Patents by Inventor Kaustubh S. Kulkarni

Kaustubh S. Kulkarni 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: 20220002616
    Abstract: A method of forming polymeric proppants in-situ during a fracturing operation. The method includes the steps of delivering reagents downhole and combining the reagents in a first mixing chamber to initiate polymerization; atomizing the combined reagents by passing them through an atomizer as they exit the first mixing chamber to form partially polymerized polymeric bodies; pumping water down a production casing; mixing the partially polymerized polymeric bodies and the water in a second mixing chamber; completing polymerization and forming solid polymeric proppants upon exiting the second mixing chamber; and passing the solid polymeric proppants through perforations in the casing and into fractures within the formation. A system for forming polymeric proppants in-situ during a fracturing operation and a method for forming solid polymeric proppants at the surface of a formation for use in a fracturing operation is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: KAUSTUBH S. KULKARNI, DOUGLAS A. MITCHELL, TIMOTHY J. NEDWED, WILLIAM R. MEEKS, DARYL ALLEN
  • Patent number: 11035195
    Abstract: Methods of mitigating lost circulation while drilling a wellbore. The methods include circulating a drilling mud to a downhole end of the wellbore via a drill string and, during the circulating, drilling the wellbore with a drill bit of the drill string. The methods also include detecting lost circulation within the wellbore while drilling the wellbore and include providing a monomer solution to the wellbore. The methods further include providing a catalyst to the wellbore responsive to detecting the lost circulation event and combining the monomer solution and the catalyst to polymerize a monomer from the monomer solution, within the wellbore, and forming a viscous plug within the wellbore. Subsequent to the combining, the methods include flowing at least a portion of the viscous plug within the wellbore and into a zone of lost circulation that extends within a subsurface region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Bill R. Meeks, Timothy J. Nedwed, Douglas A. Mitchell, Rachna Jain, Kaustubh S. Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 10968723
    Abstract: System and methods for cleaning debris or particulates from a wellbore using foam is provided, including predicting if a foam cleanout of a well is feasible by calculating foam properties at each of a number of segments in a well during a foam cleanout, comparing the foam properties to screening limits, providing an output to indicate if a foam cleanout is feasible. If feasible, the foam cleanout is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Sai S. Rao, Kaustubh S. Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 10954731
    Abstract: A method for conducting a wellbore operation includes drilling a wellbore through one or more hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formations with a drill bit arranged at an end of a drill string, wherein an annulus is defined between the drill string and an inner wall of the wellbore. A foam is generated with a foam generator of an annular injection system in communication with the annulus, and the foam is introduced into the annulus with the annular injection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Gregory King, Kaustubh S. Kulkarni, Sai S. Rao, Andrey A. Troshko
  • Publication number: 20200208491
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods for controlling a well blowout comprising: a flow control device such as a blowout preventer on a wellbore, the primary throughbore of the flow control device comprising internal dimensional irregularities creating a non-uniform flow path in the primary throughbore which as sufficient fluid rate may enhance pressure fluid pressure drop therein; a control fluid aperture fluidly connected with the wellbore for introducing a control fluid through a control fluid aperture and into the primary throughbore while wellbore fluid flows through the wellbore; a hydrate component introduction pump for introducing the hydrate inducing component into the control fluid; a hydrate inducing fluid aperture positioned in the wellbore conduit below the control fluid aperture for introducing the hydrate inducing fluid into the wellbore and for combining with the control fluid that includes the hydrate inducing fluid to form a saturated hydrate forming fluid mixture within the primary throughbore wh
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Timothy J. Nedwed, William R. Meeks, Rachna Jain, Kaustubh S. Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 10597959
    Abstract: Methods for enhancing transport rate of particles of size Dm in a cuttings bed within an annulus of a wellbore during drilling operations. One method comprises estimating, with a computer, a current particle size distribution (PSD) of a particle bed including particles of size Dm within a measured depth (MD) range of the wellbore; calculating, with the computer, a target PSD of the MD range using a using a one-dimensional transient model incorporating a particle transport model; determining, with the computer, a pumping PSD to achieve the target PSD within the MD range; and adding the pumping PSD to a drilling fluid flowing within the annulus, thereby enhancing the transport rate of particles of size Dm within the MD range. The particle transport model may be a surface-based transport model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Sai S. Rao, Kaustubh S. Kulkarni
  • Publication number: 20190330942
    Abstract: A method for conducting a wellbore operation includes drilling a wellbore through one or more hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formations with a drill bit arranged at an end of a drill string, wherein an annulus is defined between the drill string and an inner wall of the wellbore. A foam is generated with a foam generator of an annular injection system in communication with the annulus, and the foam is introduced into the annulus with the annular injection system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Gregory King, Kaustubh S. Kulkarni, Sai S. Rao, Andrey A. Troshko
  • Publication number: 20190186231
    Abstract: Methods of mitigating lost circulation while drilling a wellbore. The methods include circulating a drilling mud to a downhole end of the wellbore via a drill string and, during the circulating, drilling the wellbore with a drill bit of the drill string. The methods also include detecting lost circulation within the wellbore while drilling the wellbore and include providing a monomer solution to the wellbore. The methods further include providing a catalyst to the wellbore responsive to detecting the lost circulation event and combining the monomer solution and the catalyst to polymerize a monomer from the monomer solution, within the wellbore, and forming a viscous plug within the wellbore. Subsequent to the combining, the methods include flowing at least a portion of the viscous plug within the wellbore and into a zone of lost circulation that extends within a subsurface region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Bill R. Meeks, Timothy J. Nedwed, Douglas A. Mitchell, Rachna Jain, Kaustubh S. Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 9953114
    Abstract: Designing a drillstring in for use in a wellbore, such as a deviated or horizontal wellbore, particularly with application to extended reach wellbores. Method comprises determining the downhole weight-on-bit transmitted by a drillstring by determining a baseline tension profile and baseline torque profile in a drill string rotating off-bottom, and then using such profiles in conjunction with a selected surface weight-on-bit slack-off value to calculate a drillstring tension profile and rotating torque profile with the bit on bottom and having weight applied thereto. The method includes buckling limit checks and rig operational limit checks to determine if sufficient torque and DWOB can be transmitted through the drillstring, and to determine whether the drill string remains operable even though portions thereof may be in a buckled condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Brian J. O'Donnell, Kaustubh S. Kulkarni