Blockchain mine at oil or gas facility
AssigneeUpstream Data Inc.
InventorStephen Barbour
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems of operating a blockchain mining device using natural gas produced at a hydrocarbon production, storage, or processing site/facility. A generator may be retrofitted to an existing prime mover used to pump the well, and the generator may be used to power the blockchain mining device. Portable mining devices may be hooked up to a casinghead gas supply at a remote, isolated oil facility. Power loading levels may be modulated by adjusting mining transaction levels to correspond with combustible gas production levels.
Claims20
1-41. (canceled)
A blockchain mining system for a network that stores or has access to a blockchain database, the blockchain database being a distributed database stored on plural nodes in the network, the network being a peer-to-peer network, the blockchain database storing transactional information for a digital currency, the blockchain mining system comprising:
- blockchain mining devices structured to be connected in use to a source of energy, in which:
- the blockchain mining devices each have a mining processor and are connected to a network interface;
- the network interface is connected to receive and transmit data through the internet to the network, which stores or has access to the blockchain database;
- the mining processors are connected to the network interface and adapted to mine transactions associated with the blockchain database and to communicate with the blockchain database;
- and
- the blockchain mining system is configured to modulate a powerload level exerted by the block-chain mining devices on the source of energy, by increasing or decreasing one or more of a maximum number of mining processors that are engaged in mining transactions, or a mining activity of the blockchain mining devices.
A blockchain mining method for mining transactions for a network that stores or has access to a blockchain database, the blockchain database being a distributed database stored on plural nodes in the network, the network being a peer-to-peer network, the blockchain database storing transactional information for a digital currency, the blockchain mining method comprising:
- operating blockchain mining devices using electricity from a source of energy, in which:
- the blockchain mining devices each have a mining processor and are connected to a network interface;
- the network interface is connected to receive and transmit data through the internet to the network, which stores or has access to a blockchain database;
- the mining processors are connected to the network interface and adapted to mine transactions associated with the blockchain database and to communicate with the blockchain database;
- and
- modulating a power load level exerted by the blockchain mining devices on the source of energy, by increasing or decreasing one or more of a maximum number of mining processors that are engaged in mining transactions, or a mining activity of the blockchain mining devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.