Patents by Inventor Min Jack Tham

Min Jack Tham 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).

  • Serially burning and pyrolyzing to produce shale oil from a subterranean oil shale
    Patent number: 3987851
    Abstract: A process for producing shale oil by circulating hot fluid through a rubble-containing cavern within a subterranean oil shale which contains water-soluble mineral is improved by burning a carbonaceous residue left within one cavity to produce hot fluid for operating power devices and also pyrolyzing the oil shale in a different cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1976
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Min Jack Tham
  • Producing shale oil from a cavity-surrounded central well
    Patent number: 3967853
    Abstract: In producing shale oil by circulating hot fluid into and out of void spaces within a subterranean oil shale, a plurality of cavities are formed around a central well, the cavities and the well are interconnected by leaching an areally extensive void space within a layer of water-soluble mineral, and hot fluid is circulated in through the cavities and out through the central well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1975
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1976
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Philip J. Closmann, Min Jack Tham
  • Subterranean oil shale pyrolysis with permeating and consolidating steps
    Patent number: 3945679
    Abstract: In producing shale oil by circulating hot fluid into and out of a rubble-containing cavern within a subterranean oil shale, plugging is avoided by permeating a portion of oil shale, consolidating a permeated portion, inflowing fluid outside the consolidated portion, and outflowing fluid from within the consolidated portion so the fluid is filtered through the consolidated portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1976
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Philip J. Closmann, Gary Drinkard, Evan H. Street, Charles C. Templeton, Min Jack Tham