Patents by Inventor Subhash C. Ayirala
Subhash C. Ayirala 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).
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Publication number: 20250116173Abstract: A method for sequestering CO2 in a subterranean formation and a method for sequestering CO2 in a subterranean formation during an enhanced oil recovery treatment include preparing a solution comprising CO2 and from 0.01% by weight (wt. %) to 10 wt. % of a CO2 soluble alkoxylate surfactant based on the total weight of CO2, processing the solution through a dispersing unit in fluid communication with an injection well, and injecting the dispersion into the injection well of the formation, thereby sequestering CO2 in the formation. The method for sequestering CO2 in a subterranean formation during an enhanced oil recovery treatment includes introducing an enhanced oil recovery treatment to the formation. A system for sequestering CO2 in a formation includes an injection well in fluid communication with a formation, an injection unit, and a dispersing unit that is in fluid communication with the injection unit and the injection well.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2023Publication date: April 10, 2025Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Pramod Dhanaji Patil, Shiv S. Sangaru, Subhash C. Ayirala, Ali A. Yousef, Abdulaziz S. Qasim, Zuhair A. Al-Yousef, Muhammad M. Almajid
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Publication number: 20250044207Abstract: Screening multiple surfactants is performed by a screening method including passing foam compositions comprising a surfactant through a porous media while measuring pressure drop across the porous media until a first steady state pressure drop is achieved. Magnitude and frequency in oscillations of the first steady state pressure are measured. A gas is injected through the porous media while measuring the pressure drop across the porous media until a second steady state pressure drop is achieved. Magnitude and frequency in oscillations of the second steady state pressure drop are measured. Foam stability is determined based on the first steady state pressure drop, second steady state pressure drop, and magnitude and frequency of oscillations during the first and second steady states. Secondary oil recovery may include injecting a foam composition into an oil-containing reservoir, wherein the foam composition is based on results of the screening and properties of the oil-containing reservoir.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2023Publication date: February 6, 2025Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Muhammad M. Almajid, Zuhair Alyousif, Subhash C. Ayirala, Othman Alswaie
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Publication number: 20240426734Abstract: A device includes a microfluidic cell including a substrate and metal electrodes disposed on the substrate, a glass window disposed over the substrate, a current-voltage analyzer connected to the metal electrodes, and an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the microfluidic cell. A method of fabricating the device includes photolithographically exposing site for the metal electrodes utilizing a photoresist, depositing the metal electrodes on the substrate, and photolithographically patterning the substrate. A method of measuring pore throat size changes and oil mobilization includes connecting a current-voltage analyzer to a microfluidic cell and sweeping a current through the microfluidic cell via the current-voltage analyzer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2023Publication date: December 26, 2024Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Dong Kyu Cha, Ghaida Aljuhani, Subhash C. Ayirala, Abdulaziz S. Qasim, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Publication number: 20240421104Abstract: A method for water drainage of a substrate includes creating, on a surface of the substrate, a designated hydrophobic region having hydrophobic surfaces of a hydrophobic film. Electronic circuitries are fabricated in the designated hydrophobic region of the substrate. The method further includes creating, on the surface of the substrate, a designated hydrophilic region having hydrophilic surfaces of the substrate. A drainage channel is formed in the designated hydrophilic region. The method further includes facilitating, based on capillary imbibition of the drainage channel, fluid flow from the designated hydrophobic region to a drainage/evaporation port to prevent damage of the electronic circuitries by moisture accumulation in the designated hydrophobic region.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2023Publication date: December 19, 2024Applicants: SAUDI ARABIANOIL COMPANY, King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyInventors: Dong Kyu Cha, Abdullah Abdulaziz AlOmier, Subhash C. Ayirala, Mohammed Badri Al-Otaibi, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef, Hussein Hoteit
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Publication number: 20240337614Abstract: A method for demonstrating the efficacy of using electrical current in an Electrical Improved Oil Recovery (EIOR) application includes circulating fluid through a microfluidics cell having first and second electrodes, applying a voltage across the first and second electrodes, determining the behavior of the fluid under the effect of the applied voltage, and correlating the determined behavior to a reservoir of interest. The method may include deriving operational parameters from the correlation and operating the reservoir of interest in accordance with the operational parameters, and may include visualization and characterization of enlarging pore throat for enhancing permeability and oil mobilization.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2023Publication date: October 10, 2024Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Ghaida Ahmed ALJUHANI, Dongkyu CHA, Subhash C. AYIRALA, Abdulaziz S. AL-QASIM, Ali Abdallah AL-YOUSEF
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Patent number: 12110772Abstract: Enhanced hydrocarbon recovery methods may include use of carbonated aqueous fluids. Methods for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery may include: introducing a carbonated aqueous fluid into a subterranean reservoir, the carbonated aqueous fluid including carbon dioxide; introducing a first salt solution and a second salt solution into the subterranean reservoir after introducing the carbonated aqueous fluid; contacting the first salt solution with the second salt solution in the subterranean reservoir under conditions where the first salt and the second salt undergo an exothermic reaction; and heating the carbonated aqueous fluid with heat produced via the exothermic reaction; wherein at least a portion of the carbon dioxide is released from the carbonated aqueous fluid upon heating and migrates from a lower portion to an upper portion of the subterranean reservoir, and a decarbonated saline solution is generated from the carbonated aqueous fluid from which the carbon dioxide is released.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2023Date of Patent: October 8, 2024Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Zuhair Alyousef, Hamoud Alqahtani, Subhash C. Ayirala, Muhammad M. Almajid, Ali A. Al-Taq
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Patent number: 12060782Abstract: A system for electrical treatment in a reservoir with gas wells is disclosed. The system includes a first well in the reservoir configured to act as an electrode, the reservoir having a plurality of pore spaces saturated by water, and a second well in the reservoir configured to act as a second electrode hydraulically connected to the first well. A power unit is connected to the first and second wells by a cable configured to emit an electric current to the first well and the second well into the reservoir. The electric current enlarges the plurality of pore spaces in the reservoir, facilitating a production of gas from the water. A transformer is connected to the power unit by the cable, the transformer being configured to step down a voltage from a power supply to the power unit. The power supply is connected to the transformer by the cable.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2022Date of Patent: August 13, 2024Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Ghaida Al Juhani, Subhash C. Ayirala, Abdulaziz S. Al-Qasim, Deena Tayyib
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Patent number: 12006794Abstract: A method of enhancing heat transfer and energy efficiency in a geothermal reservoir includes injecting a carbonated fluid to the reservoir, injecting a first salt solution and a second salt solution into the reservoir, and increasing the temperature of the reservoir by reacting the first salt solution with the second salt solution to provide heat. The carbonated fluid injection decreases a temperature of the reservoir. The second salt solution is reactive with the first salt solution under the conditions in the reservoir after the injecting. A system of enhancing heat transfer and energy efficiency in a geothermal reservoir includes an injection system in fluid communication with an injection well. The injection system is configured to alternate the injection of the carbonated fluid and the first salt solution and second salt solution.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2023Date of Patent: June 11, 2024Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Bora Yalcin, Zuhair AlYousef, Abdulaziz S. Al-Qasim, Subhash C. Ayirala
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Publication number: 20240166934Abstract: Described is a wastewater-based drilling fluid. The wastewater-based drilling fluid consists of about 40% to 60% by volume of a high salinity wastewater discharge. The wastewater-based drilling fluid also includes calcium carbonate as a bridging agent and barite as a weighting agent. The wastewater-based drilling fluid possesses a set of rheological properties and filtration control properties characteristic of a water-based drilling fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2022Publication date: May 23, 2024Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Jothibasu Ramasamy, Subhash C. Ayirala, Mohammed K. Arfaj, Salah Hamad Al-Saleh
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Publication number: 20240167371Abstract: A system for electrical treatment in a reservoir with gas wells is disclosed. The system includes a first well in the reservoir configured to act as an electrode, the reservoir having a plurality of pore spaces saturated by water, and a second well in the reservoir configured to act as a second electrode hydraulically connected to the first well. A power unit is connected to the first and second wells by a cable configured to emit an electric current to the first well and the second well into the reservoir. The electric current enlarges the plurality of pore spaces in the reservoir, facilitating a production of gas from the water. A transformer is connected to the power unit by the cable, the transformer being configured to step down a voltage from a power supply to the power unit. The power supply is connected to the transformer by the cable.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2022Publication date: May 23, 2024Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Ghaida Al Juhani, Subhash C. Ayirala, Abdulaziz S. Al-Qasim, Deena Tayyib
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Patent number: 11939521Abstract: A solution for injection to a formation containing hydrocarbons includes an ionic liquid and a brine having a salinity of at least 60,000 ppm total dissolved solids (TDS). The ionic liquid is configured to lower an interfacial tension between the solution and the hydrocarbons in the formation.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Adrian Cesar Cavazos Sepulveda, Abdulkareem AlSofi, Subhash C. Ayirala, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Publication number: 20240059958Abstract: A solution for injection to a formation containing hydrocarbons includes an ionic liquid and a brine having a salinity of at least 60,000 ppm total dissolved solids (TDS). The ionic liquid is configured to lower an interfacial tension between the solution and the hydrocarbons in the formation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2022Publication date: February 22, 2024Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Adrian Cesar Cavazos Sepulveda, Abdulkareem AlSofi, Subhash C. Ayirala, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Publication number: 20240052726Abstract: Described is a method for enhanced carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in geological formations. The method includes dissolving CO2 in a low salinity fluid to form a CO2-brine solution. The low salinity fluid includes sodium (Na+) ions and sulfate (SO42?) ions. The CO2-brine solution is injected into a geological formation, and the CO2 reacts with the geological formation to produce solid carbonate minerals for CO2 sequestration.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2022Publication date: February 15, 2024Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Zuhair AlYousif, Subhash C. Ayirala, Muhammad M. Almajid, Moataz Abu AlSaud
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Patent number: 11859484Abstract: A method for enhancing productivity of a stratified subterranean wellbore includes introducing a mixture including water and a first set of nanoparticles reactive to high frequency acoustic waves having a size ranging from about 10 to 100 nm to a first target zone, located in a high permeability layer of the stratified subterranean wellbore. A first stimulation including acoustic waves having a frequency range of 1 kHz to 10 kHz is provided to the first set of nanoparticles to promote reacting. Then, a mixture including water and a second set of nanoparticles having a size ranging from about 1 to 10 nm is introduced to a second target zone, located in a medium permeability layer of the stratified subterranean wellbore. A second stimulation including acoustic waves having a frequency range of 100 Hz to 1 kHz is provided to the second set of nanoparticles to promote reacting.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2022Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Abdulaziz S. Al-Qasim, Subhash C. Ayirala, Dong Kyu Cha
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Publication number: 20230408919Abstract: A method for manufacturing a micromodel with a mixed wettability surface representing a hydrocarbon reservoir is disclosed. The method includes coating a top surface of a hydrophilic substrate with photoresist, covering a top of the photoresist with a photomask, exposing the covered top of the photoresist to UV light that changes a chemical property of a region of the photoresist corresponding to a pattern of the photomask, removing the photomask, removing the region of the photoresist corresponding to the pattern of the photomask based on the chemical property of the region, depositing a hydrophobic thin-film on top of the hydrophilic substrate, and removing a remaining photoresist covered with the thin-film, such that the surface of the hydrophilic substrate is patterned with both a region covered with the hydrophobic thin-film and an uncovered region of the hydrophilic substrate, creating a mixed wettability surface on the hydrophilic substrate that represents the micromodel.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2023Publication date: December 21, 2023Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company, King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyInventors: Dong Kyu Cha, Abdullah Abdulaziz AlOmier, Subhash C. Ayirala, Mohammed Badri Al-Otaibi, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef, Hussein Hoteit
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Publication number: 20230330658Abstract: A method includes 3d printing a polymer substrate having microfluidic channels and depositing calcite onto the polymer substrate then using atomic layer deposition to form a calcite microfluidic device. A device made from the method includes a 3d printed polymer substrate having microfluidic channels. The 3d printed polymer substrate has a calcite coating.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2022Publication date: October 19, 2023Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Dong Kyu Cha, Mohammed Badri Al-Otaibi, Subhash C. Ayirala, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Patent number: 11788392Abstract: A method for selectively optimizing water chemistry within a wellbore may include positioning a system tubing in the wellbore. The system tubing may include an electrochemical cell, a first chamber, and a second chamber. The method may also include injecting a fluid into the electrochemical cell and directing an electrical current into the electrochemical cell wherein the fluid separates by charge into a first fluid and a second fluid. The method may also include passing the first fluid into the first chamber and the second fluid into the second chamber. Also, the method may include rotating the system tubing, wherein the first fluid flows from the first chamber to the wellbore through a first radial conduit and the second fluid flows from the second chamber to the wellbore through a second radial conduit.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Amani O. Alghamdi, Subhash C. Ayirala, Ali Abdallah Alyousef
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Publication number: 20230258065Abstract: A method for enhancing productivity of a stratified subterranean wellbore includes introducing a mixture including water and a first set of nanoparticles reactive to high frequency acoustic waves having a size ranging from about 10 to 100 nm to a first target zone, located in a high permeability layer of the stratified subterranean wellbore. A first stimulation including acoustic waves having a frequency range of 1 kHz to 10 kHz is provided to the first set of nanoparticles to promote reacting. Then, a mixture including water and a second set of nanoparticles having a size ranging from about 1 to 10 nm is introduced to a second target zone, located in a medium permeability layer of the stratified subterranean wellbore. A second stimulation including acoustic waves having a frequency range of 100 Hz to 1 kHz is provided to the second set of nanoparticles to promote reacting.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2022Publication date: August 17, 2023Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Abdulaziz S. Al-Qasim, Subhash C. Ayirala, Dong Kyu Cha
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Patent number: 11712694Abstract: A method includes flowing an inlet solution having an inlet salinity and an inlet ion concentration from an inlet to a membrane filtration system, dynamically adjusting the salinity or ion concentration of the inlet solution in situ as the inlet solution flows to an inlet of a microfluidic cell, and determining a wettability alteration in situ while dynamically adjusting the salinity or ion concentration of the inlet solution. A system includes a fluid inlet, a microfluidic cell fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet, the microfluidic cell having a surface representative of a reservoir rock, and a membrane filtration system coupled between the microfluidic cell and the fluid inlet.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2020Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Dong Kyu Cha, Subhash C. Ayirala, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Publication number: 20230184669Abstract: A pressure cell includes a metal pressure chamber, a heating stage, disposed in the interior of the metal pressure chamber, that heats the liquid sample, a chamber pump, connected to the interior of the metal pressure chamber, that pressurizes the interior of the metal pressure chamber, a salinity control system including a membrane coupled to the sample inlet, where the membrane is configured to reduce a salinity level of the liquid sample, and a controller that controls the chamber pump, the salinity control system, and the heating stage to control a pressure of the interior of the metal pressure chamber, a salinity level of the liquid sample, and a temperature of the liquid sample, respectively. The metal pressure chamber includes a liquid sample holder, a removable lid, a window in the removable lid, a sample inlet, and a sample outlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2021Publication date: June 15, 2023Applicant: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventors: Dong kyu Cha, Mohammed Badri AlOtaibi, Subhash C. Ayirala, Salah H. Alsaleh, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef