Patents by Inventor Zuhair A. Al-Yousif
Zuhair A. Al-Yousif 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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Patent number: 11867038Abstract: A method and a system for oil recovery are provided. An exemplary method includes injecting thickened carbon dioxide (CO2) into the top of a reservoir containing oil. An interface is formed between the thickened CO2 and the oil. The oil is mobilized by the thickened CO2. The mobilized oil is recovered with a recovery well drilled below the reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2021Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Zuhair Al-Yousif, Subhash Ayirala, Muhammad Majid Almajid, Dong Kyu Cha, Ming Han
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Publication number: 20230175366Abstract: A method and a system for oil recovery are provided. An exemplary method includes injecting thickened carbon dioxide (CO2) into the top of a reservoir containing oil. An interface is formed between the thickened CO2 and the oil. The oil is mobilized by the thickened CO2. The mobilized oil is recovered with a recovery well drilled below the reservoir.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2021Publication date: June 8, 2023Inventors: Zuhair Al-Yousif, Subhash Ayirala, Muhammad Majid Almajid, Dong Kyu Cha, Ming Han
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Patent number: 11421148Abstract: Compositions and methods for treating a subterranean formation. The compositions can include positively and negatively charged divalent ions and a total dissolved solids concentration between 2000 and 3000 ppm. In some implementations, the composition includes calcium and magnesium ions. In some implementations, the composition includes sodium, chloride, and bicarbonate ions. In some implementations, the composition includes iodide, phosphate, or borate ions, or any combination thereof. Methods for treating the subterranean formation can include flowing a first aqueous solution that includes sodium ions into the subterranean formation and flowing a second aqueous solution that has a lower salinity than the first aqueous solution into the subterranean formation, where the second aqueous solution includes positively charged divalent ions, negatively charged divalent ions, and a total dissolved solids concentration between 2000 and 30000 ppm.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2021Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Zuhair Al-Yousif, Muhammad Majid Almajid, Subhash Ayirala
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Patent number: 11414986Abstract: Downhole drilling tools and methods for drilling and detecting carbon dioxide leakage in a subsurface reservoir are disclosed. The tools include a cylindrical body; a sensor module including a plurality of sensors including a first conductive electrode, a second conductive electrode, and a plurality of TiO2 nanotubes, and an electric line located between and connecting the first and the second conductive electrodes; and a communication device communicatively connected to the sensor module; wherein the sensor module and the communication device are attached to an outer surface of the cylindrical body.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2021Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Dong Kyu Cha, Mohammed Badri AlOtaibi, Subhash Chandrabose Ayirala, Zuhair Al-Yousif, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef
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Patent number: 11262281Abstract: Certain implementations of the subject matter can be implemented as a method of screening demulsifiers for live crude oil-water emulsions. A live emulsion of a hydrocarbon sample and a water sample is flowed through a capillary viscometer. The live emulsion includes dissolved gases retrieved from a hydrocarbon-carrying reservoir. While flowing the live emulsion through the capillary viscometer, a demulsifier sample is flowed through the capillary viscometer. The demulsifier sample causes breakdown of the live emulsion. Using the capillary viscometer, change in a viscosity of the live emulsion over time resulting from the breakdown of the live emulsion due to the demulsifier sample is measured. Multiple images of the breakdown of the live emulsion over time are captured. A strength of the live emulsion is classified based, in part, on the change in the viscosity of the live emulsion over time and on the plurality of images.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2019Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Sunil Kokal, Zuhair Al-Yousif, Modiu Sanni
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Patent number: 11105722Abstract: Certain implementations of the subject matter can be implemented to screen demulsifiers. A live emulsion of a live hydrocarbon sample and a water sample is flowed through a capillary viscometer. The live hydrocarbon sample includes dissolved gases retrieved from a hydrocarbon-carrying reservoir. While flowing the live emulsion through the capillary viscometer, a demulsifier sample is flowed through the capillary viscometer. The demulsifier sample is capable of causing breakdown of the live emulsion. Using the capillary viscometer, change in a viscosity of the live emulsion over time resulting from the breakdown of the live emulsion due to the demulsifier sample is measured. Multiple images of the breakdown of the live emulsion over time are captured. A strength of the live emulsion is classified based, in part, on the change in the viscosity of the live emulsion over time and on the plurality of images.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2019Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Sunil Kokal, Zuhair Al-Yousif
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Patent number: 10975293Abstract: A method for treating a subterranean formation with a foamed acid system is disclosed. The method includes introducing a treatment fluid into the formation. The treatment fluid includes a first solution and a second solution. The first solution includes an ammonium containing compound and an acid. The second solution includes a nitrite containing compound. One or both of the solutions further include a foaming agent. The solutions are mixed within the formation to generate a nitrogen gas. The method further includes, allowing the compounds to generate nitrogen in the presence of the foaming agent to form a foam and generate the foamed acid system within the formation. The acid present in the foamed acid system reacts with soluble substances in the subterranean formation to increase permeability of the subterranean formation and enable enhanced production of reservoir fluids.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2019Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Ali Abdullah Al-Taq, Zuhair A. Al-Yousif
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Patent number: 10927291Abstract: A method for treating a subterranean formation with a foamed system is disclosed. The method includes introducing a fracturing fluid into the formation. The fracturing fluid includes a first solution and a second solution. The first solution includes an ammonium containing compound. The second solution includes a nitrite containing compound. One or both of the solutions further include a foaming agent. The solutions are mixed within the formation to generate a nitrogen gas. The method further includes, allowing the compounds to generate nitrogen in the presence of the foaming agent to form a foam and generate the foamed system within the formation. Generation of the foamed system produces sufficient pressure from volumetric expansion to generate fractures in the formation. The fractures are held open with a proppant provided with the fracturing fluid to create a conductive path for production of fluids from the formation to the wellbore.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2019Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Ali Abdullah Al-Taq, Zuhair A. Al-Yousif
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Publication number: 20210024815Abstract: A method for treating a subterranean formation with a foamed acid system is disclosed. The method includes introducing a treatment fluid into the formation. The treatment fluid includes a first solution and a second solution. The first solution includes an ammonium containing compound and an acid. The second solution includes a nitrite containing compound. One or both of the solutions further include a foaming agent. The solutions are mixed within the formation to generate a nitrogen gas. The method further includes, allowing the compounds to generate nitrogen in the presence of the foaming agent to form a foam and generate the foamed acid system within the formation. The acid present in the foamed acid system reacts with soluble substances in the subterranean formation to increase permeability of the subterranean formation and enable enhanced production of reservoir fluids.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2019Publication date: January 28, 2021Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Ali Abdullah Al-Taq, Zuhair A. Al-Yousif
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Publication number: 20210024813Abstract: A method for treating a subterranean formation with a foamed system is disclosed. The method includes introducing a fracturing fluid into the formation. The fracturing fluid includes a first solution and a second solution. The first solution includes an ammonium containing compound. The second solution includes a nitrite containing compound. One or both of the solutions further include a foaming agent. The solutions are mixed within the formation to generate a nitrogen gas. The method further includes, allowing the compounds to generate nitrogen in the presence of the foaming agent to form a foam and generate the foamed system within the formation. Generation of the foamed system produces sufficient pressure from volumetric expansion to generate fractures in the formation. The fractures are held open with a proppant provided with the fracturing fluid to create a conductive path for production of fluids from the formation to the wellbore.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2019Publication date: January 28, 2021Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Ali Abdullah Al-Taq, Zuhair A. Al-Yousif
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Publication number: 20200217768Abstract: Certain implementations of the subject matter can be implemented to screen demulsifiers. A live emulsion of a live hydrocarbon sample and a water sample is flowed through a capillary viscometer. The live hydrocarbon sample includes dissolved gases retrieved from a hydrocarbon-carrying reservoir. While flowing the live emulsion through the capillary viscometer, a demulsifier sample is flowed through the capillary viscometer. The demulsifier sample is capable of causing breakdown of the live emulsion. Using the capillary viscometer, change in a viscosity of the live emulsion over time resulting from the breakdown of the live emulsion due to the demulsifier sample is measured. Multiple images of the breakdown of the live emulsion over time are captured. A strength of the live emulsion is classified based, in part, on the change in the viscosity of the live emulsion over time and on the plurality of images.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2019Publication date: July 9, 2020Inventors: Sunil Kokal, Zuhair Al-Yousif
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Publication number: 20200217767Abstract: Certain implementations of the subject matter can be implemented as a method of screening demulsifiers for live crude oil-water emulsions. A live emulsion of a hydrocarbon sample and a water sample is flowed through a capillary viscometer. The live emulsion includes dissolved gases retrieved from a hydrocarbon-carrying reservoir. While flowing the live emulsion through the capillary viscometer, a demulsifier sample is flowed through the capillary viscometer. The demulsifier sample causes breakdown of the live emulsion. Using the capillary viscometer, change in a viscosity of the live emulsion over time resulting from the breakdown of the live emulsion due to the demulsifier sample is measured. Multiple images of the breakdown of the live emulsion over time are captured. A strength of the live emulsion is classified based, in part, on the change in the viscosity of the live emulsion over time and on the plurality of images.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2019Publication date: July 9, 2020Inventors: Sunil Kokal, Zuhair Al-Yousif, Modiu Sanni