Closed loop hydrocarbon extraction system and a method for operating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017022795-A1
Application number	US-201514975915-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 21, 2015
Priority date	Jul 23, 2015
Publication date	Jan 26, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system includes a downhole rotary separator located within the well formation and configured to generate a hydrocarbon rich stream and a first water stream from a well fluid obtained from a production zone. The system also includes an electrical submersible pump disposed within the well formation and operatively coupled to the downhole rotary separator, wherein the electrical submersible pump is configured to transfer the hydrocarbon rich stream to a surface of the earth. The system further includes a surface separator located on the surface of earth and operatively coupled to generate oil and a second water stream from the hydrocarbon rich stream. The system also includes a hydraulic motor disposed within the well formation and operatively coupled to the downhole rotary separator, wherein the hydraulic motor is configured to drive the downhole rotary separator using a drive fluid comprising the hydrocarbon rich stream or the second water stream.

First claim

1 . A system for extracting a hydrocarbon rich stream from a well formation, the system comprising:
a downhole rotary separator located within the well formation and configured to generate the hydrocarbon rich stream and a first water stream from a well fluid obtained from a production zone; an electrical submersible pump disposed within the well formation and operatively coupled to the downhole rotary separator, wherein the electrical submersible pump is configured to transfer the hydrocarbon rich stream to a surface of earth; a surface separator located on the surface of earth and operatively coupled to the electrical submersible pump, wherein the surface separator is configured to generate oil and a second water stream from the hydrocarbon rich stream; and a hydraulic motor disposed within the well formation and operatively coupled to the downhole rotary separator, wherein the hydraulic motor is configured to drive the downhole rotary separator using a drive fluid, wherein the drive fluid comprises the hydrocarbon rich stream or the second water stream.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole rotary separator comprises a centrifugal separator.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first water stream tubing coupled to the downhole rotary separator, wherein the first water stream tubing is used to dispose the first water stream within the well formation.

4 . The system of claim 3 , further comprising a booster pump operatively coupled to the first water stream tubing, for increasing a pressure of the first water stream while disposing the first water stream within the well formation.

5 . The system of claim 3 , further comprising a second water stream tubing coupled to the surface separator and the hydraulic motor, wherein the second water stream tubing is configured to transfer the second water stream from the surface separator to the hydraulic motor for driving the downhole rotary separator.

6 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising an exhaust water tubing coupled to the hydraulic motor and the first water stream tubing, wherein the exhaust water tubing is used to combine an exhaust water obtained from the hydraulic motor with the first water stream, for disposal within the well formation.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a slip stream tubing coupled to the electrical submersible pump and the hydraulic motor, wherein the slip stream tubing is used to transfer the hydrocarbon rich stream from the electrical submersible pump to the hydraulic motor for driving the downhole rotary separator.

8 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising an exhaust hydrocarbon fluid tubing coupled to the hydraulic motor and an inlet of the downhole rotary separator, wherein the exhaust hydrocarbon fluid tubing is used to transfer an exhaust hydrocarbon fluid obtained from the hydraulic motor to the downhole rotary separator.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a jet pump operatively coupled to the downhole rotary separator, wherein the jet pump is configured to transfer the well fluid to the downhole rotary separator.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first sensor operatively coupled to an outlet of the downhole rotary separator, wherein the first sensor is configured to determine a water content in the hydrocarbon rich stream.

11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising a second sensor operatively coupled to an outlet of the downhole rotary separator, wherein the second sensor is configured to determine a flow rate of the hydrocarbon rich stream.

12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a control valve located at the surface of earth, wherein the control valve is configured to control a speed of the hydraulic motor based on data received from at least one of a first sensor and a second sensor.

13 . A method for extracting hydrocarbons from a well formation, the method comprising:
transferring a well fluid from a production zone to a downhole rotary separator; centrifugally separating the well fluid to generate a hydrocarbon rich stream and a first water stream, using the downhole rotary separator; transferring the hydrocarbon rich stream to a surface of earth, using an electrical submersible pump; separating the hydrocarbon rich stream to generate oil and a second water stream; and operating a hydraulic motor configured to drive the downhole rotary separator, using the second water stream or the hydrocarbon rich stream.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining a water content in the hydrocarbon rich stream, using a first sensor.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining a flow rate of the hydrocarbon rich stream, using a second sensor.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising controlling a speed of the hydraulic motor based on an output received from at least one of a first sensor and a second sensor, to control a separation efficiency of the downhole rotary separator.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein operating the hydraulic motor comprises combining an exhaust water obtained from the hydraulic motor with the first water stream prior to disposing within the well formation, if the second water stream is used for operating the hydraulic motor.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein operating the hydraulic motor comprises transferring an exhaust hydrocarbon fluid obtained from the hydraulic motor to the downhole rotary separator and combining the exhaust hydrocarbon fluid with the well fluid prior to separating the well fluid, if the hydrocarbon rich stream is used for operating the hydraulic motor.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Joshi Mahendra L
• Qi Xuele
• Murphy Raymond Patrick
• Brazil Stewart Blake
• Jiang Haifeng
• Parkey Jr Dewey Lavonne
• Acacia Victor Jose

Classifications

• E21B49/08

  Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells · CPC title

• E21B43/38 Primary

  in the well · CPC title

• E21B47/00

  Survey of boreholes or wells (monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08) · CPC title

• E21B43/128

  Adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives · CPC title

• E21B43/40

  Separation associated with re-injection of separated materials {(E21B43/385 takes precedence)} · CPC title