Patents by Inventor Scott Vinh Nguyen

Scott Vinh Nguyen 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: 10908573
    Abstract: A system for improving the overall performance of an energy generation system to a home includes an engagement platform, an energy generation system, an electronic device, and a home digital assistant. By drawing data across a disparate array of sources, including data from before the energy generation system is put online, the system generates and provides users and components of the energy generation system with personalized interactions, thereby effecting improvements in energy efficiency beyond those realized in behavior-agnostic control and monitoring systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: 17TeraWatts, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Vinh Nguyen, Stanley Pipkin, Matthew Alan Ross
  • Publication number: 20200050160
    Abstract: A system for improving the overall performance of an energy generation system to a home includes an engagement platform, an energy generation system, an electronic device, and a home digital assistant. By drawing data across a disparate array of sources, including data from before the energy generation system is put online, the system generates and provides users and components of the energy generation system with personalized interactions, thereby effecting improvements in energy efficiency beyond those realized in behavior-agnostic control and monitoring systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Scott Vinh Nguyen, Stanley Pipkin, Matthew Alan Ross
  • Publication number: 20160281482
    Abstract: A method of heating a subsurface formation includes introducing a molten salt into a first passageway of a conduit-in-conduit heater at a first location. The molten salt is passed through the conduit-in-conduit heater in the formation to a second location. Heat transfers from the molten salt to a treatment area during passage of the molten salt through the conduit-in-conduit heater. The molten salt is removed from the conduit-in-conduit heater at a second location spaced away from the first location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Scott Vinh Nguyen, Renfeng Richard Cao
  • Patent number: 9399905
    Abstract: A method of treating a subsurface formation includes circulating at least one molten salt through at least one conduit of a conduit-in-conduit heater located in the formation to heat hydrocarbons in the formation to at least a mobilization temperature of the hydrocarbons. At least some of the hydrocarbons are produced from the formation. An electrical resistance of at least one of the conduits of the conduit-in-conduit heater is assessed to assess a presence of a leak in at least one of the conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Scott Vinh Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20160053609
    Abstract: A method of treating a subsurface formation includes circulating at least one molten salt through at least one conduit of a conduit-in-conduit heater located in the formation to heat hydrocarbons in the formation to at least a mobilization temperature of the hydrocarbons. At least some of the hydrocarbons are produced from the formation. An electrical resistance of at least one of the conduits of the conduit-in-conduit heater is assessed to assess a presence of a leak in at least one of the conduits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventor: Scott Vinh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9080917
    Abstract: A system for assessing one or more temperatures along an insulated conductor in an opening in a subsurface formation includes an insulated conductor with a length comprising at least two sections of insulation with different capacitances. The sections with the different capacitances include different takeoff temperatures for at least one dielectric property of the insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Vinh Nguyen, Ronald Marshall Bass, Stephen Taylor Thompson, Edward Everett de St. Remey, Dhruv Arora, David Booth Burns, Christopher Kelvin Harris
  • Patent number: 9022109
    Abstract: A method of treating a subsurface formation includes circulating at least one molten salt through at least one conduit of a conduit-in-conduit heater located in the formation to heat hydrocarbons in the formation to at least a mobilization temperature of the hydrocarbons. At least some of the hydrocarbons are produced from the formation. An electrical resistance of at least one of the conduits of the conduit-in-conduit heater is assessed to assess a presence of a leak in at least one of the conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Scott Vinh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8875788
    Abstract: Electrical current flow is induced in a ferromagnetic conductor providing time-varying electrical current at a first frequency to an electrical conductor located in a formation. The ferromagnetic conductor at least partially surrounds and at least partially extends lengthwise around the electrical conductor. The ferromagnetic conductor resistively heats up to a first temperature of at most about 300° C. Water in the formation is vaporized with heat at the first temperature. Subsequently, time-varying electrical current at a second frequency is provided to the elongated electrical conductor to induce electrical current flow at the second frequency such that the ferromagnetic conductor resistively heats up to a second temperature above about 300° C. Heat transfers from the ferromagnetic conductor at the second temperature to at least a part of the formation to mobilize at least some hydrocarbons in the part of the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Vinh Nguyen, Thomas David Fowler
  • Publication number: 20140190687
    Abstract: A method of treating a subsurface formation includes circulating at least one molten salt through at least one conduit of a conduit-in-conduit heater located in the formation to heat hydrocarbons in the formation to at least a mobilization temperature of the hydrocarbons. At least some of the hydrocarbons are produced from the formation. An electrical resistance of at least one of the conduits of the conduit-in-conduit heater is assessed to assess a presence of a leak in at least one of the conduits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Inventor: Scott Vinh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8631866
    Abstract: A method of treating a subsurface formation includes circulating at least one molten salt through at least one conduit of a conduit-in-conduit heater located in the formation to heat hydrocarbons in the formation to at least a mobilization temperature of the hydrocarbons. At least some of the hydrocarbons are produced from the formation. An electrical resistance of at least one of the conduits of the conduit-in-conduit heater is assessed to assess a presence of a leak in at least one of the conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Scott Vinh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8356935
    Abstract: Methods for assessing a temperature in an opening in a subsurface formation are described herein. A method may include assessing one or more dielectric properties along a length of an insulated conductor located in the opening and assessing one or more temperatures along the length of the insulated conductor based on the one or more assessed dielectric properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Dhruv Arora, Ronald Marshall Bass, Graham Patrick Bradford, David Booth Burns, Eric Abreu Gesualdi, Scott Vinh Nguyen, Edward Everett de St. Remey, Stephen Taylor Thompson
  • Patent number: 8281861
    Abstract: A method of heating a subsurface formation includes introducing a molten salt into a first passageway of a conduit-in-conduit heater at a first location. The molten salt is passed through the conduit-in-conduit heater in the formation to a second location. Heat transfers from the molten salt to a treatment area during passage of the molten salt through the conduit-in-conduit heater. The molten salt is removed from the conduit-in-conduit heater at a second location spaced away from the first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Vinh Nguyen, Renfeng Richard Cao
  • Patent number: 8267185
    Abstract: A method for heating a subsurface formation includes applying heat from a plurality of heaters to at least a portion of the subsurface formation. A portion of one or more of the heaters are allowed to move relative to the heaters respective wellhead using sliding seals to accommodate thermal expansion of the heaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Ernesto Rafael Fonseca Ocampos, James Joseph Venditto, Renfeng Richard Cao, Ronald Marshall Bass, Scott Vinh Nguyen, Antonio Maria Guimaraes Leite Cruz, Damodaran Raghu, Jaime Santos Son
  • Patent number: 8220539
    Abstract: An in situ heat treatment system for producing hydrocarbons from a subsurface formation includes a plurality of wellbores in the formation. At least one heater is positioned in at least two of the wellbores. A self-regulating nuclear reactor provides energy to at least one of the heaters to heat the temperature of the formation to temperatures that allow for hydrocarbon production from the formation. A temperature of the self-regulating nuclear reactor is controlled by controlling a pressure of hydrogen supplied to the self-regulating nuclear reactor, and wherein the pressure is regulated based upon formation conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Vinh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8162059
    Abstract: A heating system for a subsurface formation includes an elongated electrical conductor located in the subsurface formation. The electrical conductor extends between at least a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact. A ferromagnetic conductor at least partially surrounds and at least partially extends lengthwise around the electrical conductor. The electrical conductor, when energized with time-varying electrical current, induces sufficient electrical current flow in the ferromagnetic conductor such that the ferromagnetic conductor resistively heats to a temperature of at least about 300° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Vinh Nguyen, Ronald M. Bass
  • Patent number: 8042610
    Abstract: A heating system for a subsurface formation is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of substantially horizontally oriented or inclined heater sections located in a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation. At least a portion of two of the heater sections are substantially parallel to each other. The ends of at least two of the heater sections in the layer are electrically coupled to a substantially horizontal, or inclined, electrical conductor oriented substantially perpendicular to the ends of the at least two heater sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Christopher Kelvin Harris, John Michael Karanikas, Scott Vinh Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20110247808
    Abstract: A method of treating a subsurface formation includes circulating at least one molten salt through at least one conduit of a conduit-in-conduit heater located in the formation to heat hydrocarbons in the formation to at least a mobilization temperature of the hydrocarbons. At least some of the hydrocarbons are produced from the formation. An electrical resistance of at least one of the conduits of the conduit-in-conduit heater is assessed to assess a presence of a leak in at least one of the conduits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventor: Scott Vinh Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20110247819
    Abstract: Electrical current flow is induced in a ferromagnetic conductor providing time-varying electrical current at a first frequency to an electrical conductor located in a formation. The ferromagnetic conductor at least partially surrounds and at least partially extends lengthwise around the electrical conductor. The ferromagnetic conductor resistively heats up to a first temperature of at most about 300° C. Water in the formation is vaporized with heat at the first temperature. Subsequently, time-varying electrical current at a second frequency is provided to the elongated electrical conductor to induce electrical current flow at the second frequency such that the ferromagnetic conductor resistively heats up to a second temperature above about 300° C. Heat transfers from the ferromagnetic conductor at the second temperature to at least a part of the formation to mobilize at least some hydrocarbons in the part of the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Scott Vinh Nguyen, Thomas David Fowler
  • Publication number: 20110134958
    Abstract: Methods for assessing a temperature in an opening in a subsurface formation are described herein. A method may include assessing one or more dielectric properties along a length of an insulated conductor located in the opening and assessing one or more temperatures along the length of the insulated conductor based on the one or more assessed dielectric properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Dhruv Arora, Ronald Marshall Bass, Graham Patrick Bradford, David Booth Burns, Eric Abreu Gesualdi, Scott Vinh Nguyen, Edward Everett de St. Remey, Stephen Taylor Thompson
  • Patent number: 7931086
    Abstract: Methods and systems for heating a subsurface formation are described herein. A heating system for a subsurface formation includes a sealed conduit positioned in an opening in the formation and a heat source. The sealed conduit includes a heat transfer fluid. The heat source provides heat to a portion of the sealed conduit to change phase of the heat transfer fluid from a liquid to a vapor. The vapor in the sealed conduit rises in the sealed conduit, condenses to transfer heat to the formation and returns to the conduit portion as a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Vinh Nguyen, Harold J. Vinegar