Coal gasification well drilling process

Patent · Tue Aug 22 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5436510

Logan, T L

This patent describes a process for in-situ gasification of a section of a formation containing at least one below surface dipping coal seam. The process comprising the steps of, dimensionally identifying a section of each coal seam of the formation that is an area of the coal seam between head and foot ends with opposite sides and a roof and floor as a burn module; for each coal seam positioning a drilling platform on a ground surface location that is axially offset over the coal seam roof from a vertical line extending upwardly from the head end of the burn module to the ground surface; directionally drilling a production wellbore vertically from each drilling platform through the coal seam roof to intersect the coal seam and curve into the designated burn module at the head end thereof. The production well bore extending longitudinally the length of the burn module; from one drilling platform that is used for drilling a production wellbore, directionally drilling at least one pair of injection wellbores through the coal seam roof and floor into that burn module at approximately a right angle to and spaced apart a distance from the production wellbore. During drilling of the production and injection wellbores, tracking the subsurface location of the drilling bit; introducing a burn material or enhancer through at least one of the injection wellbores that is then ignited to burn the coal seam burn module; and withdrawing the products of that combustion through the production wellbore for further processing.

• Assignee: Resource Enterprises, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT
• Patent Number(s): US 4858689
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-179663A
• OSTI ID: 5436510
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
COAL DEPOSITS
COAL GASIFICATION
COAL SEAMS
DESIGN
DRILLING
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
DRILLS
EQUIPMENT
GASIFICATION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
IN-SITU GASIFICATION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
MINERAL RESOURCES
PROCESSING
RESOURCES
ROCK DRILLING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES