Patents by Inventor Hartley H. Downs

Hartley H. Downs 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: 8356667
    Abstract: Fluids containing liquid crystal-forming surfactants or polymeric surfactants, or polymers, or complex polymers or copolymers, or graphite nanotubes or Janus particles in a polar and/or non polar liquid, and optionally, co-surfactants, are useful in drilling, completion and production operations to give increased viscosity (solids suspension ability) and/or decreased fluid loss, as compared to otherwise identical fluids absent the liquid crystals. These liquid crystal compositions contain organized micelles. The liquid crystal-containing fluids are useful in completion fluids, fracturing fluids, formation damage remediation, waste management, lost circulation, drilling optimization, reducing trapped annular pressure during the hydrocarbon production process, well strengthening, friction and drag reducers, fluids introduced through an injection well, for geothermal wells, and the controlled release of additives into a wellbore, at a subterranean formation or at the oil production facilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, David E. Clark, Antonio Enrique Cardenas, Hartley H. Downs, Christopher T. Gallagher
  • Publication number: 20100314118
    Abstract: Fluids containing liquid crystal-forming surfactants or polymeric surfactants, or polymers, or complex polymers or copolymers, or graphite nanotubes or Janus particles in a polar and/or non polar liquid, and optionally, co-surfactants, are useful in drilling, completion and production operations to give increased viscosity (solids suspension ability) and/or decreased fluid loss, as compared to otherwise identical fluids absent the liquid crystals. These liquid crystal compositions contain organized micelles. The liquid crystal-containing fluids are useful in completion fluids, fracturing fluids, formation damage remediation, waste management, lost circulation, drilling optimization, reducing trapped annular pressure during the hydrocarbon production process, well strengthening, friction and drag reducers, fluids introduced through an injection well, for geothermal wells, and the controlled release of additives into a wellbore, at a subterranean formation or at the oil production facilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lirio Quintero, David E. Clark, Antonio Enrique Cardenas, Hartley H. Downs, Christopher T. Gallagher
  • Patent number: 6841089
    Abstract: A method for reducing the toxicity of onium compounds, such as ammonium compounds and phosphonium compounds, by the use of certain additives is described. Suitable additives include, but are not necessarily limited to, carboxylic acids (e.g. naphthenic acids), sulfonic acids, organophosphonic acids, phenolic compounds, ether sulfates, phosphoric acid esters, sulfonated fatty acids, sulfated fatty acids, oligocarboxylic acids, and mixtures thereof, and alkali metal salts of these compounds and amine salts of these compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Gordon T. Rivers, Hartley H. Downs
  • Publication number: 20040144732
    Abstract: A method for reducing the toxicity of onium compounds, such as ammonium compounds and phosphonium compounds, by the use of certain additives is described. Suitable additives include, but are not necessarily limited to, carboxylic acids (e.g. naphthenic acids), sulfonic acids, organophosphonic acids, phenolic compounds, ether sulfates, phosphoric acid esters, sulfonated fatty acids, sulfated fatty acids, oligocarboxylic acids, and mixtures thereof, and alkali metal salts of these compounds and amine salts of these compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Gordon T. Rivers, Hartley H. Downs
  • Patent number: 6723249
    Abstract: A method for reducing the toxicity of onium compounds, such as ammonium compounds and phosphonium compounds, by the use of certain additives is described. Suitable additives include, but are not necessarily limited to, carboxylic acids (e.g. naphthenic acids), sulfonic acids, organophosphonic acids, phenolic compounds, ether sulfates, phosphoric acid esters, sulfonated fatty acids, sulfated fatty acids, oligocarboxylic acids, and mixtures thereof, and alkali metal salts of these compounds and amine salts of these compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Gordon T. Rivers, Hartley H. Downs
  • Publication number: 20030116507
    Abstract: A method for reducing the toxicity of onium compounds, such as ammonium compounds and phosphonium compounds, by the use of certain additives is described. Suitable additives include, but are not necessarily limited to, carboxylic acids (e.g. naphthenic acids), sulfonic acids, organophosphonic acids, phenolic compounds, ether sulfates, phosphoric acid esters, sulfonated fatty acids, sulfated fatty acids, oligocarboxylic acids, and mixtures thereof, and alkali metal salts of these compounds and amine salts of these compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Gordon T. Rivers, Hartley H. Downs
  • Patent number: 5302296
    Abstract: Materials such as amines, alcohols, aminoalcohols, ethers and mixtures thereof, including halogenated adducts thereof, have been found to be useful floc modifiers for water clarifiers to form an effective overall water clarifier composition. The water clarifier portion of the composition is a dithiocarbamate. The floc modifier of a particular water clarifier composition need not be the same compound that is reacted with carbon disulfide (CS.sub.2) to make the water clarifier portion of the novel compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Eric J. Evain, Hartley H. Downs, Daniel K. Durham
  • Patent number: 5207919
    Abstract: Complex molecules of phosphonic acid ligands and transition metal ions are found to be surprisingly good at inhibiting and even preventing scale in aqueous solutions, crude oils, aqueous production fluids, heat exchange media, etc. Ethylenediaminetetra(methylenephosphonic) acid (ENTMP) complexed with copper (II) is a particularly effective scale inhibitor over wide pH and temperature ranges. Other useful metal complex molecules include various alkyleneamino(alkylphosphonic) acids, or salts thereof, complexed with transition metals such as nickel (II), cobalt (II), and zinc (II), in addition to copper (II). The active complexes may be termed phosphonate metal complexes, or in some forms, phosphonic acid metal complexes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Patrick J. Breen, Hartley H. Downs, Bruce N. Diel
  • Patent number: 5190683
    Abstract: Materials such as amines, alcohols, aminoalcohols, ethers and mixtures thereof, including halogenated adducts thereof, have been found to be useful floc modifiers for water clarifiers to form an effective overall water clarifier composition. The water clarifier portion of the composition is a dithiocarbamate. The floc modifier of a particular water clarifier composition need not be the same compound that is reacted with carbon disulfide (CS.sub.2) to make the water clarifier portion of the novel compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Eric J. Evain, Hartley H. Downs, Daniel K. Durham
  • Patent number: 5057228
    Abstract: Complex molecules of phosphonic acid ligands and transition metal ions are formed to be surprisingly good at inhibiting and even preventing scale in aqueous solutions, crude oils, aqueous production fluids, heat exchange media, etc. Ethylenediaminetetra(methylenephosphonic) acid (ENTMP) complexed with copper (II) is a particularly effective scale inhibitor over wide pH and temperature ranges. Other useful metal complex molecules include various alkyleneamino(alkylphosphonic) acids, or salts thereof, complexed with transition metals such as nickel (II), cobalt (II) and zinc (II), in addition to copper (II). The active complexes may be termed phosphonate metal complexes, or in some forms, phosphonic acid metal complexes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1991
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Patrick J. Breen, Hartley H. Downs, Bruce N. Diel
  • Patent number: 5006274
    Abstract: Method and additive are provided for clarifying an aqueous system which may contain an oil-in-water emulsion, a dispersion of a non-aqueous discontinuous phase, without production of a resultant uncontrollable floc in the system, by contacting the system with an effective water clarifying amount of a composition having present a dithiocarbamate of bishexamethylenetriamine, said dithiocarbamate having the formula: ##STR1## wherein: R is hydrogen, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium, ion or an amine, the ratio of carbon disulfide to primary amine for said dithiocarbamate of bishexamethylenetriamine is approximately stoichiometric. The composition is maintained in the system for sufficient time to effectively clarify the system without production of an uncontrollable floc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel K. Durham, Urban C. Conkle, Hartley H. Downs
  • Patent number: 4855060
    Abstract: Method and additive are provided for clarifying an aqueous system which may contain an oil-in-water emulsion, a dispersion of a non-aqueous discontinuous phase, without production of a resultant uncontrollable floc in the system, by contacting the system with an effective water clarifying amount of a composition having present a dithiocarbamate of bishexamethylenetriamine, said dithiocarbamate having the formula: ##STR1## wherein: R is hydrogen, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium, ion or an amine, the ratio of carbon disulfide to primary amine for said dithiocarbamate of bishexamethylenetriamine is approximately stoichiometric. The composition is maintained in the system for sufficient time to effectively clarify the system without production of an uncontrollable floc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel K. Durham, Urban C. Conkle, Hartley H. Downs
  • Patent number: 4612332
    Abstract: Surfactant-free stable aqueous foams may be produced by water soluble copolymers of acrylamide and N-alkylacrylamide with chain lengths greater than or equal to 6 carbons. Additionally, these polymers may contain an anionic monomer, such as a monovalent salt of acrylic acid. These copolymers and terpolymers are added to water or brine at a concentration of 0.005 to 2 parts per 100 of solvent. When the resulting solutions are subjected to intensive mixing with the addition of air or other gases, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide, high quality, persistent foams are formed. These foams are formed at relatively low polymer concentrations without added surfactants. They have good high temperature stability and excellent salt tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1986
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Jan Bock, Hartley H. Downs, Donald B. Siano, Salvatore J. Pace