Patents by Inventor Naima Bestaoui-Spurr

Naima Bestaoui-Spurr 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).

  • Publication number: 20250257257
    Abstract: A method of removing deposits from a substrate includes contacting the deposits with a treatment fluid containing a solvent and an additive composition including at least one of an alkylbenzene sulfonic acid or an alkylbenzene sulfonate wherein the treatment fluid is substantially free of water; and separating the deposits from the substrate with the treatment fluid to remove the deposits from the substrate, wherein the deposits includes asphaltenes. The deposits can be removed during a fracturing, acidizing, sand control, remedial, completion, or refracturing operation. The treatment fluid can also reduce the viscosity of crude oil and enhance oil recovery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2025
    Publication date: August 14, 2025
    Inventors: Wendy Huval, Marty Usie, Kelly Berard, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr
  • Publication number: 20250163312
    Abstract: A method of removing deposits from a substrate includes contacting the deposits with a treatment fluid containing a solvent and an additive composition including at least one of an alkylbenzene sulfonic acid or an alkylbenzene sulfonate; and separating the deposits from the substrate with the treatment fluid to remove the deposits from the substrate, wherein the deposits includes asphaltenes. The deposits can be removed during a fracturing, acidizing, sand control, remedial, completion, or refracturing operation. The treatment fluid can also reduce the viscosity of crude oil and enhance oil recovery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Publication date: May 22, 2025
    Inventors: Wendy Huval, Marty Usie, Kelly Berard, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr
  • Publication number: 20250145878
    Abstract: A method of imparting hydrophobicity and/or oleophobicity to a surface of a subterranean formation penetrated by a well during production of hydrocarbons from the well consists of pumping a surface modifying wettability agent into the well, the surface modifying wettability agent having an anchor, one or more hydrophobic and/or oleophobic functional groups attached to the anchor and one or more alkoxy groups as blocking moieties which increase stability of the agent in the presence of water by slowing down hydrolysis at the formation surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2025
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventors: Radhika Suresh, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Kimberly Spurlock-Lant
  • Publication number: 20250145879
    Abstract: Reservoir monitoring of a producing well consists of use of a tagged asphaltene inhibitor to determine deposition of asphaltene in the well. A renewable amount of tagged asphaltene inhibitor may be introduced into the well once the amount of tagged inhibitor in the well approaches a pre-determined minimum inhibitory concentration of the tagged asphaltene inhibitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2023
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventors: Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Frances H. DeBenedictis, Sumit Bhaduri
  • Patent number: 12234406
    Abstract: A method of imparting hydrophobicity and/or oleophobicity to a surface of a subterranean formation penetrated by a well during production of hydrocarbons from the well consists of pumping a surface modifying wettability agent into the well, the surface modifying wettability agent having an anchor, one or more hydrophobic and/or oleophobic functional groups attached to the anchor and one or more alkoxy groups as blocking moieties which increase stability of the agent in the presence of water by slowing down hydrolysis at the formation surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventors: Radhika Suresh, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Kimberly Spurlock-Lant
  • Publication number: 20240384154
    Abstract: A method of imparting hydrophobicity and/or oleophobicity to a surface of a subterranean formation penetrated by a well during production of hydrocarbons from the well consists of pumping a surface modifying wettability agent into the well, the surface modifying wettability agent having an anchor, one or more hydrophobic and/or oleophobic functional groups attached to the anchor and one or more alkoxy groups as blocking moieties which increase stability of the agent in the presence of water by slowing down hydrolysis at the formation surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventors: Radhika Suresh, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Kimberly Spurlock-Lant
  • Patent number: 12060523
    Abstract: Oil-soluble well treatment agents may be slowly released into a well or a subterranean formation by use of an aqueous fluid of (i) an oil-in-water dispersion having the oil-soluble well treatment agent as a dispersed phase and (ii) a second component having an oil-soluble or water-soluble primer coated onto a portion of its surface. The amount of the oil-soluble well treatment agent in the oil-in-water dispersion is from 20 to 50 weight percent and the average particle size of the oil-soluble well treatment agent in the dispersion may be from 0.005 to 2 micrometers. The oil-in-water dispersion may further contain a water-soluble well treatment agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Francis H. DeBenedictis, D. V. Satyanarayana Gupta, Sumit Bhaduri
  • Patent number: 11981864
    Abstract: An aqueous fluid is gelled in a productive zone of a subterranean formation to create a temporary fluid-impermeable barrier. The fluid contains nanoparticles, a polyacrylamide having a weight average molecular weight from about 1.5 million to 22 million Dalton and an encapsulated liquid crosslinking agent. Upon release of the liquid crosslinking agent, the barrier is formed by crosslinking the polyacrylamide. The nanoparticles remain dispersed in the crosslinked gel. The fluid-impermeable barrier is effective over a period of at least 1 hour up to 2 weeks while the downhole temperature in the well is at least 300° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventors: Mohamed Dawara, Robert Comer, Julio R. Gomez, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Kimberly Spurlock-Lant, Ahmed Shehata, Camilo Andres Franco Ariza, Samira Heidari, Farid Bernardo Cortes Correa
  • Publication number: 20220177775
    Abstract: Oil-soluble well treatment agents may be slowly released into a well or a subterranean formation by use of an aqueous fluid of (i) an oil-in-water dispersion having the oil-soluble well treatment agent as a dispersed phase and (ii) a second component having an oil-soluble or water-soluble primer coated onto a portion of its surface. The amount of the oil-soluble well treatment agent in the oil-in-water dispersion is from 20 to 50 weight percent and the average particle size of the oil-soluble well treatment agent in the dispersion may be from 0.005 to 2 micrometers. The oil-in-water dispersion may further contain a water-soluble well treatment agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2022
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Francis H. DeBenedictis, D.V. Satyanarayana Gupta, Sumit Bhaduri
  • Patent number: 11155751
    Abstract: The strength of a proppant or sand control particulate may be improved by coating the proppant to form a composite. The composite has enhanced compressive strength between about 34 to about 130 MPa and minimizes the spalling of fines at closure stresses in excess of 5,000 psi. Conductivity of the proppant pack in the fractures is further enhanced due to the increase in strength of the particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Hanh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10961444
    Abstract: A composite for controlling the release of a well treatment agent or for inhibiting or preventing the formation of contaminants into a fluid or a surface within a reservoir contains a well treatment agent immobilized on a surface of the support or into the pores of a porous support. The composite is at least partially coated with an organic polymer or inorganic material. The composite exhibits sufficient strength for the composite to be used as a proppant or in conjunction with a proppant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventors: Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Marty J. Usie, Frances H. DeBenedictis
  • Publication number: 20200231867
    Abstract: The strength of a proppant or sand control particulate may be improved by coating the proppant to form a composite. The composite has enhanced compressive strength between about 34 to about 130 MPa and minimizes the spalling of fines at closure stresses in excess of 5,000 psi. Conductivity of the proppant pack in the fractures is further enhanced due to the increase in strength of the particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Naima BESTAOUI-SPURR, Hanh NGUYEN
  • Patent number: 10704365
    Abstract: Fouling caused by contaminants onto a metallic tubular, flow conduit or vessel in an underground reservoir or extending from or to an underground reservoir may be inhibited by applying onto the surface of the metallic tubular, flow conduit or vessel a treatment agent comprising a hydrophobic tail and an anchor. The anchor attaches the treatment agent onto the surface of the metallic tubular, flow conduit or vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Terry D. Monroe, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Sumit Bhaduri, Qi Qu
  • Patent number: 10648304
    Abstract: A well treatment fluid contains a surface modifying treatment agent having an anchor and a hydrophobic tail. The surface modifying treatment agent is an organophosphorus acid derivative. After the well treatment fluid is pumped into a well penetrating the subterranean formation, the anchor binds to the surface of the formation. The subterranean formation is a siliceous formation or a metal oxide-containing subterranean formation. The anchor bonds to a Si atom when the formation is a siliceous formation and to the metal of the metal oxide when the formation is a metal oxide-containing formation. After being bound to the surface of the formation, frictional drag within the well is reduced. This allows for faster recovery of formation fluids. The bonding of the surface modifying treatment agent onto the formation may further be enhanced by first pre-treating the formation with a non-aqueous fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Kimberly Spurlock Lant, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Sumit Bhaduri, James B. Crews, Hoang Le, Terry D. Monroe, Qi Qu
  • Patent number: 10611955
    Abstract: A composite having a solid particulate and a surface modifying treatment agent on the solid particulate wherein the surface modifying treatment agent has a hydrophobic tail and an anchor for adhering the hydrophobic tail onto the solid particulate. The anchor is an organophosphorus acid derivative. The composite may be used as a proppant in a hydraulic fracturing operation as well as a sand control particulate in a gravel packing operation. The presence of the surface modifying treatment agent on the surface of the solid particulate reduces the generation of fines and dust as well as the migration of sand during a hydraulic fracturing operation or a sand control operation. The presence of the surface modifying treatment agent on the surface of the solid particulate further enhances the crush resistance of the solid particulate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Terry D. Monroe, Brian B. Beall, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Sumit Bhaduri, Kimberly Spurlock Lant, Hoang Le, Qi Qu
  • Publication number: 20190234184
    Abstract: Fouling caused by contaminants onto a metallic tubular, flow conduit or vessel in an underground reservoir or extending from or to an underground reservoir may be inhibited by applying onto the surface of the metallic tubular, flow conduit or vessel a treatment agent comprising a hydrophobic tail and an anchor. The anchor attaches the treatment agent onto the surface of the metallic tubular, flow conduit or vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Terry D. Monroe, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Sumit Bhaduri, Qi Qu
  • Patent number: 10301535
    Abstract: Relatively low strength and/or relatively low density, but ductile materials may be folded or crumpled and finely divided to give proppants for introduction into hydraulic fractures, where the folded or crumpled structure of the proppants gives relatively increased strength relative to the relatively low strength and/or relatively low density of the materials. Materials not previously considered suitable for proppants may be considered when structure or configured in this manner. Similarly to the case where crumpled paper within a cardboard box keeps it from collapsing, the folded or crumpled material spontaneously develops structural rigidity at relatively low volume fractions without a specific externally imposed design. The folded or crumpled proppants may also be used alone or together with conventional proppants for sand control in gravel packs or frac packs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Stephanie A. Weiss, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr
  • Patent number: 10253598
    Abstract: Improving the knowledge about how hydraulic fracture networks are generated in subsurface shale volumes in unconventional wellbores may be accomplished with various configurations of at least one diagnostic lateral wellbore using at least one diagnostic device disposed in the diagnostic lateral wellbore. By extending diagnostic lateral wellbores from adjacent lateral wellbores and/or separately drilling diagnostic lateral wellbores, and analyzing signals received by diagnostic devices placed in the diagnostic lateral wellbores, knowledge about fracture networks, the parameters that control fracture geometry and reservoir production and how reservoirs react to refracturing techniques may be greatly improved. Additionally, such diagnostic lateral wellbores can provide quicker location of sweet-spot horizons in reservoirs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: James B. Crews, Robert Samuel Hurt, Hyunil Jo, Tianping Huang, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr
  • Patent number: 10227846
    Abstract: Fouling caused by contaminants onto a metallic tubular, flow conduit or vessel in an underground reservoir or extending from or to an underground reservoir may be inhibited by applying onto the surface of the metallic tubular, flow conduit or vessel a treatment agent comprising a hydrophobic tail and an anchor. The anchor attaches the treatment agent onto the surface of the metallic tubular, flow conduit or vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Terry D. Monroe, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr, Sumit Bhaduri, Qi Qu
  • Publication number: 20190031950
    Abstract: The strength of a proppant or sand control particulate may be improved by coating the proppant to form a composite. The composite has enhanced compressive strength between about 60 to about 130 MPa and minimizes the spalling of fines at closure stresses in excess of 10,000 psi. Conductivity of fractures is further enhanced by forming a pack of the composites in the fracture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventor: NAIMA BESTAOUI-SPURR