General Electric Company

University of Texas System

Baker Hughes Corporation

Ge Oil & Gas Esp, Inc.

Vaibhav Bahadur

Rocco DiFoggio

William Dwight Gerstler

Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni

Jeremy Daniel Van Dam

Michael J Epstein

Shyam Sivaramakrishnan

Michael Franklin Hughes

Chiranjeev Kalra

James Edward Simpson

Laura Michele Hudy

Luc Stephane Leblanc

Kerry L Sanderlin

Jimmie L Riche, Jr

Renee Hale

Aboel Hassan Muhammed

Oscar Max Sittner

Terje Glomsaker

Yifan Gao

A method for eliminating hydrocarbon fouling and reducing pumping power during hydrocarbon transportation. A dielectric layer covers the inner surface of a pipeline for transporting a water-hydrocarbon mixture. A proximity electrode is immersed in the water-hydrocarbon mixture, and an electrical voltage is applied across the dielectric layer. A buffer layer of water is formed on the dielectric layer since water is electrically attracted from the water-hydrocarbon mixture. This water layer, located between the dielectric layer and the water-hydrocarbon mixture, eliminates hydrocarbon fouling on the inner surface of the pipeline or any other internal surface that needs fouling protection. Alternatively, the dielectric layer covers an outer surface of the pipeline and is covered by an external conducting layer. Applying a potential difference between the proximity electrode and the external conducting layer still forms a water buffer layer between the inner surface and the water-hydrocarbon mixture, which eliminates hydrocarbon fouling.

Eliminating fouling in hydrocarbon pipelines by electrical techniques

A heat pipe with electrical pumping. The heat pipe includes a condenser to condense vapor into liquid droplets and an evaporator for the liquid-vapor conversion. Furthermore, the heat pipe includes liquid conduits for carrying the liquid droplets, where every liquid conduit includes electrodes for moving the liquid droplets along the liquid conduits. Additionally, the heat pipe includes vapor conduits for carrying the vapor. After the liquid is condensed and droplets are formed, they are electrically pumped towards the evaporator by sequentially actuating a series of electrodes in the liquid conduits. By implementing electrical pumping instead of wick-based pumping, the heat transport capacity over long distances is greatly increased. Additionally, since the electrical force is greater than gravity, it is possible to develop orientation independent long heat pipes. Other benefits include planar form factors, noiselessness, high reliability due to the absence of moving mechanical parts and ultralow power consumption.

Heat pipes with electrical pumping of condensate

A distributed artificial lift system is configured for use in a wellbore that includes a vertical section and at least one lateral section connected to the vertical section. The distributed artificial lift system includes a first remote assembly positioned within the first lateral section. The first remote assembly includes an equipment deployment vehicle and cargo selected from the group consisting of electric remote pumping units, tubing, tubing connectors, tubing adaptors, sensor packages, gas separators, perforating tools, injection pumps and other downhole components. The first remote assembly is optionally self-propelled and remotely-controlled.

Distributed lift systems for oil and gas extraction

An apparatus for enhancing the coalescence of a dispersed phase from a continuous phase in an emulsion is presented. The apparatus includes at least one inlet for receiving the emulsion, at least one outlet for discharging the emulsion after coalescing the dispersed phase, and at least one article disposed between the inlet and the outlet. The article includes a plurality of regions disposed on a surface in a predefined pattern, wherein a portion of the plurality of regions is substantially wetting with respect to the dispersed phase, and a portion of the plurality of regions is substantially non-wetting with respect to the dispersed phase, and wherein the pattern includes a plurality of inter-connected regions that are substantially non-wetting with respect to the dispersed phase. A related article is also presented.

Article and apparatus for enhancing the coalescence of a dispersed phase from a continuous phase in an emulsion

A system in one embodiment includes a mixing module, an oxidation module, and a heat exchanger. The mixing module is configured to receive and mix a boil-off gas stream from a cryotank. The oxidation module is configured to receive the mixed stream, and to oxidize the boil-off gas in the mixed stream to produce an exhaust stream. The heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat between streams passing through a first passage configured to receive at least a portion of the exhaust stream, and a second passage configured to receive a fluid including the boil-off gas. The heat exchanger is configured to heat the fluid including the boil-off gas and cool the at least a portion of the exhaust stream. The fluid including the boil-off gas is heated by the heat exchanger upstream of the oxidation module.

Systems and methods for oxidation of boil-off gas

Devices and related methods for reducing a thermal loading of one or more components may include a housing having an interior for receiving the component(s), and a thermally conductive flowable material in thermal communication to the component(s).

Method and apparatus of heat dissipaters for electronic components in downhole tools

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Vaibhav Bahadur