US 2026/0048984 A1 · SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ACCELERATING PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN FROM SERPENTINIZATION OF MAFIC OR ULTRAMAFIC ROCK

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating hydrogen through serpentinization of iron-bearing rock, including mafic rock, ultramafic rock and banded iron formations is presented herein. The systems and methods use geothermally-heated and/or surface-heated fluid circulating through one or more fluidically-communicative wellbores to accelerate the production of hydrogen. A geothermal-injector wellbore is formed in a geothermal rock layer, and is communicative with a separate geothermal-collection wellbore, also formed in the geothermal layer. Fluid is pumped through the geothermal-injector wellbore, geothermally heated, collected by the geothermal-collection wellbore, and injected into a targeted rock layer that includes iron-bearing rock. The heated fluid increases the rate of hydrogen production though serpentinization of the rock, which is then collected through a separate producer wellbore. In some cases, a serpentinization-injector wellbore is used to circulate surface-heated and/or chemically-treated fluid to the targeted rock layer to accelerate hydrogen production.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for accelerating the production of hydrogen from serpentinization of a targeted rock layer, the method comprising:

forming at least one geothermal-injector wellbore into a geothermal rock layer, forming at least one geothermal-collection wellbore into the geothermal rock layer, the at least one geothermal-collection wellbore being in fluidic communication with the at least one geothermal-injector wellbore in the geothermal rock layer,
forming at least one producer wellbore into the targeted rock layer, the at least one producer wellbore being in fluidic communication with the at least one geothermal-collection wellbore in the targeted rock layer,
injecting a water-based fluid into the at least one geothermal-injector wellbore to heat the water-based fluid therein,
collecting the heated water-based fluid by the geothermal-collection wellbore disposed in fluidic communication therewith,
injecting the collected, heated water-based fluid into the targeted rock layer from the geothermal-collection wellbore to accelerate serpentinization of the rock in the targeted rock layer,
collecting a serpentinization byproduct through the at least one producer wellbore, and separating hydrogen gas from the serpentinization byproduct.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for accelerating production of hydrogen from serpentinization of mafic or ultramafic rock

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for accelerating production of hydrogen from serpentinization of mafic or ultramafic rock

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20