Gas hydrate conversion system for harvesting hydrocarbon hydrate deposits

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9394169-B2
Application number	US-201414149740-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2014
Priority date	Feb 17, 2009
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment, a gas hydrate conversion system is provided comprising a floating factory, an appendage for harvesting a gas hydrate from an oceanic hydrate deposit, and one or more storage tanks. The floating factory comprises one or more heat exchange assemblies, one or more heat pump assemblies and an engine. In another embodiment, a method for harvesting hydrocarbon hydrate deposits is provided, the method comprising providing a gas hydrate conversion system; inducing release of methane from an oceanic hydrate deposit; capturing the methane from a primary methane capture zone and/or a secondary methane capture zone; and converting the methane to hydrogen and carbon.

First claim

I claim:

1. A method for harvesting hydrocarbon hydrate deposits, the method comprising:
providing a gas hydrate conversion system;
inducing release of methane from an oceanic hydrate deposit;
capturing the methane from a primary methane capture zone and/or a secondary methane capture zone;
converting the methane to hydrogen and carbon; and
delivering solar energy to the oceanic hydrate deposit using a solar energy apparatus including a light conduit, the light conduit having reflective walls to provide high-intensity delivery of the solar energy to the oceanic hydrate deposit.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas hydrate conversion system includes a furnace adapted to disassociate one mole of methane into two moles of hydrogen and one mole of carbon.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein inducing release of the gas hydrate is accomplished using heated water or solar energy.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein converting the methane to hydrogen and carbon is accomplished by exposing the methane to heat generated by one or more heat exchange assemblies, one or more heat pump assemblies, or by exothermic reactions between extracted hydrogen, methane, steam and oxygen.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising utilizing the hydrogen and carbon for producing durable goods.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sequestering carbon and storing hydrogen for later use.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the sequestered carbon is used to produce durable goods.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the stored hydrogen is used to produce energy.

Assignees

• Mcalister Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Mcalister Roy Edward

Classifications

• C23C16/26

  Deposition of carbon only · CPC title

• C23C16/4581

  characterised by material of construction or surface finish of the means for supporting the substrate · CPC title

• C01B2203/84

  Energy production · CPC title

• C30B25/08

  Reaction chambers; Selection of materials therefor · CPC title

• H01M8/0606

  with means for production of gaseous reactants · CPC title