US3934650A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Recovery of natural gas during solution mining of an underground salt deposit
Assignee: OCCIDENTIAL ELECTROCHEMICALS Corp
•
Filing: 1974-09-23
•
Granted: 1976-01-27
•
Expires: 1994-09-23
Abstract
Abstract Brine coming to the earth's surface can contain substances other than salt in water; occasionally of particular interest is gas contained in the brine, especially natural gas or methane or ethane. As the brine reaches the surface of the earth, the presence of this gas is visibly apparent and gives the brine a cloudy appearance. This gas is typically well dispersed through the brine initially as very minute incipient gas bubbles that will accumulate and separate from the brine, given sufficient time. A method is herein provided for quickly and efficiently clarifying the brine by passing the cloudy brine through a filter zone providing a pressure drop across the zone of greater than about 20 p.s.i.g.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert G. J. LaFortune
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 15:00
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/34; B; B01; B01D; B01D19/00; B01D19/0031; E21B43/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
188 words
The method of recovering natural gas contained in an underground salt deposit, which method comprises: A. injecting water into said underground salt deposit and contacting the gas-containing salt deposit with injected water, thus obtaining a gas-containing brine solution; B. withdrawing said brine solution from the underground salt deposit thereby forming brine clouded by very finely divided and substantially uniformly dispersed incipient gas bubbles; C. passing the clouded brine through a fibrous filter element disposed within a filter zone, said element having a fiber density sufficient to provide a pressure drop for said brine across said filter element of not substantially below about 20 p.s.i.g., and containing in the element natural and synthetic fibers maintained in said filter zone at least in part by resin binding, wherein said fibers are selected from the group consisting of natural wool, cellulose, and rayon, and said fibers are bound together by a synthetic, water-insoluble resin; D. withdrawing clarified, gas-depleted brine from the downstream region of said filter zone; E. withdrawing gas from said filter zone and away from the resulting clarified brine; and, F. collecting said gas overhead from said filter zone.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
188 words
The method of recovering natural gas contained in an underground salt deposit, which method comprises: A. injecting water into said underground salt deposit and contacting the gas-containing salt deposit with injected water, thus obtaining a gas-containing brine solution; B. withdrawing said brine solution from the underground salt deposit thereby forming brine clouded by very finely divided and substantially uniformly dispersed incipient gas bubbles; C. passing the clouded brine through a fibrous filter element disposed within a filter zone, said element having a fiber density sufficient to provide a pressure drop for said brine across said filter element of not substantially below about 20 p.s.i.g., and containing in the element natural and synthetic fibers maintained in said filter zone at least in part by resin binding, wherein said fibers are selected from the group consisting of natural wool, cellulose, and rayon, and said fibers are bound together by a synthetic, water-insoluble resin; D. withdrawing clarified, gas-depleted brine from the downstream region of said filter zone; E. withdrawing gas from said filter zone and away from the resulting clarified brine; and, F. collecting said gas overhead from said filter zone.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-01-26 | 1979-07-28 | 1980-01-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-01-26 | 1983-07-28 | 1984-01-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-01-26 | 1987-07-28 | 1988-01-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |