System and process for geological sequestration of carbon-containing materials

{
  "publication_number": "US11441393B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "System and process for geological sequestration of carbon-containing materials",
  "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": [
    "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."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to the field of atmospheric carbon removal and negative carbon dioxide emissions and, more specifically, to a system and process for geological sequestration of carbon-containing materials.\n\nThe burning of fossil fuels by humans has increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration from an average of 280 ppm in the 19th century to 415 ppm in May of 2019. This is now believed to be contributing to substantial global climate change. Many efforts are underway globally to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and develop alternative sources of energy. There is increasing consensus, however, that anthropomorphic carbon needs to be removed from the atmosphere in order to limit associated increases in global temperatures.\n\nBiomass is a sink of atmospheric carbon. Existing biomass carbon sequestration projects convert biomass to a sequesterable solid (e.g., biochar plowed into fields) or a sequesterable gas (e.g., CO 2 in underground geological formations). The permanence of carbon sequestered in soil remains a field of active study. A new category has been developed for this field and is referred to as Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS).\n\nThe injection of CO 2 into underground geological formations, while addressing concerns of storage on geological timescales, is also commonly used for enhanced oil recovery. CO 2 geological storage is generally expensive due to high energy costs associated with gas separation, compression, transportation, and monitoring.",
  "cpc": [
    "E21B 41/0064",
    "B09B 1/008",
    "B65G 5/005",
    "E21B 49/02",
    "E21B 49/087",
    "Y02C 20/40",
    "Y02E 50/10"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 5/00",
    "E21B 41/00",
    "E21B 49/02",
    "E21B 49/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Charm Industrial Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Shaun Meehan",
    "Kelly Hering",
    "Peter Reinhardt",
    "Daniel Fourie"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2021-05-13",
  "publication_date": "2022-09-13",
  "grant_date": "2022-09-13",
  "priority_date": "2020-05-14",
  "application_number": "US-202117319636-A",
  "family_id": "76270094",
  "cited_by_count": 6,
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}