Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080283247 | PORTABLE AND MODULAR SYSTEM FOR EXTRACTING PETROLEUM AND GENERATING POWER - An embodiment is a portable, modular apparatus, having one or more modules, for recovering oil from an oil well and generating electric power, and including a chassis to support a fuel reformer, a gas separator, a power generator, and/or a compressor. The fuel reformer module is adapted to react a fuel source with water to generate driver gas including a mixture of carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas. The gas separator module is operatively coupled to the reformer module and is adapted to separate at least a portion of the hydrogen gas from the rest of the driver gas. The power generator module is operatively coupled to the gas separator module and is adapted to generate electric power using a portion of the separated hydrogen gas. The compressor module is operatively coupled to the reformer module and is adapted to compress a portion of the driver gas, and to eject the driver gas at high pressure into the oil well for enhanced oil recovery. The chassis may be mounted and carried by a truck, boat, airplane, or other vehicle to the location of the oil well. | 11-20-2008 |
20080283249 | APPARATUS, METHODS, AND SYSTEMS FOR EXTRACTING PETROLEUM USING A PORTABLE COAL REFORMER - Apparatus, methods, and systems for extracting oil or natural gas from a well using a portable coal reformer. In one example, the method may include reforming coal by reaction with water to generate driver gas (comprising carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas), and injecting the driver gas into the well. The driver gas reduces the viscosity and pressurizes the oil to help extract the oil from the oil well. The coal reforming operation may include combusting coal or other combustible material with ambient oxygen to release energy, and heating coal and water with the energy released to a temperature above that required for the coal reforming reaction to proceed, thereby reforming coal and water into driver gas. The driver gas may be purified by filtering out particles and sulfur before injecting into the well. A portion of the hydrogen gas may be separated from the driver gas and used to generate electrical power. | 11-20-2008 |
20080296018 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXTRACTING PETROLEUM AND GENERATING ELECTRICITY USING NATURAL GAS OR LOCAL PETROLEUM - One embodiment is a method for extracting oil from a near-depleted oil well. A portable natural gas, methane, or petroleum reformer is brought to a site of the oil well. A quantity of natural gas, methane, or a portion of the locally produced petroleum and a quantity of water is fed into the reformer. The natural gas, methane, or petroleum is reacted with the water in the reformer to generate a driver gas containing a mixture of hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas. The driver gas is compressed to a pressure appropriate for the oil well, the driver gas is injected into the oil well, and the oil is recovered from the near-depleted oil well. In one embodiment, sulfur is first removed from the natural gas or crude petroleum. Another embodiment is a method for generating electricity without greenhouse gas emissions. The driver gas is separated into a substantially hydrogen stream and a substantially carbon dioxide stream prior to injecting the driver gas into the oil well, and the hydrogen stream is used to generate electricity. | 12-04-2008 |
20090008089 | CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A HYBRID PETROLEUM EXTRACTOR/POWER GENERATOR - A control system and control method for controlling a modular apparatus for extracting petroleum and/or generating electricity based on subsurface data as well as market prices of electricity and/or petroleum. One or more probes measure subsurface total pressure, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, partial pressure of hydrogen, oil flow rate, gas flow rate, underground temperature, and/or viscosity of the oil. The control system/method controls the apparatus based on the subsurface parameters by controlling an injection module and/or a gas separator module to increase or decrease output of driver gas. The control system/method may also control the injection module and/or the gas separator module to increase (or decrease) output of driver gas when the market price of electricity decreases (or increases) and/or petroleum increases (or decreases). | 01-08-2009 |
20090014170 | SYSTEMS FOR EXTRACTING FLUIDS FROM THE EARTH'S SUBSURFACE AND FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY WITHOUT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS - An embodiment is an apparatus for generating a driver gas, for recovering fluid from the Earth's subsurface. The apparatus includes a fuel reformer, adapted to react a fuel with water to produce carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas; a compressor, adapted to compress a portion of the carbon dioxide gas and a portion of the hydrogen gas; a gas injection unit, adapted to inject the portion of the carbon dioxide gas and the portion of the hydrogen gas compressed by the compressor, into a subsurface reservoir; a gas capture unit, adapted to capture a portion of the carbon dioxide gas and the hydrogen gas, that emerges from the subsurface reservoir; and a control module capable of using subsurface data to regulate operation of the gas injection unit. The apparatus may also include a power generator adapted to utilize a portion of the hydrogen gas to generate power, hence producing electricity without greenhouse gas emissions. | 01-15-2009 |
20100038082 | PORTABLE RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEM FOR ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY (PRESEOR) USING BIOMASS HAVING NET NEGATIVE CO2 EMISSIONS AND FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY HAVING ZERO CO2 EMISSIONS - The Portable Renewable Energy System for Enhanced Oil Recovery (“PRESEOR”) is a truck mobile system that reforms biomass into CO | 02-18-2010 |
20100200693 | Apparatus for Generation and Use of Lift Gas - A balloon launch unit produces lift gas to enable balloon launch or to allow the prolongation of balloon flight. A method of using the balloon launch unit can include reforming a fuel source by reaction with water to generate hydrogen-rich lift gas mixtures, and injecting the lift gas into a balloon. A reforming operation can include causing the combustion of a combustible material with ambient oxygen for the release of energy; and heating a reforming combination of reaction fuel and water 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 lift gas. 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. | 08-12-2010 |
20100314136 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING IN-SITU CARBON DIOXIDE DRIVER GAS FOR USE IN ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY - The present invention is an in-situ apparatus for generating carbon dioxide gas at an oil site for use in enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The apparatus includes a steam generator adapted to boil and superheat water to generate a source of superheated steam, as well as a source of essentially pure oxygen. The apparatus also includes a steam reformer adapted to react a carbonaceous material with the superheated steam and the pure oxygen, in an absence of air, to generate a driver gas comprising primarily carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas. A separator is adapted to separate at least a portion of the carbon dioxide gas from the rest of the driver gas to generate a carbon dioxide-rich driver gas and a hydrogen-rich fuel gas. A compressor is used for compressing the carbon dioxide-rich driver gas for use in enhanced oil recovery, and the compressed carbon dioxide-rich driver gas, with substantially no oxygen, is injected to a predetermined depth in order to enhance oil recovery at the oil site. Unlike traditional CO | 12-16-2010 |
20110067410 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY FROM CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL WITH SUBSTANTIALLY NO CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS - A reformation power plant generates clean electricity from carbonaceous material and high pressure CO | 03-24-2011 |
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 |
20140065026 | 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. | 03-06-2014 |
20140284066 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING IN-SITU CARBON DIOXIDE DRIVER GAS FOR USE IN ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY - The present invention is an in-situ apparatus for generating carbon dioxide gas at an oil site for use in enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The apparatus includes a steam generator adapted to boil and superheat water to generate a source of superheated steam, as well as a source of essentially pure oxygen. The apparatus also includes a steam reformer adapted to react a carbonaceous material with the superheated steam and the pure oxygen, in an absence of air, to generate a driver gas comprising primarily carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas. A separator is adapted to separate at least a portion of the carbon dioxide gas from the rest of the driver gas to generate a carbon dioxide-rich driver gas and a hydrogen-rich fuel gas. A compressor is used for compressing the carbon dioxide-rich driver gas for use in enhanced oil recovery, and the compressed carbon dioxide-rich driver gas, with substantially no oxygen, is injected to a predetermined depth in order to enhance oil recovery at the oil site. Unlike traditional CO | 09-25-2014 |
20150034320 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXTRACTING PETROLEUM AND GENERATING ELECTRICITY USING NATURAL GAS OR LOCAL PETROLEUM - One embodiment is a method for extracting oil from a near-depleted oil well. A portable natural gas, methane, or petroleum reformer is brought to a site of the oil well. A quantity of natural gas, methane, or a portion of the locally produced petroleum and a quantity of water is fed into the reformer. The natural gas, methane, or petroleum is reacted with the water in the reformer to generate a driver gas containing a mixture of hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas. The driver gas is compressed to a pressure appropriate for the oil well, the driver gas is injected into the oil well, and the oil is recovered from the near-depleted oil well. In one embodiment, sulfur is first removed from the natural gas or crude petroleum. Another embodiment is a method for generating electricity without greenhouse gas emissions. The driver gas is separated into a substantially hydrogen stream and a substantially carbon dioxide stream prior to injecting the driver gas into the oil well, and the hydrogen stream is used to generate electricity. | 02-05-2015 |