Patent · US Expired

Coalbed methane recovery using membrane separation of oxygen from air

US5388642A · kind A · utility

288Cited by
13References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 3, 1993
Grant dateFeb 14, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 3, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
  • CPC primaryE21B43/17
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A method of recovering methane from a solid carbonaceous subterranean formation having a production well in fluid communication with the formation and an injection well in fluid communication with the formation, comprising the steps of passing a gaseous fluid containing at least 60 volume percent nitrogen and at least 15 volume percent oxygen through a membrane separator to produce an oxygen-depleted effluent, pressurizing the oxygen-depleted effluent to a pressure above a reservoir pressure of the solid carbonaceous subterranean formation, injecting the oxygen-depleted effluent into the formation through the injection well, and recovering a fluid comprising methane through the production well.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.