Patents by Inventor Sandra Heimel

Sandra Heimel 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).

  • Publication number: 20190169057
    Abstract: Produced water from a crude oil or natural gas production process is purified using a membrane purification system for petroleum production, agricultural, commercial and domestic uses. The produced water is pretreated to remove, at least, particulates and oil from the produced water. The minimally pretreated water is then purified in a membrane purification system that is operated at conditions such that contaminants are removed. In particular, the membrane purification system is operated with pH adjustments to allow boron and ammonia to be effectively removed. In some embodiments, greater than 95% of the boron content and greater than 95% of the ammonia content are removed. Some method embodiments include no separate ion exchange separation step capable of removing ammonia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventor: Sandra HEIMEL
  • Patent number: 10287201
    Abstract: Produced water from a crude oil or natural gas production process is purified using a membrane purification system for petroleum production, agricultural, commercial and domestic uses. The produced water is pretreated to remove, at least, particulates and oil from the produced water. The minimally pretreated water is then purified in a membrane purification system, that is operated at conditions such that membrane scaling is reduced or prevented. In particular, the membrane purification system is operated to maintain the turbidity of clarified water feed to the system or intermediate aqueous streams that are cascading through the membrane purification system. Ensuring that the turbidity of the reject streams generated in the membrane system are useful in achieving long membrane operating life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Sandra Heimel, Ronald David Hobbs, Fan-Sheng Teddy Tao
  • Publication number: 20160009582
    Abstract: Produced water from a crude oil or natural gas production process is purified using a membrane purification system for petroleum production, agricultural, commercial and domestic uses. The produced water is pretreated to remove, at least, particulates and oil from the produced water. The minimally pretreated water is then purified in a membrane purification system, that is operated at conditions such that membrane scaling is reduced or prevented. In particular, the membrane purification system is operated to maintain the turbidity of clarified water feed to the system or intermediate aqueous streams that are cascading through the membrane purification system. Ensuring that the turbidity of the reject streams generated in the membrane system are useful in achieving long membrane operating life.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Sandra Heimel, Ronald David Hobbs, Fan-Sheng Teddy Tao