Patents by Inventor Walter T. Stephens

Walter T. Stephens 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: 11692351
    Abstract: A process for preparing roofing granules includes forming kaolin clay into green granules and sintering the green granules at a temperature of at least 900 degrees Celsius to cure the green granules until the crystalline content of the sintered granules is at least ten percent as determined by x-ray diffraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: CERTAINTEED LLC
    Inventors: Ming Liang Shiao, Tihana Tresler, Husnu M. Kalkanoglu, Walter T. Stephens
  • Patent number: 11345848
    Abstract: A downhole treatment fluid made up of a binding composition and a proppant, the binding composition including an aluminosilicate source, a metal silicate, an alkali metal activator. The binding composition may form a coated particulate or an aggregate with the proppant and provides strength-enhancing properties. The binding composition has easy handling properties facilitating on-the-fly preparation and downhole injection procedures. Furthermore, the binding composition has a low strength-hardening temperature and so may strength-harden in the presence of downhole temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Tatyana Khamatnurova, Walter T. Stephens, Philip D. Nguyen, Gladys Rocio Montenegro-Galindo
  • Publication number: 20220119309
    Abstract: Solar reflective roofing granules include a binder and inert mineral particles, with solar reflective particles dispersed in the binder. An agglomeration process preferentially disposes the solar reflective particles at a desired depth within or beneath the surface of the granules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Ming Liang Shiao, Keith C. Hong, Walter T. Stephens
  • Patent number: 11286761
    Abstract: A method of treating a subterranean formation comprising: providing a proppant; coating the proppant with a geopolymer composition to create a coated proppant; injecting a fracturing fluid into the subterranean formation, wherein the fracturing fluid comprises a base fluid and the coated proppant; and allowing the geopolymer composition to set in the formation to form a geopolymer on the proppant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Nguyen, Tatyana V. Khamatnurova, Loan K. Vo, Walter T. Stephens
  • Publication number: 20210332590
    Abstract: A process for preparing roofing granules includes forming kaolin clay into green granules and sintering the green granules at a temperature of at least 900 degrees Celsius to cure the green granules until the crystalline content of the sintered granules is at least ten percent as determined by x-ray diffraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Ming Liang Shiao, Tihana Tresler, Husnu M. Kalkanoglu, Walter T. Stephens
  • Patent number: 11130708
    Abstract: Solar reflective roofing granules include a binder and inert mineral particles, with solar reflective particles dispersed in the binder. An agglomeration process preferentially disposes the solar reflective particles at a desired depth within or beneath the surface of the granules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: CertainTeed LLC
    Inventors: Ming Liang Shiao, Keith C. Hong, Walter T. Stephens
  • Publication number: 20210292638
    Abstract: A method of treating in a subterranean formation including combining a demulsifier; proppant; an emulsifier; an oil base fluid; and aqueous base fluid to form an oil-external emulsified fluid; and introducing the oil-external emulsified fluid into the subterranean formation. A method of forming a wellbore fluid including combining proppant; a demulsifier; an aqueous base fluid, an oil base fluid, and an emulsifier to form a pre-emulsified fluid; and mixing the pre-emulsified fluid to form an oil-external emulsified fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2016
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Prashant D. Chopade, Rajender Salla, Eli Allen Schnoor, Monica Rajendra Dandawate, Walter T. Stephens
  • Patent number: 11124698
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for stimulating oil or gas production from a well with a single treatment fluid for use in a combined acidizing and hydraulic fracturing treatment are provided. An embodiment is a method comprising: coating a plurality of proppant particulates with oil to form oil-coated proppant particulates; adding the oil-coated proppant particulates to a solution comprising water, an acid source, and an emulsifier, wherein the ratio of the oil coating the proppant particulates to the water in the solution is less than 20:80 by volume; and mixing the solution and the oil-coated proppant particulates to form a treatment fluid comprising a water-in-oil emulsion and the oil-coated proppant particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Prashant D. Chopade, Rajender Salla, Monica Rajendra Dandawate, Enrique Antonio Reyes, Walter T. Stephens
  • Patent number: 11053684
    Abstract: A process for preparing roofing granules includes forming kaolin clay into green granules and sintering the green granules at a temperature of at least 900 degrees Celsius to cure the green granules until the crystalline content of the sintered granules is at least ten percent as determined by x-ray diffraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: CertainTeed Corporation
    Inventors: Ming Liang Shiao, Tihana Tresler, Husnu M. Kalkanoglu, Walter T. Stephens
  • Patent number: 10619088
    Abstract: A method of fracturing a subterranean formation comprising: introducing a fracturing fluid into the subterranean formation to create or enhance a fracture comprising a bottom and top portion; introducing a first treatment fluid into the fracture, wherein after introduction of the first treatment fluid, at least a portion of the first treatment fluid remains in the bottom portion; and simultaneously introducing a second and third treatment fluid into the fracture after introduction of the first treatment fluid, wherein after introduction of the second and third treatment fluids, at least a portion of the second treatment fluid remains in the top portion, wherein after introduction of the first, second, and third treatment fluids, the bottom portion of the fracture has a first permeability and the top portion of the fracture has a second permeability that is greater than the first permeability. The first treatment fluid can create or enhance the fracture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Philip D. Nguyen, Walter T. Stephens
  • Patent number: 10538697
    Abstract: Proppant aggregates comprising proppant particulates and a binding agent, wherein the proppant aggregate exhibits a conductivity of less than about 3000 millidarcy-feet when exposed to aggregate operational conditions, the aggregate operational conditions having a closure stress of at least about 100 pounds per square inch and a temperature of at least about 10° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Nguyen, Walter T. Stephens, Michael Wayne Sanders
  • Patent number: 10519364
    Abstract: Proppant aggregates comprising proppant particulates and a binding agent, wherein the proppant particulates in the absence of the binding agent pack together to exhibit a conductivity of less than about 3000 millidarcy-feet when exposed to operational conditions, the operational conditions having a closure stress of greater than about 1000 pounds per square inch and a temperature of greater than about 50° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter T. Stephens, Philip D. Nguyen, Michael Wayne Sanders
  • Publication number: 20190309610
    Abstract: A method of treating a subterranean formation comprising: providing a proppant; coating the proppant with a geopolymer composition to create a coated proppant; injecting a fracturing fluid into the subterranean formation, wherein the fracturing fluid comprises a base fluid and the coated proppant; and allowing the geopolymer composition to set in the formation to form a geopolymer on the proppant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Nguyen, Tatyana V. Khamatnurova, Loan K. Vo, Walter T. Stephens
  • Patent number: 10400160
    Abstract: A method of treating a subterranean formation is disclosed. The method can include placing in the subterranean formation a crosslinked composition that includes proppant particles including polymer coatings thereon. The crosslinked composition includes inter-particle crosslinks between the polymer coatings of at least some of the proppant particles. The inter-particle crosslinks includes a crosslinker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Jason Eric Maxey, Travis Hope Larsen, Walter T. Stephens, Antonio Recio, III
  • Publication number: 20190249434
    Abstract: A process for preparing roofing granules includes forming kaolin clay into green granules and sintering the green granules at a temperature of at least 900 degrees Celsius to cure the green granules until the crystalline content of the sintered granules is at least ten percent as determined by x-ray diffraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Ming Liang Shiao, Tihana Fuss, Husnu M. Kalkanoglu, Walter T. Stephens
  • Publication number: 20190211560
    Abstract: Solar reflective roofing granules include a binder and inert mineral particles, with solar reflective particles dispersed in the binder. An agglomeration process preferentially disposes the solar reflective particles at a desired depth within or beneath the surface of the granules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Ming Liang Shiao, Keith C. Hong, Walter T. Stephens
  • Patent number: 10309208
    Abstract: Methods including introducing a solids-free high-viscosity fracturing fluid (HVFF) into a subterranean formation to create or enhance at least one dominate fracture, introducing a low-viscosity pad fluid (LVPadF) into the subterranean formation above the fracture gradient pressure to create or enhance at least one first microfracture, wherein the LVPadF comprises micro-proppant, and placing at least a portion of the micro-proppant into the at least one first microfracture. Alternatingly introducing a first low-viscosity proppant fluid (LVPropF) and a high-viscosity crosslinked spacer fluid (HVCSF) into the subterranean formation, wherein the first LVPropF comprises proppant aggregates and the HVCSF comprises a gelling agent, a crosslinking agent, and a breaker, and placing at least a portion of the proppant aggregates into the dominate fracture, where the HVCSF separates clusters of proppant aggregates in the dominate fracture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Nguyen, Walter T. Stephens
  • Patent number: 10253250
    Abstract: Methods including introducing a pad fluid into a subterranean formation to create or enhance an open fracture at a first treatment interval therein; introducing a treatment fluid into the fracture, wherein the treatment fluid comprises a second base fluid, crushable-proppant particulates (CPPs), and buoyant-proppant particulates (BPPs), and wherein a first specific gravity of the CPPs is at least about 0.3 greater than a second specific gravity of the BPPs; placing the CPPs and the BPPs in the fracture, wherein the CPPs settle to a bottom portion of the fracture and the BPPs neutrally suspend in the treatment fluid in a top portion of the fracture; and reducing the hydraulic pressure, thereby permitting the fracture to close, wherein the CPPs form a crushed-proppant pack in the bottom portion of the fracture and the BPPs form a proppant pack in the top portion of the fracture, thereby forming an arch channel therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Nguyen, Walter T. Stephens
  • Patent number: 10246879
    Abstract: Solar reflective roofing granules include a binder and inert mineral particles, with solar reflective particles dispersed in the binder. An agglomeration process preferentially disposes the solar reflective particles at a desired depth within or beneath the surface of the granules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: CertainTeed Corporation
    Inventors: Ming Liang Shiao, Keith C. Hong, Walter T. Stephens
  • Publication number: 20180251668
    Abstract: Certain carrier-free treatment particulates comprising solid treatment chemicals and methods for their formation and of their use in subterranean formations are provided. In one embodiment, the methods comprise: providing a plurality of carrier-free N treatment particulates comprising at least one solid treatment chemical and a coating at least partially disposed around an outer surface of the solid treatment chemical; and introducing the plurality of carrier-free treatment particulates into a well bore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation, wherein the plurality of carrier-free treatment particulates is at least partially consumed in the subterranean formation to create a residual porosity in the portion of the subterranean formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Fang Wei, Pushkala Krishnamurthy, Ying Cong Jiang, Erick J. Acosta, Walter T. Stephens