Patents by Inventor Steven Michael Sterner

Steven Michael Sterner 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).

  • Variable position gas trap
    Patent number: 7794527
    Abstract: A variable position gas trap apparatus and method to separate gases entrained in drilling fluid in a tank. The apparatus includes a gas trap attached to a carriage and a frame attached to the tank. A lever moveable by the float rod, activates the control valve to raise or lower the carriage having the gas trap container attached thereto. A feedback control loop is responsive to changes in the level of the drilling fluid in the tank. A mechanism is provided to mechanically and automatically move the carriage with respect to the frame in response to the feedback control loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Fluid Inclusion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Michael Sterner
  • VARIABLE POSITION GAS TRAP
    Publication number: 20090077936
    Abstract: A variable position gas trap apparatus and method to separate gases entrained in drilling fluid in a tank. The apparatus includes a gas trap attached to a carriage and a frame attached to the tank. A lever moveable by the float rod, activates the control valve to raise or lower the carriage having the gas trap container attached thereto. A feedback control loop is responsive to changes in the level of the drilling fluid in the tank. A mechanism is provided to mechanically and automatically move the carriage with respect to the frame in response to the feedback control loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: FLUID INCLUSION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Steven Michael Sterner
  • Method and apparatus for determining gas content of subsurface fluids for oil and gas exploration
    Patent number: 7395691
    Abstract: A process to analyze fluid entrained in well boreholes. The process includes gathering trap gas samples from return of drilling mud at multiple depths. The process also includes the steps of subjecting the samples to mass spectrometry in order to determine mass to charge ratios data of hydrocarbons and analyzing the mass to charge ratios data in relation to depth or time. Samples from at least one other source may also be gathered and analyzed chosen from the group consisting of mud fluid analysis, cuttings backgrounds analysis and cuttings crush analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Fluid Inclusion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Michael Sterner, Donald Lewis Hall, Wells Shentwu
  • Method and apparatus for determining gas content of subsurface fluids for oil and gas exploration
    Patent number: 7210342
    Abstract: A process to analyze fluid entrained in well boreholes. The process includes gathering trap gas samples from return of drilling mud at multiple depths. The process also includes the steps of subjecting the samples to mass spectrometry in order to determine mass to charge ratios data of hydrocarbons and analyzing the mass to charge ratios data in relation to depth or time. Samples from at least one other source may also be gathered and analyzed chosen from the group consisting of mud fluid analysis, cuttings backgrounds analysis and cuttings crush analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Fluid Inclusion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Michael Sterner, Donald Lewis Hall, Wells Shentwu