Processing exhaust for use in enhanced oil recovery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9784140-B2
Application number	US-201414188545-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2014
Priority date	Mar 8, 2013
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

A method for generating steam for hydrocarbon production is provided. The method includes producing steam using heat from an exhaust stream from a gas turbine system. A water stream is condensed from combustion products in the exhaust stream, and the water stream is used as a make-up water for production of the steam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for generating steam for hydrocarbon production, comprising:
substantially stoichiometrically combusting a compressed oxidant and a fuel in a combustion chamber in a gas turbine system in the combined cycle power plant, thereby generating an exhaust stream containing combustion products;
producing steam using heat from the exhaust stream;
injecting at least a portion of the steam into a hydrocarbon reservoir;
obtaining hydrocarbons and reproduced water from the hydrocarbon reservoir using a thermal recovery process;
condensing a water stream from the combustion products in the exhaust stream; and
using the water stream and at least a portion of the reproduced water as a make-up water for production of the steam.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
recirculating at least a portion of the exhaust stream to the combustion chamber as a diluent for combustion;
chilling the diluent prior to introduction into the combustion chamber to condense a second water stream;
combining the water stream and the second water stream to form a combined water stream; and
using the combined stream and the at least a portion of the reproduced water as the make-up water.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising extracting a portion of the diluent to offset the amount of fuel and oxidant added.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising separating the extracted portion of diluent into a carbon dioxide rich stream and a carbon dioxide lean stream.

5. The method of claim 4 , comprising injecting the carbon dioxide rich stream into a hydrocarbon reservoir for enhanced oil recovery.

6. The method of claim 4 , comprising injecting the carbon dioxide rich stream into a subterranean formation for carbon sequestration.

7. The method of claim 4 , comprising injecting the carbon dioxide lean stream into a hydrocarbon reservoir for pressure maintenance.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising using at least a second portion of the steam to drive a steam turbine.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the steam turbine produces additional shaft power on a shaft of the gas turbine system.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the steam turbine produces blowdown, and wherein the method comprises using the blowdown as additional make-up water for production of the steam.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermal recovery process is a cyclic steam stimulation process.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermal recovery process is a steam assisted gravity drainage process.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermal recovery process is a Clark hot water extraction process.

14. The method of claim 1 , comprising using at least a portion of the steam in a utility heating process, a process heating process, or a steam stripping process, or any combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 1 , comprising treating the water stream prior to using the water stream as part of the make-up water.

16. The method of claim 15 , comprising adjusting the pH of the water stream to between about 7 and about 9 pH units.

17. The method of claim 15 , comprising steam stripping the water stream to remove dissolved gases.

18. The method of claim 15 , comprising treating the water stream with an oxygen scavenger.

19. The method of claim 1 , comprising generating a high quality steam comprising 90 wt % or more water vapor and a low quality steam comprising less than 90 wt % water vapor.

20. The method of claim 19 , comprising using the high quality steam to drive a steam turbine.

21. The method of claim 19 , comprising:
treating the reproduced water.

22. The method of claim 19 , comprising using the low quality steam in the thermal recovery process.

23. A method for using exhaust from a combined cycle plant in hydrocarbon production, comprising:
substantially stoichiometrically combusting a fuel and an oxidant in a gas turbine system in the combined cycle plant to produce an exhaust stream;
producing steam using exhaust heat from the exhaust stream;
injecting at least a portion of the steam into a hydrocarbon reservoir;
obtaining hydrocarbons and reproduced water from the hydrocarbon reservoir using a thermal recovery process;
condensing a water stream from the exhaust stream;
using the water stream and at least a portion of the reproduced water as a make-up stream for the steam production; and
driving a steam turbine with at least a second portion of the steam.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the portion of steam driving the steam turbine is adjusted based at least in part on a level of output power demanded from the combined cycle plant.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the thermal recovery process is cyclic steam stimulation.

26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the thermal recovery process is steam assisted gravity drainage.

27. The method of claim 23 , comprising:
producing a blowdown stream from the steam turbine; and
providing the blowdown stream as additional make-up feed water for the production of the steam.

28. The method of claim 23 , comprising using the steam in a Clark hot water extraction system, a utility heating system, a process heating system, or a steam stripping system, or any combinations thereof.

29. A system for generating power and thermally recovering hydrocarbons from a reservoir, comprising:
a gas turbine system configured to produce a hot exhaust stream as a byproduct of substantially stoichiometric combustion of a compressed oxidant and a fuel;
a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) configured to produce a steam stream using the hot exhaust stream, wherein the HRSG delivers at least a portion of the steam stream to the thermal recovery system and produces a condensate stream from the combustion products in the hot exhaust stream;
a hydrocarbon thermal recovery system configured to use at least a portion of the steam stream in a thermal recovery process and produce hydrocarbons and reproduced water; and
a feed system configured to use the condensate stream and at least a portion of the reproduced water as make-up water provided to the HRSG to generate the steam stream.

30. The system of claim 29 , comprising at least one of:
(a) a steam turbine configured to use at least a second portion of the steam stream to generate mechanical power cyclic steam stimulation system, wherein the steam turbine produces additional shaft power on a shaft of the gas turbine system;
(b) an electrical generator driven by the mechanical power;
(c) a steam assisted gravity drainage system;
(d) a Clark hot water extraction system;
(e) a water purification system for the condensate stream;
(f) a steam stripper configured to decrease dissolved gases in the condensate stream;
(g) a pH adjustment system configured to bring the pH of the condensate stream to between about 7 and about 9 pH units; and
(h) a filtration system.

Assignees

• Huntington Richard A
• Denton Robert D
• Mcmahon Patrick D
• Bohra Lalit K
• Dickson Jasper L
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Huntington Richard A
• Denton Robert D
• Mcmahon Patrick D
• Bohra Lalit K
• Dickson Jasper L

Classifications

• F01K23/14

  including at least one combustion engine · CPC title

• F01K13/00

  General layout or general methods of operation of complete plants · CPC title

• Y02E20/14

  Combined heat and power generation [CHP] · CPC title

• F01K17/025

  in combination with at least one gas turbine, e.g. a combustion gas turbine · CPC title

• Y02E20/16

  Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT] · CPC title