Patents
US 9637428 B2: Hydrocarbon gas processing
- Granted
- 2017-05-02
- Filed
- 2014-08-18 application 14462056
- Type
- Utility · 5 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
A process and an apparatus are disclosed for a compact processing assembly to improve the recovery of C2 (or C3) and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The preferred method of separating a hydrocarbon gas stream generally includes producing at least a substantially condensed first stream and a cooled second stream, expanding both streams to lower pressure, and supplying the streams to a fractionation tower. In the process and apparatus disclosed, the expanded first stream is heated to form a vapor fraction and a liquid fraction. The vapor fraction is combined with the tower overhead vapor, directed to a heat and mass transfer means inside a processing assembly, and cooled and partially condensed by the expanded first stream to form a residual vapor stream and a condensed stream. The condensed stream is combined with the liquid fraction and supplied to the tower at its top feed point.
Source: PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 (ipg170502.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ortloff Engineers, Ltd. 30 patents | US company or organization | Midland, TX | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| S.M.E. Products LP 19 patents | US company or organization | Houston, TX | S.M.E. PRODUCTS LP State business registration EXACT high confidence: identical full name and state | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hank M. Hudson | Midland, TX | 40 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| John D. Wilkinson | Midland, TX | 38 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Joe T. Lynch | Midland, TX | 28 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Scott Allan Miller, III | Midland, TX | 42 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Kyle T. Cuellar | Katy, TX | 40 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Andrew F. Johnke | Beresford, SD | 22 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| W. Larry Lewis | Houston, TX | 21 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| F25J | Liquefaction, solidification or separation of gases or gaseous ; or liquefied gaseous; mixtures by pressure and cold treatment ; or by bringing them into the supercritical state | F25J3/0209 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| C07C | Acyclic or carbocyclic compounds | C07C7/04 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
| Recorded | What | From | To | Reel/frame | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-09-24 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | ORTLOFF ENGINEERS, LTD. signed 2020-09-18 | UOP LLC DES PLAINES, IL | 54188/807 | ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25 |
| 2014-10-07 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | HUDSON, HANK M. signed 2014-09-22 JOHNKE, ANDREW F. signed 2014-09-22 LEWIS, W. LARRY signed 2014-09-22 LYNCH, JOE T. signed 2014-09-22 WILKINSON, JOHN D. signed 2014-09-22 MILLER, SCOTT A. signed 2014-09-23 CUELLAR, KYLE T. signed 2014-09-25 | ORTLOFF ENGINEERS, LTD. MIDLAND, TX S.M.E. PRODUCTS, LP HOUSTON, TX | 33899/798 | ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25 |
Documents recorded with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch that list this patent. A security interest is a lender’s claim on the patent as collateral; a release ends it.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.