Patents by Inventor Richard H. Merkel

Richard H. Merkel 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: 5909772
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for determining a liquid yield from a gas/condensate reservoir. The apparatus and method first determines the porosity at each depth of a reservoir, using open hole logging techniques, before the well within the reservoir is used for production. Once the well is being used for production, a pulse neutron capture logging device is used to provide RICS and RATO data at each depth within the reservoir. The apparatus and method combines the RICS and RATO data, along with the porosity data, to provide a yield plot of an estimate of the liquid yield of the condensate in the reservoir at each depth within the reservoir. The apparatus and method further compares estimates made to any actual production data from the particular well being estimated and corrects constants within the estimating method to cause the estimates to match the production data. This feedback mechanism provides a more accurate estimate of the yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1999
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventors: Richard H. Merkel, Michael J. Uland