Patents by Inventor Michael C. Oballa

Michael C. Oballa 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: 7563359
    Abstract: An aromatics/naphthalene rich stream obtained by processing heavy gas oil derived from tar sands and cycle oils derived from cracking heavy gas oil may optionally be blended and subjected to a hydrogenation process and a ring opening reaction typically in the presence of a zeolite, alumina, or silica alumina based catalyst which may contain noble metals and or copper or molybdenum to produce paraffinic feedstocks for further chemical processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Nova Chemical (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Michael C. Oballa, Andrzej Krzywicki, Sunny Ying-Shing Wong, Anthony Tse, Abdul Alim Fakih
  • Patent number: 7513988
    Abstract: Less conventional sources of hydrocarbon feedstocks such as oil sands, tar sands and shale oils are being exploited. These feedstocks generate a larger amount of heavy oil, gas oil, asphaltene products and the like containing multiple fused aromatic ring compounds. These multiple fused aromatic ring compounds can be converted into feed for a hydrocarbon cracker by first hydrogenating at least one ring in the compounds and subjecting the resulting compound to a ring opening and cleavage reaction. The resulting product comprises lower paraffins suitable for feed to a cracker, higher paraffins suitable for example as a gasoline fraction and mono aromatic ring compounds (e.g. BTX) that may be further treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignees: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A., Universitat Stuttgart
    Inventors: Michael C. Oballa, Vasily Simanzhenkov, Jens Weitkamp, Roger Gläser, Yvonne Traa, Fehime Demir
  • Patent number: 7488392
    Abstract: A stainless steel comprising at least 20 weight % of chromium and at least 1.0 weight % of manganese is adapted to support an overcoating having a thickness from 1 to 10 microns of a spinel of the formula MnxCr3?xO4 wherein x is from 0.5 to 2. Preferably the overcoating is on chromia and has stability against chemical reaction at temperatures at least 25° C. higher than the uncoated chromia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Leslie Wilfred Benum, Michael C. Oballa, Sabino Steven Anthony Petrone
  • Patent number: 7156979
    Abstract: A thermal cracking process using tubes, pipes, and coils made of. An outermost surface covering not less than 55% of stainless steel, said surface having a thickness from 0.1 to 15 microns and being a spinel of the formula MnxCr3-xO4 wherein x is from 0.5 to 2 is not prone to coking and is suitable for hydrocarbyl reactions such as furnace tubes for cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Leslie Wilfred Benum, Michael C. Oballa, Sabino Steven Anthony Petrone, Weixing Chen
  • Patent number: 7128139
    Abstract: In a radiant heating box there is a convection current which flows over the surface of tubes in the box. Adding ribs to the external surface of vertical tubes provides an enhancement to the heat transfer by convection and increases the heat transfer to the tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Michael C. Oballa, Leslie Wilfred Benum, Marvin Harvey Weiss
  • Patent number: 7056399
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process to treat steels, preferably carbon steel to reduce the tendency of the steel to form coke when in contact with hydrocarbons at elevated temperatures. The steel may be first reduced then treated with a mixture of compounds which further modify the reduced surface and finally the treated steel surface is cured. The treated steel has a reduced propensity to form coke when in contact with hydrocarbons particularly at higher temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: NOVA Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Haiyong Cai, Michael C. Oballa, Andrzej Krzywicki, Leslie Wilfred Benum
  • Patent number: 6899966
    Abstract: A composite surface having a thickness from 10 to 5,000 microns comprising a spinel of the formula MnxCr3?xO4 wherein x is from 0.5 to 2 and oxides of Mn, Si selected from the group consisting of MnO, MnSiO3, Mn2SiO4 and mixtures thereof which are not prone to coking and are suitable for hydrocarbyl reactions such as furnace tubes for cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Leslie Wilfred Benum, Michael C. Oballa, Sabino Steven Anthony Petrone
  • Publication number: 20040265604
    Abstract: A composite surface having a thickness from 10 to 5,000 microns comprising a spinel of the formula MnxCr3-xO4 wherein x is from 0.5 to 2 and oxides of Mn, Si selected from the group consisting of MnO, MnSiO3, Mn2SiO4 and mixtures thereof which are not prone to coking and are suitable for hydrocarbyl reactions such as furnace tubes for cracking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: NOVA Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Leslie Wilfred Benum, Michael C. Oballa, Sabino Steven Anthony Petrone
  • Patent number: 6824883
    Abstract: An outermost surface covering not less than 55% of stainless steel, said surface having a thickness from 0.1 to 15 microns and being a spinel of the formula MnxCr3-xO4 wherein x is from 0.5 to 2 is not prone to coking and is suitable for hydrocarbyl reactions such as furnace tubes for cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Leslie Wilfred Benum, Michael C. Oballa, Sabino Steven Anthony Petrone, Weixing Chen
  • Publication number: 20040216815
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process to treat steels, preferably carbon steel to reduce the tendency of the steel to form coke when in contact with hydrocarbons at elevated temperatures. The steel may be first reduced then treated with a mixture of compounds which further modify the reduced surface and finally the treated steel surface is cured. The treated steel has a reduced propensity to form coke when in contact with hydrocarbons particularly at higher temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventors: Haiyong Cai, Michael C. Oballa, Andrzej Krzywicki, Leslie Wilfred Benum
  • Patent number: 6772771
    Abstract: In a steam cracking operation the formation of coke is a problem which needs to be overcome. While significant work has been done on decoking of furnaces little work has been done regarding transfer line exchangers. Coking of transfer line exchangers (TLE) may be reduced by injection of a solution containing at least one group 1 or 2 metal dichromate or dichromate and one or more of a group 1, 2 or 7 metal carbonate into the TLE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Haiyong Cai, Michael C. Oballa, Andrzej Krzywicki, Ted Magtanong, Les Benum
  • Publication number: 20030183248
    Abstract: In a steam cracking operation the formation of coke is a problem which needs to be overcome. While significant work has been done on decoking of furnaces little work has been done regarding transfer line exchangers. Coking of transfer line exchangers (TLE) may be reduced by injection of a solution containing at least one group 1 or 2 metal dichromate or dichromate and one or more of a group 1, 2 or 7 metal carbonate into the TLE.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Applicant: NOVA Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Haiyong Cai, Michael C. Oballa, Andrzej Krzywicki, Ted Magtanong, Les Benum
  • Patent number: 6436202
    Abstract: Heat resistant stainless steel may be treated in a low oxidizing atmosphere in a heat/soak-heat/soak sequence to deplete its surface of Ni and Cr which tend to catalyze coking of hydrocarbons in contact with the surface of the stainless steel, and enrich it with elements which are inert to coke formation. Parts made of stainless steel, such as furnace tubes or coils, treated in accordance with the present invention when used have a significantly reduced rate of catalytic coking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Leslie Wilfred Benum, Michael C. Oballa
  • Patent number: 6111156
    Abstract: A combined chain of a high temperature, high conversion steam cracker in combination with a polymerization or oligomerization unit provides capital and operating cost reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Michael C. Oballa, David Purvis, Andrzej Z. Krzywicki, Leslie W. Benum
  • Patent number: 5124024
    Abstract: A method for prolonging a hydroconversion catalyst life-time is provided. An additive functional to partially redirect the deposition of catalytic poisoning agents on the catalyst is utilized. The additive may comprise a chemically inert, porous carbonaceous material or ferruginous clay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignees: Nova Husky Research Corporation, Alberta Research Council
    Inventors: Andrzej Krzywicki, Leszek Lewkowicz, Michael C. Oballa