Patents by Inventor Sandra Nowland Hopko

Sandra Nowland Hopko 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).

  • Liquid lift method for drilling risers
    Patent number: 6802379
    Abstract: A method for drilling a well below a body of water as disclosed which includes injecting into the well, at a depth below the water surface, a liquid having a lower density than a density of a drilling mud producing a mixture of drilling mud and low-density liquid in the well. The mixture of drilling mud and low-density liquid is withdrawn from an upper end of the well. The drilling mud and the low-density liquid are separated, with at least a portion of the separated low-density liquid returned to the depth below the water surface and at least a portion of the separated drilling mud returned to an upper end of the drill string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Charles Rapier Dawson, Yuh-Hwang Tsao, Sandra Nowland Hopko
  • Liquid lift method for drilling risers
    Publication number: 20020117332
    Abstract: A method for drilling a well below a body of water as disclosed which includes injecting into the well, at a depth below the water surface, a liquid having a lower density than a density of a drilling mud producing a mixture of drilling mud and low-density liquid in the well. The mixture of drilling mud and low-density liquid is withdrawn from an upper end of the well. The drilling mud and the low-density liquid are separated, with at least a portion of the separated low-density liquid returned to the depth below the water surface and at least a portion of the separated drilling mud returned to an upper end of the drill string.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Inventors: Charles Rapier Dawson, Yuh-Hwang Tsao, Sandra Nowland Hopko