Patents by Inventor Melvin E. Smith

Melvin E. Smith 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).

  • Geochemical exploration using isoprenoids
    Patent number: 3975157
    Abstract: A geochemical exploration technique wherein petroleum source rocks are characterized on the basis of an Isoprenoid Generation Index, IGI, which is the ratio of the relative concentrations of the 20-carbon isoprenoid and the sum of the 18 and 16 carbon isoprenoids. Organic extracts of rocks in which diagenesis has not proceeded far enough to have produced migratable petroleum have an IGI of 3 or greater, whereas crude oils and extracts of source rocks have lower values. The IGI is used to calculate other, origin-diagnostic parameters useful in correlating oils and extracts of marine origin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1976
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventor: Melvin E. Smith