DETAILED ACTION
In response to remarks filed on 25 June 2026
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 25 June 2026 has been entered.
Status of Claims
Claims 20-43 and 63 are pending;
Claims 20, 22, 24, 36, 37 and 43 are currently amended;
Claims 21, 23, 25-27, 29-35 and 38-42 were previously presented;
Claims 28 and 63 are new;
Claims 1-19 are canceled;
Claims 44-62 are withdrawn;
Claims 20-43 and 63 are rejected herein.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 25 June 2026 have been fully considered and they are moot since the new limitations overcame the previous 102 rejection and new grounds of rejection are presented herein.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 20-43 and 63 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lissianski et al (U.S. Patent No. 9,133,700).
As to Claim 20, Lissianski discloses a system for capturing greenhouse gas at a wellsite (Area near 153), the system configured to interface with wellsite exhaust gas generation equipment that generates exhaust gas having at least one greenhouse gas, comprising:
Exhaust gas collection equipment (154, 155) configured to collect the exhaust gas from the gas generation equipment (148) at the wellsite;
Greenhouse gas capture equipment (166, “capture”, “separation”) configured to receive a flow of the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas collection equipment (154, 155) and separate the greenhouse gas to be captured from the exhaust gas;
Greenhouse gas liquification equipment (166, “liquefaction system”) configured to receive a flow of the greenhouse gas from the greenhouse gas capture equipment (166, “capture”, “separation”) and reduce the greenhouse gas to a greenhouse gas fluid, and
Greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment (126, “storage vessel”) configured to receive a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas liquification equipment (166, “liquefaction system”) and at least temporarily accumulate the greenhouse gas fluid.
As to Claim 21, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 20 (Refer to Claim 20 discussion). Lissianski also discloses further comprising a transporter (Column 8, Lines 58-62: “Subsequent to processing within the CO2 liquefaction system 192, the liquefied CO2 flow stream 194 is directed to one or more of a storage vessel, such as the fracturing fluid storage vessel 126 of FIGS. 1 and 2, or transported off-site via a truck, or the like”) configured to receive a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment and to transport the greenhouse gas fluid to at least one of transportation to at least one of another wellsite configured to frack a geological, an enhanced oil recovery facility, a commercial underground greenhouse gas storage facility, and a facility using the greenhouse gas.
As to Claim 22, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 20 (Refer to Claim 20 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein the system is configured to at least one of receive greenhouse gas fluid from other sources (164) and accumulate such fluid in the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment, and receive greenhouse gas fluid from other sources and transport such fluid with the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment.
As to Claim 23, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 20 (Refer to Claim 20 discussion). Lissianski also discloses further comprising greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment (153) configured to receive a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment (126) and to inject the greenhouse gas fluid into a geological formation for sequestration.
As to Claim 24, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein geological formation (Well at 153) is at an in-situ location with the greenhouse gas collection, capture, liquification, and fluid storage equipment.
As to Claim 25, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein the system is coupled to a wellsite and configured to capture the greenhouse gas and in-situ inject the greenhouse gas fluid into the formation (Well at 153).
As to Claim 26, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein a first portion (126, 154, 155, 166) grouped together as “portion” is relative) of the system at a first wellsite comprises the exhaust gas collection equipment (201), the greenhouse gas capture equipment, the greenhouse gas liquification equipment, and the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment; and a second portion (153) of the system at a second wellsite having the geological formation for sequestration comprises the greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment configured to receive the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment at the first wellsite and inject the greenhouse gas fluid into the geological formation (Well at 153).
As to Claim 27, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 26 (Refer to Claim 26 discussion). Lissianski also discloses a greenhouse gas capture system that can be used at sites such as drilling rig capture wellsites and fracking sequestration wellsites (Column 6, Lines 61-67: “Providing for the recapture of CO2 from gas streams, such as exhaust gas streams from power generators during the well drilling process, vented gas streams, nearby pad sites where CO.sub.2 is captured from natural gas after completion of the well or from equipment exhaust streams, such as frac pumps, generators, or the like, during the fracturing process provides for a continual source of fracturing fluid”).
As to Claim 28, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 20 (Refer to Claim 20 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein the greenhouse gas comprises at least one of carbon dioxide (Column 6, Lines 38-39: “CO2 recapture system 154”), methane, and nitrous oxide.
As to Claim 29, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein the system is configured to receive additional gas fluid from another location (164) to inject into the geological formation.
As to Claim 30, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein the greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment (153) is configured to inject the greenhouse gas fluid in a supercritical or liquid form.
As to Claim 31, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein the greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment (153) is configured to inject the greenhouse gas fluid into the geological formation that is followed by at least a portion of the fracking fluid stream from the fracking equipment into the geological formation.
As to Claim 32, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein the greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment (153) is configured to intercalate discrete portions of the greenhouse gas fluid into the fracking fluid from the fracking equipment for injection of the discrete portions with the fracking fluid into the geological formation (Well at 153).
As to Claim 33, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment comprises at least a first storage container and a second storage container, wherein the first storage container is configured to be loaded with a portion of the greenhouse gas fluid when the second storage container is configured for a time to be unloading a different portion of the greenhouse gas fluid, and the second container is configured to be loaded with another portion of the greenhouse gas fluid when the first storage container is configured to be unloading for a time another different portion of the greenhouse gas fluid (Column 8, Lines 17-20: “In an alternate embodiment, the purified and liquefied CO2 may be pumped to one or more CO2 storage containers contained on trucks, or the like, so they can be moved to other well pads”).
As to Claim 34, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 20 (Refer to Claim 20 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein at least a portion of the exhaust gas collection equipment, greenhouse gas capture equipment, greenhouse gas liquification equipment, and greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment is sized for individual wellsite exhaust gas generation equipment at a wellsite (Area near 153).
As to Claim 35, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 20 (Refer to Claim 20 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein at least a portion of the exhaust gas collection equipment, greenhouse gas capture equipment, greenhouse gas liquification equipment, and greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment is sized for a plurality of wellsite exhaust gas generation equipment at a wellsite (Area near 153).
As to Claim 36, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein at least one of the exhaust gas collection equipment, greenhouse gas capture equipment, greenhouse gas liquification equipment, and greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment, and greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment is at least one of modular (Figure 1), scalable, and transportable.
As to Claim 37, Lissianski discloses a method of capturing greenhouse gas at a wellsite from exhaust gas generation equipment that generates exhaust gas having at least one greenhouse gas, comprising:
Collecting with exhaust gas collection equipment (154, 155) the exhaust gas from the gas generation equipment (148) at the wellsite;
Receiving with greenhouse gas capture equipment (166, “capture”, “separation”) a flow of the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas collection equipment and separating the greenhouse gas to be captured from the exhaust gas;
Receiving with greenhouse gas liquification equipment (166, “liquefaction system”) a flow of the greenhouse gas from the greenhouse gas capture equipment and reducing the greenhouse gas to a greenhouse gas fluid; and
Receiving with greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment (126, “storage vessel”) a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas liquification equipment (166, “liquefaction system”) and at least temporarily accumulating the greenhouse gas fluid.
As to Claim 38, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 37 (Refer to Claim 37 discussion). Lissianski also discloses further comprising receiving the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment and transporting (Column 8, Lines 58-62: “Subsequent to processing within the CO2 liquefaction system 192, the liquefied CO2 flow stream 194 is directed to one or more of a storage vessel, such as the fracturing fluid storage vessel 126 of FIGS. 1 and 2, or transported off-site via a truck, or the like”) the greenhouse gas fluid to at least one of a wellsite configured to frack a geological formation, to an enhanced oil recovery facility, to a commercial underground greenhouse gas storage facility, and to a facility using the greenhouse gas.
As to Claim 39, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 37 (Refer to Claim 37 discussion). Lissianski also discloses further comprising receiving with greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment (153) a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment (126) and injecting the greenhouse gas fluid during a fracking operation at the wellsite into a geological formation (Well at 153) for sequestration.
As to Claim 40, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 39 (Refer to Claim 39 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein the injecting is in an in-situ location (Well at 153).
As to Claim 41, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 37 (Refer to Claim 37 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein a greenhouse gas capture wellsite comprises at least the greenhouse gas capture equipment (154, 155) and a greenhouse gas sequestration wellsite comprises at least greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment (153), and further comprising receiving the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas capture wellsite and injecting the greenhouse gas fluid into the greenhouse gas sequestration wellsite.
As to Claim 42, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 37 (Refer to Claim 37 discussion). Lissianski also discloses further comprising receiving a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment; and transporting (Column 8, Lines 58-62: “Subsequent to processing within the CO2 liquefaction system 192, the liquefied CO2 flow stream 194 is directed to one or more of a storage vessel, such as the fracturing fluid storage vessel 126 of FIGS. 1 and 2, or transported off-site via a truck, or the like”) greenhouse gas fluid to at least one of: another wellsite configured to frack a geological formation, an enhanced oil recovery facility, a commercial underground greenhouse gas storage facility, and a facility using the greenhouse gas.
As to Claim 43, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 37 (Refer to Claim 37 discussion). Lissianski also discloses further comprising at least one of receiving greenhouse gas fluid from other sources (164) and accumulating such fluid in the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment; and receiving greenhouse gas fluid from other sources and transporting (Column 8, Lines 58-62: “Subsequent to processing within the CO2 liquefaction system 192, the liquefied CO2 flow stream 194 is directed to one or more of a storage vessel, such as the fracturing fluid storage vessel 126 of FIGS. 1 and 2, or transported off-site via a truck, or the like”) such fluid with the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment.
As to Claim 63, Lissianski discloses the invention of Claim 39 (Refer to Claim 39 discussion). Lissianski also discloses wherein the greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment (153) is configured to intercalate discrete portions of the greenhouse gas fluid into the fracking fluid from the fracking equipment for injection of the discrete portions with the fracking fluid into the geological formation.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 20-43 and 63 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Keshner et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0055672) in view of Lissianski et al (U.S. Patent No. 9,133,700).
As to Claim 20, Keshner discloses a system for capturing greenhouse gas at a wellsite, the system configured to interface with wellsite exhaust gas generation equipment that generates exhaust gas having at least one greenhouse gas, comprising:
Exhaust gas collection equipment (201) configured to collect the exhaust gas from the gas generation equipment (Paragraph 0029: “Embodiments of the present invention provide energy-efficient methods and apparatus for separating gaseous carbon dioxide from the exhaust of electricity generating facilities that burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) or other carbon based fuels (wood chips, corn stalks, etc) to generate electricity, and for sequestering the carbon dioxide in rock in and around underground structures, such as caverns or wells, in which the rock has been fractured and cracked using at least one of hydraulic fracturing, explosives, other human-initiated means, and earthquakes or other natural means”) at the wellsite;
Greenhouse gas capture equipment (205) configured to receive a flow of the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas collection equipment and separate the greenhouse gas to be captured from the exhaust gas (Paragraph 0062: “Separator 205 separates the carbon dioxide gas from other gases (mostly nitrogen) present in the exhaust, sending these other gases out through exhaust pipe 206”);
Greenhouse gas liquification equipment (207) configured to receive a flow of the greenhouse gas from the greenhouse gas capture equipment and reduce the greenhouse gas to a greenhouse gas fluid (Paragraph 0062: “Compressor 207 compresses the separated carbon dioxide to a high pressure, and in one embodiment to a pressure of at least 70 atm, at a temperature below 31 C, so that at least some of the carbon dioxide will liquefy”), and
However, Keshner is silent about greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment configured to receive a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas liquification equipment and at least temporarily accumulate the greenhouse gas fluid. Lissianski discloses greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment (126, “storage vessel”) configured to receive a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from a greenhouse gas liquification equipment (166, “liquefaction system”) and at least temporarily accumulate the greenhouse gas fluid. Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment configured to receive a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas liquification equipment and at least temporarily accumulate the greenhouse gas fluid. The motivation would have been to store the fluid for later use or transport.
As to Claim 21, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 20 (Refer to Claim 20 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches further comprising a transporter (213) configured to receive a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment and to transport the greenhouse gas fluid to at least one of transportation to at least one of another wellsite configured to frack a geological formation (Paragraph 0062: “The output from compressor 207 is passed through the pipe 208 to mixer 211, where the gaseous and/or liquified carbon dioxide is mixed with pressurized water that is delivered to 211 along pipe 209 using water pump 210. Pump 212 then operates on the pressurized output mixture to deliver it through pipe 213 into a fracked cavern or well”), an enhanced oil recovery facility, a commercial underground greenhouse gas storage facility, and a facility using the greenhouse gas.
As to Claim 22, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 20 (Refer to Claim 20 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein the system is configured to at least one of receive greenhouse gas fluid from other sources and accumulate such fluid in the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment (Paragraph 0029: “Embodiments of the present invention provide energy-efficient methods and apparatus for separating gaseous carbon dioxide from the exhaust of electricity generating facilities that burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) or other carbon based fuels (wood chips, corn stalks, etc) to generate electricity”. Facilities indicate a plurality of sources), and receive greenhouse gas fluid from other sources and transport such fluid with the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment.
As to Claim 23, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 20 (Refer to Claim 20 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches further comprising greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment (212) configured to receive a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment and to inject the greenhouse gas fluid into a geological formation for sequestration (Paragraph 0062: “The output from compressor 207 is passed through the pipe 208 to mixer 211, where the gaseous and/or liquified carbon dioxide is mixed with pressurized water that is delivered to 211 along pipe 209 using water pump 210. Pump 212 then operates on the pressurized output mixture to deliver it through pipe 213 into a fracked cavern or well”).
As to Claim 24, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein geological formation is at an in-situ location with the greenhouse gas collection, capture, liquification, and fluid storage equipment (Paragraph 0062: “The output from compressor 207 is passed through the pipe 208 to mixer 211, where the gaseous and/or liquified carbon dioxide is mixed with pressurized water that is delivered to 211 along pipe 209 using water pump 210. Pump 212 then operates on the pressurized output mixture to deliver it through pipe 213 into a fracked cavern or well”).
As to Claim 25, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein the system is coupled to a wellsite and configured to capture the greenhouse gas and in-situ inject the greenhouse gas fluid into the formation (Paragraph 0062: “The output from compressor 207 is passed through the pipe 208 to mixer 211, where the gaseous and/or liquified carbon dioxide is mixed with pressurized water that is delivered to 211 along pipe 209 using water pump 210. Pump 212 then operates on the pressurized output mixture to deliver it through pipe 213 into a fracked cavern or well”).
As to Claim 26, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein a first portion (201, 205 and 207 grouped together as “portion” is relative) of the system at a first wellsite comprises the exhaust gas collection equipment (201), the greenhouse gas capture equipment (205), the greenhouse gas liquification equipment (207), and the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment; and a second portion (214) of the system at a second wellsite having the geological formation for sequestration comprises the greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment configured to receive the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment at the first wellsite and inject the greenhouse gas fluid into the geological formation (Paragraph 0062: “The output from compressor 207 is passed through the pipe 208 to mixer 211, where the gaseous and/or liquified carbon dioxide is mixed with pressurized water that is delivered to 211 along pipe 209 using water pump 210. Pump 212 then operates on the pressurized output mixture to deliver it through pipe 213 into a fracked cavern or well”).
As to Claim 27, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 26 (Refer to Claim 26 discussion). However, Keshner as modified is silent about wherein the first wellsite comprises at least one of a drilling rig capture wellsite and a fracking capture wellsite and the second wellsite comprises a fracking sequestration wellsite. Lissianski further discloses a greenhouse gas capture system that can be used at sites such as drilling rig capture wellsites and fracking sequestration wellsites (Column 6, Lines 61-67: “Providing for the recapture of CO2 from gas streams, such as exhaust gas streams from power generators during the well drilling process, vented gas streams, nearby pad sites where CO.sub.2 is captured from natural gas after completion of the well or from equipment exhaust streams, such as frac pumps, generators, or the like, during the fracturing process provides for a continual source of fracturing fluid”). Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the first wellsite comprise at least one of a drilling rig capture wellsite and a fracking capture wellsite and the second wellsite comprise a fracking sequestration wellsite. The motivation would have been to increase the utility of the system by allowing it to be used in different projects.
As to Claim 28, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 20 (Refer to Claim 20 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein the greenhouse gas comprises at least one of carbon dioxide (Paragraph 0029: “Embodiments of the present invention provide energy-efficient methods and apparatus for separating gaseous carbon dioxide from the exhaust of electricity generating facilities that burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) or other carbon based fuels (wood chips, corn stalks, etc) to generate electricity, and for sequestering the carbon dioxide in rock in and around underground structures, such as caverns or wells, in which the rock has been fractured and cracked using at least one of hydraulic fracturing, explosives, other human-initiated means, and earthquakes or other natural means”), methane, and nitrous oxide.
As to Claim 29, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein the system is configured to receive additional gas fluid from another location to inject into the geological formation (Paragraph 0029: “Embodiments of the present invention provide energy-efficient methods and apparatus for separating gaseous carbon dioxide from the exhaust of electricity generating facilities that burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) or other carbon based fuels (wood chips, corn stalks, etc) to generate electricity”. Facilities indicate a plurality of sources/locations).
As to Claim 30, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein the greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment is configured to inject the greenhouse gas fluid in a supercritical or liquid form (Paragraph 0062: “The output from compressor 207 is passed through the pipe 208 to mixer 211, where the gaseous and/or liquified carbon dioxide is mixed with pressurized water that is delivered to 211 along pipe 209 using water pump 210. Pump 212 then operates on the pressurized output mixture to deliver it through pipe 213 into a fracked cavern or well”).
As to Claim 31, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein the greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment (212) is configured to inject the greenhouse gas fluid into the geological formation that is followed by at least a portion of the fracking fluid stream from the fracking equipment into the geological formation (Paragraph 0088: “In one embodiment, minimal water is used and the mixture is comprised of water with dissolved carbon dioxide, liquid carbon dioxide and some gaseous carbon dioxide. In another embodiment, ample water is used to dissolve all of the carbon dioxide to create a solution of water and carbon dioxide. When liquid carbon dioxide is present, optionally, a surfactant can be added at mixer input port 704 to improve mixing by lengthening the time before the small domains recombine and the two liquids separate”).
As to Claim 32, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein the greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment is configured to intercalate discrete portions of the greenhouse gas fluid into the fracking fluid from the fracking equipment for injection of the discrete portions with the fracking fluid into the geological formation (Paragraph 0088: “In one embodiment, minimal water is used and the mixture is comprised of water with dissolved carbon dioxide, liquid carbon dioxide and some gaseous carbon dioxide. In another embodiment, ample water is used to dissolve all of the carbon dioxide to create a solution of water and carbon dioxide. When liquid carbon dioxide is present, optionally, a surfactant can be added at mixer input port 704 to improve mixing by lengthening the time before the small domains recombine and the two liquids separate”).
As to Claim 33, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). However, Keshner as modified is silent about wherein the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment comprises at least a first storage container and a second storage container, wherein the first storage container is configured to be loaded with a portion of the greenhouse gas fluid when the second storage container is configured for a time to be unloading a different portion of the greenhouse gas fluid, and the second container is configured to be loaded with another portion of the greenhouse gas fluid when the first storage container is configured to be unloading for a time another different portion of the greenhouse gas fluid. Lissianski further discloses the use of first and second storage containers to deposit liquified greenhouse gases (Column 8, Lines 17-20: “In an alternate embodiment, the purified and liquefied CO2 may be pumped to one or more CO2 storage containers contained on trucks, or the like, so they can be moved to other well pads”). Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide a first storage container and a second storage container, wherein the first storage container is configured to be loaded with a portion of the greenhouse gas fluid when the second storage container is configured for a time to be unloading a different portion of the greenhouse gas fluid, and the second container is configured to be loaded with another portion of the greenhouse gas fluid when the first storage container is configured to be unloading for a time another different portion of the greenhouse gas fluid. The motivation would have been to have an array of containers available for continuous use.
As to Claim 34, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 20 (Refer to Claim 20 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein at least a portion of the exhaust gas collection equipment, greenhouse gas capture equipment, greenhouse gas liquification equipment, and greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment is sized for individual wellsite exhaust gas generation equipment at a wellsite (Paragraph 0029: “Embodiments of the present invention provide energy-efficient methods and apparatus for separating gaseous carbon dioxide from the exhaust of electricity generating facilities that burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) or other carbon based fuels (wood chips, corn stalks, etc) to generate electricity, and for sequestering the carbon dioxide in rock in and around underground structures, such as caverns or wells, in which the rock has been fractured and cracked using at least one of hydraulic fracturing, explosives, other human-initiated means, and earthquakes or other natural means”).
As to Claim 35, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 20 (Refer to Claim 20 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein at least a portion of the exhaust gas collection equipment, greenhouse gas capture equipment, greenhouse gas liquification equipment, and greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment is sized for a plurality of wellsite exhaust gas generation equipment at a wellsite (Paragraph 0029: “Embodiments of the present invention provide energy-efficient methods and apparatus for separating gaseous carbon dioxide from the exhaust of electricity generating facilities that burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) or other carbon based fuels (wood chips, corn stalks, etc) to generate electricity, and for sequestering the carbon dioxide in rock in and around underground structures, such as caverns or wells, in which the rock has been fractured and cracked using at least one of hydraulic fracturing, explosives, other human-initiated means, and earthquakes or other natural means”).
As to Claim 36, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 23 (Refer to Claim 23 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein at least one of the exhaust gas collection equipment, greenhouse gas capture equipment, greenhouse gas liquification equipment, and greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment, and greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment is at least one of modular (Figure 2), scalable, and transportable.
As to Claim 37, Keshner discloses a method of capturing greenhouse gas at a wellsite from exhaust gas generation equipment that generates exhaust gas having at least one greenhouse gas, comprising:
Collecting with exhaust gas collection equipment (201) the exhaust gas from the gas generation equipment (Paragraph 0029: “Embodiments of the present invention provide energy-efficient methods and apparatus for separating gaseous carbon dioxide from the exhaust of electricity generating facilities that burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) or other carbon based fuels (wood chips, corn stalks, etc) to generate electricity, and for sequestering the carbon dioxide in rock in and around underground structures, such as caverns or wells, in which the rock has been fractured and cracked using at least one of hydraulic fracturing, explosives, other human-initiated means, and earthquakes or other natural means”) at the wellsite;
Receiving with greenhouse gas capture equipment a flow of the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas collection equipment and separating (205) the greenhouse gas to be captured from the exhaust gas (Paragraph 0062: “Separator 205 separates the carbon dioxide gas from other gases (mostly nitrogen) present in the exhaust, sending these other gases out through exhaust pipe 206”);
Receiving with greenhouse gas liquification equipment (207) a flow of the greenhouse gas from the greenhouse gas capture equipment and reducing the greenhouse gas to a greenhouse gas fluid (Paragraph 0062: “Compressor 207 compresses the separated carbon dioxide to a high pressure, and in one embodiment to a pressure of at least 70 atm, at a temperature below 31 C, so that at least some of the carbon dioxide will liquefy”); and
However, Keshner is silent about receiving with greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas liquification equipment and at least temporarily accumulating the greenhouse gas fluid. Lissianski discloses receiving with greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment (126, “storage vessel”) a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from a greenhouse gas liquification equipment and at least temporarily accumulating the greenhouse gas fluid. Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to receive with greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas liquification equipment and at least temporarily accumulating the greenhouse gas fluid. The motivation would have been to store the fluid for later use or transport.
As to Claim 38, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 37 (Refer to Claim 37 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches further comprising receiving the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment and transporting the greenhouse gas fluid to at least one of a wellsite configured to frack a geological formation (Paragraph 0062: “The output from compressor 207 is passed through the pipe 208 to mixer 211, where the gaseous and/or liquified carbon dioxide is mixed with pressurized water that is delivered to 211 along pipe 209 using water pump 210. Pump 212 then operates on the pressurized output mixture to deliver it through pipe 213 into a fracked cavern or well”), to an enhanced oil recovery facility, to a commercial underground greenhouse gas storage facility, and to a facility using the greenhouse gas.
As to Claim 39, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 37 (Refer to Claim 37 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches further comprising receiving with greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment and injecting the greenhouse gas fluid during a fracking operation at the wellsite into a geological formation for sequestration (Paragraph 0062: “The output from compressor 207 is passed through the pipe 208 to mixer 211, where the gaseous and/or liquified carbon dioxide is mixed with pressurized water that is delivered to 211 along pipe 209 using water pump 210. Pump 212 then operates on the pressurized output mixture to deliver it through pipe 213 into a fracked cavern or well”).
As to Claim 40, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 39 (Refer to Claim 39 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein the injecting is in an in-situ location (Paragraph 0062: “The output from compressor 207 is passed through the pipe 208 to mixer 211, where the gaseous and/or liquified carbon dioxide is mixed with pressurized water that is delivered to 211 along pipe 209 using water pump 210. Pump 212 then operates on the pressurized output mixture to deliver it through pipe 213 into a fracked cavern or well”).
As to Claim 41, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 37 (Refer to Claim 37 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein a greenhouse gas capture wellsite comprises at least the greenhouse gas capture equipment and a greenhouse gas sequestration wellsite comprises at least greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment, and further comprising receiving the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas capture wellsite and injecting the greenhouse gas fluid into the greenhouse gas sequestration wellsite (Paragraph 0029: “Embodiments of the present invention provide energy-efficient methods and apparatus for separating gaseous carbon dioxide from the exhaust of electricity generating facilities that burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) or other carbon based fuels (wood chips, corn stalks, etc) to generate electricity, and for sequestering the carbon dioxide in rock in and around underground structures, such as caverns or wells, in which the rock has been fractured and cracked using at least one of hydraulic fracturing, explosives, other human-initiated means, and earthquakes or other natural means”).
As to Claim 42, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 37 (Refer to Claim 37 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches further comprising receiving a flow of the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment; and transporting greenhouse gas fluid to at least one of: another wellsite configured to frack a geological formation (Paragraph 0029: “Embodiments of the present invention provide energy-efficient methods and apparatus for separating gaseous carbon dioxide from the exhaust of electricity generating facilities that burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) or other carbon based fuels (wood chips, corn stalks, etc) to generate electricity”), an enhanced oil recovery facility, a commercial underground greenhouse gas storage facility, and a facility using the greenhouse gas.
As to Claim 43, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 37 (Refer to Claim 37 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches further comprising at least one of receiving greenhouse gas fluid from other sources and accumulating such fluid in the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment; and receiving greenhouse gas fluid from other sources and transporting such fluid with the greenhouse gas fluid from the greenhouse gas fluid storage equipment (Paragraph 0029: “Embodiments of the present invention provide energy-efficient methods and apparatus for separating gaseous carbon dioxide from the exhaust of electricity generating facilities that burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) or other carbon based fuels (wood chips, corn stalks, etc) to generate electricity”. Facilities indicate a plurality of sources/locations).
As to Claim 63, Keshner as modified teaches the invention of Claim 39 (Refer to Claim 39 discussion). Keshner as modified also teaches wherein the greenhouse gas fluid injection equipment is configured to intercalate discrete portions of the greenhouse gas fluid into the fracking fluid from the fracking equipment for injection of the discrete portions with the fracking fluid into the geological formation (Paragraph 0088: “In one embodiment, minimal water is used and the mixture is comprised of water with dissolved carbon dioxide, liquid carbon dioxide and some gaseous carbon dioxide. In another embodiment, ample water is used to dissolve all of the carbon dioxide to create a solution of water and carbon dioxide. When liquid carbon dioxide is present, optionally, a surfactant can be added at mixer input port 704 to improve mixing by lengthening the time before the small domains recombine and the two liquids separate”).
Conclusion
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/EDWIN J TOLEDO-DURAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678
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