Patents by Inventor Daniel A. Spencer

Daniel A. Spencer 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).

  • Use of bacteria to break gels used in well treatment fluids
    Patent number: 5869325
    Abstract: A method for carrying out a well treatment in a well (e.g. fracturing, sand control, etc.) wherein a high-viscosity treatment fluid containing a gel (e.g. a polymeric gelling agent) is flowed down the well along with a bacteria selected from the generic classes of Enterococcus and Corynebacterium or a mixture of the two, which is capable of digesting and/or cleaving the gel to reduce the viscosity of the gel at the conclusion of the well treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Company
    Inventors: Clifford L. Crabtree, James B. Hoeltgen, Daniel A. Spencer