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US 9,810,050 B2Granted
Enhanced coal-bed methane production
AssigneeExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
InventorsO. Angus Sites, Lalit K. Bohra
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for enhanced recovery of coal bed methane. A method includes generating a diluent gas mixture comprising N2 and CO2 in a semi-closed Brayton cycle power plant, injecting at least a portion of the diluent gas mixture into a coal bed, and recovering a mixed production gas comprising methane from the coal bed.
Claims23
A method for enhanced recovery of coalbed methane, comprising:
- compressing a gaseous fuel for use in a semi-closed Brayton cycle power plant;
- generating a gas mixture comprising N2 and CO2 in the semi-closed Brayton cycle power plant operating to combust the gaseous fuel and an oxygen component of an oxidant at a stoichiometric ratio;
- injecting at least a portion of the gas mixture into a coal bed;
- and
- recovering a mixed production gas comprising methane from the coal bed.
2 more elements
A system for enhancing the recovery of coalbed methane, comprising:
- a semi-closed Brayton cycle power plant operating to combust a gaseous fuel and an oxygen component of an oxidant at a stoichiometric ratio, wherein an exhaust gas from the semi-closed Brayton cycle power plant provides a diluent gas mixture comprising substantial amounts of N2 and CO2;
- a compressor configured to compress the gaseous fuel prior to combustion in the semi-closed Brayton cycle power plant;
- an injection well configured to inject the diluent gas mixture from the semi-closed Brayton cycle power plant into a coalbed;
- and
- a production well configured to harvest a production gas mixture from the coal bed, wherein the production gas mixture comprises methane.
2 more elements
A system for enhancing the recovery of coalbed methane, comprising:
- a combustor associated with a gas turbine, the combustor configured to combust therein a gaseous fuel and an oxygen component of an oxidant at a stoichiometric ratio, wherein the gas turbine receives hot exhaust gases from the combustor, wherein cooling is provided by a diluent gas injected into the combustor, and wherein the diluent gas substantially comprises N2 and CO2;
- a generator configured to convert mechanical energy provided by the gas turbine into electrical energy;
- a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) configured to generate steam by heating a boiler with an exhaust stream from the gas turbine;
- a Rankine cycle power plant configured to generate electricity from the steam;
- a cooler configured to condense water from the exhaust stream downstream of the HRSG, generating the diluent;
- a diluent compressor configured to increase the pressure of the diluent and direct at least a portion of the diluent to the combustor;
- an injection system configured to inject a portion of the diluent from the compressor into a coalbed;
- a production system configured to harvest a production gas from the coalbed, wherein the production gas comprises methane;
- and
- a compressor configured to compress a portion of the production gas to generate a compressed stream of coal bed methane, wherein a portion of the compressed stream of coal bed methane is used as part of the gaseous fuel.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.