Patents by Inventor P. Matthew Spiecker

P. Matthew Spiecker 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: 20240084191
    Abstract: A slurry including a density-tunable aqueous heavy fracturing fluid and a method for completing a hydrocarbon well using such a slurry are provided herein. The slurry includes proppant particulates and the density-tunable aqueous heavy fracturing fluid, where the density-tunable aqueous heavy fracturing fluid includes a bromide-based compound. The density of the density-tunable aqueous heavy fracturing fluid is between 1 gram/cubic centimeter (g/cc) and 3.6 g/cc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Timothy J. NEDWED, Dragan STOJKOVIC, Lee J. HALL, P. Matthew SPIECKER
  • Publication number: 20230235633
    Abstract: Lost circulation particles are commonly used in drilling and/or cementing operations to prevent fluid loss to a subterranean formation. Lost circulation fluids and methods of drilling and/or cementing operations may also use petroleum coke lost circulation particles composed of fluid coke and/or flexicoke material. Such petroleum coke lost circulation particles may have improved transport into wellbores because of their lower density compared to traditional lost circulation material and may produce fewer fines that can interfere with lost circulation efficacy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Robert M. SHIRLEY, P. Matthew SPIECKER
  • Patent number: 11708758
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Comany
    Inventors: Rami Jabari, P. Matthew Spiecker, Michael C. Romer
  • Publication number: 20230175357
    Abstract: Gravel packing particles like sand are commonly used in sand control operations to form gravel packs for controlling the migration of formation particulates into a wellbore and wellbore production equipment. Gravel packing fluids and methods of sand control operations may also use petroleum coke gravel packing particles composed of fluid coke and/or flexicoke material. Such petroleum coke gravel packing particles may have improved transport into wellbores because of their lower density compared to traditional gravel packing material and may produce fewer fines that can plug gravel packs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Robert M. SHIRLEY, P. Matthew SPIECKER
  • Patent number: 11555392
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Rami Jabari, P. Matthew Spiecker, Michael C. Romer, Michael T. Hecker, Timothy J. Hall
  • Patent number: 11459501
    Abstract: Chelating acid blends for stimulation of a subterranean formation, methods of utilizing the chelating acid blends, and hydrocarbon wells that include the chelating acid blends are disclosed herein. The chelating acid blends include an acid mixture and a chelating agent or set of chelating agents. The acid mixture includes hydrochloric acid and hydrofluoric acid. The methods include providing the chelating acid blends to a wellbore of a hydrocarbon well, flowing the chelating acid blends into a subterranean formation, dissolving a fraction of a formation mineralogy of the subterranean formation with the acid mixture, and chelating poly-valent metal ions with the chelating agent. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subterranean formation, a downhole tubular that extends within the wellbore, a fracture that extends into the subterranean formation, and a chelating acid blend positioned within the fracture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Mauro Lo Cascio, Pavlin B. Entchev, Timothy J. Hall, P. Matthew Spiecker
  • Patent number: 11408275
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Rami Jabari, P. Matthew Spiecker, Michael C. Romer
  • Patent number: 11326444
    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: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Romer, Rami Jabari, P. Matthew Spiecker
  • Publication number: 20220098932
    Abstract: A capacitive cable, as well as a method for operating a downhole electro-hydraulic (EH) tool using the capacitive cable, are described herein. The capacitive cable includes at least one standard conductor and at least one capacitive conductor including integrated wire-shaped capacitors. The method includes inserting a tool string including the capacitive cable and an attached downhole EH tool into a wellbore and conducting power from the surface to the downhole EH tool via the standard conductor(s) of the capacitive cable. The method also includes storing electrical energy downhole within the capacitive conductor(s) of the capacitive cable, and activating the downhole EH tool to provide for the rapid release of the electrical energy from the capacitive conductor(s) into the downhole EH tool, initiating an electro-hydraulic event within the wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: ROMER MICHAEL C., P. MATTHEW SPIECKER, PETER A. GORDON, DRAGAN STOJKOVIC
  • Patent number: 11268358
    Abstract: 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. The methods also include forming a fluid seal within the tubular conduit with the downhole sub-assembly, decoupling the uphole sub-assembly from the downhole sub-assembly, translating the uphole sub-assembly in an uphole direction, perforating the downhole tubular with the uphole sub-assembly, translating the uphole sub-assembly in a downhole direction, coupling the uphole sub-assembly to the downhole sub-assembly, ceasing the fluid seal, and translating the downhole completion assembly in the uphole direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Rami Jabari, P. Matthew Spiecker, Michael C. Romer, Michael T. Hecker, Timothy J. Hall
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20210324260
    Abstract: Chelating acid blends for stimulation of a subterranean formation, methods of utilizing the chelating acid blends, and hydrocarbon wells that include the chelating acid blends are disclosed herein. The chelating acid blends include an acid mixture and a chelating agent or set of chelating agents. The acid mixture includes hydrochloric acid and hydrofluoric acid. The methods include providing the chelating acid blends to a wellbore of a hydrocarbon well, flowing the chelating acid blends into a subterranean formation, dissolving a fraction of a formation mineralogy of the subterranean formation with the acid mixture, and chelating poly-valent metal ions with the chelating agent. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subterranean formation, a downhole tubular that extends within the wellbore, a fracture that extends into the subterranean formation, and a chelating acid blend positioned within the fracture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Mauro Lo Cascio, Pavlin B. Entchev, Timothy J. Hall, P. Matthew Spiecker
  • 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
  • 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: 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: 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
  • Patent number: 10364659
    Abstract: Wellbore tubulars including selective stimulation ports (SSPs) sealed with sealing devices and methods of operating the same are disclosed herein. The wellbore tubulars include a tubular body that defines a tubular conduit and a plurality of selective stimulation ports. Each selective stimulation port includes an SSP conduit and a sealing device seat. The wellbore tubulars further include a plurality of sealing devices. Each sealing device includes a primary sealing portion that is seated on a corresponding sealing device seat and forms a primary seal with the corresponding sealing device seat. Each sealing device also includes a secondary sealing portion that extends from the primary sealing portion and forms a secondary seal between the primary sealing portion and the corresponding sealing device seat. The methods include methods of stimulating a subterranean formation utilizing the wellbore tubulars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C Tolman, P. Matthew Spiecker, Steve Lonnes
  • Patent number: 10309195
    Abstract: Selective stimulation ports including sealing device retainers and methods of utilizing the same are disclosed herein. The selective stimulation ports (SSPs) are configured to be operatively attached to a wellbore tubular that defines a tubular conduit. The SSPs include an SSP conduit, which extends at least substantially perpendicular to a wall of the wellbore tubular, and a sealing device receptacle, which defines at least a portion of the SSP conduit and is sized to receive a sealing device. The SSPs also include a sealing device seat, which is shaped to form a fluid seal with the sealing device. The SSPs further include a sealing device retainer, which is configured to retain the sealing device within the sealing device receptacle. The methods include methods of stimulating the hydrocarbon well utilizing the SSPs and/or methods of conveying a downhole tool within the hydrocarbon well utilizing the SSPs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, P. Matthew Spiecker, Steve Lonnes, Timothy J. Hall