Patents Assigned to Pioneer Energy, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20090236093
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: PIONEER ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Robert M. Zubrin, Mark H. Berggren
  • Publication number: 20090229815
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: PIONEER ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Robert M. Zubrin, Mark H. Berggren
  • Patent number: 7506685
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Pioneer Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Zubrin, Mark H. Berggren