Quotables
"To place a man in a multi-stage rocket and project him into the controlling gravitational field of the moon where the passengers can make scientific observations, perhaps land alive, and then return to earth--all that constitutes a wild dream worthy of Jules Verne. I am bold enough to say that such a man-made voyage will never occur regardless of all future advances."
Lee deForest, American radio pioneer ; 1957
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8062510 | Hydrocarbon recovery techniques A method for extracting hydrocarbons from a vessel by displacement. The method including the displacement of a hydrocarbon source with a material of different density and recovery of the hydrocarbons from the vessel. Additionally, a method for extracting hydrocarbon... | 11/22/2011 |
| 7850843 | Separation of complex mixtures by shearing A more energy-efficient method of processing crude oil is achieved by viscoelastic shearing in order to increase the vapor pressure of the crude oil. This change in vapor pressure allows a more efficient separation of volatile components from non-volatile components... | 12/14/2010 |
| 7846326 | Separation of complex mixtures Improved crude oil processing is achieved by viscoelastic shearing of crude oil at an elevated temperature. The shearing provides for an enriched light fraction and an enriched heavy fraction that can be more efficiently separated by distillation. Shearing is achiev... | 12/07/2010 |
| 7776208 | Integration of gasification, hydrocarbon synthesis unit, and refining processes This disclosure discusses integrating syngas streams with refinery hydrotreators, synthetic hydrocarbon gas to liquid (GTL) processes, and power generation units (such as combined cycle units) to efficiently use hydrogen contained in the syngas produced from heavy h... | 08/17/2010 |
| 7608182 | Method for reducing the amount of sulfur pick-up by hydrocarbon streams transported through a pipeline A process for reducing the level of elemental sulfur and organic sulfur pick-up by refined hydrocarbon streams such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, kerosene or fuel additives such as ethers or iso-octane that are transported through a pipeline used to transport vario... | 10/27/2009 |
| 7435333 | Upgrading asphaltene containing oils A method for reducing the viscosity and surface wetting tendency of an oil containing hydrophilic aspaltenes comprises adding to said oil an amount of hydrophobic asphaltenes in the range of 1 to 80 wt % based on weight of the hydrophilic asphaltense of said oil. | 10/14/2008 |
| 7399405 | Method and apparatus for separating petroleum In the present invention, petroleum is separated into hydrocarbon mixtures having different components at an atomizing step and a collecting step. At the atomizing step, the petroleum is ultrasonically vibrated and is discharged and atomized in a state of an atomize... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7381309 | Apparatus for prewashing a hydrocarbon stream containing hydrogen sulfide Disclosed is an apparatus for extracting sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon stream. A prewash section for converting hydrogen sulfide to sodium sulfide by reaction with an alkali such as caustic prepares the hydrocarbon stream for extraction. Spent alkali is contin... | 06/03/2008 |
| 7270743 | Products produced form rapid thermal processing of heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feedstock that utilizes a short residence pyrolytic reactor operating under conditions that cracks and chemically upgrades the feedstock. The process of the present invention provides for the pr... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7261810 | Method and system for transporting flows of fluid hydrocarbons containing wax, asphaltenes, and/or other precipitating solids A method and a system for transporting a flow of fluid hydrocarbons containing wax and/or asphaltenes or any other precipitating solids through a treatment and transportation system including a pipeline are disclosed. The flow of fluid hydrocarbons is introduced int... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7240681 | Trailer mounted mobile apparatus for dewatering and recovering formation sand An apparatus for removing formation sand from an oil storage tank. The apparatus is mounted to a truck towable trailer so that it may be transported to remote sites. Mounted to the truck towable trailer is a container adapted to accept and dewater a sand-water slurr... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7101928 | Polymeric thickeners for oil-containing compositions Novel thickeners for oil-containing compositions are crystalline polymers, preferably side chain crystalline polymers, which (a) have a crystalline melting point, Tp, and an onset of melting temperature, To, such that Tp−To | 09/05/2006 |
| 7086465 | In situ production of a blending agent from a hydrocarbon containing formation An in situ process for treating a hydrocarbon 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 reaction zone to a part of the format... | 08/08/2006 |
| 6948562 | Production of a blending agent using an in situ thermal process in a relatively permeable formation A method for treating a relatively permeable formation containing heavy hydrocarbons in situ may include providing heat from one or more heat sources to a selected section of the formation. The heat provided to the selected section may pyrolyze at least some hydroca... | 09/27/2005 |
| 6894088 | Process for homogenizing polyolefin drag reducing agents A process for producing polymer drag reducing agent (DRA) slurries without cryogenic temperatures or conventional grinding is described. The homogenizing or size reduction of polymer, such as poly(alpha-olefins), may be achieved by the use of granulated polymer and ... | 05/17/2005 |
| 6582591 | Process for the transportation of naphtha in a crude oil pipeline This process for the transportation of a batch of naphtha in a pipeline, the prime purpose of which is to transport crude oil, is characterized in that the batch of naphtha, bracketed by batches of condensates, namely a head batch of condensate and a tail... | 06/24/2003 |
| 6540023 | Process for producing a diesel fuel stock from bitumen and synthesis gas A process for producing a diesel fuel stock from bitumen uses steam, naphtha and a hydroisomerized diesel fraction produced by a gas conversion process, to respectively (i) stimulate the bitumen production, (ii) dilute it for pipeline transport to an upgr... | 04/01/2003 |
| 6355159 | Dissolution and stabilization of thermally converted bitumen A heavy hydrocarbon is rendered pipelineable by hydroconverting the heavy hydrocarbon under conditions sufficient to obtain a product oil of lowered viscosity and an API gravity suitable for pipelining and thereafter adding a diluent modified hydrocarbon ... | 03/12/2002 |
| 6340745 | Phthalocyanine and use of phthalocyanine as a marking agent Phthalocyanines of the formula ##STR1## where Me is twice hydrogen, twice lithium, magnesium, zinc, copper, nickel, VO, TiO, AlCl, AlOH, AlOCOCH3, AlOCOCF3, SiCl2 or Si(OH)2, at least four of the radicals R1 | 01/22/2002 |
| 6337011 | Pour point depression unit using mild thermal cracker A method for lowering the cloud/pour point of a waxy crude oil in locations where size and/or weight of the facility may need to be limited (i.e. arctic zones and offshore). The major components of the system comprise a fractionation/quench tower and a re... | 01/08/2002 |
| 6096192 | Producing pipelinable bitumen A bitumen is rendered pipelineable by partially hydroconverting the bitumen and then adding sufficient diluent to the partially hydroconverted bitumen to provide a mixture having an API gravity at 15° C. of at least 19° and a viscosity at 40° C. in the... | 08/01/2000 |
| 6054496 | Method for transporting a heavy crude oil produced via a wellbore from a subterranean formation to a market location and converting it into a distillate product stream using a solvent deasphalting process A method for producing a heavy crude oil from a subterranean formation through a wellbore, transporting the heavy crude oil to a market location and converting the heavy crude oil into a product distillate hydrocarbon stream and by-products such as heat, ... | 04/25/2000 |
| 5998681 | Process for preventing the formation of a solid phase from hydrocarbons in a fluid A process for preventing the formation of a solid phase from hydrocarbons and water in a fluid is disclosed. A physical disturbance is transmitted to the fluid intermittently in time to prevent the formation of crystalline bonds in the fluid.... | 12/07/1999 |
| 5935423 | Method for producing from a subterranean formation via a wellbore, transporting and converting a heavy crude oil into a distillate product stream A method for producing a heavy crude oil from a subterranean formation via a wellbore, transporting the heavy crude oil to a market and producing a distillable hydrocarbonaceous stream from the crude oil, the method includes: producing the heavy crude oil... | 08/10/1999 |
| 5929125 | Method for producing heavy crude oil via a wellbore from a subterranean formation and converting the heavy crude oil into a distillate product stream A method for producing a heavy crude oil from a subterranean formation through a wellbore and converting the heavy crude oil into a product distillate hydrocarbon stream and at least one of heat, steam, electricity and synthesis gas by separating distilla... | 07/27/1999 |
| 5846404 | Process for the removal of selenium from selenium-containing aqueous streams A selenium-containing aqueous stream may be used as a quenching water stream and optionally a cutting water stream in a delayed coking process to effectuate the removal of selenium from the selenium-containing aqueous stream resulting in the formation of ... | 12/08/1998 |
| 5824214 | Method for hydrotreating and upgrading heavy crude oil during production Heavy crude oil containing at least 1% by weight water is hydrotreated and upgraded while being produced downhole in a production well. During production the heavy crude oil containing water is subjected to sonic energy at a low frequency of 400 Hz to 10 ... | 10/20/1998 |
| 5807478 | Bitumen modification using fly ash derived from bitumen coke A method for lowering the viscosity and specific gravity of a heavy hydrocarbon to render it pipelineable is disclosed. The method comprises adding a vanadium and nickel containing coke fly ash to the heavy hydrocarbon; reacting the heavy hydrocarbon in t... | 09/15/1998 |
| 5714056 | Process for deasphalting residua (HEN9511) A process for deasphalting a residua feedstock by use of a short vapor contact time thermal process unit comprised of a horizontal moving bed of fluidized hot particles. It is preferred that a mechanical means be used to fluidize a bed of hot particles.... | 02/03/1998 |
| 5618408 | Method for reducing elemental sulfur pick-up by hydrocarbon fluids in a pipeline (law177) The amount of elemental sulfur or other sulfur contaminant picked-up by refined hydrocarbon product such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, kerosene or fuel additive such as ether, which is pipelined in a pipeline used to transport sour hydrocarbon fluids, is... | 04/08/1997 |
| 5605618 | Process for preparing nitrogen-containing isotropic pitch and nitrogen-containing isotropic pitch A process for preparing nitrogen-containing isotropic pitch, comprising the steps of mixing a petroleum heavy oil, a nitrating reagent and water to prepare a homogeneous dispersion, thereby contacting the petroleum heavy oil with the nitrating reagent in ... | 02/25/1997 |
| 5597475 | DADMAC/vinyl trialkoxysilane copolymers for dewatering copper and taconite slurries in the mining industry A method for dewatering mineral slurries employing a copolymer of diallyldimethlylammonium halide and a vinyl alkoxysilane, which is preferably a copolymer of diallyldimethylammonium chloride and vinyltrimethoxysilane as a coagulant is disclosed. The meth... | 01/28/1997 |
| 5470458 | Method for the recovery of black oil residues The invention is directed to the thermal mobilization of black oil residues by direct and/or indirect heating whereby the mobilized residues are then removed from the tank by a localized negative pressure means. The removed black oil residues are then tre... | 11/28/1995 |
| 5368723 | Method of and apparatus of producing low boiling point hydrocarbon oil from waste plastics or waste rubbers Waste plastics are heated so as to be thermally decomposed and produce a vapor product containing oil and gas components. The vapor product is brought into contact with a solid acid catalyst containing a hydrochloric acid as a decomposing activator to be ... | 11/29/1994 |
| 5314615 | In-situ reduction of oil viscosity during steam injection process in EOR A method for lowering the viscosity of a heavy hydrocarbon in situ in a well formation so as to improve well production wherein the heavy hydrocarbon has an API gravity in the range between 6° and 12° and a dynamic viscosity in the range between 300 and... | 05/24/1994 |
| 5310479 | Process for reducing the sulfur content of a crude A process for reducing the aliphatic sulfur content of a crude oil in a production site is disclosed. A crude oil with a high aliphatic sulfur content is treated at ambient reaction temperature with an oxidant which comprises formic acid and hydrogen pero... | 05/10/1994 |
| 5281329 | Method for improving the pour point of petroleum oils Crude oils, vacuum gas oils, and residual oils containing long chain polyalkyl (meth)acrylates as flow improvers, wherein the long chain polyalkyl (meth)acrylates are a mixture of (A) a polyalkyl (meth)acrylate P1 having an onset of crystallization at tem... | 01/25/1994 |
| 5269909 | Process for treating heavy crude oil Process obtains improved viscosity and improved distillates proportion in heavy hydrocarbons, as heavy crude oil, by providing a feedstock of heavy hydrocarbons containing a water content of greater than or equal to 1% with respect to the weight of the hy... | 12/14/1993 |
| 5266185 | Method of suppression of hydrogen sulfide with heterocyclic-amine aldehyde reaction products Hydrogen sulfide evolution in a heavy hydrocarbon (such as a residual fuel oil) derived from a heavy crude oil (such as a API 8 gravity crude) is suppressed by contacting the hydrocarbon with a compound corresponding to the reaction product of a heterocyc... | 11/30/1993 |
| 5264118 | Pipeline conditioning process for mined oil-sand As-mined, naturally water-wet oil sand is mixed at the mine site with hot water and NaOH to produce a slurry containing entrained air. The slurry is pumped through a pipeline and is fed directly to a conventional gravity separation vessel. The pipeline is... | 11/23/1993 |
