Radiation instrument for drilling earns patent for Memorial-area man

A U.S. patent was recently awarded to a man from the Memorial area and three colleagues for their invention of a new device to take measurements from an earth formation during drilling.

The device and accompanying computer program use gamma radiation to better determine the characteristics of the area in which well operators are planning to drill, allowing them to maximize efficiency. Methods using radiation already exist, but the inventors claim their method is better able to compensate for the radiation being emitted by the earth formation itself.

Three members of the team credited by the patent come from greater Houston. They are Daniel T. Georgi of the Memorial area, W. Allen Gilchrist Jr. of the Aldine Area, and Richard R. Pemper of Sugar Land. A Russian inventor, Alfred I. Khisamutdinov, was also part of the group. The patent was originally filed on Aug. 1, 2008 and approved on Feb. 22 of this year. Its official number is 7,893,398. Legal representation in the process was provided by Cantor Coburn 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.