Patents Assigned to HPD, LLC
  • Publication number: 20090056945
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: HPD, LLC
    Inventors: Keith R. Minnich, Dan Peterson
  • Publication number: 20090056940
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: HPD, LLC
    Inventors: Keith R. Minnich, Kashi Banerjee
  • Publication number: 20080190607
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: HPD, LLC
    Inventors: Keith R Minnich, Mark C. Nicholson