IP Library Granted Patent US 11,441,393
Granted Patent B2
US 11,441,393 · App. 17/319,636 · Granted Sep 13, 2022

System and process for geological sequestration of carbon-containing materials

Inventors: Shaun Meehan (San Francisco, CA); Kelly Hering (San Francisco, CA); Peter Reinhardt (San Francisco, CA); Daniel Fourie (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Charm Industrial, Inc.
E21B41/0064B65G5/005E21B49/02E21B49/087
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,441,393
App. No.
17/319,636
Granted
Sep 13, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

This disclosure relates to a method and a system for sequestering carbon-containing materials in underground wells. An example method includes: obtaining a material comprising a carbon-containing liquid; optionally testing the material for compatibility with an underground well; optionally adjusting a property of the material to improve the compatibility; and providing the material for injection into the underground well.

Claims (32)

1. A method of sequestering carbon-containing materials, the method comprising:

obtaining a material comprising a carbon-containing liquid,

wherein the material has been subjected to a test for compatibility with an underground well,

wherein the test for compatibility comprises using a core sample for the underground well to determine a tendency for at least one of premature polymerization, auto-polymerization, phase separation, gas generation, or precipitation of solids,

wherein a property of the material has been adjusted to improve the compatibility with the underground well, and

wherein the carbon-containing liquid comprises at least one of bio-oil, biocrude, or glycerol; and

providing the material for injection into the underground well.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing liquid further comprises at least one of biodiesel, ethanol, cooking oil, vegetable oil, plant-based oil, a solution containing microbes or algae, a biomass dispersion, a biocrude byproduct, petroleum, crude oil, gasoline, or diesel.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing liquid comprises the bio-oil, wherein the bio-oil is derived from pyrolysis of a biomass, and wherein the biomass comprises at least one of agricultural waste, forestry residue, wood chips, sawdust, pulp, corn stover, or bagasse.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing liquid comprises the biocrude, wherein the biocrude is derived from hydrothermal liquefaction of a biomass, and wherein the biomass comprises at least one of agricultural waste, forestry residue, wood chips, sawdust, pulp, corn stover, bagasse, kelp, algae, food waste, human waste, or animal waste.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing liquid comprises at least one of the glycerol or biodiesel, wherein the at least one of the glycerol or the biodiesel is derived from transesterification of at least one of vegetable oil, cooking oil, or animal fat.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing liquid further comprises ethanol derived from fermentation of at least one of biogenic sugars or cellulosic biomass-derived sugars.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing liquid further comprises a dispersion of biomass particles, and wherein the biomass particles comprise at least one of agricultural waste, forestry waste, soil, processed waste, algae, microbes, kelp, human waste, or animal waste.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the underground well comprises at least one of a commercial disposal well, a salt cavern, a Class II cavern, a depleted mine, an abandoned mine, a purpose-constructed mine, or a natural cavern.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the test comprises measuring at least one of pH, viscosity, specific gravity, microbial growth potential, solids loading, tendency to auto-polymerize, or flash point.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the property comprises at least one of pH, viscosity, specific gravity, microbial growth potential, solids loading, tendency to auto-polymerize, or flash point.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the property was adjusted by at least one of filtering the material or blending the material with a different material.

12. A system for sequestering carbon-containing materials, the system comprising:

a source for a material comprising a carbon-containing liquid,

wherein the material has been subjected to a test for compatibility with an underground well,

wherein the test for compatibility comprises using a core sample for the underground well to determine a tendency for at least one of premature polymerization, auto-polymerization, phase separation, gas generation, or precipitation of solids, and

wherein the carbon-containing liquid comprises at least one of bio-oil, biocrude, or glycerol;

at least one of a blender or a filter for adjusting a property of the material to improve the compatibility with the underground well; and

at least one of a container, a pump, or a pipe for injecting the material into the underground well.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the carbon-containing liquid further comprises at least one of biodiesel, ethanol, cooking oil, vegetable oil, plant-based oil, a solution containing microbes or algae, a biomass dispersion, a biocrude byproduct, petroleum, crude oil, gasoline, or diesel.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the carbon-containing liquid comprises the bio-oil, wherein the bio-oil is derived from pyrolysis of a biomass, and wherein the biomass comprises at least one of agricultural waste, forestry residue, wood chips, sawdust, pulp, corn stover, or bagasse.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the carbon-containing liquid comprises the biocrude, wherein the biocrude is derived from hydrothermal liquefaction of a biomass, and wherein the biomass comprises at least one of agricultural waste, forestry residue, wood chips, sawdust, pulp, corn stover, bagasse, kelp, algae, food waste, human waste, or animal waste.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the carbon-containing liquid comprises at least one of the glycerol or biodiesel, wherein the at least one of the glycerol or the biodiesel is derived from transesterification of at least one of vegetable oil, cooking oil, or animal fat.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the carbon-containing liquid further comprises ethanol derived from fermentation of at least one of biogenic sugars or cellulosic biomass-derived sugars.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the carbon-containing liquid further comprises a dispersion of biomass particles, and wherein the biomass particles comprise at least one of agricultural waste, forestry waste, soil, processed waste, algae, microbes, kelp, human waste, or animal waste.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the underground well comprises at least one of a commercial disposal well, a salt cavern, a Class II cavern, a depleted mine, an abandoned mine, a purpose-constructed mine, or a natural cavern.

20. The system of claim 12 , further comprising at least one measurement device for performing the test.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2026
From: CHARM INDUSTRIAL, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 074129/0047 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2021
From: MEEHAN, SHAUN; HERING, KELLY; REINHARDT, PETER; FOURIE, DANIEL
To: CHARM INDUSTRIAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 056328/0019 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 63122331 · Dec 7, 2020
Provisional Application 63024897 · May 14, 2020
Related Publication 20210355791A1 · Nov 18, 2021
Cited By (6)
US 12,233,378 US 12,276,090 US 12,345,025 US 12,558,649 US 12,599,849 US 12,629,654