Patents by Inventor Sandeep A. Kibey

Sandeep A. Kibey 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: 11434406
    Abstract: A method of designing compressible particles for a fluid mixture. The compressible particles are intended to be used for attenuating pressure within a confined volume such as a trapped annulus. Preferably, the compressible particles reside buoyantly within an aqueous fluid, forming a fluid mixture. Each of the compressible particles is fabricated to collapse in response to fluid pressure within the confined volume, and comprises carbon. The particles may each have a porosity of between 5% and 40%, and a compressibility of between 10% and 30%, at 10,000 psi. The particles are tuned to have a buoyancy that is lower than the carrier fluid while still having resiliency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Ward E. Narhi, Sandeep A. Kibey, David A. Stiles, Michael R. Awe, Adam W. Aylor
  • Patent number: 11401459
    Abstract: A fluid mixture for attenuating pressure within a confined volume. The fluid mixture comprises an aqueous carrier fluid. The fluid mixture further comprises a plurality of compressible particles dispersed in the carrier fluid. Each of the compressible particles is fabricated to collapse in response to fluid pressure within a confined volume. Each of the compressible particles has a density that is less than a density of the carrier fluid and has a compressibility of between 10% and 30%, up to 10,000 psi. A column of fluid within a trapped annulus of a wellbore is also presented, wherein the column of fluid has a plurality of compressible particles dispersed in a carrier fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Ward E. Narhi, Sandeep A. Kibey
  • Patent number: 11359129
    Abstract: A method of placing compressible particles within a wellbore. The method first comprises accessing a wellbore. The wellbore has a first string of casing and a second string of casing, wherein the first string of casing surrounds an upper portion of the second string of casing, forming a trapped annulus. The method further includes pumping a fluid mixture down the second string of casing and back up the annulus. The fluid mixture comprises an aqueous carrier fluid having a plurality of compressible particles dispersed therein. Each of the compressible particles is fabricated to collapse in response to fluid pressure within the trapped annulus. The method additionally includes pumping cement into at least a lower portion of the annulus behind the fluid mixture, forming a column of cement, and thereby placing the fluid mixture in the annulus above the column of cement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Ward E. Narhi, Sandeep A. Kibey, Sabine C. Zeilinger, Lillard E. Korn, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11332652
    Abstract: A collection of compressible particles. The compressible particles are intended to be used for attenuating pressure within a confined volume such as a trapped annulus. Preferably, the compressible particles buoyantly reside within an aqueous fluid, forming a fluid mixture. Each of the compressible particles is fabricated to collapse in response to fluid pressure within the confined volume, and comprises carbon. The particles may each have a porosity of between 5% and 40%, and a compressibility of between 10% and 30%, at up to 10,000 psi. Each of the particles has a resiliency of between 80% and 120%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Sandeep A. Kibey, Joshua Blunt, Ward E. Narhi
  • Publication number: 20200148945
    Abstract: A fluid mixture for attenuating pressure within a confined volume. The fluid mixture comprises an aqueous carrier fluid. The fluid mixture further comprises a plurality of compressible particles dispersed in the carrier fluid. Each of the compressible particles is fabricated to collapse in response to fluid pressure within a confined volume. Each of the compressible particles has a density that is less than a density of the carrier fluid and has a compressibility of between 10% and 30%, up to 10,000 psi. A column of fluid within a trapped annulus of a wellbore is also presented, wherein the column of fluid has a plurality of compressible particles dispersed in a carrier fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Ward E. Narhi, Sandeep A. Kibey
  • Publication number: 20200148932
    Abstract: A method of designing compressible particles for a fluid mixture. The compressible particles are intended to be used for attenuating pressure within a confined volume such as a trapped annulus. Preferably, the compressible particles reside buoyantly within an aqueous fluid, forming a fluid mixture. Each of the compressible particles is fabricated to collapse in response to fluid pressure within the confined volume, and comprises carbon. The particles may each have a porosity of between 5% and 40%, and a compressibility of between 10% and 30%, at 10,000 psi. The particles are tuned to have a buoyancy that is lower than the carrier fluid while still having resiliency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Ward E. Narhi, Sandeep A. Kibey, David A. Stiles, Michael R. Awe, Adam W. Aylor
  • Publication number: 20200148936
    Abstract: A method of placing compressible particles within a wellbore. The method first comprises accessing a wellbore. The wellbore has a first string of casing and a second string of casing, wherein the first string of casing surrounds an upper portion of the second string of casing, forming a trapped annulus. The method further includes pumping a fluid mixture down the second string of casing and back up the annulus. The fluid mixture comprises an aqueous carrier fluid having a plurality of compressible particles dispersed therein. Each of the compressible particles is fabricated to collapse in response to fluid pressure within the trapped annulus. The method additionally includes pumping cement into at least a lower portion of the annulus behind the fluid mixture, forming a column of cement, and thereby placing the fluid mixture in the annulus above the column of cement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Ward E. Narhi, Sandeep A. Kibey, Sabine C. Zeilinger, Lillard E. Korn, JR.
  • Publication number: 20200148933
    Abstract: A collection of compressible particles. The compressible particles are intended to be used for attenuating pressure within a confined volume such as a trapped annulus. Preferably, the compressible particles buoyantly reside within an aqueous fluid, forming a fluid mixture. Each of the compressible particles is fabricated to collapse in response to fluid pressure within the confined volume, and comprises carbon. The particles may each have a porosity of between 5% and 40%, and a compressibility of between 10% and 30%, at up to 10,000 psi. Each of the particles has a resiliency of between 80% and 120%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Sandeep A. Kibey, Joshua Blunt, Ward E. Narhi
  • Publication number: 20200141201
    Abstract: Apparatus for transport in a wellbore, including a body comprising degradable material; a compartment within the body; and a permeable closure between an interior of the compartment and an exterior of the body. A method for transport in a wellbore including deploying a carrier device into a borehole of the wellbore, wherein the carrier device contains items; and releasing the items into the borehole by allowing degradation of at least a portion of the carrier device. A wellbore system including a borehole having an inner diameter; a carrier device having an outer diameter, wherein the inner diameter of the borehole is greater than the outer diameter of the carrier device, the carrier device comprising: a body comprising degradable material; a compartment within the body; and a permeable closure between an interior of the compartment and an exterior of the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Sandeep A. Kibey, Michael C. Romer, Kris J. Nygaard, Gaston L. Gauthier, William A. Sorem