Patents by Inventor Tirumani N. Swaminathan

Tirumani N. Swaminathan 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: 11898443
    Abstract: A method may comprise identifying one or more pressure dissipation mechanisms that drop pressure within a fluid handling system, identifying one or more open flowpath elements, performing a matching algorithm with an information handling system, and initializing the matching algorithm with an estimate of a coefficient. A system may comprise a fluid handling system and an information handling system. The fluid handling system may comprise a fluid supply vessel, wherein the fluid supply vessel is disposed on a surface, pumping equipment, wherein the pumping equipment is attached to the fluid supply vessel and disposed on the surface; a wellbore supply conduit, wherein the wellbore supply conduit is attached to the pumping equipment and disposed in a formation, and a flowpath element, wherein the flowpath element fluidly couples the wellbore supply conduit to the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Dinesh Ananda Shetty, Vladimir Nikolayevich Martysevich, Jianfu Ma
  • Patent number: 11879317
    Abstract: System and methods of controlling fracture growth during multi-well stimulation treatments. The flow distribution of treatment fluid injected into first and second well formation entry points along multiple wellbores is monitored during a current stage of a multi-well, multistage stimulation treatment. Upon determining the fracture growth and/or monitored flow distribution meets a threshold, a remainder of the current stage is partitioned into a plurality of treatment cycles and at least one diversion phase. A portion of the fluid to be injected into the first well and/or second well formation entry points is allocated to each of the treatment cycles of the partitioned stage. The treatment cycles are performed for the remainder of the current stage using the treatment fluid allocated to each treatment cycle, wherein the flow distribution is adjusted so as not to meet the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Holiman Hunter, Stanley Vernon Stephenson, Mikko Jaaskelainen, Ubong Akpan Inyang, Joshua Lane Camp, Tirumani N. Swaminathan
  • Patent number: 11634985
    Abstract: A method may comprise plotting treatment data to form a plot of the treatment data, fitting a function to the plot of the treatment data, determining an intercept of the function, calculating one or more coefficients, plotting the one or more coefficients on a histogram, and identifying one or more active flowpath elements on the histogram. A system may comprise a fluid handling system and an information handling system. The fluid handling system may comprise a fluid supply vessel, wherein the fluid supply vessel is disposed on a surface; pumping equipment, wherein the pumping equipment it attached to the fluid supply vessel and disposed on the surface; wellbore supply conduit, wherein the wellbore supply conduit is attached to the pumping equipment and disposed in a formation; and a plurality of flowpath elements, wherein the flowpath elements fluidly couple the wellbore supply conduit to the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Nikolayevich Martysevich, Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Dinesh Ananda Shetty, Jianfu Ma
  • Patent number: 11556612
    Abstract: The disclosure presents a technique for determining how downhole material will be distributed among two or more active perforation clusters in a hydraulic fracturing well system. The determination can be conducted during the execution of a treatment stage allowing modifications prior to completion of the treatment stage. The technique utilizes a three-step process where a first step can determine a predictive model of the wellbore, such as subterranean formation properties, wellbore properties, and target goal of the treatment stage. A second step can calibrate for unknown parameters, such as downhole HF fluid pressure at the active perforation clusters and downhole HF fluid flow rate at the perforation clusters. A third step can predict how downhole material will be distributed to the active perforation clusters and fracture clusters. The prediction result can be utilized to modify a pumping plan of the treatment stage to better achieve the targeted goal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Baidurja Ray, Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Seyed Omid Razavi
  • Patent number: 11449645
    Abstract: The disclosure presents a process for calibrating a diversion model for a treatment stage of a hydraulic fracturing well site. The process can pump a portion of the proppant into the wellbore, flush the wellbore with clean HF fluid, and then perform a diagnostic test to determine a near-wellbore (NWB) flow resistance parameter. Next, diverter material can be distributed into the wellbore and the amount of diverter material delivered to each active perforation cluster can be estimated. A second diagnostic test can be performed followed by computing diversion model parameters such as a near-wellbore zone length parameter for perforation clusters capable of receiving HF fluid. In another aspect, a system is disclosed that can direct operations of a well site pump and collect data from surface and downhole diagnostic sensors, and then use the collected data for the diversion model calibration process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Seyed Omid Razavi, Joshua Camp, Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Baidurja Ray
  • Patent number: 11401793
    Abstract: System and methods of optimizing proppant placement for stimulation treatments are provided. Properties of a reservoir formation and a treatment fluid to be injected into the formation are determined for a multistage stimulation treatment to be performed along a wellbore drilled within the formation. A proppant transport model uses the properties to determine a proppant profile for a fractured area of the formation for each treatment stage along the wellbore. A proppant pack conductivity for each stage is determined based on a proppant conductivity model and the proppant profile for that stage. A rate of hydrocarbon production expected from the wellbore is estimated based on a well production model and the proppant pack conductivity. A distribution of proppant to be injected into the formation during the treatment is determined, based on the production rate and one or more constraints. The stimulation treatment is performed based on the determined proppant distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Jianlei Sun, Paul M. Ashcraft, Cesar Edmundo Meza, Aaron Gene Russell
  • Patent number: 11346212
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method and a computer program product for determining distribution of fracturing components in fracture clusters of a wellbore, and a fracturing controller. An example of the method includes: (1) modifying surface flow rates for pumping a fracturing component into the wellbore, (2) measuring surface pressures for the surface flow rates, and (3) determining flow rates for the fracture clusters employing the surface flow rates, the surface pressures, and a model representing flow distribution of the wellbore. An example fracturing controller includes (1) an interface configured to receive surface flow rates and corresponding surface pressures for pumping a fracturing component into a wellbore, wherein the surface flow rates are modified in a series of steps, and (2) a processor configured to determine flow rates for the fracture clusters employing the surface flow rates, the surface pressures, and a model representing flow distribution of the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Dinesh Ananda Shetty
  • Patent number: 11268365
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a method and system that estimates the number of active fractures for a given hydraulic fracturing fluid pressure. The hydraulic fracturing pressure can be correlated to a corresponding hydraulic fracturing fluid absorption rate of downhole fractures. Using the pressure and rate correlation, an active fracture ratio can be determined and then utilized to estimate the number of active fractures at a given hydraulic fracturing fluid pressure. In other aspects, a target fluid pressure is represented by a curve or other shape corresponding to a fluid friction model so that the fluid pressure correlation to the fluid absorption rate can be utilized to compute the active fracture ratio. The disclosed system is operable to control a well site pump system to adjust the fluid pressure and fluid composition, to monitor the downhole fluid, to collect the fluid values, and to compute an estimated active fracture ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Dinesh Ananda Shetty, Vladimir Nikolayevich Martysevich, Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Jianfu Ma
  • Publication number: 20210404306
    Abstract: System and methods of optimizing proppant placement for stimulation treatments are provided. Properties of a reservoir formation and a treatment fluid to be injected into the formation are determined for a multistage stimulation treatment to be performed along a wellbore drilled within the formation. A proppant transport model uses the properties to determine a proppant profile for a fractured area of the formation for each treatment stage along the wellbore. A proppant pack conductivity for each stage is determined based on a proppant conductivity model and the proppant profile for that stage. A rate of hydrocarbon production expected from the wellbore is estimated based on a well production model and the proppant pack conductivity. A distribution of proppant to be injected into the formation during the treatment is determined, based on the production rate and one or more constraints. The stimulation treatment is performed based on the determined proppant distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Jianlei Sun, Paul M. Ashcraft, Cesar Edmundo Meza, Aaron Gene Russell
  • Publication number: 20210396083
    Abstract: A method may comprise identifying one or more pressure dissipation mechanisms that drop pressure within a fluid handling system, identifying one or more open flowpath elements, performing a matching algorithm with an information handling system, and initializing the matching algorithm with an estimate of a coefficient. A system may comprise a fluid handling system and an information handling system. The fluid handling system may comprise a fluid supply vessel, wherein the fluid supply vessel is disposed on a surface, pumping equipment, wherein the pumping equipment is attached to the fluid supply vessel and disposed on the surface; a wellbore supply conduit, wherein the wellbore supply conduit is attached to the pumping equipment and disposed in a formation, and a flowpath element, wherein the flowpath element fluidly couples the wellbore supply conduit to the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Dinesh Ananda Shetty, Vladimir Nikolayevich Martysevich, Jianfu Ma
  • Publication number: 20210332683
    Abstract: System and methods of controlling fracture growth during multi-well stimulation treatments. The flow distribution of treatment fluid injected into first and second well formation entry points along multiple wellbores is monitored during a current stage of a multi-well, multistage stimulation treatment. Upon determining the fracture growth and/or monitored flow distribution meets a threshold, a remainder of the current stage is partitioned into a plurality of treatment cycles and at least one diversion phase. A portion of the fluid to be injected into the first well and/or second well formation entry points is allocated to each of the treatment cycles of the partitioned stage. The treatment cycles are performed for the remainder of the current stage using the treatment fluid allocated to each treatment cycle, wherein the flow distribution is adjusted so as not to meet the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Timothy Holiman Hunter, Stanley Vemon Stephen, Mikko Jaaskelainen, Ubong Akpan Inyang, Joshua Lane Camp, Tirumani N. Swaminathan
  • Publication number: 20210293143
    Abstract: A method may comprise plotting treatment data to form a plot of the treatment data, fitting a function to the plot of the treatment data, determining an intercept of the function, calculating one or more coefficients, plotting the one or more coefficients on a histogram, and identifying one or more active flowpath elements on the histogram. A system may comprise a fluid handling system and an information handling system. The fluid handling system may comprise a fluid supply vessel, wherein the fluid supply vessel is disposed on a surface; pumping equipment, wherein the pumping equipment it attached to the fluid supply vessel and disposed on the surface; wellbore supply conduit, wherein the wellbore supply conduit is attached to the pumping equipment and disposed in a formation; and a plurality of flowpath elements, wherein the flowpath elements fluidly couple the wellbore supply conduit to the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Nikolayevich Martysevich, Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Dinesh Ananda Shetty, Jianfu Ma
  • Publication number: 20210108509
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method and a computer program product for determining distribution of fracturing components in fracture clusters of a wellbore, and a fracturing controller. An example of the method includes: (1) modifying surface flow rates for pumping a fracturing component into the wellbore, (2) measuring surface pressures for the surface flow rates, and (3) determining flow rates for the fracture clusters employing the surface flow rates, the surface pressures, and a model representing flow distribution of the wellbore. An example fracturing controller includes (1) an interface configured to receive surface flow rates and corresponding surface pressures for pumping a fracturing component into a wellbore, wherein the surface flow rates are modified in a series of steps, and (2) a processor configured to determine flow rates for the fracture clusters employing the surface flow rates, the surface pressures, and a model representing flow distribution of the wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Dinesh Ananda Shetty
  • Publication number: 20210073314
    Abstract: The disclosure presents a technique for determining how downhole material will be distributed among two or more active perforation clusters in a hydraulic fracturing well system. The determination can be conducted during the execution of a treatment stage allowing modifications prior to completion of the treatment stage. The technique utilizes a three-step process where a first step can determine a predictive model of the wellbore, such as subterranean formation properties, wellbore properties, and target goal of the treatment stage. A second step can calibrate for unknown parameters, such as downhole HF fluid pressure at the active perforation clusters and downhole HF fluid flow rate at the perforation clusters. A third step can predict how downhole material will be distributed to the active perforation clusters and fracture clusters. The prediction result can be utilized to modify a pumping plan of the treatment stage to better achieve the targeted goal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Baidurja Ray, Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Seyed Omid Razavi
  • Publication number: 20210073342
    Abstract: The disclosure presents a process for calibrating a diversion model for a treatment stage of a hydraulic fracturing well site. The process can pump a portion of the proppant into the wellbore, flush the wellbore with clean HF fluid, and then perform a diagnostic test to determine a near-wellbore (NWB) flow resistance parameter. Next, diverter material can be distributed into the wellbore and the amount of diverter material delivered to each active perforation cluster can be estimated. A second diagnostic test can be performed followed by computing diversion model parameters such as a near-wellbore zone length parameter for perforation clusters capable of receiving HF fluid. In another aspect, a system is disclosed that can direct operations of a well site pump and collect data from surface and downhole diagnostic sensors, and then use the collected data for the diversion model calibration process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Seyed Omid Razavi, Joshua Camp, Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Baidurja Ray
  • Publication number: 20200362680
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a method and system that estimates the number of active fractures for a given hydraulic fracturing fluid pressure. The hydraulic fracturing pressure can be correlated to a corresponding hydraulic fracturing fluid absorption rate of downhole fractures. Using the pressure and rate correlation, an active fracture ratio can be determined and then utilized to estimate the number of active fractures at a given hydraulic fracturing fluid pressure. In other aspects, a target fluid pressure is represented by a curve or other shape corresponding to a fluid friction model so that the fluid pressure correlation to the fluid absorption rate can be utilized to compute the active fracture ratio. The disclosed system is operable to control a well site pump system to adjust the fluid pressure and fluid composition, to monitor the downhole fluid, to collect the fluid values, and to compute an estimated active fracture ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Dinesh Ananda Shetty, Vladimir Nikolayevich Martysevich, Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Jianfu Ma
  • Patent number: 10450670
    Abstract: Methods for growing a reduced dislocation crystal ingot in an ingot growing system are disclosed. The system has a first crucible with a first base and a first sidewall extending upward from the first base to define an outer cavity. The method includes placing a weir in the outer cavity, placing a second crucible on the weir, placing feedstock material into the outer cavity, and melting the feedstock material to allow movement of the melt from the outer cavity inward of an intermediate cavity and into an inner cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Corner Star Limited
    Inventors: Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Salvador Zepeda, John David Hilker
  • Patent number: 10145023
    Abstract: Production of silicon ingots in a crystal puller that involve reduction in the formation of silicon deposits on the puller exhaust system are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Corner Star Limited
    Inventors: Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Jihong Chen
  • Patent number: 10100428
    Abstract: Production of silicon ingots in a crystal puller that involve reduction of the erosion rate at the crucible contact point are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Corner Star Limited
    Inventors: Jihong Chen, Tirumani N. Swaminathan
  • Publication number: 20180291524
    Abstract: Methods for growing single crystal ingots doped with volatile dopants and ingots grown according to the methods are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Soubir Basak, Gaurab Samanta, Salvador Zepeda, Christopher V. Luers, Steven L. Kimbel, Carissima Marie Hudson, Hariprasad Sreedharamurthy, Roberto Scala, Richard J. Phillips, Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Jihong Chen, Stephen Wayne Palmore, Peter Drury Wildes