Patents by Inventor Steve Lonnes

Steve Lonnes 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: 11773707
    Abstract: Methods and systems for creating fractures in rock are disclosed herein. In an exemplary method, reactive fluid is delivered into a wellbore. Formation fracture pressure is added to the reactive fluid in the wellbore sufficient to create a fracture network in a formation. The reaction pressure rubblizes the portion of a rock face of the fracture wall face to generate propping rubble that props the fracture open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
    Inventor: Steve Lonnes
  • Patent number: 11572766
    Abstract: A waveform energy generation system, the system including at least one joint of production casing, and one or more energy generators residing along the joint of production casing. The energy generators are configured to be in substantial mechanical contact with a subsurface formation within a wellbore. The energy generators may include either explosive devices or a piezo-electric material. The system also includes a signal transmission system. The signal transmission system is used to send control signals from the surface down to the energy generators for activation at the formation's resonant frequency. Methods of enhancing the permeability of a rock matrix within a subsurface formation using the wellbore as an energy generator are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Steve Lonnes
  • Publication number: 20220074295
    Abstract: Methods and systems for creating fractures in rock are disclosed herein. In an exemplary method, reactive fluid is delivered into a wellbore. Formation fracture pressure is added to the reactive fluid in the wellbore sufficient to create a fracture network in a formation. The reaction pressure rubblizes the portion of a rock face of the fracture wall face to generate propping rubble that props the fracture open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventor: Steve Lonnes
  • Publication number: 20220074286
    Abstract: A waveform energy generation system, the system including at least one joint of production casing, and one or more energy generators residing along the joint of production casing. The energy generators are configured to be in substantial mechanical contact with a subsurface formation within a wellbore. The energy generators may include either explosive devices or a piezo-electric material. The system also includes a signal transmission system. The signal transmission system is used to send control signals from the surface down to the energy generators for activation at the formation's resonant frequency. Methods of enhancing the permeability of a rock matrix within a subsurface formation using the wellbore as an energy generator are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventor: Steve Lonnes
  • Patent number: 10364659
    Abstract: Wellbore tubulars including selective stimulation ports (SSPs) sealed with sealing devices and methods of operating the same are disclosed herein. The wellbore tubulars include a tubular body that defines a tubular conduit and a plurality of selective stimulation ports. Each selective stimulation port includes an SSP conduit and a sealing device seat. The wellbore tubulars further include a plurality of sealing devices. Each sealing device includes a primary sealing portion that is seated on a corresponding sealing device seat and forms a primary seal with the corresponding sealing device seat. Each sealing device also includes a secondary sealing portion that extends from the primary sealing portion and forms a secondary seal between the primary sealing portion and the corresponding sealing device seat. The methods include methods of stimulating a subterranean formation utilizing the wellbore tubulars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C Tolman, P. Matthew Spiecker, Steve Lonnes
  • Patent number: 10309195
    Abstract: Selective stimulation ports including sealing device retainers and methods of utilizing the same are disclosed herein. The selective stimulation ports (SSPs) are configured to be operatively attached to a wellbore tubular that defines a tubular conduit. The SSPs include an SSP conduit, which extends at least substantially perpendicular to a wall of the wellbore tubular, and a sealing device receptacle, which defines at least a portion of the SSP conduit and is sized to receive a sealing device. The SSPs also include a sealing device seat, which is shaped to form a fluid seal with the sealing device. The SSPs further include a sealing device retainer, which is configured to retain the sealing device within the sealing device receptacle. The methods include methods of stimulating the hydrocarbon well utilizing the SSPs and/or methods of conveying a downhole tool within the hydrocarbon well utilizing the SSPs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, P. Matthew Spiecker, Steve Lonnes, Timothy J. Hall
  • Patent number: 10221669
    Abstract: Wellbore tubulars including a plurality of selective stimulation ports and methods of utilizing the same. The wellbore tubulars include a tubular body including an external surface and an internal surface that defines a tubular conduit. The wellbore tubulars also include a plurality of selective stimulation ports, and each selective stimulation port includes a SSP conduit and an isolation device that is configured to selectively transition from a closed state to an open state responsive to a shockwave having greater than a threshold shockwave intensity. The methods include methods of stimulating a subterranean formation utilizing the wellbore tubulars. The methods also include methods of re-stimulating the subterranean formation utilizing the wellbore tubulars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, P. Matthew Spiecker, Steve Lonnes, Timothy J. Hall
  • Patent number: 10196886
    Abstract: Select-fire, downhole shockwave generation devices, hydrocarbon wells that include the shockwave generation devices, and methods of utilizing the same are disclosed herein. The shockwave generation devices are configured to generate a shockwave within a wellbore fluid that extends within a tubular conduit of a wellbore tubular. The shockwave generation devices include a core, a plurality of explosive charges arranged on an external surface of the core, and a plurality of triggering devices. Each of the plurality of triggering devices is associated with a selected one of the plurality of explosive charges and is configured to selectively initiate explosion of the selected one of the plurality of explosive charges. The methods include methods of generating a shockwave utilizing the downhole shockwave generation devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, P. Matthew Spiecker, Steve Lonnes
  • Publication number: 20170159420
    Abstract: Select-fire, downhole shockwave generation devices, hydrocarbon wells that include the shockwave generation devices, and methods of utilizing the same are disclosed herein. The shockwave generation devices are configured to generate a shockwave within a wellbore fluid that extends within a tubular conduit of a wellbore tubular. The shockwave generation devices include a core, a plurality of explosive charges arranged on an external surface of the core, and a plurality of triggering devices. Each of the plurality of triggering devices is associated with a selected one of the plurality of explosive charges and is configured to selectively initiate explosion of the selected one of the plurality of explosive charges. The methods include methods of generating a shockwave utilizing the downhole shockwave generation devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, P. Matthew Spiecker, Steve Lonnes
  • Publication number: 20170159418
    Abstract: Wellbore tubulars including a plurality of selective stimulation ports and methods of utilizing the same are disclosed herein. The wellbore tubulars include a tubular body including an external surface and an internal surface that defines a tubular conduit. The wellbore tubulars also include a plurality of selective stimulation ports, and each selective stimulation port includes an SSP conduit and an isolation device that is configured to selectively transition from a closed state to an open state responsive to a shockwave having greater than a threshold shockwave intensity. The methods include methods of stimulating a subterranean formation utilizing the wellbore tubulars. The methods also include methods of re-stimulating the subterranean formation utilizing the wellbore tubulars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Randy C. Tolman, P. Matthew Spiecker, Steve Lonnes, Timothy J. Hall
  • Publication number: 20170159407
    Abstract: Selective stimulation ports including sealing device retainers and methods of utilizing the same are disclosed herein. The selective stimulation ports (SSPs) are configured to be operatively attached to a wellbore tubular that defines a tubular conduit. The SSPs include an SSP conduit, which extends at least substantially perpendicular to a wall of the wellbore tubular, and a sealing device receptacle, which defines at least a portion of the SSP conduit and is sized to receive a sealing device. The SSPs also include a sealing device seat, which is shaped to form a fluid seal with the sealing device. The SSPs further include a sealing device retainer, which is configured to retain the sealing device within the sealing device receptacle. The methods include methods of stimulating the hydrocarbon well utilizing the SSPs and/or methods of conveying a downhole tool within the hydrocarbon well utilizing the SSPs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Randy C. TOLMAN, P. Matthew Spiecker, Steve Lonnes, Timothy J. Hall
  • Publication number: 20170159419
    Abstract: Selective stimulation ports (SSPs), wellbore tubulars that include the SSPs, and methods of operating the same are disclosed herein. The SSPs are configured to be operatively attached to a wellbore tubular and include an SSP body, an isolation device extending within an SSP conduit of the SSP body, a retention device coupling the isolation device to the SSP body, and a sealing device seat. The isolation device is configured to selectively transition from a closed state to an open state responsive to a shockwave, which has greater than a threshold shockwave intensity, within a wellbore fluid that extends within a tubular conduit of the wellbore tubular. The methods include generating the shockwave within the wellbore fluid such that the shockwave has greater than the threshold shockwave intensity. The methods further include transitioning the isolation device from the closed state to the open state responsive to receipt of the shockwave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Randy C. TOLMAN, P. Matthew Spiecker, Steve Lonnes, Timothy J. Hall