Patents by Inventor Ramesh Varadaraj

Ramesh Varadaraj 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).

  • Method to alter coke morphology using either polynuclear aromatic compounds or functionalized lignin
    Publication number: 20090314689
    Abstract: A method for altering coke morphology in a delayed coking process of heavy oil is provided. An effective amount of one or more oil dispersible or oil soluble polynuclear aromatic compounds, or functionalized lignin, is added or contacted with the resid or heavy oil at a point before or after the step of heating the heavy oil to coking temperatures. The addition of additives facilitates the formation of shot coke and inhibits the formation of sponge coke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Siskin Michael, Leo D. Brown
  • Enhanced thermal upgrading of heavy oil using aromatic polysulfonic acid salts
    Patent number: 7594989
    Abstract: A method for upgrading heavy oils by contacting the heavy oil with a water-soluble aromatic polysulfonic acid salt and then thermally treating the contacted heavy oil. The polysulfonic acid salt can be recovered and recycled from contacting the heavy oil. The polysulfonic acid salt is recovered and recycled. The invention also relates to the upgraded product from the enhanced thermal treatment process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: ExxonMobile Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Leo D. Brown
  • Polar solvent-asphaltene dispersant method for upgrading heavy oils
    Patent number: 7579303
    Abstract: A method for reducing the viscosity and toluene equivalence of an oil containing asphaltenes comprises the steps of: a) mixing with the oil, a polar solvent, and an asphaltene dispersant additive wherein the weight ratio of oil:polar solvent is in the range of 10:0.1 to 10:5, the asphaltene dispersant additive is at a treat rate in the range of 0.025 to 5 weight percent based on the weight of the oil, and then, b) removing at least 90 wt % of the polar solvent from the mixture of oil, polar solvent and the asphaltene dispersant additive to provide upgraded oil with reduced viscosity and toluene equivalence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Cornelius Hendrick Brons
  • Oil/Water Separation of Full Well Stream By Flocculation-Demulsification Process
    Publication number: 20090200213
    Abstract: A process for the separation of production fluids is provided. The production fluids comprise an oil/water emulsion stabilized with fine solids. The emulsion may further comprise asphaltenes and naphthenic acids and resins. The process includes subjecting the emulsion to a flocculating agent to flocculate solids within the emulsion, and separating water and solids from crude oil in a first separator. The process further includes subjecting the separated crude oil to a demulsifier after subjecting the emulsion to a flocculating agent, and further separating water from the crude oil in a second separator. A process for producing fluids from a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir is also provided, using the separation processes herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Lee A. Littlejohn
  • Core Annular Flow of Heavy Crude Oils In Transportation Pipelines and Production Wellbores
    Publication number: 20090203562
    Abstract: A method is provided for enhancing the shear stability of a high-viscosity fluid-water flow system, such as a core annular flow system. The method employs a family of demulsifier additives for maintaining separation of the fluids in biphasic flow. The additive family is sodium salts of polynuclear aromatic sulfonic acids. In one aspect, the high-viscosity fluid is heavy oil. A method of transporting heavy oil through a tubular body is also provided. The method includes pumping the heavy oil through the tubular body within an annular flow of water, and subjecting the water in the tubular body to a salt of a polynuclear, aromatic sulfonic acid additive so as to improve shear stability of the heavy oil and water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Eugene R. Thomas
  • Method to alter coke morphology using metal salts of aromatic sulfonic acids and/or polysulfonic acids
    Publication number: 20090184029
    Abstract: A method for altering coke morphology in a delayed coking process of heavy oil is provided. An effective amount of oil dispersible or oil soluble metal salts of aromatic sulfonic acids and/or polysulfonic acids is added or contacted with the resid or heavy oil at a point before or after the step of heating the heavy oil to coking temperatures. The addition of additives facilitates the formation of shot coke and inhibits the formation of sponge coke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Michael Siskin, Leo D. Brown, Cornelius H. Brons
  • Demulsification of Water-In-Oil Emulsion
    Publication number: 20090166028
    Abstract: A method of demulsifying a water-in-oil emulsion is provided. The method includes treating a volume of fluids comprising oil and water by adding a salt of a polynuclear, aromatic sulfonic acid to the fluids so as to cause the oil and water to be at least partially demulsified. The method may further include separating water and oil in a separator. A method of producing hydrocarbons from a subsurface reservoir is also provided. The hydrocarbons include a water-in-oil emulsion. The method includes producing the hydrocarbons through a wellbore, and subjecting the water-in-oil emulsion to a salt of a polynuclear, aromatic sulfonic acid additive so as to cause the oil and water to be at least partially demulsified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Cornelius Brons
  • Inhibitor enhanced thermal upgrading of heavy oils
    Patent number: 7537686
    Abstract: A method for upgrading heavy oils by contacting the heavy oil with an inhibitor additive and then thermally treating the inhibitor additized heavy oil. The invention also relates to the upgraded product from the inhibitor enhanced thermal treatment process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Christopher P. Eppig, Douglas W. Hissong, Robert C. Welch
  • Alkoxylated alkyl ester and alcohol emulsion compositions for fuel cell reformer start-up
    Patent number: 7481854
    Abstract: The present invention relates to emulsion compositions for starting a reformer of a fuel cell system. In particular, the invention includes emulsion compositions comprising hydrocarbon fuel, water and alkoxylated alcohol surfactants for starting a reformer of a fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Paul Joseph Berlowitz
  • Upgrading asphaltene containing oils
    Patent number: 7435333
    Abstract: A method for reducing the viscosity and surface wetting tendency of an oil containing hydrophilic aspaltenes comprises adding to said oil an amount of hydrophobic asphaltenes in the range of 1 to 80 wt % based on weight of the hydrophilic asphaltense of said oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Cornelius Hendrick Brons
  • Mineral acid enhanced thermal treatment for viscosity reduction of oils (ECB-0002)
    Patent number: 7419939
    Abstract: The invention describes a method for decreasing the viscosity of crude oils and residuum utilizing a combination of thermal and acidic treatment. Further, the invention describes a method for making a water-in-oil emulsion, or a solids-stabilized water-in-oil emulsion with a reduced viscosity. The emulsion can be used in enhanced oil recovery methods, including using the emulsion as a drive fluid to displace hydrocarbons in a subterranean formation, and using the emulsion as a barrier fluid for diverting flow of fluids in the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Ramesh Varadaraj
  • Alkoxylated alkyl ester and alcohol emulsion compositions for fuel cell reformer start-up
    Patent number: 7413584
    Abstract: The present invention relates to emulsion compositions for starting a reformer of a fuel cell system. In particular, the invention includes emulsion compositions comprising hydrocarbon fuel, water and alkoxylated alcohol surfactants for starting a reformer of a fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Paul Joseph Berlowitz
  • Oil-in-water-in-oil emulsion
    Publication number: 20080108527
    Abstract: An oil-in-water-in-oil emulsion (O/W/O) comprising a first oil-in-water emulsion dispersed in a second oil, and a method of preparing the same. The O/W/O emulsion can be used as a drive fluid in an enhanced oil recovery process. The O/W/O emulsion of this invention may also be used as a lubricant, and has the beneficial property of being resistant to shear forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventor: Ramesh Varadaraj
  • Oil-in-water-in-oil emulsion
    Publication number: 20080103077
    Abstract: An oil-in-water-in-oil emulsion (O/W/O) comprising a first oil-in-water emulsion dispersed in a second oil, and a method of preparing the same. The O/W/O emulsion can be used as a drive fluid in an enhanced oil recovery process. The O/W/O emulsion of this invention may also be used as a lubricant, and has the beneficial property of being resistant to shear forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventor: Ramesh Varadaraj
  • Oil-in-water-in-oil emulsion
    Patent number: 7338924
    Abstract: An oil-in-water-in-oil emulsion (O/W/O) comprising a first oil-in-water emulsion dispersed in a second oil, and a method of preparing the same. The O/W/O emulsion can be used as a drive fluid in an enhanced oil recovery process. The O/W/O emulsion of this invention may also be used as a lubricant, and has the beneficial property of being resistant to shear forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Ramesh Varadaraj
  • Method for improving oil desalting by forming unstable water-in-oil emulsions
    Patent number: 7323342
    Abstract: A method for determination for a given oil the relative stability of a water-in-oil emulsion that will be formed by that oil with water comprises measuring for the given oil the weight fraction of the oil that is most strongly adsorbed on a silica gel column successively eluted with n-hexane, toluene and methylene chloride-methanol mixture solvents and determining whether said weight fraction is greater than about 0.05; with a value above 0.05 being determinative of an emulsion more stable than one with a value less than 0.05.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventor: Ramesh Varadaraj
  • Inversion of water-in-oil emulsions to oil-in-water emulsions
    Publication number: 20070276052
    Abstract: A method to invert a water-in-oil emulsion to an oil-in-water emulsion comprises contacting the water-in-oil emulsion with an aqueous colloidal dispersion including hydroxides of elements of Group II and Group III of The Periodic Table of Elements and mixtures thereof and then mixing the water-in-oil emulsion and aqueous colloidal dispersion until the water-in-oil emulsion inverts to an oil-in-water emulsion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventor: Ramesh Varadaraj
  • Surfactant Enhance Fluid Catalytic Cracking Process
    Publication number: 20070267323
    Abstract: The atomization of a fluid injected into an atomization zone is enhanced by providing the fluid with an effective amount of an additive capable of reducing the static and dynamic interfacial tension of the fluid components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Applicant: Exxon Mobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, George Swan III, James Dearth, Stuart Goldstein, W. Adamson
  • Complex oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O) emulsion compositions for fuel cell reformer start-up
    Patent number: 7232470
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O) emulsion compositions for starring a reformer or a fuel cell system. The oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O) emulsion compositions include hydrocarbon fuel, water, alkoxylated alkyl alcohol, alkoxylated alkyl ester and alkyl polyglycerol surfactants, and are used for starring a reformer of a fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Enigeering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Paul J. Berlowitz
  • Complex oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O) emulsion compositions for fuel cell reformer start-up
    Publication number: 20070059567
    Abstract: The present invention relates to emulsion compositions for starting a reformer of a fuel cell system. In particular, the invention includes oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O) emulsion compositions comprising hydrocarbon fuel, water, alkoxylated alkyl alcohol, alkoxylated alkyl ester and alkyl polyglycerol surfactants for starting a reformer of a fuel cell system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Paul Berlowitz