Patents by Inventor Steven M. Bliven

Steven M. Bliven 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: 20170168192
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for evaluating an earth formation intersected by a borehole. Methods may include irradiating the earth formation using a radiation source to provoke radiation from the formation responsive to the irradiation; taking a radiation measurement and thereby generating radiation measurement information by producing light scintillations from a scintillation material responsive to the absorption by the scintillation material of the radiation from the formation and substantial intrinsic radiation of the scintillation material; and estimating a parameter of interest of the earth formation using the radiation measurement information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Maxim VASILYEV, Toyli ANNIYEV, Bair V. BANZAROV, Steven M. Bliven, Feyzi INANC, Alexandr A. VINOKUROV
  • Patent number: 9599743
    Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a property of an earth formation and a borehole fluid includes a carrier configured to be disposed in a borehole, and a pulsed neutron measurement assembly including a pulsed neutron source configured to emit neutrons into the borehole and the earth formation, and a gamma ray detector. The apparatus also includes a fluid density measurement assembly including the gamma ray detector and a gamma ray source configured to irradiate a borehole fluid with gamma rays. The gamma ray detector is positioned relative to the gamma ray source to detect both of: gamma rays resulting from neutron interactions and gamma rays emitted from the borehole fluid in response to irradiation from the gamma ray source. The apparatus further includes a processor configured to differentiate a pulsed neutron gamma ray spectrum associated with the interactions from a density gamma ray spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Feyzi Inanc, David M. Chace, Maxim Vasilyev, Sandeep S. Gade, Steven M. Bliven
  • Publication number: 20160320523
    Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a property of an earth formation and a borehole fluid includes a carrier configured to be disposed in a borehole, and a pulsed neutron measurement assembly including a pulsed neutron source configured to emit neutrons into the borehole and the earth formation, and a gamma ray detector. The apparatus also includes a fluid density measurement assembly including the gamma ray detector and a gamma ray source configured to irradiate a borehole fluid with gamma rays. The gamma ray detector is positioned relative to the gamma ray source to detect both of: gamma rays resulting from neutron interactions and gamma rays emitted from the borehole fluid in response to irradiation from the gamma ray source. The apparatus further includes a processor configured to differentiate a pulsed neutron gamma ray spectrum associated with the interactions from a density gamma ray spectrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Feyzi Inanc, David M. Chace, Maxim Vasilyev, Sandeep S. Gade, Steven M. Bliven
  • Patent number: 9274245
    Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a property of an earth formation includes a pulsed neutron generator configured to emit a pulse of neutrons, a formation radiation detector configured to detect radiation emitted from the formation due to interactions with the pulse of neutrons, and a neutron generator radiation detector having a crystal structure and configured to detect a radiation particle emitted from the pulsed neutron generator and to provide a location within the neutron radiation detector at which the particle was detected. The crystal structure includes a plurality of detection cells, each detection cell having at least two electrically conducting columns with an applied potential difference such that electrons generated in the crystal structure by interaction with the radiation particle are collected by at least one of the electrically conducting columns to provide detection locations. A processor estimates the property using the detected formation radiation and the detection locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Steven M. Bliven, Maxim Vasilyev, Toyli Anniyev
  • Patent number: 9261624
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting radiation in a borehole intersecting an earth formation. The apparatus may include a neutron sensitive scintillation media and at least one optically transparent neutron absorptive material optically coupled to the media, which may be positioned to prevent incident neutrons from reaching a neutron-shaded surface of the media, and to provide directional sensitivity. The neutron absorptive material may comprise a light guide optically coupled to the neutron sensitive scintillation media. The scintillation media may be disposed within the at least one optically transparent neutron absorptive material, which may be configured to prevent substantially all incident neutrons having an incident neutron energy below a selected energy threshold from reaching the media. The selected energy threshold may be approximately 0.2 eV. A neutron-reflecting material may be disposed within the scintillation media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Maxim Vasilyev, Toyli Anniyev, Steven M. Bliven, Andrey Federov, Mikhail Korjik
  • Publication number: 20150346382
    Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a property of an earth formation includes a pulsed neutron generator configured to emit a pulse of neutrons, a formation radiation detector configured to detect radiation emitted from the formation due to interactions with the pulse of neutrons, and a neutron generator radiation detector having a crystal structure and configured to detect a radiation particle emitted from the pulsed neutron generator and to provide a location within the neutron radiation detector at which the particle was detected. The crystal structure includes a plurality of detection cells, each detection cell having at least two electrically conducting columns with an applied potential difference such that electrons generated in the crystal structure by interaction with the radiation particle are collected by at least one of the electrically conducting columns to provide detection locations. A processor estimates the property using the detected formation radiation and the detection locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven M. Bliven, Maxim Vasilyev, Toyli Anniyev
  • Patent number: 8921769
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for evaluating an earth formation using at least one detector with a pulsed neutron source that includes a beam of deuterium ions that can be directed to a selected position on a target including tritium that extends axially along a sealed tube. This makes it possible to generate pulsed neutrons from a plurality of positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven M. Bliven
  • Publication number: 20140367562
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting radiation in a borehole intersecting an earth formation. The apparatus may include a neutron sensitive scintillation media and at least one optically transparent neutron absorptive material optically coupled to the media, which may be positioned to prevent incident neutrons from reaching a neutron-shaded surface of the media, and to provide directional sensitivity. The neutron absorptive material may comprise a light guide optically coupled to the neutron sensitive scintillation media. The scintillation media may be disposed within the at least one optically transparent neutron absorptive material, which may be configured to prevent substantially all incident neutrons having an incident neutron energy below a selected energy threshold from reaching the media. The selected energy threshold may be approximately 0.2 eV. A neutron-reflecting material may be disposed within the scintillation media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Maxim VASILYEV, Toyli ANNIYEV, Steven M. BLIVEN, Andrey FEDEROV, Mikhail KORJIK
  • Patent number: 8604417
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for evaluating an earth formation using a pulsed neutron source comprising of dual beams of oppositely directed hydrogen isotopic ions with timing and focal characteristics of each beam set to accomplish a beam-to-beam focusing interaction to a selected position that extends axially along a sealed tube. This makes it possible to generate pulsed neutrons from a plurality of positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: W. Allen Gilchrist, Steven M. Bliven
  • Publication number: 20130048847
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for evaluating an earth formation using a pulsed neutron source comprising of dual beams of oppositely directed hydrogen isotopic ions with timing and focal characteristics of each beam set to accomplish a beam-to-beam focusing interaction to a selected position that extends axially along a sealed tube. This makes it possible to generate pulsed neutrons from a plurality of positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: W. Allen Gilchrist, Steven M. Bliven
  • Publication number: 20130048848
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for evaluating an earth formation using at least one detector with a pulsed neutron source that includes a beam of deuterium ions that can be directed to a selected position on a target including tritium that extends axially along a sealed tube. This makes it possible to generate pulsed neutrons from a plurality of positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven M. Bliven
  • Publication number: 20100276581
    Abstract: An apparatus for performing an operation in a borehole penetrating the earth, the apparatus having: a carrier configured for conveyance through the borehole; and a neutron source disposed at the carrier and configured to produce a nuclear fusion reaction that emits a neutron to perform the operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Steven M. Bliven