Patents Represented by Attorney Cynthia L. Hunter
  • Patent number: 5716896
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing alkyl tertiary alkyl ethers which comprises reacting t-butanol with an alkanol in the presence of a catalyst which exhibits extended life comprising .beta.-zeolite modified with one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Group IA and Group IIIB of the Periodic Table and continuously contacting said alkanol and t-butanol in a molar amount from about 10:1 to 1:10 over said zeolite catalyst at a temperature of about 20.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C. and a pressure of about atmospheric to about 1000 psig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Inventors: John Frederick Knifton, Pei-Shing Eugene Dai
  • Patent number: 5637778
    Abstract: Disclosed is a one-step method for synthesis of methyl tertiary butyl ether, diisopropyl ether and isopropyl ether from crude streams containing acetone, methanol and t-butyl alcohol which comprises reacting an acetone-rich feed over a bifunctional catalyst comprising 5-45% by weight of a catalyst consisting essentially of a hydrogenation catalyst selected from the group consisting of one or more metals selected from the group consisting of IB, VIB or VIII of the Periodic Table and a heteropoly acid on a 55%-95% of the total weight of the catalyst of a support comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of:a. a metal phosphate;b. 5 to 95% by weight metal phosphate supported on 95 to 5 wt % Group III or IV oxide; andc. a large pore silicoaluminophosphate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Taylor, Jr., Pei-Shing E. Dai, John F. Knifton, Bobby R. Martin
  • Patent number: 5604184
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improvement in a method for propping a fracture adjacent a wellbore formed by injecting in said fracture a carrier fluid containing proppant coated with a curable resin which improvement comprises:a) using proppant coated with a resin fluid containing a polymerizable oligomer of furfuryl alcohol resin, a catalyst comprising an oil soluble, slightly water soluble organic acid and an ester of a weak organic acid to consume water produced by the polymerization of resin;b) using as a carrier an aqueous saline fluid comprising water which is 70% to 100% saturated with sodium chloride,c) suspending said resin-coated proppant in the carrier fluid, forming a fluid mixture of resin-coated proppant and carrier fluid; and injecting said mixture into said fracture, wherein the timing of the addition of the catalyst can be varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Texaco, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick D. Ellis, Billy W. Surles
  • Patent number: 5583266
    Abstract: A two-step integrated process for the generation of diisopropyl ether from a crude by-product acetone stream which comprises:a) Hydrogenating said crude acetone over a supported, hydrogenation catalyst to give an isopropanol-rich effluent;b) passing said isopropanol-rich intermediate directly to a second reactor, andc) subject said IPA to dehydration conditions in the presence of hydrogen and a strong acid zeolite catalyst from the group consisting of .beta.-zeolite, optionally modified with one or more metals from Groups IB, VIB, VIIB and VIII of the Periodic Table, and a dealuminized Y-zeolite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Taylor, Jr., Pei-Shing E. Dai, John F. Knifton
  • Patent number: 5576464
    Abstract: MTBE, prepared by reacting MeOH with TBA to form a primary etherification reaction product, is distilled in a first distillation column to provide a first lower boiling distillation fraction comprising methyl tertiary butyl ether, isobutylene, methanol, dimethyl ether, and the first lower boiling fraction is water washed to provide an overhead extract that is distilled in a second distillation column to provide a second lower boiling distillation fraction comprising isobutylene, dimethyl ether and water, which is dewatered to provide a feed fraction comprising isobutylene and dimethyl ether that is reacted with less than an equivalent amount of MeOH to provide a secondary reaction product comprising MTBE, less than 0.5 wt. % of MeOH, isobutylene and contaminants including TBA and dimethyl ether, and the secondary reaction product is recycled to the second distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Inc.
    Inventor: Kyle L. Preston
  • Patent number: 5571403
    Abstract: An improved process for extracting hydrocarbons from a diatomite ore which comprises the combination of the steps of:a) Reducing the particle size of the ore to form a processed ore;b) Grinding the processed ore in an enclosed pin mixer to form pelletized ore;c) Feeding the pellets into each section of a ROTOCEL.RTM. extractor unit containing 5-8 sections or baskets to form columns of pelletized ore;d) Distributing a solvent from the top of each column of the ROTOCEL.RTM. extractor and allowing the solvent to permeate the pelletized ore column to form a hydrocarbon-rich solvent stream while leaving behind spent ore mixture;e) Separating extracting solvent from the hydrocarbon solvent stream to form a hydrocarbon product stream and an extracting solvent stream;f) Removing the spent ore mixture from the extracting zone;g) Recycling the extracting solvent; andh) Recovering the hydrocarbon product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Scott, Frederick B. Seufert, Edward J. Hanzlik
  • Patent number: 5563301
    Abstract: Methyl tertiary butyl ether is sequentially prepared from tertiary butyl alcohol and methanol by:passing tertiary butyl alcohol and methanol through a primary reaction zone to form a primary etherification reaction product comprising unreacted methanol, unreacted tertiary butyl alcohol, water, dimethyl ether, isobutylene and methyl tertiary butyl ether;separating the primary etherification reaction product into a methanol recycle fraction, a tertiary butyl alcohol recycle fraction, an isobutylene fraction and a methyl tertiary butyl ether product fraction;recycling the methanol recycle fraction and the tertiary butyl alcohol recycle fraction to the methyl tertiary butyl ether etherification reaction zone;passing at least a portion of said isobutylene fraction together with added methanol through a secondary reaction zone to form a secondary etherification reaction product comprising water, methanol, isobutylene, DME, methyl tertiary butyl ether and tertiary butyl alcohol; andrecovering the methyl tertiary but
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Development Corp.
    Inventors: Kyle L. Preston, Lawrence E. Tillotson, Rei-Yu J. Hwan
  • Patent number: 5556824
    Abstract: A naphtha or a middle distillate hydrocarbon is hydrodearomatized by hydrotreating in the presence of a catalyst containing boron, non-noble Group VIII metal, and Group VIB metal on a carbon support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Chakka Sudhakar, Frank Dolfinger, Jr., Max R. Cesar, Jeffrey G. Weissman
  • Patent number: 5551513
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improvement in a prepacked well screen assembly which includes coating the granular material in the filter medium with a resin system including an oligomer of furfuryl alcohol, a catalyst including an oil soluble, slightly water soluble organic acid, and an ester of a weak organic acid to consume water produced by the polymerization of the resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Billy W. Surles, Howard L. McKinzie
  • Patent number: 5551469
    Abstract: Steam quality is maintained substantially equal in the two outlet legs of a horizontal impact T junction, as the mass extraction ratio in each leg varies, by orifice plates fixed in each outlet leg and bypass pipes connected between a point upstream of the junction and down stream of the respective orifice plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventor: Edward A. Woerheide
  • Patent number: 5549000
    Abstract: The present invention determines the presence of a pig in a pipeline and the condition of the pig, as regards to the material the pig may be pushing, by passive acoustic detectors which determine the acoustic characteristics for the pipe and the pig. From these a computer is used to determine from changes in these characteristics the nature of the materials picked up by the pig or the condition of the pig and the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco, Inc.
    Inventors: Winthrop K. Brown, Victor Diatschenko, James R. Stoy
  • Patent number: 5550300
    Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated process for the generation of a mixture of ethers, such as diisopropyl ether, methyl tertiary butyl ether, and/or isopropyl tertiary butyl ether, from a crude by-product acetone stream composed of acetone, tertiary butyl alcohol and methanol by passing such a stream, in the presence of hydrogen, over a catalyst system characterized by having both a hydrogenation activity gradient along the reactor in one direction and an etherification activity gradient in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Taylor, Jr., Pei-Shing E. Dai, John F. Knifton
  • Patent number: 5545393
    Abstract: Manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieve (OMS) is produced by the method comprising:a) forming an aqueous reaction medium containing manganese cation and permanganate anion, the reaction medium being maintained at a pH of not greater than about 4.5;b) refluxing the aqueous reaction medium under conditions which are effective to produce solid crystalline manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieve product; and,c) recovering the solid crystalline product.The method of this invention is carried out in an open system, i.e., a reflux condenser, and results in the formation of OMS which is thermally stable up to about 600.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Chi-Lin O'Young, Robert A. Sawicki
  • Patent number: 5545602
    Abstract: Heavy hydrocarbons are hydrotreated to increase content of components boiling below 1000.degree. F. by contact with Group VIII non-noble metal oxide and Group VI-B metal oxide on alumina having a Total Surface Area of 150-240 m.sup.2 /g, a Total Pore Volume, (TPV) of 0.7-0.98, and a Pore Diameter Distribution whereby .ltoreq.20% of the TPV is present as primary micropores of diameter .ltoreq.100 .ANG., at least about 34% of TPV is present as secondary micropores of diameter of about 100 .ANG.-200 .ANG., and about 26%-46% of the TPV is present as mesopores of diameter .gtoreq.200 .ANG..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald V. Nelson, Govanon Nongbri, Roy E. Pratt, David E. Sherwood, Jr., Pei-Shing E. Dai
  • Patent number: 5538930
    Abstract: A sulfided carbon support catalyst bearing (i) a non-noble Group VIII metal, (ii) a Group VI-B metal, and (iii) a metal of Group IA, II A, III-B, or the lanthanide Group of rare earths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Chakka Sudhakar, Gerald G. Sandford, Phillip L. Dahlstrom, Mahendra S. Patel, Edwin L. Patmore
  • Patent number: 5529968
    Abstract: A process for simultaneous hydrodearomatization, hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation of a charge hydrocarbon oil containing undesired aromatic components, sulfur and nitrogen compounds, which comprises:maintaining a bed of a sulfided metal catalyst comprising one or more metals of non-noble Group VIII, at least one metal selected from tungsten and molybdenum on a novel "phosphorus treated carbon" support, the "phosphorus treated carbon" support being comprised of phosphorus bound to the carbon surface predominantly as polyphosphate species characterized by peaks between -5 and -30 ppm in the solid-state magic angle spinning .sup.31 p nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum;passing a charge hydrocarbon feed in the presence of hydrogen into contact with said catalyst at hydrotreating conditions, thereby effecting hydrodearomatization, and simultaneously effecting hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Chakka Sudhakar, Frank Dolfinger, Jr., Max R. Cesar, Mahendra S. Patel, Paul O. Fritz
  • Patent number: 5527970
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved process for preparing ethyl t-butyl ether in one-step which comprises reacting tertiary butanol and ethanol in the presence of a catalyst consisting essentially of a macroreticular acid resin or a pentasil zeolite at a temperature of about 40.degree.-140.degree. C. and atmospheric pressure to about 500 psig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Inc.
    Inventors: Rei-Yu J. Hwan, John F. Knifton, Brian L. Benac
  • Patent number: 5514273
    Abstract: Heavy oils may be hydrotreated in the presence of a porous alumina support bearing metals of Group VIII, excluding cobalt, and VI-B and optionally phosphorus, the catalyst having a Total Surface Area of 240-320 m.sup.2 /g, a Total Pore Volume of 0.65-0.9 cc/g, and a Pore Diameter Distribution whereby 50-62.8% of the Total Pore Volume is present as micropores of diameter 55-115 .ANG. and 20-30.5% of the Total Pore Volume is present as macropores of diameter greater than 250 .ANG..The heavy oils and hydrogen are contacted with the catalyst such that the catalyst is maintained at isothermal conditions and is exposed to a uniform quality of feed. The process is particularly effective in achieving desired levels of hydroconversion of feedstock components having a boiling point greater than 1000.degree. F. to products having a boiling point less than 1000.degree. F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Sherwood, Jr., Pei-Shing E. Dai, Charles N. Campbell, II
  • Patent number: 5500401
    Abstract: A method of selectively hydrodenitrogenating various raw hydrocarbon oils such as various petroleum feedstocks, coal liquids, shale oils and sand oils, which method comprises passing the raw hydrocarbon oil along with hydrogen (H.sub.2) over sulfided carbon supported Fe-Mo catalysts, whereby the raw hydrocarbon oil is hydrodenitrogenated with a selectivity significantly higher than that is possible with conventional alumina supported hydrotreating catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Chakka Sudhakar, Gerald G. Sandford, Frank Dolfinger, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5498586
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hydrotreating catalyst which comprises a porous alumina support bearing metals of Group VIII and VI-B and optionally phosphorus, the catalyst having a Total Surface Area of 240-310 m.sup.2 /g, a Total Pore Volume of 0.5-0.75 cc/g, and a Pore Diameter Distribution whereby 63-78% of the Total Pore Volume is present as micropores of diameter 55-115 .ANG. and 11-18% of the Total Pore Volume is present as macropores of diameter greater than 250 .ANG., said catalyst being particularly effective in achieving desired levels of hydroconversion of feedstock components having a boiling point greater than 1000.degree. F. to products having a boiling point less than 1000.degree. F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Pei-Shing E. Dai, David E. Sherwood, Jr.