Production of natural gas from hydrates
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for producing methane gas from a hydrate formation comprising:
- a column of modified material substantially filling a wellbore extending into the hydrate formation, wherein said column of modified material is permeable to gases; and
a heat source extending into said column of modified material and operable to provide heat to the hydrate formation so as to release methane gas from the hydrate formation.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for producing methane gas from a hydrate formation. A column of modified material substantially filling a wellbore extending into the hydrate formation. The column of modified material is permeable to gases. A heat source extends into the column of modified material and is operable to provide heat to the hydrate formation so as to release methane gas from the hydrate formation. Methane gas flow through the column of modified material to a gas collector, which regulates the flow of gas to a production system.
115 Citations
39 Claims
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1. An apparatus for producing methane gas from a hydrate formation comprising:
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a column of modified material substantially filling a wellbore extending into the hydrate formation, wherein said column of modified material is permeable to gases; and a heat source extending into said column of modified material and operable to provide heat to the hydrate formation so as to release methane gas from the hydrate formation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for extracting methane gas from a hydrate formation, said system comprising:
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a wellbore extending into the hydrate formation; a column of modified material substantially filling said wellbore and in direct contact with the hydrate formation, wherein said column of modified material is permeable to gas; a heat source operable to provide heat to said column of modified material, wherein the heat is transferred through said column of modified material to the hydrate formation so as to heat the formation and release methane gas into said column of modified material; and a gas collector in fluid communication with said column of modified material, wherein said gas collector is operable to control the flow of methane gas out of said column of modified material. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for extracting hydrocarbon gases from a hydrate formation, the method comprising:
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drilling a wellbore into the hydrate formation; substantially filling the wellbore with a modified material that is permeable to gases, supplying heat to the modified material so as to heat the hydrate formation and release hydrocarbon gases from the formation; and collecting at least a portion of the hydrocarbon gases that flow into the wellbore. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of producing gas from a gas hydrate formation comprising:
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forming a modified column of material which includes a heat source within said column, said modified column of material extending down into said gas hydrate formation and being substantially uncased above the producing formation; supplying heat to said heat source in said modified column of material whereby the heat from said heat source is thermally conducted by the modified material to said hydrate formation releasing gas from said formation; and allowing said gas formed from said formation to flow through said uncased modified column to the location where said gas is separated from the water. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. An apparatus for producing methane gas from a hydrate formation comprising:
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an uncased modified column of material which includes a heat source within said column, said modified column of material beginning substantially at the surface and extending down into said gas hydrate formation; means for providing heat to said heat source; and a chamber disposed over said uncased modified column containing a liquid region and a gas region where gas flowing up the modified column is captured.
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Specification