Abstract: A control system and control method for controlling a modular apparatus for extracting petroleum and/or generating electricity based on subsurface data as well as market prices of electricity and/or petroleum. One or more probes measure subsurface total pressure, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, partial pressure of hydrogen, oil flow rate, gas flow rate, underground temperature, and/or viscosity of the oil. The control system/method controls the apparatus based on the subsurface parameters by controlling an injection module and/or a gas separator module to increase or decrease output of driver gas. The control system/method may also control the injection module and/or the gas separator module to increase (or decrease) output of driver gas when the market price of electricity decreases (or increases) and/or petroleum increases (or decreases).

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and apparatus for removing oil or natural gas from the ground. In one example, the method may include reforming a fuel source by reaction with water to generate driver gas, and injecting the driver gas into the oil well. The reforming operation may include causing the combustion of a combustible material with ambient oxygen for the release of energy; and heating a reforming reaction fuel and water sources, with the energy released from the combustion of the combustible material, to a temperature above that required for the reforming reaction wherein the fuel and water sources are reformed into driver gas. In one example, the amount of the combustible material combusted is sufficient to result in the release of enough energy to heat an amount of the reforming reaction fuel and water sources to the temperature above that required for the reforming reaction to proceed. The driver gas may be used to help extract oil from the ground and especially oil from depleted oil wells.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for removing oil or natural gas from the ground. In one example, the method may include reforming a fuel source by reaction with water to generate driver gas, and injecting the driver gas into the oil well. The reforming operation may include causing the combustion of a combustible material with ambient oxygen for the release of energy; and heating a reforming reaction fuel and water sources, with the energy released from the combustion of the combustible material, to a temperature above that required for the reforming reaction wherein the fuel and water sources are reformed into driver gas. In one example, the amount of the combustible material combusted is sufficient to result in the release of enough energy to heat an amount of the reforming reaction fuel and water sources to the temperature above that required for the reforming reaction to proceed. The driver gas may be used to help extract oil from the ground and especially oil from depleted oil wells.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for removing oil or natural gas from the ground. In one example, the method may include reforming a fuel source by reaction with water to generate driver gas, and injecting the driver gas into the oil well. The reforming operation may include causing the combustion of a combustible material with ambient oxygen for the release of energy; and heating a reforming reaction fuel and water sources, with the energy released from the combustion of the combustible material, to a temperature above that required for the reforming reaction wherein the fuel and water sources are reformed into driver gas. In one example, the amount of the combustible material combusted is sufficient to result in the release of enough energy to heat an amount of the reforming reaction fuel and water sources to the temperature above that required for the reforming reaction to proceed. The driver gas may be used to help extract oil from the ground and especially oil from depleted oil wells.

Abstract: An embodiment is an apparatus for generating a driver gas, for recovering fluid from the Earth's subsurface. The apparatus includes a fuel reformer, adapted to react a fuel with water to produce carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas; a compressor, adapted to compress a portion of the carbon dioxide gas and a portion of the hydrogen gas; a gas injection unit, adapted to inject the portion of the carbon dioxide gas and the portion of the hydrogen gas compressed by the compressor, into a subsurface reservoir; a gas capture unit, adapted to capture a portion of the carbon dioxide gas and the hydrogen gas, that emerges from the subsurface reservoir; and a control module capable of using subsurface data to regulate operation of the gas injection unit. The apparatus may also include a power generator adapted to utilize a portion of the hydrogen gas to generate power, hence producing electricity without greenhouse gas emissions.

Abstract: A control system and control method for controlling a modular apparatus for extracting petroleum and/or generating electricity based on subsurface data as well as market prices of electricity and/or petroleum. One or more probes measure subsurface total pressure, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, partial pressure of hydrogen, oil flow rate, gas flow rate, underground temperature, and/or viscosity of the oil. The control system/method controls the apparatus based on the subsurface parameters by controlling an injection module and/or a gas separator module to increase or decrease output of driver gas. The control system/method may also control the injection module and/or the gas separator module to increase (or decrease) output of driver gas when the market price of electricity decreases (or increases) and/or petroleum increases (or decreases).

Abstract: One embodiment is a method for extracting oil from a near-depleted oil well. A portable natural gas, methane, or petroleum reformer is brought to a site of the oil well. A quantity of natural gas, methane, or a portion of the locally produced petroleum and a quantity of water is fed into the reformer. The natural gas, methane, or petroleum is reacted with the water in the reformer to generate a driver gas containing a mixture of hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas. The driver gas is compressed to a pressure appropriate for the oil well, the driver gas is injected into the oil well, and the oil is recovered from the near-depleted oil well. In one embodiment, sulfur is first removed from the natural gas or crude petroleum. Another embodiment is a method for generating electricity without greenhouse gas emissions.

Abstract: An embodiment is a portable, modular apparatus, having one or more modules, for recovering oil from an oil well and generating electric power, and including a chassis to support a fuel reformer, a gas separator, a power generator, and/or a compressor. The fuel reformer module is adapted to react a fuel source with water to generate driver gas including a mixture of carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas. The gas separator module is operatively coupled to the reformer module and is adapted to separate at least a portion of the hydrogen gas from the rest of the driver gas. The power generator module is operatively coupled to the gas separator module and is adapted to generate electric power using a portion of the separated hydrogen gas. The compressor module is operatively coupled to the reformer module and is adapted to compress a portion of the driver gas, and to eject the driver gas at high pressure into the oil well for enhanced oil recovery.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and systems for extracting oil or natural gas from a well using a portable coal reformer. In one example, the method may include reforming coal by reaction with water to generate driver gas (comprising carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas), and injecting the driver gas into the well. The driver gas reduces the viscosity and pressurizes the oil to help extract the oil from the oil well. The coal reforming operation may include combusting coal or other combustible material with ambient oxygen to release energy, and heating coal and water with the energy released to a temperature above that required for the coal reforming reaction to proceed, thereby reforming coal and water into driver gas. The driver gas may be purified by filtering out particles and sulfur before injecting into the well. A portion of the hydrogen gas may be separated from the driver gas and used to generate electrical power.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for producing lift gas to enable balloon launch or to allow the prolongation of balloon flight. In one example, the method may include reforming a fuel source by reaction with water to generate hydrogen-rich lift gas mixtures, and injecting the lift gas into a balloon. The reforming operation may include causing the combustion of a combustible material with ambient oxygen for the release of energy; and heating a reforming combination of reaction fuel and water with the energy released from the combustion of the combustible material, to a temperature above that required for the reforming reaction wherein the fuel and water sources are reformed into lift gas. In one example, the amount of the combustible material combusted is sufficient to result in the release of enough energy to heat an amount of the reforming reaction fuel and water sources to the temperature above that required for the reforming reaction to proceed.

Abstract: Methods of controlling the bulk density, permeability, moisture retention and thermal properties of bulk materials are provided by selectively sizing the bulk material. Preferably, the bulk material is sized into successively smaller particle size fractions, with the largest fraction placed into a confined area. The next smaller size fraction is then added until the largest sized fraction begins to dilate. The next successive smaller size fraction is added until the mixture beams to dilate, with the process being continued until the smallest size fraction is used. Methods of decreasing the density of bulk materials are also provided.

Abstract: Methods of controlling the bulk density, permeability, moisture retention and thermal properties of bulk materials are provided by selectively sizing the bulk material. Preferably, the bulk material is sized into a bi-modal size distribution to control these properties. Methods of decreasing the density of bulk materials are also provided.

Abstract: Methods of controlling the bulk density, permeability, moisture retention and thermal properties of bulk materials are provided by selectively sizing the bulk material. Preferably, the bulk material is sized into a bi-modal size distribution to control these properties. Methods of decreasing the density of bulk materials are also provided. In one embodiment the bulk material is separated into a first fraction and a second fraction, the second fraction being smaller than the first. Subsequently, the second fraction is separated into a third fraction and a fourth fraction, the fourth fraction being smaller than the third. The third fraction is then comminuted to be the same size as the fourth fraction, at which point the first, third, and fourth fractions are finally mixed to produce a densified bulk material.

Abstract: A method and composition are disclosed to reduce the oxidative deterioration of bulk materials. Preferred embodiments of bulk materials include solid fuel materials, such as coal, and bulk food products. The method includes sizing a bulk material so that it has a porosity of 40% or less. This relatively low porosity reduces the surface area of the bulk material available to the ambient environment for oxidation. The method of sizing the bulk material may be combined with the step of contacting the bulk material with an inert gas or a heat transfer medium.

Abstract: A composition and method for applying to a coal product for dust suppression, water repellency, and spontaneous combustion potential reduction. The composition includes molasses and a hydrocarbon-based solution, such as an oil-containing solution. The oil-containing solution is substantially free of water and may comprise about 20% asphalt. Both the molasses and the oil-containing solution may comprise at least about 40% of the total composition by weight. The method of applying the composition includes reducing a moisture content of a plurality of pieces of coal, cooling the plurality of pieces of coal after said reducing step and treating the plurality of pieces of coal after the reducing step, with a composition comprising an oil and molasses.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method to reduce oxidative deterioration of bulk materials. Preferred embodiments of bulk materials include solid fuel materials, such as coal, and bulk food products. The method includes contacting a bulk material with a heat transfer medium to reduce the temperature of the bulk material below ambient temperature, and preferably below about 10.degree. C. In this manner, the rate of oxidation is sufficiently low so that significant losses, such as the loss of thermal values in of fuel material, are avoided. The heat transfer medium can be solid or fluid and in a preferred embodiment is liquid carbon dioxide or liquid nitrogen.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method to reduce oxidative deterioration of bulk materials. Preferred embodiments of bulk materials include solid fuel materials, such as coal, and bulk food products. The method includes contacting a bulk material with a heat transfer medium to reduce the temperature of the bulk material below ambient temperature, and preferably below about 10.degree. C. In this manner, the rate of oxidation is sufficiently low so that significant losses, such as the loss of thermal values in of fuel material, are avoided. The heat transfer medium can be solid or fluid and in a preferred embodiment is liquid carbon dioxide or liquid nitrogen.

Abstract: A fluid bed reactor is provided with a loosely mounted, flexible multiperforate gas distributor plate so that in use the interaction of the flow of fluidizing gas, the plate and fluidized solids causes the plate to be flexed thereby cleaning the plate.

Abstract: The scaling of autoclave and leaching-equipment surfaces during the high pressure leaching of nickeliferous oxide and silicate ores is controlled during leaching to favor the formation of scale containing substantial amounts of magnesium sulfate that is more easily removed by chemical dissolution using water or dilute sulfuric acid at temperatures ranging from about 50.degree. C. to 250.degree. C. than scale containing substantial amounts of alunite.

Abstract: An aqueous slurry containing coal and dextrin as a dispersant. The slurry, in addition to containing dextrin, may contain a conventional dispersant or, alternatively, a pH controlling reagent.