Patents by Inventor Herman G. Van Laar

Herman G. Van Laar 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).

  • Producing sour natural gas
    Patent number: 4778007
    Abstract: A sour natural gas is produced via a well system comprising a vertical well section and a horizontal drainhole section extending through the reservoir formation. Formation plugging due to in-situ precipitation of sulphur during production operations is avoided by adequately sizing the horizontal drainhole section in the reservoir, thereby establishing near-wellbore pressures in the reservoir above the sulphur saturation pressure, without sacrificing production rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Herman G. Van Laar