Patents by Inventor Karina Heitnes Hofstad

Karina Heitnes Hofstad 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: 10407621
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for recovering and processing a hydrocarbon mixture from a subterranean formation. The method comprises: (i) mobilizing said hydrocarbon mixture; (ii) recovering said mobilized hydrocarbon mixture; (iii) coking said recovered hydrocarbon mixture to produce decoked hydrocarbon and coke; (iv) combusting said coke to generate steam and/or energy and CO2; (v) upgrading said decoked hydrocarbon by hydrogen addition to produce upgraded hydrocarbon; and (v) adding a diluent to the decoked hydrocarbon prior to upgrading and/or adding a diluent to the upgraded hydrocarbon; wherein said method is at least partially self-sufficient in terms of steam and/or energy and diluent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: STATOIL CANADA LIMITED
    Inventors: Knut Vebjørn Grande, Karina Heitnes Hofstad, Harald Vindspoll, Marianne Haugan
  • Patent number: 9988890
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for recovering and processing a hydrocarbon mixture from a subterranean formation. The method comprises: (i) mobilizing said hydrocarbon mixture; (ii) recovering said mobilized hydrocarbon mixture; (iii) deasphalting said recovered hydrocarbon mixture to produce deasphalted hydrocarbon and asphaltenes; (iv) gasifying said asphaltenes in a gasifier to generate hydrogen, steam and/or energy and CO2; (v) upgrading said deasphalted hydrocarbon by hydrogen addition to produce upgraded hydrocarbon; and (vi) adding a diluent to said upgraded hydrocarbon, wherein said method is at least partially self-sufficient in terms of hydrogen and diluent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: STATOIL CANADA LIMITED
    Inventors: Knut Vebjørn Grande, Karina Heitnes Hofstad, Harald Vindspoll, Marianne Haugan
  • Patent number: 9670766
    Abstract: A steam-based method and system for recovering and processing a hydrocarbon mixture from a subterranean formation. Steam is injected into the subterranean formation to mobilize said hydrocarbon mixture, then the mobilized hydrocarbon mixture is recovered, a self-sufficient diluent is added, and the mixture is separated to produce separated water and separated hydrocarbon. The separated hydrocarbon is deasphalted to produce a deasphalted hydrocarbon and asphaltenes, which is combusted in an oxycombustion process to generate steam and/or energy and CO2, and said the steam is injected into the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: STATOIL CANADA LIMITED
    Inventors: Knut Vebjørn Grande, Karina Heitnes Hofstad, Harald Vindspoll, Marianne Haugan
  • Patent number: 9470077
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of recovering a hydrocarbon mixture from a subterranean formation comprising: (i) injecting an oxygen-rich gas into said formation; (ii) combusting said oxygen-rich gas in said formation thereby heating and reducing the viscosity of said hydrocarbon mixture and generating CO2-rich gas; (iii) recovering said heated hydrocarbon; and (iv) capturing at least a portion of CO2 from said CO2-rich gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: STATOIL ASA
    Inventors: Harald Vindspoll, Knut Vebjørn Grande, Karina Heitnes Hofstad
  • Publication number: 20150192007
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for recovering and processing a hydrocarbon mixture from a subterranean formation. The method comprises: (i) mobilising said hydrocarbon mixture; (ii) recovering said mobilised hydrocarbon mixture; (iii) deasphalting said recovered hydrocarbon mixture to produce deasphalted hydrocarbon and asphaltenes; (iv) gasifying said asphaltenes in a gasifier to generate hydrogen, steam and/or energy and CO2; (v) upgrading said deasphalted hydrocarbon by hydrogen addition to produce upgraded hydrocarbon; and (vi) adding a diluent to said upgraded hydrocarbon, wherein said method is at least partially self-sufficient in terms of hydrogen and diluent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Applicant: STATOIL CANADA LIMITED
    Inventors: Knut Vebjørn Grande, Karina Heitnes Hofstad, Harald Vindspoll, Marianne Haugan
  • Publication number: 20150167444
    Abstract: The present invention provides a steam-based method and system for recovering and processing a hydrocarbon mixture from a subterranean formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: STATOIL CANADA LIMITED
    Inventors: Knut Vebjørn Grande, Karina Heitnes Hofstad, Harald Vindspoll, Marianne Haugan
  • Publication number: 20150159092
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for recovering and processing a hydrocarbon mixture from a subterranean formation. The method comprises: (i) mobilising said hydrocarbon mixture; (ii) recovering said mobilised hydrocarbon mixture; (iii) coking said recovered hydrocarbon mixture to produce decoked hydrocarbon and coke; (iv) combusting said coke to generate steam and/or energy and CO2; (v) upgrading said decoked hydrocarbon by hydrogen addition to produce upgraded hydrocarbon; and (v) adding a diluent to the decoked hydrocarbon prior to upgrading and/or adding a diluent to the upgraded hydrocarbon; wherein said method is at least partially self-sufficient in terms of steam and/or energy and diluent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: STATOIL CANADA LIMITED
    Inventors: Knut Vebjørn Grande, Karina Heitnes Hofstad, Harald Vindspoll, Marianne Haugan
  • Publication number: 20140196895
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of recovering a hydrocarbon mixture from a subterranean formation comprising: (i) injecting an oxygen-rich gas into said formation; (ii) combusting said oxygen-rich gas in said formation thereby heating and reducing the viscosity of said hydrocarbon mixture and generating CO2-rich gas; (iii) recovering said heated hydrocarbon; and (iv) capturing at least a portion of CO2 from said CO2-rich gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Statoil ASA
    Inventors: Pentti Paurola, Harald Vindspoll, Knut Vebjørn Grande, Karina Heitnes Hofstad
  • Patent number: 6696501
    Abstract: A method is described for conversion of natural gas or other fossil fuels to higher hydrocarbons, comprising the following steps: a) reaction of natural gas with steam and oxygenic gas in at least one reforming zone in order to produce a synthesis gas consisting primarily of hydrogen and CO, in addition to some carbon dioxide; b) passing said synthesis gas to a Fisher-Tropsch reactor in order to produce a crude synthesis stream consisting of lower hydrocarbons, water and non-converted synthesis gas; c) separation of said crude synthesis stream in a recovery zone, into a crude product stream mainly containing heavier hydrocarbons, a water stream and a tail gas stream mainly containing the remaining constituents; which is charaterized in that the method also comprises the following steps; d) stream reformation of at least part of the tail gas in a separate steam reformer; e) introduction of the reformed tail gas into the gas stream before this is led into the Fischer-Tropsch reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Statoil ASA
    Inventors: Dag Schanke, Roger Hansen, Jostein Sogge, Karina Heitnes Hofstad, Margrete H. Wesenberg, Erling Rytter
  • Publication number: 20030134911
    Abstract: A method is described for conversion of natural gas or other fossil fuels to higher hydrocarbons, comprising the following steps: a) reaction of natural gas with steam and oxygenic gas in at least one reforming zone in order to produce a synthesis gas consisting primarily of H2 and CO, in addition to some CO2; b) passing said synthesis gas to a Fisher-Tropsch reactor in order to produce a crude synthesis stream consisting of lower hydrocarbons, water and non-converted synthesis gas; c) separation of said crude synthesis stream in a recovery zone, into a crude product stream mainly containing heavier hydrocarbons, a water stream and a tail gas stream mainly containing the remaining constituents; which is charaterised in that the method also comprises the following steps; d) stream reformation of at least part of the tail gas in a separate steam reformer. e) introduction of the reformed tail gas into the gas stream before this is led into the Fischer-Tropsch reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: Dag Schanke, Roger Hansen, Jostein Sogge, Karina Heitnes Hofstad, Margrete H Wesenberg, Erling Rytter