Patents by Inventor Philip F. Sullivan

Philip F. Sullivan 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: 20130274149
    Abstract: Treatment fluids and methods for treating a subterranean formation are disclosed that include introducing a treatment fluid into a subterranean formation, the treatment fluid containing a nanocrystalline cellulose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Valerie Lafitte, Jesse C. Lee, Syed A. Ali, Philip F. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8550161
    Abstract: A well treatment composition is formed from a fluid mixture of a viscoelastic surfactant and a liquid carrier fluid. The fluid mixture has rheological properties wherein the mixture exhibits shear-thickening behavior when the shear rate is increased from a first shear rate to a second higher shear rate. The fluid mixture may further include a shear activation additive that interacts with the viscoelastic surfactant to facilitate the shear-thickening behavior. The method is accomplished by introducing the fluid mixture into a wellbore formed in a subterranean formation. In certain applications, the fluid mixture may be recycled by bringing the fluid mixture to the surface and reintroducing the fluid into the same or a different wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Yiyan Chen, Oscar Bustos, Philip F. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20130233551
    Abstract: Pumpable process-fluid compositions and methods for establishing hydraulic isolation in cemented subterranean wells comprise more than 1 wt % polyacrylamide and a non-metallic crosslinker. Upon entering voids and cracks in or adjacent to a cement sheath, and contacting the set-cement surfaces, the compositions react and form a seal that prevents further leakage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Inventors: Lijun Lin, Philip F. Sullivan, Gary John Tustin
  • Publication number: 20130118750
    Abstract: A method includes initiating a first hydraulic fracture with a first fracture initiation fluid at a first position in a wellbore. The method further includes positioning a high-solids content fluid (HSCF) in the first hydraulic fracture. The method further includes initiating a second hydraulic fracture with a second fracture initiation fluid at a second position in the wellbore, where the second position is not hydraulically isolated from the first position. The method further includes positioning the HSCF in the second hydraulic fracture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Inventors: Hongren Gu, Yiyan Chen, Philip F. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20120305246
    Abstract: A well treatment composition is formed from a fluid mixture of a viscoelastic surfactant and a liquid carrier fluid. The fluid mixture has rheological properties wherein the mixture exhibits shear-thickening behavior when the shear rate is increased from a first shear rate to a second higher shear rate. The fluid mixture may further include a shear activation additive that interacts with the viscoelastic surfactant to facilitate the shear-thickening behavior. The method is accomplished by introducing the fluid mixture into a wellbore formed in a subterranean formation. In certain applications, the fluid mixture may be recycled by bringing the fluid mixture to the surface and reintroducing the fluid into the same or a different wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: YIYAN CHEN, OSCAR BUSTOS, PHILIP F. SULLIVAN
  • Publication number: 20120305247
    Abstract: A method of placing particulate blend into a fracture formed in a subterranean formation from a wellbore comprises injecting through the wellbore a first treatment fluid to initiate or propagate the fracture in the subterranean formation; wherein the first treatment fluid comprises a particulate blend slurry; the particulate blend comprising at least a first amount of particulates having a first average particle size between about 100 and 5000 micrometers and at least a second amount of particulates having a second average particle size between about three and twenty times smaller than the first average particle size; injecting through the wellbore a second treatment fluid having a viscosity different from the first treatment fluid; and forming with the particulate blend slurry a plurality of particulate-rich clusters spaced apart by particulate-free regions forming open channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Yiyan Chen, Philip F. Sullivan, Anthony Loiseau, Moin Muhammad, Dmitry Ivanovich Potapenko
  • Publication number: 20120298354
    Abstract: Methods of sealing a subterranean formation including introducing a trigger-able fluid, the trigger-able fluid containing an ethylenically unsaturated monomer, into a subterranean formation, and using an electromagnetic trigger unit having a electromagnetic source to initiate polymerization of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer after at least a portion of the trigger-able fluid has permeated into the subterranean formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Philip F. Sullivan, Sumitra Mukhopadhyay
  • Publication number: 20120277128
    Abstract: The current application discloses fluids and methods for treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore. In one aspect, there is provided a fluid comprising chitosan and titanate, where the fluid has an increased viscosity compared with a solution containing chitosan without titanate. In another aspect, there is provided a method of using such fluid to treat a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore. The method may comprise mixing chitosan and titanate in a carrying medium, forming a gel comprising chitosan and titanate, introducing the gel into a subterranean formation, and treating the subterranean formation with the gel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Jack Li, Philip F. Sullivan, Robert Seth Hartshorne
  • Publication number: 20120273207
    Abstract: The current application discloses fluids and methods for treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore, such as hydraulic fracturing. In one aspect, there is provided an oilfield fluid comprising chitosan at an amount sufficient to inhibit the growth of bacterial in the oilfield fluid. In another aspect, there is provided a method of preserving an oilfield fluid containing adding chitosan at a concentration that is sufficient to inhibit the growth of bacteria in the oilfield fluid. In a further aspect, there is provided a method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore, comprising preparing a treatment fluid, adding chitosan at a concentration sufficient to inhibit the growth of bacteria in the treatment fluid, introducing the mixture to the subterranean formation, and treating the subterranean formation with the mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Jack Li, Philip F. Sullivan, Robert Seth Hartshorne
  • Patent number: 8240379
    Abstract: A well treatment composition is formed from a fluid mixture of a viscoelastic surfactant and a liquid carrier fluid. The fluid mixture has rheological properties wherein the mixture exhibits shear-thickening behavior when the shear rate is increased from a first shear rate to a second higher shear rate. The fluid mixture may further include a shear activation additive that interacts with the viscoelastic surfactant to facilitate the shear-thickening behavior. The method is accomplished by introducing the fluid mixture into a wellbore formed in a subterranean formation. In certain applications, the fluid mixture may be recycled by bringing the fluid mixture to the surface and reintroducing the fluid into the same or a different wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Yiyan Chen, Oscar Bustos, Philip F. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8215393
    Abstract: The invention discloses a method of creating a polymerized composition in a well bore: providing a polymerizable composition made of a polymerization initiator and a monomer polymerizable by frontal polymerization; introducing the polymerizable composition into the wellbore; exposing the polymerizable composition to a trigger to activate the frontal polymerization; and creating the polymerized composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce A. MacKay, Philip F. Sullivan, Nicolas Droger, Ralph M. D'Angelo, Douglas E. Miller
  • Publication number: 20120138294
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a gel or a gel concentrate comprising, polyacrylamide crosslinked with a non-metallic crosslinker comprising a polylactam. A well treatment fluid comprising the gel or the gel concentrate, a method of making the gel or the gel concentrate, and a method of using the gel or the gel concentrate are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Philip F. Sullivan, Rick D. Hutchins, Audrey Mirakyan, Gary John Tustin, Lijun Lin
  • Publication number: 20120138296
    Abstract: A slurry and method are disclosed for low damage gravel packing. The slurry comprises a solids mixture comprising a plurality of volume-averaged particle size distribution (PSD) modes such that a packed volume fraction (PVF) exceeds 0.75; a carrier fluid in an amount to provide a solids volume fraction (SVF) less than the PVF of the solids mixture; and a stability additive to inhibit settling of the solids mixture. The method comprises circulating the slurry into a wellbore to deposit the slurry downhole; terminating the slurry circulation for a period of time, wherein the stability additive inhibits settling of the solids mixture; and thereafter circulating the deposited slurry in contact with a surface of a screen. Stability additives disclosed include colloidal particles, hydratable polymer particles, and particles having an aspect ratio above 6.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mohan K.R. Panga, Philip F. Sullivan, Balkrishna Gadiyar, Ryan Hartman, Bruno Drochon, John W. Still, Bryan Stamm
  • Publication number: 20120132422
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a gel comprising, polyacrylamide crosslinked with a non-metallic crosslinker, the non-metallic crosslinker comprising a polyamine. A method of making the gel and a method of using the gel are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Inventors: Andrey Mirakyan, Philip F. Sullivan, Rick D. Hutchins, Lijun Lin, Gary John Tustin, Bruno Drochon
  • Patent number: 8167043
    Abstract: A method for well treatment by forming a temporary plug in a fracture, a perforation, a wellbore, or more than one of these locations, in a well penetrating a subterranean formation is provided, in which the method of well treatment includes: injecting a slurry comprising a degradable material, allowing the degradable material to form a plug in a perforation, a fracture, or a wellbore in a well penetrating a formation; performing a downhole operation; and allowing the degradable material to degrade after a selected time such that the plug disappears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Dean M. Willberg, Marina Bulova, Christopher N. Fredd, Alexey Vostrukhov, Curtis L. Boney, John Lassek, Ann M. W. Hoefer, Philip F. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8119574
    Abstract: A slurry and method are disclosed for low damage gravel packing. The slurry comprises a solids mixture comprising a plurality of volume-averaged particle size distribution (PSD) modes such that a packed volume fraction (PVF) exceeds 0.75; a carrier fluid in an amount to provide a solids volume fraction (SVF) less than the PVF of the solids mixture; and a stability additive to inhibit settling of the solids mixture. The method comprises circulating the slurry into a wellbore to deposit the slurry downhole; terminating the slurry circulation for a period of time, wherein the stability additive inhibits settling of the solids mixture; and thereafter circulating the deposited slurry in contact with a surface of a screen. Stability additives disclosed include colloidal particles, hydratable polymer particles, and particles having an aspect ratio above 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Mohan K. R. Panga, Philip F. Sullivan, Balkrishna Gadiyar, Ryan Hartman, Bruno Drochon, John W. Still, Bryan Stamm
  • Publication number: 20110319301
    Abstract: This invention relates to compositions and methods for treating subterranean formations, in particular, oilfield stimulation compositions and methods using water-in-water polymer emulsions to uniformly dissolve a rheologically active polymer, such as a thickener or friction reducer, in the treatment fluid. The emulsions have a low viscosity and are easily pumped for mixing into a treatment fluid, where upon dilution with an aqueous medium, the polymer is easily hydrated without forming fish-eyes. The partitioning agent in the water-in-water emulsion does not generally affect the rheology of the treatment fluid. The invention also relates to further processing of the emulsion by wet grinding, high shear mixing and/or heating to enhance the hydration rate in the preparation of the well treatment fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Philip F. Sullivan, Gary John Tustin, Yenny Christanti, Gregory Kubala, Bruno Drochon, Yiyan Chen, Marie Noelle Dessinges, Paul R. Howard
  • Publication number: 20110267922
    Abstract: The current application discloses methods and systems for generating mechanical tube waves in fluid filled boreholes penetrating subterranean formations. In one embodiment, the system of the current application comprises an energy storage chamber; a fast operating valve connected to the energy storage chamber; a pipe connected to the valve and extending to the liquid-filled borehole; where said energy storage chamber contains a first pressure that is substantially different from a second pressure in the pipe so that a fast operation of the valve generates a tube wave in the pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventors: Rod Shampine, Philip F. Sullivan, Douglas E. Miller, Dominque Guillot, Francois M. Auzerais, Richard T. Coates
  • Patent number: 8042614
    Abstract: The present invention relates to aqueous oilfield treatment fluids containing a gas component and fibers, wherein the fluids may further include a viscosifying agent and/or proppant. The fluids have good proppant suspension and transport properties as well as excellent gas phase stability. Use of fluids comprising an aqueous medium, a gas component, viscosifying agent, and fibers for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation, cleanup operations, and gravel packing a wellbore, are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Philip F. Sullivan, Christopher N. Fredd
  • Patent number: 8044000
    Abstract: This invention relates to compositions and methods for treating subterranean formations, in particular, oilfield stimulation compositions and methods using water-in-water polymer emulsions to uniformly dissolve a rheologically active polymer, such as a thickener or friction reducer, in the treatment fluid. The emulsions have a low viscosity and are easily pumped for mixing into a treatment fluid, where upon dilution with an aqueous medium, the polymer is easily hydrated without forming fish-eyes. The partitioning agent in the water-in-water emulsion does not generally affect the rheology of the treatment fluid. The invention also relates to further processing of the emulsion by wet grinding, high shear mixing and/or heating to enhance the hydration rate in the preparation of the well treatment fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Philip F. Sullivan, Gary John Tustin, Yenny Christanti, Gregory Kubala, Bruno Drochon, Yiyan Chen, Marie Noelle Dessinges, Paul R. Howard