Patents by Inventor PHILIP M. SINGER
PHILIP M. SINGER 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).
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Patent number: 11933932Abstract: This invention is useful for determining the permeability of a geological formation using 1H NMR diffusion measurements acquired in the laboratory and using downhole 1H NMR well logging. The current technology for obtaining formation permeability downhole using NMR is not adequate for low-permeability, unconventional source rock formations with high organic content. This new method uses laboratory 1H NMR diffusion measurements for creating continuous downhole well logs of the mobile-hydrocarbon permeability of the hydrocarbon-filled pore space of downhole geological formations.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2021Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: VINEGAR TECHNOLOGIES LLCInventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Philip M. Singer, George J. Hirasaki, Zeliang Chen, Xinglin Wang, Eva Vinegar
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Patent number: 11921069Abstract: The following invention is used for determining the relative permeability of a fluid in a rock for three different phases: water, oil, and gas, in both conventional and unconventional formations. The permeability of a phase describes how much it can flow in porous media given a pressure gradient and is useful in evaluating reservoir quality and productivity. The following invention is a method to determine the three-phase relative permeabilities in both conventional and unconventional formations using NMR restricted diffusion measurements on core with NMR-active nuclei, combined with centrifugation of the core. In addition, the tortuosity, pore size (surface-to-volume ratio), fluid-filled porosity, and permeability is determined for each of the three phases in a rock.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2021Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Vinegar Technologies LLCInventors: Eva Vinegar, Philip M. Singer, George J. Hirasaki, Zeliang Chen, Xinglin Wang, Harold J. Vinegar
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Patent number: 11099292Abstract: New methods for determining the volumetric composition and saturation of methane and NGLs (natural gas liquids: ethane, propane, butane, and pentane) in a petroleum reservoir combining NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) logging and NMR core analysis and for determining the mean pore-size and tortuosity of the light hydrocarbon-filled porosity in a petroleum reservoir using NMR core analysis.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2020Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: Vinegar Technologies LLCInventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Philip M. Singer, George J. Hirasaki, Zeliang Chen, Xinglin Wang
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Patent number: 10718701Abstract: A method for determining a wettability of a subterranean formation (or formation core) includes either deploying a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logging tool in a subterranean wellbore or deploying a formation core sample in a laboratory based NMR tool. NMR measurements of the formation (or formation core) are obtained and used to compute the wettability. The NMR measurements are processed to generate a two dimensional diffusion relaxation map (a D/T2 map) which is in turn processed to compute the wettability.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2016Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Chanh Cao Minh, Steve Crary, Philip M. Singer, Andrea Valori, Henry N. Bachman
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Patent number: 10466186Abstract: A method for testing an unconventional core sample is provided. The method involves loading the unconventional core sample into a sample holder and introducing fluid into the sample holder at an elevated pressure such that fluid is injected into the internal pore space of the unconventional core sample in order to resaturate the unconventional core sample with the fluid, wherein the fluid is selected from the group including a hydrocarbon fluid and a water-based formation fluid. An apparatus and a system used in combination with the method are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2015Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Ravinath Kausik Kadayam Viswanathan, Kamilla Fellah, Erik Rylander, Philip M. Singer, Richard E. Lewis
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Publication number: 20160341680Abstract: A method for testing an unconventional core sample is provided. The method involves loading the unconventional core sample into a sample holder and introducing fluid into the sample holder at an elevated pressure such that fluid is injected into the internal pore space of the unconventional core sample in order to resaturate the unconventional core sample with the fluid, wherein the fluid is selected from the group including a hydrocarbon fluid and a water-based formation fluid. An apparatus and a system used in combination with the method are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2015Publication date: November 24, 2016Inventors: Ravinath Kausik Kadayam Viswanathan, Kamilla Fellah, Erik Rylander, Philip M. Singer, Richard E. Lewis
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Publication number: 20160334346Abstract: A method for determining a wettability of a subterranean formation (or formation core) includes either deploying a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logging tool in a subterranean wellbore or deploying a formation core sample in a laboratory based NMR tool. NMR measurements of the formation (or formation core) are obtained and used to compute the wettability. The NMR measurements are processed to generate a two dimensional diffusion relaxation map (a D/T2 map) which is in turn processed to compute the wettability.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2016Publication date: November 17, 2016Inventors: Chanh Cao Minh, Steve Crary, Philip M. Singer, Andrea Valori, Henry N. Bachman
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Patent number: 9405037Abstract: Methods are described for wettability characterization based on NMR measurements, which are sensitive to the surface wetting conditions of oil and water at the pore scale. The described methods make use of surface relaxation effects on the NMR relaxation (T2). Workflows are described to obtain wettability profiles of a porous media such as a rock either in the native state or prepared to a certain state in the laboratory. An underlying forward model is also described for the mixed wet and fractionally saturated pore spectrum. Outputs of the described inversion include continuous saturation and wettability profiles as a function of the pore sizes in the porous media, as well as an averaged value for saturation and wettability over the entire pore spectrum.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2013Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignees: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, SAUDI ARAMCOInventors: Ahmed Al-Muthana, Gabor Hursan, Shouxiang Ma, Philip M. Singer, Benjamin Nicot, Andrea Valori, Farhan Ali, Henry N. Bachman
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Patent number: 9222902Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) related distribution is estimated that is consistent with NMR measurements and uses linear functionals directly estimated from the measurement indications by integral transforms as constraints in a cost function. The cost function includes indications of the measurement data, Laplace transform elements and the constraints, and a distribution estimation is made by minimizing the cost function. The distribution estimation may be used to find parameters of the sample. Where the sample is a rock or a formation, the parameters may include parameters such as rock permeability and/or hydrocarbon viscosity, bound and free fluid volumes, among others. The parameters may be used in models, equations, or otherwise to act on the sample, such as in recovering hydrocarbons from the formation.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2012Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Fred K. Gruber, Lalitha Venkataramanan, Tarek M. Habashy, Philip M. Singer, Denise E. Freed
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Patent number: 9176251Abstract: Asphaltene content and its spatial distribution in a reservoir containing crude oil is an important factor in determining the potential for formation damage and pipeline impairment, as well as planning for processing and refining of the oil. Exemplary uses include: reservoir modeling, development and depletion planning, pressure maintenance, and surface facilities management. A convenient method has been developed which uses two-dimensional NMR techniques during a temperature and/or pressure cycle to quantify the asphaltene content of the crude oil without the need for extracting the oil from the reservoir rock. The technique can be applied to core, down-hole logs, or, a combination of both.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2012Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignees: Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Philip M. Singer, Patrice Ligneul, Edward Alan Clerke, Johannes J. M. Buiting
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Publication number: 20140132258Abstract: Asphaltene content and its spatial distribution in a reservoir containing crude oil is an important factor in determining the potential for formation damage and pipeline impairment, as well as planning for processing and refining of the oil. Exemplary uses include: reservoir modeling, development and depletion planning, pressure maintenance, and surface facilities management. A convenient method has been developed which uses two-dimensional NMR techniques during a temperature and/or pressure cycle to quantify the asphaltene content of the crude oil without the need for extracting the oil from the reservoir rock. The technique can be applied to core, down-hole logs, or, a combination of both.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2012Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: PHILIP M. SINGER, PATRICE LIGNEUL, EDWARD ALAN CLERKE, JOHANNES J. M. BUITING
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Publication number: 20130261979Abstract: Methods are described for wettability characterization based on NMR measurements, which are sensitive to the surface wetting conditions of oil and water at the pore scale. The described methods make use of surface relaxation effects on the NMR relaxation (T2). Workflows are described to obtain wettability profiles of a porous media such as a rock either in the native state or prepared to a certain state in the laboratory. An underlying forward model is also described for the mixed wet and fractionally saturated pore spectrum. Outputs of the described inversion include continuous saturation and wettability profiles as a function of the pore sizes in the porous media, as well as an averaged value for saturation and wettability over the entire pore spectrum.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2013Publication date: October 3, 2013Inventors: AHMED AL-MUTHANA, GABOR HURSAN, SHOUXIANG MA, PHILIP M. SINGER, BENJAMIN NICOT, ANDREA VALORI, FARHAN ALI, HENRY N. BACHMAN
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Publication number: 20130179083Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) related distribution is estimated that is consistent with NMR measurements and uses linear functionals directly estimated from the measurement indications by integral transforms as constraints in a cost function. The cost function includes indications of the measurement data, Laplace transform elements and the constraints, and a distribution estimation is made by minimizing the cost function. The distribution estimation may be used to find parameters of the sample. Where the sample is a rock or a formation, the parameters may include parameters such as rock permeability and/or hydrocarbon viscosity, bound and free fluid volumes, among others. The parameters may be used in models, equations, or otherwise to act on the sample, such as in recovering hydrocarbons from the formation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2012Publication date: July 11, 2013Inventors: FRED K. GRUBER, LALITHA VENKATARAMANAN, TAREK M. HABASHY, PHILIP M. SINGER, DENISE E. FREED