Patents by Inventor Shouxiang Ma

Shouxiang Ma 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).

  • Publication number: 20200025967
    Abstract: An array electromagnetic tool is run in a borehole, and resulting signals are processed to provide at least one of real and imaginary conductivity components, ?R* and ?I*. The at least one of real and imaginary conductivity components is compared to a corresponding representative conductivity component of a plurality of different clay groups and a determination of clay type in the formation is made therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Ping ZHANG, Wael ABDALLAH, Shouxiang Ma, Chengbing Liu
  • Patent number: 10247849
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for using pulsed neutron ?-ray spectroscopy to measure formation water salinity from within a borehole. Through generating a cross-plot of database values of ratios of spectroscopically determined yields of hydrogen (H) and chlorine (Cl) from two detectors, deriving apparent salinities therefrom, formation and borehole water salinities can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignees: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Harold Pfutzner, James A. Grau, Nancy J. Fruhman, Raghu Ramamoorthy, Shouxiang Ma
  • Patent number: 10215876
    Abstract: In-phase and quadrature components have different relationships with some important petrophyscial parameters, such as water saturation and mineral cation exchange capacity (CEC). In clay-containing subterranean rock formation such as shaly sand formations, these parameters can be estimated using different components of array induction tool data combined with other knowledge about the clay-containing formation. Some parameters, such as mobility and fraction of counterions are valid in cases where the pore water solution is an electrolyte of NaCl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignees: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ping Zhang, Wael Abdallah, Shouxiang Ma
  • Patent number: 10208582
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes various embodiments related to methods for determining salinity of water in a borehole of a formation and the water in the formation. Various methods may use inelastic and capture gamma-ray spectra obtained from a pulsed neutron logging tool. Various embodiments may use a ratio of chlorine from a capture spectrum to oxygen from an inelastic spectrum for a near and a far detector to calculate apparent salinity ratios for water in a borehole and a formation. From the apparent salinity ratios, a borehole salinity and a formation salinity may be calculated using a tool characterization database and without using formation water saturation for the calculation. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignees: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shouxiang Ma, Nedhal Mohamed Abdullah Al-Musharfi, Pablo J. Saldungaray, Harold Pfutzner
  • Patent number: 10190999
    Abstract: Provided in some embodiments are systems and methods for determining characteristics of a hydrocarbon reservoir. Embodiments include conducting a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logging operation of a targeted reservoir section of a wellbore extending into a hydrocarbon reservoir to generate a NMR log of the targeted reservoir section, conducting a resistivity logging of the targeted reservoir section to generate an uninvaded water saturation (Sw) log of the targeted reservoir section, determining for each of a plurality of depths in the section, a T2 cutoff point based on values of the NMR and Sw logs, identifying a subset of the T2 cutoff points that exhibit a hyperbolic trend, determining a theoretical cutoff curve corresponding to the subset of the T2 cutoff points, determining a free water level (FWL) of the reservoir based on the theoretical cutoff curve, and determining a rock type of the reservoir based on the theoretical cutoff curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Gabor Hursan, Shouxiang Ma
  • Publication number: 20180100942
    Abstract: In-phase and quadrature components have different relationships with some important petrophyscial parameters, such as water saturation and mineral cation exchange capacity (CEC). In clay-containing subterranean rock formation such as shaly sand formations, these parameters can be estimated using different components of array induction tool data combined with other knowledge about the clay-containing formation. Some parameters, such as mobility and fraction of counterions are valid in cases where the pore water solution is an electrolyte of NaCl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Ping Zhang, Wael Abdallah, Shouxiang Ma
  • Publication number: 20180058188
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes various embodiments related to methods for determining salinity of water in a borehole of a formation and the water in the formation. Various methods may use inelastic and capture gamma-ray spectra obtained from a pulsed neutron logging tool. Various embodiments may use a ratio of chlorine from a capture spectrum to oxygen from an inelastic spectrum for a near and a far detector to calculate apparent salinity ratios for water in a borehole and a formation. From the apparent salinity ratios, a borehole salinity and a formation salinity may be calculated using a tool characterization database and without using formation water saturation for the calculation. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Shouxiang MA, Nedhal Mohamed Abdullah AL-MUSHARFI, Pablo J. SALDUNGARAY, Harold PFUTZNER
  • Patent number: 9890632
    Abstract: Provided are embodiments of systems, computer medium and computer-implemented methods for logging using a customizable logging tool. In some embodiments, the logging tool is capable of being disposed in a borehole formed in a geologic formation. The logging tool includes a source for emitting signals into the geologic formation surrounding the borehole and a plurality of detectors for detecting signals generated as a result of emission of signals by the source into the geologic formation surrounding the borehole. The plurality of detectors are independently repositionable such that a source-to-detector spacing for the detectors is independently variable, to provide optimum signal depending on the characteristics of the target reservoir, the borehole, and the tool source and detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Weatherford International, LLC
    Inventors: Shouxiang Ma, Ali R. Belowi, Darryl Trcka
  • Publication number: 20170328847
    Abstract: Provided in some embodiments are systems and methods for determining characteristics of a hydrocarbon reservoir. Embodiments include conducting a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logging operation of a targeted reservoir section of a wellbore extending into a hydrocarbon reservoir to generate a NMR log of the targeted reservoir section, conducting a resistivity logging of the targeted reservoir section to generate an uninvaded water saturation (Sw) log of the targeted reservoir section, determining for each of a plurality of depths in the section, a T2 cutoff point based on values of the NMR and Sw logs, identifying a subset of the T2 cutoff points that exhibit a hyperbolic trend, determining a theoretical cutoff curve corresponding to the subset of the T2 cutoff points, determining a free water level (FWL) of the reservoir based on the theoretical cutoff curve, and determining a rock type of the reservoir based on the theoretical cutoff curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Gabor Hursan, Shouxiang Ma
  • Publication number: 20170103144
    Abstract: Well trajectory adjustment is provided. In one possible implementation, an initial 3D model of a portion of a formation in which a well is being drilled is accessed. Subsurface data associated with the formation is then used to tune the initial 3D model to create a revised 3D model. In another possible implementation, subsurface data associated with a formation in which a well is being drilled is used to tune an initial 3D model of the formation to create a revised 3D model. An initial planned trajectory of the well can also be adjusted to reach a sweet spot in the revised 3D model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Mohammed Badri, Shouxiang Ma, Ping Zhang, Wael Abdallah
  • Patent number: 9405037
    Abstract: Methods are described for wettability characterization based on NMR measurements, which are sensitive to the surface wetting conditions of oil and water at the pore scale. The described methods make use of surface relaxation effects on the NMR relaxation (T2). Workflows are described to obtain wettability profiles of a porous media such as a rock either in the native state or prepared to a certain state in the laboratory. An underlying forward model is also described for the mixed wet and fractionally saturated pore spectrum. Outputs of the described inversion include continuous saturation and wettability profiles as a function of the pore sizes in the porous media, as well as an averaged value for saturation and wettability over the entire pore spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignees: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, SAUDI ARAMCO
    Inventors: Ahmed Al-Muthana, Gabor Hursan, Shouxiang Ma, Philip M. Singer, Benjamin Nicot, Andrea Valori, Farhan Ali, Henry N. Bachman
  • Publication number: 20150369956
    Abstract: Provided are embodiments of systems, computer medium and computer-implemented methods for logging using a customizable logging tool. In some embodiments, the logging tool is capable of being disposed in a borehole formed in a geologic formation. The logging tool includes a source for emitting signals into the geologic formation surrounding the borehole and a plurality of detectors for detecting signals generated as a result of emission of signals by the source into the geologic formation surrounding the borehole. The plurality of detectors are independently repositionable such that a source-to-detector spacing for the detectors is independently variable, to provide optimum signal depending on the characteristics of the target reservoir, the borehole, and the tool source and detectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Shouxiang Ma, Ali R. Belowi, Darryl Trcka
  • Patent number: 8812237
    Abstract: A method of measuring a parameter characteristic of a rock formation is provided, the method including the steps of obtaining crosswell electromagnetic signals between two wells and using an inversion of said signals to investigate or delineate the presence of a resistivity anomaly, such as brine in a low resistivity background, wherein the resistivity anomaly is assumed to be distributed as one or more bodies characterized by a limited number of geometrical parameters and the inversion is used to determine said geometrical parameters. The method can also be applied to determine the trajectory of an in-fill well to be drilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignees: Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Michael Wilt, Alberto Marsala, Steve Crary, Saleh B. Al-Ruwaili, Tarek M. Habashy, Shouxiang Ma
  • Publication number: 20130261979
    Abstract: Methods are described for wettability characterization based on NMR measurements, which are sensitive to the surface wetting conditions of oil and water at the pore scale. The described methods make use of surface relaxation effects on the NMR relaxation (T2). Workflows are described to obtain wettability profiles of a porous media such as a rock either in the native state or prepared to a certain state in the laboratory. An underlying forward model is also described for the mixed wet and fractionally saturated pore spectrum. Outputs of the described inversion include continuous saturation and wettability profiles as a function of the pore sizes in the porous media, as well as an averaged value for saturation and wettability over the entire pore spectrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: AHMED AL-MUTHANA, GABOR HURSAN, SHOUXIANG MA, PHILIP M. SINGER, BENJAMIN NICOT, ANDREA VALORI, FARHAN ALI, HENRY N. BACHMAN
  • Publication number: 20100198519
    Abstract: A method of measuring a parameter characteristic of a rock formation is provided, the method including the steps of obtaining crosswell electromagnetic signals between two wells and using an inversion of said signals to investigate or delineate the presence of a resistivity anomaly, such as brine in a low resistivity background, wherein the resistivity anomaly is assumed to be distributed as one or more bodies characterized by a limited number of geometrical parameters and the inversion is used to determine said geometrical parameters. The method can also be applied to determine the trajectory of an in-fill well to be drilled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicants: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Wilt, Alberto Marsala, Steve Crary, Saleh B. Al-Ruwaili, Tarek M. Habashy, Shouxiang Ma