Dennis L O'Brien

US Patent:

43973540, Aug 9, 1983

Filed:

Jun 19, 1982

Appl. No.:

6/389349

Inventors:

Charles R. Dawson - Houston TX
Norman N. Li - Edison NJ
Dennis E. O'Brien - Houston TX

Assignee:

Exxon Production Research Co. - Houston TX

International Classification:

E21B 33138

US Classification:

166294

Abstract:

The instant invention is directed to shear thickening fluids which comprise a water-swellable material (clay), present in a sufficient concentration so as to be capable of forming a stiff paste upon interaction with the water used, and water wherein the clay and water are kept separated by an intervening hydrocarbon-surfactant composition. The intervening oil phase prevents the interaction between the water and the clay phases and results in a stable, nonreacting, pumpable composite until such time as the oil envelope is ruptured by application of a sufficiently high shear force. Upon such rupture, the materials interact rapidly forming a semi-rigid stiff paste. Various well-control problems, such as oil and gas with blowouts, can be controlled by use of the above-described composite. The composite is pumped down the well pipe. Exiting the orifices of the drill bit or a nozzle supplies the shear force needed to rupture the oil envelope thereby permitting the interaction between the clay and the water resulting in the formation of a stiff paste which can stop or prevent unwanted flow in or near the wellbore.

US Patent:

45683921, Feb 4, 1986

Filed:

Apr 8, 1983

Appl. No.:

6/483394

Inventors:

Charles R. Dawson - Houston TX
Norman N. Li - Edison NJ
Dennis E. O'Brien - Houston TX

Assignee:

Exxon Production Research Co. - Houston TX
Exxon Research & Engineering Co. - Florham Park NJ

International Classification:

C09K 300
C09K 700

US Classification:

106900

Abstract:

The instant invention is directed to shear thickening fluids which comprise a water-swellable material (clay), present in a sufficient concentration so as to be capable of forming a stiff paste upon interaction with the water used, and water wherein the clay and water are kept separated by an intervening hydrocarbon-surfactant composition. The intervening oil phase prevents the interaction between the water and the clay phases and results in a stable, nonreacting, pumpable composite until such time as the oil envelope is ruptured by application of a sufficiently high shear force. Upon such rupture, the materials interact rapidly forming a semi-rigid stiff paste. Various well-control problems, such as oil and gas with blowouts, can be controlled by use of the above-described composite. The composite is pumped down the well pipe. Exiting the orifices of the drill bit or a nozzle supplies the shear force needed to rupture the oil envelope thereby permitting the interaction between the clay and the water resulting in the formation of a stiff paste which can stop or prevent unwanted flow in or near the wellbore.

US Patent:

20200211127, Jul 2, 2020

Filed:

Dec 20, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/722262

Inventors:

- Spring TX, US
Thomas C. Halsey - Houston TX, US
Mary Ellen Meurer - Magnolia TX, US
Dennis R. O'Brien - The Woodlands TX, US

International Classification:

G06Q 50/02
G06F 16/2458
G06Q 10/06

Abstract:

An example method can comprise defining a plurality of subsurface scenarios and discretizing a decision space to determine a plurality of distinct decision scenarios. The subsurface scenarios can be sparsely sampled to determine a candidate subset of the plurality of subsurface scenarios. Each of the candidate subset of the plurality of subsurface scenarios can be associated with a respective one of the plurality of distinct decision scenarios. Each of the plurality of distinct decision scenarios can be modelled based on each of the candidate subset of the plurality of subsurface scenarios to determine risk and reward values for each of the plurality of distinct decision scenarios.