Patents Assigned to Specialty Products, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20230287255
    Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to a drag reducing agent (DRA) for improving flow of crude oils having high asphaltene content through pipelines. The DRA is a terpolymer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 6 degrees Celsius or below. The terpolymer is formed by a first monomer, a second monomer, and a third monomer. The first and second monomers are chosen based on the glass transition temperatures of corresponding homopolymers. The glass transition temperature of the homopolymer formed with the first monomer is at least 120 degrees Celsius higher than the glass transition temperature of the homopolymer formed with the second monomer. The DRA comprised of the terpolymer formed with the second monomer produces softer solids and fewer solids due to the low glass transition temperature of the terpolymer. The softer solids are more easily handled by the pump to keep the injection system clear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: Liquidpower Specialty Products Inc.
    Inventor: Stuart N. MILLIGAN
  • Patent number: 11692119
    Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to a drag reducing agent (DRA) for improving flow of crude oils having high asphaltene content through pipelines. The DRA is a terpolymer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 6 degrees Celsius or below. The terpolymer is formed by a first monomer, a second monomer, and a third monomer. The first and second monomers are chosen based on the glass transition temperatures of corresponding homopolymers. The glass transition temperature of the homopolymer formed with the first monomer is at least 120 degrees Celsius higher than the glass transition temperature of the homopolymer formed with the second monomer. The DRA comprised of the terpolymer formed with the second monomer produces softer solids and fewer solids due to the low glass transition temperature of the terpolymer. The softer solids are more easily handled by the pump to keep the injection system clear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: LIQUIDPOWER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventor: Stuart N. Milligan
  • Patent number: 11453627
    Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to methods for purifying alpha-olefins. The alpha-olefins may be used to form drag reducing agents for improving flow of hydrocarbons through conduits, particularly pipelines. In one implementation, a method of increasing alpha-olefin content is provided. The method includes providing an olefin feedstock composition having an alpha-mono-olefin and at least one of a diolefin having an equal number of carbon atoms to the alpha-mono-olefin and/or a triolefin having an equal number of carbon atoms to the alpha-mono-olefin. The method further includes contacting the olefin feedstock composition with ethylene in the presence of a catalyst composition including an olefin metathesis catalyst. The method further includes reacting the olefin feedstock composition and ethylene at metathesis reaction conditions to produce an alpha-olefin product comprising the alpha-mono-olefin and alpha-olefins having fewer carbon atoms than the alpha-mono-olefin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: LIQUIDPOWER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventor: Stuart N. Milligan
  • Patent number: 11098221
    Abstract: A composition comprising a drag reducing latex formulation produced by emulsion polymerization to create solid particles dispersed in an aqueous medium and an additive. The use of the composition results in a decrease of film formation while injected through a pump head when compared to the drag reducing latex formulation injected through the pump head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: LIQUIDPOWER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Ray L. Johnston, Zhiyi Bao, Richard D. Thomas, Timothy L. Burden
  • Patent number: 11084969
    Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to a drag reducing agent (DRA) for improving flow of crude oils having high asphaltene content through pipelines. The DRA is a terpolymer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 6 degrees Celsius or below. The terpolymer is formed by a first monomer, a second monomer, and a third monomer. The first and second monomers are chosen based on the glass transition temperatures of corresponding homopolymers. The glass transition temperature of the homopolymer formed with the first monomer is at least 120 degrees Celsius higher than the glass transition temperature of the homopolymer formed with the second monomer. The DRA comprised of the terpolymer formed with the second monomer produces softer solids and fewer solids due to the low glass transition temperature of the terpolymer. The softer solids are more easily handled by the pump to keep the injection system clear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: LiquidPower Specialty Products Inc.
    Inventor: Stuart N. Milligan
  • Patent number: 11028210
    Abstract: A flow improver comprising a plurality of core-shell particles that can be formed by emulsion polymerization. The core of the core-shell particles can include a drag reducing polymer, while the shell of the particles can include repeat units of a hydrophobic compound and an amphiphilic compound. The flow improver can demonstrate increased pumping stability over conventionally prepared latex flow improvers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: LIQUIDPOWER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Wayne R. Dreher, Kenneth W. Smith, Stuart N. Milligan, Timothy L. Burden, William F. Harris, Ray L. Johnston, Wolfgang Klesse, Gerold Schmitt, John Wey
  • Patent number: 10683412
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a drag reducing suspension capable of dissolving in cold hydrocarbon fluids at usage level. In one embodiment, the drag reducing composition comprises a drag reducing polymer, a partitioning agent comprises a one or more of a coal-tar resin, a C5 aliphatic petroleum resin, a C9 aromatic petroleum resin, C5/C9 aliphatic/aromatic petroleum resin, a cycloaliphatic diene-based petroleum resin, a pure monomer resin, a terpene resin, a terpene phenol resin, a styrenated terpene resin, a rosin resin, a rosin resin derivative, one or more of an alkylphenol resin, a modified alkylphenol resin, and fully or partially hydrogenated form thereof, and suspending fluid medium. The partitioning agent has a good solubility (greater than 8 ppm) in a hydrocarbon stream, such as in a cold refined hydrocarbon stream, for example a diesel stream at a temperature of 0° C. or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: LIQUIDPOWER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Lu Sun, Michael L. Olechnowicz, Ray L. Johnston, Thomas D. Lane, Richard J. Czarnecki
  • Patent number: 10683397
    Abstract: The present embodiment can teach a method of feeding to a materials processor a mixture containing an agglomerated drag reducer. The mixture is then homogenized to produce a remediated drag reducer. The maximum particle size diameter of the agglomerated drag reducing polymer is at least 5% larger than the maximum particle diameter of the remediated drag reducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: LIQUIDPOWER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: William F. Harris, Jr., Ray L. Johnston
  • Patent number: 10633306
    Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to methods for purifying alpha-olefins. The alpha-olefins may be used to form drag reducing agents for improving flow of hydrocarbons through conduits, particularly pipelines. In one implementation, a method of increasing alpha-olefin content is provided. The method includes providing an olefin feedstock composition having an alpha-mono-olefin and at least one of a diolefin having an equal number of carbon atoms to the alpha-mono-olefin and/or a triolefin having an equal number of carbon atoms to the alpha-mono-olefin. The method further includes contacting the olefin feedstock composition with ethylene in the presence of a catalyst composition including an olefin metathesis catalyst. The method further includes reacting the olefin feedstock composition and ethylene at metathesis reaction conditions to produce an alpha-olefin product comprising the alpha-mono-olefin and alpha-olefins having fewer carbon atoms than the alpha-mono-olefin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: LiquidPower Specialty Products Inc.
    Inventor: Stuart N. Milligan
  • Patent number: 10578252
    Abstract: A method of forming a drag reducing polymer formulation. The method begins by forming a drag reducing polymer. A hydrocarbon additive is then incorporated with the drag reducing polymer to form a drag reducing polymer formulation. The drag reducing polymer formulation is then used as a drag reducer in hydrocarbon pipelines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: LIQUIDPOWER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Michael Olechnowicz, Timothy L. Burden, Tommy C. Ross
  • Patent number: 10370502
    Abstract: A drag reducing composition comprising at least one non-polyalphaolefin polymer having an average particle size in the range of from about 5 to about 800 micrometers. The non-polyalphaolefin polymer can initially be formed via emulsion polymerization. The initial polymer particles can then be at least partially consolidated and then reduced in size and suspended in a carrier fluid. The resulting drag reducing composition can be added to a hydrocarbon-containing fluid to decrease the pressure drop associated with the turbulent flow of the hydrocarbon-containing fluid through a conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: LIQUIDPOWER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Timothy L. Burden, Ray L. Johnston, William F. Harris, Kenneth W. Smith, Wayne R. Dreher, Stuart N. Milligan
  • Patent number: 10316118
    Abstract: The process begins by obtaining a first batch of monomers selected from a group of acrylates with a molecular weight equal to or less than butyl acrylate and/or methacrylate with a molecular weight equal to or less than butyl methacrylate. A second batch of monomers is then selected from a group of acrylates with a molecular weight greater than butyl acrylate and/or methacrylate with a molecular weight greater than butyl methacrylate. A mixture is then prepared by mixing the first batch of monomers and the second batch of monomers, wherein the second batch of monomers are greater than 50% by weight of the mixture. Finally, the mixture is polymerized to produce an ultra high molecular weight polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: LIQUIDPOWER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Zhiyi Bao, Stuart M. Milligan, Michael Olechnowicz
  • Patent number: 10119658
    Abstract: An aqueous drag reducer having the components of water, a hydrocarbon soluble rheology modifier and an ultra-high molecular weight polymer. This aqueous drag reducer is also soluble in hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: LIQUIDPOWER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventor: Lu Sun
  • Patent number: 10060035
    Abstract: The inventions disclosed by this application are for a cladding apparatus, a cladding head, and a method of cladding a relatively planar solid object such as a boiler waterwall. Cladding of non-horizontal surfaces is complicated by the effects of gravity as melted clad material trends to runoff the surface before the cladding material bonds to the appropriate location. The disclosed inventions overcome these limitations by controlling the relative angle of application by either rotating the workpiece or the cladding head through a pre-programmed sequence. Also presented in a compact design for a laser cladding head that facilitates such cladding by minimizing movement of the laser fiber and improves cladding speed over irregular shaped objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Alabama Specialty Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne M. Penn, Donald G. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10053595
    Abstract: A composition comprising a drag reducing latex formulation produced by emulsion polymerization to create solid particles dispersed in an aqueous medium and an additive. The use of the composition results in a decrease of film formation while injected through a pump head when compared to the drag reducing latex formulation injected through the pump head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: LiquidPower Specialty Products Inc.
    Inventors: Ray L. Johnston, Zhiyi Bao, Richard D. Thomas, Timothy L. Burden
  • Patent number: 9951151
    Abstract: A method of producing a polymer latex drag reducer. The method begins by forming an aqueous solution comprising a surfactant, a buffer and water. The method then forms an organic solution comprising a monomer and a co-stabilizer. The aqueous solution and the organic solution are mixed to form an emulsion. The emulsion is then subjecting to a high shear device to produce a miniemulsion, wherein the monomers are broken into small droplets followed by polymerizing the miniemulsion with the addition of an initiator, wherein a nucleation occurs in the small monomer droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: LiquidPower Specialty Products Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiyi Bao, Kenneth W. Smith
  • Patent number: 9939113
    Abstract: A method of forming a drag reducing polymer formulation. The method begins by forming a drag reducing polymer. A hydrocarbon additive is then incorporated with the drag reducing polymer to form a drag reducing polymer formulation. The drag reducing polymer formulation is then used as a drag reducer in hydrocarbon pipelines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: LIQUIDPOWER SPECIALITY POWER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Michael R. Olechnowicz, Timothy L. Burden, Tommy C. Ross
  • Patent number: 9919382
    Abstract: The inventions disclosed by this application are for a cladding apparatus, a cladding head, and a method of cladding a relatively planar solid object such as a boiler waterwall. Cladding of non-horizontal surfaces is complicated by the effects of gravity as melted clad material trends to runoff the surface before the cladding material bonds to the appropriate location. The disclosed inventions overcome these limitations by controlling the relative angle of application by either rotating the workpiece or the cladding head through a pre-programmed sequence. Also presented in a compact design for a laser cladding head that facilitates such cladding by minimizing movement of the laser fiber and improves cladding speed over irregular shaped objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Alabama Specialty Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne M. Penn, Donald G. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9784414
    Abstract: A process for preparing a drag reducing polymer which is to be added to a liquid hydrocarbon. The liquid hydrocarbon has an asphaltene content of at least about 3 weight percent and an API gravity of less than about 26°. The drag reducing polymer can comprise the residues of a monomer having at least one heteroatom. Treatment of the liquid hydrocarbon with the drag reducing polymer allows a reduction in pressure drop associated with turbulent flow of the liquid hydrocarbon through a conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: LIQUIDPOWER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Zhiyi Bao, Stuart N. Milligan, Michael Olechnowicz, Ray L. Johnston, Timothy L. Burden, Kenneth W. Smith, William F. Harris, Wayne R. Dreher
  • Patent number: 9783644
    Abstract: A drag reducing composition comprising at least one non-polyalphaolefin polymer having an average particle size in the range of from about 5 to about 800 micrometers. The non-polyalphaolefin polymer can initially be formed via emulsion polymerization. The initial polymer particles can then be at least partially consolidated and then reduced in size and suspended in a carrier fluid. The resulting drag reducing composition can be added to a hydrocarbon-containing fluid to decrease the pressure drop associated with the turbulent flow of the hydrocarbon-containing fluid through a conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: LIQUIDPOWER SPECIALTY POWER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy L. Burden, Ray L. Johnston, William F. Harris, Kenneth W. Smith, Wayne R. Dreher, Jr., Stuart N. Milligan