Automated and self-cleaning gravel pack filter system for water treatment and disposal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025177895-A1
Application number	US-202318525458-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 30, 2023
Priority date	Nov 30, 2023
Publication date	Jun 5, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system includes a filtration vessel, a filtration input gauge, a filtration output gauge, a solvent vessel, an acid vessel, a water vessel, a computer, and a control system. The filtration vessel includes gravel configured to filter a produced water to create a filtered water. The filtration input gauge is configured to measure an inlet pressure of the produced water flowing into the filtration vessel. The filtration output gauge is configured to measure an outlet pressure of the filtered water flowing out of the filtration vessel. The computer is communicably connected to the filtration input gauge and the filtration output gauge and is configured to determine a differential pressure based on the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure. The control system is communicably connected to the computer and is configured to prevent the produced water from flowing to the filtration vessel and allow solvent, acid, and water to flow to the filtration vessel when the computer determines the differential pressure is greater than a pre-determined value.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A system comprising:
a filtration vessel comprising gravel configured to filter a produced water to create a filtered water; a filtration input gauge configured to measure an inlet pressure of the produced water flowing into the filtration vessel; a filtration output gauge configured to measure an outlet pressure of the filtered water flowing out of the filtration vessel; a solvent vessel comprising a solvent configured to dissolve organic deposits in the gravel located in the filtration vessel; an acid vessel comprising an acid configured to dissolve in-organic deposits in the gravel located in the filtration vessel; a water vessel comprising water configured to flush the solvent and the acid from gravel located in the filtration vessel of the solvent and the acid; a computer communicably connected to the filtration input gauge and the filtration output gauge and configured to determine a differential pressure based on the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure; and a control system communicably connected to the computer and configured to prevent the produced water from flowing to the filtration vessel and allow the solvent, acid, and water to flow to the filtration vessel when the computer determines the differential pressure is greater than a pre-determined value.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a filtration input line connected to the filtration vessel and configured to transport the produced water from a separation plant to the filtration vessel.

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising a filtration input valve located on the filtration input line, configured to open and close, and controllably connected to the control system via a control line.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a filtration output line connected to the filtration vessel and configured to transport the filtered water from the filtration vessel to an injection well.

5 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising a filtration output valve located on the filtration output line, configured to open and close, and controllably connected to the control system via a control line.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the solvent vessel, the acid vessel, and the water vessel are hydraulically connected to the filtration vessel via a cleaning manifold, a pump, and a cleaning input line.

7 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising a solvent vessel valve located on the cleaning manifold, configured to open and close, and controllably connected to the control system via a control line.

8 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising an acid vessel valve located on the cleaning manifold, configured to open and close, and controllably connected to the control system via a control line.

9 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising a water vessel valve located on the cleaning manifold, configured to open and close, and controllably connected to the control system via a control line.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning output line comprising a cleaning output valve, wherein the cleaning output line is configured to transport the solvent, acid, and water away from the filtration vessel and the cleaning output valve is configured to open and close and is controllably connected to the control system via a control line.

11 . A method comprising:
filtering a produced water through a filtration vessel comprising gravel to create a filtered water; measuring an inlet pressure of the produced water flowing into the filtration vessel using a filtration input gauge and measuring an outlet pressure of the filtered water flowing out of the filtration vessel using a filtration output gauge; determining a differential pressure based on the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure using a computer communicably connected to the filtration input gauge and the filtration output gauge; preventing the produced water from flowing to the filtration vessel using a control system, communicably connected to the computer, when the computer determines the differential pressure is greater than a pre-determined value; pumping a solvent, using the control system, from a solvent vessel into the filtration vessel to dissolve organic deposits in the gravel when the computer determines the differential pressure is greater than the pre-determined value; pumping an acid, using the control system, from an acid vessel into the filtration vessel to dissolve in-organic deposits in the gravel when the computer determines the differential pressure is greater than the pre-determined value; and pumping water, using the control system, from a water vessel into the filtration vessel to flush the solvent and the acid from the gravel when the computer determines the differential pressure is greater than the pre-determined value.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein filtering the produced water through the filtration vessel comprising gravel to create the filtered water further comprises pumping the produced water from a separation plant to the filtration vessel using a filtration input line.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein preventing the produced water from flowing to the filtration vessel using the control system further comprises closing a filtration input valve located on the filtration input line using a control line connected to the control system.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein filtering the produced water through the filtration vessel comprising gravel to create the filtered water further comprises flowing the filtered water from the filtration vessel to an injection well using a filtration output line.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein preventing the produced water from flowing to the filtration vessel using the control system and pumping the solvent, the acid, and the water into the filtration vessel further comprises closing a filtration output valve located on the filtration output line using a control line connected to the control system.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein pumping the solvent, the acid, and the water into the filtration vessel further comprises pumping the solvent, the acid, and the water to the filtration vessel through a cleaning manifold and a cleaning input line using a pump.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein pumping the solvent from the solvent vessel into the filtration vessel further comprises opening a solvent vessel valve located on the cleaning manifold using a control line connected to the control system.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein pumping the acid from the acid vessel into the filtration vessel further comprises opening an acid vessel valve located on the cleaning manifold using a control line connected to the control system.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein pumping the water from the water vessel into the filtration vessel further comprises opening a water vessel valve located on the cleaning manifold using a control line connected to the control system.

20 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising pumping the solvent, the acid, and the water out of the filtration vessel along a cleaning output line by opening a cleaning output valve located on the cleaning output line using a control line connected to the control system.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al-Zayer Rayed Mohammed
• Arukhe James Ohioma
• Samman Suhail Abdullah
• Nakhli Ayman R
• Buhaezah Wajdi M

Classifications

• B01D24/183

  the filtering material being supported by pervious surfaces · CPC title

• B01D39/06 Primary

  Inorganic material, e.g. asbestos fibres, glass beads or fibres · CPC title

• B01D41/00

  Regeneration of the filtering material or filter elements outside the filter for liquid or gaseous fluids · CPC title

• B01D41/02

  of loose filtering material · CPC title

• B01D24/4694

  containing filter material retaining means (e.g. screens, balls) placed on the surface of the filter material · CPC title