Patents by Inventor Thomas David Fowler

Thomas David Fowler 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).

  • IN SITU THERMAL PROCESSING OF A COAL FORMATION AND TUNING PRODUCTION
    Publication number: 20040069486
    Abstract: A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The mixture may be produced from the formation through production wells. A spacing between production wells, and operating conditions of production wells and heat injection wells, may allow the produced mixture to have a desired ratio of condensable hydrocarbons to non-condensable hydrocarbons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation in a hydrogen-rich environment
    Patent number: 6719047
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. A high hydrogen partial pressure within the formation may allow for hydrogenation of formation fluid within the formation. In addition, hydrogen, from produced formation fluid or from another source, may be used to hydrogenate produced fluid in a surface hydrogenation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Thomas David Fowler, Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation to produce nitrogen containing formation fluids
    Patent number: 6715548
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The mixture produced from the formation may contain condensable hydrocarbons fluids with some nitrogen containing hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation with a selected atomic oxygen to carbon ratio
    Patent number: 6715549
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The formation to be treated may be selected based on initial elemental oxygen to carbon ratio of the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a coal formation in reducing environment
    Patent number: 6712135
    Abstract: A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. A high hydrogen partial pressure within the formation may allow for hydrogenation of formation fluid within the formation. In addition, hydrogen, from produced formation fluid or from another source, may be used to hydrogenate produced fluid in a surface hydrogenation unit. The mixture produced from the formation may have a relatively high hydrogen partial pressure, and a large portion of the pressure within the formation may be attributable to hydrogen partial pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a coal formation to pyrolyze a selected percentage of hydrocarbon material
    Patent number: 6712137
    Abstract: A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat may be allowed to transfer from one or more heat sources to a selected section of the formation such that superimposed heat from the one or more heat sources pyrolyzes a relatively large portion of hydrocarbon material within the selected section of the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation using a selected production well spacing
    Patent number: 6712136
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The mixture may be produced from the formation through production wells. A spacing between production wells, and operating conditions of production wells and heat injection wells, may allow the produced mixture to have a desired ratio of condensable hydrocarbons to non-condensable hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a coal formation leaving one or more selected unprocessed areas
    Patent number: 6708758
    Abstract: A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. An unpyrolyzed section may be left between two substantially pyrolyzed sections to inhibit subsidence of the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, John Michael Karanikas, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation with heat sources located at an edge of a formation layer
    Patent number: 6702016
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat sources within a relatively thin layer of hydrocarbon material may be positioned in a staggered pattern near to edges of the layer so that superposition of heat from the heat sources allows a large percentage of the layer to reach a desired temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Kevin Albert Maher, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a coal formation using a relatively slow heating rate
    Patent number: 6698515
    Abstract: A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat input into the formation may be controlled to raise a temperature of the formation at a selected rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: John Michael Karanikas, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation to produce a hydrocarbon condensate
    Patent number: 6688387
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. Hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat input into the formation may be controlled to raise a temperature of the formation at a selected rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Jr., John Michael Karanikas, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • IN SITU THERMAL PROCESSING OF A HYDROCARBON CONTAINING FORMATION TO PRODUCE A HYDROCARBON CONDENSATE
    Publication number: 20040015023
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. Hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat input into the formation may be controlled to raise a temperature of the formation at a selected rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Gordon Thomas Shahin, John Michael Karanikas, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation to produce a mixture with a selected hydrogen content
    Publication number: 20030213594
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. The mixture produced from the formation may have a relatively high hydrogen partial pressure, and a large portion of the pressure within the formation may be attributable to hydrogen partial pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Applicant: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of an oil reservoir formation
    Publication number: 20030173081
    Abstract: An in situ process for treating an oil containing formation is provided. The process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the formation. The heat may be allowed to transfer from the one or more heaters to a part of the formation such that heat from the one or more heat sources pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons within the part. Hydrocarbons may be produced from the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Ilya Emil Berchenko, Eric P. de Rouffignac, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan, Scott Lee Wellington, Etuan Zhang
  • In situ thermal processing of an oil shale formation to produce a condensate
    Publication number: 20030173078
    Abstract: An oil shale formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. Hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat input into the formation may be controlled to maintain a temperature below about a maximum selected temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Ilya Emil Berchenko, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Thomas David Fowler, John Michael Karanikas, Robert Charles Ryan, Gordon Thomas Shahin, George Leo Stegemeier, Harold J. Vinegar, Etuan Zhang
  • In situ thermal processing of an oil shale formation using a pattern of heat sources
    Publication number: 20030173080
    Abstract: A oil shale formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat sources may be used to heat the formation. The heat sources may be positioned within the formation in a selected pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventors: Ilya Emil Berchenko, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Thomas David Fowler, John Michael Karanikas, Robert Charles Ryan, Gordon Thomas Shahin, George Leo Stegemeier, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Etuan Zhang
  • In situ thermal processing of an oil shale formation in a reducing environment
    Publication number: 20030164239
    Abstract: An oil shale formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. A reducing environment may be maintained within a portion of the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Ilya Emil Berchenko, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan, Gordon Thomas Shahin, George Leo Stegemeier, Harold J. Vinegar, Etuan Zhang
  • In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation using a movable heating element
    Publication number: 20030164234
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat may be applied to the formation from heating elements positioned within wellbores. Portions of the heater elements may be free to move within the wellbores to inhibit failure of the heater elements due to thermal expansion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Gordon Thomas Shahin, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In situ thermal processing of a coal formation using a controlled heating rate
    Publication number: 20030164238
    Abstract: A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. A heating rate to a selected volume of the formation may be controlled by altering an amount of heating energy per day that is provided to the selected volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Lee Wellington, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan
  • In Situ thermal processing of a coal formation to produce a condensate
    Patent number: 6607033
    Abstract: A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. Hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat input into the formation may be controlled to raise a temperature of the formation at a selected rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Lee Wellington, Harold J. Vinegar, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, John Michael Karanikas, Ilya Emil Berchenko, George Leo Stegemeier, Etuan Zhang, Thomas David Fowler, Robert Charles Ryan