THE METHOD OF EXTRACTING HYDROCARBONS FROM A SHALE GAS DEPOSIT AND A DEVICE FOR EXTRACTING HYDROCARBONS FROM A SHALE GAS DEPOSIT

Abstract

A device and method of extracting gas from the gas shale deposit by the partial combustion of hydrocarbons in the deposit in air is described. The method and device uses a gas extraction process and a pyrolysis process. The amount of air is controlled during the pyrolysis process to manage the process and to discharge effluent from the deposit.

Claims

1.-4. (canceled)

5. A method of extracting hydrocarbons from a shale gas deposit involving the supply of air to the deposit, then igniting the deposit in order to bring about the effect of pyrolysis through partial combustion of hydrocarbons and then extracting the gas to the surface of the earth, comprising: a process of supplying flammable materials and air to the shale gas deposit and next discharging products of evaporation and pyrolysis of shale gas deposit is carried out with use of a single transporting conduit, favorably a pipeline or a supply shaft; wherein amount of air supplied through the single transporting conduit to the shale gas deposit is adjusted so as to ensure conversion of hydrocarbons in a liquid state into a gaseous state and hydrocarbons in a solid state into a gaseous and liquid state.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the amount of air supplied through the pipeline or the supply shaft, which air is used to support partial combustion of hydrocarbons and the amount of hydrocarbons discharged from the shale gas deposit by this pipeline is controlled alternately by means of a valve installed on the pipe and a valve installed on the pipe.

7. A device for extracting hydrocarbons from the shale gas deposit comprising: a pipeline wherein the pipeline has an air-tight permanent forefoot and is equipped with an air-tight hatch, through which a combustible material is provided to start the burning of hydrocarbons within the shale gas deposit, then with the pipe supplying air at increased pressure equipped with a valve controlling the amount and pressure of air supplied, with the pipe discharging the products from the shale gas deposit resulting from the partial combustion of hydrocarbons equipped with a pressure gauge valve, additionally the pipeline, has the openings facilitating the supply of air to the shale gas deposit and facilitating the discharging of the products of partial combustion of the shale gas deposit to the surface of the earth.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the transporting shaft performs the functions of the pipeline.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The objects and advantages described above are achieved by the flaring device that is the subject of the invention, which is described here below with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows an overview of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of certain embodiments of the present invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings.

[0023] As used herein, an element step recited in the singular and preceded with the word a or an should be understood as not excluding plural said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, the references to one embodiment of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments comprising or having an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.

[0024] According to the method the process of extracting gas from the shale gas deposit starts with the opening of an air-tight hatch 9 through which a combustible material is provided to the pipeline 3 and the combustible material is lit up. The pipeline 3 is in its upper part closed with a permanent forefoot 10. After ignition of the gas in the shale gas deposit 2 which is found between the waste rocks, the air-tight hatch 9 is closed with an air-tight cover 8. With the hatch 9 closed, the pressure gauge 7 closed and the valve 5 opened, the air is pumped into the pipeline 3 through the pipe 4 in order to support partial combustion in the shale gas deposit 2. Then the valve 5 is closed. After the valve 5 has been closed the process of partial combustion of the deposit 2 is continued with the simultaneous increase in the gas pressure within the deposit 2. After the gas pressure within the deposit 2 is experimentally selected, the pressure gauge 7 is opened and the released gas is discharged to the surface through the pipe 6. The pressure gauge 7 remains open until the pressure inside the deposit reaches a value slightly exceeding the atmospheric pressure, then the pressure gauge 7 is closed.

[0025] Then the next cycle of extracting the gas is starting from the opening of valve 5 and the supply of the next portion of the air in order to sustain partial combustion. Favorably the pipeline 3 is equipped with openings 13 enabling the combustion of hydrocarbons in the shale gas deposit 2 and the supply of the air through pipe 4 to the shale gas deposit 2.

[0026] The device for extracting hydrocarbons from the shale gas deposit in the form of a pipeline, according to the invention, is composed of a pipeline 3 equipped in an air-tight hatch 9 with an air-tight cover 8, through which flammable material is supplied for the purposes of combustion of hydrocarbons in the shale gas deposit 2, with a pipe 4 supplying the air under increased pressure having a valve 5 regulating the amount and pressure of the supplied air, with a pipe 6 discharging the liquid and gaseous products obtained as a result of combustion of hydrocarbons from the shale gas deposit 2 equipped with a pressure gauge valve 7, pipeline 3 within the area of the shale gas deposit 2, has openings 13 enabling the combustion of hydrocarbons in the shale gas deposit 2 and the supply of the air through pipe 4 to the shale gas deposit 2 and the products of partial combustion of the deposit 2 are discharged through these openings, and further through the pipeline 3 and along pipe 6 with a pressure gauge valve 7.

[0027] In one embodiment, the system comprises a method of extracting gas from the gas shale deposit by the partial combustion of hydrocarbons in the deposit in air, characterized in that the gas extraction process is carried out with the use of a pipeline 3 through which a flammable material is provided, it is lit up, resulting in the ignition of the gas shale deposit 2, and then the process of controlling the amount of air, used for the partial combustion of hydrocarbons in a shale gas deposit, and for discharging gas from the gas shale deposit 2 to the surface of the earth the pipeline 3 is used or the supply shaft, the amount of air supplied through the pipeline 3 or through the supply shaft to the gas shale deposit 2 being adjusted so as to ensure the conversion of hydrocarbons in the solid state into the liquid and gaseous state through the process of pyrolysis and hydrocarbons in the liquid into a gaseous state.

[0028] The method may be characterized in that the amount of air used to support partial combustion of hydrocarbons in a gas shale deposit to the pipeline 3 or to the supply shaft and the amount of gas discharged from the shale gas deposit 2 is controlled alternatively by means of the valves 5 installed on the pipe 4 and the valve 7 installed on the pipeline 5.

[0029] Alternatively, the system comprises a device for extracting gas from the gas shale deposit in the form of a pipeline characterized by that it has the a form of the pipeline 3 with upper air-tight cover 10 mounted to pipeline 3 equipped with an air-tight hatch 9 and with an air-tight cover 8, through which a combustible material is provided is provided to start partial burning of hydrocarbons within the gas shale deposit 2, with the pipe 4 supplying air with increased pressure equipped with a valve 5 controlling the pressure and amount of air supplied, with the pipeline 6 discharging gases from the shale gas deposit 2 resulting from the partial combustion of hydrocarbons equipped with a pressure gauge valve 7 and with the openings 13 for the partial combustion of hydrocarbons within a shale gas deposit and discharging gases from the shale gas deposit 2 through the pipe 6.

[0030] The device as described above may be also be characterized by that it has supply shaft instead of pipeline 3.

[0031] In summary, the system comprises a method of extracting gas from the gas shale deposit by the partial combustion of hydrocarbons in the deposit in air, characterized in that the gas extraction process is carried out with the use of a pipeline 3 through which a flammable material is provided, it is lit up, resulting in the ignition of the gas shale deposit 2, and then the process of controlling the amount of air, used for the partial combustion of hydrocarbons in a shale gas deposit, and for discharging gas from the gas shale deposit 2 to the surface of the earth or the supply shaft, supplied to the pipeline 3, begins, the amount of air supplied through the pipeline 3 to the gas shale deposit 2 being adjusted so as to ensure the conversion of hydrocarbons in the solid state into the liquid and gaseous state, and hydrocarbons in the liquid state into a gaseous state.