Patents by Inventor Theodore J. W. Frauenfeld

Theodore J. W. Frauenfeld 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: 5899274
    Abstract: The invention provides a solvent-assisted method for mobilizing viscous heavy oil or bitumen in a reservoir under reservoir conditions without the need to adjust the temperature or pressure. The invention utilizes mixtures of hydrocarbon solvents such as ethane, propane and butane, which dissolve in oil and reduce its viscosity. Two or more solvents are mixed in such proportions that the dew point of the solvent mixture corresponds with reservoir temperature and pressure conditions. The solvent mixture, when injected into a reservoir, exists predominantly in the vapor phase, minimizing the solvent requirement. The invention can be practised in the context of paired injector and producer wells, or a single well cyclic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority
    Inventors: Theodore J. W. Frauenfeld, Douglas A. Lillico