Method and Apparatus for Obtaining Hydrogen from a Hydrocarbon Reservoir

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The invention relates to a process and system for extracting hydrogen from hydrocarbon reservoirs by injecting a specially formulated liquid (containing water and surfactants, and optionally nutrients and microorganisms) into wells. After sealing and incubating the reservoir for at least two weeks, microbes in the reservoir convert residual hydrocarbons into hydrogen, which is then harvested from the produced hydrogen-rich gas or liquid. This process is particularly aimed at extracting hydrogen economically and efficiently from depleted fossil oil or gas fields.

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• Hydrogen production from abandoned or depleted oil and gas fields.
• On-site, large-scale hydrogen generation for use in chemical plants or as fuel.
• Industrial-scale hydrogen generation for energy or transportation purposes using existing petroleum infrastructure.
• CO2 utilization and in-situ storage during hydrogen production processes.
• Production of hydrogen in regions with significant legacy hydrocarbon reservoirs, reducing the need for entirely new extraction infrastructures.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables economic and efficient hydrogen production from already exploited oil and gas reservoirs, reducing waste and maximizing resource use.
• Leverages existing oil and gas infrastructure, minimizing new environmental disturbance or capital expenditure.
• Facilitates large-scale, industrial hydrogen production to support growing hydrogen energy markets.
• Reduces costs compared to other biological or chemical hydrogen generation methods (e.g., avoiding expensive feedstocks).
• Supports decarbonization by providing a method to generate hydrogen with potential for integrated CO2 capture and storage.
• Improves overall resource efficiency and extends the value chain of fossil fuel reservoirs beyond their primary petroleum extraction phase.

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Patent Abstract

A process and an apparatus for recovering hydrogen from a hydrocarbon reservoir are provided. It is a feature of the process and the apparatus that a liquid comprising or consisting of water and at least one surfactant is injected into at least one first well of the hydrocarbon reservoir, the wells of the hydrocarbon reservoir are closed, there is an incubation period of at least two weeks, and, after opening of the at least one first well and/or of at least one second well of the hydrocarbon reservoir, a hydrogen-containing fluid is produced and hydrogen is recovered from the hydrogen-containing fluid. The process and the apparatus permit economic and efficient recovery of hydrogen on an industrial scale from a hydrocarbon reservoir, especially from an (already) depleted fossil hydrocarbon deposit.