Patents by Inventor Stanley Leroy Mason

Stanley Leroy Mason 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: 8353347
    Abstract: A method for making a coiled insulated conductor heater to heat a subsurface formation includes pushing the insulated conductor heater longitudinally inside a flexible conduit using pressure. One or more cups are coupled to the outside of the insulated conductor heater. The cups maintain at least some pressure inside at least a portion of the flexible conduit as the insulated conductor heater is pushed inside the flexible conduit. The flexible conduit and the insulated conductor heater are coiled onto a coiled tubing rig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Stanley Leroy Mason
  • Patent number: 8233782
    Abstract: A system for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation is described. The system includes two or more groups of elongated heaters. The group includes two or more heaters placed in two or more openings in the formation. The heaters in the group are electrically coupled below the surface of the formation. The openings include at least partially uncased wellbores in a hydrocarbon layer of the formation. The groups are electrically configured such that current flow through the formation between at least two groups is inhibited. The heaters are configured to provide heat to the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, William George Coit, Peter Terry Griffin, Paul Taylor Hamilton, Chia-Fu Hsu, Stanley Leroy Mason, Allan James Samuel, Ronnie Wade Watkins
  • Patent number: 8146669
    Abstract: A method for installing a horizontal or inclined subsurface heater includes placing a heating section of a heater in a horizontal or inclined section of a wellbore with an installation tool. The tool is uncoupled from the heating section. A lead in section is mechanically and electrically coupled to the heating section of the heater. The lead-in section is located in an angled or vertical section of the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Stanley Leroy Mason
  • Publication number: 20110170843
    Abstract: A system for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation is described. The system includes two or more groups of elongated heaters. The group includes two or more heaters placed in two or more openings in the formation. The heaters in the group are electrically coupled below the surface of the formation. The openings include at least partially uncased wellbores in a hydrocarbon layer of the formation. The groups are electrically configured such that current flow through the formation between at least two groups is inhibited. The heaters are configured to provide heat to the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, William George Coit, Peter Terry Griffin, Paul Taylor Hamilton, Chia-Fu Hsu, Stanley Leroy Mason, Allan James Samuel, Ronnie Wade Watkins
  • Patent number: 7860377
    Abstract: A system for heating a subsurface formation is described. The system includes a first elongated heater in a first opening in the formation. The first elongated heater includes an exposed metal section in a portion of the first opening. The portion is below a layer of the formation to be heated. The exposed metal section is exposed to the formation. A second elongated heater is in a second opening in the formation. The second opening connects to the first opening at or near the portion of the first opening below the layer to be heated. At least a portion of an exposed metal section of the second elongated heater is electrically coupled to at least a portion of the exposed metal section of the first elongated heater in the portion of the first opening below the layer to be heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Ronald Marshall Bass, Dong Sub Kim, Stanley Leroy Mason, George Leo Stegemeier, Thomas Joseph Keltner, Frederick Gordon Carl, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7831134
    Abstract: A system for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation is described. The system includes two or more groups of elongated heaters. The group includes two or more heaters placed in two or more openings in the formation. The heaters in the group are electrically coupled below the surface of the formation. The openings include at least partially uncased wellbores in a hydrocarbon layer of the formation. The groups are electrically configured such that current flow through the formation between at least two groups is inhibited. The heaters are configured to provide heat to the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, William George Coit, Peter Terry Griffin, Paul Taylor Hamilton, Chia-Fu Hsu, Stanley Leroy Mason, Allan James Samuel, Ronnie Wade Watkins
  • Patent number: 7793722
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and heaters for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. At least one system for electrically insulating an overburden portion of a heater wellbore is described. The system may include a heater wellbore located in a subsurface formation and an electrically insulating casing located in the overburden portion of the heater wellbore. The casing may include at least one non-ferromagnetic material such that ferromagnetic effects are inhibited in the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Christopher Kelvin Harris, Stanley Leroy Mason
  • Publication number: 20100224368
    Abstract: A method for making a coiled insulated conductor heater to heat a subsurface formation includes pushing the insulated conductor heater longitudinally inside a flexible conduit using pressure. One or more cups are coupled to the outside of the insulated conductor heater. The cups maintain at least some pressure inside at least a portion of the flexible conduit as the insulated conductor heater is pushed inside the flexible conduit. The flexible conduit and the insulated conductor heater are coiled onto a coiled tubing rig.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventor: Stanley Leroy Mason
  • Publication number: 20090194286
    Abstract: A method for installing a horizontal or inclined subsurface heater includes placing a heating section of a heater in a horizontal or inclined section of a wellbore with an installation tool. The tool is uncoupled from the heating section. A lead in section is mechanically and electrically coupled to the heating section of the heater. The lead-in section is located in an angled or vertical section of the wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventor: Stanley Leroy Mason