Harris Corporation

Ronald Edward Jackson, Jr

Mark Ernest Blue

Ryan Whitney

John Anton Meyer

Lisa Patton Zastrow

Donald S George

Michael Joseph Ottomanelli

Brian N Wright

Murray Hann

Raymond C Hewit

John E Rogers

Richard I Harless

Keith Nugent

Stephen J Kolvek

Arthur H White

A hydrocarbon fluid pipeline may include pipeline segments connected together in end-to-end relation between first and second spaced apart geographic locations and configured to carry hydrocarbon fluid therethrough. The hydrocarbon fluid pipeline may also include a radio frequency (RF) heating station that may include an RF source and an RF heater between adjacent pipeline segments of the plurality thereof. The RF heater may include an inner tubular dielectric coupler between the adjacent pipeline segments, and an electrically conductive outer housing surrounding the inner tubular dielectric coupler and connected to the RF source to heat the hydrocarbon fluid.

Hydrocarbon fluid pipeline including RF heating station and related methods

An apparatus for hydrocarbon resource recovery from a subterranean formation includes a radio frequency (RF) source, an RF antenna to be positioned within the subterranean formation to deliver RF power to the hydrocarbon resource within the subterranean formation, and an RF transmission line extending between the RF source and the RF antenna. The RF transmission line may include RF transmission line sections coupled together in end-to-end relation. Each section may include an inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the inner conductor, and an outer load-carrying tubular member surrounding the outer conductor. A respective coupling assembly joins ends of adjacent sections together. Each coupling assembly may include an electrical coupler being fixedly connected to first ends of corresponding inner and outer conductors and being slidably connected to opposing second ends of adjacent inner and outer conductors, and a mechanical coupler connecting ends of adjacent load-bearing tubular members together.

Hydrocarbon resource recovery apparatus including RF transmission line and associated methods

A radio frequency (RF) hydrocarbon resource upgrading device may include a first hydrocarbon resource upgrading path that may include a plurality of first RF power applicator stages coupled in series. Each first RF power stage is configured to apply RF power to upgrade a hydrocarbon resource passing therethrough. The RF hydrocarbon resource upgrading device may also include a second hydrocarbon resource upgrading path that may include at least one second RF power applicator stage coupled in parallel with at least one of the first RF power applicator stages. The second RF power applicator stage is configured to apply RF power to upgrade the hydrocarbon resource passing therethrough.

Radio frequency hydrocarbon resource upgrading apparatus including parallel paths and related methods

A device for transporting and upgrading a hydrocarbon resource may include a pair of pipeline segments configured to transport the hydrocarbon resource therethrough and a radio frequency (RF) upgrading device. The RF upgrading device may include an RF applicator comprising an inner tubular dielectric coupler between the pair of pipeline segments, and an electrically conductive outer housing surrounding the inner tubular dielectric coupler. The RF upgrading device may also include an RF source coupled to the electrically conductive outer housing and having an operating frequency and power to upgrade the hydrocarbon resource.

Apparatus for transporting and upgrading a hydrocarbon resource through a pipeline and related methods

Hydrocarbon fluid pipeline including RF heating station and related method

An RF antenna assembly is to be positioned within a wellbore in a subterranean formation for hydrocarbon resource recovery. The RF antenna assembly includes a series of tubular dipole antennas to be positioned within the wellbore, each tubular dipole antenna having a pair of dipole elements, and an RF transmission line extending within the series of tubular dipole antennas. The RF antenna assembly includes a respective coupling structure between each pair of dipole elements and between the series of tubular dipole antennas, each coupling structure including a dielectric tube mechanically coupling adjacent dipole elements, and a tap connector carried by the dielectric tube and electrically coupling the RF transmission line to a corresponding dipole element.

RF antenna assembly with series dipole antennas and coupling structure and related methods

A method for recovering a hydrocarbon resource from a subterranean formation may include applying radio frequency (RF) power to the hydrocarbon resource in the subterranean formation to upgrade the hydrocarbon resource and producing the upgraded hydrocarbon resource from the subterranean formation to a wellhead. The method may also include, at the wellhead, performing an additional upgrading operation on the upgraded hydrocarbon resource using RF power. The method may further include supplying the upgraded hydrocarbon resource to a pipeline for transportation therethrough.

Method for recovering a hydrocarbon resource from a subterranean formation including additional upgrading at the wellhead and related apparatus

Method for constructing a dipole radio frequency antenna includes depositing on a dielectric substrate at least one layer each of a conductive material, a dielectric material, and a sacrificial material. The deposit of conductive material is controlled to form a transmission line, antenna radiating element and associated antenna feed. The transmission line includes a shield formed of one or more walls and a center conductor disposed coaxially within the shield. An antenna feed portion is electrically connected to the center conductor and extends through a feed port on the transmission line to connect with an antenna radiating element. The radiating element has an elongated form which extends a first predetermined length transverse to an axis of the transmission line. The method also includes dissolving at least one layer of the sacrificial material to form a clearance space between the surface of the dielectric substrate and the antenna radiating element.

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West Melbourne, FL, United States of America

Ronald Edward Jackson, Jr