Patents by Inventor Rahul Pakal

Rahul Pakal 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: 9175555
    Abstract: Methods for injecting a fluid into a subsurface formation are provided. Each of the methods includes the obtaining data, including formation parameters and operational variables, related to an injection well. A regime of operation for the injection well is determined. The regime of operation is determined using a heuristic model. In one aspect, one or more operational variables, including completion design, reservoir development procedures, and/or injection procedures, is designed based at least in part on the determined regime of operation. Water or other fluid may then be injected into the subsurface formation. The step of determining the regime of operation for the injection well may use a full physics computational simulation to construct a mathematical model that can estimate the operating regime for the water injection well. Alternatively or in addition, field data may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Inventors: Brian W. Duffy, Rahul Pakal, Ted A. Long, Bruce A. Dale
  • Publication number: 20130092316
    Abstract: System and method for producing a pipeline liner for an additional pipeline. An exemplary system comprises a source of material to form a body of the liner and also comprises a source of material to form a reinforcement structure in the liner. The exemplary system additionally comprises a device that simultaneously receives the material to form the body of the liner and the material to form the reinforcement structure in the liner. The device produces the body of the liner with the reinforcement structure interspersed within the body of the liner in a single-step process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventors: Rahul Pakal, Robert J.T. Appleby
  • Patent number: 8423337
    Abstract: A method of predicting earth stresses in response to changes in a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir within a geomechanical system includes establishing physical boundaries for the geomechanical system, acquiring logging data from wells drilled, and acquiring seismic data for one or more rock layers. The well and seismic data are automatically converted into a three-dimensional digital representation of one or more rock layers within the geomechanical system, thereby creating data points defining a three-dimensional geological structure. The method also includes (a) applying the data points from the geological structure to derive a finite element-based geomechanical model, and (b) initializing a geostatic condition in the geomechanical model, and then running a geomechanics simulation in order to determine changes in earth stresses associated with changes in pore pressure or other reservoir characteristics within the one or more rock layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Sheng-Yuan Hsu, Rahul Pakal, Kevin H. Searles, Brian W. Duffy
  • Patent number: 8301425
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing hydrocarbons is described. In the method, a failure mode for a well completion is identified. A numerical engineering model to describe an event that results in the failure mode is constructed. The numerical engineering model is converted into a response surface. Then, the response surface is associated with a user tool configured to provide the response surface for analysis of another well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Bruce A. Dale, Rahul Pakal, David C. Haeberle, Jason A. Burdette, John W. Mohr, Darren F. Rosenbaum, Marcus Asmann, Scott R. Clingman, Brian W. Duffy, Timothy G. Benish
  • Patent number: 8249844
    Abstract: A method and apparatus associated with various phases of a well completion. In one embodiment, a method is described that includes identifying failure modes for a well completion. At least one technical limit associated with each of the failure modes is obtained. Then, an objective function for the well completion is formulated. Then, the objective function is solved to create a well performance limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Bruce A. Dale, Rahul Pakal, Jason A. Burdette, David C. Haeberle, Scott R. Clingman
  • Patent number: 8165816
    Abstract: A method for controlling fluid injection parameters to improve well interactions and control hydrofracture geometries is provided. The method incorporates a systematic, transient analysis process for determining the formation effective displacement, stress and excess pore pressure field quantities at any depth within a stratified subterranean formation resulting from the subsurface injection of pressurized fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Kevin H. Searles, Ted A. Long, Rahul Pakal, Bruce A. Dale, Brian W. Duffy
  • Publication number: 20110162848
    Abstract: Methods for injecting a fluid into a subsurface formation are provided. Each of the methods includes the obtaining data, including formation parameters and operational variables, related to an injection well. A regime of operation for the injection well is determined. The regime of operation is determined using a heuristic model. In one aspect, one or more operational variables, including completion design, reservoir development procedures, and/or injection procedures, is designed based at least in part on the determined regime of operation. Water or other fluid may then be injected into the subsurface formation. The step of determining the regime of operation for the injection well may use a full physics computational simulation to construct a mathematical model that can estimate the operating regime for the water injection well. Alternatively or in addition, field data may be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: EXXONMOBIL UPSTREAM RESEARCH COMPANY
    Inventors: Brian W. Duffy, Rahul Pakal, Ted A. Long, Bruce A. Dale
  • Publication number: 20100299111
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing hydrocarbons is described. In the method, a failure mode for a well completion is identified. A numerical engineering model to describe an event that results in the failure mode is constructed. The numerical engineering model is converted into a response surface. Then, the response surface is associated with a user tool configured to provide the response surface for analysis of another well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventors: Bruce A. Dale, Rahul Pakal, David C. Haeberle, Jason A. Burdette, John W. Mohr, Darren F. Rosenbaum, Marcus Asmann, Scott R. Clingman, Brain W. Duffy, Timothy G. Benish
  • Publication number: 20100191511
    Abstract: A method of predicting earth stresses in response to changes in a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir within a geomechanical system includes establishing physical boundaries for the geomechanical system, acquiring logging data from wells drilled, and acquiring seismic data for one or more rock layers. The well and seismic data are automatically converted into a three-dimensional digital representation of one or more rock layers within the geomechanical system, thereby creating data points defining a three-dimensional geological structure. The method also includes (a) applying the data points from the geological structure to derive a finite element-based geomechanical model, and (b) initializing a geostatic condition in the geomechanical model, and then running a geomechanics simulation in order to determine changes in earth stresses associated with changes in pore pressure or other reservoir characteristics within the one or more rock layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Sheng-Yuan Hsu, Rahul Pakal, Kevin H. Searles, Brian W. Duffy
  • Publication number: 20100004906
    Abstract: A method for controlling fluid injection parameters to improve well interactions and control hydrofracture geometries is provided. The method incorporates a systematic, transient analysis process for determining the formation effective displacement, stress and excess pore pressure field quantities at any depth within a stratified subterranean formation resulting from the subsurface injection of pressurized fluids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Kevin H. Searles, Ted A. Long, Rahul Pakal, Bruce A. Dale, Brian W. Duffy
  • Publication number: 20090292516
    Abstract: A method for controlling hydrocarbon recovery to improve well interactions while preventing excessive strain or stress-induced well deformations and mechanical failures is described. The method incorporates a systematic, transient analysis process for determining the formation effective displacement, stress and excess pore pressure field quantities at any depth within a stratified subterranean formation resulting from the subsurface injection and/or withdrawal of pressurized fluids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventors: Kevin H. Searles, Ted A. Long, Rahul Pakal, Bruce A. Dale, Jeffrey R. Bailey
  • Publication number: 20090240478
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for systematic, transient analysis method for determining the formation effective displacement, stress and excess pore pressure field quantities at any depth within a stratified subterranean formation resulting from the subsurface injection and/or withdrawal of pressurized fluids are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Kevin H. Searles, Ted A. Long, Rahul Pakal, Bruce A. Dale
  • Publication number: 20090216508
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for associated with various phases of a well completion. In one embodiment, a method is described that includes identifying first principle physical laws governing performance of a well completion and parameters associated with the first principle physical laws or the well. A coupled physics simulator is selected based on the first principle physical laws. Then, a coupled physics limit is generated based upon the coupled physics simulator that incorporates the first principle physical laws and the parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventors: Bruce A Dale, Rahul Pakal, Darren F. Rosenbaum, Scott R. Clingman
  • Publication number: 20090205819
    Abstract: A method and apparatus associated with various phases of a well completion. In one embodiment, a method is described that includes identifying failure modes for a well completion. At least one technical limit associated with each of the failure modes is obtained. Then, an objective function for the well completion is formulated. Then, the objective function is solved to create a well performance limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Bruce A. Dale, Rahul Pakal, Jason A. Burdette, David C. Haeberle, Scott R. Clingman