Patents by Inventor Lawrence Edward Whittington

Lawrence Edward Whittington 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: 6207808
    Abstract: A method of making surfactants from lignin is disclosed by reducing lignin in the presence of a metal oxide or iron based catalyst in an organic hydrogen donor solvent to produce lignin phenol and subjecting the lignin phenol to one or a combination of several reactions such as alkoxylation, alkylation, sulfonation, sulfation, alkoxysulfation, and sulfomethylation. The lignin surfactants so produced can be employed in a surfactant system to recover oil from underground formations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Gene Naae, Lawrence Edward Whittington, Dan Edward Kieke
  • Patent number: 6100385
    Abstract: A method of making surfactants from lignin is disclosed by reducing lignin in the presence of a metal oxide or iron based catalyst in an organic hydrogen donor solvent to produce lignin phenol and subjecting the lignin phenol to one or a combination of several reactions such as alkoxylation, alkylation, sulfonation, sulfation, alkoxysulfation, and sulfomethylation. The lignin surfactants so produced can be employed in a surfactant system to recover oil from underground formations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Gene Naae, Lawrence Edward Whittington, Dan Edward Kieke