The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Mar. 03, 2026

Filed:

Nov. 01, 2022
Applicant:

Exxonmobil Technology and Engineering Company, Spring, TX (US);

Inventors:

Timothy J. Nedwed, Houston, TX (US);

Lin Zhao, Spring, TX (US);

Sam Aminfard, Houston, TX (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
C10L 3/10 (2006.01); C12M 1/107 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
C10L 3/10 (2013.01); C12M 21/04 (2013.01);
Abstract

Methods include providing a natural gas stream; directing a first fraction of the natural gas stream to a bioreactor including a propagating culture of hydrocarbon degrading microbes; directing a second fraction of the gas stream to a local power generator and converting the natural gas stream to electricity and heat; using a dynamic control system to balance of the gas stream to the first fraction and the second fraction based on one or more of the availability of electricity from an electricity grid and the price of electricity from the electricity grid; powering, at least in part, the bioreactor with the electricity generated by the local power generator; and harvesting the hydrocarbon degrading microbes from the bioreactor as a biomass. Related systems are also provided.


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