Patents by Inventor Jeffrey Brent Mecham

Jeffrey Brent Mecham 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: 12110451
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to delivery and release systems, such as core-shell particles. An exemplary composition according to the disclosure can include a degradable polymeric shell surrounding a core that includes a crosslinker, which can encompass a metal, such as chromium. The core-shell particles can be provided with a gel-forming polymer, such as a polyacrylamide, into a subterranean reservoir having conditions such that the shell of the core-shell polymer degrades, and the so-released metal is effective to at least partially crosslink the gel-forming polymer to form a gel. The so-formed gel can be effective to control water flow through the subterranean reservoir, such as in relation to a waterflood of the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Research Triangle Institute
    Inventors: Leah Marie Johnson, Ginger Denison Rothrock, Chasity Antoninette Norton, Nicolas Daniel Huffman, Jeffrey Brent Mecham
  • Publication number: 20230070155
    Abstract: Provided by the inventive concept or nanoplastic or microplastic particles, reference standard materials including nanoplastic or microplastic particles, methods of using, and methods of preparing the same. Uses of the nanoplastic and/or microplastic particles of the inventive concept include tracking of nanoplastic and/or microplastic particle dispersion/distribution in environmental and/or biological systems, as well as in organisms that are within the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Ninell Mortensen, Leah Johnson, Jeffrey Brent Mecham
  • Publication number: 20230069918
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to delivery and release compositions, systems, and methods of use thereof. In particular, the present disclosure relates to degradable polymeric systems including a first epoxy-containing monomer and a second, different epoxy-containing monomer, wherein the degradable polymeric system is crosslinked, and wherein one of the first epoxy-containing monomer and the second, different epoxy-containing monomer includes one or more ester groups; delivery systems incorporating degradable polymeric systems; and methods for providing cargo to a petroleum reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Leah Marie Johnson, Nicolas Daniel Huffman, Jeffrey Brent Mecham, Ian Edward Stewart, Natalie Marie Girouard
  • Publication number: 20210317360
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to delivery and release systems, such as core-shell particles. An exemplary composition according to the disclosure can include a degradable polymeric shell surrounding a core that includes a crosslinker, which can encompass a metal, such as chromium. The core-shell particles can be provided with a gel-forming polymer, such as a polyacrylamide, into a subterranean reservoir having conditions such that the shell of the core-shell polymer degrades, and the so-released metal is effective to at least partially crosslink the gel-forming polymer to form a gel. The so-formed gel can be effective to control water flow through the subterranean reservoir, such as in relation to a waterflood of the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Leah Marie Johnson, Ginger Denison Rothrock, Chasity Antoninette Norton, Nicolas Daniel Huffman, Jeffrey Brent Mecham
  • Patent number: 11078411
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to delivery and release systems wherein a plurality of particles is provided, and the particles are formed of a vehicle component and a cargo component. The systems and methods particularly can be useful in delivery of various chemicals to a petroleum reservoir. The vehicle component can undergo a change in situ such that at least a portion of the cargo component is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Research Triangle Institute
    Inventors: Leah Marie Johnson, Ginger Denison Rothrock, Chasity Antoninette Norton, Sarah Dorothy Shepherd, Nicolas Daniel Huffman, Jeffrey Brent Mecham
  • Patent number: 11078404
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to delivery and release systems, such as core-shell particles. An exemplary composition according to the disclosure can include a degradable polymeric shell surrounding a core that includes a crosslinker, which can encompass a metal, such as chromium. The core-shell particles can be provided with a gel-forming polymer, such as a polyacrylamide, into a subterranean reservoir having conditions such that the shell of the core-shell polymer degrades, and the so-released metal is effective to at least partially crosslink the gel-forming polymer to form a gel. The so-formed gel can be effective to control water flow through the subterranean reservoir, such as in relation to a waterflood of the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Research Triangle Institute
    Inventors: Leah Marie Johnson, Ginger Denison Rothrock, Chasity Antoninette Norton, Nicolas Daniel Huffman, Jeffrey Brent Mecham
  • Publication number: 20190375982
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to delivery and release systems, such as core-shell particles. An exemplary composition according to the disclosure can include a degradable polymeric shell surrounding a core that includes a crosslinker, which can encompass a metal, such as chromium. The core-shell particles can be provided with a gel-forming polymer, such as a polyacrylamide, into a subterranean reservoir having conditions such that the shell of the core-shell polymer degrades, and the so-released metal is effective to at least partially crosslink the gel-forming polymer to form a gel. The so-formed gel can be effective to control water flow through the subterranean reservoir, such as in relation to a waterflood of the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Leah Marie Johnson, Ginger Denison Rothrock, Chasity Antoninette Norton, Nicolas Daniel Huffman, Jeffrey Brent Mecham
  • Patent number: 10421894
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to delivery and release systems, such as core-shell particles. An exemplary composition according to the disclosure can include a degradable polymeric shell surrounding a core that includes a crosslinker, which can encompass a metal, such as chromium. The core-shell particles can be provided with a gel-forming polymer, such as a polyacrylamide, into a subterranean reservoir having conditions such that the shell of the core-shell polymer degrades, and the so-released metal is effective to at least partially crosslink the gel-forming polymer to form a gel. The so-formed gel can be effective to control water flow through the subterranean reservoir, such as in relation to a waterflood of the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Research Triangle Institute
    Inventors: Leah Marie Johnson, Ginger Denison Rothrock, Chasity Antoninette Norton, Nicolas Daniel Huffman, Jeffrey Brent Mecham
  • Publication number: 20190031951
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to delivery and release systems wherein a plurality of particles is provided, and the particles are formed of a vehicle component and a cargo component. The systems and methods particularly can be useful in delivery of various chemicals to a petroleum reservoir. The vehicle component can undergo a change in situ such that at least a portion of the cargo component is released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Leah Marie Johnson, Ginger Denison Rothrock, Chasity Antoninette Norton, Sarah Dorothy Shepherd, Nicolas Daniel Huffman, Jeffrey Brent Mecham
  • Publication number: 20170369766
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to delivery and release systems, such as core-shell particles. An exemplary composition according to the disclosure can include a degradable polymeric shell surrounding a core that includes a crosslinker, which can encompass a metal, such as chromium. The core-shell particles can be provided with a gel-forming polymer, such as a polyacrylamide, into a subterranean reservoir having conditions such that the shell of the core-shell polymer degrades, and the so-released metal is effective to at least partially crosslink the gel-forming polymer to form a gel. The so-formed gel can be effective to control water flow through the subterranean reservoir, such as in relation to a waterflood of the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Leah Marie Johnson, Ginger Denison Rothrock, Chasity Antoninette Norton, Nicolas Daniel Huffman, Jeffrey Brent Mecham