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US Patent 6978837 - Production of natural gas from hydrates
US Patent Issued on December 27, 2005
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
July 13, 2024Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
July 13, 2024Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.AbstractMethods and apparatus for producing methane gas from a hydrate formation. A column of modified material substantially filling a wellbore extending into the hydrate formation. The column of modified material is permeable to gases. A heat source extends into the column of modified material and is operable to provide heat to the hydrate formation so as to release methane gas from the hydrate formation. Methane gas flow through the column of modified material to a gas collector, which regulates the flow of gas to a production system. | InventorApplicationNo. 10890040 filed on 07/13/2004US Classes:166/303, Placing preheated fluid into formation166/302, Heating, cooling or insulating166/278, Graveling or filter forming166/57, WITH HEATING, REFRIGERATING OR HEAT INSULATING MEANS166/58, Fuel supply or hot billet in well166/59, Burner in well166/267, Separating outside of well299/14, Directly applying heat or vibration166/262, Solid fuel or particles in well95/46, Degasification of liquid166/248Electric current or electrical wave energy through earth for treatingField of Search166/300, Chemical inter-reaction of two or more introduced materials (e.g., selective plugging or surfactant)166/302, Heating, cooling or insulating166/303, Placing preheated fluid into formation166/262, Solid fuel or particles in well166/265, Separating material entering well166/267, Separating outside of well166/278, Graveling or filter forming166/272.1, Involving the step of heating166/63, WITH EXPLOSIVE OR GAS GENERATING MEANS IN WELL175/11, BORING BY DIRECTLY APPLYING HEAT TO FLUIDIZE OR COMMINUTE175/16, Electrically produced heat299/8, Separation below surface of earth or water299/9, Material mined or excavated underwater299/14, Directly applying heat or vibration585/15HYDRATE OR PRODUCTION THEREOFExaminersPrimary: Bagnell, DavidAssistant: Bomar, Shane Attorney, Agent or FirmUS Patent References2985238, 3916993, 3920072, 3952802, Method and apparatus for in situ gasification of coal and the commercial products derived therefromIssued on: 04/27/1976 Inventor: Terry4007787, Gas recovery from hydrate reservoirs Issued on: 02/15/1977 Inventor: Cottle4147456, Storage of fuel gas Issued on: 04/03/1979 Inventor: Klass4371045, Method and apparatus for recovering unstable cores Issued on: 02/01/1983 Inventor: McGuire , et al.4376462, Substantially self-powered method and apparatus for recovering hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-containing solid hydrates Issued on: 03/15/1983 Inventor: Elliott , et al.4424858, Apparatus for recovering gaseous hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-containing solid hydrates Issued on: 01/10/1984 Inventor: Elliott , et al.4424866, Method for production of hydrocarbons from hydrates Issued on: 01/10/1984 Inventor: McGuire4750983, Fluid separation cells and spacers for use in these Issued on: 06/14/1988 Inventor: Foster , et al.4886119, Method of and arrangement for driving volatile impurities from ground Issued on: 12/12/1989 Inventor: Bernhardt, et al.4920752, Apparatus and process for storing hydrate-forming gaseous hydrocarbons Issued on: 05/01/1990 Inventor: Ehrsam5261490, Method for dumping and disposing of carbon dioxide gas and apparatus therefor Issued on: 11/16/1993 Inventor: Ebinuma5268477, Triazinylpiperazinyl amine intermediates Issued on: 12/07/1993 Inventor: McCall, et al.5322943, Piperazine compounds which are substituted Issued on: 06/21/1994 Inventor: McCall, et al.5324436, Use of hydrate formation to control membrane mimetic systems Issued on: 06/28/1994 Inventor: John, et al.5434330, Process and apparatus for separation of constituents of gases using gas hydrates Issued on: 07/18/1995 Inventor: Hnatow, et al.5473904, Method and apparatus for generating, transporting and dissociating gas hydrates Issued on: 12/12/1995 Inventor: Guo, et al.5540190, Gas hydrate storage system and method for using the gas hydrate storage system in automotive vehicles Issued on: 07/30/1996 Inventor: Rogers, et al.5613362, Apparatus and method for energy conversion using gas hydrates Issued on: 03/25/1997 Inventor: Dixon5660603, Process for separating selected components from multi-component natural gas streams Issued on: 08/26/1997 Inventor: Elliot, et al. RE35696, 5713416, Methods of decomposing gas hydrates Issued on: 02/03/1998 Inventor: Chatterji, et al.5723702, Method for removing moisture from chlorodifluoro-methane Issued on: 03/03/1998 Inventor: Kwon, et al.5789635, Method for inhibiting or retarding hydrate formation, growth and/or agglomeration Issued on: 08/04/1998 Inventor: Durand, et al.5873262, Desalination through methane hydrate Issued on: 02/23/1999 Inventor: Max, et al.5900516, Method for predetermining a polymer for inhibiting hydrate formation Issued on: 05/04/1999 Inventor: Talley, et al.5950732, System and method for hydrate recovery Issued on: 09/14/1999 Inventor: Agee, et al.5964093, Gas hydrate storage reservoir Issued on: 10/12/1999 Inventor: Heinemann, et al.5981816, Method for inhibiting or retarding hydrate formation or agglomeration in a production effluent Issued on: 11/09/1999 Inventor: Sinquin, et al.6028234, Process for making gas hydrates Issued on: 02/22/2000 Inventor: Heinemann, et al.6028235, Gas hydrate regassification method and apparatus using steam or other heated gas or liquid Issued on: 02/22/2000 Inventor: Heinemann, et al.6035933, Process for the thermo-hydraulic control of gas hydrates Issued on: 03/14/2000 Inventor: Khalil, et al.6082118, Storage and transport of gas hydrates as a slurry suspenion under metastable conditions Issued on: 07/04/2000 Inventor: Endrizzi, et al.6148911, Method of treating subterranean gas hydrate formations Issued on: 11/21/2000 Inventor: Gipson, et al.6158239, Desalination through gas hydrate Issued on: 12/12/2000 Inventor: Max, et al.6178670, Underwater mining apparatus Issued on: 01/30/2001 Inventor: Susman, et al.6180843, Method for producing gas hydrates utilizing a fluidized bed Issued on: 01/30/2001 Inventor: Heinemann, et al. 6192691, 6209965, Marine clathrate mining and sediment separation Issued on: 04/03/2001 Inventor: Borns, et al.6214175, Method for recovering gas from hydrates Issued on: 04/10/2001 Inventor: Heinemann, et al.6216804, Apparatus for recovering core samples under pressure Issued on: 04/17/2001 Inventor: Aumann, et al.6228146, Gas recovery device Issued on: 05/08/2001 Inventor: Kuespert6230825, Apparatus for recovering core samples under pressure Issued on: 05/15/2001 Inventor: Aumann, et al.6267849, Method for the photocatalytic conversion of gas hydrates Issued on: 07/31/2001 Inventor: Taylor, et al.6299256, Method and apparatus for recovering a gas from a gas hydrate located on the ocean floor Issued on: 10/09/2001 Inventor: Wyatt6305482, Method and apparatus for transferring core sample from core retrieval chamber under pressure for transport Issued on: 10/23/2001 Inventor: Aumann, et al.6306917, Processes for the production of hydrocarbons, power and carbon dioxide from carbon-containing materials Issued on: 10/23/2001 Inventor: Bohn, et al.6307191, Microwave heating system for gas hydrate removal or inhibition in a hydrocarbon pipeline Issued on: 10/23/2001 Inventor: Waycuilis6347531, Single mixed refrigerant gas liquefaction process Issued on: 02/19/2002 Inventor: Roberts, et al.6378631, Apparatus for recovering core samples at in situ conditions Issued on: 04/30/2002 Inventor: Aumann, et al.6389820, Surfactant process for promoting gas hydrate formation and application of the same Issued on: 05/21/2002 Inventor: Rogers, et al.6417415, Methods of solidifying low-boiling-point hydrocarbon and handling the same, and regeneration thereof Issued on: 07/09/2002 Inventor: Sakaguchi, et al.6475460, Desalination and concomitant carbon dioxide capture yielding liquid carbon dioxide Issued on: 11/05/2002 Inventor: Max6497794, Desalination using positively buoyant or negatively buoyant/assisted buoyancy hydrate Issued on: 12/24/2002 Inventor: Max6499536, Method to increase the oil production from an oil reservoir Issued on: 12/31/2002 Inventor: Ellingsen6531034, Land-based desalination using positively buoyant or negatively buoyant/assisted buoyancy hydrate Issued on: 03/11/2003 Inventor: Max6562234, Land-based desalination using positively buoyant or negatively buoyant/assisted buoyancy hydrate Issued on: 05/13/2003 Inventor: Max6565626, Natural gas separation using nitrogen-selective membranes Issued on: 05/20/2003 Inventor: Baker, et al.6565715, Land-based desalination using buoyant hydrate Issued on: 05/20/2003 Inventor: Max6570045, Methods of solidifying low-boiling-point hydrocarbon and handling the same, and regeneration thereof Issued on: 05/27/2003 Inventor: Sakaguchi, et al.6572678, Natural gas separation using nitrogen-selective membranes of modest selectivity Issued on: 06/03/2003 Inventor: Wijmans, et al.6620091, Underwater scrubbing of CO2 from CO2-containing hydrocarbon resources Issued on: 09/16/2003 Inventor: Zavell , et al.6653516, Production method for hydrate and device for proceeding the same Issued on: 11/25/2003 Inventor: Yoshikawa , et al.6659204, Method and apparatus for recovering core samples under pressure Issued on: 12/09/2003 Inventor: Aumann , et al.6673249, Efficiency water desalination/purification Issued on: 01/06/2004 Inventor: Max6673479, System and method for enabling the real time buying and selling of electricity generated by fuel cell powered vehicles Issued on: 01/06/2004 Inventor: McArthur , et al.6733573, Catalyst allowing conversion of natural gas hydrate and liquid CO2 to CO2 hydrate and natural gas Issued on: 05/11/2004 Inventor: Lyon6733667, Desalination using positively buoyant or negatively buoyant/assisted buoyancy hydrate Issued on: 05/11/2004 Inventor: Max6735960, Composition and method for hydrogen storage Issued on: 05/18/2004 Inventor: Mao, et al.6759564, Hydrate-based decontamination of toxic gases Issued on: 07/06/2004 Inventor: Max, et al.6767471, Hydrate desalination or water purification Issued on: 07/27/2004 Inventor: Max6817427, Device and method for extracting a gas hydrate Issued on: 11/16/2004 Inventor: Matsuo, et al.6824171, Riser connector Issued on: 11/30/2004 Inventor: Milberger, et al.6830682, Controlled cooling of input water by dissociation of hydrate in an artificially pressurized assisted desalination fractionation apparatus Issued on: 12/14/2004 Inventor: Max6855852, Natural gas hydrate and method for producing same Issued on: 02/15/2005 Inventor: Jackson, et al.6890444Hydrate formation and growth for hydrate-based desalination by means of enriching water to be treated Issued on: 05/10/2005 Inventor: Max International ClassesE21B036/00E21B043/24 E21B043/04 |
