Patents by Inventor John Occhipinti

John Occhipinti 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: 7297279
    Abstract: Apparatus in fluid communication with a water leg portion of a hydrocarbon-contaminated water, e.g., a water leg portion of a produced water stream or an offshore drilling or production platform sump tank for conveying water, separated from oil, into contact with non-woven fiber/particulate polymer coalescing media-containing canisters such that the hydrocarbon droplets and other organic material droplets commingled with the sump tank or produced water will be coalesced by passage through the coalescing media. The canisters preferably are provided in a plurality of stacks in each vessel. Solids that do not pass through the canisters are accumulated at the bottom of the vessel and easily drained through a drain port. The water and hydrocarbons will pass through the coalescing media within the canisters and will be separated easily from each vessel, e.g., by gravity separation, sot that the water can be conveyed back to the ocean water without contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: AMCOL International Corporation
    Inventors: Michael R. Johnson, John Occhipinti, Jerald W. Darlington, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20060163177
    Abstract: Apparatus in fluid communication with a water leg portion of a hydrocarbon-contaminated water, e.g., a water leg portion of a produced water stream or an offshore drilling or production platform sump tank for conveying water, separated from oil, into contact with non-woven fiber/particulate polymer coalescing media-containing canisters such that the hydrocarbon droplets and other organic material droplets commingled with the sump tank or produced water will be coalesced by passage through the coalescing media. The canisters preferably are provided in a plurality of stacks in each vessel. Solids that do not pass through the canisters are accumulated at the bottom of the vessel and easily drained through a drain port. The water and hydrocarbons will pass through the coalescing media within the canisters and will be separated easily from each vessel, e.g., by gravity separation, sot that the water can be conveyed back to the ocean water without contamination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: AMCOL INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Johnson, John Occhipinti, Jerald Darlington
  • Patent number: 6749757
    Abstract: An improved production water treatment system and method are disclosed. The treatment apparatus includes a vertically oriented vessel with tangentially disposed injection nozzles including one or more injection nozzles for the introduction of production water and one or more injection nozzles for the introduction of recycled water from the vessel and a sparge gas. The tangential orientation of the injection nozzles creates a cyclonic flow within the vessel for improved sparge gas bubble/hydrocarbon contact. A hydrocarbon-rich layer migrates to the top surface of the liquid in the vessel where it is removed about a center axis of the vessel. The resulting hydrocarbon-lean production water has a sufficiently low hydrocarbon content that it is eligible for more intensive processing, such as with organophillic clay cartridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Amcol International Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Smith, Jerald W. Darlington, John Occhipinti, Gerard A. Just
  • Publication number: 20040035799
    Abstract: An improved production water treatment system and method are disclosed. The treatment apparatus includes a vertically oriented vessel with tangentially disposed injection nozzles including one or more injection nozzles for the introduction of production water and one or more injection nozzles for the introduction of recycled water from the vessel and a sparge gas. The tangential orientation of the injection nozzles creates a cyclonic flow within the vessel for improved sparge gas bubble/hydrocarbon contact. A hydrocarbon-rich layer migrates to the top surface of the liquid in the vessel where it is removed about a center axis of the vessel. The resulting hydrocarbon-lean production water has a sufficiently low hydrocarbon content that it is eligible for more intensive processing, such as with organophillic clay cartridges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Smith, Jerald W. Darlington, John Occhipinti, Gerard A. Just
  • Patent number: 6398951
    Abstract: Apparatus in fluid communication with a water leg portion of a hydrocarbon-contaminated water, e.g., a water leg portion of an offshore drilling or production platform sump tank for conveying water, separated from oil, into contact with organophilic media canisters such that the hydrocarbons and other organic materials commingled with the sump tank water will be adsorbed onto the organophilic media and detected by the embedded probe in selected canisters. The canisters are provided in a plurality of stacks and are in fluid communication with a header disposed at the bottom of the vessel housing the various stacks of canisters. Solids that do not pass through the canisters are accumulated at the bottom of the vessel and easily drained through a drain port. The water will pass through the media and will be conveyed back to the ocean water without contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: AMCOL International Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Smith, Jerald W. Darlington, Jr., Michael R. Johnson, John Occhipinti, Elmo Robichaux, Michael A. Berger
  • Patent number: 6398966
    Abstract: Apparatus in fluid communication with a water leg portion of a hydrocarbon-contaminated water, e.g., a water leg portion of an offshore drilling or production platform sump tank for conveying water, separated from oil, into contact with organophilic media canisters such that the hydrocarbons and other organic materials commingled with the sump tank water will be adsorbed onto the organophilic media and detected by the embedded probe in selected canisters. The canisters are provided in a plurality of stacks and are in fluid communication with a header disposed at the bottom of the vessel housing the various stacks of canisters. Solids that do not pass through the canisters are accumulated at the bottom of the vessel and easily drained through a drain port. The water will pass through the media and will be conveyed back to the ocean water without contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: AMCOL International Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Smith, Jerald W. Darlington, Jr., Michael R. Johnson, John Occhipinti, Elmo Robichaux, Michael A. Berger
  • Patent number: 6358422
    Abstract: Apparatus in fluid communication with a water leg portion of a hydrocarbon-contaminated water, e.g., a water leg portion of an offshore drilling or production platform sump tank for conveying water, separated from oil, into contact with organophilic media canisters such that the hydrocarbons and other organic materials commingled with the sump tank water will be adsorbed onto the organophilic media and detected by the embedded probe in selected canisters. The canisters are provided in a plurality of stacks and are in fluid communication with a header disposed at the bottom of the vessel housing the various stacks of canisters. Solids that do not pass through the canisters are accumulated at the bottom of the vessel and easily drained through a drain port. The water will pass through the media and will be conveyed back to the ocean water without contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: AMCOL International Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Smith, Jerald W. Darlington, Jr., Michael R. Johnson, John Occhipinti, Elmo Robichaux, Michael A. Berger
  • Publication number: 20020027096
    Abstract: Apparatus in fluid communication with a water leg portion of a hydrocarbon-contaminated water, e.g., a water leg portion of an offshore drilling or production platform sump tank for conveying water, separated from oil, into contact with organophilic media canisters such that the hydrocarbons and other organic materials commingled with the sump tank water will be adsorbed onto the organophilic media and detected by the embedded probe in selected canisters. The canisters are provided in a plurality of stacks and are in fluid communication with a header disposed at the bottom of the vessel housing the various stacks of canisters. Solids that do not pass through the canisters are accumulated at the bottom of the vessel and easily drained through a drain port. The water will pass through the media and will be conveyed back to the ocean water without contamination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Applicant: AMCOL International Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Smith, Jerald W. Darlington, Michael R. Johnson, John Occhipinti, Elmo Robichaux, Michael A. Berger
  • Publication number: 20020027106
    Abstract: Apparatus in fluid communication with a water leg portion of a hydrocarbon-contaminated water, e.g., a water leg portion of an offshore drilling or production platform sump tank for conveying water, separated from oil, into contact with organophilic media canisters such that the hydrocarbons and other organic materials commingled with the sump tank water will be adsorbed onto the organophilic media and detected by the embedded probe in selected canisters. The canisters are provided in a plurality of stacks and are in fluid communication with a header disposed at the bottom of the vessel housing the various stacks of canisters. Solids that do not pass through the canisters are accumulated at the bottom of the vessel and easily drained through a drain port. The water will pass through the media and will be conveyed back to the ocean water without contamination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Applicant: AMCOL International Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Smith, Jerald W. Darlington, Michael R. Johnson, John Occhipinti, Elmo Robichaux, Michael A. Berger