Curtis J Howard

US Patent:

42057256, Jun 3, 1980

Filed:

Nov 13, 1978

Appl. No.:

5/959539

Inventors:

Curtis E. Howard - Humble TX
Douglas G. Calvin - Houston TX
Robert W. Pitts - Houston TX

Assignee:

Texaco Inc. - White Plains NY

International Classification:

E21B 4324

US Classification:

166315

Abstract:

A method for assembling an ignition system for in situ combustion operation to recover petroleum from a well in a subterranean reservoir, and an ignition system for an elongated combustion chamber suspended from a hollow electrical cable and which cable supplies both electrical means and fuel gas to the chamber. Air inlet ducts in the walls of the air inlet cylinder receive air from the annular space between the hollow cable and the wellbore tubing. An electrical ignitor is temporarily energized automatically or responsive to a thermocouple detecting no burning in the combustion chamber to ignite the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber. The ignitor is responsive to the thermocouple detecting burning in the combustion chamber for extinguishing the ignitor. The thermocouple is thus responsive to a flameout for re-energizing the ignitor either manually or automatically such that burner operation is interrupted only momentarily. This new method includes further the steps of electrically connecting a second thermocouple to a limit set means and forming it responsive to the thermocouple for causing the flow of additional secondary air to be automatically increased to cool the electronics portion of the burner if the temperature therein goes beyond safe limits.

US Patent:

40797848, Mar 21, 1978

Filed:

Mar 22, 1976

Appl. No.:

5/669127

Inventors:

Curtis E. Howard - Humble TX
Douglas G. Calvin - Houston TX
Robert W. Pitts - Houston TX

Assignee:

Texaco Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

E21B 4324

US Classification:

166251

Abstract:

A method for heating a well or for initiating an in situ combustion operation to recover petroleum from a well in a subterranean reservoir, a method for assembling an ignition system for the in situ combustion, and an ignition system comprises an elongated combustion chamber suspended from a hollow electrical cable which supplies both electrical means and fuel gas to the chamber. Air inlet ducts in the walls of the combustion chamber receive air from the annular space between the hollow cable and the wellbore tubing. An electrical ignitor is temporarily energized to ignite the fuel-air mixture in the air inlet cylinder. An adjacent thermocouple is responsive to a flameout for re-energizing an ignitor manually such that burner operation is interrupted only momentarily.

US Patent:

41367375, Jan 30, 1979

Filed:

Sep 28, 1977

Appl. No.:

5/837053

Inventors:

Curtis E. Howard - Humble TX
Douglas G. Calvin - Houston TX
Robert W. Pitts - Houston TX

Assignee:

Texaco Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

E21B 4324

US Classification:

166251

Abstract:

A method for initiating an in situ combustion operation for heating a well to recover petroleum from a subterranean reservoir in the well comprises lowering an elongated combustion chamber suspended from a hollow electrical cable with an air supply tube therearound which supplies electricity, fuel gas, and air to the combustion chamber, mixing an air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber, and igniting the air-fuel mixture with an ignitor responsive to the thermocouple detecting burning in the combustion chamber for providing an automatic, reliable, and flame-out proof method for initiating heat deep in the well.

US Patent:

40881873, May 9, 1978

Filed:

Apr 21, 1977

Appl. No.:

5/789391

Inventors:

Curtis E. Howard - Porter TX
Douglas G. Calvin - Missouri City TX

Assignee:

Texaco Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

E21B 4700

US Classification:

166264

Abstract:

Two methods and a steam sampler are disclosed for sampling steam, as at any desired depth in a steam injection well for determining the quality of the saturated steam just prior to penetrating the formation. The sampler comprises an elongated cylindrical vessel with a tube having openings extending longitudinally internally of the vessel for forming an annulus between the vessel and the tube for trapping steam water droplets while ejecting the steam vapor. The tube has a suitable number of staggered perforated baffles thereon for closing the top of the annulus for preventing loss of the water droplets due to vapor flashing when pressure is bled off for recovery at the surface. A method for sampling and a method for forming a sampler are disclosed. Thus, a simpler, stronger sampler with no moving parts and new and improved methods are disclosed.

US Patent:

42781280, Jul 14, 1981

Filed:

Jul 30, 1979

Appl. No.:

6/061964

Inventors:

Abdus Satter - Houston TX
Richard H. Widmyer - Houston TX
Yick M. Shum - Houston TX
Curtis E. Howard - Porter TX

Assignee:

Texaco Inc. - White Plains NY

International Classification:

E21B 4700
E21B 4900

US Classification:

166250

Abstract:

The amount of a petroleum recovery chemical retained within a subterranean reservoir is predicted by first gathering data from at least one injection-soak-production cycle in a core wherein the produced fluids are monitored for both the chemical concentration in the produced fluid as well as the concentration of a nonabsorbing tracer and, second, utilizing this data in a chemical flood mathematical model to simulate at least one repetition of the injection-soak-production cycle. The simulated cycles are repeated until the simulated produced fluid concentration of the chemical is virtually the same as the actual produced fluid concentration of the nonabsorbed tracer. The amount of the chemical retained per unit of reservoir volume is then determined by conventional techniques.

US Patent:

41379683, Feb 6, 1979

Filed:

Sep 28, 1977

Appl. No.:

5/837052

Inventors:

Curtis E. Howard - Humble TX
Douglas G. Calvin - Houston TX
Robert W. Pitts - Houston TX

Assignee:

Texaco Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

E21B 4324

US Classification:

166 53

Abstract:

For in situ combustion operation to recover petroleum from a well in a subterranean reservoir, an ignition system for an elongated combustion chamber suspended from a hollow electrical cable and which cable supplies both electrical means and fuel gas to the chamber. Air inlet ducts in the walls of the air inlet cylinder receive air from the annular space between the hollow cable and the wellbore tubing. An electrical ignitor is temporarily energized automatically or responsive to a thermocouple detecting no burning in the combustion chamber to ignite the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber. The ignitor is responsive to the thermocouple detecting burning in the combustion chamber for extinguishing the ignitor. The thermocouple is thus responsive to a flameout for re-energizing the ignitor either manually or automatically such that burner operation is interrupted only momentarily. Secondary air is automatically increased to cool the electronics portion of the burner if the temperature therein gets above safe limits.

US Patent:

39344690, Jan 27, 1976

Filed:

Nov 29, 1974

Appl. No.:

5/528073

Inventors:

Curtis E. Howard - Humble TX
Douglas G. Calvin - Houston TX

Assignee:

Texaco Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

E21B 4700

US Classification:

73155

Abstract:

Two methods and two steam samplers are disclosed for sampling steam, as at the bottom of a steam injection well for determining the quality of the saturated steam just prior to penetrating the formation. The samplers each comprises an elongated cylindrical vessel with a tube having openings extending longitudinally internally of the vessel for forming an annulus between the vessel and the tube for trapping steam liquid phase while ejecting the steam vapor phase. The tube has a second internally sliding tube for closing the openings and a latch for releasably locking the tubes in closed position for sealing the steam liquid phase in the annulus for recovery at the surface. A method for sampling and a method for forming a sampler, as well as two latch combinations are disclosed.

US Patent:

42692113, May 26, 1981

Filed:

Feb 5, 1979

Appl. No.:

6/009196

Inventors:

Curtis E. Howard - Porter TX
Douglas G. Calvin - Missouri City TX

Assignee:

Texaco Inc. - White Plains NY

International Classification:

G05D 1102
G05D 1108

US Classification:

137 2

Abstract:

A method for equalizing the steam quality in a plurality of branch lines of a high pressure steam pipeline, as a tee joint comprises dividing the flow of steam entering the tee joint into the two branch lines with a perforated baffle plate rotatable in response to a steam quality determining means in each branch line. A steam manifold distribution system is disclosed including a mechanism for retracting a perforated baffle plate into a pressure equalizer chamber for removal, repair, or replacement of the baffle plate. The pressure equalizer chamber may be positioned on and fixedly attached to the tee joint in the field in any position between co-axial with one of the branch lines of the tee joint and perpendicular thereto. A new method for assembly of a steam manifold distribution system is likewise disclosed.