Patents by Inventor Michael C. Romer

Michael C. Romer 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: 11268341
    Abstract: Wellbore plugs that include an interrogation device, hydrocarbon wells that include the wellbore plugs, and methods of operating the hydrocarbon wells are disclosed herein. The wellbore plugs include a plug body, an interrogation device, and a sealing structure. The interrogation device is contained within the plug body and includes a sensor configured to detect at least one parameter of the hydrocarbon well. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore, a downhole tubular, the plug, and a communication device configured to receive communication data from the interrogation device. The methods include releasing an interrogation device from a plug, detecting at least one parameter within the hydrocarbon well with the interrogation device, transmitting communication data from the interrogation device, and receiving the communication data with a communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Rami Jabari, Timothy J. Hall, P. Matthew Spiecker, Michael C. Romer
  • Patent number: 11255190
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells and methods of interrogating fluid flow within hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore and downhole tubing that defines a tubing conduit and extends within the wellbore. The hydrocarbon wells also include an interrogation device. The interrogation device is configured to indicate at least one property of fluid flow within the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells also include a downhole location at which the interrogation device is released into the tubing conduit and a detection structure configured to query the interrogation device to determine the at least one property of fluid flow within the hydrocarbon wells. The methods include releasing an interrogation device at a downhole location within a hydrocarbon well and flowing the interrogation device from the downhole location to a surface region. The methods also include querying the interrogation device to determine at least one property of fluid flow within the hydrocarbon well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Ted A. Long, Tony W. Hord
  • Publication number: 20220049695
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) monitoring system is described herein. The ESP monitoring system includes a base monitoring unit and a discharge monitoring unit that are communicably coupled via a ground path. The discharge monitoring unit is hydraulically coupled to the pump discharge and is configured to measure a discharge parameter relating to the pump discharge and transmit data corresponding to the discharge parameter to the base monitoring unit via the ground path. The base monitoring unit is electrically connected to the motor of the ESP system and is configured to measure a base parameter relating to the motor and/or the pump intake, receive the transmitted data corresponding to the discharge parameter from the discharge monitoring unit, combine the data corresponding to the discharge parameter and the data corresponding to the base parameter, and transmit the combined data to an ESP surface unit via an ESP power cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Wilfried Manfoumbi
  • Publication number: 20210317724
    Abstract: A self-destructible frac ball is described herein. The self-destructible frac ball is configured to seal a hydraulic flow path through a fluid conduit of a frac plug when engaged on a ball seat of the frac plug. The self-destructible frac ball includes an activation mechanism configured to activate a destructive medium in response to the satisfaction of at least one predetermined condition. The self-destructible frac ball also includes the destructive medium, which is configured to destroy the self-destructible frac ball and a corresponding destructible ball retainer when activated by the activation mechanism. The destruction of the self-destructible frac ball and the corresponding destructible ball retainer reestablishes the hydraulic flow path through the fluid conduit of the frac plug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Timothy J. Hall
  • Publication number: 20210317716
    Abstract: A lock mandrel is described herein. The lock mandrel includes an upper connector and a lower connector. The upper connector includes locking keys configured to attach the lock mandrel to a landing nipple on a tubing within a hydrocarbon well. The upper connector also includes a spring-loaded locking collar configured to prevent the locking keys from disengaging from the landing nipple by pressing radially against the locking keys from the inside when in a seated position, and allow the locking keys to disengage from the landing nipple by retracting away from the locking keys when in an unseated position. The lower connector includes a tool adaptor configured to attach a downhole tool to the lock mandrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Santos Ortiz, George King
  • Patent number: 11105384
    Abstract: Systems and a method for braking an object are provided. An example method, includes determining the expected speed of the object, monitoring the expected speed of the object, and determining if the actual speed of the object is within a preset tolerance of the expected speed. If the speed is not within the preset tolerance of the expected speed, a magnetorheological brake is activated to slow the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Jeff H. Moss
  • Patent number: 11078775
    Abstract: A method of identifying and diagnosing open gas lift valves in a gas lift production well, the gas lift production well including a production tubular having a plurality of mechanical gas lift valves, and a casing surrounding a portion of the tubular to form an annulus. The method includes reducing injection pressure below the minimum design opening pressure of each of the plurality of mechanical gas lift valves to close each of the plurality of mechanical gas lift valves; incrementally increasing injection pressure to operating or designed injection pressure to sequentially open one or more of the plurality of mechanical gas lift valves; measuring pressure, amplitude, frequency and/or wave patterns produced by the sequential opening of the one or more mechanical gas lift valves; and determining the location of the one or more mechanical gas lift valve locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Tony W. Hord
  • Publication number: 20210189845
    Abstract: Downhole completion assemblies and methods for completing a hydrocarbon well are provided. The downhole completion assemblies include an uphole sub-assembly having a perforation device, a downhole sub-assembly having a sealing structure, and a coupler configured to repeatedly couple and decouple the downhole sub-assembly and the uphole sub-assembly to one another. The methods include positioning a downhole completion assembly in a tubular conduit of a downhole tubular of a hydrocarbon well. The downhole completion assembly includes a downhole sub-assembly and an uphole sub-assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Rami Jabari, P. Matthew Spiecker, Michael C. Romer, Michael T. Hecker, Timothy J. Hall
  • Patent number: 11035201
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including electrically actuated gas lift valve assemblies and methods of providing gas lift in a hydrocarbon well. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subterranean formation and downhole tubing that extends within the wellbore. The hydrocarbon wells also include a lift gas supply system configured to provide a lift gas stream to a lift gas supply conduit of the wellbore, a plurality of electrically actuated gas lift valve assemblies, a valve power supply system, and a controller. The methods include measuring a respective pressure differential between a lift gas supply conduit and a production conduit of the hydrocarbon well at each electrically actuated gas lift valve assembly in a plurality of electrically actuated gas lift valve assemblies of the hydrocarbon well. The methods also include selectively opening a selected electrically actuated gas lift valve assembly based on the respective pressure differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Christopher C. Frazier, Ted A. Long, Dustin H. Rose, Joseph Salviz, Michael C. Romer, Anthony J. Bermea, Billy-Bob Walker
  • Publication number: 20210131238
    Abstract: A self-adjusting gas lift system and corresponding self-adjusting gas lift valve (GLV) are described herein. The self-adjusting gas lift system includes a number of self-adjusting GLVs that fluidically couple an annulus of a well to an interior of a production tubing of the well. Each of the self-adjusting GLVs is configured to open to allow a compressed gas to flow from the annulus to the interior of the production tubing when a pressure differential between an injection pressure of the compressed gas within the annulus and a production pressure of fluids within the production tubing is within an engineered range. Each of the self-adjusting GLVs is also configured to close when the pressure differential is outside the to engineered range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Dragan Stojkovic, Michael C. Romer, Federico G. Gallo
  • Publication number: 20210131275
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells and associated methods that utilize radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and flowable interrogators to interrogate the hydrocarbon wells are provided. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore, a downhole tubular that defines a tubular conduit and extends within the wellbore, and a plurality of RFID tags. The hydrocarbon wells also include a downhole interrogator storage structure that includes a plurality of flowable interrogators and a well-side communication device. Methods of operating the hydrocarbon wells are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Rami Jabari, P. Matthew Spiecker
  • Publication number: 20210123341
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells and methods of probing a subsurface region of the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore, a downhole sensor storage structure, and a detection structure. The wellbore may extend within a subsurface region and between a surface region and a downhole end region. The downhole sensor storage structure is configured to release a flowable sensor into a wellbore fluid that extends within the wellbore, and the flowable sensor may be configured to collect sensor data indicative of at least one property of the subsurface region. The detection structure may be configured to query the flowable sensor to determine the at least one property of the subsurface region. The methods include releasing a flowable sensor, collecting sensor data with the flowable sensor, and querying the flowable sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Rami Jabari, P. Matthew Spiecker, Michael C. Romer
  • Publication number: 20210123335
    Abstract: Methods of completing a hydrocarbon well. The methods include establishing a first fluid seal with an isolation device, forming a first perforation with a perforation device, and fracturing a first zone of a subsurface region with a pressurizing fluid stream. The methods also include moving the isolation device and the perforation device in an uphole direction within a tubular conduit of a downhole tubular that extends within a wellbore of the hydrocarbon well. Subsequent to the moving, the methods further include repeating the establishing to establish a second fluid seal, repeating the forming to form a second perforation with the perforation device, and repeating the fracturing to fracture a second zone of the subsurface region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Rami Jabari, P. Matthew Spiecker, Michael C. Romer, Michael T. Hecker, Timothy J. Hall
  • Publication number: 20210102597
    Abstract: Systems and a method for resisting a fluctuation in a value of a parameter relating to well equipment using a magnetorheological dampener system are described herein. The method includes continuously determining the value of the parameter relating to the well equipment, determining a fluctuation in the value of the parameter, and comparing the fluctuation in the value of the parameter to a preset limit. The method also includes energizing an electromagnet to increase a viscosity of a magnetorheological fluid (MRF) if the fluctuation exceeds the preset limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventor: Michael C. Romer
  • Publication number: 20210095547
    Abstract: A gas lift valve (GLV) is described herein. The GLV includes a power generation device that uses a fluid flowing through the GLV to generate power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Eric R. Grueschow, Michael C. Romer
  • Patent number: 10934830
    Abstract: Downhole gas separators, artificial lift systems including the downhole gas separators, hydrocarbon wells including the artificial lift systems, and methods of separating a gas from a liquid hydrocarbon within a hydrocarbon well. The downhole gas separators include an elongate outer housing that defines an enclosed volume, a fluid inlet port, and a gas outlet port. The downhole gas separators further include an elongate dip tube that extends within the enclosed volume, and the gas outlet port is configured to selectively provide fluid communication between the enclosed volume and an external region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Jason Y. Wang, Andrey A. Troshko, Scott R. Buechler, Michael C. Romer
  • Publication number: 20210010348
    Abstract: Systems and a method for braking an object are provided. An example method, includes determining the expected speed of the object, monitoring the expected speed of the object, and determining if the actual speed of the object is within a preset tolerance of the expected speed. If the speed is not within the preset tolerance of the expected speed, a magnetorheological brake is activated to slow the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Jeff H. Moss
  • Publication number: 20200378242
    Abstract: Downhole plugs including a sensor, hydrocarbon wells including the downhole plugs, and methods of operating the hydrocarbon wells. The downhole plugs include a sealing structure, an actuation mechanism, and the sensor. The actuation mechanism is configured to selectively transition the sealing structure between a disengaged state, in which the downhole plug is free to move within a tubular conduit of a downhole tubular of the hydrocarbon well, and an engaged state, in which the sealing structure operatively engages with the downhole tubular, forms a fluid seal with the downhole tubular, and resists motion of the downhole plug within the tubular conduit. The sensor is configured to detect a sensed parameter within the tubular conduit and to generate a sensor signal indicative of the sensed parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Rami Jabari, P. Matthew Spiecker, Michael C. Romer
  • Publication number: 20200378223
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including gas lift valves and methods of providing gas lift in a hydrocarbon well. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore extending within a subsurface region and a downhole tubular extending within the wellbore. The downhole tubular defines a tubular conduit, and the wellbore and the downhole tubular define an annular space therebetween. The hydrocarbon wells also include a lift gas supply system configured to provide a lift gas stream to the annular space and a closure material supply system configured to provide a closure material stream to the annular space. The hydrocarbon wells further includes a gas lift valve operatively attached to the downhole tubular. The gas lift valve includes a lift gas injection conduit and an actuation mechanism. The actuation mechanism selectively transitions to a closed state responsive to contact with the closure material. The methods include methods of operating the hydrocarbon wells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: David A. Howell, Rosmer Maria Brito Jurado, Federico G. Gallo, Michael C. Romer
  • Publication number: 20200370390
    Abstract: Wellbore plugs that include an interrogation device, hydrocarbon wells that include the wellbore plugs, and methods of operating the hydrocarbon wells are disclosed herein. The wellbore plugs include a plug body, an interrogation device, and a sealing structure. The interrogation device is contained within the plug body and includes a sensor configured to detect at least one parameter of the hydrocarbon well. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore, a downhole tubular, the plug, and a communication device configured to receive communication data from the interrogation device. The methods include releasing an interrogation device from a plug, detecting at least one parameter within the hydrocarbon well with the interrogation device, transmitting communication data from the interrogation device, and receiving the communication data with a communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Rami Jabari, Timothy J. Hall, P. Matthew Spiecker, Michael C Romer