System and method for extracting petroleum and generating electricity using natural gas or local petroleum

Abstract

One embodiment is a method for extracting oil from a near-depleted oil well. A portable natural gas, methane, or petroleum reformer is brought to a site of the oil well. A quantity of natural gas, methane, or a portion of the locally produced petroleum and a quantity of water is fed into the reformer. The natural gas, methane, or petroleum is reacted with the water in the reformer to generate a driver gas containing a mixture of hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas. The driver gas is compressed to a pressure appropriate for the oil well, the driver gas is injected into the oil well, and the oil is recovered from the near-depleted oil well. In one embodiment, sulfur is first removed from the natural gas or crude petroleum. Another embodiment is a method for generating electricity without greenhouse gas emissions. The driver gas is separated into a substantially hydrogen stream and a substantially carbon dioxide stream prior to injecting the driver gas into the oil well, and the hydrogen stream is used to generate electricity.

1 . An oil recovery apparatus for extracting oil from an oil well, comprising:
 a portable reformer for reacting a controlled quantity of methane with a controlled quantity of water to generate driver gas, the driver gas comprising hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas;   a heat recovery module, operatively connected to the portable reformer, for recovering heat from the driver gas exiting the portable reformer;   a sulfur removal module for removing sulfur from the methane before reacting the methane in the portable reformer;   a gas separator adapted to separate at least a portion of the hydrogen gas from the carbon dioxide gas;   a compressor module for pressurizing the driver gas produced by the portable reformer; and   an injection line, operatively connected to the compressor module, adapted to inject the driver gas, including hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas, into the oil well.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a power generator for generating electric power using at least a portion of the separated hydrogen.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the portable reformer includes a catalyst bed for increasing the efficiency of the portable reformer. 
     
     
         4 . A method for extracting oil from a near-depleted oil well, comprising:
 providing a portable natural gas reformer at a site of the oil well;   feeding a controlled quantity of natural gas and a controlled quantity of water into the reformer;   removing sulfur from the natural gas before feeding the natural gas into the portable reformer;   reacting the natural gas and the water in the reformer to generate a driver gas containing a mixture of hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas;   compressing the driver gas to a pressure appropriate for the oil well;   injecting the driver gas, including the carbon dioxide gas and the hydrogen gas, into the oil well; and   recovering the oil from the near-depleted oil well.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 adding an oxidizer to the portable reformer; and   reacting the oxidizer with the natural gas in the portable reformer in order to increase the efficiency of the reforming reaction.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 separating the driver gas into a substantially hydrogen stream and a substantially carbon dioxide stream prior to injecting the driver gas into the oil well.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the carbon dioxide stream is injected into the oil well and the hydrogen stream is used to generate power. 
     
     
         8 . An oil recovery apparatus for extracting oil from an oil well, comprising:
 a portable reformer for reacting a quantity of crude oil with a quantity of water to generate driver gas, the driver gas comprising at least carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas;   a heat recovery module, operatively connected to the portable reformer, for recovering heat from the driver gas exiting the portable reformer;   a sulfur removal module for removing sulfur from the crude oil before reacting the crude oil in the portable reformer;   a compressor module for pressurizing the driver gas produced by the portable reformer; and   an injection line, operatively connected to the compressor module, adapted to inject the driver gas, including the carbon dioxide gas and the hydrogen gas, into the oil well.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a gas separator adapted to separate at least a portion of the hydrogen gas from the carbon dioxide gas.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a power generation unit adapted to utilize at least a portion of the separated hydrogen to generate electric power.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the portable reformer includes a catalyst bed for increasing the efficiency of the portable reformer. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein a portion of the crude oil extracted from the oil well is fed into the portable reformer to generate the driver gas. 
     
     
         13 . A method for extracting oil from a near-depleted oil well, comprising:
 providing a portable crude oil reformer at a site of the oil well;   feeding a quantity of crude oil and a quantity of water into the reformer;   removing sulfur from the crude oil before feeding the crude oil into the portable reformer;   adding an oxidizer to the portable reformer;   reacting the crude oil, the water, and the oxidizer in the portable reformer to generate a driver gas containing a mixture of hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas;   compressing the driver gas to a pressure appropriate for the oil well;   injecting the driver gas, including the carbon dioxide gas and the hydrogen gas, into the oil well; and   recovering the oil from the near-depleted oil well.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 separating the driver gas into a substantially hydrogen stream and a substantially carbon dioxide stream prior to injecting the driver gas into the oil well.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the carbon dioxide stream is injected into the oil well and the hydrogen stream is used to generate power.