Dry CO2 Fracking for Shale Gas Methanol Synthesis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic fracturing for shale gas production poses environmental and safety risks due to water usage and chemical additives, and existing alternatives like carbon dioxide sequestration are not viable or economically practical, while the need for alternative energy sources and transportation fuels remains.
Innovation Solution
The method involves 'dry fracking' using pressurized CO2 to extract shale gas, followed by bi-reforming to produce methanol, which eliminates water usage and carbon dioxide emissions, utilizing recycled CO2 and steam to create a mixture that forms hydrogen and carbon monoxide, subsequently converted to methanol, using catalysts like V, Ti, Ga, or Cu-based catalysts at high temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If hydraulic fracturing with water and chemicals is used to extract shale gas, then gas production is achieved, but environmental harm and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures CO2 that would otherwise be a harmful emission and converts it into a useful fracturing fluid. The CO2 is injected into shale formations to extract natural gas, then captured from the produced gas stream, and reused in the fracturing process. This transforms a waste product into a valuable resource while eliminating environmental harm associated with both water-based fracking and direct CO2 emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
CO2 serves as an intermediary substance that facilitates gas extraction without the harmful effects of water-based fracking. The CO2 is injected into the shale formation to crack rocks and release natural gas, then captured and separated from the produced gas. This intermediary approach eliminates the need for harmful chemicals and large water volumes while maintaining effective gas extraction.
2Productivity
If CO2 is used for fracking and then released to the atmosphere, then shale gas extraction is improved, but carbon dioxide emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures CO2 that would otherwise be a harmful emission and converts it into a useful fracturing fluid. The CO2 is injected into shale formations to extract natural gas, then captured from the produced gas stream, and reused in the fracturing process. This transforms a waste product into a valuable resource while eliminating environmental harm associated with both water-based fracking and direct CO2 emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers CO2 from the produced gas stream after shale gas extraction and discards none of it to the atmosphere. Instead, the captured CO2 is recycled back into the fracturing process, creating a closed-loop system that eliminates CO2 emissions while maintaining continuous gas extraction productivity.
3Productivity
If water-based hydraulic fracturing is used, then shale gas can be extracted, but substantial water resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic fracturing with CO2 gas instead of hydraulic fracturing with water. CO2 is injected into the shale formation under pressure to crack rocks and release natural gas. This pneumatic approach eliminates the need for substantial water resources while maintaining effective gas extraction, and the CO2 can be easily captured and recycled from the produced gas stream.
4Ease of manufacture
If CO2 fracking is implemented without recycling, then the process is simpler, but CO2 must be continuously supplied and emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
CO2 serves as an intermediary substance that facilitates gas extraction without the harmful effects of water-based fracking. The CO2 is injected into the shale formation to crack rocks and release natural gas, then captured and separated from the produced gas. This intermediary approach eliminates the need for harmful chemicals and large water volumes while maintaining effective gas extraction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers CO2 from the produced gas stream after shale gas extraction and discards none of it to the atmosphere. Instead, the captured CO2 is recycled back into the fracturing process, creating a closed-loop system that eliminates CO2 emissions while maintaining continuous gas extraction productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process replaces hydraulic fracturing with a safer, environmentally friendly method, providing a renewable energy source in the form of methanol, which can be used as a transportation fuel and chemical feedstock, reducing environmental harm and dependence on petroleum oil.
Implementation Method 1
injection of gaseous CO2 at a pressure of 10 to 100 atm to extract shale gas from its rock formations
Implementation Method 2
The underground shale rock formations are effectively cracked open by the pressurized gas
Implementation Method 3
conducting the bi-reforming reaction to form exclusively a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide having a molar ratio of 2:1 to 2.1:1
Implementation Method 4
combining of the cleaned shale gas with CO2 and water (steam) to produce a mixture of methane:carbon dioxide:water at a molar ratio of 3:1:2
Implementation Method 5
converting this mixture (metgas) under conditions sufficient to exclusively form methanol
Data Source
AI summary
A method of producing methanol from shale gas and CO2 by the exclusive dry CO2 fracking of shale rock by injection of gaseous CO2 at a pressure between 10 and 100 atm to extract shale gas and recover it together with used CO2; combining and admixing produced shale gas containing CO2 and steam to produce a mixture of methane:carbon dioxide:water having a molar ratio of 3:1:2 for conducting the bi-reforming reaction to form a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide having a molar ratio of 2:1 to 2.1:1; and converting the hydrogen and carbon monoxide under conditions sufficient to exclusively form methanol.