Patents by Inventor Joseph C. BUFKIN

Joseph C. BUFKIN 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: 11802468
    Abstract: A method may include receiving information related to operation or a configuration of a hydraulic fracturing system. The hydraulic fracturing system may include a plurality of electric power source outputs and a plurality of hydraulic fracturing rigs. The method may further include performing, based on the information, asymmetric power management of the plurality of electric power source outputs. The method may further include performing, based on the information, asymmetric load management of the plurality of hydraulic fracturing rigs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Andy Publes, Casey A. Otten, Perry D. Converse, Yanchai Zhang, Zhijun Cai, Baoyang Deng, Christopher G. Y. Haddad, Jason T. Herlehy, Todd R. Kabrich, Nausheen Ahmad, Joseph C. Bufkin
  • Publication number: 20230287760
    Abstract: A method may include monitoring an operation or a state of one or more subsystems of a hydraulic fracturing system. The hydraulic fracturing system may include one or more fracturing rigs, one or more blending equipment, and one or more power sources electrically connected to a first subset of the one or more fracturing rigs, or one or more fuel sources fluidly connected to a second subset of the one or more fracturing rigs. The hydraulic fracturing system may further include one or more missile valves, one or more zipper piping and zipper valve sets, one or more well head valves, and one or more well heads. The method may further include controlling, based on monitoring the operation or the state, the one or more subsystems within operating limits or based on operating expectations to cause or prevent an occurrence of one or more well integrity-related events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Todd R. KABRICH, Andy PUBLES, Casey A. OTTEN, Brandon J. MABE, Perry D. CONVERSE, Jason T. HERLEHY, Joseph C. BUFKIN
  • Publication number: 20230287777
    Abstract: A method may include receiving information related to operation or a configuration of a hydraulic fracturing system, The hydraulic fracturing system may include one or more fracturing rigs, one or more blending equipment, and one or more power sources electrically connected to a first subset of the one or more fracturing rigs, or one or more fuel sources fluidly connected to a second subset of the one or more fracturing rigs. The hydraulic fracturing system may further include one or more missile valves, one or more zipper valves, one or more well head valves, and one or more well heads. The method may further include optimizing the operation of one or more subsystems of the hydraulic fracturing system using a particle swarm algorithm. The method may further include outputting one or more control signals to the one or more subsystems based on optimizing the operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Todd R. KABRICH, Andy PUBLES, Casey A. OTTEN, Brandon J. MABE, Perry D. CONVERSE, Jason T. HERLEHY, Joseph C. BUFKIN
  • Patent number: 11746634
    Abstract: A method may include receiving power supply-related information, cost-related information, power demand-related information, and operational priority or site configuration-related information associated with hydraulic fracturing rigs. The hydraulic fracturing rigs may be each associated with a fuel consumption component or an emissions component. The method may further include receiving operational data and determining operational parameters based on the operational data and emissions output predictions for the hydraulic fracturing rigs. The method may further include outputting the operational parameters to a computing device or a controller. The method may further include, based on outputting the operational parameters, receiving operational feedback data and determining whether to modify the operational parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Perry D. Converse, Casey Alan Otten, Joseph C. Bufkin, Zhijun Cai, Baoyang Deng
  • Patent number: 11746635
    Abstract: A method may include receiving information related to operation or a configuration of a hydraulic fracturing system, The hydraulic fracturing system may include one or more fracturing rigs, one or more blending equipment, and one or more power sources electrically connected to a first subset of the one or more fracturing rigs, or one or more fuel sources fluidly connected to a second subset of the one or more fracturing rigs. The hydraulic fracturing system may further include one or more missile valves, one or more zipper valves, one or more well head valves, and one or more well heads. The method may further include optimizing the operation of one or more subsystems of the hydraulic fracturing system using a particle swarm algorithm. The method may further include outputting one or more control signals to the one or more subsystems based on optimizing the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Todd R. Kabrich, Andy Publes, Casey A. Otten, Brandon J. Mabe, Perry D. Converse, Jason T. Herlehy, Joseph C. Bufkin
  • Publication number: 20230235653
    Abstract: A method may include receiving information related to operation or a configuration of a hydraulic fracturing system. The hydraulic fracturing system may include a plurality of electric power source outputs and a plurality of hydraulic fracturing rigs. The method may further include performing, based on the information, asymmetric power management of the plurality of electric power source outputs. The method may further include performing, based on the information, asymmetric load management of the plurality of hydraulic fracturing rigs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Andy PUBLES, Casey A. OTTEN, Perry D. CONVERSE, Yanchai ZHANG, Zhijun CAI, Baoyang DENG, Christopher G. Y. HADDAD, Jason T. HERLEHY, Todd R. KABRICH, Nausheen AHMAD, Joseph C. BUFKIN
  • Publication number: 20230228178
    Abstract: A method may include receiving power supply-related information, cost-related information, power demand-related information, and operational priority or site configuration-related information associated with hydraulic fracturing rigs. The hydraulic fracturing rigs may be each associated with a fuel consumption component or an emissions component. The method may further include receiving operational data and determining operational parameters based on the operational data and emissions output predictions for the hydraulic fracturing rigs. The method may further include outputting the operational parameters to a computing device or a controller. The method may further include, based on outputting the operational parameters, receiving operational feedback data and determining whether to modify the operational parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Perry D. CONVERSE, Casey Alan OTTEN, Joseph C. BUFKIN, Zhijun CAI, Baoyang DENG