Patents by Inventor Dale Alton Pierce

Dale Alton Pierce has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9073104
    Abstract: Generally, the present disclosure is related to systems and methods for separating hydrocarbons and/or other liquids from drill cuttings material. One illustrative embodiment disclosed herein is directed to a system that includes, among other things, a thermal reactor that is adapted to remove liquid from drill cuttings material by heating the drill cuttings material to at least a first temperature that is sufficiently high enough to vaporize the liquid. The illustrative system also includes a feeder system that is adapted to controllably feed a flow of the drill cuttings material to the thermal reactor, and a control system that is adapted to control the flow of the drill cuttings material from the feeder system so as to maintain a temperature in the thermal reactor at or above the first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: George Alexander Burnett, Brian Bender Madsen, Dale Alton Pierce
  • Publication number: 20150153102
    Abstract: A method of treating drilling cuttings includes controllably feeding a flow of drill cuttings material to a thermal reactor, removing liquid from the drill cuttings material with the thermal reactor, and increasing the flow of drill cuttings material to the thermal reactor when a temperature in the thermal reactor decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: George Alexander Burnett, Brian Bender Madsen, Dale Alton Pierce
  • Publication number: 20120073932
    Abstract: Generally, the present disclosure is related to systems and methods for separating hydrocarbons and/or other liquids from drill cuttings material. One illustrative embodiment disclosed herein is directed to a system that includes, among other things, a thermal reactor that is adapted to remove liquid from drill cuttings material by heating the drill cuttings material to at least a first temperature that is sufficiently high enough to vaporize the liquid. The illustrative system also includes a feeder system that is adapted to controllably feed a flow of the drill cuttings material to the thermal reactor, and a control system that is adapted to control the flow of the drill cuttings material from the feeder system so as to maintain a temperature in the thermal reactor at or above the first temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventors: George Alexander Burnett, Brian Bender Madsen, Dale Alton Pierce
  • Publication number: 20100038143
    Abstract: A thermal treatment system for receiving liquid from drill cuttings material in which a metering screw system feeds material to a vessel of a thermal reactor. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: George Alexander Burnett, Brian Bender Madsen, Dale Alton Pierce
  • Publication number: 20090107728
    Abstract: A method for recovering drilling fluid from a mixture containing drilling fluid and other components, the mixture resulting from a wellbore operation including the pumping of drilling fluid, the method including producing a mixture of flocculant with a spent drilling fluid mixture containing drilling fluid and contaminants, heating the mixture, and separating drilling fluid from the mixture. This Abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 CFR 1.72(b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Emerson Clifford Gaddis, Dale Alton Pierce, Kenneth Arnold Morgan