Patents by Inventor Alfonso Lopez

Alfonso Lopez 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).

  • Patent number: 11261282
    Abstract: Disclosed are chemical products useful for crude oil conditioning, particularly to demulsifying basic compounds. Disclosed are PEOw-PPOy-PEOw triblock bipolymers, with amphoteric groups, ?-amino acid derivatives, at the chain ends, which destabilize water-in-crude oil (W/O) emulsions, thereby removing emulsified water and salts dissolved salts in the aforementioned phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Gerardo Zavala Olivares, Jessica Valeria Fuentes Santiago, Edgar Benedicto Zamora Guerrero
  • Publication number: 20210147595
    Abstract: Nowadays, one of the major problems of the oil industry is the presence of large amounts of water and salts, which cannot be efficiently removed by conventional dehydrating polymers. In addition, the acid stimulation operations of petroleum wells cause the chemical degradation of demulsifiers such as polyethers and phenolic resins, reducing drastically their efficiency as water and salt removers. Based on aforementioned, a series of new copolymers has been developed, where the copolymers are combinations of an acrylic and an aminoacrylic monomer and are synthesized by semi-continuous emulsion polymerization (under starved feed conditions), which ensures both the homogeneity of the different chains as well as the randomness of the monomers distribution. The solutions of one of these random copolymers have shown an efficiency similar or superior to combinations of two or three block copolymers (formulations), when they are applied in light or heavy crude oils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Edgar Ivan Hernandez Carbajal, César Andrés Flores Sandoval, Fernando Álvarez Ramírez, Alfonso López Ortega, Rodrigo de Jesús García Jiménez, Gerardo Zavala Olivares, Juan de la Cruz Clavel López, Flavio Salvador Vázquez Moreno
  • Patent number: 10982031
    Abstract: The present invention is related to the application of terpolymers based on alkyl acrylates as defoamers of gasified crude oils, with densities between 10 and 40° API. The evaluation of terpolymers based on alkyl acrylates at conditions similar to those of gas-liquid separators has shown that the terpolymers are efficient as inhibitors of the foam formation in heavy and super-heavy crude oil, abating the foam between 15 and 50% faster than in non-dosed crude oil (blank). Even some acrylic terpolymers exhibited a greater efficiency as defoamers than that of commercial silicon-based polymers, which promoting the defoaming only 20-25% faster than the blank collapse. The employ of silicones as defoamers presents serious problems as the formation of deposits and the deactivation of catalysts in the refining processes. This situation has provoked that refineries in Mexico and a worldwide ban the application of this kind of inorganic polymers, and new silicon-free defoaming agents are required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Edgar Iván Hernández Carbajal, Alfonso López Ortega, César Andrés Flores Sandoval, Fernando Alvarez Ramírez, Juan de la Cruz Clavel López, Flavio Salvador Vázquez Moreno, Enrique Cevada Maya
  • Patent number: 10975185
    Abstract: Nowadays, one of the major problems of the oil industry is the presence of large amounts of water and salts, which cannot be efficiently removed by conventional dehydrating polymers. In addition, the acid stimulation operations of petroleum wells cause the chemical degradation of demulsifiers such as polyethers and phenolic resins, reducing drastically their efficiency as water and salt removers. Based on aforementioned, a series of new copolymers has been developed; these copolymers are combinations of an acrylic and an aminoacrylic monomer and they are synthesized by semi-continuous emulsion polymerization (under starved feed conditions), which ensures both the homogeneity of the different chains as well as the randomness of the monomers distribution. The solutions of one of these random copolymers have shown an efficiency similar or superior to combinations of two or three block copolymers (formulations), when they are applied in light or heavy crude oils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Edgar Iván Hernández Carbajal, César Andrés Flores Sandoval, Fernando Álvarez Ramírez, Alfonso López Ortega, Rodrigo De Jesús García Jiménez, Gerardo Zavala Olivares, Juan de la Cruz Clavel López, Flavio Salvador Vázquez Moreno
  • Publication number: 20200347173
    Abstract: Disclosed are chemical products useful for crude oil conditioning, particularly to demulsifying basic compounds. Disclosed are PEOw-PPOy-PEOw triblock bipolymers, with amphoteric groups, ?-amino acid derivatives, at the chain ends, which destabilize water-in-crude oil (W/O) emulsions, thereby removing emulsified water and salts dissolved salts in the aforementioned phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Cesar Andres FLORES SANDOVAL, Flavio Salvador VAZQUEZ MORENO, Alfonso LOPEZ ORTEGA, Fernando ALVAREZ RAMIREZ, Gerardo ZAVALA OLIVARES, Jessica Valeria FUENTES SANTIAGO, Edgar Benedicto ZAMORA GUERRERO
  • Patent number: 10793783
    Abstract: A problem of the crude oil industry is the presence of large amounts of water and salts, which can not be efficiently removed by conventional dehydrating polymers. In addition, the acid stimulation operations of petroleum wells cause the chemical degradation of demulsifiers such as polyethers and phenolic resins, reducing drastically their efficiency as water and salt removers. Disclosed herein is a series of new copolymers that are combinations of an alkyl acrylate and a carboxyalkyl acrylate, synthesized by semi-continuous emulsion polymerization (under starved feed conditions), which ensures both the homogeneity of the different chains as well as the randomness of the monomers distribution. The acrylic-carboxyacrylic copolymers show good performance as water/oil emulsion breaker initiators, water droplet coalescers and clarifiers of the remaining aqueous phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo
    Inventors: Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Marco Antonio Chavez Mora, Edgar Benedicto Zamora Guerrero, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Gerardo Zavala Olivares, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno
  • Publication number: 20190276750
    Abstract: Nowadays, one of the major problems of the oil industry is the presence of large amounts of water and salts, which can not be efficiently removed by conventional dehydrating polymers. In addition, the acid stimulation operations of petroleum wells cause the chemical degradation of demulsifiers such as polyethers and phenolic resins, reducing drastically their efficiency as water and salt removers. Based on aforementioned, a series of new copolymers has been developed; these copolymers are combinations of an alkyl acrylate and a carboxyalkyl acrylate. These copolymers are synthesized by semi-continuous emulsion polymerization (under starved feed conditions), which ensures both the homogeneity of the different chains as well as the randomness of the monomers distribution. The solutions of one of these random copolymers have shown an efficiency similar or superior to combinations of two or three block copolymers (formulations), when they are applied in light or heavy crude oils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Cesar Andres FLORES SANDOVAL, Marco Antonio CHAVEZ MORA, Edgar Benedicto ZAMORA GUERRERO, Alfonso LOPEZ ORTEGA, Gerardo ZAVALA OLIVARES, Fernando ALVAREZ RAMIREZ, Flavio Salvador VAZQUEZ MORENO
  • Patent number: 10280481
    Abstract: A bioleaching and solvent extraction process with selective recovery of copper and zinc from polymetallic sulphide concentrates is described, comprising a bioleaching and ferric ion reducing process and a copper and zinc solvent extraction process. The bioleaching and ferric ion reducing process comprises a concentrates pulp conditioning step; a bioleaching step, wherein once the pulp is conditioned it is subjected to a bioleaching process using a plurality of bioreactors of the stirred-tank type with an air injection and diffusion system, which allows handling of a pulp density higher than 15%; a step of solid separation from a solution rich in metallic ions from the bioleaching step; and, a ferric ion reduction step, wherein the pulp from the previous step is subjected to a transformation step of ferric ions into ferrous ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: SERVICIOS CONDUMEX S.A. DE C.V.
    Inventors: Belisario Sanchez-Vazquez, Francisco Estrada-De Los Santos, Alfonso Lopez-Juarez, Eric David Buendia-Cachu, Ulises Monter-Valenzuela
  • Patent number: 10221349
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a method for defoaming crude oil by the addition of copolymers based on silicone free alkyl acrylics defoamers for crude oils with densities between 10 and 40° API. The alkyl acrylic copolymers at conditions similar to those of gas-liquid separators are efficient foam formation inhibitors in heavy and super-heavy crude oils to reduce foam levels between 15 and 50% faster than non-dosed crude oil. Some acrylic copolymers exhibited a greater efficiency as defoamers than commercial silicones, which promote the defoaming only 20 or 25 vol % faster than the natural foam collapse. Silicones as defoamers present serious problems as the formation of deposits and the deactivation of catalysts in the refining processes. These problems have originated a series of interdictions to use silicon based defoamers and new chemical compounds completely silicon free are required to control the foam levels in the gas/petroleum separation tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Edgar Ivan Hernandez Carbajal, Enrique Cevada Maya, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Arquimedes Estrada Martinez, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno
  • Patent number: 10213708
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the application based on alkyl acrylate homopolymers, such as antifoaming agents in crude oils with densities of 10 to 40° API. Evaluation tests in “live” crude oil, under similar gas-liquid separation equipment conditions, showed that these polymers based on alkyl acrylate are effective foaming inhibitors in heavy and super-heavy crude oils, reducing the foam between 15 and 50% faster compared to crude oil without an antifoaming agent. Some acrylics show better performance than commercial silicon-based polymers, which suppress foam 20-25% faster than the blank. The antifoaming agents of this invention, based on alkyl acrylate and totally free of silicon, is an advantageous option, to replace the silicone-based foam inhibitors currently on the market.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Enrique Cevada Maya, Laura Veronica Castro Sotelo, Edgar Ivan Hernandez Carbajal, Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Aristeo Estrada Buendia, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Arquimedes Estrada Martinez, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno
  • Patent number: 10167388
    Abstract: The present invention is related to formulations consisting of block copolymers ?,?-di-aryl or alkyl sulfonates of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w of bis-ammonium and block copolymers ?,?-di-amine of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w, that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 23°API.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Eugenio Alejandro Flores Oropeza, Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Reyna Reyes Martinez, Jose Gonzalo Hernandez Cortez, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Laura Veronica Castro Sotelo, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Arquimedes Estrada Martinez, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno
  • Patent number: 10125226
    Abstract: A chemical synthesis process is provided for the functionalization of monodispersed triblock copolymer (POEw-POPy-POEw) with secondary or tertiary amines at a semi-industrial level in glass reactors having a capacity between 1 L and 100 L. The process includes two stages where the first stage uses an alkylsulfonyl or arylsulfonyl chloride to obtain better leaving groups, and the second stage is the nucleophilic substitution with secondary or tertiary amines, to obtain the bifunctionalized triblock copolymers. The main advantage for this process is to reduce the quantity of unitary process done in each stage, the optimization of reaction times, and the stoichiometric relationships.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Eugenio Alejandro Flores Oropeza, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Jose Gonzalo Hernandez Cortez, Aristeo Estrada Buendia, Laura Veronica Castro Sotelo, Reyna Reyes Martinez, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Arquimedes Estrada Martinez, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno
  • Patent number: 10047302
    Abstract: Compositions consisting of block copolymers ?,?-di-aryl or alkyl sulfonates of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w of bis-ammonium and block copolymers ?,?-di-amine of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w, are provided that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude oils whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 20° API. A method of dewatering and desalting heavy crude oil adds a mixture of the copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic secondary amine and a copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic tertiary amine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Eugenio Alejandro Flores Oropeza, Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Reyna Reyes Martinez, Jose Gonzalo Hernandez Cortez, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Laura Veronica Castro Sotelo, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Arquimedes Estrada Martinez, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno
  • Publication number: 20180162975
    Abstract: Nowadays, one of the major problems of the oil industry is the presence of large amounts of water and salts, which cannot be efficiently removed by conventional dehydrating polymers. In addition, the acid stimulation operations of petroleum wells cause the chemical degradation of demulsifiers such as polyethers and phenolic resins, reducing drastically their efficiency as water and salt removers. Based on aforementioned, a series of new copolymers has been developed; these copolymers are combinations of an acrylic and an aminoacrylic monomer and they are synthesized by semi-continuous emulsion polymerization (under starved feed conditions), which ensures both the homogeneity of the different chains as well as the randomness of the monomers distribution. The solutions of one of these random copolymers have shown an efficiency similar or superior to combinations of two or three block copolymers (formulations), when they are applied in light or heavy crude oils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Applicant: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETRÓLEO
    Inventors: Edgar Iván Hernández Carbajal, César Andrés Flores Sandoval, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Alfonso López Ortega, Rodrigo de Jesús García Jiménez, Gerardo Zavala Olivares, Juan de la Cruz Clavel López, Flavio Salvador Vázquez Moreno
  • Publication number: 20170327686
    Abstract: The present invention is related to formulations consisting of block copolymers ?,?-di-aryl or alkyl sulfonates of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w of bis-ammonium and block copolymers ?,?-di-amine of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w, that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 23°API.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Eugenio Alejandro FLORES OROPEZA, Cesar Andres FLORES SANDOVAL, Reyna REYES MARTINEZ, Jose Gonzalo HERNANDEZ CORTEZ, Alfonso LOPEZ ORTEGA, Laura Veronica CASTRO SOTELO, Fernando ALVAREZ RAMIREZ, Arquimedes ESTRADA MARTINEZ, Flavio Salvador VAZQUEZ MORENO
  • Publication number: 20170313949
    Abstract: Compositions consisting of block copolymers ?,?-di-aryl or alkyl sulfonates of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w of bis-ammonium and block copolymers ?,?-di-amine of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w, are provided that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude oils whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 20° API. A method of dewatering and desalting heavy crude oil adds a mixture of the copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic secondary amine and a copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic tertiary amine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Eugenio Alejandro FLORES OROPEZA, Cesar Andres FLORES SANDOVAL, Reyna REYES MARTINEZ, Jose Gonzalo HERNANDEZ CORTEZ, Alfonso LOPEZ ORTEGA, Laura Veronica CASTRO SOTELO, Fernando ALVAREZ RAMIREZ, Arquimedes ESTRADA MARTINEZ, Flavio Salvador VAZQUEZ MORENO
  • Publication number: 20170283534
    Abstract: The present invention is related to the application of terpolymers based on alkyl acrylates as defoamers of gasified crude oils, with densities between 10 and 40° API. The evaluation of terpolymers based on alkyl acrylates at conditions similar to those of gas-liquid separators has shown that the terpolymers are efficient as inhibitors of the foam formation in heavy and super-heavy crude oil, abating the foam between 15 and 50% faster than in non-dosed crude oil (blank). Even some acrylic terpolymers exhibited a greater efficiency as defoamers than that of commercial silicon-based polymers, which promoting the defoaming only 20-25% faster than the blank collapse. The employ of silicones as defoamers presents serious problems as the formation of deposits and the deactivation of catalysts in the refining processes. This situation has provoked that refineries in Mexico and a worldwide ban the application of this kind of inorganic polymers, and new silicon-free defoaming agents are required.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETRÓLEO
    Inventors: Edgar Iván HERNÁNDEZ CARBAJAL, Alfonso LÓPEZ ORTEGA, César Andrés FLORES SANDOVAL, Fernando ALVAREZ RAMÍREZ, Juan de la Cruz CLAVEL LÓPEZ, Flavio Salvador VÁZQUEZ MORENO, Enrique CEVADA MAYA
  • Patent number: 9752084
    Abstract: The present invention is related to formulations consisting by block copolymers ?,?-di-aryl or alkyl sulfonates of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w of bis-ammonium and block copolymers ?,?-di-amine of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w, that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 23° API.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Eugenio Alejandro Flores Oropeza, Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Reyna Reyes Martinez, Jose Gonzalo Hernandez Cortez, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Laura Veronica Castro Sotelo, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Arquimedes Estrada Martinez, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno
  • Patent number: 9745521
    Abstract: Compositions consisting of block copolymers ?,?-di-aryl or alkyl sulfonates of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w of bis-ammonium and block copolymers ?,?-di-amine of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w, are provided that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude oils whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 20° API. A method of dewatering and desalting heavy crude oil adds a mixture of the copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic secondary amine and a copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic tertiary amine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Eugenio Alejandro Flores Oropeza, Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Reyna Reyes Martinez, Jose Gonzalo Hernandez Cortez, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Laura Veronica Castro Sotelo, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Arquimedes Estrada Martinez, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno
  • Patent number: D809024
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: LGL France
    Inventors: Alfonso Lopez, Mercedes Padrones, Angel Martinez