Patents by Inventor Leiming Li

Leiming Li 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: 11104839
    Abstract: Embodiments provide methods and compositions for mitigating water production for hydrocarbon recovery. According to an embodiment, the method involves a treatment fluid composition. The treatment fluid composition includes a base liquid, a gelling agent, and a crosslinking agent. The treatment fluid composition is introduced downhole where it is positioned in a high permeability streak adjacent to a wellbore. After crosslinking, the treatment fluid composition blocks water in the high permeability streak from penetrating into the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Rajesh Kumar Saini, Feng Liang
  • Patent number: 11098564
    Abstract: A method for hydraulic fracturing of a subterranean formation includes injecting an oil-based fracturing fluid into the subterranean formation through a well. The method also includes injecting a second fracturing fluid, for example a water-based fracturing fluid, into the subterranean formation through the well after completion of the injection of the oil-based fracturing fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Rajesh Kumar Saini
  • Patent number: 11078408
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method of producing a viscoelastic surfactant (VES) fluid, the VES fluid comprising desulfated seawater. The method of producing the VES fluid comprises adding an alkaline earth metal halide to seawater to produce a sulfate precipitate. The method further comprises removing the sulfate precipitate to produce the desulfated water. The method further comprises adding a VES and one or more of a nanoparticle viscosity modifier or a polymeric modifier to the desulfated seawater. Other embodiments are directed to VES fluids that maintain a viscosity greater than 10 cP at temperatures above 250° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Feng Liang, Tao Chen
  • Publication number: 20210230474
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method of producing a viscoelastic surfactant (VES) fluid, the VES fluid comprising desulfated seawater. The method of producing the VES fluid comprises adding an alkaline earth metal halide to seawater to produce a sulfate precipitate. The method further comprises removing the sulfate precipitate to produce the desulfated water. The method further comprises adding a VES and one or more of a nanoparticle viscosity modifier or a polymeric modifier to the desulfated seawater. Other embodiments are directed to VES fluids that maintain a viscosity greater than 10 cP at temperatures above 250° F.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Feng Liang, Tao Chen
  • Patent number: 11028312
    Abstract: A system and method for hydraulic fracturing including mixing seawater with an additive to precipitate sulfate from the seawater and mixing a flocculating agent with the seawater to agglomerate the sulfate precipitates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Hejian Sun, Feng Liang, Mohammed A. Bataweel
  • Patent number: 11001749
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method of producing a viscoelastic surfactant (VES) fluid, the VES fluid comprising desulfated seawater. The method of producing the VES fluid comprises adding an alkaline earth metal halide to seawater to produce a sulfate precipitate. The method further comprises removing the sulfate precipitate to produce the desulfated water. The method further comprises adding a VES and one or more of a nanoparticle viscosity modifier or a polymeric modifier to the desulfated seawater. Other embodiments are directed to VES fluids that maintain a viscosity greater than 10 cP at temperatures above 250° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Feng Liang, Tao Chen
  • Patent number: 11001750
    Abstract: A fracturing fluid including a base fluid including salt water, a polymer, a crosslinker, and a nanomaterial. The crosslinker may include a Zr crosslinker, a Ti crosslinker, an Al crosslinker, a borate crosslinker, or a combination thereof. The nanomaterial may include ZrO2 nanoparticles, TiO2 nanoparticles, CeO2 nanoparticles; Zr nanoparticles, Ti nanoparticles, Ce nanoparticles, metal-organic polyhedra including Zr, Ti, Ce, or a combination thereof; carbon nanotubes, carbon nanorods, nano graphene, nano graphene oxide; or any combination thereof. The viscosity and viscosity lifetime of fracturing fluids with both crosslinkers and nanomaterials are greater than the sum of the effects of crosslinkers and nanomaterials taken separately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Feng Liang, Ghaithan A. Al-Muntasheri, Amy J. Cairns
  • Publication number: 20210087915
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method for treating a geologic formation that includes providing a hydraulic fracture model, providing a first value representative of a volume of kerogen breaker in a fracturing fluid, determining a discrete fracture network (DFN) based on the hydraulic fracture model and the first value, determining a geomechanical model based on the DFN and a reservoir model based on the DFN, determining a hydrocarbon production volume based on the geomechanical model and the reservoir model, adjusting the first value based on the hydrocarbon production volume, and adjusting a volume of kerogen breaker in the fracturing fluid to a hydrocarbon reservoir based on the adjusted first value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Yanhui Han, Leiming Li, Ghaithan Muntasheri, Younane N. Abousleiman, Katherine Leigh Hull, David Jacobi
  • Publication number: 20210080439
    Abstract: A method may include: preparing or providing an aqueous fluid containing iron ions; screening at least one iron control agent against the aqueous fluid; selecting at least one iron control agent and iron control agent concentration based at least in part on the step of screening; and preparing a fracturing fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and the at least one iron control agent wherein a concentration of the iron control agent in the fracturing fluid is greater than or equal to the selected iron control agent concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: Multi-Chem Group LLC
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Liang Xu, Scot Harris Bodnar, Todd Allen Collier, James William Ogle, Zhiwei Yue
  • Publication number: 20210079291
    Abstract: A method of preparing a fracturing fluid comprising: preparing or providing an aqueous fluid containing iron ions; screening a plurality of friction reducers against the aqueous fluid wherein the plurality of friction reducers are anionic, cationic, nonionic, amphoteric, or combinations thereof; selecting at least one friction reducer from the plurality of friction reducers based at least in part on the step of screening; and preparing a fracturing fluid including the at least one friction reducer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: Multi-Chem Group LLC
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Scot Harris Bodnar, Liang Xu, James William Ogle, Todd Allen Collier
  • Publication number: 20210062071
    Abstract: A fracturing fluid including a mixture of an aqueous terpolymer composition including a terpolymer, an additive, and crosslinker. The terpolymer includes 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, acrylamide, and acrylic acid monomer units, or a salt thereof. The additive includes a sugar alcohol or a derivative thereof, and the crosslinker includes a metal. The weight ratio of the metal to the terpolymer is in a range of 0.01 to 0.16, and a concentration of the additive is in a range of 0.001 wt. % to 10 wt. % of the fracturing fluid. Treating a subterranean formation includes introducing the fracturing fluid into a subterranean formation, and crosslinking the fracturing fluid in the subterranean formation to yield a crosslinked fracturing fluid. The crosslinked fracturing fluid mitigates damage caused by substantial amounts of total dissolved solids or significant water hardness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Feng Liang
  • Patent number: 10913889
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method of producing a viscoelastic surfactant (VES) fluid, the VES fluid comprising desulfated seawater. The method of producing the VES fluid comprises adding an alkaline earth metal halide to seawater to produce a sulfate precipitate. The method further comprises removing the sulfate precipitate to produce the desulfated water. The method further comprises adding a VES and one or more of a nanoparticle viscosity modifier or a polymeric modifier to the desulfated seawater. Other embodiments are directed to VES fluids that maintain a viscosity greater than 10 cP at temperatures above 250° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Feng Liang, Tao Chen
  • Patent number: 10871060
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method for treating a geologic formation that includes providing a hydraulic fracture model, providing a first value representative of a volume of kerogen breaker in a fracturing fluid, determining a discrete fracture network (DFN) based on the hydraulic fracture model and the first value, determining a geomechanical model based on the DFN and a reservoir model based on the DFN, determining a hydrocarbon production volume based on the geomechanical model and the reservoir model, adjusting the first value based on the hydrocarbon production volume, and adjusting a volume of kerogen breaker in the fracturing fluid to a hydrocarbon reservoir based on the adjusted first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Yanhui Han, Leiming Li, Ghaithan Muntasheri, Younane N. Abousleiman, Katherine Leigh Hull, David Jacobi
  • Patent number: 10865342
    Abstract: A fracturing fluid including a mixture of an aqueous terpolymer composition including a terpolymer, an additive, and crosslinker. The terpolymer includes 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, acrylamide, and acrylic acid monomer units, or a salt thereof. The additive includes a sugar alcohol or a derivative thereof, and the crosslinker includes a metal. The weight ratio of the metal to the terpolymer is in a range of 0.01 to 0.16, and a concentration of the additive is in a range of 0.001 wt. % to 10 wt. % of the fracturing fluid. Treating a subterranean formation includes introducing the fracturing fluid into a subterranean formation, and crosslinking the fracturing fluid in the subterranean formation to yield a crosslinked fracturing fluid. The crosslinked fracturing fluid mitigates damage caused by substantial amounts of total dissolved solids or significant water hardness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Feng Liang
  • Publication number: 20200386080
    Abstract: A system and method for specifying a composition for a frac fluid including varying crosslinker concentration and high-temperature stabilizer concentration to determine a discrete fracture network (DFN) and hydrocarbon production correlative with the DFN.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Chicheng Xu, Leiming Li, Yanhui Han
  • Publication number: 20200362231
    Abstract: Gelled fluids include a gellable organic solvent, an aluminum crosslinking compound, and a mutual solvent. The gelled fluids may be prepared by combining an aluminum crosslinking compound and a first volume of a gellable organic solvent to form a pre-solvation mixture; gelling the pre-solvation mixture to form a pre-solvated gel; combining the pre-solvated gel with a formulation fluid to form a gellable mixture, the formulation fluid comprising a second volume of the gellable organic solvent; and gelling the gellable mixture to form the gelled fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Ghaithan A. Al-Muntasheri, Feng Liang, Sehmus Ozden
  • Patent number: 10760395
    Abstract: Techniques for hydraulically fracturing a geologic formation include circulating a proppant-free hydraulic fracturing liquid into a wellbore that is formed from a terranean surface into a geologic formation within a subterranean zone that is adjacent the wellbore; fluidly contacting the geologic formation with the proppant-free hydraulic fracturing liquid for a specified duration of time; and subsequent to the specified duration of time, circulating a hydraulic fracturing liquid that includes proppant into the wellbore to fracture the geologic formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Bitao Lai, Feng Liang, Leiming Li, Jilin Zhang
  • Publication number: 20200231865
    Abstract: A fracturing fluid including a base fluid including salt water, a polymer, a crosslinker, and a nanomaterial. The crosslinker may include a Zr crosslinker, a Ti crosslinker, an Al crosslinker, a borate crosslinker, or a combination thereof. The nanomaterial may include ZrO2 nanoparticles, TiO2 nanoparticles, CeO2 nanoparticles; Zr nanoparticles, Ti nanoparticles, Ce nanoparticles, metal-organic polyhedra including Zr, Ti, Ce, or a combination thereof; carbon nanotubes, carbon nanorods, nano graphene, nano graphene oxide; or any combination thereof. The viscosity and viscosity lifetime of fracturing fluids with both crosslinkers and nanomaterials are greater than the sum of the effects of crosslinkers and nanomaterials taken separately.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Leiming Li, Feng Liang, Ghaithan A. Al-Muntasheri, Amy J. Cairns
  • Publication number: 20200224078
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to methods and compositions for controlling excess water production for hydrocarbon recovery. According to an embodiment, the method includes a treatment fluid composition. The treatment fluid composition includes a monomer and a latent acid. The treatment fluid composition is introduced downhole where it is positioned in a water-bearing region of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation. An acid catalyst is formed by hydrolysis or decomposition of the latent acid in the water-bearing region. The acid catalyst is used to polymerize the monomer to form a resin. The resin blocks water from permeating from the water-bearing region into the wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Rajesh Kumar SAINI, Leiming LI, Shawn RIMASSA, Amy J. CAIRNS
  • Publication number: 20200224077
    Abstract: Embodiments provide methods and compositions for mitigating water production for hydrocarbon recovery. According to an embodiment, the method involves a treatment fluid composition. The treatment fluid composition includes a base liquid, a gelling agent, and a crosslinking agent. The treatment fluid composition is introduced downhole where it is positioned in a high permeability streak adjacent to a wellbore. After crosslinking, the treatment fluid composition blocks water in the high permeability streak from penetrating into the wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Leiming LI, Rajesh Kumar SAINI, Feng LIANG