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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 16, 2009
Filed:
Dec. 12, 2006
Hong-quan Zhang, Tulsa, OK (US);
James P. Brill, Tulsa, OK (US);
Cem Sarica, Broken Arrow, OK (US);
The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK (US);
Abstract
A process for extracting hydrocarbon gases from marine sediment hydrates. In one embodiment, the process includes drilling from a sea floor into a hydrate rich subsea sediment to form at least one opening therein. Electrical heaters are inserted into the opening or openings. The hydrate rich subsea sediment is heated with the electrical heaters in order to release hydrocarbon gas therefrom. The released hydrocarbon gas is collected in an overhead receiver. The hydrocarbon gas forms hydrates again when moving through the cold sea water and inside the overhead receiver. The overhead receiver is raised to a sea depth where pressure and temperature permit the hydrates to dissociate and to release the hydrocarbon gas. The hydrocarbon gas is then gathered from the top of the overhead receiver.