Generating heated fluid

• US 8,235,118 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Schultz, Roger L., Cavender, Travis W., Blauch, Matt E.
• Primary Examiner(s): DiTrani, Angela M
• Application Number:
  US11/774,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20090008090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 166/303
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/243 Combustion in situ

Abstract

A subterranean zone is treated by exothermically decomposing hydrogen peroxide in or near the subterranean zone. The decomposed hydrogen peroxide yields at least oxygen and heated water. The oxygen is combusted to further heat the heated water. The heated water is introduced into subterranean zone to treat the subterranean zone. In certain instances, the heated water is heated to produce 100% quality steam. Additional water may be supplied for treating the subterranean zone, for example, by supplying the hydrogen peroxide in solution with water.

Claims

1. A method for treating a subterranean zone, comprising:

exothermically decomposing hydrogen peroxide downhole in or near the subterranean zone to yield at least oxygen and heated water;

receiving a hydrocarbon fuel, communicated from a location remote to the subterranean zone, at a location downhole in or near the subterranean zone;

combusting the oxygen and the hydrocarbon fuel downhole in or near the subterranean zone to further heat the heated water; and

treating the subterranean zone with the heated water.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen peroxide is in a solution comprising water and wherein combusting the oxygen to further heat the heated water comprises combusting the oxygen to further heat both the water from decomposing hydrogen peroxide and the water from solution.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the solution comprises at least 27% hydrogen peroxide by mass.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the solution comprises more water than hydrogen peroxide.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxygen is combusted in a downhole catalytic combustor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein exothermically decomposing the hydrogen peroxide comprises exothermically decomposing the hydrogen peroxide in a downhole reactor comprising a catalyst.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon fuel is methane gas.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the heated water comprises 100% quality steam.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising pumping the hydrogen peroxide into the subterranean zone.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the location remote to the subterranean zone comprises a surface location.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

ejecting the heated water into a well bore in or near the subterranean zone; and

producing a fluid from the subterranean zone through the well bore.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating the heated water from the oxygen.

13. A system for treating a subterranean zone, comprising:

a downhole reactor having a catalyst for decomposing hydrogen peroxide into at least heated water and oxygen;

a downhole separator configured to separate the heated water from the oxygen; and

a downhole combustor in communication with the downhole reactor and configured to receive the heated water and oxygen and receive a hydrocarbon fuel communicated to the combustor through a fuel conduit coupled to the combustor, combust the oxygen and the hydrocarbon fuel to further heat the heated water and output the heated water to the subterranean zone.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the separator comprises a hydro-cyclone separator.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the combustor is a catalytic combustor.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a conduit supplying a solution comprising water and hydrogen peroxide to the downhole reactor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the solution comprises at least 27% hydrogen peroxide by mass.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the downhole combustor is configured to heat the water to make 100% quality steam.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the hydrocarbon fuel is methane gas.

20. A method, comprising:

receiving hydrogen peroxide and hydrocarbon fuel from a location at the surface into a well bore;

contacting the hydrogen peroxide with a catalyst to decompose it into at least heated water and oxygen;

separating the heated water and the oxygen in the well bore; and

combusting the oxygen and the hydrocarbon fuel to further heat the heated water.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein supplying hydrogen peroxide comprises supplying hydrogen peroxide in solution with water.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the water is heated to 100% quality steam.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

compressing the hydrocarbon fuel; and

initiating the combustion of the oxygen and the hydrocarbon fuel with heat energy from compressing the hydrocarbon fuel and heat energy from the heated water.