Patents by Inventor Michael G. Starkey

Michael G. Starkey 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: 10175094
    Abstract: The present techniques are directed to systems and methods for monitoring parameter data from sensors, for example, in a subsea environment. In one method, an electrical signal including data from the subsea unit is converted into an acoustic signal. The acoustic signal is directed through the water column towards a fiber optic cable. The acoustic signal is detected by changes in a light signal carried in the fiber optic cable, and the changes in the light signal are decoded to obtain a data stream representing the parameter data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Michael G. Starkey, Kevin T. Corbett
  • Patent number: 9868910
    Abstract: A process for managing hydrates and hydrocarbon-based solids in a hydrocarbon stream. The process includes: introducing the hydrocarbon stream into an inlet of a system comprising at least a first cold flow reactor and a second cold flow reactor, each cold flow reactor comprising a heat exchanger and at least one static mixer; directing at least a portion of the hydrocarbon stream to the first cold flow reactor; cooling the portion of the hydrocarbon stream directed to the first cold flow reactor to a temperature less than the hydrate formation temperature, the temperature effective to substantially complete hydrate formation upon exiting the system to form a hydrate and hydrocarbon-based solids managed hydrocarbon stream; directing a lesser portion of the hydrocarbon stream to the second cold flow reactor; and remediating the second cold flow reactor by removing hydrate or hydrocarbon-based solids formed on internal surfaces of the second cold flow reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Jason W. LaChance, Michael G. Starkey, William E. Bond
  • Patent number: 9645002
    Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying the level of media in a vessel with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the vessel. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and the one or more media exposed to the sensing cable. An optical signal interrogator is adapted to receive a signal from each of a plurality of sensor locations and measure a temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to identify a level of each of media by determining properties of the media exposed to the sensing cable at each of the sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Yibing Zhang, Limin Song, Mohsen Shahmirzadi Yeganeh, Geoff Keiser, Zhen Li, Michael G. Starkey
  • Publication number: 20160355740
    Abstract: A process for managing hydrates and hydrocarbon-based solids in a hydrocarbon stream. The process includes: introducing the hydrocarbon stream into an inlet of a system comprising at least a first cold flow reactor and a second cold flow reactor, each cold flow reactor comprising a heat exchanger and at least one static mixer; directing at least a portion of the hydrocarbon stream to the first cold flow reactor; cooling the portion of the hydrocarbon stream directed to the first cold flow reactor to a temperature less than the hydrate formation temperature, the temperature effective to substantially complete hydrate formation upon exiting the system to form a hydrate and hydrocarbon-based solids managed hydrocarbon stream; directing a lesser portion of the hydrocarbon stream to the second cold flow reactor; and remediating the second cold flow reactor by removing hydrate or hydrocarbon-based solids formed on internal surfaces of the second cold flow reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Jason W. LaChance, Michael G. Starkey, William E. Bond
  • Publication number: 20160161327
    Abstract: The present techniques are directed to systems and methods for monitoring parameter data from sensors, for example, in a subsea environment. In one method, an electrical signal including data from the subsea unit is converted into an acoustic signal. The acoustic signal is directed through the water column towards a fiber optic cable. The acoustic signal is detected by changes in a light signal carried in the fiber optic cable, and the changes in the light signal are decoded to obtain a data stream representing the parameter data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Michael G. Starkey, Kevin T. Corbett
  • Publication number: 20140290357
    Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying the level of media in a vessel with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the vessel. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and the one or more media exposed to the sensing cable. An optical signal interrogator is adapted to receive a signal from each of a plurality of sensor locations and measure a temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to identify a level of each of media by determining properties of the media exposed to the sensing cable at each of the sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Yibing Zhang, Limin Song, Mohsen Shahmirzadi Yeganeh, Geoff Keiser, Zhen Li, Michael G. Starkey