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Title: Method for production of hydrocarbons from hydrates

Abstract

A method of recovering natural gas entrapped in frozen subsurface gas hydrate formations in arctic regions. A hot supersaturated solution of CaCl.sub.2 or CaBr.sub.2, or a mixture thereof, is pumped under pressure down a wellbore and into a subsurface hydrate formation so as to hydrostatically fracture the formation. The CaCl.sub.2 /CaBr.sub.2 solution dissolves the solid hydrates and thereby releases the gas entrapped therein. Additionally, the solution contains a polymeric viscosifier, which operates to maintain in suspension finely divided crystalline CaCl.sub.2 /CaBr.sub.2 that precipitates from the supersaturated solution as it is cooled during injection into the formation.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Los Alamos, NM
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
864830
Patent Number(s):
4424866
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C09 - DYES C09K - MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E21 - EARTH DRILLING E21B - EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
method; production; hydrocarbons; hydrates; recovering; natural; gas; entrapped; frozen; subsurface; hydrate; formations; arctic; regions; hot; supersaturated; solution; cacl; cabr; mixture; pumped; pressure; wellbore; formation; hydrostatically; fracture; dissolves; solid; releases; therein; additionally; contains; polymeric; viscosifier; operates; maintain; suspension; finely; divided; crystalline; precipitates; cooled; injection; saturated solution; natural gas; finely divided; gas hydrate; solid hydrates; solution contains; hydrate formation; gas entrapped; /166/

Citation Formats

McGuire, Patrick L. Method for production of hydrocarbons from hydrates. United States: N. p., 1984. Web.
McGuire, Patrick L. Method for production of hydrocarbons from hydrates. United States.
McGuire, Patrick L. Sun . "Method for production of hydrocarbons from hydrates". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864830.
@article{osti_864830,
title = {Method for production of hydrocarbons from hydrates},
author = {McGuire, Patrick L},
abstractNote = {A method of recovering natural gas entrapped in frozen subsurface gas hydrate formations in arctic regions. A hot supersaturated solution of CaCl.sub.2 or CaBr.sub.2, or a mixture thereof, is pumped under pressure down a wellbore and into a subsurface hydrate formation so as to hydrostatically fracture the formation. The CaCl.sub.2 /CaBr.sub.2 solution dissolves the solid hydrates and thereby releases the gas entrapped therein. Additionally, the solution contains a polymeric viscosifier, which operates to maintain in suspension finely divided crystalline CaCl.sub.2 /CaBr.sub.2 that precipitates from the supersaturated solution as it is cooled during injection into the formation.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1984},
month = {1}
}