Patents by Inventor Ian Head

Ian Head 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).

  • Process For Stimulating Production Of Hydrogen From Petroleum In Subterranean Formations
    Publication number: 20070298479
    Abstract: A process for stimulating microbial hydrogen production in a petroleum-bearing subterranean formation, comprising: (a) analyzing one or more components of the formation to determine characteristics of the formation environment; (b) detecting the presence of a microbial consortium, comprising at least one fermentative syntrophic microorganism, within the formation; (c) assessing whether the formation microorganisms are currently active; (d) determining whether the microbial consortium comprises one or more fermentative syntrophic microorganisms; (e) characterization of one or more fermentative syntrophic microorganism of the consortium, and comparing the one or more characterized organisms with at least one known characterized known microorganism having one or more known physiological and ecological characteristics; (f) characterizations of one or more hydrogen consuming microorganism, such as (but not exclusively) methanogens and sulphate reducers, of the consortium, and comparing the one or more characterize
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: Stephen Larter, Ian Head, David Jones, Michael Erdmann, Arnd Wilhelms
  • Process for Stimulating Production of Methane From Petroleum in Subterranean Formations
    Publication number: 20070251146
    Abstract: A process for stimulating microbial methane production in a petroleum-bearing subterranean formation, comprising: (a) analyzing one or more components of the formation to determine characteristics of the formation environment; (b) detecting the presence of a microbial consortium, comprising at least one methanogenic microorganism, within the formation; (c) assessing whether the formation microorganisms are currently active; (d) determining whether the microbial consortium comprises one or more methanotrophic microorganism; (e) characterization of one or more microorganisms of the consortium, at least one of the members of the consortium being a methanogenic microorganism, and comparing the members of the consortium with at least one known microorganism having one or more known physiological and ecological characteristics; (f) characterization of one or more methanotrophic microorganisms of the consortium (if present), and comparing the members of the consortium with at least one known microorganism having one
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Stephen Larter, Ian Head, David Jones, Michael Erdmann, Arnd Wilhelms