Patents by Inventor Jon K. Sonka

Jon K. Sonka 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: 7721807
    Abstract: A method for managing hydrates in a subsea production system is provided. The system has at least one producing subsea well, a jumper for delivering produced fluids from the subsea well to a manifold, a production line for delivering produced fluids to a production gathering facility, and an umbilical for delivering chemicals to the manifold. The subsea well has been shut in, leaving produced fluids in a substantially uninhibited state. The method generally comprises the steps of pumping a displacement fluid into the chemical injection tubing, pumping the displacement fluid through a chemical injection tubing provided in the umbilical, further pumping the displacement fluid through the manifold and into the production line, and pumping the displacement fluid through the production line so as to displace the produced fluids before hydrate formation may begin. Preferably, a chemical inhibitor is placed in the chemical injection tubing before the displacement fluid is pumped into the chemical injection tubing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Richard F. Stoisits, David C. Lucas, Jon K. Sonka