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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7814782 | Downhole gas detection in drilling muds Apparatus and method are disclosed for detecting gas in return fluids. A semi-permeable interface is disposed on a tool sub, the semi-permeable interface being in communication with a fluid cell and with a return fluid in an annular region defined by an outside the ... | 10/19/2010 |
| 7441609 | Method of decreasing the disintegration of shale-containing cuttings and drilling fluid therefor The invention provides a method of enhancing the recovery of shale-containing cuttings during the drilling of a borehole in a shale-containing subterranean formation which comprises adding to the drilling fluid circulating in the borehole a finely ground, very spari... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7438128 | Identifying zones of origin of annular gas pressure A method for identifying annular gas sources in a wellbore is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a set of parameters, wherein the set of parameters corresponds to depths in the wellbore. In addition, the method comprises analyzing annular g... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7395691 | Method and apparatus for determining gas content of subsurface fluids for oil and gas exploration A process to analyze fluid entrained in well boreholes. The process includes gathering trap gas samples from return of drilling mud at multiple depths. The process also includes the steps of subjecting the samples to mass spectrometry in order to determine mass to c... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7363972 | Method and apparatus for well testing A method for testing petroleum or water wells. A tool is secured to a tubing and run into the well and to the reservoir zone to be explored. An upper and a lower seal isolate the reservoir zone. A piston is run into the tubing and pumped down to the tool. When sampl... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7347945 | Method and an installation for separating out multiphase effluents The invention relates to a method and to an installation for separating out an effluent made up of a multi-phase fluid mixture. According to the invention, said installation includes gravity separator means whose geometrical separation characteristics can be adjuste... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7337660 | Method and system for reservoir characterization in connection with drilling operations A method for analyzing reservoir fluids in connection with a drilling operation includes determining composition and isotopes of injection fluids injected into a wellbore during a drilling operation and production fluids recovered from the wellbore during the drilli... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7339160 | Apparatus and method for analysing downhole water chemistry The invention concerns an apparatus for analysing water chemistry. According to the invention, the apparatus is adapted to operate downhole and comprises a colouring agent supply device for supplying a colouring agent to a water sample, the colour of the water sampl... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7325607 | Methods and systems for using high-yielding non-Newtonian fluids for severe lost circulation prevention A system and method to model and analyze the mixing energies of high-yielding non-Newtonian fluids to prevent chemical lost circulation. Laboratory tests are performed under varying conditions from which data on the mixing energies needed to optimize the use of high... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7318343 | System for detecting gas in a wellbore during drilling A system is provided for detecting the presence of formation gas in a stream of drilling fluid flowing through a wellbore during drilling of the wellbore. The system has at least one sensor chamber connectable to a drill string for drilling the wellbore, each sensor... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7279678 | Method and apparatus for composition analysis in a logging environment Methods and apparatus for analyzing a hydrocarbon mixture are disclosed, comprising at least one light-emitting diode (LED) and at least one photodetector positioned to detect energy transmitted by the LED through a sample of the hydrocarbon mixture. In at least one... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7261168 | Methods and apparatus for using formation property data This application relates to various methods and apparatus for rapidly obtaining accurate formation property data from a drilled earthen borehole. Once obtained, the formation property data, including formation fluid pressure, may be corrected, calibrated and supplem... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7240546 | Method and apparatus for downhole detection of CO2 and H2S using resonators coated with CO2 and H2S sorbents A formation fluid sample is exposed to a rigidly-supported semi-permeable membrane such as silicone rubber to permit diffusion of gases and vapors from the formation fluid into a vacuum chamber, while at the same time, blocking the passage of any liquids. The membra... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7216533 | Methods for using a formation tester A method of testing a downhole formation using a formation tester on a drill string. The formation tester is disposed downhole on a drill string and a formation test is performed by forming a seal between a formation probe assembly and the formation. A drawdown pist... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7210342 | Method and apparatus for determining gas content of subsurface fluids for oil and gas exploration A process to analyze fluid entrained in well boreholes. The process includes gathering trap gas samples from return of drilling mud at multiple depths. The process also includes the steps of subjecting the samples to mass spectrometry in order to determine mass to c... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7201225 | Conserving components of fluids A cavitation device is used to heat, concentrate and recycle or otherwise reuse dilute and other oil well fluids, brines and muds, and solution mining fluids, all of which commonly contain ingredients worthy of conservation. The cavitation device is powered by a Die... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7178392 | Determining the pressure of formation fluid in earth formations surrounding a borehole A method for determining formation fluid pressure in earth formation surrounding a borehole wall uses a downhole probe coupled to a variable-volume cavity. The probe is driven into contact with formation at the borehole wall. The method includes expanding the volume... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7173239 | Method and apparatus for downhole quantification of methane using near infrared spectroscopy The present invention describes a unique method and apparatus for applying near-infrared spectroscopy to estimate weight percent of methane in crude oil from which one can then infer gas-oil ratio (GOR) of crude oils downhole in real time while collecting a fluid sa... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7168569 | Vibratory screening machine for earth drilling installation An oil and gas drilling installation having a drill rig with a bell nipple having an outlet at a predetermined elevation, a screening machine having a feeder and an angularly adjustable vibratory frame, a weir positioned between the feeder and the vibratory frame, t... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7158887 | Fluids chain-of-custody A method of assuring the collection of reliable and quality fluid sample includes the steps of acquiring a fluid sample at a point of acquisition, analyzing physical and chemical properties of the fluid sample at the point of acquisition; recording the point of acqu... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7137459 | Silicate drilling fluid and method of drilling a well therewith The invention discloses methods of formulating an alkali metal silicate-containing drilling fluid and drilling a well therewith. Thus an alkali metal silicate is added to an aqueous base drilling fluid, when the drilling fluid is being circulated while drilling, at ... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7134500 | Formation fluid characterization using flowline viscosity and density data an oil-based mud environment A method for characterizing formation fluid using flowline viscosity and density data in an oil-based mud environment includes: making an initial estimate of the density and viscosity of the individual components of the sampled fluid; measuring the volume fractions,... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7124819 | Downhole fluid pumping apparatus and method A downhole fluid pump including a pump chamber, and a piston disposed in the pump chamber so that the piston will move in one selected from a charge stroke and a discharge stroke when the piston is exposed to a differential pressure. The downhole fluid pump may form... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7121150 | Method and apparatus to determine an initial flow rate in a conduit A method and apparatus for determining an initial flow rate in a conduit is disclosed. A known change is made to the flow to be measured, resulting changes (or values corresponding to these changes), or relative changes in the flow to be measured are monitored and t... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7100689 | Sensor apparatus and method of using same The invention relates to a system and method for sensing the characteristics of a fluid in a sub-surface formation. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a sensor apparatus for sensing a chemical in a vapor emitted by a sub-surface fluid sample. In various con... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7096976 | Drilling formation tester, apparatus and methods of testing and monitoring status of tester An integrated drilling and evaluation system includes a drill string having an interior portion and a drill bit, carried on a lower end, that includes ports for communicating fluid between the interior portion of the drill string and an uncased well bore. A packer, ... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7093674 | Drilling formation tester, apparatus and methods of testing and monitoring status of tester An integrated drilling and evaluation system includes a drill string having an interior portion and a drill bit, carried on a lower end, that includes ports for communicating fluid between the interior portion of the drill string and an uncased well bore. A packer, ... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7095012 | Methods and apparatus for determining chemical composition of reservoir fluids Methods of analyzing formation fluids in an oilfield environment are near-infrared absorption spectroscopy. Indications of near-infrared absorptions are analyzed to determine the concentration of compounds in a formation fluid sample. ... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7090012 | Method and apparatus for subsurface fluid sampling The apparatuses and methods herein relate to techniques for extracting fluid from a subsurface formation. A downhole sampling tool is provided with a probe having an internal wall capable of selectively diverting virgin fluids into virgin flow channels for sampling,... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7073372 | Online rotating viscometer and associated measurement methods Rotating type viscosimeter having a motor (2) for driving a rotating assembly (3) extending through an aperture (4) into a liquid to be tested (1) and measuring the shear forces imparted by said liquid (1) to the rotating assembly ... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7072775 | Viscosity-corrected flowmeter A digital flowmeter can include a vibratable conduit with a mixture of a liquid and a gas flowing therethrough. A driver can be connected to the conduit and can be operable to impart motion to the conduit where a sensor can also be connected and can be operable to s... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7062958 | Receptacle for sampling downhole A receptacle (10) for use in collecting samples down a well bore (14) is provided, the receptacle comprising a plurality of interconnecting modules (22, 24, 26, 30, 32, 34). A main chamber (22) is capable of holding a sample, and sensors ... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7044237 | Drilling system and method A closed-loop circulating system for drilling wells has control of the flow rates in and out of the wellbore. Kicks and fluid losses are quickly controlled by adjusting the backpressure. Kick tolerance and tripping margins are eliminated by real-time determination o... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7032444 | Module for extracting gas from an underground liquid and installation equipped therewith This invention concerns a module for extracting samples in gas phase of compounds present in an underground working liquid, the extractor module including a receptacle for the liquid, associated with a device for stirring the liquid, a liquid inlet duct, a liquid ev... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7032662 | Method for determining the extent of recovery of materials injected into oil wells or subsurface formations during oil and gas exploration and production Disclosed is a method of determining the extent of recovery of materials injected into oil wells or subsurface formations. The method includes injection of one or more tracers into an oil well or into a formation. Included in the method are the steps of introducing ... | 04/25/2006 |
| 6978211 | Methods and systems for using wavelet analysis in subterranean applications The present invention provides methods of monitoring the injection of a fluid into a subterranean formation. The present invention also provides a method of fracturing a subterranean formation. All methods feature the use of a wavelet transform of data generated by ... | 12/20/2005 |
| 6968905 | Distributed control system A distributed control system for local or remote control of equipment. The distributed control system provides a communication bridge through a local control panel between a non-real-time network, and a real-time network, such as a controller area network. Both soft... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6964301 | Method and apparatus for subsurface fluid sampling The apparatuses and methods herein relate to techniques for extracting fluid from a subsurface formation. A downhole sampling tool is provided with a probe having an internal wall capable of selectively diverting virgin fluids into virgin flow channels for sampling,... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6938707 | Method and system for minimizing circulating fluid return losses during drilling of a well bore A method and a system for minimizing circulating fluid return losses during drilling of a well bore are disclosed. Circulating fluid, or mud, is heated above conventional temperatures for circulating fluids. The heated circulating fluid then contacts a region of a f... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6769295 | Continuous measurement of the rheological characteristics of well fluids The present invention relates to a method and to a system for monitoring the evolution of the characteristics of a fluid circulating in a well (1) for example, wherein complex dynamic viscosity measurements are performed with a suitable detector (6) ar... | 08/03/2004 |