System and method for using super critical state carbon dioxide (CO2) as a hydrocarbon diluent
OwnerMichael J. Hirlinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for the use of super critical CO2 as a diluent for transport of extracted or processed hydrocarbons. The super critical state CO2 is then co-mingled with the extracted or processed hydrocarbons and transported in the co-mingled state to a delivery point. At the delivery point, the super critical state CO2 is allowed to return to its gaseous state allowing the separation of the hydrocarbons therefrom. The hydrocarbons may be processed and the gaseous CO2 returned to its super critical state for future transport, use in EOR, or geologically sequestered.
Claims4
A method for utilizing super critical state CO2 as a diluent for extracted or processed hydrocarbons, said method comprising the steps of:
- causing CO2 to enter a super critical state;
- transporting said super critical state CO2 to the processed hydrocarbons;
- commingling the super critical state CO2 with the processed hydrocarbons;
- transporting the super critical state CO2 together with the processed hydrocarbons to a predetermined delivery destination.
A system for utilizing super critical state CO2 as a diluent for extracted or processed hydrocarbons, said system comprising:
- means for causing CO2 to enter a super critical state;
- means for transporting said super critical state CO2 to the processed hydrocarbons;
- means for commingling the super critical state CO2 with the processed hydrocarbons;
- means for transporting the super critical state CO2 together with the processed hydrocarbons to a predetermined delivery destination.
4 The system as defined in claim 1 further including:
- means for depressurizing the mixture of super critical state CO2 and processed hydrocarbons at the delivery destination;
- means for recovering the gaseous phase CO2;
- means for causing the gaseous phase CO2 to re-enter a super critical state;
- means for transporting the super critical state CO2 to one or more locations including but not limited to:
- EOR/EGR, coal fields for enhanced coal bed methane, and a sequestration location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.