuring a property of the fluid sample downhole with a technique to obtain a measured downhole fluid property; replicating the measuring technique used to obtain the measured downhole fluid property to obtain at a remote location from the wellbore with a technique to obtain at least one measured remote location fluid property; validating the fluid sample through comparison of the measured downhole fluid property and the at least one measured remote location fluid property.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Soraya Betancourt, Ahmed Hammami, John Nighswander, Syriac Mathews, Bhavani Raghuraman, Gale Gustavson, Lennox Reid, Tara Davies
  • Patent number: 7002142
    Abstract: A method and apparatus detects dew precipitation and determines dew precipitation onset pressure in a sample of formation fluid located downhole in an oilfield reservoir. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes (a) isolating a sample of formation fluid downhole; (b) illuminating the sample downhole with fluorescence excitation light; (c) measuring at least one characteristic of fluorescence short from the sample; (d) reducing pressure on the sample; (e) repeating steps (b) to (d); (f) detecting dew precipitation when a change is detected in a parameter that is a function of the at least one characteristic of fluorescence emission; and (g) setting dew precipitation onset pressure equal to pressure on the sample when the change in the parameter is detected. The parameter preferably is a function of fluorescence intensity and fluorescence red shift, and the change is an increase in fluorescence intensity and detection of fluorescence red shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Oliver C. Mullins, Go Fujisawa, Chengli Dong, Andrew Kurkjian, John Nighswander, Toru Terabayashi, Satoko Yoshida, Hideki Kinjo, Henning Groenzin
  • Publication number: 20050165554
    Abstract: A method of assuring the collection of reliable and quality fluid sample includes the steps of acquiring a fluid sample at a point of acquisition, analyzing physical and chemical properties of the fluid sample at the point of acquisition; recording the point of acquisition sample properties in an electronic database archive, analyzing physical and chemical properties of the fluid sample at a location remote from the point of acquisition, recording the remote location sample properties in the archive, validating the fluid sample through comparison of the point of acquisition sample properties and the remote location sample properties and recording the validated sample properties in the archive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soraya Betancourt, Oliver Mullins, Ahmed Hammami, John Nighswander, Peter Hegeman, John Ratulowski
  • Publication number: 20040000636
    Abstract: A method and apparatus detects dew precipitation and determines dew precipitation onset pressure in a sample of formation fluid located downhole in an oilfield reservoir. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes (a) isolating a sample of formation fluid downhole; (b) illuminating the sample downhole with fluorescence excitation light; (c) measuring at least one characteristic of fluorescence short from the sample; (d) reducing pressure on the sample; (e) repeating steps (b) to (d); (f) detecting dew precipitation when a change is detected in a parameter that is a function of the at least one characteristic of fluorescence emission; and (g) setting dew precipitation onset pressure equal to pressure on the sample when the change in the parameter is detected. The parameter preferably is a function of fluorescence intensity and fluorescence red shift, and the change is an increase in fluorescence intensity and detection of fluorescence red shift.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, Incorporated in the State of Texas
    Inventors: Oliver C. Mullins, Go Fujisawa, Chengli Dong, Andrew Kurkjian, John Nighswander, Toru Terabayashi, Satoko Yoshida, Hideki Kinjo, Henning Groenzin