Y-grade NGL fluids for enhanced oil recovery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11566166-B2
Application number	US-202117407731-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2021
Priority date	Aug 28, 2016
Publication date	Jan 31, 2023
Grant date	Jan 31, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods for enhanced or improved oil recovery includes injecting a Y-Grade NGL enhanced oil recovery fluid through an injection well into a hydrocarbon bearing reservoir to mobilize and displace hydrocarbons. The Y-Grade NGL enhanced oil recovery fluid comprises an unfractionated hydrocarbon mixture. Simultaneously and/or subsequently, a mobility control fluid is injected into the hydrocarbon bearing formation. Hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir are produced through a production well or the same injection well.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An injection and production system, comprising:
a Y-Grade NGL supply comprising an unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture, wherein the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture is a byproduct of a condensed and de-methanized hydrocarbon stream that is miscible with hydrocarbons, wherein the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture is condensed out of the hydrocarbon stream at a temperature at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, wherein the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture comprises ethane, propane, and butane in an amount of at least 75% by volume on a gas basis, and wherein the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture comprises pentane plus in an amount less than 30% by volume on a gas basis; and
a pump in fluid communication with the Y-Grade NGL supply and configured to inject the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture through an injection well into a hydrocarbon bearing reservoir, wherein the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture is sourced and transported from a separate processing facility that is located at a location remote from the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir, wherein the separate processing facility comprises at least one of a splitter facility, a gas plant, and a refinery, and wherein the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture is transported via pressure storage vessels from the separate processing facility to the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a control module in fluid communication with the Y-Grade NGL supply and the pump, wherein the control module is configured to control injection of the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture through the injection well into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a chemical agent supply comprising a chemical agent in fluid communication with a second pump, wherein the second pump is configured to inject the chemical agent through the injection well into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the chemical agent comprises at least one of a foaming agent, an emulsifying agent, and a gelling agent.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the chemical agent comprises at least one of a nonionic surfactant, an anionic surfactant, and a cationic surfactant, wherein the surfactant comprises a mass concentration of up to 5%.

6. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a control module in fluid communication with the Y-Grade NGL supply, the chemical agent supply, and the pumps, wherein the control module is configured to control injection of the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture and the chemical agent through the injection well into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a gas supply comprising a gas configured to be injected through the injection well into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the gas comprises at least one of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, natural gas, vaporized LNG, methane, and ethane.

9. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a control module in fluid communication with the Y-Grade NGL supply, the gas supply, and the pump, wherein the control module is configured to control injection of the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture and the gas through the injection well into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a secondary fluid supply comprising a secondary fluid in fluid communication with a second pump, wherein the second pump is configured to inject the secondary fluid through the injection well into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the secondary fluid comprises at least one of aromatics, alkanes, crude oil, and condensate.

12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a control module in fluid communication with the Y-Grade NGL supply, the secondary fluid supply, and the pumps, wherein the control module is configured to control injection of the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture and the secondary fluid through the injection well into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a water supply comprising water in fluid communication with a second pump, wherein the second pump is configured to inject the water through the injection well into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the water comprises at least one of brine, seawater, formation water, and potassium chloride water.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a control module in fluid communication with the Y-Grade NGL supply, the water supply, and the pumps, wherein the control module is configured to control injection of the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture and the water through the injection well into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

16. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a three-phase separator in fluid communication with a production well and configured to separate liquids and gases from fluids produced from the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir through the production well.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a nitrogen rejection system in fluid communication with the three-phase separator unit and configured to separate nitrogen from the gases separated by the three-phase separator.

Assignees

• Linde Ag
• Babcock John A

Inventors

• Babcock John A
• Siess Iii Charles P
• Watts Kevin G

Classifications

• C09K8/588

  characterised by the use of specific polymers {(polymeric surfactants C09K8/584)} · CPC title

• C09K2208/10

  Nanoparticle-containing well treatment fluids · CPC title

• E21B43/166

  Injecting a gaseous medium; Injecting a gaseous medium and a liquid medium (CO2 injection E21B43/164; steam injection E21B43/24) · CPC title

• C09K8/594 Primary

  Compositions used in combination with injected gas {, e.g. CO2 orcarbonated gas}(C09K8/592 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B43/162

  Injecting fluid from longitudinally spaced locations in injection well · CPC title