INTEGRATED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STEAM-ASSISTED GRAVITY DRAINAGE (SAGD)-HEAVY OIL PRODUCTION TO PRODUCE SUPER-HEATED STEAM WITHOUT LIQUID WASTE DISCHARGE

• US 20080289822A1
• Filed: 05/12/2008
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ex-Tar Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ex-Tar Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: BETZER TSILEVICH, Maoz
• Granted Patent: US 7,694,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/272.3
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/24 using heat, e.g. steam injection
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2406 Steam assisted gravity drainage [SAGD]
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/22 using combustion under pressure substantially exceeding atmospheric pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/34 Indirect CO2mitigation, i.e. by acting on non CO2directly related matters of the process, e.g. pre-heating or heat recovery

Abstract

A method and system for producing steam for extraction of heavy bitumen including the steps of mixing carbon or hydrocarbon fuel. The fuel is crude oil, vacuum residue, asphaltin, petcoke or coal. The oxidation gas includes oxygen, oxygen enriched air or air-combustion of the mixture under high pressure and high temperature. The fuel is mixed with low quality contaminated water containing organics and inorganics. The liquid phase transferred to a gas phase includes steam and carbon dioxide, wherein solids are separated from the gas phase. The gas phase is mixed with saturated water to scrub the remaining solids and produce saturated steam. The solid rich water is recycled back for combustion. The saturated steam super-heated dry steam and gas mixture is send to an enhanced oil recovery facility for injection into an underground reservoir.

Claims

1. A method for producing steam and gas mixtures for extracting heavy bitumen comprising:

mixing fuel with oxidation gases, said fuel being selected from a group consisting of coal, crude oil, vacuum residue, asphaltin and petcoke, said oxidation gases being selected from a group consisting of oxygen, oxygen-enriched air, and air; and

combusting the mixture under high pressures and temperatures, the mixture containing water with organic or inorganic materials, the mixture generating a steam and gas mixture under a controlled temperature; and

transferring a liquid phase to a gas and solid phase, said gas phase being comprised of steam, carbon dioxide and solid particles, generated from combusting the mixture.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

separating solid particles from the gas phase.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

mixing said gas and said steam with water of saturated temperature and pressure, directly transferring heat of said gas phase flow to the water to produce a saturated clean wet steam and gas mixture; and

scrubbing any remaining solids from said solids rich gas flow into the liquid water.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

separating the liquid phase from said gas phase to produce a saturated solid-free steam and gas mixture; and

adding water to the liquid water to maintain the liquid water level.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

sending recycled water with the scrubbed solids and dissolved solids back to the step of combusting, the liquid water carrying the solids being converted to gas.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

heating the solid-free saturated steam and gas mixture through heat exchange between the produced gas and mixture of solid particles, to produce a super heated dry, solids free steam and gas mixture flow.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

reducing adiabatically the pressure of the flow to an injection pressure, in order to produce dry steam for injection.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said gas contains sulfur, the method further comprising:

adding lime stone slurry to the water during said step of solids scrubbing;

reacting lime with the sulfur; and

continuously recycling the generated gypsum solids back to the step of combusting together with the scrubbed solids.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the pressure of said super-heated dry, solid-free steam and gas mixture flow is between 800 and 4000 Kpa.

10. The method of claim 6, the temperature of said dry steam and gas mixture being between 170°

C. and 450°

C.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

injecting the superheated dry steam and gas mixture into an underground reservoir through a vertical or horizontal injection well.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using disposal water, being comprised of oil, clay or sand from an oil and water separation facility of a SAGD facility; and

using heavy bitumen from a SAGD facility without processing inbetween.

13. The method of claim 1, said step of combustion, further comprising:

supplying fuel from a remote upgrader in the form of a slurry, said fuel being solid petcoke or asphaltin;

grinding and mixing said fuel with water to form a pumpable slurry;

pumping the slurry through a pipeline to a direct contact steam generator;

recycling a portion of the water thereof, and

combusting the fuel slurry through the step of combusting.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

producing energy and steam from high quality water by a cogeneration steam plant; and

using energy from the cogeneration steam plant to operate an air separation unit, to generate oxygen or oxygen enriched air as the oxidation gas for use in the combustion chamber; and

using the rejected blow-down water from the cogeneration steam plant as a water source for the direct contact steam generator.

15. A method for producing a steam and gas mixture for extraction of heavy bitumen comprising:

mixing a fuel with an oxidation gas, said fuel being selected from a group consisting of coal, crude oil, vacuum residue, asphaltin and petcoke, said oxidation gas being selected from a group consisting of oxygen, oxygen-enriched air, and air; and

partially combusting the mixture under high pressures and temperatures, the mixture being comprised of water with organic or inorganic materials, the mixture generating a steam and gas mixture under a controlled temperature; and

transferring a whole liquid phase to a syngas and solid phase, said syngas phase being comprised of steam, carbon monoxide, hydrogen and solid particles generated from the step of partially combusting, producing a solid-rich gas phase flow; and

separating the solids from the gas phase.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

mixing the gas phase with an oxidation gas, said gas being selected from a group consisting of oxygen, oxygen-enriched air, and air, hydrogen and carbon monoxide converting to carbon dioxide and water while producing heat; and

mixing said gas and said steam with water of saturated temperature and pressure, heat of said gas phase flow to the water producing a saturated, clean, wet, steam and gas mixture.

17. A system for oil recovery using heat injection, comprising:

a direct-contact steam generator operating on low quality fuel, oxidation gas, and water, said fuel being selected from a group consisting of coal, crude oil, vacuum residue, asphaltin and coke, said oxidation gas being selected from a group consisting of oxygen, oxygen-enriched air, or air, said water being any available water, without treatment, containing high level of organic and inorganic materials, said direct-contact steam generator producing a dry hot mixture of steam, carbon dioxide, flying solids and possibly other gases; and

a solid-gas separation means to separate solids from gas flow using cyclonic separation, centrifugal separation, mesh separation or combinations thereof.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a vessel partly filled with water of high temperature and pressure, cleansing the gas and steam by mixture with water and scrubbing remaining fine solids particles from said gas to the point where saturated solid-free wet steam and a gas mixture are produced;

a bottom vessel collect and pump system, recycling the concentrated solid rich water from the bottom of the vessel back to the direct-contact steam generator;

a lime slurry injection system incorporated into the scrubbing and steam generation vessel; and

a heat exchanger working between the solid-free saturated steam/gas mixture and the hot stream leaving the direct contact steam generator, to produce a super heated dry steam and gas mixture, to prevent condensation.

19. The system of claim 18, the hot gases leaving the steam generator being at a temperature of 350-550°

C. and pressure of 800 and 4000 Kpa, the solid free steam and gas mixture being at a temperature of 300-450°

C. and pressure of 800 and 3800 Kpa.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

an injection well means for injecting the super-heated dry steam and gas mixture into an underground reservoir.