| PIONEER ENERGY INC. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20110203292 | METHODS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY FROM CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL WITH SUBSTANTIALLY NO CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS - Disclosed herein is a method for generating “clean” electricity from carbonaceous material, and producing high-pressure CO | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110046244 | NATURAL GAS STEAM REFORMING METHOD WITH LINEAR COUNTERCURRENT HEAT EXCHANGER - The present invention is a natural gas steam reforming method for generating an output gas mixture of carbon dioxide and hydrogen, including the following steps. (1) Combusting a portion of the natural gas with an oxidizing agent to generate heat, superheated steam, and a gas mixture of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen. (2) Steam reforming the gas mixture with additional superheated steam under steam-rich conditions to transform a remaining portion of the natural gas into carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen. (3) Water-gas-shifting any residual carbon monoxide into additional carbon dioxide and additional hydrogen by utilizing a water-gas-shift catalyst downstream of the steam reforming step, thereby producing an effluent gas mixture that is predominantly carbon dioxide and hydrogen. (4) Boiling water in a top-to-bottom linear countercurrent heat exchanger to generate the superheated steam by transferring heat released in the water-gas-shifting step, where as the water is gravitationally and thermally stratified from top to bottom with a top portion boiling into steam, the steam continues to rise and is additionally heated in the top-to-bottom linear countercurrent heat exchanger. (5) And, utilizing the superheated steam produced as a reactant in the steam reforming step and the water-gas-shifting step to assist in reformation of the natural gas into carbon dioxide and hydrogen. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20090236093 | Apparatus and Method for Extracting Petroleum from Underground Sites Using Reformed Gases - Provided herein are methods and apparatus for removing oil or natural gas from the ground. In one example, the method may include reforming a fuel source by reaction with water to generate driver gas, and injecting the driver gas into the oil well. The reforming operation may include causing the combustion of a combustible material with ambient oxygen for the release of energy; and heating a reforming reaction fuel and water sources, with the energy released from the combustion of the combustible material, to a temperature above that required for the reforming reaction wherein the fuel and water sources are reformed into driver gas. In one example, the amount of the combustible material combusted is sufficient to result in the release of enough energy to heat an amount of the reforming reaction fuel and water sources to the temperature above that required for the reforming reaction to proceed. The driver gas may be used to help extract oil from the ground and especially oil from depleted oil wells. It may also be used to drive natural gas trapped underground or in coal beds to the surface. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090229815 | Apparatus and Method for Extracting Petroleum from Underground Sites Using Reformed Gases - Methods and apparatus for removing oil or natural gas from the ground. In one example, the method may include reforming a fuel source by reaction with water to generate driver gas, and injecting the driver gas into the oil well. The reforming operation may include causing the combustion of a combustible material with ambient oxygen for the release of energy; and heating a reforming reaction fuel and water sources, with the energy released from the combustion of the combustible material, to a temperature above that required for the reforming reaction wherein the fuel and water sources are reformed into driver gas. In one example, the amount of the combustible material combusted is sufficient to result in the release of enough energy to heat an amount of the reforming reaction fuel and water sources to the temperature above that required for the reforming reaction to proceed. The driver gas may be used to help extract oil from the ground and especially oil from depleted oil wells. It may also be used to drive natural gas trapped underground or in coal beds to the surface. | 09-17-2009 |
