Integrated enhanced oil recovery process

• US 8,479,833 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sure Champion Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: GreatPoint Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Raman, Pattabhi K.
• Primary Examiner(s): DiTrani, Angela M
• Application Number:
  US12/906,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20110088897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 166/402
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/164 Injecting CO2 or carbonated water in combination with organic material C09K8/594
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/40 Separation associated with re-injection of separated materials E21B43/385 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2205/40 using hybrid system, i.e. combining cryogenic and non-cryogenic separation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2205/50 using absorption, i.e. with selective solvents or lean oil, heavier CnHm and including generally a regeneration step for the solvent or lean oil
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2230/30 Compression of the feed stream
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2230/80 the fluid being carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2260/80 Integration in an installation using carbon dioxide, e.g. for EOR, sequestration, refrigeration etc.
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/0223 H2/CO mixtures, i.e. synthesis gas; Water gas or shifted synthesis gas production of carbon monoxide containing gas in general C01B32/40, C10J, C10K; production of hydrogen containing gas C01B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/0233 separation of CnHm with 1 carbon atom or more
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/0252 separation of hydrogen production of hydrogen containing gas in general C01B3/00, e.g. separation of hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases form gaseous mixtures at low temperatures C01B3/506
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/0266 separation of carbon dioxide production of carbon dioxide in general C01B32/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/70 Combining sequestration of CO2 and exploitation of hydrocarbons by injecting CO2 or carbonated water in oil wells

Abstract

An enhanced oil recovery process that is integrated with a synthesis gas generation process, such as gasification or methane reforming, involving combined capture and recycle of carbon dioxide from both processes.

Claims

1. An integrated process to (i) produce an acid gas-depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product steam, (ii) produce an acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream, (iii) produce a liquid hydrocarbon product stream and (iv) enhance production of a hydrocarbon-containing fluid from an underground hydrocarbon reservoir, the process comprising the steps of:

(1) injecting a pressurized carbon dioxide stream into an underground hydrocarbon reservoir to enhance production of the hydrocarbon-containing fluid from the underground hydrocarbon reservoir via a hydrocarbon production well, the hydrocarbon-containing fluid comprising carbon dioxide;

(2) recovering the hydrocarbon-containing fluid produced from the hydrocarbon production well;

(3) separating the hydrocarbon-containing fluid into (a) the liquid hydrocarbon product stream and (b) a gaseous hydrocarbon stream comprising carbon dioxide;

(4) treating the gaseous hydrocarbon stream in a first acid gas absorber unit to produce the acid gas-depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream and a first acid gas-rich absorber stream;

(5) producing a synthesis gas stream from a carbonaceous feedstock, the synthesis gas stream comprising (a) at least one of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and (b) at least one of hydrogen and methane;

(6) treating the synthesis gas stream in a second acid gas absorber unit to produce the acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream and a second acid gas-rich absorber stream;

(7) feeding the first acid gas-rich absorber stream and the second acid gas-rich absorber stream into an absorber regeneration unit to produce a carbon dioxide-rich recycle stream and an acid gas-lean absorber stream; and

(8) pressurizing the carbon dioxide-rich recycle stream to generate the pressurized carbon dioxide stream.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the carbonaceous feedstock is a gaseous methane-containing stream, and step (5) comprises the step of converting the gaseous methane-containing stream in a catalytic steam methane reforming process to a syngas as the synthesis gas stream.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the carbonaceous feedstock is a gaseous methane-containing stream, and step (5) comprises the step of converting the gaseous methane-containing stream in a non-catalytic gaseous partial oxidation process to produce a syngas as the synthesis gas stream.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the methane-containing stream comprises all or a portion of the acid gas-depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream, the acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream, a combination of these streams, or a derivative of one or both of these streams after downstream processing.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the carbonaceous feedstock is a gaseous methane-containing stream, and step (5) comprises the step of converting the gaseous methane-containing stream in a catalytic autothermal reforming process to produce a syngas as the synthesis gas stream.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein the methane-containing stream comprises all or a portion of the acid gas-depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream, the acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream, a combination of these streams, or a derivative of one or both of these streams after downstream processing.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the carbonaceous feedstock is a non-gaseous carbonaceous material, and step (5) comprises the step of converting the non-gaseous carbonaceous material in a non-catalytic thermal gasification process to produce a syngas as the synthesis gas stream.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the synthesis gas stream comprises hydrogen and one or both of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the carbonaceous feedstock is a non-gaseous carbonaceous material, and step (5) comprises the step of converting the non-gaseous carbonaceous material in a catalytic hydromethanation process to produce a methane-enriched gas stream as the synthesis gas stream.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the synthesis gas stream comprises methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the synthesis gas stream is subject to a sour shift to generate a hydrogen-enriched stream.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein the acid-gas depleted synthesis gas stream comprises hydrogen, and at least a portion of the hydrogen is separated to generate a hydrogen product stream and a hydrogen-depleted gas stream.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein the acid-gas depleted synthesis gas stream comprises hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and is subject to a methanation to produce a methane-enriched gas stream.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the acid-gas depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream is the carbonaceous feedstock.

15. The process of claim 1, wherein the synthesis gas stream and the gaseous hydrocarbon stream are subject to a dehydration prior to acid gas removal.

16. The process of claim 1, wherein the acid-gas lean absorber stream is recycled back to one or both of the first and second acid gas absorber units.

17. A process to enhance production of a hydrocarbon-containing fluid from an underground hydrocarbon reservoir via a hydrocarbon production well, by injecting a pressurized carbon dioxide stream into an underground hydrocarbon reservoir, wherein the hydrocarbon-containing fluid comprises carbon dioxide, and wherein the pressurized carbon dioxide stream is generated by a process comprising the steps of:

(I) recovering the hydrocarbon-containing fluid produced from the hydrocarbon production well;

(II) splitting the hydrocarbon-containing fluid into (a) a liquid hydrocarbon product stream and (b) a gaseous hydrocarbon stream comprising carbon dioxide;

(III) treating the gaseous hydrocarbon stream in a first acid gas absorber unit to produce an acid gas-depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream and a first acid gas-rich absorber stream;

(IV) producing a synthesis gas stream from a carbonaceous feedstock, the synthesis gas stream comprising (a) at least one of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and (b) at least one of hydrogen and methane;

(V) treating the synthesis gas stream in a second acid gas absorber unit to produce an acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream and a second acid gas-rich absorber stream;

(VI) feeding the first acid gas-rich absorber stream and the second acid gas-rich absorber stream into an absorber regeneration unit to produce a carbon dioxide-rich recycle stream and an acid gas-lean absorber stream; and

(VII) pressurizing the carbon dioxide-rich recycle stream to generate the pressurized carbon dioxide stream.

18. An apparatus for generating a liquid hydrocarbon product stream, an acid gas-depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream and an acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream, the apparatus comprising:

(A) a synthesis gas production system adapted to produce a synthesis gas from a carbonaceous feedstock, the synthesis gas comprising (i) at least one of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and (ii) at least one of hydrogen and methane;

(B) a carbon dioxide injection well in fluid communication with an underground hydrocarbon reservoir, the carbon dioxide injection well adapted to inject a pressurized carbon dioxide 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 a hydrocarbon fluid from the underground hydrocarbon reservoir, the hydrocarbon fluid comprising carbon dioxide;

(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 the liquid hydrocarbon product stream and a gaseous hydrocarbon stream comprising carbon dioxide;

(E) a first acid gas absorber unit in fluid communication with the separation device, the first acid gas absorber unit adapted to (i) receive the gaseous hydrocarbon stream from the separation device, and (ii) treat the gaseous hydrocarbon stream to remove acid gases and produce the acid gas-depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream and a first acid gas-rich absorber stream;

(F) a second acid gas absorber unit in fluid communication with the synthesis gas production system, the second acid gas absorber unit adapted to (i) receive the synthesis gas from the synthesis gas production system, and (ii) treat the synthesis gas to remove acid gases and produce the acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream and a second acid gas-rich absorber stream;

(G) an absorber regeneration unit in fluid communication with the first acid gas absorber unit and the second acid gas absorber unit, the absorber regeneration unit adapted to (i) receive the first acid gas-rich absorber stream from the first acid gas absorber unit and the second acid gas-rich absorber stream from the second acid gas absorber unit, (ii) remove acid gases from the first acid gas-rich absorber stream and the second acid gas-rich absorber stream, and (iii) generate an acid gas-lean absorber stream and a carbon dioxide-rich recycle stream; and

(H) a compressor unit in fluid communication with the absorber regeneration unit and the carbon dioxide injection well, the compressor unit adapted to (i) receive the carbon dioxide-rich recycle stream, and (ii) compress the carbon dioxide recycle stream to generate the pressurized carbon dioxide stream, and (iii) provide the pressurized carbon dioxide stream to the carbon dioxide injection well.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a sour shift unit between the synthesis gas production system and the second acid gas absorber unit.

20. The apparatus of claims 18, wherein the absorber regeneration unit is further adapted to (iv) provide the acid gas-lean absorber stream to one or both the first and second acid gas absorber units.