Patents by Inventor Thomas H. Lopez

Thomas H. Lopez 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).

  • Real-time on-line sensing and control of emulsions in formation fluids
    Patent number: 6927846
    Abstract: Real time determination of the presence of emulsion in a formation fluid is accomplished using an optical probe, preferably an attenuated total reflectance probe. The determination can then be used to appropriately increase, decrease or leave unchanged the use of demulsification additives or other means to control emulsion formation. The method is particularly useful for free water knock-out separations, where a plurality of probes can be used to distinguish the location and/or volume of emulsion, or “rag”, layer and thereby to facilitate decantation of relatively pure oil and water fractions. It can also be effectively used in pipelines, and can optionally determine the degree of emulsification and trends toward emulsification or demulsification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: James Kevyn Smith, Thomas H. Lopez, C. Mitch Means
  • Real-time on-line sensing and control of mineral scale deposition from formation fluids
    Patent number: 6891606
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for controlling mineral scale deposition from a formation fluid. The rate at which scaling is occurring is measured in real time using an attenuated total reflectance probe and a photometer. The results are then used to determine whether to increase, decrease or leave unchanged addition of anti-scaling additives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: J. Kevyn Smith, C. Mitch Means, Mingdong Yuan, John L. Przybylinski, Thomas H. Lopez, Michael James Ponstingl
  • Real-time on-line sensing and control of mineral scale deposition from formation fluids
    Publication number: 20030071988
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for controlling mineral scale deposition from a formation fluid. The rate at which scaling is occurring is measured in real time using an attenuated total reflectance probe and a photometer. The results are then used to determine whether to increase, decrease or leave unchanged addition of anti-scaling additives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: J. Kevyn Smith, C. Mitch Means, Mingdong Yuan, John L. Przybylinski, Thomas H. Lopez