Patents Assigned to Continental Oil Company
  • Copper recovery by leaching and ion exchange
    Patent number: 4069119
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process whereby recovery of copper from copper ores using leaching and ion exchange techniques can be increased. The process generally comprises leaching to obtain a pregnant leach liquor, washing ore residues with an extra quantity of water to obtain extra dissolved copper values, recovering said copper values, combining the extra wash water with the pregnant leach liquor, extracting copper values from the total leach liquor by ion exchange techniques to yield a raffinate which still contains some copper values, and cycling part of the raffinate through a low pH ion exchange circuit to lower the copper values remaining in the raffinate to about 0.01 to 0.02 grams per liter or less before disposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1978
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: Soon Y. Wong
  • Reducing PVC polymer buildup in polymerization reactors with dithioxamides and alumina
    Patent number: 4068052
    Abstract: A method for preventing polymer buildup in the polymerization reactor during the suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride monomer to form polyvinyl chloride polymer and copolymers, the method comprising coating reactor surfaces in contact with the reaction medium with a material selected from the group consisting of alumina, dithiooxamide, and mixtures of these prior to carrying out this polymerization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1978
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventors: Dean Raymond Weimer, Albert M. Durr, Jr.
  • Production of a hydrogen-rich gas from a co-containing fuel gas
    Patent number: 4067958
    Abstract: In a process for the production of hydrogen-rich gas from a fuel gas containing carbon monoxide and other components, the fuel gas is contacted in a formate synthesis zone with an aqueous solution containing sodium or potassium carbonate and/or bicarbonate under conditions effective to produce an effluent aqueous solution of the corresponding formate and an effluent gas containing the other components of the fuel gas. The aqueous formate solution is thereafter subjected to catalytic decomposition in a formate decomposition zone under conditions effective to produce a hydrogen-rich gas and an aqueous solution which consists essentially of carbonate and/or bicarbonate solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1978
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: Everett Gorin
  • Method for geochemical prospecting
    Patent number: 4067693
    Abstract: A method for locating subterranean sulfide mineral ore deposits by analyzing the soil at a plurality of locations in an area of interest to determine the ratio between mercury present in the soil as mercury sulfide and the total mercury present in the soil and, thereafter, comparing the ratios to determine the location of sulfide mineral ore deposits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1978
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: Jerry W. Wimberley
  • Method for blocking gas flow in a coal seam
    Patent number: 4065927
    Abstract: Gas flow from a coal seam to a mine face in the seam is blocked by drilling a hole from the face into the seam in a direction generally parallel to the direction of the flow of the gas to be blocked; forming a notch at the interior end of the hole; injecting a fluid into the hole and notch under a pressure sufficient to hydraulically fracture the seam along a plane extending substantially perpendicular to the hole and to the direction of gas flow; and filling such fracture with a barrier-forming fluid. The hole is then plugged to prevent retrograde flow of the fluid to the mine face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1975
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1978
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: J. Gilbert Davis, II
  • Transesterification of borate esters for producing secondary alcohols
    Patent number: 4066682
    Abstract: An improved method for the transesterification of secondary alcohol borate esters with methanol, the improvement comprising separating a portion of the extractive distillation column overhead as a reflux stream and returning said reflux stream to the extractive distillation column between points located at or below the point at which the borate ester feed is introduced to the column and at or above the point at which methanol is introduced to the column, thus reducing the amount of boron-containing compounds in the crude secondary alcohol product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1978
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventors: Leland Robert Holliday, Ronald Laurence Poe
  • Geophysical prospecting methods
    Patent number: 4065749
    Abstract: A method for deriving seismic information from over a relatively large expanse of land to determine relevant strike, dip, velocity and related information. The method consists of the utilization of a plurality of strike, dip, velocity (SDV) cross patterned source-receiver arrays disposed at spaced known locations over a selected terrain, thereafter to derive localized and offset seismic data relative to selected pairs of groups of the SDV cross patterns with further signal processing to smooth and integrate strike, dip and velocity information over a specific substratum. The method utilizes information as derived from each SDV cross pattern, as well as offset seismic signal information derived from source/receiver combinations spanning two selected SDV cross patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Waters, George W. Rice
  • Water control with polymers
    Patent number: 4064940
    Abstract: A method is provided for reducing the water permeability of a porous subterranean formation by injecting a dispersion of polyamide and a water soluble polymer through a well bore into the formation. Preferred materials are polyamides and poly-acrylamides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: Derry D. Sparlin
  • Preparation of secondary alkanol alkoxylates
    Patent number: 4064182
    Abstract: An improved process for preparing high mole secondary alkanol alkoxylates by the reaction of low mole secondary alkanol alkoxylates with an alkylene oxide in the presence of caustic is disclosed. The improvement comprises use of a hydrogen-treated low mole secondary alkanol alkoxylate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: John L. Riddle
  • Pump-down sand washing tool
    Patent number: 4062403
    Abstract: An improvement in a pump-down tool for use in sand washing operations is provided. The pump-down tool includes a tubular member having a locomotive member positioned thereabout and a fluid passageway positioned therethrough and a sand washing tool positioned in fluid communication with the lower end of the tubular member as positioned for use. The well has positioned therein a first and second tubing member with the first and second tubing members being in fluid communication at a junction near their lower ends so that the pump-down tool may be urged along the length of the first tubing member toward the junction by pumping fluid sequentially through the first tubing member, the junction and the second tubing member. The tool is recovered by pumping fluid in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: Derry D. Sparlin
  • Method of treating oil-bearing formations using molten sulfur insulating packer fluid
    Patent number: 4062405
    Abstract: Molten elemental sulfur is used as an insulating packer fluid in injection wells for steam drive secondary recovery of petroleum from petroliferous formations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventors: John N. Dew, Donald L. Whitfill, Robert E. Crumb
  • Method for the preparation of trimethylhydroquinone
    Patent number: 4060561
    Abstract: Trimethylhydroquinone is prepared by reacting 4-methoxyphenol with methanol over MgO or MgO promoted with oxides of aluminum, uranium, titanium, cerium, manganese, zinc, and iron at temperatures of from about 350.degree. C to about 550.degree. C and pressures up to about 1,000 pounds per square inch gauge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: Charles M. Starks
  • Coal slurry feeder
    Patent number: 4060281
    Abstract: A feeder apparatus for transferring particulate material and water from a sump outlet to the inlet of a pump is formed in the sump by making a well at the outlet of the sump and placing an impeller in the well. A partition is formed separating the inlet to the feeder from its outlet, the partition having a height equal to or exceeding that of the water level in the sump. The outlet from the sump is connected to a channel which has a continually decreasing cross-sectional area, the terminus of which is connected to the inlet of the pump. A fluid jet can be mounted at the inlet of the feeder for reducing the concentration of particulate fluids at the pump inlet or for fluidizing the particles at the entrance of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: Richard E. Doerr
  • Disproportionation of xylenols with phenol to form cresols
    Patent number: 4060560
    Abstract: Xylenols are disproportionated with phenol over catalysts such as tungsten oxide promoted magnesium oxide, preferably in the presence of water. The reaction selectively removes methyl groups ortho to the hydroxyl group. Catalysts which can be used are magnesium oxide promoted with zinc oxide, tungsten oxide, and uranium oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: Bruce Eugene Leach
  • Decomposition of halogenated organic compounds
    Patent number: 4059675
    Abstract: A method for decomposing halogenated organic compounds which comprises: (a) preheating the halogenated organic compound to a temperature above about 300.degree. C. and (b) contacting the preheated organic compound with a catalytic amount of ruthenium in the presence of an oxidizing agent at a temperature of at least about 350.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventors: Kang Yang, James D. Reedy, John F. Scamehorn
  • Decomposition of halogenated organic compounds
    Patent number: 4059683
    Abstract: A method for decomposing halogenated organic compounds which comprises: (a) preheating the halogenated organic compound to a temperature above about 300.degree. C. and (b) contacting the preheated organic compound with a platinum catalyst in the presence of an oxidizing agent at a temperature of at least 350.degree. C. The process converts the major part of the halide in the organic halide to hydrogen halide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventors: Robert C. Lindberg, James D. Reedy, Kang Yang
  • Decomposition of halogenated organic compounds
    Patent number: 4059676
    Abstract: A method for decomposing halogenated organic compounds which comprises: (a) heating the halogenated organic compound to a temperature above about 300.degree. C. and (b) contacting the heated organic compound with a catalytic amount of ruthenium-platinum catalyst in the presence of an oxidizing agent at a temperature of at least about 350.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventors: Kang Yang, James D. Reedy
  • Determination of flow characteristics of petroliferous formations
    Patent number: 4058366
    Abstract: A method for determining the flow characteristics of subterranean petroliferous formations by injecting a tracer and a polysaccharide polymer having glucose moieties into said formation, recovering said tracer and polysaccharide from production well effluent at timed intervals and determining flow characteristics by the rate differential observed of the concentration of each in the effluent. Accurate determination of polysaccharide polymer is obtained by hydrolyzing the polymer to release glucose, reacting the glucose with orthotoluidine and determining the polymer concentration using colorimetric techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: Dale K. Cabbiness
  • Contamination trap for pressure gauges
    Patent number: 4058015
    Abstract: Pressure sensors or pressure gauges are protected from water and other foreign materials by a pressure sensitive contamination trap comprising a sealed vessel containing a first fluid, said vessel having an intake conduit to the vessel interior above the level of the first fluid and buffer tube filled with a second fluid, said buffer tube projecting below the level of the first fluid, said second fluid being in contact with said first fluid at one end of the buffer tube and with a pressure sensor at the other end of the buffer tube. The second fluid is of a lower specific gravity and immiscible with the first fluid. The two fluids are preferably chemically inert with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: Ralph A. Stode
  • Sulfonate water flood additives and method of using same
    Patent number: 4058467
    Abstract: Sulfonates having an equivalent weight of about 300 to about 600 are saturated with carbon dioxide and injected into a petroliferous formation to improve a waterflood process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1977
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: Roy C. Sias