WILLIAM SAVAGE
General Contractor at Richmond Ave, Houston, TX

7322410, Jan 29, 2008

Mar 2, 2001

10/220252

Harold J. Vinegar - Bellaire TX, US
Robert Rex Burnett - Katy TX, US
William Mountjoy Savage - Houston TX, US
John Michele Hirsch - Houston TX, US
George Leo Stegemeier - Houston TX, US
Ronald Marshall Bass - Houston TX, US

Shell Oil Company - Houston TX

E21B 43/12

16625015, 166 666, 166373

An apparatus and method for operating an electrically powered device in a packer using the piping structure of the well as an electrical conductor for providing power and/or communications. The electrically powered device may comprise an electrically controllable valve, a communications and control module, a modem, a sensor, and/or a tracer injection module.

6633164, Oct 14, 2003

Mar 2, 2001

09/798192

Harold J. Vinegar - Houston TX
Robert Rex Burnett - Katy TX
William Mountjoy Savage - Houston TX
John Michele Hirsch - Houston TX
Peter Anthony Crossley - Austin TX

Shell Oil Company - Houston TX

G01V 318

324355, 324368, 324373

A petroleum well ( ) for producing petroleum products that incorporates a system adapted to controllably measure a formation resistivity using induction chokes ( - ) to form electrically isolated piping structure sections that can be used as the formation contact electrodes for time-varying current, and methods of producing petroleum products while measuring formation resistivity, are provided by the present invention. The system comprises a first induction choke ( ), a second induction choke ( ), and a device ( ). The first induction choke ( ) is located about a piping structure ( ) of the well ( ). The second induction choke ( ) is also located about the piping structure ( ) of the well ( ), but the first induction choke ( ) is distally spaced from the second induction choke ( ). The device ( ) is located outside of the piping structure ( ) and comprises two terminals ( ). A first of the terminals ( ) extending from the device ( ) is electrically connected to the piping structure ( ) on one side ( ) of the first induction choke ( ).

2004014, Jul 29, 2004

Jan 6, 2004

10/753235

Ronald Bass - Houston TX, US
Harold Vinegar - Houston TX, US
Robert Burnett - Katy TX, US
William Savage - Houston TX, US
Frederick Carl - Houston TX, US

E21B029/02

166/065100, 340/853100

An induction choke in a petroleum well where a voltage potential is developed across the choke to power and communicate with devices and sensors in the well. Preferably, the induction choke is a ferromagnetic material and acts as an impedance to a time-varying current, e.g. AC. The petroleum well includes a cased wellbore having a tubing string positioned within and longitudinally extending within the casing. A controllable gas lift valve, sensor, or other device is coupled to the tubing. The valve sensor, or other device is powered and controlled from the surface. Communication signals and power are sent from the surface using the tubing, casing, or liner as the conductor with a casing or earth ground. For example, AC current is directed down a casing or tubing or a lateral where the current encounters a choke. The voltage potential developed across the choke is used to power electronic devices and sensors near the choke. Such induction chokes may be used in many other applications having an elongated conductor such as a pipe, where it is desirable to power or communicate with a valve, sensor, or other device without providing a dedicated power or communications cable.

6840317, Jan 11, 2005

Mar 2, 2001

10/220455

John Michele Hirsch - Houston TX, US
George Leo Stegemeier - Houston TX, US
James William Hall - Houston TX, US
Robert Rex Burnett - Katy TX, US
William Mountjoy Savage - Houston TX, US

Shell Oil Company - Houston TX

E21B 4700, E21B 4706

16625015, 166372

A method for optimizing the production of a petroleum well is provided. The petroleum well includes a borehole, a piping structure positioned within the borehole, and a tubing string positioned within the borehole for conveying a production fluid. Production of the well is optimized by determining a flow rate of the production fluid within the tubing string and determining a lift-gas injection rate for the gas being injected into the tubing string. The flow rate and injection rate data is communicated along the piping structure of the well to a selected location, where the data is collected and analyzed. After analysis of the data, an optimum operating point for the well can be determined.

7147059, Dec 12, 2006

Mar 2, 2001

10/220249

John M. Hirsch - Houston TX, US
George Leo Stegemeier - Houston TX, US
James William Hall - Katy TX, US
Harold J. Vinegar - Houston TX, US
Robert Rex Burnett - Katy TX, US
William Mountjoy Savage - Houston TX, US

Shell Oil Company - Houston TX

E21B 43/12, E21B 43/14, E21B 43/00

166372, 166373, 166 666, 166133, 166188

A gas-lift petroleum well and method for producing petroleum products using downhole pressurized gas to provide lift. The gas-lift well having a well casing, a production tubing, a packer, and a gas-lift valve. The well casing extends within a wellbore of the well, and the wellbore extends through oil and gas zones. The production tubing extends within the casing. The tubing having an opening formed therein, which is in fluid communication with an oil zone. The packer is located downhole in the casing and coupled to the tubing. The packer can have an electrically controllable packer valve, which is adapted to control a flow of downhole pressurized gas from one side of the packer to another. The downhole pressurized gas is provided by a gas zone that the wellbore passes through. The downhole gas-lift valve is coupled to the tubing and is adapted to control a flow of downhole pressurized gas into oil in the tubing for lifting the oil.

7170424, Jan 30, 2007

Mar 2, 2001

10/220402

Harold J. Vinegar - Houston TX, US
Robert Rex Burnett - Katy TX, US
William Mountjoy Savage - Houston TX, US
John Michele Hirsch - Houston TX, US

Shell Oil Company - Houston TX

G01V 3/02

3408558, 166 66, 367 35

A power supply apparatus is provided for supplying power and communications within a first piping structure. An external power transfer device is positioned around the first piping structure and is magnetically coupled to an internal power transfer device. The internal power transfer device is positioned around a second piping structure disposed within the first piping structure. A main surface current flowing on the first piping structure induces a first surface current within the external power transfer device. The first surface current causes a second surface current to be induced within the internal power transfer device.

6851481, Feb 8, 2005

Mar 2, 2001

10/220326

Harold J. Vinegar - Houston TX, US
Robert Rex Burnett - Katy TX, US
William Mountjoy Savage - Houston TX, US

Shell Oil Company - Houston TX

E21B034/00

166374, 166 666, 166 73, 3408559

A petroleum well having a communication system and a hydraulic system is provided. The petroleum well includes a borehole and a piping structure positioned within the borehole. The communication system supplies a time varying electric current downhole along the piping structure. The hydraulic system, which is positioned downhole proximate the piping structure, receives the time varying current to operate an electric motor. The motor drives a pump which pressurizes hydraulic fluid to selectively drive an actuator. The actuator is operably connected to a downhole device, such as a shutoff valve, and operates the downhole device as the actuator is driven by the pressurized hydraulic fluid.

7259688, Aug 21, 2007

Mar 2, 2001

10/220254

John Michele Hirsch - Houston TX, US
George Leo Stegemeier - Houston TX, US
Harold J. Vinegar - Houston TX, US
Robert Rex Burnett - Katy TX, US
William Mountjoy Savage - Houston TX, US
James William Hall - Houston TX, US

Shell Oil Company - Houston TX

G01V 1/00

3408544, 3408531, 166335

A reservoir production control system includes a plurality of wells for producing a reservoir linked to a central computer over a downhole communication network and a surface communication network. Both the downhole and the surface communication networks are wireless communications paths for transmitting downhole data and surface data to the central computer. Both networks include a series of interconnected tubing or pipe that allows transmission of data over electrically isolated portions of the pipe and tubing. After integrating and analyzing all relevant data and comparing the data with a reservoir model, the central computer initiates changes in a plurality of downhole control devices associated with the wells, thereby optimizing the production of the reservoir.

6023052, Feb 8, 2000

Nov 4, 1998

9/185881

Frederick Gordon Carl - Houston TX
William Mountjoy Savage - Houston TX
Robert Rex Burnett - Katy TX

Shell Oil Company - Houston TX

H05B 102

219483

A method and apparatus are provided for controlling parallel heater elements, the method including the steps of: providing a plurality of electrical heater elements; generating a plurality of temperature signals associated with a plurality of the heater elements; generating a control signal based on one or more temperature signals; providing an alternating current power supply connected to the electrical heater elements through a power transmission system; generating a signal when the voltage of the alternating current power supply passes through ground potential; blocking electrical power to a heater element starting when a zero detection signal is detected an ending when another zero detection signal is detected, for a fraction of the alternating current cycles in a time period, the fraction being a function of the control signal; and transmitting temperature control signals through the power transmission system.