Patents by Inventor Scott Lee Wellington

Scott Lee Wellington 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).

  • In situ thermal processing while controlling pressure in an oil shale formation
    Patent number: 6991033
    Abstract: An oil shale formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. Heat may be provided to the treatment area. Heat may be allowed to transfer from at least one heat source to a section of the formation. Pressure within a portion of the formation may be controlled. Hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. In some embodiments, the pressure may be controlled to obtain a desired property in the produced fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Ilya Emil Berchenko, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., George Leo Stegemeier, Harold J. Vinegar, Etuan Zhang
  • Thermal processing of a relatively permeable formation
    Patent number: 6991036
    Abstract: A method for treating a relatively permeable formation containing heavy hydrocarbons in situ may include providing heat from one or more heat sources to a selected section of the formation. The heat provided to the selected section may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in a lower portion of the formation. A mixture of hydrocarbons may be produced from an upper portion of the formation. The mixture of hydrocarbons may include at least some pyrolyzed hydrocarbons from the lower portion of the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Meliha Deniz Sumnu-Dindoruk, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington
  • In situ thermal processing of a coal formation to convert a selected total organic carbon content into hydrocarbon products
    Patent number: 6991031
    Abstract: A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heating may be controlled such that at least a selected amount of a total organic carbon content of the hydrocarbon material in the formation may be converted into formation fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of an oil shale formation using a pattern of heat sources
    Patent number: 6991032
    Abstract: A oil shale formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat sources may be used to heat the formation. The heat sources may be positioned within the formation in a selected pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Ilya Emil Berchenko, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Thomas David Fowler, John Michael Karanikas, Robert Charles Ryan, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., George Leo Stegemeier, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Etuan Zhang
  • In situ thermal recovery from a relatively permeable formation
    Patent number: 6981548
    Abstract: A method for treating a relatively permeable formation containing heavy hydrocarbons in situ may include providing heat from a first set of heat sources to a first section of the formation. The heat provided to the first section may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in the first section. Heat may also be provided from a second set of heat sources to a second section of the formation. The heat provided to the second section may mobilize at least some hydrocarbons in the second section. A portion of the hydrocarbons from the second section may be induced to flow into the first section. A mixture of hydrocarbons may be produced from the formation. The produced mixture may include at least some pyrolyzed hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Steven Dexter Crane, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, Kevin Albert Maher, Margaret Ann Messier, Bruce Edmunds Roberts, Meliha Deniz Sumnu-Dindoruk, Harold J. Vinegar
  • Situ thermal processing of a coal formation using pressure and/or temperature control
    Patent number: 6973967
    Abstract: A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Pressure within the formation may be controlled as a function of temperature or temperature within the formation may be controlled as a function of pressure to yield a desired mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: George Leo Stegemeier, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • Upgrading and mining of coal
    Patent number: 6969123
    Abstract: A method for treating a coal formation to alter properties of coal in the formation is provided. In one embodiment, heat from one or more heaters may be provided to at least a portion of the formation. Heat may be allowed to transfer from the one or more heaters to a part of the formation. In certain embodiments, the heat from the one or more heaters may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons within the part of the formation. The method may include producing a fluid from the formation. In some embodiments, the produced fluid may include at least some pyrolyzed hydrocarbons from the formation. In an embodiment, after at least some coal has been treated at least a portion of such coal may be produced from the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Kevin Albert Maher, Scott Lee Wellington
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation to produce oxygen containing formation fluids
    Patent number: 6966372
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The mixture produced from the formation may contain condensable hydrocarbons, with some of the hydrocarbons being oxygen containing hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal recovery from a relatively permeable formation using gas to increase mobility
    Patent number: 6966374
    Abstract: A method for treating a relatively permeable formation containing heavy hydrocarbons in situ may include providing heat from one or more heat sources to a portion of the formation. The heat may be allowed to transfer from the heat sources to a selected section of the formation. The transferred heat may reduce the viscosity of at least some hydrocarbons within the selected section. A gas may be provided to the selected section of the formation. The gas may produce a flow of hydrocarbons within the selected section. A mixture of hydrocarbons may be produced from the selected section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Meliha Deniz Sumnu-Dindoruk, Scott Lee Wellington
  • In situ thermal recovery from a relatively permeable formation with backproduction through a heater wellbore
    Patent number: 6964300
    Abstract: A method for treating a relatively permeable formation containing heavy hydrocarbons in situ may include providing heat from one or more heat sources to a portion of the formation. The heat may be allowed to transfer from the heat sources to a selected section of the formation. The transferred heat may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons within the selected section. A temperature proximate a selected portion of a heater well may be selectively limited to inhibit coke formation at or near the selected portion. A mixture of at least some hydrocarbons may be produced through the selected portion of the heater well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, Meliha Deniz Sumnu-Dindoruk, Scott Lee Wellington
  • In situ thermal processing of a coal formation with a selected ratio of heat sources to production wells
    Patent number: 6959761
    Abstract: A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The mixture may be produced from the formation through a plurality of production wells. A selected number of heat sources may be positioned in the formation for each production well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Ilya Emil Berchenko, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • Thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation to increase a permeability of the formation
    Patent number: 6953087
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat may also be applied to the formation to increase a permeability of the formation. The permeability may increase uniformly throughout the treated portion of the formation. The permeability may increase to a relatively high permeability as compared to the initial permeability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of an oil shale formation using horizontal heat sources
    Patent number: 6951247
    Abstract: An oil shale formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. Heat may be provided to a portion of the formation from one or more heat sources having a horizontal orientation in the formation. Heat may be allowed to transfer from the heat sources to a section of the formation. Hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, Thomas David Fowler, John Michael Karanikas, Kevin Albert Maher, Robert Charles Ryan, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Etuan Zhang
  • Production of a blending agent using an in situ thermal process in a relatively permeable formation
    Patent number: 6948562
    Abstract: A method for treating a relatively permeable formation containing heavy hydrocarbons in situ may include providing heat from one or more heat sources to a selected section of the formation. The heat provided to the selected section may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in the selected section. A blending agent may be produced from the selected section. A portion of the blending agent may be adapted to blend with a liquid to produce a mixture with a selected property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, Kevin Albert Maher, Margaret Ann Messier, Bruce Edmunds Roberts, Meliha Deniz Sumnu-Dindoruk, Harold J. Vinegar
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation with a selected hydrogen content
    Patent number: 6948563
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. A formation to be treated may produce a relatively large amount of condensable hydrocarbons and/or a relatively large amount of non-condensable hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons within the formation may have a relatively high initial elemental hydrogen weight percentage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation via backproducing through a heater well
    Patent number: 6932155
    Abstract: A process for producing hydrocarbons through a heater wellbore positioned in a hydrocarbon containing formation. The in situ treatment process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the formation. The heat may be allowed, in some embodiments, to transfer from one or more heaters to a selected section of the formation. Heat that is allowed to transfer to the selected section may pyrolyze at least some of the hydrocarbons within the selected section. The process may include, in some embodiments, selectively limiting a temperature proximate a selected portion of a heater wellbore to inhibit coke formation at or near the selected portion. In some embodiments fluids may be produced at certain locations of a heater wellbore such that coke formation is inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, Scott Lee Wellington
  • In situ thermal processsing of a hydrocarbon containing formation to produce a mixture with a selected hydrogen content
    Patent number: 6923258
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The mixture produced from the formation may have a relatively high hydrogen partial pressure, and a large portion of the pressure within the formation may be attributable to hydrogen partial pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of an oil shale formation to produce a condensate
    Patent number: 6923257
    Abstract: An oil shale formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. Hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat input into the formation may be controlled to maintain a temperature below about a maximum selected temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Ilya Emil Berchenko, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Thomas David Fowler, John Michael Karanikas, Robert Charles Ryan, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., George Leo Stegemeier, Harold J. Vinegar, Etuan Zhang
  • In situ thermal processing of an oil shale formation to produce hydrocarbons having a selected carbon number range
    Patent number: 6918443
    Abstract: An oil shale formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a desired temperature. An average temperature and/or pressure within the formation may be controlled to inhibit production of hydrocarbons that have carbon numbers greater than a selected carbon number. In some embodiments, the selected carbon number may be 25. A small amount of hydrocarbons having carbon numbers greater than the selected carbon number may be entrained in vapor produced from the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Ilya Emil Berchenko, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., George Leo Stegemeier, Harold J. Vinegar, Etuan Zhang
  • In situ thermal processing of an oil shale formation in a reducing environment
    Patent number: 6918442
    Abstract: An oil shale formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. A reducing environment may be maintained within a portion of the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Ilya Emil Berchenko, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., George Leo Stegemeier, Harold J. Vinegar, Etuan Zhang