Patents by Inventor Howard L. McKinzie

Howard L. McKinzie 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: 6164376
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for selectively lifting produced fluid, including produced hydrocarbons and a portion of produced water, to a ground surface and for multiplying a hydrostatic head of a column of the produced fluid into a magnified injection pressure for injecting, without lifting to the ground surface, the remaining produced water, subsurface, in a subterranean well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Lon A. Stuebinger, Howard L. McKinzie
  • Patent number: 6142224
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for selectively lifting produced fluid, including produced hydrocarbons and a portion of produced water, to a ground surface and for multiplying a hydrostatic head of a column of the produced fluid into a magnified injection pressure for injecting, without lifting to the ground surface, the remaining produced water, subsurface, in a subterranean well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Lon A. Stuebinger, Howard L. McKinzie, Brock W. Watson
  • Patent number: 6131660
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for selectively lifting produced fluids, including produced hydrocarbons and a portion of produced water, to a ground surface while injecting the remaining produced water into an injection zone subsurface in a subterranean well. The invention preferably utilizes a rod pump/electrical submersible centrifugal pump to carry out the dual injection and lifting steps. Further, this apparatus and method make it possible to produce hydrocarbons from oil wells in a manner that poses less risk and disturbance to the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Lon A. Stuebinger, Howard L. McKinzie, Michael R. Berry
  • Patent number: 6123149
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for selectively lifting produced fluids, including produced hydrocarbons and a portion of produced water, to a ground surface while injecting the remaining produced water into an injection zone subsurface in a subterranean well. The invention preferably utilizes an electrical submersible progressive cavity pump (ESPCP) in conjunction with an electrical submersible pump (ESP) in order to carry out the dual injection and lifting steps. Further, this apparatus and method make it possible to produce hydrocarbons from oil wells in a manner that poses less risk and disturbance to the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Howard L. McKinzie, Lon A. Stuebinger, Kevin R. Bowlin
  • Patent number: 6116341
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for multiplying the hydrostatic head of a column of liquid into a magnified injection pressure for injecting water produced in a gas well into a disposal zone, while concurrently producing the gas, with little or no water, to the ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Lon A. Stuebinger, Loren K. Barritt, Kristine H. Brindle, Howard L. McKinzie
  • Patent number: 6105671
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for minimizing emulsion formation in a pumped oil well by establishing substantially core annular flow at the outlet of the system. The core annular flow regime is established at the outlet of the system through a combination of a pump outlet and a transition conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Howard L. McKinzie, Michael R. Berry
  • Patent number: 6092599
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a downhole oil and water separation system having a casing which includes an interval in communication with a producing zone. The system further includes two pumps disposed in the casing for use in lifting segregated produced hydrocarbons and portion of produced water and segregated produced water to the ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Berry, Howard L. McKinzie, Lon A. Stuebinger
  • Patent number: 6092600
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for selectively lifting produced fluids, including produced hydrocarbons and a portion of produced water, to a ground surface while injecting the remaining produced water into an injection zone subsurface in a subterranean well. The invention preferably utilizes a rod-driven progressive cavity pump (RD-PCP) in conjunction with an electrical submersible pump (ESP) in order to carry out the dual injection and lifting steps. Further, this apparatus and method make it possible to produce hydrocarbons from oil wells in a manner that poses less risk and disturbance to the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Howard L. McKinzie, Lon A. Stuebinger, Michael R. Berry
  • Patent number: 6079491
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for selectively lifting produced fluids, including produced hydrocarbons and a portion of produced water, to a ground surface while injecting the remaining produced water into an injection zone subsurface in a subterranean well. The invention preferably utilizes a rod-driven progressive cavity pump (RD-PCP) in conjunction with an electrical submersible progressive cavity pump (ESPCP) in order to carry out the dual injection and lifting steps. Further, this apparatus and method make it possible to produce hydrocarbons from oil wells in a manner that poses less risk and disturbance to the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Lon A. Stuebinger, Howard L. McKinzie
  • Patent number: 5915477
    Abstract: This invention relates to enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques for improving the production economies and recovery efficiency of hydrocarbons from a reservoir after primary depletion has occurred. The reservoir has at least two production strata. At least one production well capable of producing fluids from both strata is placed into the reservoir. At least one injection well capable of injecting fluid into both strata is placed in the reservoir. At least one combination production/injection well for producing well fluid from only one of the strata is placed into the reservoir. The produced well fluid is separated into a mostly hydrocarbon component and a mostly water component in place downhole and reinjecting into the other of said strata the mostly water component by use of the combination production/injection well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Texaco Inc
    Inventors: Lon Allan Stuebinger, Howard L. McKinzie, Kevin R. Bowlin
  • Patent number: 5551513
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improvement in a prepacked well screen assembly which includes coating the granular material in the filter medium with a resin system including an oligomer of furfuryl alcohol, a catalyst including an oil soluble, slightly water soluble organic acid, and an ester of a weak organic acid to consume water produced by the polymerization of the resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Billy W. Surles, Howard L. McKinzie
  • Patent number: 5447052
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for extracting hydrocarbon gas from drilling fluid samples utilizes microwave energy as the source for heating a sample, containing water, sufficiently to cause the extraction of the hydrocarbon gases therefrom. Either a batch or a continuous operation can be realized using this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1995
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick L. Delaune, Scott A. Hanson, Howard L. McKinzie, Alan C. Wright
  • Patent number: 5339901
    Abstract: Pairs of isolation members are mounted externally on casing pipe to define isolation zones. The zones are places into communication by bypass means external to the casing and penetrating the isolation members. Consolidation material is flowed through the bypass means to successively fill the isolated zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventor: Howard L. McKinzie
  • Patent number: 5199509
    Abstract: An improved gas trap for mud logging is vertically mounted such that its lower end is constantly beneath the surface of mud flowing in a tank. The mud is drawn into the housing where it is agitated to release the entrained gases which are drawn off for measurement. The spent mud is returned to the tank through a mud exit port and related pipe to a point below the level of the mud and remote from the mud intake to the gas trap. This gas trap is insensitive to mud level changes and is relatively free of maintenance requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Alan C. Wright, Scott A. Hanson, Patrick L. DeLaune, Howard L. McKinzie, Hossein Aghazeynali
  • Patent number: 4276936
    Abstract: A method of thermally insulating the borehole of a well in a thermal process for oil recovery by providing in the annular space between the casing and the well tubing a flowable, solid material having thermal insulating properties, such as vermiculite or perlite. Removal of the material is by fluidization thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1981
    Assignee: Getty Oil Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Howard L. McKinzie