System for using geopressured-geothermal reservoirs

Process of drilling a bore into a geopressured-geothermal reservoir containing a gas-laden fluid, allowing the fluid to escape through the bore, passing the fluid into a rotatable turbine which causes a generator to produce electricity, passing the fluid to means for separating gas from the fluid, and passing the fluid into a multi-effect distillation system to extract fresh water from the fluid to produce fresh water and saturated brine.

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Claims

1. A method of using a geopressured-geothermal reservoir containing a gas-laden fluid, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) drilling a bore into the reservoir;
(b) allowing the fluid within the reservoir to escape through the bore;
(c) passing the fluid into an interior of a turbine such that movement of the fluid causes the turbine to rotate, rotation of the turbine causing a generator to rotate to produce electricity;
(d) passing the fluid from the interior of the turbine to means for separating the gas from the fluid; and
(e) passing the fluid into an interior of a multi-effect distillation system, the multi-effect distillation system extracting fresh water from the fluid to produce fresh water and saturated brine..!.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of injecting fluid into the reservoir comprises the injection and disposal of liquid waste.

Referenced Cited
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Patent History
Patent number: RE36282
Type: Grant
Filed: Nov 23, 1994
Date of Patent: Aug 31, 1999
Inventor: George S. Nitschke (Kent, WA)
Primary Examiner: Ira S. Lazarus
Assistant Examiner: Alfred Basichas
Law Firm: Vance, Romero & Montague, P.S.
Application Number: 8/344,228
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: 60/6412
International Classification: F03G 700;