Cy-Fair-area inventor claims patent for insulating fluid

A Cy-Fair inventor is part of a team receiving a U.S. patent for its invention of a new fluid that can be used in the oil and gas industry.

The invention described in the patent is a "packer fluid" that helps insulate a well in heavy oil production. Temperature variations in such production in an environment such as the deep sea floor can cause various problems. In the patent, the team claims that their fluid avoids several problems caused by existing methods.

The team of inventors listed in the patent are Larry H. Leggett of the Cy-Fair area of Houston, Charles Svoboda of Katy, Morris Arvie Jr. of the Memorial area of Houston, Robert L. Horton of Sugar Land, and Joyce H. Zhang of Sugar Land. The official patent number is 7,863,223, and it was originally filed on Oct. 3, 2006.

The patent is owned by M-I SWACO, a leading supplier of drilling fluids systems, which is itself owned by oilfield services company Schlumberger.