Missouri Patent of the Month – February 2026

Introduction: The Missouri Patent of the Month Designation

In the rapidly evolving landscape of industrial technology, the distinction between incremental improvement and paradigm-shifting innovation is often found in the convergence of disparate fields—in this case, the intersection of astrobiology, optical physics, and petroleum engineering. This report provides an exhaustive technical and economic analysis of U.S. Patent No. 12,523,592, titled “Method and system for measuring flow and composition of single and multi-phase fluids.” Filed on February 24, 2021, and formally granted to Impossible Sensing LLC on January 13, 2026, this intellectual property has been selected by Swanson Reed as the Missouri Patent of the Month for February 2026. This prestigious accolade was not bestowed arbitrarily; the patent was identified from a pool of over 1,000 potential candidates through a rigorous, proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) evaluation process designed to isolate inventions with the highest probability of tangible commercial disruption and societal benefit.

The selection of Patent 12,523,592 underscores a critical pivot in the valuation of industrial R&D. While the digital revolution has often prioritized software solutions, this patent represents a return to “deep tech”—physical instrumentation that fundamentally alters how matter is measured and managed. The AI-driven selection algorithm prioritized this invention due to its immediate real-world impact on the “energy trilemma”: the balancing act of ensuring energy security, maintaining economic affordability, and achieving environmental sustainability. By adapting spectroscopic sensors originally designed for the Mars Perseverance rover to the terrestrial oilfield, Impossible Sensing has created a technology that benchmarks favorably against entrenched competitors, offers superior data granularity, and provides a viable pathway for methane abatement in aging energy infrastructure.

This report serves multiple functions: it is a technical dossier deconstructing the physics of the invention; a competitive landscape analysis benchmarking the “FLOW” meter against legacy nuclear and gravitational systems; a futuristic outlook on applications in carbon capture and deep-sea mining; and a fiscal roadmap for leveraging the Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit. Through the lens of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 41, we will demonstrate how the development of this technology exemplifies the “Four-Part Test” required for federal incentives, and how Swanson Reed’s specialized methodology ensures the compliant substantiation of such high-value claims.

The Physics of the Challenge: Multiphase Flow Measurement

To fully appreciate the novelty of Patent 12,523,592, one must first understand the formidable complexity of the problem it solves: measuring the individual flow rates of oil, water, and gas moving simultaneously through a pipe. This is widely considered one of the most difficult challenges in fluid dynamics and industrial metrology.

The Nature of Multiphase Flow

In a “single-phase” flow (e.g., pure water in a municipal pipe), measurement is trivial; a simple turbine or ultrasonic meter suffices because the fluid’s density and viscosity are constant. However, hydrocarbon production is rarely single-phase. It is a chaotic mixture of crude oil (of varying viscosities), formation water (with varying salinity), and natural gas (compressible and volatile).

The complexity arises from the interaction between these phases, which creates distinct “flow regimes” depending on the velocity and proportion of the fluids:

• Bubble Flow: Gas bubbles are dispersed in a continuous liquid phase.
• Slug Flow: Large pockets of gas (Taylor bubbles) push plugs of liquid, causing massive pressure fluctuations.
• Churn Flow: A highly turbulent, chaotic regime where the gas and liquid structures break down.
• Annular Flow: Gas moves at high speed in the center of the pipe while liquid creeps along the pipe walls.

Legacy meters struggle because the “slip velocity”—the difference in speed between the gas and the liquid—constantly changes. Gas, being lighter, travels faster than the oil. A meter that measures the velocity of the mixture will inevitably overestimate the liquid flow if it cannot account for this slip. Furthermore, the opacity of crude oil makes optical interrogation notoriously difficult, historically relegating optical sensors to the laboratory rather than the field.

The Legacy Solution: Gravity Test Separators

For over a century, the industry’s answer to this chaos was to physically separate the fluids before measuring them. The Gravity Test Separator is a massive pressure vessel, often the size of a small building or shipping container, which uses gravity to allow gas to rise, water to settle, and oil to float. Once separated, each phase is measured individually by single-phase meters.

While functional, the test separator suffers from critical deficiencies that Patent 12,523,592 directly addresses:

1. Discontinuous Data: Because separators are expensive (CAPEX intensive), they are typically shared among 10 to 50 wells. A well is diverted to the separator for 24 hours once a month. For the remaining 29 days, the operator flies blind, assuming the production rate is constant. This lack of real-time data leads to “deferred production”—problems like pump failures or water breakthrough go unnoticed for weeks.
2. Environmental Liability: Separators are complex machines with numerous pneumatic valves, level controllers, and dump valves. These pneumatic devices are historically powered by the pressurized natural gas from the well itself. Every time a valve actuates, it vents a puff of methane into the atmosphere. Aggregated across thousands of separators, this constitutes a massive source of Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Operational Hazard: Separators are pressure vessels containing large volumes of explosive hydrocarbons. They require pressure safety valves (PSVs), regular inspections, and significant physical footprint, increasing the safety risk profile of the well pad.

The Incumbent High-Tech: Nuclear Multiphase Flow Meters (MPFMs)

In the 1990s, the industry introduced Nuclear MPFMs (e.g., Schlumberger Vx, Emerson Roxar). These devices use a radioactive source (typically Cesium-137 or Cobalt-60) to shoot gamma rays through the pipe.

• The Principle: Gamma rays are attenuated (absorbed) differently by gas, oil, and water based on their density. By measuring the absorption at different energy levels, the meter can calculate the fraction of each phase.
• The Limitation: Nuclear meters are density-dependent. If the density of the oil changes (e.g., due to temperature or composition changes) or if the salinity of the water fluctuates (changing its density), the meter’s accuracy drifts. More importantly, the radioactive source introduces immense logistical and regulatory burdens, which we will analyze in the competitive benchmarking section.

Technical Architecture of Patent 12,523,592

The invention described in Patent 12,523,592 represents a radical departure from both gravity separation and nuclear attenuation. It introduces optical spectroscopy to the wellhead, a technique previously considered impossible for opaque fluids like crude oil.

Spectral Interrogation Principles

The core of the “FLOW” meter technology is based on the interaction of light with matter at the molecular level. The patent describes a system that utilizes multiple optical modalities, likely including Raman Spectroscopy, Fluorescence, and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS).

• Raman Spectroscopy: When monochromatic light (laser) hits a molecule, most of it scatters elastically (Rayleigh scattering). However, a tiny fraction scatters inelastically, exchanging energy with the molecular vibrations. This “Raman shift” creates a spectral fingerprint unique to the specific chemical bonds present (e.g., C-H bonds in oil vs. O-H bonds in water).
• Fluorescence: Certain aromatic hydrocarbons in crude oil absorb UV or visible light and re-emit it at longer wavelengths. The intensity and decay time of this fluorescence provide data on the oil’s composition (e.g., heavy vs. light oil).
• LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy): A high-energy laser pulse creates a tiny plasma spark in the fluid. As the plasma cools, it emits light at characteristic wavelengths corresponding to the elemental composition of the fluid (e.g., sodium and chlorine in salt water).

The innovation in Patent 12,523,592 lies not in the discovery of these effects, but in the engineering required to detect them in a turbulent, high-pressure, opaque flow stream without requiring a sample to be extracted.

Hardware Configuration and Non-Intrusive Design

The patent details an assembly of sensing elements that can be attached to, mounted upon, or installed into pipes for online characterization. Unlike nuclear meters that often require a Venturi throat (a constriction in the pipe) to measure velocity, the optical design allows for a “full-bore” or minimally intrusive configuration.

• Benefits of Non-Intrusive Design: This minimizes pressure drop, which is critical for older wells with low reservoir pressure. It also eliminates the erosion problems that plague Venturi-based meters when sand is produced along with the oil.
• Optical Windows: A key engineering challenge addressed in the patent (and its related applications) is the design of optical windows that remain clean in an oily environment. The system likely employs high-pressure sapphire windows and potentially self-cleaning mechanisms (hydrodynamic scouring or ultrasonic cleaning) to maintain optical clarity.

The “Edge” Intelligence: From Photons to Flow Rates

The raw data from a spectroscopic sensor in a multiphase flow is a noisy, chaotic stream of spectral peaks. The patent describes the use of advanced signal processing and machine learning algorithms to deconvolute this data.

• Spectral Deconvolution: The system does not just see “oil” or “water”; it sees the molecular signature. The software compares the real-time spectra against a vast library of fluid fingerprints (developed in partnership with institutions like the University of Calgary and SAIT).
• Real-Time Computation: The “method” claim of the patent covers the algorithms that instantly translate these spectral shifts into volumetric flow rates (barrels of oil per day) and mass flow rates. This requires “Edge AI”—processing power located directly on the device—to handle the high-frequency data without needing to transmit terabytes of raw spectra to the cloud.

The NASA Heritage: From Mars to Midland

The credibility of this patent is anchored in its lineage. The assignee, Impossible Sensing LLC, and its founder, Dr. Pablo Sobron, were instrumental in developing the SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals) instrument for NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover.

• The Parallel: On Mars, the goal is to find “biosignatures”—complex organic molecules indicative of past life—embedded in rock. The instrument must work autonomously in a harsh environment, differentiating organic carbon from inorganic minerals.
• The Adaptation: In the oilfield, the goal is remarkably similar: detecting complex hydrocarbons (oil/gas) amidst inorganic carriers (water/sand). The patent represents the “down-to-Earth” adaptation of this space-grade technology. As inventor Ariel Torre noted, “When you build something to go to Mars… it’s designed so that no one has to fix it because no one can. The oil and gas industry aspires to that level of design and reliability”.

Competitive Benchmarking and Superiority Analysis

To justify the “Patent of the Month” selection, it is necessary to benchmark Patent 12,523,592 against the incumbent technologies. The market for multiphase flow metering is dominated by major service companies like Schlumberger (SLB), Emerson (Roxar), Weatherford, and Haimo Technologies. The Impossible Sensing technology offers distinct advantages that disrupt this established order.

Comparison with Nuclear MPFMs (The High-End Competitor)

The Schlumberger Vx Spectra and Emerson Roxar typical represent the “gold standard” for accuracy, but they come with significant baggage.

Table 1: Competitive Analysis – Optical (Patent 12,523,592) vs. Nuclear MPFM

Comparison with Test Separators (The Low-End Incumbent)

The majority of onshore wells still use gravity separators. The Impossible Sensing patent renders this technology obsolete on environmental and efficiency grounds.

Table 2: Competitive Analysis – Optical (Patent 12,523,592) vs. Test Separator

Real-World Impact: Economic and Environmental

The “Missouri Patent of the Month” selection criteria heavily weight “Real-World Impact.” Patent 12,523,592 delivers this through two primary mechanisms: the revitalization of marginal assets and the decarbonization of production.

The Economics of “Stripper Wells”

The global energy supply relies surprisingly heavily on “stripper wells”—mature wells producing less than 15 barrels of oil per day. In the U.S. alone, there are hundreds of thousands of such wells.

• The Data Gap: Historically, these wells could never justify the $200,000 cost of a nuclear MPFM. Operators run them “blind,” checking the tank levels periodically. This inefficiency leads to wasted electricity (pumping water that isn’t oil) and premature abandonment.
• The Transformation: By offering a sensor at a fraction of the cost, Patent 12,523,592 brings “Digital Oilfield” capabilities to the bottom tier of the market. Operators can now optimize pump speeds in real-time based on water cut, extending the economic life of the well and maximizing recovery factors.

Decarbonization and Methane Abatement

The environmental pressure on the oil and gas industry is immense. The U.S. EPA and global bodies are tightening regulations on methane emissions.

• Removing the Source: As noted in Table 2, test separators are significant sources of methane due to their pneumatic control systems. By allowing operators to bypass or remove test separators entirely, the FLOW meter (based on this patent) directly eliminates these emission points.
• Leak Detection: The high sensitivity of the spectroscopic sensors allows for the detection of “fugitive” gas in the flow stream or changes in pressure signatures that might indicate casing leaks up-hole, allowing for proactive repair before a catastrophic breach occurs.

Future Potentials: Beyond Hydrocarbons

While the immediate application is in oil and gas, the underlying intellectual property—spectroscopic flow measurement of multiphase fluids—has profound implications for the energy transition and other industries.

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS)

To meet climate goals, billions of tons of CO2 must be captured and sequestered underground.

• The Measurement Challenge: CO2 streams in CCUS pipelines are often in a “dense phase” or supercritical state and may contain impurities like water, nitrogen, or argon. These impurities can cause phase changes and corrosion.
• The Patent Application: The optical sensors described in Patent 12,523,592 can be tuned to detect the specific spectral signature of CO2 and its impurities. This allows for real-time auditing of the purity of the sequestered carbon (critical for tax credits like 45Q) and ensures that the fluid remains in the correct phase for safe transport.

Deep Sea Mining and Critical Minerals

The transition to electric vehicles requires vast amounts of cobalt, nickel, and manganese—metals found in abundance in polymetallic nodules on the deep ocean floor.

• The InVADER Project: Impossible Sensing has already adapted its technology for the “InVADER” project (In situ Vent Analysis Divebot for Exobiology Research).
• Real-Time Assay: A version of the FLOW meter can be mounted on subsea mining harvesters to analyze the slurry of mud and nodules in real-time. By distinguishing between valuable ore and waste rock at the seafloor, the system can prevent tons of waste from being lifted to the surface, significantly reducing the energy intensity and environmental footprint of deep-sea mining operations.

The Hydrogen Economy

Hydrogen is notoriously difficult to contain and measure due to its small molecular size. Optical spectroscopy offers a non-contact method to measure hydrogen flow and purity. As the “Green Hydrogen” infrastructure builds out, low-cost, accurate metering will be essential for custody transfer and safety monitoring.

Fiscal Analysis: Leveraging the R&D Tax Credit

The development of Patent 12,523,592 represents a significant investment in high-risk, high-reward engineering. For Impossible Sensing LLC and similar companies innovating in the “hard tech” space, the Research and Experimentation Tax Credit (IRC Section 41) provides a critical mechanism to recoup up to 10-20% of qualified spending. However, claiming this credit for hardware development requires rigorous adherence to the IRS “Four-Part Test.”

Application of the Four-Part Test to Patent 12,523,592

To substantiate a claim, the taxpayer must demonstrate that the development activities meet the following four criteria.

Permitted Purpose

• Definition: The activity must relate to a new or improved business component (product, process, software, formula) with the aim of improving functionality, performance, reliability, or quality.
• Compliance: The development of the “FLOW” meter clearly satisfies this. The purpose was to create a new product (an optical multiphase meter) that improves performance (real-time data vs. monthly tests), reliability (solid-state vs. mechanical moving parts), and quality (compositional data vs. density inference).

Technological in Nature

• Definition: The research must fundamentally rely on principles of the “hard sciences”—engineering, physics, chemistry, or computer science.
• Compliance: The patent is rooted in optical physics (photon-matter interaction, Raman scattering), fluid dynamics (multiphase flow regimes), and computer science (machine learning for spectral deconvolution). The involvement of physicists (like Dr. Sobron) and engineers validates that the work relied on hard science, not social science or aesthetics.

Elimination of Uncertainty

• Definition: At the outset of the project, there must be uncertainty regarding the capability to develop the component, the method of development, or the appropriate design. This is often the hardest test to document retrospectively.
• Compliance: While spectroscopy is a known science, applying it to opaque, turbulent crude oil in a high-pressure pipe presents massive technical uncertainty.
• Uncertainty of Capability: Could a laser penetrate the optical density of heavy crude sufficiently to get a return signal?
• Uncertainty of Design: How to design an optical window that survives the abrasion of sand at 100 ft/s without clouding?
• Uncertainty of Method: Which wavelength (UV, Visible, IR) provides the best signal-to-noise ratio for distinguishing water from oil in a bubbly flow? The existence of these fundamental questions at the project’s inception satisfies this prong.

Process of Experimentation

• Definition: Substantially all (80%+) of the activities must constitute a process of experimentation—evaluating alternatives, testing hypotheses, and refining designs through trial and error or modeling.
• Compliance: The development history of the FLOW meter involved a systematic, iterative process.
  1. Hypothesis: A specific laser frequency will excite fluorescence in oil but not water.
  2. Testing: Building prototypes and running them in flow loops (e.g., at SAIT’s CIRAMM facility).
  3. Analysis: Analyzing the spectral data, identifying noise from gas bubbles.
  4. Refinement: Modifying the algorithm or the sensor angle and re-testing. This cycle of “design-test-analyze-refine” is the hallmark of qualified research.

The Role of Swanson Reed in Claim Substantiation

While the innovation is clear, the documentation required to defend an R&D claim is burdensome. Swanson Reed, as a specialist advisory firm, plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between engineering reality and tax compliance.

The “Six-Eye Review” Methodology

To mitigate audit risk, Swanson Reed employs a “Six-Eye Review” process for every claim. This ensures holistic compliance:

1. Eye Set 1: Qualified Engineer: A technical expert reviews the project technical descriptions to ensure they meet the “Technological in Nature” and “Process of Experimentation” tests. They understand the difference between routine debugging and true experimental development.
2. Eye Set 2: Scientist: A subject matter expert validates the underlying scientific principles (in this case, optical physics) to ensure the “Elimination of Uncertainty” argument is scientifically sound.
3. Eye Set 3: Tax Attorney/CPA: A fiscal expert reviews the “Qualified Research Expenses” (QREs)—wages, supplies, and contractor costs—to ensure they align with IRC Section 41 and relevant state laws (e.g., Missouri or North Dakota tax codes).

ISO 31000 Risk Management

The valuation of high-tech startups like Impossible Sensing can be volatile. Swanson Reed operates under ISO 31000 Risk Management protocols. Crucially, the firm emphasizes fixed-fee or hourly billing rather than contingency fees.

• The Conflict of Interest: Contingency fees (taking a % of the credit) can incentivize advisors to inflate claims aggressively, exposing the taxpayer to audit risk.
• The Conservative Approach: By charging for time or a fixed project fee, Swanson Reed aligns its incentives with the security of the claim, not just its size. This is vital for “Patent of the Month” winners, whose high visibility might attract IRS attention.

Documentation of “First-in-Class” Status

For a patent as novel as 12,523,592, establishing “First-in-Class” status is a double-edged sword. It proves novelty (good for patents) but implies high risk (good for tax credits). Swanson Reed assists in capturing the contemporaneous documentation—lab notebooks, failed prototype designs, email threads discussing technical hurdles—that proves the team faced and overcame significant uncertainty. This “failure analysis” is often the strongest evidence in an R&D tax audit.

Final Thoughts

The selection of U.S. Patent No. 12,523,592 as the Missouri Patent of the Month is a recognition of the transformative power of interdisciplinary engineering. By effectively “bringing Mars to Earth,” Impossible Sensing LLC has not only solved a century-old measurement problem but has also provided the energy industry with a critical tool for its decarbonization journey.

This report has benchmarked the invention against the industry giants, revealing a technology that is safer, cleaner, and more economically accessible than the status quo. From the microscopic scale of molecular spectroscopy to the macroscopic scale of global carbon abatement, the implications of this patent are profound.

Furthermore, the development of such technology serves as a prime case study for the R&D Tax Credit. It illustrates the rigorous intersection of “hard science” and fiscal policy, where the “Four-Part Test” serves as the gatekeeper for federal support. Through the disciplined methodologies of firms like Swanson Reed, the risks associated with such pioneering R&D are managed, ensuring that the innovators who solve the “impossible” sensing challenges of today are resourced to solve the energy challenges of tomorrow.