Patents by Inventor Mark Gregory Picha

Mark Gregory Picha 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).

  • Thermal processes for subsurface formations
    Patent number: 7942203
    Abstract: A process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of a subsurface formation. Heat may transfer from one or more heaters to a part of a formation. In some embodiments, heat from the one or more heat sources may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in a part of a subsurface formation. Hydrocarbons and/or other products may be produced from a subsurface formation. Certain embodiments describe apparatus, methods, and/or processes used in treating a subsurface or hydrocarbon containing formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Mark Gregory Picha, Lanny Gene Schoeling
  • THERMAL PROCESSES FOR SUBSURFACE FORMATIONS
    Publication number: 20100181066
    Abstract: A process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of a subsurface formation. Heat may transfer from one or more heaters to a part of a formation. In some embodiments, heat from the one or more heat sources may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in a part of a subsurface formation. Hydrocarbons and/or other products may be produced from a subsurface formation. Certain embodiments describe apparatus, methods, and/or processes used in treating a subsurface or hydrocarbon containing formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Mark Gregory Picha, Lanny Gene Schoeling
  • Thermal processes for subsurface formations
    Patent number: 7640980
    Abstract: A process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of a subsurface formation. Heat may transfer from one or more heaters to a part of a formation. In some embodiments, heat from the one or more heat sources may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in a part of a subsurface formation. Hydrocarbons and/or other products may be produced from a subsurface formation. Certain embodiments describe apparatus, methods, and/or processes used in treating a subsurface or hydrocarbon containing formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Mark Gregory Picha, Lanny Gene Schoeling
  • Thermal processes for subsurface formations
    Publication number: 20090071647
    Abstract: A process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of a subsurface formation. Heat may transfer from one or more heaters to a part of a formation. In some embodiments, heat from the one or more heat sources may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in a part of a subsurface formation. Hydrocarbons and/or other products may be produced from a subsurface formation. Certain embodiments describe apparatus, methods, and/or processes used in treating a subsurface or hydrocarbon containing formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Mark Gregory Picha, Lanny Gene Schoeling
  • Thermal processes for subsurface formations
    Patent number: 7360588
    Abstract: A process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of a subsurface formation. Heat may transfer from one or more heaters to a part of a formation. In some embodiments, heat from the one or more heat sources may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in a part of a subsurface formation. Hydrocarbons and/or other products may be produced from a subsurface formation. Certain embodiments describe apparatus, methods, and/or processes used in treating a subsurface or hydrocarbon containing formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Peter Veenstra, Steven Paul Giles, Chester L. Sandberg, Frederick Henry Kreisler Rambow, Christopher Kelvin Harris, Lanny Gene Schoeling, Mark Gregory Picha, Etuan Zhang, Gary Beer, Frederick Gordon Carl, Jr., Taixu Bai, Dong Sub Kim, Michael David Fairbanks, Guillermo Pastor Sanz
  • Thermal processes for subsurface formations
    Patent number: 7121342
    Abstract: A process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of a subsurface formation. Heat may transfer from one or more heaters to a part of a formation. In some embodiments, heat from the one or more heat sources may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in a part of a subsurface formation. Hydrocarbons and/or other products may be produced from a subsurface formation. Certain embodiments describe apparatus, methods, and/or processes used in treating a subsurface or hydrocarbon containing formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Peter Veenstra, Steven Paul Giles, Chester L. Sandberg, Frederick Henry Kreisler Rambow, Christopher Kelvin Harris, Lanny Gene Schoeling, Mark Gregory Picha, Etuan Zhang, Gary Beer, Fredrick Gordon Carl, Jr., Taixu Bai, Dong Sub Kim, Michael David Fairbanks, Guillermo Pastor Sanz
  • Forming wellbores using acoustic methods
    Publication number: 20040144541
    Abstract: A method is described for forming an opening in a geological formation. The method may include forming a portion of an opening in the formation. An acoustic wave may be provided to a portion of the formation. The acoustic wave may propagate between at least one geological discontinuity of the formation and at least a portion of the opening. At least one reflection of the acoustic wave may be sensed in at least a portion of the opening. The sensed reflection may be used to assess an approximate location of at least a portion of the opening in the formation. An additional portion of the opening may be formed based on, at least in part, the assessed approximate location of at least a portion of the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Mark Gregory Picha, David Charles DeMartini, Randolph Rogers Wagner, Harold J. Vinegar, Christopher Kelvin Harris, Robin Adrianus Hartmann