Patents by Inventor Lars Brenne

Lars Brenne 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: 11945006
    Abstract: A method of cleaning deposited solid material from a fouled portion of a gas compressor (6) whilst the gas compressor (6) is in situ in a natural gas processing system (1) is provided. The method comprises the steps of supplying a liquid cleaning agent to a gas inlet of the gas compressor (6), the liquid cleaning agent being capable of removing the deposited solid material; passing the liquid cleaning agent through the gas compressor (6) to a gas outlet of the gas compressor (6), wherein at least a portion of the cleaning agent remains in a liquid state as it passes through the fouled portion of the gas compressor (6); and recovering a fluid containing removed material that is output from the gas compressor (6) so as to prevent the removed material reaching one or more gas processing stages of the gas processing system (1) downstream of the gas compressor (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Equinor Energy AS
    Inventors: Lars Brenne, Svend Tarald Kibsgaard, Tor Bjørge, Harald Underbakke
  • Publication number: 20240066560
    Abstract: A method of cleaning deposited solid material from a fouled portion of a gas compressor (6) whilst the gas compressor (6) is in situ in a natural gas processing system (1) is provided. The method comprises the steps of supplying a liquid cleaning agent to a gas inlet of the gas compressor (6), the liquid cleaning agent being capable of removing the deposited solid material; passing the liquid cleaning agent through the gas compressor (6) to a gas outlet of the gas compressor (6), wherein at least a portion of the cleaning agent remains in a liquid state as it passes through the fouled portion of the gas compressor (6); and recovering a fluid containing removed material that is output from the gas compressor (6) so as to prevent the removed material reaching one or more gas processing stages of the gas processing system (1) downstream of the gas compressor (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Lars Brenne, Svend Tarald Kibsgaard, Tor Bjørge, Harald Underbakke
  • Patent number: 11781415
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus 30 and method for conditioning the flow of a mixed phase flow from a supply pipe 101 from a hydrocarbon well. The apparatus 30 comprises an elongate reservoir 11 having a first end for receiving a multi-phase fluid flow from the supply pipe and a second closed end, there being provided a gas outlet 02 from the upper part of the first end, a liquid separation region downstream of the first end, and a liquid outlet 12 from the lower part of the liquid separation region; and a gas-liquid mixer to which the gas and liquid outlets are connected such that the separated gas and liquid may be recombined. The reservoir 11 may accommodate surges of liquid such that the flow rate from the liquid outlet is relatively invariant over time compared to that of the flow received by the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: EQUINOR ENERGY AS
    Inventor: Lars Brenne
  • Publication number: 20220341440
    Abstract: A method and corresponding gas processing system for cleaning deposited solid material from a fouled portion of a gas compressor whilst the gas compressor is in situ in a natural gas processing system are provided. Cleaning of a gas compressor is achieved by accumulating liquid removed from cooling gas used for cooling the gas compressor and supplying the accumulated liquid to an inlet of the gas compressor in order to remove deposited solid material from the gas compressor. The cooling gas is extracted from an intermediate stage of the gas compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventor: Lars Brenne
  • Publication number: 20220145743
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus 30 and method for conditioning the flow of a mixed phase flow from a supply pipe 101 from a hydrocarbon well. The apparatus 30 comprises an elongate reservoir 11 having a first end for receiving a multi-phase fluid flow from the supply pipe and a second closed end, there being provided a gas outlet 02 from the upper part of the first end, a liquid separation region downstream of the first end, and a liquid outlet 12 from the lower part of the liquid separation region; and a gas-liquid mixer to which the gas and liquid outlets are connected such that the separated gas and liquid may be recombined. The reservoir 11 may accommodate surges of liquid such that the flow rate from the liquid outlet is relatively invariant over time compared to that of the flow received by the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventor: Lars BRENNE
  • Publication number: 20220097104
    Abstract: A method of cleaning deposited solid material from a fouled portion of a gas compressor (6) whilst the gas compressor (6) is in situ in a natural gas processing system (1) is provided. The method comprises the steps of supplying a liquid cleaning agent to a gas inlet of the gas compressor (6), the liquid cleaning agent being capable of removing the deposited solid material; passing the liquid cleaning agent through the gas compressor (6) to a gas outlet of the gas compressor (6), wherein at least a portion of the cleaning agent remains in a liquid state as it passes through the fouled portion of the gas compressor (6); and recovering a fluid containing removed material that is output from the gas compressor (6) so as to prevent the removed material reaching one or more gas processing stages of the gas processing system (1) downstream of the gas compressor (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Lars Brenne, Svend Tarald Kibsgaard, Tor Bjørge, Harald Underbakke
  • Patent number: 11268368
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus (30) and method for conditioning the flow of a mixed phase flow from a supply pipe (101) from a hydrocarbon well. The apparatus (30) comprises an elongate reservoir (11) having a first end for receiving a multi-phase fluid flow from the supply pipe and a second closed end, there being provided a gas outlet (02) from the upper part of the first end, a liquid separation region downstream of the first end, and a liquid outlet (12) from the lower part of the liquid separation region; and a gas-liquid mixer to which the gas and liquid outlets are connected such that the separated gas and liquid may be recombined. The reservoir (11) may accommodate surges of liquid such that the flow rate from the liquid outlet is relatively invariant over time compared to that of the flow received by the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: EQUINOR ENERGY AS
    Inventor: Lars Brenne
  • Publication number: 20220025736
    Abstract: A system for providing information on production value and/or emissions of a hydrocarbon production system is disclosed. The system includes: a plurality of sensors configured to measure a respective plurality of measured parameters of the hydrocarbon production system; an input interface for inputting a plurality of specified parameters into the system; and a processor configured to determine the production value and/or emissions of the hydrocarbon production system in real time based upon the measured parameters and the specified parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Svend Tarald KIBSGAARD, Lars BRENNE, Astrid Helland TINGSTVEIT
  • Patent number: 11224900
    Abstract: A method of cleaning deposited solid material from a fouled portion of a gas compressor whilst the gas compressor is in situ in a natural gas processing system is provided. The method comprises the steps of supplying a liquid cleaning agent to a gas inlet of the gas compressor, the liquid cleaning agent being capable of removing the deposited solid material; passing the liquid cleaning agent through the gas compressor to a gas outlet of the gas compressor, wherein at least a portion of the cleaning agent remains in a liquid state as it passes through the fouled portion of the gas compressor; and recovering a fluid containing removed material that is output from the gas compressor so as to prevent the removed material reaching one or more gas processing stages of the gas processing system downstream of the gas compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Equinor Energy AS
    Inventors: Lars Brenne, Svend Tarald Kibsgaard, Tor Bjørge, Harald Underbakke
  • Patent number: 11168545
    Abstract: A system for providing information on production value and/or emissions of a hydrocarbon production system is disclosed. The system includes: a plurality of sensors configured to measure a respective plurality of measured parameters of the hydrocarbon production system; an input interface for inputting a plurality of specified parameters into the system; and a processor configured to determine the production value and/or the emissions of the hydrocarbon production system in real time based upon the measured parameters and the specified parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: EQUINOR ENERGY AS
    Inventors: Svend Tarald Kibsgaard, Lars Brenne, Astrid Heiland Tingstveit
  • Patent number: 11022595
    Abstract: A method of identifying the phase composition and/or changes in the phase composition of a fluid flowing through a turbomachine includes monitoring changes in at least one electrical parameter associated with operation of the turbomachine, and employing a known correlation between phase composition and or phase composition changes, and changes in the electrical parameter(s) to associate the monitored changes with changes in the actual phase composition of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: STATOIL PETROLEUM AS
    Inventors: Lars Brenne, Svend Tarald Kibsgaard, Bjarne Monsen, Tom Odin Gaustad
  • Publication number: 20210108497
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus (30) and method for conditioning the flow of a mixed phase flow from a supply pipe (101) from a hydrocarbon well. The apparatus (30) comprises an elongate reservoir (11) having a first end for receiving a multi-phase fluid flow from the supply pipe and a second closed end, there being provided a gas outlet (02) from the upper part of the first end, a liquid separation region downstream of the first end, and a liquid outlet (12) from the lower part of the liquid separation region; and a gas-liquid mixer to which the gas and liquid outlets are connected such that the separated gas and liquid may be recombined. The reservoir (11) may accommodate surges of liquid such that the flow rate from the liquid outlet is relatively invariant over time compared to that of the flow received by the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventor: Lars BRENNE
  • Publication number: 20190374979
    Abstract: A method of cleaning deposited solid material from a fouled portion of a gas compressor whilst the gas compressor is in situ in a natural gas processing system is provided. The method comprises the steps of supplying a liquid cleaning agent to a gas inlet of the gas compressor, the liquid cleaning agent being capable of removing the deposited solid material; passing the liquid cleaning agent through the gas compressor to a gas outlet of the gas compressor, wherein at least a portion of the cleaning agent remains in a liquid state as it passes through the fouled portion of the gas compressor; and recovering a fluid containing removed material that is output from the gas compressor so as to prevent the removed material reaching one or more gas processing stages of the gas processing system downstream of the gas compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Applicant: Equinor Energy AS
    Inventors: Lars Brenne, Svend Tarald Kibsgaard, Tor Bjørge, Harald Underbakke
  • Publication number: 20190277115
    Abstract: A system (101) for providing information on production value and/or emissions of a hydrocarbon production system (1). The system (101) includes: a plurality of sensors (102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108) configured to measure a respective plurality of measured parameters (109) of the hydrocarbon production system; an input interface (111) for inputting a plurality of specified parameters (114) into the system (101); and a processor (110) configured to determine the production value and/or emissions of the hydrocarbon production system (1) in real time based upon the measured parameters (109) and the specified parameters (114).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Svend Tarald KIBSGAARD, Lars BRENNE, Astrid Helland TINGSTVEIT
  • Patent number: 10378515
    Abstract: A method of dynamically controlling a wind turbine having a rotor supporting a plurality of blades and a main bearing supporting the rotor, the method comprising detecting a load profile around the circumference of the main bearing, generating a control signal based on the detected load profile and dynamically adjusting the load profile of the main bearing using the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: STATOIL PETROLEUM AS
    Inventors: Svend Tarald Kibsgaard, Jone Torsvik, Lars Brenne
  • Patent number: 10132322
    Abstract: A method of operating and cleaning a compressor comprising the following steps: passing a first fluid through the compressor, the first fluid comprising gas from a separator wherein the compressor is operating to compress the first fluid passed therethrough, mixing well fluid bypassed from upstream of the separator with the gas from the separator to produce a second fluid comprising gas and liquid wherein the gas and liquid are from at least one well; and passing the second fluid through the compressor, wherein the second fluid is passed through the compressor for a limited time period to clean a surface inside the compressor, the compressor operating to compress the second fluid passed therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: STATOIL PETROLEUM AS
    Inventors: Lars Brenne, Tor Bjorge, Harald Underbakke, Svend Tarald Kibsgaard
  • Publication number: 20180188226
    Abstract: A method of identifying the phase composition and/or changes in the phase composition of a fluid flowing through a turbomachine includes monitoring changes in at least one electrical parameter associated with operation of the turbomachine, and employing a known correlation between phase composition and or phase composition changes, and changes in the electrical parameter(s) to associate the monitored changes with changes in the actual phase composition of the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: STATOIL PETROLEUM AS
    Inventors: Lars BRENNE, Svend Tarald KIBSGAARD, Bjarne MONSEN, Tom Odin GAUSTAD
  • Patent number: 9784075
    Abstract: A combined multi-phase pump and compressor unit and a gas compression system are provided. The combined multi-phase pump and compressor unit functions on a centrifugal principle for transporting liquid and gas from a flow conditioner to a remote multi-phase receiving plant, wherein a rotating separator separates liquid and gas upstream of a compressor part of the combined multi-phase pump and compressor unit, wherein the separated liquid is collected in a rotating annulus in such a way that the liquid is given kinetic energy which is converted to pressure energy in a static system, and wherein the pressurized liquid bypasses the compressor part of the combined multi-phase pump and compressor unit, and then is re-mixed with the gas downstream of the combined multi-phase pump and compressor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: STATOIL PETROLEUM AS
    Inventors: Tor Bjørge, Lars Brenne, Harald Underbakke, Bjorn-André Egerdahl, Rune Mode Ramberg, William Bakke
  • Patent number: 9784076
    Abstract: A gas compression system and a method of flow conditioning by a gas compression system are provided. A gas compression system includes a compact flow conditioner in a form of a flow conditioner tank and a combined multi-phase pump and compressor unit comprising an impeller configured to compress a mixture of gas and liquid, wherein the gas compression system is configured such that the gas and the liquid are separated in the flow conditioner tank, the separated gas and liquid are sucked up through the separate gas and liquid pipes and re-mixed again upstream of the impeller, and the liquid is distributed in a gas flow by Venturi effect, and wherein the Venturi effect is obtained by a constriction in the outlet pipe to the impeller, just upstream of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: STATOIL PETROLEUM AS
    Inventors: Tor Bjorge, Lars Brenne, Harald Underbakke, Bjorn-André Egerdahl, Rune Mode Ramberg, William Bakke
  • Publication number: 20170002822
    Abstract: A method and apparatus controls a compressor, where the compressor inlet gas may contain water and/or non-aqueous liquid. The method includes the steps of measuring temperature at the compressor inlet and/or outlet side, measuring pressure at the compressor inlet and outlet side in order to determine a compressor pressure ratio, measuring fluid mixture density at the compressor inlet and/or outlet side, measuring individual volume fractions of gas, water and non-aqueous liquid at the compressor inlet and/or outlet side, measuring fluid velocity at the compressor inlet and/or outlet side, and determining individual flow rates of gas, water and non-aqueous liquid on the basis of the measured individual volume fractions of gas, water and non aqueous liquid and the fluid velocity at the compressor inlet and/or outlet side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Applicant: STATOIL ASA
    Inventors: Lars BRENNE, Jan HØYDAL