Integrated enhanced oil recovery process

• US 8,733,459 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sure Champion Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: GreatPoint Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Wallace, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): DiTrani, Angela M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahuja, Anuradha
• Application Number:
  US12/970,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20110146979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 166/75.11, 166/90.11, 166/268, 166/400, 166265-267, 166/305.1, 166401-404
• US Class Current: 166/402
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0916 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/093 Coal
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0943 Coke
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0976 as steam
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0986 Catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1653 integrated in a gasification combined cycle [IGCC] engines driven by heat coming from a gasification or pyrolysis unit F01K23/067
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1662 to methane (SNG) production of synthetic natural gas C10L3/08
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/00 Production of combustible gases containing carbon monoxide from solid carbonaceous fuels destructive distillation processes C10B
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/005 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/08 by washing with liquids; Reviving the used wash liquors gas washers B01D
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/12 alkaline-reacting including the revival of the used wash liquors
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/122 containing only carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides or oxides of alkali-metals (including Mg)
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/128 containing organic oxygen transferring compounds, e.g. sulfoxides
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/14 organic
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/143 containing amino groups
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/08 Production of synthetic natural gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/101 Removal of contaminants
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0064 Carbon dioxide sequestration storing fluids in porous layers B65G5/005
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/164 Injecting CO2 or carbonated water in combination with organic material C09K8/594
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/168 Injecting a gaseous medium
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/40 : Separation associated with re-injection of separated materials E21B43/385 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 : of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/18 : Integrated gasification combined cycle [IGCC], e.g. combined with carbon capture and storage [CCS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 : the feedstock being materials of biological origin
• 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 reforming, involving capture and recycle of a sour carbon dioxide stream for EOR use.

Claims

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

(1) injecting a pressurized sour carbon dioxide 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) at least one of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and (b) at least one of hydrogen and methane;

(5) treating the synthesis gas stream and the gaseous hydrocarbon product stream in an acid gas removal unit to produce the acid gas-depleted hydrocarbon product gas stream and a sour carbon dioxide stream; and

(6) pressurizing the sour carbon dioxide stream to generate the pressurized sour carbon dioxide stream,

wherein at least one of the synthesis gas stream and the gaseous hydrocarbon product stream comprises more than a trace amount of hydrogen sulfide.

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 2, wherein the synthesis gas stream comprises hydrogen and one or both of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.

4. 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.

5. The process of claim 4, wherein the synthesis gas stream comprises hydrogen and one or both of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.

6. 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.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the synthesis gas stream comprises hydrogen and one or both of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.

8. 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.

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

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

11. 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.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the synthesis gas stream comprises methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

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

14. 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.

15. The process of claim 1, wherein the acid-gas depleted product 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.

16. The process of claim 1, wherein the synthesis gas stream and the gaseous hydrocarbon product stream are co-processed in the acid gas removal unit.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein the acid gas-depleted product gas stream comprises an acid gas-depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream and an acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream.

18. A process to enhance production of a hydrocarbon-containing fluid from an underground hydrocarbon reservoir via a hydrocarbon production well, by injecting a pressurized sour carbon dioxide stream into the underground hydrocarbon reservoir, wherein the pressurized sour 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) 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) at least one of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and (b) at least one of hydrogen and methane;

(IV) treating the synthesis gas stream and the gaseous hydrocarbon product stream in an acid gas removal unit to produce an acid gas-depleted hydrocarbon product gas stream and a sour carbon dioxide stream; and

(V) pressurizing the sour carbon dioxide stream to generate the pressurized sour carbon dioxide stream,

wherein at least one of the synthesis gas stream and the gaseous hydrocarbon product stream comprises more than a trace amount of hydrogen sulfide.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein the synthesis gas stream and the gaseous hydrocarbon product stream are co-processed in the acid gas removal unit.

20. The process of claim 19, wherein the acid gas-depleted product gas stream comprises an acid gas-depleted gaseous hydrocarbon product stream and an acid gas-depleted synthesis gas stream.