Patents Assigned to HPD, LLC
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Publication number: 20120213689Abstract: A process is provided for recovering sodium chloride crystals and sodium carbonate decahydrate crystals from a concentrated brine that results from a gas mining operation where gas and produced water is recovered and the produced water constitutes a brine. An initial pre-concentration process is carried out where the brine is concentrated and in the process carbon dioxide is removed from the brine and at least some sodium bicarbonate is converted to sodium carbonate. In one process, the concentrated brine is directed to a sodium chloride crystallizer where the brine is heated and further concentrated to form sodium chloride crystals which are separated from the brine to yield a product and wherein the resulting brine is termed a first mother liquor. The first mother liquor is then directed to a sodium carbonate decahydrate crystallizer where the first mother liquor is cooled and concentrated resulting in the formation of sodium carbonate decahydrate crystals and a second mother liquor.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2011Publication date: August 23, 2012Applicant: HPD, LLCInventors: Timothy J. Rittof, James F. Rieke
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Publication number: 20120137883Abstract: A system and method for removing gas from a gas producing subterranean formation and removing contaminants from the produced water is provided. The method includes providing a mixture of gas and water gathered from a gas producing well. Thereafter the method entails separating the gas from the mixture to produce a gas product and the produced water which includes organics, suspended solids and dissolved solids including silica. Thereafter, suspended solids are removed from the produced water. After removing some of the suspended solids, the produced water is directed to a micro porous polymer extraction (MPPE) unit. In the MPPE unit aromatic organic compounds are removed from the produced water. Thereafter the produced water is treated in a membrane bioreactor to remove additional organics. Thereafter the produced water is directed to at least one RO unit that produces a high dissolved solids containing reject stream and a low dissolved solids permeate stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2010Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: HPD, LLCInventor: Robert Bradley
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Publication number: 20120087737Abstract: A process is provided for treating produced water recovered from an oil recovery process. An oil-water mixture is collected from an oil bearing formation. The oil-water mixture is directed to a separator that separates the oil-water mixture to yield produced water and an oil product. The produced water includes water, dissolved organics and dissolved inorganic solids. The produced water is directed to a crystallizer. In the crystallizer, the produced water is concentrated by heating the produced water. Concentrating the produced water causes the organic and inorganic solids to precipitate from the produced water and form solid crystals, including salt crystals. Further, concentrating the produced water in the crystallizer produces an organic melt including the solid crystals. Thereafter, the method or process entails cooling the organic melt such that the organic melt solidifies into an organic solid structure, and wherein substantially no free water is present in the organic solid structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2011Publication date: April 12, 2012Applicants: Statoil Canada Ltd., HPD, LLCInventors: Keith R. Minnich, David E. Gamache, John Kus
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Patent number: 8147699Abstract: A filtration apparatus that separates a liquid feedstock mixed with a gas into filtrate and retentate, the apparatus including at least one filtration device comprised of at least one monolith segment of porous material that defines a plurality of passageways extending longitudinally from a feed face of the structure to a retentate end face. The filtration device contains at least one filtrate conduit within it for carrying filtrate toward a filtrate collection zone, the filtrate conduit providing a path of lower flow resistance than that of alternative flow paths through the porous material of the device. The filtration device can also be utilized as a membrane support for a device for microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, or pervaporation. Also disclosed is a method for using such a filtration apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2004Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: HPD, LLCInventor: Robert L. Goldsmith
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Publication number: 20110289847Abstract: A gasifier waste stream from a gasification process is directed to a solids separator. A portion of the suspended solids in the waste stream is removed in the solids separator, producing slag and fly ash and a grey water effluent. The grey water effluent is directed to one or more ceramic membranes which remove at least portions of the remaining suspended solids in the grey water. Permeate from the ceramic membrane is directed to an evaporator located downstream from the ceramic membrane for further concentration. Placing the ceramic membrane upstream from the evaporator reduces fouling and plugging in the evaporator that would otherwise occur due to the suspended solids in the grey water.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2010Publication date: December 1, 2011Applicant: HPD, LLCInventors: William A. Shaw, Stanton R. Smith
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Publication number: 20110289846Abstract: A process is provided where a waste stream is directed to an evaporator that produces a vapor having volatile compounds. The vapor including the volatile compounds is directed through a vapor scrubber that contacts the volatile compounds with a scratching solution. The scrubbing solution reacts with the gaseous volatile compounds in the vapor such that the volatile compounds pass from a vapor state into the scrubbing solution and form volatile compounds in the liquid scrubbing solution. The scrubbing solution is collected and recycled.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2010Publication date: December 1, 2011Applicant: HPD, LLCInventors: William A. Shaw, Mitchell Adam Edwards, Jeffrey Dean Brosdal
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Patent number: 8052763Abstract: A method for removing dissolved solids from a waste stream, such as that produced in flue gas scrubbing, through an evaporation-crystallization process operated at relatively low temperature. A waste stream is directed into an evaporator and heated at a temperature of less than 60° C. at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. The waste stream is concentrated through the evaporation process and forms a slurry stream having crystallized solids. At the low temperature of evaporation, the solids crystallize at substantially lower temperature and the solution has a substantially lower boiling point elevation than at atmospheric pressure. The slurry stream is directed to a solid-liquid separator where the crystallized solids in the slurry stream are separated, producing a solid cake and mother liquor.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2008Date of Patent: November 8, 2011Assignee: HPD, LLCInventor: Jean-Claude Gallot
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Patent number: 8047287Abstract: An oil recovery process utilizes one or more membranes to remove silica and/or oil from produced water. In one method, the process includes separating oil from produced water and precipitating silica. The produced water having the precipitated silica is directed to a membrane, such as a ceramic membrane, which removes the precipitated silica from the produced water. In some cases, residual oil is present and is also removed by the membrane.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2011Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: HPD, LLCInventors: Keith R Minnich, Kashi Banerjee
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Publication number: 20110168629Abstract: An oil recovery process utilizes one or more membranes to remove silica and/or oil from produced water. In one method, the process includes separating oil from produced water and precipitating silica. The produced water having the precipitated silica is directed to a membrane, such as a ceramic membrane, which removes the precipitated silica from the produced water. In some cases, residual oil is present and is also removed by the membrane.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2011Publication date: July 14, 2011Applicant: HPD, LLCInventors: Keith R. Minnich, Kashi Banerjee
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Patent number: 7909098Abstract: An oil recovery process utilizes one or more membranes to remove silica and/or oil from produced water. In one method, the process includes separating oil from produced water and precipitating silica. The produced water having the precipitated silica is directed to a membrane, such as a ceramic membrane, which removes the precipitated silica from the produced water. In some cases, residual oil is present and is also removed by the membrane.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2009Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: HPD, LLCInventors: Keith R Minnich, Kashi Banerjee
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Patent number: 7905283Abstract: A process for recovery oil includes recovering an oil/water mixture from an oil well. Thereafter, the method includes separating oil from the oil/water mixture to produce an oil product and produced water having dissolved silica therein. The produced water is directed to an evaporator and produces steam and a concentrated brine. The method or process entails mixing a precipitant or crystallizing reagent with the produced water or the concentrated brine and causing the silica to precipitate from the produced water or the concentrated brine. Steam produced by the evaporator is condensed to form a distillate which is directed to steam generator. At the steam generator the distillate is heated to produce steam which is injected into an injection well, giving rise to the formation of the oil/water mixture.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2008Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: HPD, LLCInventors: Keith R Minnich, Dan Peterson
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Publication number: 20100200231Abstract: A method of recovering oil from an oil well and producing steam for injection into an injection well is provided. After recovering an oil-water mixture from the oil well, oil is separated from the mixture to produce an oil product and produced water. In one process, the produced water is directed to an indirect fired steam generator which is powered by an independent boiler or steam generator. As water moves through the indirect fired steam generator, the same is heated to produce a steam-water mixture. The steam-water mixture is directed to the steam separator which separates the steam-water mixture into steam and water. The separated water is directed from the steam separator back to and through the indirect fired steam generator. This separated water is continued to be recycled through the indirect fired steam generator. Steam separated by the steam separator is directed into the injection well.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2010Publication date: August 12, 2010Applicant: HPD, LLCInventor: Keith R. Minnich
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Patent number: 7686079Abstract: A method for removing silica from evaporator concentrate to facilitate disposal of the concentrate. An alkaline earth compound is mixed with the concentrate in a crystallizer. Silica in the concentrate reacts with the alkaline earth compound and precipitates from the concentrate as alkaline silicate complexes. The concentrate having the alkaline earth silicate complexes is directed to a separator where the alkaline earth silicate complexes are separated from the concentrate, producing an aqueous solution and slurry. The slurry is directed to a filter where solids are separated from a filtrate. Both the aqueous solution and the filtrate can be disposed of by deep well injection.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2008Date of Patent: March 30, 2010Assignee: HPD, LLCInventors: David E. Gamache, Charles Edward Mackey, Mark D. Patterson
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Publication number: 20100059434Abstract: A membrane filtering device includes a substrate, a support membrane supported by the substrate, and a separation membrane supported by the support membrane. The separation membrane includes material that is substantially embedded into pores of the underlying support membrane. Optionally, the support membrane includes particles that are also substantially embedded into pores of the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2009Publication date: March 11, 2010Applicant: HPD, LLCInventors: Bruce Bishop, Jeremy Cardin, Christopher B. Hoffman, Richard Higgins
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Publication number: 20100038081Abstract: A method for removing silica from evaporator concentrate to facilitate disposal of the concentrate. An alkaline earth compound is mixed with the concentrate in a crystallizer. Silica in the concentrate reacts with the alkaline earth compound and precipitates from the concentrate as alkaline silicate complexes. The concentrate having the alkaline earth silicate complexes is directed to a separator where the alkaline earth silicate complexes are separated from the concentrate, producing an aqueous solution and slurry. The slurry is directed to a filter where solids are separated from a filtrate. Both the aqueous solution and the filtrate can be disposed of by deep well injection.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2008Publication date: February 18, 2010Applicant: HPD, LLCInventors: David E. Gamache, Charles Edward Mackey, Mark D. Patterson
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Publication number: 20090294377Abstract: A method for removing dissolved solids from a waste stream, such as that produced in flue gas scrubbing, through an evaporation-crystallization process operated at relatively low temperature. A waste stream is directed into an evaporator and heated at a temperature of less than 60° C. at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. The waste stream is concentrated through the evaporation process and forms a slurry stream having crystallized solids. At the low temperature of evaporation, the solids crystallize at substantially lower temperature and the solution has a substantially lower boiling point elevation than at atmospheric pressure. The slurry stream is directed to a solid-liquid separator where the crystallized solids in the slurry stream are separated, producing a solid cake and mother liquor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2008Publication date: December 3, 2009Applicant: HPD, LLCInventor: Jean-Claude Gallot
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Publication number: 20090255673Abstract: An oil recovery process utilizes one or more membranes to remove silica and/or oil from produced water. In one method, the process includes separating oil from produced water and precipitating silica. The produced water having the precipitated silica is directed to a membrane, such as a ceramic membrane, which removes the precipitated silica from the produced water. In some cases, residual oil is present and is also removed by the membrane.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2009Publication date: October 15, 2009Applicant: HPD, LLCInventors: Keith R. Minnich, Kashi Banerjee
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Patent number: 7597144Abstract: An oil recovery process utilizes one or more membranes to remove silica and/or oil from produced water. In one method, the process includes separating oil from produced water and precipitating silica. The produced water having the precipitated silica is directed to a membrane, such as a ceramic membrane, which removes the precipitated silica from the produced water. In some cases, residual oil is present and is also removed by the membrane.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2008Date of Patent: October 6, 2009Assignee: HPD, LLCInventors: Keith R Minnich, Kashi Banerjee
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Patent number: 7591311Abstract: A method for recovering oil includes recovering an oil-water mixture from a well and separating oil from the oil-water mixture to produce an oil product and produced water. The produced water is directed to an evaporator which produces steam that is condensed to form a distillate. Thereafter the distillate is directed to a steam generator and is heated to form steam and water. At least a portion of the water is recirculated through the steam generator. Another portion of the water is mixed with the steam to form a steam-water mixture that is injected into an injection well.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2008Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: HPD, LLCInventors: Keith R Minnich, Mark C. Nicholson
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Patent number: 7578345Abstract: A method for recovering heavy oil including recovering an oil-water mixture from a well and separating oil from the oil-water mixture to produce an oil product and produced water. The produced water is separated into a series of produced water streams. Each produced water stream is directed into each of a plurality of interconnected evaporators in a multiple effect evaporator. A first produced water stream is heated and vaporized to form a first vapor stream. The first vapor stream then heats and vaporizes a second produced water stream to form a second vapor stream. This process may continue wherein the second vapor stream heats and vaporizes a third produced water stream. The vapor streams are condensed to form a distillate that is directed to a steam generator. The steam generator then heats the distillate and produces steam to inject into an oil injection well.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2008Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: HPD, LLCInventors: Keith R Minnich, Dorothy Neu