Systems for generating geothermal power in an organic Rankine cycle operation during hydrocarbon production based on wellhead fluid temperature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11732697-B2
Application number	US-202318149316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2023
Priority date	Apr 2, 2021
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating and a controller for controlling generation of geothermal power in an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) operation in the vicinity of a wellhead during hydrocarbon production to thereby supply electrical power to one or more of in-field operational equipment, a grid power structure, and an energy storage device. In an embodiment, during hydrocarbon production, a temperature of a flow of wellhead fluid from the wellhead or working fluid may be determined. If the temperature is above a vaporous phase change threshold of the working fluid, heat exchanger valves may be opened to divert flow of wellhead fluid to heat exchangers to facilitate heat transfer from the flow of wellhead fluid to working fluid through the heat exchangers, thereby to cause the working fluid to change from a liquid to vapor, the vapor to cause a generator to generate electrical power via rotation of an expander.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system to generate electrical power, the system comprising:
a valve positioned to divert wellhead fluid from a wellhead;
a heat exchanger including (a) a first fluid path to receive the wellhead fluid from the valve and (b) a second fluid path to receive a working fluid, the heat exchanger positioned to transfer heat from the wellhead fluid to the working fluid;
a recycle unit including a generator, a condenser, and a pump, a flow of the working fluid from the second fluid path to cause the generator to generate electrical power, the condenser positioned to cool the working fluid downstream of the heat exchanger, and the pump positioned to transport the working fluid from the condenser toward the second fluid path of the heat exchanger;
a choke valve operatively positioned to reduce a pressure and temperature of the wellhead fluid from the heat exchanger; and
a condenser valve to divert at least some of wellhead fluid from the choke valve to the condenser.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first wellhead fluid valve to adjust flow of wellhead fluid from the wellhead based on the diversion of the flow of wellhead fluid to the heat exchanger.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a second wellhead fluid valve to control flow of wellhead fluid from the choke valve based on a percentage that the condenser valve is in an open position.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein (a) the recycle unit comprises one or more ORC units connected to the heat exchanger, the one or more ORC units including the at least the generator, the condenser, and the pump, and (b) the system further comprising another one or more ORC units connected to the recycle unit.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the recycle unit comprises an ORC unit that further includes a working fluid reservoir to store working fluid flowing from the condenser.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid path of the heat exchanger is configured to withstand corrosion caused by the wellhead fluid, and wherein the heat exchanger includes a vibration induction device to reduce scaling caused by the flow of the wellhead fluid.

7. A system for generating geothermal power in the vicinity of a wellhead, thereby to supply electrical power to one or more of in-field equipment, a grid power structure, and energy storage devices, the system comprising:
a first pipe connected to and in fluid communication with the wellhead, thereby to transport wellhead fluid therethrough;
one or more valves each having a first end and second end, the first end of the one or more valves in fluid communication with the first pipe, the one or more valves positioned to control flow of wellhead fluid;
a heat exchanger positioned to accept the flow of wellhead fluid when the one or more valves is open, the heat exchanger including a first opening and a second opening connected via a first fluid path and a third opening and a fourth opening connected via a second fluid path, the first fluid path and the second fluid path to facilitate heat transfer from the flow of wellhead fluid to a working fluid, thereby to cause the working fluid to changes fluid phases, the flow of wellhead fluid flowing into the first opening of the heat exchanger through the first fluid path and to the second opening of the heat exchanger, and a flow of the working fluid flowing into the third opening through the second fluid path and out of the fourth opening;
a second pipe connected to and in fluid communication with the second end of the one or more valves;
a choke valve connected to and in fluid communication with the second pipe to reduce a pressure of the flow of wellhead fluid, thereby to reduce a temperature of the wellhead fluid;
a condenser valve connected to and in fluid communication with the choke valve, the condenser valve to control flow of wellhead fluid based on whether the one or more valves is in an open position;
a generator connected to and in fluid communication with the fourth opening of the heat exchanger, the working fluid flowing from the fourth opening to the generator, thereby to cause the generator to generate electrical power; and
a condenser including a first opening and second opening connected via a first fluid condenser path and a third opening and fourth opening connected via a second fluid condenser path, the first opening connected to the condenser valve, the second opening connected to an output pipe, and the third opening connected to receive the working fluid, the first fluid condenser path and the second fluid condenser path positioned to facilitate heat transfer from the working fluid to the flow of wellhead fluid.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the working fluid includes one or more of pentafluoropropane, carbon dioxide, ammonia and water mixtures, tetrafluoroethane, isobutene, propane, pentane, perfluorocarbons, or other hydrocarbons.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the generator includes a rotation mechanism, a stator, and rotor, the rotor connected to the rotation mechanism, the rotor to rotate as the rotation mechanism spins via the flow of working fluid.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the rotation mechanism includes one of a turbine expander, a positive displacement expander, or a twin-screw expander.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the rotation mechanism connects to the rotor via one of a transmission and gearbox.

12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a heat exchanger valve, and wherein when the heat exchanger valve is in an open position, at least a portion of the flow of wellhead fluid is diverted from a first valve of the one or more valves.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the working fluid changes phase from liquid to vapor when the temperature of the wellhead fluid comprises a temperature from greater than or equal to about 50 degrees Celsius, and wherein the heat exchanger is configured to withstand pressures up to about 15,000 pounds per square inch (PSI).

14. The system of claim 7 , further comprising an expander through which the working fluid flows and a regenerator, and wherein, after the working fluid flows through the expander, the working fluid flows through the regenerator and, after the working fluid flows through the condenser, the working fluid flows through the regenerator, the regenerator pre-heating the working fluid from the condenser via heat of the working fluid from the generator.

15. The system of claim 7 , wherein the heat exchanger includes a pressure relief valve to release pressure in the event that the heat exchanger exhibits a pressure exceeding a maximum pressure rating of the heat exchanger, and wherein the choke valve reduces the pressure of the flow of wellhead fluid to less than or equal to about 1,500 PSI so that the reduction of pressure of the flow of wellhead fluid reduces the temperature of the wellhead fluid to less than or equal to about 50 degrees Celsius.

16. The system of claim 7 , wherein the wellhead fluid includes at least one of a liquid or a gas, and wherein the wellhead fluid includes hydrocarbons.

17. The system of claim 7 , wherein the wellhead fluid further includes a mixture of hydrocarbons and one or more of (a) water or (b) other chemical residuals.

18. The system of claim 7 , wherein the working fluid is heated in the heat exchanger to the point of evaporation of the working fluid, and wherein the working fluid is heated in the heat exchanger to saturation temperature under high-pressure.

19. The system of claim 7 , wherein the working fluid includes a mixture of

Assignees

• Ice Thermal Harvesting Llc

Inventors

• Bodishbaugh Adrian Benjamin
• Murtland Carrie Jeanne

Classifications

• F03G7/045 Primary

  Environmental heat plants or OTEC plants using an Organic Rankine Cycle [ORC] or a Kalina Cycle · CPC title

• E21B34/025

  Chokes or valves in wellheads and sub-sea wellheads for variably regulating fluid flow · CPC title

• E21B34/066

  electrically actuated · CPC title

• E21B36/00

  Heating, cooling or insulating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for use in permafrost zones · CPC title

• E21B41/0085

  Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes · CPC title