Patents by Inventor Martin E. Poitzsch
Martin E. Poitzsch 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).
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Patent number: 12331632Abstract: Hydrocarbon flow into multi-lateral wells is analyzed by controlled release of tracers from the surface. Hydrocarbons flow into a lateral formed from a wellbore into a subterranean zone. A wellbore production tubing is installed within the wellbore and extends toward the lateral. The wellbore production tubing defines an annulus between an outer surface of the tubing and an inner wall of the wellbore. Hydrocarbons flowing from the lateral into the annulus flow within an internal volume defined by a body attached to the outer surface of the tubing. The hydrocarbons mix with tracers residing within the internal volume. A mixture of the hydrocarbons with the tracers flow out of the internal volume and towards the surface. At the surface, a concentration of the tracers in the mixture flowed to the surface is analyzed. Based on a result of the analyzing, properties of hydrocarbon flow into the lateral are determined.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2023Date of Patent: June 17, 2025Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Gawain Thomas, Hsieh Chen, Martin E. Poitzsch
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Publication number: 20250116647Abstract: A method of assessing a caprock for caprock defects comprises drilling a first well into a geologic sequence, the geologic sequence comprising a first subsurface formation, the caprock positioned above the first subsurface formation, and a second subsurface formation positioned above the caprock; sampling subsurface fluids of the geologic sequence for helium concentration within the second subsurface formation, within the caprock, and within the first subsurface formation; drilling a second well into the geologic sequence a pre-determined distance away from the first well; sampling the subsurface fluids for the helium concentration within the second subsurface formation, within the caprock, and within the first subsurface formation through the second well; determining whether a deviation exists between the helium concentration at the first well and at the second well, the deviation indicating the caprock defect is present; and halting further drilling into the geologic sequence upon determining the caprock deType: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2023Publication date: April 10, 2025Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Martin E. Poitzsch, Rajesh Goteti
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Patent number: 12222464Abstract: Methods and systems for determining electrical characteristics of a subsurface formation are disclosed. The method may include installing a first electrically insulating spacer between well liners in the well to form an on-demand electromagnetic source electrode and installing a second electrically insulating spacer between well liners in the well to form an on-demand electromagnetic receiver electrode. The method may further include performing an electrical survey using the on-demand electromagnetic source and receiver electrodes, determining a map of the at least one electrical characteristic in a subsurface region surrounding on-demand electromagnetic source and receiver electrodes based on the electrical survey, determining a map of at least one formation property based on the map of the electrical characteristic, and updating a hydrocarbon reservoir production plan based on the map of at least one formation property.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2023Date of Patent: February 11, 2025Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Hsieh Chen, Martin E. Poitzsch
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Publication number: 20250043681Abstract: A method for constructing a high fidelity logging while drilling (LWD) log that includes obtaining a temporal well depth log and a plurality of temporal LWD logs from a drilling operation. The method further includes obtaining a temporal record of operational drilling parameters from the drilling operation. The method further includes determining, using a first machine-learning model, a temporal history of the drilling operation and constructing, using the temporal well depth log and the plurality of temporal LWD logs, a plurality of temporal property logs at each depth in the plurality of depths. The method further includes processing the plurality of temporal property logs with, at least, a second machine-learning model to form a plurality of corrected temporal property logs and aggregating the plurality of corrected temporal property logs to form a plurality of high fidelity LWD logs.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2024Publication date: February 6, 2025Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Martin E. Poitzsch, Chicheng Xu, Shouxiang Ma
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Patent number: 12203362Abstract: A method and a system for injecting multiple tracer tag fluids into the wellbore are described. The method includes determining multiple injection concentrations of multiple respective tracer tag fluids, determining an injection sequence of the tracer tag fluids into a wellbore, and injecting the tracer tag fluids into the wellbore according to the injection concentrations and the injection sequence. The tracer tag fluids include synthesized polymeric nanoparticles suspended in a solution. The synthesized polymeric nanoparticles are configured bind to a wellbore cutting. The synthesized polymeric nanoparticles are configured to undergo a thermal de-polymerization at a respective temperature and generate a unique mass spectra. The injection sequence includes an injection duration determined by a depth interval of the wellbore to be tagged by the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles and an injection pause to prevent mixing the multiple tracer tag fluids in the wellbore.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2023Date of Patent: January 21, 2025Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Martin E. Poitzsch, Karim Ismail, Gawain Thomas
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Patent number: 12195840Abstract: According to one or more embodiments, a method of growing crystals on a QCM sensor may include treating a crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor with a coupling agent, applying a cation stream to the crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor, and applying an anion stream to the crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor. The crystals forming a crystal layer may have an average thickness greater than 5 nanometers. According to one or more embodiments, a QCM sensor may include a crystal layer on a crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor, where the crystal layer is formed by a process including treating the crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor with a coupling agent, applying a cation stream to the crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor, and applying an anion stream to the crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2020Date of Patent: January 14, 2025Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Ayrat Gizzatov, Mohammed R. Kawelah, Martin E. Poitzsch, Wei Wang, Amr I. Abdel-Fattah
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Publication number: 20240402380Abstract: Methods and systems for determining electrical characteristics of a subsurface formation are disclosed. The method may include installing a first electrically insulating spacer between well liners in the well to form an on-demand electromagnetic source electrode and installing a second electrically insulating spacer between well liners in the well to form an on-demand electromagnetic receiver electrode. The method may further include performing an electrical survey using the on-demand electromagnetic source and receiver electrodes, determining a map of the at least one electrical characteristic in a subsurface region surrounding on-demand electromagnetic source and receiver electrodes based on the electrical survey, determining a map of at least one formation property based on the map of the electrical characteristic, and updating a hydrocarbon reservoir production plan based on the map of at least one formation property.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2023Publication date: December 5, 2024Applicant: ARAMCO SERVICES COMPANYInventors: Hsieh Chen, Martin E. Poitzsch
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Publication number: 20240384648Abstract: Hydrocarbon flow into multi-lateral wells is analyzed by controlled release of tracers from the surface. Hydrocarbons flow into a lateral formed from a wellbore into a subterranean zone. A wellbore production tubing is installed within the wellbore and extends toward the lateral. The wellbore production tubing defines an annulus between an outer surface of the tubing and an inner wall of the wellbore. Hydrocarbons flowing from the lateral into the annulus flow within an internal volume defined by a body attached to the outer surface of the tubing. The hydrocarbons mix with tracers residing within the internal volume. A mixture of the hydrocarbons with the tracers flow out of the internal volume and towards the surface. At the surface, a concentration of the tracers in the mixture flowed to the surface is analyzed. Based on a result of the analyzing, properties of hydrocarbon flow into the lateral are determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2023Publication date: November 21, 2024Inventors: Gawain Thomas, Hsieh Chen, Martin E. Poitzsch
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Publication number: 20240255674Abstract: A method for monitoring waterfront movement in a subsurface formation involves performing forward modeling of at least one deep electromagnetic survey of the waterfront movement, and determining locations for installing an electrically insulating spacer between well liners to form an on-demand electromagnetic source electrode. Based on the forward modeling, repeat survey time intervals are predicted. The method involves, during well completion, installing the electrically insulating spacer between the well liners in a reservoir to form at least one on-demand electromagnetic source electrode, and installing the electrically insulating spacer between the plurality of well liners in a reservoir to form an on-demand electromagnetic receiver electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 29, 2024Publication date: August 1, 2024Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Hsieh Chen, Martin E. Poitzsch
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Patent number: 12000278Abstract: A wellbore that supplies production fluid from a first production zone and a second production zone is produced. Production fluids from the first and second production zone are comingled within a same production tubular. A first tracer is pulsed into the first production zone. A second tracer is pulsed into the second production zone. The first tracer and the second tracer are barcoded such that the first tracer and the second tracer can be differentiated from one another. A first tracer decay is measured at a topside facility. A second tracer decay is measured at the topside facility. A water cut of the first production zone and the second production zone is determined based upon the first tracer decay and the second tracer decay.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2021Date of Patent: June 4, 2024Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Hsieh Chen, Martin E. Poitzsch, Hooisweng Ow, Ivan Cetkovic
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Patent number: 11994020Abstract: A method for mapping inter-well porosity includes injecting a Type 1 tracer into a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir via an injector well, wherein the Type 1 tracer is a passive tracer, injecting a Type 2 tracer into the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir via the injector well, wherein the Type 2 tracer is a porosity-sensitive tracer, detecting a breakthrough of the Type 1 tracer and a breakthrough of the Type 2 tracer in produced fluid at a producer well, and comparing the breakthrough of the Type 1 tracer with the breakthrough of the Type 2 tracer to provide a map of inter-well porosity.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2022Date of Patent: May 28, 2024Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Hsieh Chen, Martin E. Poitzsch, Hooisweng Ow
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Patent number: 11988793Abstract: A method for monitoring waterfront movement in a subsurface formation involves performing forward modeling of at least one deep electromagnetic survey of the waterfront movement, and determining locations for installing an electrically insulating spacer between well liners to form an on-demand electromagnetic source electrode. Based on the forward modeling, repeat survey time intervals are predicted. The method involves, during well completion, installing the electrically insulating spacer between the well liners in a reservoir to form at least one on-demand electromagnetic source electrode, and installing the electrically insulating spacer between the plurality of well liners in a reservoir to form an on-demand electromagnetic receiver electrode.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2020Date of Patent: May 21, 2024Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Hsieh Chen, Martin E. Poitzsch
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Publication number: 20240093598Abstract: A method for mapping inter-well porosity includes injecting a Type 1 tracer into a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir via an injector well, wherein the Type 1 tracer is a passive tracer, injecting a Type 2 tracer into the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir via the injector well, wherein the Type 2 tracer is a porosity-sensitive tracer, detecting a breakthrough of the Type 1 tracer and a breakthrough of the Type 2 tracer in produced fluid at a producer well, and comparing the breakthrough of the Type 1 tracer with the breakthrough of the Type 2 tracer to provide a map of inter-well porosity.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2022Publication date: March 21, 2024Applicant: ARAMCO SERVICES COMPANYInventors: Hsieh Chen, Martin E. Poitzsch, Hooisweng Ow
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Patent number: 11911761Abstract: Spherical grains and sacrificial particles are mixed in a suspension. The sacrificial particles are larger than the spherical grains. The suspension is injected into a channel in a microfluidic chip, and the spherical grains form microporous structures in the channel. The microporous structures are sintered in the channel. A solvent is injected into the channel, and the solvent dissolves the sacrificial particles and forms macropores between at least some of the microporous structures, thereby forming a mixed-porosity microfluidic chip.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2022Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Wei Wang, Sehoon Chang, Martin E. Poitzsch
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Patent number: 11873353Abstract: A system and method for flow synthesis of polymer nanoparticles in a continuous flow reactor having a channel. The polymer nanoparticles are synthesized from monomer in the presence of an initiator.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2020Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Marta Antoniv, Hooisweng Ow, S. Sherry Zhu, Martin E. Poitzsch
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Publication number: 20230392496Abstract: A method and a system for injecting multiple tracer tag fluids into the wellbore are described. The method includes determining multiple injection concentrations of multiple respective tracer tag fluids, determining an injection sequence of the tracer tag fluids into a wellbore, and injecting the tracer tag fluids into the wellbore according to the injection concentrations and the injection sequence. The tracer tag fluids include synthesized polymeric nanoparticles suspended in a solution. The synthesized polymeric nanoparticles are configured bind to a wellbore cutting. The synthesized polymeric nanoparticles are configured to undergo a thermal de-polymerization at a respective temperature and generate a unique mass spectra. The injection sequence includes an injection duration determined by a depth interval of the wellbore to be tagged by the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles and an injection pause to prevent mixing the multiple tracer tag fluids in the wellbore.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2023Publication date: December 7, 2023Inventors: Martin E. Poitzsch, Karim Ismail, Gawain Thomas
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Patent number: 11773715Abstract: A method and a system for injecting multiple tracer tag fluids into the wellbore are described. The method includes determining multiple injection concentrations of multiple respective tracer tag fluids, determining an injection sequence of the tracer tag fluids into a wellbore, and injecting the tracer tag fluids into the wellbore according to the injection concentrations and the injection sequence. The tracer tag fluids include synthesized polymeric nanoparticles suspended in a solution. The synthesized polymeric nanoparticles are configured bind to a wellbore cutting. The synthesized polymeric nanoparticles are configured to undergo a thermal de-polymerization at a respective temperature and generate a unique mass spectra. The injection sequence includes an injection duration determined by a depth interval of the wellbore to be tagged by the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles and an injection pause to prevent mixing the multiple tracer tag fluids in the wellbore.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Martin E. Poitzsch, Karim Ismail, Gawain Thomas
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Patent number: 11719092Abstract: A system for drilling a wellbore is disclosed. The injection pump releases the taggant into the mud stream traveling downhole. The taggant attaches to the rock cuttings and it is detected on the surface by the taggant detector. The taggant detector provides the data relating to the taggants detected in the drilling fluid. The data is analyzed by taggant analysis and control engine, which produces an injection profile. Based on the injection profile, the IoT Controller adapts the parameters of the taggant injection pump to achieve a real-time optimization of the taggant injection.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2020Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Klemens Katterbauer, Alberto Marsala, Nouf Jabri, Martin E. Poitzsch
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Publication number: 20230193755Abstract: A wellbore that supplies production fluid from a first production zone and a second production zone is produced. Production fluids from the first and second production zone are comingled within a same production tubular. A first tracer is pulsed into the first production zone. A second tracer is pulsed into the second production zone. The first tracer and the second tracer are barcoded such that the first tracer and the second tracer can be differentiated from one another. A first tracer decay is measured at a topside facility. A second tracer decay is measured at the topside facility. A water cut of the first production zone and the second production zone is determined based upon the first tracer decay and the second tracer decay.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2021Publication date: June 22, 2023Inventors: Hsieh Chen, Martin E. Poitzsch, Hooisweng Ow, Ivan Cetkovic
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Patent number: 11660595Abstract: A blocking material is injected into a microfluidic chip that includes microscale-porosity microchannels etched in a substrate, filling at least a portion of the microchannels. Silicon dioxide spheres are injected into the microfluidic chip. The blocking material prevents the silicon dioxide spheres from entering the portion of the microchannels filled with the blocking material. The silicon dioxide spheres form a region of nanoscale porosity in a portion of the microchannels not filled with the blocking material. A solvent is injected into the microfluidic chip, the solvent operable to dissolve the blocking material and thereby providing a region of microscale porosity adjacent to the region of nanoscale porosity.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2022Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Wei Wang, Sehoon Chang, Martin E. Poitzsch