In-situ process for producing hydrogen carrier gas from underground oil reservoirs

Abstract

Implementations refer to the treatment of an oil reservoir to produce a hydrogen carrier gas. Implementations can include methods and systems for processing a reservoir to generate hydrogen in situ and bring a large fraction of the generated hydrogen to the surface. Reservoir processing may include injecting oxygen into the reservoir to enable combustion within the reservoir, creating heat and carbon monoxide. The heat can generate steam from the boiling of formation water in situ and steam generated from oxidation reactions. The generated heat can enable gasification, steam reforming, and aquathermolysis reactions, and both the heat and carbon monoxide enable water-gas displacement reactions. Each of these reactions can generate hydrogen within the reservoir.