Patents by Inventor Michael S. Juenke

Michael S. Juenke 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: 11773701
    Abstract: A gas pump system for producing a well has production tubing, a chamber to collect liquid from the well, a check valve to allow well liquids to flow into the chamber and to check flow out of the chamber, a dip tube in communication with the production tubing and the chamber, a check valve to allow liquid to flow up the dip tube into the production tubing and to check liquid flowing down the dip tube, a gas supply line to convey gas into the chamber, a hydraulic valve controlling flow through the gas supply line, a gas vent line to vent gas from the chamber, a hydraulic valve controlling flow through the gas vent line, a control line communicating with one or both of the gas supply valve and the gas vent valve, and a shut-off valve in the well controlling flow through the control line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: KHOLLE Magnolia 2015, LLC
    Inventors: Michael S. Juenke, Stephen W. Turk, E. Lee Colley, III
  • Patent number: 11767740
    Abstract: A gas lift system for oil and gas wells has a gas pump. The gas pump comprises production tubing, a chamber, a dip tube, check valves, a gas supply line and control valve, a gas vent line and control valve, and a fluid control line. Liquid is pumped to the surface by allowing it to collect in the chamber and then forcing it out of the chamber with high-pressure gas. The gas supply and vent valves preferably are controlled by a single pressure control line. The system preferably included retrievable valves that may be installed through the production tubing to provide a life-of-the-well gas lift system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: KHOLLE Magnolia 2015, LLC
    Inventors: Michael S. Juenke, Stephen W. Turk, E. Lee Colley, III
  • Patent number: 11753913
    Abstract: A method of unloading and producing liquids from a well uses a plurality of gas injection valves installed on a production tubing. The injection valves are controlled by pressure signals transmitted through a single fluid control line. A first pressure signal is applied to the control line to open the plurality of injection valves. Gas is pumped into the annulus at an injection pressure until a first pressure drop occurs in the injection pressure, the first pressure drop being indicative of gas flowing through a first, upper one of the injection valves. Pumping of gas is continued until a second pressure drop occurs in the injection pressure, the second pressure drop being indicative of gas flowing through a second, lower one of the injection valves. A second, lower pressure signal then is applied to close the first injection valve while leaving the second injection valve open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: KHOLLE Magnolia 2015, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen W. Turk, Michael S. Juenke, E. Lee Colley, III
  • Patent number: 11613973
    Abstract: A gas control valve has a valve housing, a gas flowpath, a piston, a valve seat, a valve body, an actuating chamber, and a stack of Belleville washers. The valve housing has a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a control fluid inlet. The gas flowpath runs from the gas inlet to the gas outlet. The piston reciprocates away from and towards a normal position. The valve body is coupled to the piston and is adapted to selectively seat on the valve seat to open and shut the gas flowpath. The actuating chamber communicates with the control fluid inlet. The washer stack is under compression to bias the piston in the normal position. The piston is responsive to fluid pressure in the actuating chamber and the washer stack so that the valve may be selectively opened and closed by sequentially increasing and decreasing pressure in the actuating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: KHOLLE Magnolia 2015, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen W. Turk, Michael S. Juenke, E. Lee Colley, III
  • Patent number: 10920546
    Abstract: An exemplary method of the present disclosure includes causing, by a processing system proximate to the wellbore, injection of the lift gas into the wellbore at a first gas injection rate; obtaining, by the processing system, a first indication of a parameter associated with the wellbore, an arrival of a first fluid at a wellhead associated with the wellbore, or a composition of the first fluid; determining, by the processing system and based on the first indication, at least one of: a second gas injection rate of the intermittent gas lift system, a first period to inject the lift gas with the intermittent gas lift system, or a second period, subsequent to the first period, with no injection of the lift gas by the intermittent gas lift system; and operating, by the processing system, the intermittent gas lift system according to the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Moffett, Ashish David Rakhit, Stephen Long, Michael S. Juenke, Stephen E. Cannon
  • Patent number: 10858921
    Abstract: A gas lift system for oil and gas wells has a gas pump. The gas pump comprises production tubing, a chamber, a dip tube, check valves, a gas supply line and control valve, a gas vent line and control valve, and a fluid control line. Liquid is pumped to the surface by allowing it to collect in the chamber and then forcing it out of the chamber with high-pressure gas. The gas supply and vent valves preferably are controlled by a single pressure control line. The system preferably included retrievable valves that may be installed through the production tubing to provide a life-of-the-well gas lift system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: KHOLLE Magnolia 2015, LLC
    Inventors: Michael S. Juenke, Stephen W. Turk, E. Lee Colley, III
  • Publication number: 20200277844
    Abstract: An exemplary method of the present disclosure includes causing, by a processing system proximate to the wellbore, injection of the lift gas into the wellbore at a first gas injection rate; obtaining, by the processing system, a first indication of a parameter associated with the wellbore, an arrival of a first fluid at a wellhead associated with the wellbore, or a composition of the first fluid; determining, by the processing system and based on the first indication, at least one of: a second gas injection rate of the intermittent gas lift system, a first period to inject the lift gas with the intermittent gas lift system, or a second period, subsequent to the first period, with no injection of the lift gas by the intermittent gas lift system; and operating, by the processing system, the intermittent gas lift system according to the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Ross MOFFETT, Ashish DAVID RAKHIT, Stephen LONG, Michael S. JUENKE, Stephen E. CANNON
  • Patent number: 10689958
    Abstract: An exemplary method of the present disclosure includes causing, by a processing system proximate to the wellbore, injection of the lift gas into the wellbore at a first gas injection rate; obtaining, by the processing system, a first indication of a parameter associated with the wellbore, an arrival of a first fluid at a wellhead associated with the wellbore, or a composition of the first fluid; determining, by the processing system and based on the first indication, at least one of: a second gas injection rate of the intermittent gas lift system, a first period to inject the lift gas with the intermittent gas lift system, or a second period, subsequent to the first period, with no injection of the lift gas by the intermittent gas lift system; and operating, by the processing system, the intermittent gas lift system according to the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Moffett, Ashish Rakhit, Stephen Long, Michael S. Juenke, Stephen E. Cannon
  • Publication number: 20180179869
    Abstract: An exemplary method of the present disclosure includes causing, by a processing system proximate to the wellbore, injection of the lift gas into the wellbore at a first gas injection rate; obtaining, by the processing system, a first indication of a parameter associated with the wellbore, an arrival of a first fluid at a wellhead associated with the wellbore, or a composition of the first fluid; determining, by the processing system and based on the first indication, at least one of: a second gas injection rate of the intermittent gas lift system, a first period to inject the lift gas with the intermittent gas lift system, or a second period, subsequent to the first period, with no injection of the lift gas by the intermittent gas lift system; and operating, by the processing system, the intermittent gas lift system according to the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Ross Moffett, Ashish RAKHIT, Stephen LONG, Michael S. JUENKE, Stephen E. CANNON
  • Publication number: 20160090827
    Abstract: A plunger lift system has a plunger with a sleeve and a spear that dispose in tubing. The sleeve and spear can move in the tubing between a bumper and a lubricator. The sleeve has a passage for fluid to pass therethrough, and the spear can insert partially into the sleeve's passage. The sleeve and spear fall independently of one another from the surface to the bumper. When disposed on the bumper, the sleeve and spear mate together. Building gas pressure downhole can then lift the mated sleeve and spear, which can sweep liquid along the tubing and push the liquid along with them to the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Manish Agarwal, Michael S. Juenke
  • Patent number: 9057255
    Abstract: A gas lift system has mandrels deploying downhole and has gas lift valves deploying on the mandrels. In general, the mandrel can have an interior and can have at least one port communicating outside the mandrel. To achieve higher gas injection while maintaining component sizes in desirable ranges, the gas lift valve of the present disclosure has multiple injection outlets, and a common opening pressure can control the opening of each of the injection outlets in the valve. The valve can open in two places, allowing gas to flow through the nose of the valve as well as through a ported latch at the top of the valve. In this way, that valve can offer larger injection capabilities while keeping a suitable outside diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Michael S. Juenke
  • Publication number: 20130087343
    Abstract: A gas lift system has mandrels deploying downhole and has gas lift valves deploying on the mandrels. In general, the mandrel can have an interior and can have at least one port communicating outside the mandrel. To achieve higher gas injection while maintaining component sizes in desirable ranges, the gas lift valve of the present disclosure has multiple injection outlets, and a common opening pressure can control the opening of each of the injection outlets in the valve. The valve can open in two places, allowing gas to flow through the nose of the valve as well as through a ported latch at the top of the valve. In this way, that valve can offer larger injection capabilities while keeping a suitable outside diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.
    Inventor: Michael S. Juenke