Patents by Inventor Ron Sherstan

Ron Sherstan 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: 9581520
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems to detect crack-like features in pipeline welds using magnetic flux leakage data and pattern recognition. A screening process, for example, does not affect or change how survey data is recorded in survey tools; only how it is analyzed after the survey data is completed. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to screen for very narrow axial anomalies in the pipeline welds, and may also be used to predict the length of such anomalies. Embodiments of the present invention also produce a listing of the anomalies based on their relative signal characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Kinder Morgan, Inc.
    Inventors: Noel Duckworth, Ron Sherstan
  • Patent number: 9243972
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide computer-implemented methods to detect crack-like features in pipeline welds using magnetic flux leakage data and pattern recognition. A screening process, for example, does not affect or change how survey data is recorded in survey tools; only how it is analyzed after the survey data is completed. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to screen for very narrow axial anomalies in the pipeline welds, and may also be used to predict the length of such anomalies. Embodiments of the present invention also produce a listing of the anomalies based on their relative signal characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Kinder Morgan, Inc.
    Inventors: Noel Duckworth, Ron Sherstan
  • Patent number: 8140273
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, program product and methods to detect crack-like features in pipeline welds using magnetic flux leakage data and pattern recognition. A screening process, for example, does not affect or change how survey data is recorded in survey tools; only how it is analyzed after the survey data is completed. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to screen for very narrow axial anomalies in the pipeline welds, and may also be used to predict the length of such anomalies. Embodiments of the present invention also produce a listing of the anomalies based on their relative signal characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Kinder Morgan Kansas, Inc.
    Inventors: Noel Duckworth, Ron Sherstan
  • Publication number: 20110098941
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, program product and methods to detect crack-like features in pipeline welds using magnetic flux leakage data and pattern recognition. A screening process, for example, does not affect or change how survey data is recorded in survey tools; only how it is analyzed after the survey data is completed. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to screen for very narrow axial anomalies in the pipeline welds, and may also be used to predict the length of such anomalies. Embodiments of the present invention also produce a listing of the anomalies based on their relative signal characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Noel Duckworth, Ron Sherstan
  • Publication number: 20110068782
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide computer-implemented methods to detect crack-like features in pipeline welds using magnetic flux leakage data and pattern recognition. A screening process, for example, does not affect or change how survey data is recorded in survey tools; only how it is analyzed after the survey data is completed. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to screen for very narrow axial anomalies in the pipeline welds, and may also be used to predict the length of such anomalies. Embodiments of the present invention also produce a listing of the anomalies based on their relative signal characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicants: Kinder Morgan, Inc., Knight, Inc.
    Inventors: Noel Duckworth, Ron Sherstan
  • Publication number: 20110062951
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems to detect crack-like features in pipeline welds using magnetic flux leakage data and pattern recognition. A screening process, for example, does not affect or change how survey data is recorded in survey tools; only how it is analyzed after the survey data is completed. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to screen for very narrow axial anomalies in the pipeline welds, and may also be used to predict the length of such anomalies. Embodiments of the present invention also produce a listing of the anomalies based on their relative signal characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Noel Duckworth, Ron Sherstan
  • Patent number: 7899628
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, program product and methods to detect crack-like features in pipeline welds using magnetic flux leakage data and pattern recognition. A screening process, for example, does not affect or change how survey data is recorded in survey tools; only how it is analyzed after the survey data is completed. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to screen for very narrow axial anomalies in the pipeline welds, and may also be used to predict the length of such anomalies. Embodiments of the present invention also produce a listing of the anomalies based on their relative signal characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kinder Morgan, Inc.
    Inventors: Noel Duckworth, Ron Sherstan
  • Publication number: 20090164143
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, program product and methods to detect crack-like features in pipeline welds using magnetic flux leakage data and pattern recognition. A screening process, for example, does not affect or change how survey data is recorded in survey tools; only how it is analyzed after the survey data is completed. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to screen for very narrow axial anomalies in the pipeline welds, and may also be used to predict the length of such anomalies. Embodiments of the present invention also produce a listing of the anomalies based on their relative signal characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Noel Duckworth, Ron Sherstan
  • Patent number: 7414395
    Abstract: The method for detecting stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of pipelines, comprising the steps of: identifying pipeline locations and pipeline conditions that are amenable to inspection by a magnetic flux inline tool and by a TFI tool; performing two inspections on the pipeline, one inspection performed using the magnetic flux inline (MFL) tool and an other inspection performed using the TFI tool; aligning signal features resulting from the two inspections; identifying TFI signals occurring above a specified threshold; identifying MFL signals for a section of pipeline corresponding to the identified TFI signals; for the identified TFI signals, determining whether the MFL signals are below a second threshold level; designating the sections of the pipeline corresponding to identified TFI signals above the threshold and below the second threshold as a potential corrosion feature; identifying TFI signals that exceed a defined metal loss percentage; measuring a width and length of the signal features, and if the widt
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ming Gao, Sergio Limon, Richard Clark McNealy, Ron Sherstan
  • Publication number: 20070222436
    Abstract: The method for detecting stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of pipelines, comprising the steps of: identifying pipeline locations and pipeline conditions that are amenable to inspection by a magnetic flux inline tool and by a TFI tool; performing two inspections on the pipeline, one inspection performed using the magnetic flux inline (MFL) tool and an other inspection performed using the TFI tool; aligning signal features resulting from the two inspections; identifying TFI signals occurring above a specified threshold; identifying MFL signals for a section of pipeline corresponding to the identified TFI signals; for the identified TFI signals, determining whether the MFL signals are below a second threshold level; designating the sections of the pipeline corresponding to identified TFI signals above the threshold and below the second threshold as a potential corrosion feature; identifying TFI signals that exceed a defined metal loss percentage; measuring a width and length of the signal features, and if the widt
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ming Gao, Sergio Limon, Richard Clark McNealy, Ron Sherstan