Patent US5713416A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5713416A
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US
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Methods of decomposing gas hydrates
Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Inc
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Filing: 1996-10-02
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Granted: 1998-02-03
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Expires: 2016-10-02
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides methods of decomposing gas hydrates in subsea or subterranean wells, the equipment associated with the wells and in subterranean reservoirs containing gas hydrates. The methods basically comprise the steps of combining an acidic liquid with a basic liquid which chemically react exothermically to form a hot salt solution, contacting the gas hydrates with the hot salt solution to decompose at least a portion of the gas hydrates whereby natural gas and water are released therefrom and recovering the released natural gas, water and salt solution.
Inventors
- 👤 Jiten Chatterji
- 👤 James E. Griffith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 19:43
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/52; C10; C10L; C10L3/00; C10L3/06; E; E21; E21B; E21B36/00; E21B41/00; E21B41/0099; E21B43/00; E21B43/16; E21B43/24; E21B43/25
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
49 words
A method of decomposing gas hydrates and releasing natural gas and water therefrom comprising the steps of: combining a liquid comprising an acid with a liquid comprising a base which chemically react exothermically to form a hot salt solution; and contacting said gas hydrates with said hot salt solution.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
49 words
A method of decomposing gas hydrates and releasing natural gas and water therefrom comprising the steps of: combining a liquid comprising an acid with a liquid comprising a base which chemically react exothermically to form a hot salt solution; and contacting said gas hydrates with said hot salt solution.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said liquid comprising an acid is an aqueous acid solution.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid and mixtures thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said acid is present in said aqueous acid solution in an amount in the range of from about 4% to about 30% by weight of said solution.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said liquid comprising a base is selected from the group consisting of liquid ammonia and an aqueous base solution.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said base is an aqueous base solution selected from the group consisting of solutions containing ammonium hydroxide, solutions containing sodium hydroxide, solutions containing potassium hydroxide and solutions containing mixtures of the foregoing bases.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said base is present in said aqueous base solution in an amount in the range of from about 2% to about 28% by weight of said solution.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1 wherein when said liquid comprising an acid and said liquid comprising a base are combined, they are present in amounts such that the temperature of the hot salt solution formed is in the range of from about 10° F. to about 250° F.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of recovering natural gas from a subterranean formation containing gas hydrates penetrated by a well bore comprising the steps of: (a) combining a liquid comprising an acid with a liquid comprising a base which chemically react exothermically to form a hot salt solution; (b) introducing said hot salt solution into said formation to thereby contact and decompose a portion of said gas hydrates therein whereby natural gas and water are released therefrom; and (c) producing said released natural gas, water and salt solution from said formation thereby depressurizing said formation and decomposing additional gas hydrates therein.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of recovering natural gas from a subterranean formation containing gas hydrates penetrated by a well bore comprising the steps of: (a) combining a liquid comprising an acid with a liquid comprising a base which chemically react exothermically to form a hot salt solution; (b) introducing said hot salt solution into said formation to thereby contact and decompose a portion of said gas hydrates therein whereby natural gas and water are released therefrom; and (c) producing said released natural gas, water and salt solution from said formation thereby depressurizing said formation and decomposing additional gas hydrates therein.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said hot salt solution is introduced into said formation in accordance with step (b) at a rate and pressure sufficient to fracture said formation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said hot salt solution is introduced into said formation in accordance with step (b) by pumping said liquid comprising an acid and liquid comprising a base through said well bore wherein they are combined and react in accordance with step (a) to form said hot salt solution which is displaced into said formation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said liquid comprising an acid is an aqueous acid solution.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid and mixtures thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said acid is present in said aqueous acid solution in an amount in the range of from about 4% to about 30% by weight of said solution.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said liquid comprising a base is selected from the group consisting of liquid ammonia and an aqueous base solution.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said base is an aqueous base solution selected from the group consisting of solutions containing ammonium hydroxide, solutions containing sodium hydroxide, solutions containing potassium hydroxide and solutions containing mixtures of the foregoing bases.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said base is present in said aqueous base solution in an amount in the range of from about 2% to about 28% by weight of said solution.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 9 wherein when said liquid comprising an acid and said liquid comprising a base are combined in accordance with step (a), they are present in amounts such that the temperature of the hot salt solution formed is in the range of from about 10° F. to about 250° F.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of recovering natural gas from a subterranean formation containing gas hydrates penetrated by a well bore comprising the steps of: (a) combining an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution with liquid ammonia to form a hot ammonium chloride salt solution; (b) introducing said hot salt solution into said formation to thereby contact and decompose a portion of said gas hydrates therein whereby natural gas and water are released therefrom; and (c) producing said released natural gas, water and salt solution from said formation thereby depressurizing said formation and decomposing additional gas hydrates therein.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of recovering natural gas from a subterranean formation containing gas hydrates penetrated by a well bore comprising the steps of: (a) combining an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution with liquid ammonia to form a hot ammonium chloride salt solution; (b) introducing said hot salt solution into said formation to thereby contact and decompose a portion of said gas hydrates therein whereby natural gas and water are released therefrom; and (c) producing said released natural gas, water and salt solution from said formation thereby depressurizing said formation and decomposing additional gas hydrates therein.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said hot salt solution is introduced into said formation in accordance with step (b) at a rate and pressure sufficient to fracture said formation.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said hot salt solution is introduced into said formation in accordance with step (b) by pumping said liquid comprising an acid and liquid comprising a base through said well bore wherein they are combined and react in accordance with step (a) to form said hot salt solution which is displaced into said formation.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said hydrochloric acid is present in said aqueous hydrochloric acid solution in an amount in the range of from about 4% to about 30% by weight of said solution.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 22 wherein when said aqueous hydrochloric acid solution and said liquid ammonia are combined in accordance with step (a), they are present in amounts such that the temperature of the hot salt solution formed is in the range of from about 10° F. to about 250° F.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of decomposing gas hydrates formed in a subsea or subterranean well or in the equipment associated therewith comprising the steps of: combining a liquid comprising an acid with a liquid comprising a base which chemically react exothermically to form a hot salt solution; and introducing said hot salt solution into said well or equipment by way of said tubular goods connected thereto so that it contacts and decomposes said gas hydrates.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of decomposing gas hydrates formed in a subsea or subterranean well or in the equipment associated therewith comprising the steps of: combining a liquid comprising an acid with a liquid comprising a base which chemically react exothermically to form a hot salt solution; and introducing said hot salt solution into said well or equipment by way of said tubular goods connected thereto so that it contacts and decomposes said gas hydrates.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 24 wherein said hot salt solution is introduced into said well or equipment by pumping said liquid comprising an acid and liquid comprising a base through said tubular goods wherein they are combined and reacted to form said hot salt solution which is displaced into said well or equipment.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said liquid comprising an acid and said liquid comprising a base are pumped separately through said tubular goods to a location therein adjacent to the connection of said tubular goods to aid well or equipment.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 24 wherein said liquid comprising an acid is an aqueous acid solution.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 27 wherein said acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid and mixtures thereof.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 28 wherein said acid is present in said aqueous acid solution in an amount in the range of from about 4% to about 30% by weight of said solution.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 24 wherein said liquid comprising a base is selected from the group consisting of liquid ammonia and an aqueous base solution.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 30 wherein said base is an aqueous base solution selected from the group consisting of solutions containing ammonium hydroxide, solutions containing sodium hydroxide, solutions containing potassium hydroxide and solutions containing mixtures of the foregoing bases.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 31 wherein said base is present in said aqueous base solution in an amount in the range of from about 2% to about 28% by weight of said solution.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 24 wherein when said liquid comprising an acid and said liquid comprising a base are combined, they are present in amounts such that the temperature of the hot salt solution formed is in the range of from about 10° F. to about 250° F.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 33 wherein said liquid comprising an acid is an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution and said liquid comprising a base is liquid ammonia.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 34 wherein said hydrochloric acid is present in said aqueous hydrochloric acid solution in an amount in the range of from about 4% to about 30% by weight of said solution.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 35 wherein when said aqueous hydrochloric acid solution and said liquid ammonia are combined, they are present in amounts such that the temperature of the hot salt solution formed is in the range of from about 10° F. to about 250° F.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-02-02 | 2001-08-04 | 2002-02-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-02-02 | 2005-08-04 | 2006-02-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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