Marine clathrate mining and sediment separation
Abstract
A method and apparatus for mining of hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-containing clathrate such as is found on the ocean floor. The hydrocarbon containing clathrate is disaggregated from sediment by first disrupting clathrate-containing strata using continuous mining means such as a rotary tilling drum, a fluid injector, or a drill. The clathrate-rich portion of sediment thus disrupted from the sea floor strata are carried through the apparatus to regions of relative lower pressure and/or relative higher temperature where the clathrate further dissociates into component hydrocarbons and water. The hydrocarbon is recovered with the assistance of a gas that is injected and buoys the hydrocarbon containing clathrate helping it to rise to regions of lower pressure and temperature where hydrocarbon is released. The sediment separated from the hydrocarbon returns to the ocean floor.
- Inventors:
-
- Albuquerque, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 873640
- Patent Number(s):
- 6209965
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E02 - HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING E02F - DREDGING
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E21 - EARTH DRILLING E21C - MINING OR QUARRYING
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- marine; clathrate; mining; sediment; separation; method; apparatus; hydrocarbons; hydrocarbon-containing; found; ocean; floor; hydrocarbon; containing; disaggregated; disrupting; clathrate-containing; strata; continuous; means; rotary; tilling; drum; fluid; injector; drill; clathrate-rich; portion; disrupted; carried; regions; relative; pressure; temperature; dissociates; component; water; recovered; assistance; gas; injected; buoys; helping; rise; released; separated; returns; ocean floor; carbon containing; continuous mining; hydrocarbon containing; containing clathrate; /299/37/
Citation Formats
Borns, David J, Hinkebein, Thomas E, Lynch, Richard W, and Northrop, David A. Marine clathrate mining and sediment separation. United States: N. p., 2001.
Web.
Borns, David J, Hinkebein, Thomas E, Lynch, Richard W, & Northrop, David A. Marine clathrate mining and sediment separation. United States.
Borns, David J, Hinkebein, Thomas E, Lynch, Richard W, and Northrop, David A. Mon .
"Marine clathrate mining and sediment separation". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/873640.
@article{osti_873640,
title = {Marine clathrate mining and sediment separation},
author = {Borns, David J and Hinkebein, Thomas E and Lynch, Richard W and Northrop, David A},
abstractNote = {A method and apparatus for mining of hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-containing clathrate such as is found on the ocean floor. The hydrocarbon containing clathrate is disaggregated from sediment by first disrupting clathrate-containing strata using continuous mining means such as a rotary tilling drum, a fluid injector, or a drill. The clathrate-rich portion of sediment thus disrupted from the sea floor strata are carried through the apparatus to regions of relative lower pressure and/or relative higher temperature where the clathrate further dissociates into component hydrocarbons and water. The hydrocarbon is recovered with the assistance of a gas that is injected and buoys the hydrocarbon containing clathrate helping it to rise to regions of lower pressure and temperature where hydrocarbon is released. The sediment separated from the hydrocarbon returns to the ocean floor.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001}
}
Works referenced in this record:
Natural gas hydrates: Arctic and Nordic Sea potential
book, January 1993
- Max, M. D.; Lowrie, A.
- Norwegian Petroleum Society Special Publications
Oceanic Methane Hydrates: a "Frontier" gas Resource
journal, January 1996
- Max, M. D.; Lowrie, A.
- Journal of Petroleum Geology, Vol. 19, Issue 1