Using Chemical Tracers Patents (Class 436/27)
  • Patent number: 11866646
    Abstract: The present invention provides a proppant or proppant mixture having insert materials configured for providing a mechanical or physical function in a well to hold open fissures or pathways created in formations caused by well fracking to allow a release of a hydrocarbon from the well, the insert materials being configured at least partly with beads having a functionalized polymer so as to form functionalized polymer proppants that are configured to respond to the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well, including water, and provide at least one chemical taggant containing an indication about the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well. The functionalized polymer may include a dual-monomer structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES INC.
    Inventor: Alan D. Kersey
  • Patent number: 11773317
    Abstract: The present invention provides a proppant or proppant mixture having insert materials configured for providing a mechanical or physical function in a well to hold open fissures or pathways created in formations caused by well fracking to allow a release of a hydrocarbon from the well, the insert materials being configured at least partly with beads having a functionalized polymer so as to form functionalized polymer proppants that are configured to respond to the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well, including water, and provide at least one chemical taggant containing an indication about the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well. The functionalized polymer may include a dual-monomer structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: CiDRA CORPORATE SERVICES INC.
    Inventor: Alan D. Kersey
  • Patent number: 11761103
    Abstract: An electrolyser operates within an energy system, for example to provide grid services, energy storage or fuel, or to produce hydrogen from electricity produced from renewable resources. The electrolyser may be configured to operate at frequently or quickly varying rates of electricity consumption or to operate at a specified power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: HYDROGENICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nathaniel Ian Joos, Joseph Cargnelli
  • Patent number: 11560794
    Abstract: A method of detecting an amine-based additive in a wellbore servicing fluid (WSF) comprising contacting an aliquot of WSF with an amine detector compound and an aqueous salt solution to form a detection solution; wherein the aqueous salt solution comprises an inorganic salt and organic carboxylate salt; wherein the WSF comprises the amine-based additive; and wherein the detection solution is characterized by at least one absorption peak wavelength in the range of 380-760 nm; detecting an absorption intensity for detection solution at a wavelength within about ±20% of the at least one absorption peak wavelength; comparing the absorption intensity of detection solution at the wavelength within about ±20% of the at least one absorption peak wavelength with a target absorption intensity of amine-based additive to determine the amount of amine-based additive in WSF; and comparing the amount of amine-based additive in WSF with a target amount of amine-based additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Preston Andrew May, Emily Cummings Hart, Jay Paul Deville
  • Patent number: 11542449
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions, methods, and systems for identifying marked hydrocarbon fluids. These compositions, methods, and systems utilize a gas chromatography marker including a non-pyrrolidinone nitrogen-containing compound. The methods and systems can identify the presence or absence of the gas chromatography marker and/or the non-pyrrolidinone nitrogen-containing compound. The compositions, methods, and systems can optionally utilize a spectroscopic marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: UNITED COLOR MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: Michael P. Hinton, Justin J. Frederico
  • Patent number: 11512590
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for gathering and segregation of oil extracted from a resource fields with a plurality of disparate sources in relatively close proximity. Instead of assigning a quality and/or destination for crude oil from an extraction source based on the origin of the crude oil, the crude oil can be characterized while still in local storage at or near the wellhead prior to transport to a refinery, a shipping or pipeline terminal, or another type destination for crude oil. Based on the characterization, one or more characteristics of the crude oil can be used to assign the crude oil to one of a plurality of destinations. The crude oil can then be transported to the assigned destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Francis X. Kelly, J. Douglas Kushnerick
  • Patent number: 11441986
    Abstract: The present invention relates to disturbance on hydrate reservoirs with different buried depths, in particularly to a disturbance and stability analysis method for hydrate reservoirs with different buried depths. Preparing a series of stable hydrate systems parallel to a hydrate phase equilibrium curve, wherein both of the porosities and the hydrate saturations of various hydrate systems are consistent, but the buried depths are different; disturbing the series of hydrate systems prepared in the first step, conducting disturbance under different conditions aiming to the hydrate systems with different buried depths; analyzing the stability of the hydrate reservoirs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology
    Inventors: Li Huang, Nengyou Wu, Xiluo Hao, Gaowei Hu, Qiang Chen
  • Patent number: 11414974
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including crosslinked polymer granules as a proppant, methods of forming the hydrocarbon wells, and methods of operating the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subsurface region and a downhole tubular that extends within the wellbore and defines a tubular conduit. The hydrocarbon wells also include a plurality of perforations formed within the downhole tubular and a plurality of fractures formed within the subsurface region. The hydrocarbon wells further include the proppant positioned within the plurality of fractures. The proppant includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules, and each crosslinked polymer granule has a characteristic dimension of at least 100 micrometers and at most 2 millimeters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Pavlin B. Entchev, Robert M. Shirley, Alan A. Galuska, William Handy, Dragan Stojkovic
  • Patent number: 11384636
    Abstract: A method for normalizing a chemical tracer response in a zone can include measuring a concentration of the tracer as produced from a proximal zone, measuring a concentration of a reference tracer as produced from the proximal zone, and applying a mathematical correction to a concentration of the tracer as produced from the zone. Another method can include normalizing a chemical tracer concentration to a reference tracer concentration, and then allocating flow to a zone corresponding to the tracer based on the normalized tracer concentration. Another method can include injecting a first chemical tracer into a first wellbore reference zone and into additional producing zones of the first wellbore, injecting a second chemical tracer into a second wellbore reference zone and into additional producing zones of the second wellbore, and injecting a third chemical tracer into each of the additional producing zones of the first and second wellbores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: RESERVOIR METRICS IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Mitchell C. Smithson, Alexander J. Darnley, Wei Tian, Christopher Dempsey, Brandon Hamilton
  • Patent number: 11305251
    Abstract: A composition of matter includes a liquid and nanoparticles suspended in the liquid. The nanoparticles each include silica, alumina, and an organosilicon functional group having a molecular weight of at least 200. A method includes functionalizing a surface of nanoparticles with an organosilicon functional group and dispersing the nanoparticles in a liquid to form a suspension. The functional group has a molecular weight of at least 200. The nanoparticles each include silica and alumina at a surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Radhika Suresh, Devesh K. Agrawal, Oleksandr V. Kuznetsov, Oleg A. Mazyar, Valery N. Khabashesku, Qusai Darugar
  • Patent number: 11136883
    Abstract: A tracer material for tracing fluid flows from a hydrocarbon reservoir. The tracer material is a particulate tracer material including a plurality of particles of a porous particulate solid material, the particles having pores containing a tracer composition characterised in that a retaining material overlies the tracer composition in at least some of the pores. The retaining material retards the release of the tracer material so that the tracer is released at a more constant rate over a longer period than in the absence of the retaining material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Neil Borrell, Aidan David Brierley
  • Patent number: 11098238
    Abstract: A method for determining residual oil saturation of an oil reservoir, the method comprising: introducing a partitioning tracer comprising a sulfone compound having a log Kow value in the range ?0.5 to 3 into the oil reservoir; and monitoring the production of the tracer from the oil reservoir over time to determine the residual oil saturation. Optionally the method comprises introducing both a conservative tracer and the partitioning tracer into the oil reservoir and monitoring the production of both the tracers from the oil reservoir over time to determine the residual oil saturation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Mattey Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Neil Borrell
  • Patent number: 10920534
    Abstract: A method for adjusting, to a pre-determined value, the level of a mineral deposition or corrosion inhibitor injected into a gas or oil well. Using of the time-resolved fluorescence method for detecting and quantifying a mineral deposition or corrosion inhibitor in a fluid from an oil or gas production well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignees: TOTAL SA, UNIVERSITE LYON 1, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFQUE—CNRS
    Inventors: Christian Hurtevent, Salima Baraka-Lokmane, John-Richard Ordonez-Varela, Olivier Tillement, Thomas Brichart, Mattéo Martini
  • Patent number: 10808192
    Abstract: A marking method which is a method of marking a product having a distillation range is disclosed. The method comprises the step of adding to said product a first marker, a second marker and optionally one or more further markers. Each marker has a distillation range including a minimum boiling point (Min BP), a maximum boiling point (Max BP) and a maximum distillation boiling point (Max DBP) which is the temperature at which the maximum volume of the marker distils. Each marker has a different distillation range from each other marker and at least one marker has a Max DBP which is within the distillation range of the product. The first marker has a distillation range in the marked product which extends over the whole of the product distillation range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Clive Marchant
  • Patent number: 10702843
    Abstract: A composition of matter includes a liquid and nanoparticles suspended in the liquid. The nanoparticles each include silica, alumina, and an organosilicon functional group having a molecular weight of at least 200. A method includes functionalizing a surface of nanoparticles with an organosilicon functional group and dispersing the nanoparticles in a liquid to form a suspension. The functional group has a molecular weight of at least 200. The nanoparticles each include silica and alumina at a surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Radhika Suresh, Devesh K. Agrawal, Oleksandr V. Kuznetsov, Oleg A. Mazyar, Valery N. Khabashesku, Qusai Darugar
  • Patent number: 10705018
    Abstract: A method of fuel analysis comprising subjecting a fuel sample comprising a fuel marker and a fuel matrix to fluorescence spectroscopy to generate a measured emission spectrum comprising a first spectral component (type and amount of marker in sample), a second spectral component (spectral perturbation), and a third spectral component (matrix fluorescence); deconvoluting the measured emission spectrum to yield a deconvoluted measured emission spectrum (first and second spectral components) via removal of third spectral component; decoupling the deconvoluted measured emission spectrum to yield a corrected emission spectrum (first spectral component) via a projection function which orthogonally projects the deconvoluted measured emission spectrum onto a subspace devoid of the second spectral component; and determining the amount of fuel marker in the fuel sample from the corrected emission spectrum. The method of fuel analysis comprises temperature corrections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Authentix, Inc.
    Inventors: Olusola Soyemi, Anahita Kyani
  • Patent number: 10656108
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and systems for determining source rock potential in a subterranean region of a hydrocarbon reservoir. One method includes receiving, an electron spin resonance (ESR) image from an in-situ ESR scanner that is attached to a wellbore at a first subterranean location, wherein the wellbore extends into the subterranean region of the hydrocarbon reservoir; determining, a spin concentration level of a source rock in the first subterranean location based on the ESR image; and determining, the source rock potential at the first subterranean location based on the determined spin concentration level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Sebastian Csutak
  • Patent number: 10329879
    Abstract: A method for adjusting, to a pre-determined value, the level of a mineral deposition or corrosion inhibitor injected into a gas or oil well. Using of the time-resolved fluorescence method for detecting and quantifying a mineral deposition or corrosion inhibitor in a fluid from an oil or gas production well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignees: TOTAL SA, UNIVERSITE LYON 1, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE—CNRS
    Inventors: Christian Hurtevent, Salima Baraka-Lokmane, John-Richard Ordonez-Varela, Olivier Tillement, Thomas Brichart, Matteo Martini
  • Patent number: 10125601
    Abstract: Colloidal-crystal quantum dots as tracers are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method comprises injecting a solution of quantum dots into a subterranean formation, and monitoring a flow of the quantum dots from the subterranean formation to determine a property of the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventors: Peter E. Rose, Michael H. Bartl
  • Patent number: 9638024
    Abstract: A method for a rapid verification of satisfactory clean-up at the end of the completion process when starting production of petroleum fluids while the completion rig is still at the well. The method includes marking one or more of separated zones along the well by one or more distinct tracers, before starting production. The tracers are added along with the completion or the clean-up fluid, and the tracers are arranged to be released by relative high concentrations from each zone to an inflowing fluid of oil or gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: RESMAN AS
    Inventor: Lars Kilaas
  • Patent number: 9400286
    Abstract: A sample analyzer comprises a reaction tray, a sample/reagent tray, and a probe. The reaction tray performs a first number of stops and rotations during an operating cycle, wherein the first number is configured to cause each of the reaction vessels to stop once at a position for the test before any of the number of the reaction vessels stops at the position for a second time. The sample/reagent tray rotates one of a sample container and reagent containers to a sample/reagent retrieving position during an operating cycle. The probe dispenses test sample(s), first reagent, and second reagent during different periods in different stop periods during an operating cycle. A method for analyzing samples is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: SHENZHEN MINDRAY BIO-MEDICAL ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhihong Wang, Zhi Xu, Chuanfen Xie, Feng Li
  • Patent number: 9322269
    Abstract: Non-halogenated molecules having from 10 to 30 carbon atoms selected from the group consisting of aliphatic, aromatic, saturated, unsaturated (and combinations thereof) alcohols, ketones, organic acids, organic acid salts, sulfonated derivatives of these compounds, and combinations thereof are used as tracers to measure oil and/or water fluid returns, such as from a hydraulic fracturing job. The non-halogenated molecules may be absorbed onto and/or adsorbed onto substrates and introduced into a subterranean location, desorbed and recovered from the subterranean location with a fluid, reacted with a reagent (e.g. pentafluoro benzyl chloride, and the like) to give a derivatized tracer. The presence of the derivatized tracer is then detected in at least a portion of the recovered fluid. A different non-halogenated tracer may be used for each hydraulic fracturing stage, thus, it can be determined from which fracturing stage water is produced and from which fracturing stage oil is produced, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ronald M. Matherly, Grahame N. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9303497
    Abstract: Non-halogenated molecules having 10-30 carbons including aliphatic, aromatic, saturated, unsaturated (and combinations thereof) alcohols, ketones, organic acids, organic acid salts, sulfonated derivatives, and/or other derivatives are used as tracers to measure oil and/or water fluid returns, such as from a hydraulic fracturing job. The non-halogenated molecules may be combined with substrates and introduced into a subterranean location, desorbed and recovered from the subterranean location with a fluid, reacted with a reagent (e.g. pentafluoro benzyl chloride) to give a derivatized tracer. Alternatively, the tracer molecule release can be delayed by use of an emulsion or a coating that allows slower diffusion of the tracer into the fluid. The presence of the derivatized tracer is then detected in the recovered fluid. A different non-halogenated tracer may be used for each hydraulic fracturing stage, e.g. to determine from which fracturing stage water is produced and from which oil is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ronald M. Matherly, Grahame N. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9297252
    Abstract: Non-halogenated molecules including, but are not necessarily limited, to alkyl and aromatic amines having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms and salts of these amines, diols having the formula HO—(CH2)n—OH, diamines having the formula H2N—(CH2)n—NH2, dicarboxylic acids having the formula HO.CO—(CH2)n—CO.OH, diesters having the formula R?O.CO—(CH2)n—CO.OR?, where n is 4 to 18, and R? and R? are independently straight or branched alkyl or aromatic groups of 1-20 carbon atoms, and combinations thereof are used as tracers to measure oil and/or water fluid returns, e.g. from a hydraulic fracturing job. The non-halogenated molecules may be combined with substrates and introduced into a subterranean location, desorbed and recovered from the subterranean location with a fluid, reacted with a reagent to give a derivatized tracer. The presence of the derivatized tracer is then detected in the recovered fluid. Different non-halogenated tracers may be used for each hydraulic fracturing stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ronald M. Matherly, Grahame N. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9284835
    Abstract: Determining weight concentration of clay in a sample of a porous material, a water-soluble salt of a metal is selected that enters in a selective ion exchange reaction with clay, with the general formula R+M?, where a metal R+ is selected from the group {Ba2+; Sr2+; Tl+; Rb+ . . . }, M? is selected from the group {Cln; NOn; OHn; CH3COO, SO4; . . . } in accordance with the table of solubility of inorganic substances in water. Clay is marked by means of mixing the clay with a water solution of the selected salt of the metal, residues of the salt of the metal that have not interacted with the clay are removed. X-ray fluorescent spectrometry of the marked clay and of the sample is conducted and content of the metal in the marked clay and natural content of the metal in the sample are determined. A water solution of the marked clay is pumped through the sample, the sample is dried and X-ray fluorescent spectrometry of the entire sample or of its individual segments is conducted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Company
    Inventors: Dmitry Mikhailov, Valery Vasilievich Shako, Evgeny Chuvilin, Evgeny Samarin
  • Publication number: 20150050741
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to nanocomposites for detecting hydrocarbons in a geological structure. In some embodiments, the nanocomposites include: a core particle; a polymer associated with the core particle; a sulfur-based moiety associated with the polymer; and a releasable probe molecule associated with the core particle, where the releasable probe molecule is releasable from the core particle upon exposure to hydrocarbons. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of detecting hydrocarbons in a geological structure by utilizing the nanocomposites of the present disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Chih-Chau Hwang, Wei Lu, Gedeng Ruan, Mason B. Tomson, Amy Kan, Lu Wang, Michael S. Wong, Gautam Kini, George J. Hirasaki, Clarence Miller
  • Publication number: 20150037895
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon detectors having CNTs coated with an amphiphilic coating capable of sequestering an active molecule are provided. In one aspect, a hydrocarbon detection device is provided. The hydrocarbon detector device includes a plurality of CNTs dispersed in a polar solvent, wherein each of the CNTs is coated with an amphiphilic coating having molecules with a hydrophilic moiety and a hydrophobic moiety, and wherein the coating creates a hydrophobic environment proximal to a surface of each of the CNTs; and one or more hydrophobic active molecules sequestered in the hydrophobic environment proximal to the surface of each of the CNTs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Jose M. Lobez Comeras
  • Publication number: 20140377871
    Abstract: It is described a method and a system for wireless in-situ sampling of a reservoir fluid from a hydrocarbon reservoir comprising obtaining a number of local samples of the reservoir fluid from different zones of the reservoir at given times. Local characterization of production fluid is obtained based on identifying chemical fingerprints of each of the number of local samples. This information can be used to determine local production rates from different zones in the well or from coming led wells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: SINVENT AS
    Inventors: Kolbjorn Zahlsen, Lars Kilaas, Paal Skjetne
  • Patent number: 8877506
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system of reservoir interrogation. A tracer is encapsulating in a receptacle. The receptacle containing the tracer is injected into the reservoir. The tracer is analyzed for reservoir interrogation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC.
    Inventors: Jeffery Roberts, Roger D. Aines, Eric B. Duoss, Christopher M. Spadaccini
  • Patent number: 8826978
    Abstract: This invention relates to oil production, more specifically, oil production using the formation hydrofracturing process, and can be used for monitoring the operation of a producing oil well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Elena Mikhailovna Pershikova
  • Patent number: 8603827
    Abstract: A tracer system comprising a tracer compound for a fluid system, the tracer compound comprising one or more polyether alcohol compounds. The one or more polyether alcohol compounds is arranged for being placed in contact with a first part of said fluid system. The one or more polyether alcohol compounds is truly monodisperse. The polyether alcohol compounds comprises one or more functional groups. The one or more truly monodisperse polyether alcohol compounds is arranged for being detected in a second part of the fluid system in fluid communication with said first part of said fluid system. The tracer compound is detectable in very low concentrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Resman AS
    Inventors: Kolbjørn Zahlsen, Lars Kilaas
  • Patent number: 8592213
    Abstract: A first fuel and a second fuel are marked with a marker that can be detected quantitatively in a predetermined concentration range. The second fuel is marked with a binary marker. Decreased concentration of the quantitative marker, presence of a binary marker, or both may be indicative of a fuel that is altered (e.g., mixed, laundered, diluted, or adulterated). Testing a fuel includes testing the fuel for a presence of a first marker in the fuel in a predetermined concentration range, and testing the fuel for a presence of a second marker. The presence of the first marker in the predetermined concentration range and an absence of the second marker may be indicative that the fuel is unaltered. The presence of the first marker in the fuel in a concentration less than the predetermined concentration range or the presence of the second marker may be indicative that the fuel is altered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Authentix, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy G. Wilkinson, Erwin Dorland
  • Patent number: 8501481
    Abstract: A system and method for tagging, tracking, locating and identifying people and vehicles transporting people using Perfluorocarbon tracers. An on-going problem faced by military as well as law enforcement personnel is that of friendly fire incidents. To prevent possible friendly-fire incidents, troops would separate the two layers of the uniform patch, thereby releasing a controlled release of the Perfluorocarbon vapors. Other “friendly” troops, equipped with sensors tuned to the specific perfluorocarbon characteristics would thus be able to literally view a plume around the tagged person or object. The system may conversely be used to tag enemies. Formulations of mixed perfluorocarbons may be used to provide coding of emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Tracer Detection Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Jay Fraser
  • Patent number: 8486702
    Abstract: A traceable treatment composition for treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore comprising a homogenous blend of a tracking composition and a resin composition. The tracking composition comprises a substantially non-radioactive tracking material selected from the group consisting of a metal salt. The metal portion of the metal salt may be selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, lithium, molybdenum, and vanadium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Nguyen, Jimmie D. Weaver, Johnny A. Barton
  • Patent number: 8481322
    Abstract: A method for marking a petroleum hydrocarbon, biodiesel fuel or ethanol fuel by adding to the petroleum hydrocarbon, biodiesel fuel or ethanol fuel at least one compound having formula (I) wherein R1 and R2 independently represent at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 alkoxy and nitro; and R3 and R4 independently represent hydrogen, methyl or ethyl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: ANGUS Chemical Company
    Inventors: George David Green, Raymond John Swedo
  • Publication number: 20130109100
    Abstract: The present invention relates to nanoparticle smart tags and the use of nanoparticle smart tags in the detection of analyte. In particular, the present invention relates to nanoparticle smart tags that may be used in subgeologic formations to detect analytes of interest in real-time. One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of providing a drilling fluid having a nanoparticle smart tag; and a base fluid; and introducing the drilling fluid in a subsurface geologic formation that has an analyte.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Diptabhas Sarkar, Charles R. Landis, Ryan P. Collins
  • Patent number: 8430747
    Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines and a plurality of bonus awards. The central server monitors wagers on the gaming machines. Based at least in part on the wagers the central server determines when bonus events will occur and which gaming machine(s) will provide the bonus awards. In one embodiment, the central server determines which gaming machine will provide a primary bonus award and any secondary bonus awards, wherein at least one gaming machine may be provided a plurality of bonus awards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Carl V. Kniesteadt, Anthony J. Baerlocher, James A. Vasquez, Tonja M. Ferry, Erick T. Ching
  • Publication number: 20130084643
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the development of tracer fluids, more generally, that of aqueous liquids, intended to be injected under pressure in an oil reservoir, for example from an injection well up to a production well. The object of the invention is to propose a new method of study of a solid medium, i.e. an oil reservoir, by diffusion of a liquid (i.e. injection waters) containing tracers, through said solid medium, which is simple to implement and economical and which remedies the drawbacks of the known tracers for injection waters of oil reservoirs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: TOTAL SA
    Inventors: Annie Commarieu, Fabrice Aubertin, Nicolas Crowther, Cédric Louis, Pascal Perriat, Matteo Martini, Olivier Tillement
  • Patent number: 8388435
    Abstract: A method of playing a wagering game comprises receiving a wager, and generating a randomly selected first outcome of a first wagering game, the first outcome comprising a first plurality of symbols arranged in a first matrix. The method further comprises generating a randomly selected second outcome of a second wagering game, the second outcome comprising a second plurality of symbols arranged in a second matrix, and simultaneously displaying the first outcome and the second outcome on at least one display. The method further comprises detecting an occurrence of a triggering event, in response to the triggering event, copying a first special symbol occurring in the first outcome into the second outcome to yield a modified second outcome, and evaluating the first outcome and the modified second outcome for winning combinations of symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Peter R. Anderson, Allon G. Englman, Benjamin T. Gomez, Joel R. Jaffe, Daniel P. Louie
  • Publication number: 20130017610
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system of reservoir interrogation. A tracer is encapsulating in a receptacle. The receptacle containing the tracer is injected into the reservoir. The tracer is analyzed for reservoir interrogation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Jeffery Roberts, Roger D. Aines, Eric B. Duoss, Christoper M. Spadaccini
  • Patent number: 8354279
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for determining the source of treatment fluids being produced from a production formation having multiple zones by introducing a treatment composition having a tracking material into a zone in the subterranean formation, and detecting the tracking material in treatment composition that flows back from the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Nguyen, Jimmie D. Weaver, Johnny A. Barton
  • Patent number: 8283173
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process utilizing natural carbon-13 isotope for identification of early breakthrough of injection water in oil wells. All natural water sources are labeled by unique ratios of carbon isotopes (13C/12C). Following the requirements of the invention, the carbon isotope ratio for oil bearing formation water and for local aquifer water which is to be injected in to the oil reservoir rock is determined. The carbon isotope ratio of the produced water from the selected oil wells is then monitored periodically. When the carbon isotope ratio of the produced (oil well) water shows deviation from the formation water value and tends towards injection water value, then the early breakthrough phenomenon of injection water is identified. Thus the contrast in natural carbon isotope ratios of injection water, formation water and produced water from selected oil wells serve as tracer in the identification of “Early Breakthrough” phenomenon of injection water and its movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Council of Scientific & Industrial Research
    Inventors: Balbir Singh Sukhija, Dontireddy Venkat Reddy, Pasupuleti Nagabhushanam, Dattatrey Jaiwant Patil, Syed Hussain
  • Patent number: 8252594
    Abstract: A composition containing a petroleum hydrocarbon, a biodiesel fuel or an ethanol fuel, and an organic marker compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Company
    Inventors: Rajiv Manohar Banavali, Randall Wayne Stephens
  • Patent number: 8242062
    Abstract: A method and composition for identifying chemically tagged petroleum products can be achieved by adding one or more chemicals to a selected petroleum product wherein the chemical is immune to extraction from the petroleum product by conventional inexpensive absorbents, cannot be removed by extraction with acids, bases, or immiscible solvents, cannot be easily oxidized, reduced or reacted with common agents, is difficult to disguise by masking with other agents, has a low polarity, and has a boiling point in the range of the petroleum products the chemical is being added to. The presence of the chemical is determined by using ion mobility spectroscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Authentix, Inc.
    Inventors: W. Dale Spall, Karen Mehlin, Gary Elceman, Hartwig Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8232104
    Abstract: One embodiment of the disclosure relates to a detection system including a chemical taggant and a detector. The chemical taggant may be a chemical not substantially present in an untagged target exhaust plume and able to be disposed in the exhaust system of a target and to enter the exhaust plume of the exhaust system in detectable quantities. The chemical taggant may have one or more distinct energy signatures, such as optical energy signatures, that allow its detection. The detector may be able to detect at least one of these one or more energy signatures of the chemical taggant in the exhaust plume. Another embodiment relates to a method of detecting a target by disposing a chemical taggant in the exhaust system of the target and then detecting the chemical taggant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Gary A. Frazier
  • Patent number: 8216845
    Abstract: A gaming system of the present invention comprising a plurality of gaming machines each including a controller and a control device including a processor, wherein the processor is programmed to execute the processing of (A) cumulatively counting a part of a number of betted game media as a cumulative value based on number-of-game-media information received from the gaming machine, and (B) transmitting a common-game execution signal to the gaming machine, when the cumulative value has reached a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Arata Ajiro, Yoichi Kato, Kenta Sugano
  • Publication number: 20120142111
    Abstract: Compositions containing a transporter component and a signaling component and a method for using said compositions for analyzing porous media and flowing liquid streams, specifically for measuring pressure, temperature, relative abundance of water, pH, redox potential and electrolyte concentration. Analytes may include petroleum or other hydrophobic media, sulfur-containing compounds. The transporter component includes an amphiphilic nanomatenal and a plurality of solubilizing groups covalently bonded to the transporter component. The signaling component includes a plurality of reporter molecules associated with the transporter component. Said reporter molecules may be releasable from the transporter component upon exposure to at least one analyte. The reporter molecules may be non-covalently associated with the transporter component, or the reporter molecules are covalently bonded to the transporter component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Dmitry Kosynkin, Michael Wong, Mason Tomson, Jacob Berlin, Ashley Leonard, Jay Lomeda, Wei Lu, Jie yu, Lunliang Zhang, Amy Kan
  • Patent number: 8153435
    Abstract: A system and method for tagging, tracking, locating and identifying people and vehicles transporting people using Perfluorocarbon tracers. An on-going problem faced by military as well as law enforcement personnel is that of friendly fire incidents. To prevent possible friendly-fire incidents, troops would separate the two layers of the uniform patch, thereby releasing a controlled release of the Perfluorocarbon vapors. Other “friendly” troops, equipped with sensors tuned to the specific perfluorocarbon characteristics would thus be able to literally view a plume around the tagged person or object. The system may conversely be used to tag enemies. Formulations of mixed perfluorocarbons may be used to provide coding of emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Tracer Detection Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Jay Fraser
  • Patent number: 7915048
    Abstract: A method for marking a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon. The method comprises adding to the liquid petroleum hydrocarbon at least one substituted anthraquinone dry having formula (I) wherein X is O or S; Y is O, NR7 or S; R1 and R2 independently are hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heteroalkyl, heterocyclic or alkanoyl; R3 and R5 independently are alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heteroalkyl or heterocyclic; R4 and R6 independently are hydrogen or alkyl; R7 is hydrogen or alkyl; and wherein the substituted anthraquinone dye(s) has an absorption maximum in the range from 600 nm to 750 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Company
    Inventors: David Roderick Baxter, Peter John Cranmer, Kim Sang Ho
  • Patent number: 7858373
    Abstract: A method for marking a petroleum hydrocarbon, a biodiesel fuel or an ethanol fuel, by adding an organic marker compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Company
    Inventors: Rajiv Manohar Banavali, Randall Wayne Stephens