Apparatus, methods, and systems for extracting petroleum using a portable coal reformer

A method for substantially rejuvenating a near-depleted oil well, comprising:

• providing a portable coal reformer at a site of the near-depleted oil well;
• feeding a quantity of coal and a quantity of water into the portable coal reformer;
• steam reforming the coal and the water in the portable coal reformer to generate a driver gas comprising a mixture of hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, and carbon monoxide gas, wherein sufficient water is provided to ensure a substantial majority of the coal is converted directly into carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas in a single step;
• separating the driver gas into a substantially carbon dioxide gas stream and a substantially hydrogen gas stream;
• generating power using the hydrogen gas stream;
• compressing the carbon dioxide gas stream to a pressure appropriate for the near-depleted oil well;
• injecting the compressed carbon dioxide gas stream into the near-depleted oil well;
• and
• recovering oil from the near-depleted oil well, thereby rejuvenating the near-depleted oil well.

A portable apparatus for substantially rejuvenating a near-depleted oil well, comprising:

• transportation means for transporting the portable apparatus to the near-depleted oil well;
• reformation means for reforming a quantity of coal with a quantity of water to generate driver gas, the driver gas comprising hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, and carbon monoxide gas, wherein sufficient water is provided to ensure a substantial majority of the coal is converted directly into carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas in a single step;
• separation means for separating a portion of the carbon dioxide gas from the driver gas, the separation means operatively connected to the reformation means;
• power generation means for generating power using the hydrogen gas, the generation means operatively coupled to the separation means;
• pressurization means for pressurizing the carbon dioxide gas to a pressure appropriate for injection into the near-depleted oil well, the pressurization means operatively connected to the separation means;
• and
• injection means for injecting the pressurized carbon dioxide gas into the near-depleted oil well, the injection means operatively coupled to the pressurization means,
• wherein the transportation means supports and transports the reformation means, the separation means, the power generation means, the pressurization means, and the injection means.