INTEGRATED ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY PROCESS
First Claim
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1. An integrated process to (i) produce an acid gas-depleted product gas stream, (ii) produce an oxygen-rich gas stream, (iii) produce a hydrocarbon-containing fluid from an underground hydrocarbon reservoir via a hydrocarbon production well, and (iv) enhance production of the hydrocarbon-containing fluid from the underground hydrocarbon reservoir, the process comprising the steps of:
- (1) injecting a pressurized nitrogen stream into the underground hydrocarbon reservoir to enhance production of the hydrocarbon-containing fluid from the underground hydrocarbon reservoir via the hydrocarbon production well;
(2) recovering the hydrocarbon-containing fluid produced from the hydrocarbon production well;
(3) separating the hydrocarbon-containing fluid into (a) a liquid hydrocarbon product stream and (b) a gaseous hydrocarbon product stream;
(4) producing a synthesis gas stream from a carbonaceous feedstock, the synthesis gas stream comprising (a) carbon dioxide, and (b) at least one of hydrogen and methane;
(5) treating the synthesis gas stream in an acid gas removal unit to produce the acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream and a carbon dioxide-rich stream;
(6) optionally treating the gaseous hydrocarbon product stream in the acid gas removal unit to produce an acid-gas depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream;
(7) optionally combusting at least a portion of one or more of the acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream, the gaseous hydrocarbon product stream and the acid-gas depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream;
(8) separating an air stream into the oxygen-rich stream and a nitrogen-rich stream; and
(9) pressurizing the nitrogen-rich stream to generate the pressurized nitrogen stream, wherein at least a portion of the oxygen-rich stream is used in one or both of steps (4) and (7).
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an enhanced oil recovery process that is integrated with a synthesis gas generation process, such as gasification or reforming, and an air separation process for generating (i) an oxygen stream for use, for example, in the syngas process or a combustion process, and (ii) a nitrogen stream for EOR use.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An integrated process to (i) produce an acid gas-depleted product gas stream, (ii) produce an oxygen-rich gas stream, (iii) produce a hydrocarbon-containing fluid from an underground hydrocarbon reservoir via a hydrocarbon production well, and (iv) enhance production of the hydrocarbon-containing fluid from the underground hydrocarbon reservoir, the process comprising the steps of:
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(1) injecting a pressurized nitrogen stream into the underground hydrocarbon reservoir to enhance production of the hydrocarbon-containing fluid from the underground hydrocarbon reservoir via the hydrocarbon production well; (2) recovering the hydrocarbon-containing fluid produced from the hydrocarbon production well; (3) separating the hydrocarbon-containing fluid into (a) a liquid hydrocarbon product stream and (b) a gaseous hydrocarbon product stream; (4) producing a synthesis gas stream from a carbonaceous feedstock, the synthesis gas stream comprising (a) carbon dioxide, and (b) at least one of hydrogen and methane; (5) treating the synthesis gas stream in an acid gas removal unit to produce the acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream and a carbon dioxide-rich stream; (6) optionally treating the gaseous hydrocarbon product stream in the acid gas removal unit to produce an acid-gas depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream; (7) optionally combusting at least a portion of one or more of the acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream, the gaseous hydrocarbon product stream and the acid-gas depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream; (8) separating an air stream into the oxygen-rich stream and a nitrogen-rich stream; and (9) pressurizing the nitrogen-rich stream to generate the pressurized nitrogen stream, wherein at least a portion of the oxygen-rich stream is used in one or both of steps (4) and (7). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A process to enhance production of a hydrocarbon-containing fluid from an underground hydrocarbon reservoir via a hydrocarbon production well, by injecting a pressurized nitrogen stream into the underground hydrocarbon reservoir, wherein the pressurized nitrogen stream is generated by a process comprising the steps of:
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(I) recovering the hydrocarbon-containing fluid produced from the hydrocarbon production well; (II) separating the hydrocarbon-containing fluid into (a) a liquid hydrocarbon product stream and (b) a gaseous hydrocarbon product stream; (III) producing a synthesis gas stream from a carbonaceous feedstock, the synthesis gas stream comprising (a) carbon dioxide, and (b) at least one of hydrogen and methane; (IV) treating the synthesis gas stream in an acid gas removal unit to produce an acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream and a carbon dioxide-rich stream; (V) optionally treating the gaseous hydrocarbon product stream in the acid gas removal unit to produce an acid-gas depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream; (VI) optionally combusting at least a portion of one or more of the acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream, the gaseous hydrocarbon product stream and the acid-gas depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream; (VII) separating an air stream into an oxygen-rich stream and a nitrogen-rich stream; and (VIII) pressurizing the nitrogen-rich stream to generate the pressurized nitrogen stream, wherein at least a portion of the oxygen-rich stream is used in one or both of steps (III) and (VI).
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17. An apparatus for producing a hydrocarbon-containing fluid, an acid gas-depleted product gas stream and an oxygen-rich stream, the apparatus comprising:
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(A) a synthesis gas production system adapted to produce a synthesis gas from a carbonaceous feedstock, the synthesis gas comprising (i) carbon dioxide and (ii) at least one of hydrogen and methane; (B) an injection well in fluid communication with an underground hydrocarbon reservoir comprising a hydrocarbon-containing fluid, the injection well adapted to inject a pressurized nitrogen stream into the underground hydrocarbon reservoir for enhanced oil recovery; (C) a hydrocarbon production well in fluid communication with the underground hydrocarbon reservoir, the hydrocarbon production well adapted to remove hydrocarbon-containing fluid from the underground hydrocarbon reservoir; (D) a separation device in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon production well, the separation device adapted (i) to receive the hydrocarbon fluid from the hydrocarbon production well, and (ii) to separate the hydrocarbon fluid into a liquid hydrocarbon product stream and a gaseous hydrocarbon product stream; (E) an acid gas removal unit in fluid communication with the synthesis gas generation system, the acid gas removal unit adapted to (i) receive the synthesis gas from the synthesis gas generation system, and (ii) treat the synthesis gas to remove acid gases and produce the acid gas-depleted product gas stream and a carbon dioxide-rich stream; (F) an air separation unit adapted to (i) receive an air stream and (ii) separate the air stream into an oxygen-rich stream and a nitrogen-rich recycle stream; and (G) a compressor unit in fluid communication with the air separation unit and the injection well, the compressor unit adapted to (i) receive the nitrogen-rich recycle stream, and (ii) compress the nitrogen-rich recycle stream to generate the pressurized nitrogen stream, and (iii) provide the pressurized nitrogen stream to the injection well. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification