Patents by Inventor Prentice G. Creel

Prentice G. Creel 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: 7891424
    Abstract: A package and methods for treating a wellbore using the same. In one embodiment, the method comprises servicing a wellbore in contact with a subterranean formation by placing a material in the wellbore, wherein the material is disposed within a closed container. The material is suitable for use in a wellbore and is capable of plugging a flow pathway. The method further comprises releasing the material from the container. In an embodiment, the material is a swelling agent, which may plug a permeable zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Inc.
    Inventors: Prentice G. Creel, B. Raghava Reddy, Eldon D. Dalrymple, Ramzi I. Abdulkadir, James J. Venditto, Ronald J. Crook
  • Patent number: 7866394
    Abstract: Methods of cementing in subterranean formations, cement compositions, and methods for making the compositions are provided. A cement slurry is passed into a subterranean formation, and a swelling agent is passed into the subterranean formation to reduce an amount of water flowing into the cement slurry. The swelling agent may be combined with a carrier fluid before being displaced into the subterranean formation. Alternatively, the swelling agent may be pre-mixed with the cement slurry to form a new cement composition, followed by displacing the cement composition into the subterranean formation. The swelling agent is present in an amount effective to, upon absorption of water and swelling to form a gel mass, substantially block the flow path of the water into the cement composition or reduce losses to low pore pressure intervals, thereby preventing the integrity of the cement composition from being compromised or lost to voidage, fractures, fissures, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Inc.
    Inventors: Prentice G. Creel, Charles L. Boatman, Richard H. Tate, Eldon Dwyann Dalrymple, Stephen P. Luscombe, John L. Eubank
  • Patent number: 7690429
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a sealant composition comprising a swelling agent is displaced into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation to maintain isolation of the formation. The sealant composition may be displaced into a permeable zone through which fluid can undesirably migrate. In another embodiment, the sealant composition comprising the swelling agent is displaced into the wellbore to reduce a loss of a fluid to the formation during circulation of the fluid in the wellbore. The fluid may be, for example, a drilling fluid, a secondary sealant composition, a fracturing fluid, or combinations thereof. The sealant composition may be displaced into a flow pathway through which fluid can undesirably migrate into the formation. In both embodiments, the swelling agent contacts water such that it swells and thereby reduces fluid flow through the permeable zone/flow pathway. The swelling agent may comprise a crosslinked co-polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Prentice G. Creel, B. Raghava Reddy, Edlon D. Dalrymple
  • Patent number: 6889766
    Abstract: A method for recovering oil from a reservoir is provided. This method comprises passing a swelling agent into a permeable zone of the reservoir that allows fluid to flow between an injection well and a producing well. An aqueous solution is passed into the reservoir to contact the swelling agent, thereby causing the swelling agent to swell and substantially block the permeable zone. One or more injectants are passed into the reservoir to remove oil therefrom. The swelling agent inhibits the injectants from passing through the permeable zone, ensuring that the injectants pass through the areas of the reservoir containing oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Prentice G. Creel, Charles L. Boatman, Sam W. McDonald, Richard H. Tate, Eldon Dwyann Dalrymple
  • Publication number: 20040168798
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method for recovering oil from a reservoir. This method comprises passing a swelling agent into a permeable zone of the reservoir that allows fluid to flow between an injection well and a producing well. An aqueous solution is passed into the reservoir to contact the swelling agent, thereby causing the swelling agent to swell and substantially block the permeable zone. One or more injectants are passed into the reservoir to remove oil therefrom. The swelling agent inhibits the injectants from passing through the permeable zone, ensuring that the injectants pass through the areas of the reservoir containing oil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Prentice G. Creel, Charles L. Boatman, Sam W. McDonald, Richard H. Tate, Eldon Dwyann Dalrymple
  • Publication number: 20040168802
    Abstract: Methods of cementing in subterranean formations, cement compositions, and methods for making the compositions are provided. A cement slurry is passed into a subterranean formation, and a swelling agent is passed into the subterranean formation to reduce an amount of water flowing into the cement slurry. The swelling agent may be combined with a carrier fluid before being displaced into the subterranean formation. Alternatively, the swelling agent may be pre-mixed with the cement slurry to form a new cement composition, followed by displacing the cement composition into the subterranean formation. The swelling agent is present in an amount effective to, upon absorption of water and swelling to form a gel mass, substantially block the flow path of the water into the cement composition or reduce losses to low pore pressure intervals, thereby preventing the integrity of the cement composition from being compromised or lost to voidage, fractures, fissures, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Prentice G. Creel, Charles L. Boatman, Richard H. Tate, Eldon Dwyann Dalrymple, Stephen P. Luscombe, John L. Eubank
  • Patent number: 6283210
    Abstract: A proactive conformance method for a well includes selecting a well either in a completion phase or early in a production phase of the well and performing a conformance treatment on the well in the completion phase or early in the production phase. The conformance treatment preferably is performed before the well is completed (i.e., sometime during the completion phase between the well having been drilled and the well being placed in production), such as after running open hole logging or before setting casing. Another preferred aspect is the use of magnetic resonance imaging, such as using magnetic resonance imaging to analyze the well to determine where unwanted mobile fluid is in a reservoir intersected by the well. Such a well is completed in response to using the magnetic resonance imaging, including treating the well to confine at least part of the unwanted mobile fluid determined to be in the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohamed Yousef Soliman, Prentice G. Creel, Steve Rester, Michael H. Johnson, Loyd E. East, Jr., Don M. Everett
  • Patent number: 5944106
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for reducing the amount of water produced from a subterranean formation as a result of stimulation of the subterranean formation. The method comprises the introduction of a gelled fluid to initiate a fracture in a formation, introduction of a first and second reactive polymer which leak-off into the formation along the fracture and which are capable of subsequently reacting together to form a reaction product which selectively reduces the permeability of the formation to water flow through the formation into the fracture and introduction of a crosslinked gelled fluid to extend the fracture into the formation and facilitate the introduction of a propping agent into the created fracture. The reactive polymers react in situ to form a reaction product that binds to the formation in such a manner that the flow of water is selectively retarded through the matrix while the flow of oil is substantially unaffected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Eldon D. Dalrymple, Jeff A. Dahl, Stephen T. Arrington, Prentice G. Creel