Process for extracting dissolved methane from hydropressured aquifers

Abstract

One undeveloped alternative fuel is methane dissolved in ground water. Equipment for extracting methane from ground water is readily available. This Application presents a process to produce and use dissolved natural gas in the United States. The process includes the use of production wells, pumps, gas / water separators, compressors, low pressure gathering lines, and water disposal wells. Dissolved methane is present in virtually every basin now known to produce oil and dry gas. The Great Valley of California alone contains undeveloped dissolved methane resources of about 1,200 trillion cubic feet (TCF). Dry gas production in 150 years was about 10 TCF. The first full scale test of the extraction process was completed on Jul. 7-8, 2010 in California. Laboratory analyses of the gas produced showed that it was equal in heat value (about 940 to 975 BTU per cubic foot) to dry gas produced from the same field.

Description

NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT[0001]There are no parties associated with Gary F. Player or any other entity that have a joint research agreement with Gary F. Player.INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC[0002]No sequence listings, tables, or computer programs have been submitted on compact discs. There are zero (0) compact discs submitted with this Patent Application.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]1. Technical Field[0004]Natural gas production from porous and permeable sedimentary rocks.[0005]2. Background Art[0006]Natural gas prices are subject to market spikes far beyond the control of the largest company or agency. Energy costs in the United States can be freed from the demands of the world petroleum marketplace. One undeveloped replacement fuel is methane dissolved in ground water. This gas is present throughout the sedimentary basins of the world, just a few hundred meters below the surface of the ground. Dissolved methane resources...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes the technical methods and equipment needed to extract methane from ground water in the United States. The process involves drilling wells, using low pressure pumps to lift ground water to surface, using gas / water separators to remove methane, using gas compressors to compress the methane, using gathering lines to move the methane to existing natural gas pipelines, and using high pressure compressors to inject methane into natural gas pipelines. The technical effects include an economical method for harvesting and using dissolved gas, which can provide a renewable energy source.

Problems solved by technology

However, until this Patent Application, no one had devised an economical method for combining modern technologies to harvest, store, and use dissolved gas in the United States.

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