Heights man receives patent for system to add components to wells

A system for adding components to an operating oil or gas well recently earned a U.S. patent for a man from the Heights area.

Today's wells increasingly include equipment designed to monitor many different variables during production. In the patent, inventor Carl W. Stoesz notes that while many of these components can be added above-ground, many companies are also interested in the capability to add monitoring tools after a well has been completed. The system described in the patent is intended to make this easier by keeping debris out of fiber optic cables as they are added to the well. Such cables, while capable of transmitting great amount of data, must be kept absolutely clean to function properly.

The patent's official number is 7,900,698. It was originally filed on Aug. 13, 2007 and approved on Aug. 8 of this year. Legal representation in the process was provided by Cantor Colburn LLP of Connecticut. Baker Hughes Incorporated is listed as the owner.

Baker Hughes specializes in technologies designed to help petroleum companies get the greatest value from their wells, as well as offering integrated operations and reservoir consulting. Their global headquarters are located in the River Oaks area at 2929 Allen Parkway, Suite 2100. The company's U.S. division also has offices in the Aldine area at 17015 Aldine Westfield Road.