Patents by Inventor Kenneth A. Sandbeck

Kenneth A. Sandbeck 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).

  • Composition for reducing the amount of and preventing the formation of hydrogen sulfide in an aqueous system, particularly in an aqueous system used in oil field applications
    Patent number: 5750392
    Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide present in an aqueous system is removed and the production of hydrogen sulfide by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is eliminated by introducing into the system nitrite and nitrate and/or molybdate ions, whereby denitrifying microorganisms outcompete the sulfate-reducing bacteria for the available carbon nutrients, thus preventing the SRB from producing hydrogen sulfide and the nitrite along with the denitrifying microorganisms remove hydrogen sulfide already present in the system. The system which contains the denitrifying microorganisms and which is essentially free of hydrogen sulfide can enhance oil recovery by means of a microbial enhanced oil recovery mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Geo-Microbial Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald O. Hitzman, George T. Sperl, Kenneth A. Sandbeck
  • Method for reducing the amount of and preventing the formation of hydrogen sulfide in an aqueous system
    Patent number: 5405531
    Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide present in an aqueous system is removed and the production of hydrogen sulfide by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is eliminated by introducing into the system nitrite and nitrate and/or molybdate ions, whereby denitrifying microorganisms outcompete the sulfate-reducing bacteria for the available carbon nutrients, thus preventing the SRB from producing hydrogen sulfide and the nitrite along with the denitrifying microorganisms remove hydrogen sulfide already present in the system. The system which contains the denitrifying microorganisms and which is essentially free of hydrogen sulfide can enhance oil recovery by means of a microbial enhanced oil recovery mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Geo-Microbial Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald O. Hitzman, George T. Sperl, Kenneth A. Sandbeck