Patents by Inventor William B. Maze

William B. Maze 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: 9644134
    Abstract: A method for recovering oil from a subterranean, hydrocarbon-bearing formation includes at least one injection well and injecting a carrier fluid including a diverting agent into a high permeability pathway within the formation. An activating fluid is injected into the high permeability pathway within the formation, resulting in the precipitation or swelling of the diverting agent. The permeability of the high permeability pathway is decreased within the formation containing the diverting agent to a permeability less than the permeability of the adjacent areas of the formation. A mineralization fluid may be injected that is oversaturated or becomes oversaturated upon interacting with the acid gas that causes mineral precipitation to seal off high-permeability pathways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Gary F. Teletzke, Jasper L. Dickson, Preeti Kamakoti, Stuart R. Keller, William B. Maze, Peter G. Smith, Jr., Yitian Xiao
  • Patent number: 9057249
    Abstract: A method for producing hydrocarbons from and/or storing C02 in an organic-rich rock formation. One embodiment of the method includes the steps of injecting the C02 into an injection well in the organic-rich rock formation and producing the hydrocarbons from a production well when a drainage volume of the production well has an average reservoir pressure equal to or less than a predetermined pressure. The hydrocarbons substantially include natural gas and the injection well is in fluid communication with the production well. The embodiment also includes capping the production well and feeding the C02 into the injection well when the produced hydrocarbons include a C02 mole fraction greater than or equal to a predetermined mole fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Stuart R Keller, William B. Maze, Gary F. Teletzke
  • Publication number: 20140262255
    Abstract: A method for recovering oil from a subterranean, hydrocarbon-bearing formation includes at least one injection well and injecting a carrier fluid including a diverting agent into a high permeability pathway within the formation. An activating fluid is injected into the high permeability pathway within the formation, resulting in the precipitation or swelling of the diverting agent. The permeability of the high permeability pathway is decreased within the formation containing the diverting agent to a permeability less than the permeability of the adjacent areas of the formation. The carrier fluid may have a predetermined residence time within the formation prior to injecting an activating fluid; the step of injecting a carrier fluid comprising a diverting agent and injecting an activating fluid may be repeated. A mineralization fluid may be injected that is oversaturated or becomes oversaturated upon interacting with the acid gas that causes mineral precipitation to seal off high-permeability pathways.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Gary F. Teletzke, Jasper L. Dickson, Preeti Kamakoti, Stuart R. Keller, William B. Maze, Peter G. Smith, JR., Yitian Xiao
  • Publication number: 20120318533
    Abstract: A method for producing hydrocarbons from and/or storing C02 in an organic-rich rock formation. One embodiment of the method includes the steps of injecting the C02 into an injection well in the organic-rich rock formation and producing the hydrocarbons from a production well when a drainage volume of the production well has an average reservoir pressure equal to or less than a predetermined pressure. The hydrocarbons substantially include natural gas and the injection well is in fluid communication with the production well. The embodiment also includes capping the production well and feeding the C02 into the injection well when the produced hydrocarbons include a C02 mole fraction greater than or equal to a predetermined mole fraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Stuart R. Keller, William B. Maze, Gary F. Teletzke