Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Exxonmobil Technology and Engineering Company

Imperial Oil Resources

Robert D Kaminsky

William A Symington

Michele M Thomas

Marcel Staedter

Robert Chick Wattenbarger

David C Rennard

Abdel Wadood M El-Rabaa

Jesse D Yeakel

Moses Minta

Fritz Pierre, Jr

Matthew A Dawson

Chad C Rasmussen

Rahman Khaledi

Quinn R Passey

Mori Y Kwan

Matthew T Shanley

Thomas R Palmer

Ramesh Varadaraj

Narasimha-Rao Venkata Bangaru

Mohsen Shahmirzadi Yeganeh

Jeffrey Roberts Bailey

Pavlin B Entchev

Loren K Starcher

Matthew Stone

Timothy J Nedwed

Kevin H Searles

James R Bragg

Eric D Nelson

P Matthew Spiecker

Thomas J Boone

Peter C Rasmussen

William P Meurer

Jeff H Moss

Mauro Lo Cascio

Scott R Clingman

Owen J Hehmeyer

Sergio A Leonardi

Paul Lawrence Tanaka

Robin Gupta

Pietro Valsecchi

Brian C Speirs

Payman Esmaeili

Xianghui Huang

Todd S Griffith

Babak Adam Jajuee

Thomas W Willingham

Jung-gi Jane Shyeh

J Pierre Lebel

James S Burns

Sriram Doraiswamy

David Carl Rennard

Peter Griffin Smith, Jr

Larry E Harrison

Jeffrey R Bailey

Wei Ren

Bhargaw L Adibhatla

Ganesh L Ghurye

Larry J Manak

C Stan Speed

Steve R Krohn

James M Hutfilz

Terrance D Ralston

Matthew T Stone

Donald E Owens, Iii

Erik H Clayton

Olusola B Adeyinka

Aaron Ortiz Gomez

Chien-Chiang Chen

Nima Saber

Jean-Pierre Lebel

Lauren Blanton

Ming Gong

Theodore W Pirog

Adam S Coutee

Mark S Beckman

Ganesan Subramanian

Fritz Pierre

Emilio Alvarez

Babak A Jajuee

Ganesh Ghurye

Ronald D Myers

Improved processes and systems for removing COfrom exhaust gas to substantially prevent such greenhouse gas from being released to the atmosphere. The systems and processes use a) staged cooling of an exhaust gas stream, b) addition of an antifreeze, and c) a combination of non-scraped heat exchangers and scraped heat exchangers to separate COfrom an exhaust stream while reducing or minimizing accumulation of ice on surfaces within the system.

Processes for removing carbon dioxide from exhaust gas using scraped and non-scraped heat exchangers

A method and apparatus for liquefying a feed gas stream comprising natural gas and carbon dioxide. A method includes compressing an input fluid stream to generate a first intermediary fluid stream; cooling the first intermediary fluid stream with a first heat exchanger to generate a second intermediary fluid stream, wherein a temperature of the second intermediary fluid stream is higher than a carbon dioxide-freezing temperature for the second intermediary fluid stream; expanding the second intermediary fluid stream to generate a third intermediary fluid stream, wherein the third intermediary fluid stream comprises solid carbon dioxide; separating the third intermediary fluid stream into a fourth intermediary fluid stream and an output fluid stream, wherein the output fluid stream comprises a liquefied natural gas (LNG) liquid; and utilizing the fourth intermediary fluid stream as a cooling fluid stream for the first heat exchanger.

Liquefaction of production gas

Methods and systems for removing contaminants, such as water and/or carbon dioxide, from a gas stream, such as a natural gas stream or a flue gas stream. One or more solid-tolerant heat exchangers are employed to chill the gas stream to a temperature at which the contaminants solidify. The solidified contaminants may then be separated and removed from the gas stream. In one or more aspects, the one or more solid-tolerant heat exchangers may include a scraped heat exchanger.

Poly refrigerated integrated cycle operation using solid-tolerant heat exchangers

A method and apparatus for separating a separation component from a gas stream. One exemplary method includes: flowing the gas stream across a process surface of a compliant composite heat transfer wall, wherein: the gas stream has an initial concentration of the separation component, and the gas stream has a gas temperature; flowing a cooling fluid across a cooling surface of the wall, wherein: the cooling fluid has a fluid temperature, and the fluid temperature is less than the gas temperature; and producing an output gas stream, wherein: the output gas stream has an output concentration of the separation component, and the output concentration is less than the initial concentration. Another exemplary method includes separating at least a portion of the separation component from the gas stream by: accumulating the portion proximate the process surface; and delaminating the portion from the process surface with a flow of the gas stream.

Compliant composite heat exchangers

A scraped heat exchanger apparatus, including a vessel and a plurality of internally cooled plates disposed parallel to each other within the vessel. A rotating shaft is disposed at a central axis of the vessel. A rotating scraper arm, connected to the rotating shaft, moves between adjacent plates. The rotating scraper arm includes a scraper positioned to scrape solids from the outer surfaces of adjacent plates. A cooling fluid flows through an interior of each plate. The cooling fluid cools a gaseous process fluid flowing between adjacent plates. An opening in each of the plates permits the process fluid, and solids removed from the process fluid and scraped by the rotating scraper arm, to pass through the plates.

Methods and apparatus for improving multi-plate scraped heat exchangers

Systems and methods are described for removing solidifiable gas from a process gas stream by direct contact with a cold liquid. The process gas stream includes at least gas that is frozen by the cold liquid while one or more other gases of the process gas stream remain in a gaseous state. The process gas stream may include water, and will have a different composition than the cold liquid. The contacting of the cold liquid with the process gas stream may be at a pressure that is less than 200 psia, and optionally less than 100 psia, 50 psia, or even 30 psia, and the solidified gas may be removed from the contacting assembly as a slurry with cold liquid.

Systems and methods for using cold liquid to remove solidifiable gas components from process gas streams

Thermal recovery methods for recovering viscous hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation. The thermal recovery methods include performing a plurality of injection cycles. Each injection cycle in the plurality of injection cycles includes injecting a heated solvent vapor stream into a heated chamber that extends within the subterranean formation and fluidly contacting the viscous hydrocarbons with the heated solvent vapor stream to generate mobilized viscous hydrocarbons. Each injection cycle also includes injecting a steam stream into the heated chamber. The thermal recovery methods further include producing a chamber liquid and/or mobilized viscous hydrocarbons from the subterranean formation.

Thermal recovery methods for recovering viscous hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation

A method for loading liquefied nitrogen (LIN) into a cryogenic storage tank initially containing liquid natural gas (LNG) and a vapor space above the LNG. First and second nitrogen gas streams are provided. The first nitrogen stream has a lower temperature than the second nitrogen gas stream. While the LNG is offloaded from the storage tank, the first nitrogen gas stream is injected into the vapor space. The storage tank is then purged by injecting the second nitrogen gas stream into the storage tank to thereby reduce a natural gas content of the vapor space to less than 5 mol %. After purging the storage tank, the storage tank is loaded with LIN.

Method of purging a dual purpose LNG/LIN storage tank

Systems and methods are described for re-moving solidifiable gas from a process gas stream by direct contact with a cold liquid. The process gas stream includes at least gas that is frozen by the cold liquid while one or more other gases of the process gas stream remain in a gaseous state. The process gas stream may include water, and will have a different composition than the cold liquid. The contacting of the cold liquid with the process gas stream may be at a pressure that is less than 200 psia, and optionally less than 100 psia, 50 psia, or even 30 psia, and the solidified gas may be removed from the contacting assembly as a slurry with cold liquid.

Systems and methods for mitigating the effects of subsurface shunts during bulk heating of a subsurface formation are disclosed. The methods may include electrically connecting, and concurrently applying, first, second, and third alternating voltages to respective first, second, and third electrode assemblies within the subsurface formation. The first, second, and third alternating voltages may have the same frequency and respective first, second, and third phase angles. The second phase angle may be different than the first phase angle, and the third phase angle may be different than the second phase angle. The methods may include, upon determining a presence of a subsurface shunt between the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly, electrically connecting the first electrode assembly to the second alternating voltage and applying the second alternating voltage to the first and second electrode assemblies while applying the third alternating voltage to the third electrode assembly.

Mitigating the effects of subsurface shunts during bulk heating of a subsurface formation

Systems and methods for removing fluid from a slurry fluid and a plurality of solid particles including flowing a slurry stream that includes the slurry through a slurry conduit, injecting a displacing fluid through a first perforated region that is in fluid communication with the slurry conduit, displacing at least a portion of the slurry fluid from the slurry, and producing a displaced fluid stream, which may include the displaced portion of the slurry fluid and/or a portion of the injected displacing fluid, from a second perforated region that is in fluid communication with the slurry conduit. The systems and methods also may include producing a product slurry stream from the slurry conduit, separating the components of the displaced fluid stream, separating the components of the product slurry stream, and/or recycling a portion of one or more of the streams.

Systems and methods for separating components of a slurry

A method of recovering hydrocarbons includes forming a first electrode by creating a first hydraulic fracture within the subsurface formation and pumping a first electrically conductive material into the first hydraulic fracture; forming a second electrode by creating a second hydraulic fracture within the subsurface formation and pumping a second electrically conductive material into the second hydraulic fracture; electrically connecting a first power transmitting mechanism to the first electrode; electrically connecting a second power transmitting mechanism to the second electrode; and heating the subsurface formation between the first electrode and the second electrode by transmitting an electrical current via the first power transmitting mechanism to the first electrode and via the second power transmitting mechanism to the second electrode and by flowing the electrical current from the first electrode to the second electrode. The electrical current substantially includes a frequency between 60 Hertz and 500 Kilohertz.

Method of recovering hydrocarbons within a subsurface formation using electric current

Systems and methods for remediating an initially liquid-like slurry pond include distributing one or more floating wicks into the slurry pond, wherein the slurry pond includes a slurry with a supernatant level above the slurry. A method also includes placing a load on the slurry, wherein the load causes an effective stress on the slurry and aids in dewatering the slurry.

Floating wicks for slurry consolidation

Systems and methods for separating mine tailings from water-absorbing polymers and regenerating the separated water-absorbing polymers. The systems and methods include a separation assembly that is configured to receive an augmented mine tailings slurry that includes mine tailings, water, and a swollen water-absorbing polymer. The separation assembly separates the swollen water-absorbing polymer from the augmented mine tailings slurry to produce a dewatered mine tailings slurry. The systems and methods further include a water-absorbing polymer regeneration unit that is configured to receive the swollen water-absorbing polymer. The water-absorbing polymer regeneration unit at least partially releases water from the swollen water-absorbing polymer to produce a regenerated water-absorbing polymer, and as a separate output or product, the released water.

Systems and methods for separating mine tailings from water-absorbing polymers and regenerating the separated water-absorbing polymers

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Robert D Kaminsky