MEMS
OIL
OIL
IN-SITU PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY OR HYDROGEN FROM OIL (PATENT
PENDING)
In-Situ production of electricity or hydrogen from OIL represents a new paradigm for useful
recovery of energy from depleted oil formations. (tertiary recovery) without emission of
CO2 into the atmosphere.
Oil formations can be depleted with primary and secondary oil production techniques while
leaving up to 50% of the oil in the formation. This concept is a method and apparatus for
recovering that oil. (tertiary recovery.)
The process is referred to as "MEMSOIL" because one of the components of the system
are microfluidic devices (MEMS) that are bundled in a coaxial production tubing.
The figure above shows the major elements of the concept.
1. A horizontal drilling rig inserts steel coaxial production tubing (see Figure 2) into the
underground coal formation.
2. The coaxial production tubing (see Figure 2) has at least two sections, an inner tube for
transport of solvents, surfactants or electrical power for heating and an outer tube filled
with specialized MEMS devices that can digest fluids or gases from the oil in the formation
to produce electricity or hydrogen. The coaxial tubing has insulating spacers that hold the
inner tube apart from the outer tube. This allows the inner tube to be part of a circuit that
can carry the electricity to the surface. Such an electrical circuit is described in Eastlund,
"Method and System for Introducing Electric Current Into a Well"
Bernard J. Eastlund, Kenneth J. Schmitt, Ronald M. Bass, John M. Harrison
US Patent Number: 4,716,960 Issue Date: 1/5/88
3. The electricity produced is available on the surface.
PENDING)
In-Situ production of electricity or hydrogen from OIL represents a new paradigm for useful
recovery of energy from depleted oil formations. (tertiary recovery) without emission of
CO2 into the atmosphere.
Oil formations can be depleted with primary and secondary oil production techniques while
leaving up to 50% of the oil in the formation. This concept is a method and apparatus for
recovering that oil. (tertiary recovery.)
The process is referred to as "MEMSOIL" because one of the components of the system
are microfluidic devices (MEMS) that are bundled in a coaxial production tubing.
The figure above shows the major elements of the concept.
1. A horizontal drilling rig inserts steel coaxial production tubing (see Figure 2) into the
underground coal formation.
2. The coaxial production tubing (see Figure 2) has at least two sections, an inner tube for
transport of solvents, surfactants or electrical power for heating and an outer tube filled
with specialized MEMS devices that can digest fluids or gases from the oil in the formation
to produce electricity or hydrogen. The coaxial tubing has insulating spacers that hold the
inner tube apart from the outer tube. This allows the inner tube to be part of a circuit that
can carry the electricity to the surface. Such an electrical circuit is described in Eastlund,
"Method and System for Introducing Electric Current Into a Well"
Bernard J. Eastlund, Kenneth J. Schmitt, Ronald M. Bass, John M. Harrison
US Patent Number: 4,716,960 Issue Date: 1/5/88
3. The electricity produced is available on the surface.
METHOD OF OPERATION
The coaxial production tubing is the heart of the
concept. The inner tube is steel and is separated
from the outer tube by plastic spacers that are
electrically insulating as shown in Figure 2. It is also
segmented as shown in Figure 3.
The inner or outer tubes can transport gases and
fluids in and out of the outer tubing. Typically
solvents or surfactants are pumped into the formation
and help transport the oil into the tubing. The
sections receiving the oil liquids are lined with MEMS
fluidic refining and electricity producing cells that
convert them to molecular species that can operate
fuel cells built into the MEMS fluidic devices.
The electricity generated from the fuel cells is
transported to the surface in the circuit formed by the
inner and outer tubing. (Such a circuit has been built
and operated in production oil wells. See "Method
and System for Introducing Electric Current Into a
Well" Bernard J. Eastlund, Kenneth J. Schmitt,
Ronald M. Bass, John M. Harrison US Patent Number:
4,716,960 Issue Date: 1/5/88.)
MEMS type fuel cells have been developed. Also,
Microreactors that include microchannel network
configurations distribute fluid flow for catalyst
utilization and are integrated with on-chip heaters
and fuel cells.
The coaxial production tubing is the heart of the
concept. The inner tube is steel and is separated
from the outer tube by plastic spacers that are
electrically insulating as shown in Figure 2. It is also
segmented as shown in Figure 3.
The inner or outer tubes can transport gases and
fluids in and out of the outer tubing. Typically
solvents or surfactants are pumped into the formation
and help transport the oil into the tubing. The
sections receiving the oil liquids are lined with MEMS
fluidic refining and electricity producing cells that
convert them to molecular species that can operate
fuel cells built into the MEMS fluidic devices.
The electricity generated from the fuel cells is
transported to the surface in the circuit formed by the
inner and outer tubing. (Such a circuit has been built
and operated in production oil wells. See "Method
and System for Introducing Electric Current Into a
Well" Bernard J. Eastlund, Kenneth J. Schmitt,
Ronald M. Bass, John M. Harrison US Patent Number:
4,716,960 Issue Date: 1/5/88.)
MEMS type fuel cells have been developed. Also,
Microreactors that include microchannel network
configurations distribute fluid flow for catalyst
utilization and are integrated with on-chip heaters
and fuel cells.
