US 11,787,995 B2
Method for extracting hydrocarbons
Thomas Earl Schmoyer, Birmingham, MI (US)
Assigned to SO3 PLUS, LLC, Birmingham, MI (US)
Appl. No. 16/639,811
Filed by SO3 PLUS, LLC, Birmingham, MI (US)
PCT Filed Aug. 20, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/047028
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 18, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/036698, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 21, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/547,577, filed on Aug. 18, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0388254 A1, Dec. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. E21B 43/16 (2006.01); C09K 8/52 (2006.01); E21B 41/00 (2006.01); C01B 17/74 (2006.01)
CPC C09K 8/52 (2013.01) [C01B 17/74 (2013.01); E21B 41/0099 (2020.05); E21B 43/16 (2013.01); C09K 2208/22 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of extracting hydrocarbons comprising:
providing a transportable system for on-demand sulfur trioxide generation at or near a well-site of an ice deposit containing a clathrate hydrate, the transportable system having
a portable source of sulfur,
a portable source of oxygen or air containing oxygen, and
a converter fluidly or gaseously coupled to the portable source of sulfur and the portable source of oxygen or air and capable of catalyzing a reaction to generate sulfur trioxide from the sulfur and oxygen, wherein sulfur from the portable source of sulfur and oxygen from the portable source of sulfur are combined to generate sulfur trioxide and the transportable system has dimensions allowing for transport to the well-site;
generating sulfur trioxide with the transportable system;
delivering the sulfur trioxide to the ice deposit where the sulfur trioxide reacts with the clathrate hydrate to generate a hydrocarbon gas; and
recovering the hydrocarbon gas.