Patents by Inventor Tianping Huang

Tianping Huang 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: 20250075606
    Abstract: Methods for treating a water zone of a subterranean formation by injecting a slurry including a water-swellable particle, a fiber, and a viscous oil to reduce water production from the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Dongqing Cao, Tianping Huang, Ayman Mohammed Almohsin, Bader G. AlHarbi, Xingang Bu, Shaohua Chen
  • Publication number: 20250026977
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to thermal stimuli-responsive surfactant mixtures useful for reducing water/oil interfacial tension at high temperatures and increasing water/oil interfacial tension at low temperatures. The disclosure also relates to methods of using the surfactant mixtures for enhanced oil recovery applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2024
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Inventors: Limin Xu, Ming Han, Tianping Huang
  • Publication number: 20250019586
    Abstract: A system and a method for making and using an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) fluid. The EOR fluid includes a base fluid, an anionic-nonionic surfactant including one of sodium alkylphenol ethoxylate carboxylate (APEC), sodium alkyl ethoxylate carboxylate (AEC), sodium alkylphenol ethoxylate sulfate (APES), or sodium alkyl ethoxylate sulfate (AES), and a second surfactant including a cationic surfactant including an alkyl pyridine salt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Inventors: Limin Xu, Ming Han, Tianping Huang
  • Publication number: 20250011640
    Abstract: A method for reducing the interfacial tension between a hydrocarbon fluid and a surfactant mixture solution during chemical enhanced oil recovery includes introducing a surfactant mixture solution to a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir, thereby reducing the interfacial tension at a liquid-liquid interface of the hydrocarbon fluid and the surfactant mixture solution. The surfactant mixture solution includes a polyacrylamide polymer, a brine solution, and a surfactant mixture. The surfactant mixture includes an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, and a nonionic surfactant. The anionic surfactant may include organosulfate. The cationic surfactant may include a quaternary ammonium, a brominated trimethylammonium, a chloride trimethylammonium, or combinations thereof. The nonionic surfactant may include a polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester, a phenylated ethoxylate, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2024
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Limin Xu, Ming Han, Tianping Huang
  • Patent number: 12139664
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to thermal stimuli-responsive surfactant mixtures useful for reducing water/oil interfacial tension at high temperatures and increasing water/oil interfacial tension at low temperatures. The disclosure also relates to methods of using the surfactant mixtures for enhanced oil recovery applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Limin Xu, Ming Han, Tianping Huang
  • Publication number: 20240294822
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to thermal stimuli-responsive surfactant mixtures useful for reducing water/oil interfacial tension at high temperatures and increasing water/oil interfacial tension at low temperatures. The disclosure also relates to methods of using the surfactant mixtures for enhanced oil recovery applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2023
    Publication date: September 5, 2024
    Inventors: Limin Xu, Ming Han, Tianping Huang
  • Patent number: 11993747
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for treating a water zone of a subterranean formation by injecting a mixture including an anionic surfactant and an amine, followed by CO2, to reduce water production from the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Zuhair Al-Yousif, Abdulaziz S. Al-Qasim, Shaohua Chen, Tianping Huang, Ming Han
  • Patent number: 11060015
    Abstract: A treatment fluid comprises: a base fluid; a viscoelastic surfactant gelling agent and hydrophobic nanoparticles comprising metallic nanoparticles that are surface modified with C6-30 aliphatic groups. The treatment fluid is a fracturing fluid, a completion fluid, a gravel pack fluid, a fluid loss pill, a lost circulation pill, a diverter fluid, a foamed fluid, a stimulation fluid and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Shiv Shankar Sangaru, Prahlad Yadav, Tianping Huang, Gaurav Agrawal, Pranjal Sarmah
  • Patent number: 10449513
    Abstract: Nanoparticle-treated particle packs, such as sand beds, may effectively filter and purify liquids such as waste water. When tiny contaminant particles in waste water flow through the particle pack, the nanoparticles will capture and hold the tiny contaminant particles within the pack due to the nanoparticles' surface forces, including, but not necessarily limited to van der Waals and electrostatic forces. Coating agents may help apply the nanoparticles to the particle surfaces in the filter beds or packs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Tianping Huang, James B. Crews
  • Publication number: 20190211254
    Abstract: A method of breaking the viscosity of a treatment fluid comprises: adding hydrophobic nanoparticles to a treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a viscoelastic surfactant gelling agent, the hydrophobic nanoparticles comprising metallic nanoparticles that are surface modified with C6-30 aliphatic groups, wherein the hydrophobic nanoparticles are added in an amount effective to decrease the viscosity of the treatment fluid as compared to a treatment fluid absent the hydrophobic nanoparticles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Shiv Shankar Sangaru, Prahlad Yadav, Tianping Huang, Gaurav Agrawal, Pranjal Sarmah
  • Patent number: 10280361
    Abstract: A method of breaking the viscosity of a treatment fluid comprises: adding hydrophobic nanoparticles to a treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a viscoelastic surfactant gelling agent, the hydrophobic nanoparticles comprising metallic nanoparticles that are surface modified with C6-30 aliphatic groups, wherein the hydrophobic nanoparticles are added in an amount effective to decrease the viscosity of the treatment fluid as compared to a treatment fluid absent the hydrophobic nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Shiv Shankar Sangaru, Prahlad Yadav, Tianping Huang, Gaurav Agrawal, Pranjal Sarmah
  • Patent number: 10253598
    Abstract: Improving the knowledge about how hydraulic fracture networks are generated in subsurface shale volumes in unconventional wellbores may be accomplished with various configurations of at least one diagnostic lateral wellbore using at least one diagnostic device disposed in the diagnostic lateral wellbore. By extending diagnostic lateral wellbores from adjacent lateral wellbores and/or separately drilling diagnostic lateral wellbores, and analyzing signals received by diagnostic devices placed in the diagnostic lateral wellbores, knowledge about fracture networks, the parameters that control fracture geometry and reservoir production and how reservoirs react to refracturing techniques may be greatly improved. Additionally, such diagnostic lateral wellbores can provide quicker location of sweet-spot horizons in reservoirs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: James B. Crews, Robert Samuel Hurt, Hyunil Jo, Tianping Huang, Naima Bestaoui-Spurr
  • Patent number: 10227522
    Abstract: A method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a well comprises combining an aqueous base fluid, a viscoelastic surfactant gelling agent, two or more types of the following nanoparticles: an alkaline earth metal oxide; an alkaline earth metal hydroxide; a transition metal oxide; or a transition metal hydroxide to form a treatment fluid, and pumping the treatment fluid into the well, wherein the weight ratio of the two or more types of the nanoparticles is selected such that the treatment fluid has an improved fluid efficiency as compared to an otherwise identical reference fluid except for comprising only one type of the nanoparticles selected from an alkaline earth metal oxide; an alkaline earth metal hydroxide; a transition metal oxide; and a transition metal hydroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Shiv Shankar Sangaru, Prahlad Yadav, Tianping Huang, Gaurav Agrawal, Mohammed Al-Rabah
  • Patent number: 10138165
    Abstract: A formulation for use as a lost circulation preventive material is a cement-forming aqueous fluid comprising water, at least one viscoelastic surfactant (VES), at least one monovalent or multivalent salt, at least one magnesium powder, and at least one retarder. The formulation is used in a method of drilling into a subterranean formation that includes introducing into a wellbore passing at least partially through the subterranean formation the cement-forming aqueous fluid, and further increasing the viscosity of the aqueous fluid by the action of the VES forming elongated micelles; where the at least one monovalent salt is present in an amount effective to pseudo-crosslink the elongated VES micelles to further increase the viscosity of the aqueous fluid. The formulation further forms a cement by reacting the at least one magnesium powder and the water which reaction is retarded by the retarder. The water may be saline water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Pranjal Sarmah, Prahlad Kumar Yadav, Gaurav Agrawal, Tianping Huang
  • Publication number: 20180283153
    Abstract: Diagnostic or assisting lateral wellbores can have a significant benefit for injecting and distributing treatment fluids and other materials within complex fracture networks that surpass conventional injection at the primary lateral wellbore perforations for acquiring empirical knowledge about the numerous processes that influence shale reservoir production which occur after primary shale reservoir stimulation. Injection of diagnostic treatment fluids or treating chemicals for understanding production optimization, such as water-block removal, fines migration removal, and treating chemicals for prevention of scale and paraffin deposition, can be injected along the diagnostic lateral wellbore or frac interval lateral wellbores to give broader and/or deeper distribution into the fracture network than by using mono-bore-centric diagnostic injection techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: Baker Hughes, A GE Company, LLC
    Inventors: James B. Crews, Tianping Huang, Robert Samuel Hurt
  • Patent number: 9938448
    Abstract: Dual-function nano-sized particles or nanoparticles may be effective at fixating or reducing fines migration and they may facilitate identification of a particular zone in a well having more than one zone. In some embodiments the dual-function nanoparticles are tagged with a detectable material that is distinguishable from the composition of the primary nanoparticle component. In these embodiments, the taggant material rather than the primary component of the nanoparticles may be used to enable identification of a particular zone. The nanoparticles (with or without taggant) may be added to a treatment fluid containing carrier particles such as proppant. The treatment fluid is pumped downhole to one of the zones; each zone receiving its own unique or uniquely-tagged nanoparticles. Should one of the zones fail, the composition of the nanoparticles (or its taggant) produced on the carrier particles may be correlated to the zone from which it was received, and hence produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: James B. Crews, Tianping Huang, Othon Monteiro
  • Publication number: 20170362495
    Abstract: A method of breaking the viscosity of a treatment fluid comprises: adding hydrophobic nanoparticles to a treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a viscoelastic surfactant gelling agent, the hydrophobic nanoparticles comprising metallic nanoparticles that are surface modified with C6-30 aliphatic groups, wherein the hydrophobic nanoparticles are added in an amount effective to decrease the viscosity of the treatment fluid as compared to a treatment fluid absent the hydrophobic nanoparticles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Shiv Shankar Sangaru, Prahlad Yadav, Tianping Huang, Gaurav Agrawal, Pranjal Sarmah
  • Publication number: 20170342308
    Abstract: A method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a well comprises combining an aqueous base fluid, a viscoelastic surfactant gelling agent, two or more types of the following nanoparticles: an alkaline earth metal oxide; an alkaline earth metal hydroxide; a transition metal oxide; or a transition metal hydroxide to form a treatment fluid, and pumping the treatment fluid into the well, wherein the weight ratio of the two or more types of the nanoparticles is selected such that the treatment fluid has an improved fluid efficiency as compared to an otherwise identical reference fluid except for comprising only one type of the nanoparticles selected from an alkaline earth metal oxide; an alkaline earth metal hydroxide; a transition metal oxide; and a transition metal hydroxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Shiv Shankar Sangaru, Prahlad Yadav, Tianping Huang, Gaurav Agrawal, Mohammed Al-Rabah
  • Patent number: 9828293
    Abstract: A formulation for use as a lost circulation preventive material is a cement-forming aqueous fluid comprising water, a viscoelastic surfactant (VES), a monovalent or multivalent salt, a magnesium powder, a retarder, a weighting material, and a dispersant. The formulation is used in a method of drilling into a subterranean formation that includes introducing into a wellbore passing at least partially through the subterranean formation the cement-forming aqueous fluid, and further increasing the viscosity of the aqueous fluid with the VES; where the monovalent salt is present in an amount effective to pseudo-crosslink the elongated VES micelles to further increase the viscosity of fluid. The formulation further forms a cement by reacting the magnesium powder and the water which reaction is retarded by the retarder. The water may be saline water. When the fluid density is greater than 14 pounds per gallon, a dispersant is required, such as a sulfonated copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Prahlad Kumar Yadav, Pranjal Sarmah, Gaurav Agrawal, Tianping Huang
  • Publication number: 20170253789
    Abstract: Dual-function nano-sized particles or nanoparticles may be effective at fixating or reducing fines migration and they may facilitate identification of a particular zone in a well having more than one zone. In some embodiments the dual-function nanoparticles are tagged with a detectable material that is distinguishable from the composition of the primary nanoparticle component. In these embodiments, the taggant material rather than the primary component of the nanoparticles may be used to enable identification of a particular zone. The nanoparticles (with or without taggant) may be added to a treatment fluid containing carrier particles such as proppant. The treatment fluid is pumped downhole to one of the zones; each zone receiving its own unique or uniquely-tagged nanoparticles. Should one of the zones fail, the composition of the nanoparticles (or its taggant) produced on the carrier particles may be correlated to the zone from which it was received, and hence produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: James B. Crews, Tianping Huang, Othon Monteiro