Patents by Inventor Lene Amundsen
Lene Amundsen 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).
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Patent number: 9874480Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining contents of a conduit containing at least one fluid is described. The conduit may be at least partially defined by at least one wall portion. The wall portion may be cooled. After cooling said, the temperature at least one temperature sensor located adjacent to the wall portion may be measured. A characteristic of said contents is determined based on said measured temperature at the or each temperature sensor.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2012Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: STATOIL PETROLEUM ASInventors: Rainer Josef Hoffmann, William George Clark, Lene Amundsen, Ruben Schulkes
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Patent number: 9702745Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining multiphase flow characteristics inside production equipment containing at least two fluids. A pulse of heat from a heat source adjacent to the production equipment is provided, and a thermal response to the pulse is measured at each of a plurality of temperature sensors located adjacent to the production equipment. The thermal response measurement includes a time constant obtained from a measured decline in the temperature after the pulse of heat has been provided. The measured thermal responses are used to determine parameters of a fluid contained in the production equipment in proximity to each of the temperature sensors. The determined fluid parameters are in turn used to determine multiphase flow characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2011Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: STATOIL PETROLEUM ASInventors: Reidar Barfod Schüller, Lene Amundsen, Pål Viggo Hemmingsen, Rainer Josef Hoffmann
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Patent number: 9011608Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for measuring the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of a structure conducting a fluid stream of hydrocarbons, the method comprising the steps of: applying a first heat pulse or continuous heating to at least one first section of the structure removing deposits on the inner wall of the first section of the structure; applying a second heat pulse to both the first section of the structure and at least one second section of the structure, the first and second sections being spaced apart, which heat pulse does not loosen any deposit of material in the second section; measuring the temperature of the wall of the structure or the fluid during the second heat pulse at both the first and second sections; and determining the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of the structure at the second section based on the measured temperatures. The present invention also relates to a corresponding device and arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2010Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Statoil Petroleum ASInventors: Lene Amundsen, Rainer Hoffmann, Reidar Schüller
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Patent number: 8966979Abstract: A method of measuring the thickness of any deposit of material (28) on an inner wall (12) of a structure (14). The method comprises: (a) causing vibrations in the structure; (b) detecting said vibrations in the structure; (c) determining a resonance frequency of the structure based on the detected vibrations; and (d) determining the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of the structure based on the determined resonance frequency.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2010Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: Statoil Petroleum ASInventors: Lene Amundsen, Rainer Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20150020580Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining contents of a conduit containing at least one fluid is described. The conduit may be at least partially defined by at least one wall portion. The wall portion may be cooled. After cooling said, the temperature at least one temperature sensor located adjacent to the wall portion may be measured. A characteristic of said contents is determined based on said measured temperature at the or each temperature sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2012Publication date: January 22, 2015Applicant: STATOIL PETROLEUM ASInventors: Rainer Josef Hoffman, William George Clark, Lene Amundsen, Ruben Schulkes
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Patent number: 8842297Abstract: A method is provided for measurement of the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of a pipeline at least partly filled with a medium including hydrocarbons, the medium being for instance oil or natural gas, wherein the method includes: projecting infrared light onto the inner wall of the pipeline along a line corresponding to the intersection between the inner wall of the pipeline and a cross-sectional plane of the pipeline; registering an image of the infrared light projected on the inner wall of the pipeline; and determining the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of the pipeline based on the registered image.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2009Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: Statoil Petroleum ASInventors: Kjell Bjørnar Størksen, Rainer Hoffmann, Lene Amundsen
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Publication number: 20140216152Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining multiphase flow characteristics inside production equipment containing at least two fluids. A pulse of heat from a heat source adjacent to the production equipment is provided, and a thermal response to the pulse is measured at each of a plurality of temperature sensors located adjacent to the production equipment. The thermal response measurement includes a time constant obtained from a measured decline in the temperature after the pulse of heat has been provided. The measured thermal responses are used to determine parameters of a fluid contained in the production equipment in proximity to each of the temperature sensors. The determined fluid parameters are in turn used to determine multiphase flow characteristics.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2011Publication date: August 7, 2014Applicant: STATOIL PETROLEUM ASInventors: Reidar Barfod Schüller, Lene Amundsen, Pål Viggo Hemmingsen, Rainer Josef Hoffmann
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Patent number: 8623147Abstract: A method for removal of wax deposited on an inner wall in contact with a fluid stream. The method includes the steps of cooling the inner wall and the fluid stream to a temperature of or below the wax appearance temperature, enabling wax to dissolve and precipitate on the inner wall, and heating of the inner wall for a short period of time to release the deposited wax from the surface of the inner wall, mainly in the form of solid parts. The thickness of wax deposits in a pipe section can be determined by computing the temperatures obtained upstream and downstream in the said pipe section, before and after applying heat pulse.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2008Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: Statoil Petroleum ASInventors: Rainer Hoffman, Lene Amundsen
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Publication number: 20110308548Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for measuring the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of a structure conducting a fluid stream of hydrocarbons, the method comprising the steps of: applying a first heat pulse or continuous heating to at least one first section of the structure removing deposits on the inner wall of the first section of the structure; applying a second heat pulse to both the first section of the structure and at least one second section of the structure, the first and second sections being spaced apart, which heat pulse does not loosen any deposit of material in the second section; measuring the temperature of the wall of the structure or the fluid during the second heat pulse at both the first and second sections; and determining the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of the structure at the second section based on the measured temperatures. The present invention also relates to a corresponding device and arrangement.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2010Publication date: December 22, 2011Applicant: STATOIL ASAInventors: Lene Amundsen, Rainer Hoffmann, Reidar Schüller
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Publication number: 20110303012Abstract: A method of measuring the thickness of any deposit of material (28) on an inner wall (12) of a structure (14). The method comprises: (a) causing vibrations in the structure; (b) detecting said vibrations in the structure; (c) determining a resonance frequency of the structure based on the detected vibrations; and (d) determining the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of the structure based on the determined resonance frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2010Publication date: December 15, 2011Applicant: STATOIL ASAInventors: Lene Amundsen, Rainer Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20110235057Abstract: A method is provided for measurement of the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of a pipeline at least partly filled with a medium including hydrocarbons, the medium being for instance oil or natural gas, wherein the method includes: projecting infrared light onto the inner wall of the pipeline along a line corresponding to the intersection between the inner wall of the pipeline and a cross-sectional plane of the pipeline; registering an image of the infrared light projected on the inner wall of the pipeline; and determining the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of the pipeline based on the registered image.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2009Publication date: September 29, 2011Applicant: STATOIL PETROLEUM ASInventors: Kjell Bjørnar Størksen, Rainer Hoffmann, Lene Amundsen
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Publication number: 20100300486Abstract: A method for removal of wax deposited on an inner wall in contact with a fluid stream. The method includes the steps of cooling the inner wall and the fluid stream to a temperature of or below the wax appearance temperature, enabling wax to dissolve and precipitate on the inner wall, and heating of the inner wall for a short period of time to release the deposited wax from the surface of the inner wall, mainly in the form of solid parts. The thickness of wax deposits in a pipe section can be determined by computing the temperatures obtained upstream and downstream in the said pipe section, before and after applying heat pulse.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2008Publication date: December 2, 2010Applicant: STATOIL ASAInventors: Ryan Hoffman, Lene Amundsen