Patents Examined by Herbert B. Guynn
  • Liquid polymer containing compositions for thickening aqueous systems
    Patent number: 4670164
    Abstract: A liquid polymer containing composition, useful as a thickening agent for aqueous systems, containing hydroxyethyl cellulose, a hydrophobic liquid medium in which the hydroxyethyl cellulose is substantially non-swellable and a gelling agent for thickening the hydrophobic liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: NL Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Watson, Keith W. Sharp
  • Inhibiting corrosion
    Patent number: 4670163
    Abstract: Halohydroxyalkylthio-substituted an dihydroxyalkylthio-substituted polycarboxylic acids and alkali metal salts thereof are effective corrosion inhibitors for various metal surfaces. In one embodiment, mineral acid compositions such as aqueous hydrochloric acid metal cleaning solutions exhibit diminished corrosiveness when corrosion inhibiting additives of the invention are present in the compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Merlin R. Lindstrom, Rector P. Louthan
  • Polymer article and its use for controlled introduction of reagent into a fluid
    Patent number: 4670166
    Abstract: A solid polymeric body comprising a polymer matrix containing a water-soluble reagent leachable into a fluid containing condensed water, said matrix being reagent permeative and insoluble in said fluid containing condensed water and the said body preferably having a softening point substantially above that of the temperature of the fluid environment in which it is to be employed is useful for the introduction of an additive reagent into said fluid particularly when said fluid is located in a subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: Exxon Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Lee A. McDougall, John C. Newlove, John A. Haslegrave
  • Biopolymer formulations and processes for preparing them
    Patent number: 4670167
    Abstract: Biopolymer formulation, in particular a polysaccharide-containing water in oil emulsion, process for preparing such emulsions and process for concentrating these emulsions. Aqueous systems thickened by the incorporation of biopolymer emulsions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Jan J. Bleeker, Jan H. Lammers, Jacob B. Roest
  • Sodium hydroxide treatment of field water in a biopolymer complex
    Patent number: 4667741
    Abstract: A method for reducing the gelation time of a biopolysaccharide which utilizes a hydroxide of an alkaline earth metal in an aqueous solution containing said biopolysaccharide wherein the mixture is afterwards complexed with a polyvalent metal ion. The resultant stable gel can be injected into a hydrocarbonaceous fluid formation for the recovery of hydrocarbonaceous fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1987
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Craig H. Phelps, Krishnaswamy Sampath
  • Composition and method for treatment of wellbores and well formations containing paraffin
    Patent number: 4668408
    Abstract: Composition and method for treating wellbores and well formations to remove and inhibit accumulations of paraffin. The composition comprises a liquid mixture of a water soluble ethoxylated alkyl phenol and an alcohol containing one to four carbon atoms. Preferred are a water soluble nonoxynol having an average number of ethylene oxide units per molecule in the range of approximately 20 to 50 and methyl alcohol. The composition is circulated in the wellbore either continuously or in batch treatments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1987
    Assignee: Conoco Inc.
    Inventors: Gifford G. McClaflin, Kang Yang, deceased
  • Surfactant flooding system
    Patent number: 4667740
    Abstract: A method for modifying a sulfonate surfactant flooding system so as to permit the use of fluids of increased salinity in the polymer drive. Sulfonate systems are altered by adding about 0.05% to about 1.0% by weight of a divalent metal cation to give a total concentration of about 0.1% to about 1.0% by weight of divalent metal cation to one or more surfactant slugs of the surfactant flooding system, and adding about 0.1% to about 1.5% by weight of a sulfate or sulfonate solubilizer to the polymer drive fluid. The concentration of oil soluble petroleum sulfonates may also be decreased while the concentration of water soluble petroleum sulfonates may be increased without a decrease in surfactant slug performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1987
    Assignee: Texaco, Inc.
    Inventor: Jim Maddox, Jr.
  • Process and agents for controlling the swelling of clays in the presence of sea-water and clay-based muds
    Patent number: 4666613
    Abstract: Process for controlling the swelling of clays of bentonite type clays in the presence of salt-water in the preparation of drilling fluids, comprising the steps ofselecting at least one compound from the group of salifiable active compounds comprisingcyanamide, hexamethylenetetramine, guanidine and aminoguanidine,those having the formula:NH.sub.3-n [(CH.sub.2).sub.m --OH].sub.n (I)in which m is equal to 2, 3 or 4 and n to 1, 2 or 3 with the possibility, when m is equal to 3 or 4, of having a branched chain,those having the formula:NH.sub.2 [(CH.sub.2).sub.m --NH].sub.n (CH.sub.2).sub.m --NH.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1987
    Assignee: Compagnie Francaise de Produits Industriels
    Inventors: Joseph Schapira, Jacques Vincent, Daniel Chaillou, Jacques Schild
  • Drilling mud additive
    Patent number: 4664818
    Abstract: An additive for drilling in water-sensitive shales comprising a partially hydrolyzed acrylamide-acrylate copolymer, potassium chloride and a polyanionic cellulose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: Newpark Drilling Fluid Inc.
    Inventors: William S. Halliday, Vincent M. Thielen
  • Encapsulated water absorbent polymers as lost circulation additives for aqueous drilling fluids
    Patent number: 4664816
    Abstract: The disclosed invention is a novel drilling fluid additive for use in reducing lost circulation in wellbores and a method for employing the invention additive for reducing such lost circulation. The invention additive is a highly water absorbent polymer encapsulated by a reaction-preventive protective casing to prevent the polymer from expanding by absorbing water until it is desired to breach the casing. The reaction-preventive protective casing may be a film which will dissolve after a desired time of residence in the borehole or a film or waxy substance which will dissolve or melt at a desired temperature in the borehole, releasing the water absorbent polymer to expand by absorbing water. The substantially expanded polymer will seal off thief zones and fissures, reducing lost circulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventor: Clarence O. Walker
  • Composition and method for corrosion inhibition
    Patent number: 4664193
    Abstract: A corrosion-inhibiting composition and method of inhibiting corrosion on metal surfaces are described. The composition comprises a reaction product of (a) a first constituent selected from an epoxide having an average of at least about one vicinal epoxide per molecule and a halogenated aliphatic compound having at least one displaceable halogen and (b) a second constituent comprising a dimercaptan. The reaction product in a hydrocarbon diluent is an effective corrosion inhibitor when applied to metal surfaces in highly corrosive environments, and is designed particularly for downhole metal surfaces of oil drilling equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventor: Yulin Wu
  • Composition and method for reducing sludging during the acidizing of formations containing sludging crude oils
    Patent number: 4663059
    Abstract: An anti-sludging agent for enhancing the recovery of sludging oil crudes from hydrocarbon-bearing formations during acid stimulation treatments comprising an admixture of dicyclopentadiene and a mixture of naturally occurring cyclic monoterpenes isolated from Pinus species which is added in at least a sludge-inhibiting amount to the acid used for stimulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1987
    Assignee: Halliburton Company
    Inventors: William G. Ford, Keith H. Hollenbeak
  • Process for reducing polymer plugging during polymer injection into oil reservoir
    Patent number: 4662444
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of treating the wellbore area of an injection well to minimize polymer plugging around the wellbore during polymer injection. The treatment can be achieved by the injection of a dilute organic cation solution to the wellbore prior to the polymer injection and additionally having the cation present during the polymer injection. Data are shown that replacement of calcium, magnesium and sodium ions by the organic cation substantially reduce plugging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1987
    Assignee: Standard Oil Company
    Inventor: Shan H. Yang
  • Completion and workover fluids
    Patent number: 4661266
    Abstract: A completion and workover fluid which comprises an aqueous liquid medium containing hydroxyethyl cellulose, an inorganic salt selected from the group consisting of calcium chloride, calcium bromide and zinc bromide, and a component selected from the group consisting of the following components:(1) thiol derivatives of heterocyclic compounds;(2) thioamide derivatives;(3) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of thiuram disulfide compounds, thiuram monosulfide compounds and dithiocarbamate compounds;(4) benzothiazole; and(5) a copper compound and an iodine compound in combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1987
    Assignee: Nitto Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoichi Kanda, Makoto Yanagita, Yukihiko Sekimoto
  • Azeotropic like composition
    Patent number: 4659505
    Abstract: An azeotropic like composition comprising 95 to 93% by weight of Flon-112 and 5 to 7% by weight of isooctane. The composition has a lower freezing point than that of Flon-112 while maintaining excellent properties of Flon-112. The composition is useful as various solvents and dispersing media such as a cleaning solvent, an extraction solvent, a dispersing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1987
    Assignee: Daikin Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naonori Enjo, Yukio Omure
  • Machine for examining a nuclear reactor fuel assembly
    Patent number: 4657728
    Abstract: A machine for examining a nuclear reactor fuel assembly, having a flooring of elongated shape, a rotary container located on a support at one end of the flooring, two vertically arranged rigid structures each consisting of two parallel tubes, a latching mechanism for the fuel assembly, including a large and a small branch which are pivotable with respect to each other, a device for immobilizing the small branch relative to the large branch, a trolley that can be displaced along the flooring towards and away from the support and carries a vertical column along which a bracket with a carriage is movable on which a television system or the like for examining the fuel assembly may be mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1987
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Louis Coppa, Christian Mengual, Alain Ripart, Francis Zava
  • Process for the reduction of fluorides of silicon, titanium, zirconium or uranium
    Patent number: 4655827
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing silicon, titanium, zirconium or uranium by reduction of a fluoro compound with sodium followed by leaching with an aqueous alkaline earth metal chloride and recovery of the sodium metal through electrolytic reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1987
    Inventors: Angel Sanjurjo, Kenneth M. Sancier
  • Composition and method for corrosion inhibition
    Patent number: 4655287
    Abstract: A composition is provided which, when applied to a metal surface, forms a corrosion-inhibiting film thereon. The composition comprises the reaction product of a first component selected from an epoxy resin, an epoxidized alkene and a substrate having at least one displaceable halogen, and a second component comprising a monomercaptan in a hydrocarbon diluent. The composition is applied by contacting the metal surface with the composition. The composition is particularly useful in the treatment of down-well metal surfaces in oil and gas wells to inhibit the corrosion of the metal under highly corrosive conditions, and is effective even in the presence of polymeric permeability control agents such as aqueous polyacrylamides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1987
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventor: Yulin Wu
  • Thickeners having two ionic components and use thereof in aqueous compositions
    Patent number: 4655943
    Abstract: A thickener composition is comprised of a polymer having as the major recurring structural unit an acrylamidoalkanesulfonic acid or derivative thereof and a polyvalent metal crosslinking agent is provided. The compositions are useful for thickening aqueous solutions within a specified range of pH. The thickener is effective even in aqueous compositions having high levels of electrolytes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1987
    Assignee: Henkel Corporation
    Inventors: Lyle F. Elmquist, Warren W. Howland, Curtis L. Karl
  • Controlled release dispersant for clay-thickened, water-based drilling fluids
    Patent number: 4655942
    Abstract: A clay-thickened, water-based drilling fluid composition demonstrating enhanced stability at the elevated temperatures encountered in deep drilling oil and gas recovery operations in described. The drilling fluid composition comprises an aqueous clay dispersion and a dispersing amount of a polymer crosslinked through a polyvalent metal cation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1987
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph J. Dickert, Jr., Israel J. Heilweil