Methods and apparatus for increasing and extending oil production from underground formations nearly depleted of natural gas drive
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
C09K-007/00
E21B-021/00
출원번호
US-0317009
(2002-12-11)
발명자
/ 주소
Arnaud, Johnny
Beard, B. Franklin
출원인 / 주소
Hydrotreat, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Howrey Simon Arnold & White, LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
12인용 특허 :
24
초록▼
Methods and apparatus employing inert gases injected into the lower level of sloping underground oil-bearing formations as a driving mechanism and water injected into the upper level of the formations as a gas blocking mechanism for increasing and extending the production of oil from underground for
Methods and apparatus employing inert gases injected into the lower level of sloping underground oil-bearing formations as a driving mechanism and water injected into the upper level of the formations as a gas blocking mechanism for increasing and extending the production of oil from underground formations is described. Also described is an inert gas oil production system comprising an exhaust gas processing system, a well inert gas and water injection system, an oil production well system, and a fuel gas generator. A hydraulically operated crude oil pump is also described.
대표청구항▼
1. An inert gas oil production system, comprising:an exhaust gas processing system to purify exhaust gases before injection into an injection well;an injection system to deliver the purified exhaust gas from the exhaust gas processing system to a reservoir via the injection well;an oil production sy
1. An inert gas oil production system, comprising:an exhaust gas processing system to purify exhaust gases before injection into an injection well;an injection system to deliver the purified exhaust gas from the exhaust gas processing system to a reservoir via the injection well;an oil production system to produce crude oil from the reservoir after the injection system delivers purified exhaust gas to the reservoir; anda fuel gas generator for extracting natural gas from the crude oil under production, the natural gas being useable as fuel for an engine utilized in the inert gas oil production system. 2. The inert gas oil production system of claim 1, in which the exhaust gas processing system further comprises:an exhaust gas cooling system;a gas compressor to receive the exhaust gas from the cooling system;a two stage exhaust gas washing system to remove nitrogen oxides and exhaust water vapor from the exhaust gas exiting the gas compressor to purify the exhaust gas exiting the gas compressor with an ion exchange system and to permit reuse of the water;a gas separation system to separate carbon dioxide and nitrogen from the exhaust gas existing the gas washing system for separate injection into the injection well; anda controller to monitor and sequence system operations. 3. The inert gas oil production system of claim 2, wherein the exhaust gas cooling system further comprises:a heat exchanger heated by exhaust gases;a cooling tower having a basin and a manifold; anda pump, the pump adapted to pump water from the basin of the cooling tower, through the heat exchanger, and out the manifold. 4. The inert gas oil production system of claim 3 in which the exhaust gas cooling system further comprises a makeup water supply system having a second pump, a pressure tank, and a float valve within the basin of cooling tower. 5. The inert gas oil production system of claim 4, wherein the exhaust gas is combusted from methane or propane from the engine being utilized by the inert gas oil production system. 6. The inert gas oil production system of claim 2, in which the exhaust gas washing system further comprises:a first washing stage fluid mixer;a second washing stage fluid mixer with a liquid-water separation chamber;an ion exchange resin tank to remove nitrogen oxides from washing water; anda water storage tank to supply produced water,wherein gas from the heat exchanger is compressed by the first stage compressor and mixed with water from the storage tank by the first washing stage fluid mixer, the liquid-gas mixture flowing out of the first washing stage fluid mixer and mixed with water from the water storage tank by the second washing stage fluid mixer,whereby the two stages of washing in the fluid mixers remove nitrogen oxides and water vapors, leaving carbon dioxide and nitrogen for subsequent injection into the reservoir. 7. The inert gas oil production system claim 6, further comprising a second controller adapted to regulate the amount of water entering the first and second washing stage fluid mixers. 8. The inert gas oil production system of claim 7, in which the inert gas from the second washing stage fluid mixer is routed to the gas separation system or to a compressor for injection into the injection well. 9. The inert gas oil production system of claim 8 wherein nitrogen oxides and the water from the second stage fluid mixer flow into the ion exchange storage tank, and into the water storage tank respectively. 10. The inert gas oil production system of claim 9, in which each of the first and second stage fluid mixers further comprise a radial-grooved ring mixer. 11. The inert gas oil production system of claim 10 in which each of the first and second stage fluid mixers comprises:an upper cylindrical donut housing with a fluid inlet, the upper cylindrical donut housing having a gas separation chamber to separate excess gases from liquids for discharging gas through a gas outlet on the upper housing;a grooved ring having a plurality of grooves, an impact zone being located below the grooved ring, the grooved ring being concentric to the upper cylindrical donut housing, the grooved ring having an outer diameter on a first end that is smaller than a diameter of the upper cylindrical donut housing, thus defining a distribution channel;an orifice ring adapted to inject gas in liquid leaving the grooves; anda cylinder concentric with the grooved ring, the cylinder in fluid communication with the distribution channel via the grooves, a saturated liquid outlet being located at a bottom of the cylinder. 12. The inert gas oil production system of claim 11, in which each fluid mixer has grooves that are radial. 13. The inert gas oil production system of claim 10, wherein the first stage fluid mixer further comprises a fluid inlet, a radial-groove ring, a distribution channel, radial grooves in the radial grooved ring with an impact zone, and orifices in an orifice plate over the radial grooves, the radial-grooved ring having an impact zone combined with a lower outlet. 14. The inert gas oil production system of claim 13, wherein flu gases from the first stage gas compressor enter the first stage fluid mixer from the inlet, around the distribution channel, and through the radial grooves to be mixed with the water entering from the orifices in the impact zone, the water entering the top housing and flowing through the orifices into the radial grooves to be mixed with the gases. 15. The inert gas oil production system of claim 14, wherein the gases become washed in the impact zone and the water and gases flow out of the first stage fluid mixer through the outlet. 16. The inert gas oil production system of claim 10, in which the second stage fluid mixer comprises a gas-water mixture inlet, a gas-water distribution channel, radial grooves, a water inlet port, a water distribution channel, water injection orifice ports, an impact zone, a lower cylinder with a water outlet, and a gas separation chamber with a gas outlet, wherein the gas-water mixture from the first washing stage fluid mixer enters the second washing stage fluid mixer through the gas-water mixture inlet and flows into the distribution channel, is divided into multi-streams and flows through the grooves where additional water is injected into each groove through the orifice ports over the grooves, and exits the grooves into the impact zone. 17. The inert gas oil production system of claim 2, in which the gas separation system further comprises:a high pressure compressor;a gas dryer to remove moisture from the gases;a gas separation membrane;a nitrogen gas compressor to increase the nitrogen gas pressure for subsequent injection into the injection well; anda carbon dioxide gas compressor to increase the carbon dioxide gas pressure for subsequent injection into the injection well, wherein, the inert gases of carbon dioxide and nitrogen flowing out of the second washing stage fluid mixer enter the high pressure compressor, pass through the gas dryer and the gas separation membranes, the membranes separating the carbon dioxide and nitrogen, the carbon dioxide entering the carbon dioxide gas compressor and the nitrogen passing to the nitrogen gas compressor. 18. The inert gas oil production system of claim 17 further comprising a second controller to selectively inject carbon dioxide or nitrogen into the injection well. 19. The inert gas oil production system of claim 17, in which the production system further comprises:an airlift crude oil pump in fluid communication with the reservoir via a production tube;an air supply in fluid communication with the reservoir via an air supply tube; andat least one packer to seal an annulus between the production tube, the air supply tube, and a casing in the well, wherein after inert gas from the nitrogen gas compressor is injected into the reservoir through an inert gas injection tube, the air supply injects air into the reservoir via the air supply tube and the airlift crude oil pump produces oil from the reservoir to surface via the production tube. 20. The inert gas oil production system of claim 19, wherein the production tube and the air supply tube are joined by a tee. 21. The inert gas oil production system of claim 1, in which the injection system further comprises:a compressor in fluid communication with the exhaust gas processing system to inject the gas exiting the exhaust gas process processing system into the injection well. 22. The inert gas oil production system of claim 21, in which the injection system further comprises:an injection pipe inserted inside an injection well casing above the reservoir, with at least one packer sealing an annulus between the casing and the injection pipe. 23. The inert gas oil production system of claim 1, further comprising:a water injection system to inject water into a water injection well, wherein the reservoir is a sloping underground formation, the gas injection well being down dip of the sloping underground formation, the water injection well being up dip of the sloping underground formation, and a production well being in fluid communication with the reservoir at a location on the sloping underground formation between the gas injection well and the water injection well. 24. The inert gas oil production system of claim 1, wherein the oil production system comprises a crude oil production pump. 25. The inert gas oil production system of claim 24, wherein the crude oil production pump comprises:an electric motor; anda hydraulically operated crude oil pump. 26. The inert gas oil production system of claim 25, in which the hydraulically operated crude oil pump further comprises:an upper pumping section having an upper diaphragm within an upper housing defining an upper space therebetween;a lower pumping section having a lower diaphragm within a lower housing defining a lower space therebetween;a hydraulic pump driven by the electric motor to pump hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic fluid reservoir;an crude oil inlet and a crude oil outlet, the upper and lower sections being in selective fluid communication with the crude oil inlet and crude oil outlet;a directional control valve in fluid communication with the upper pumping section and the lower pumping section, to selectively control the flow of hydraulic fluid between the upper pumping section and the lower pumping section,wherein the lower diaphragm moves downwardly against a force of a lower spring when hydraulic fluid flows into the lower space above the lower diaphragm in the lower section to pump crude oil from below the diaphragm in the lower section out of lower section housing, the upper diaphragm being adapted to move upwardly by a force of an upper spring to allow crude oil to enter the upper space in the upper section below the upper diaphragm when hydraulic fluid flows out of the upper section, thereby pumping crude oil into the crude oil inlet of the pump and out of the crude oil outlet to the surface. 27. The inert gas oil production system of claim 25, in which the hydraulically operated crude oil pump further comprises:an upper pumping section having an upper bladder within an upper housing defining an upper space therebetween;a lower pumping section having a lower bladder within a lower housing defining a lower space therebetween;a hydraulic pump driven by the electric motor to pump hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic fluid reservoir;a crude oil inlet and an oil outlet, the upper and lower spaces being in selective fluid communication with the crude oil inlet and crude oil outlet; anda directional control valve in fluid communication with the upper bladder and the lower bladder, to selectively control the flow of hydraulic fluid between the upper pumping section and the lower pumping section,wherein the upper bladder expands when hydraulic fluid flows inside the upper bladder to pump crude oil from the upper space through the crude oil outlet to surface, the upper bladder being adapted to contract to allow crude oil to enter the upper space from the crude oil inlet when hydraulic fluid flows into the lower bladder,and wherein the lower bladder expands when hydraulic fluid flows inside the lower bladder to pump crude oil from the lower space through the crude oil outlet to surface thereby pumping crude oil into the inlet of the pump and out of the crude oil outlet to the surface. 28. The inert gas oil production system of claim 27, wherein the hydraulically operated crude oil pump further comprises valving to selectively provide for fluid communication therethrough. 29. The inert gas oil production system of claim 28, wherein the directional control valve further comprises pilot valves connected to sense a pressure of the hydraulic fluid within the upper and lower bladder. 30. The inert gas oil production system of claim 29, wherein an upper perforated wall is within the upper bladder and a lower perforated wall is within the lower bladder. 31. The inert gas oil production system of claim 30, wherein the lower and upper bladders are comprised of elastomeric material. 32. The inert gas oil production system of claim 31, wherein the pump further comprises valving including one way ball valves to selectively allow crude oil to alternatively flow from the upper section and the lower section to the outlet. 33. The inert gas oil production system of claim 32, wherein an upper section of the housing comprises a pump cap, the pump cap being threaded to attach to a drill string to transport oil from the reservoir to the surface. 34. The inert gas oil production system of claim 27, wherein the hydraulically operated crude oil pump further comprises:a double acting hydraulic cylinder between the upper pumping section and the lower pumping section, the double acting hydraulic cylinder having an upper piston in an upper cylinder in fluid communication with the upper bladder, a center piston in a center cylinder in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid reservoir, and a lower piston in a lower cylinder in fluid communication with the lower bladder, each piston being interconnected, each cylinder having hydraulic fluid within; anda hydraulic directional control valve to alternate flow of the hydraulic fluid above and below the center piston,wherein the center piston moves upwardly within the center cylinder when hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid reservoir is pumped in the center cylinder below the center piston, the upper piston moving upwardly with the center piston to force hydraulic fluid out of the upper cylinder above the upper piston and into the upper bladder to inflate the upper bladder, the lower piston moving upwardly with the center piston to force hydraulic fluid into the lower cylinder in an area below the lower piston, to deflate the lower bladder. 35. The inert gas oil production system of claim 34, wherein when the center piston moves downwardly within the center cylinder when hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid reservoir is pumped in the center cylinder above the center piston, the lower piston moving downwardly with the center piston to force hydraulic fluid out of the lower cylinder below the lower piston and into the lower bladder to inflate the lower bladder, the upper piston moving downwardly with the center piston to force hydraulic fluid into the upper cylinder in an area above the upper piston, to deflate the upper bladder. 36. The inert gas oil production system of claim 35, wherein an area below the upper piston in the upper housing is filled with air and in fluid communication with an area above the lower piston in the lower housing. 37. The inert gas, oil production system of claim 1, in which the fuel gas generator further comprises:a plurality of gas-extracting towers, each tower having an inner exhaust gas cylinder having a spiral baffle;an intermediate cylinder circumscribing the inner exhaust gas cylinder, fins being interposed between the inner exhaust gas c ylinder and the intermediate cylinder; andan outer casing circumscribing the intermediate cylinder;an exhaust gas inlet in fluid communication with the inner exhaust gas cylinder;an exhaust gas outlet;a crude oil inlet; anda fuel gas outlet,wherein, hot exhaust gases enter the fuel gas generator through the exhaust gas inlet and flows spiraling upwardly within the exhaust gas cylinder via the spiral baffle, to heat crude oil entering the plurality of gas-extracting towers through the crude oil inlet and flowing upwardly through an annulus between the exhaust gas cylinder and the intermediate cylinder, the heat of the exhaust gas separating gases from the crude oil, the gases from the crude oil exiting the plurality of towers via the fluid gas outlet,heavier oil flowing down the plurality of towers between the intermediate cylinder and the outer casing and out of the crude oil outlet, the exhaust gas exiting the towers at the exhaust gas outlet. 38. The inert gas oil production system of claim 37, comprising,a bypass providing fluid communication between the exhaust gas inlet and the exhaust gas outlet. 39. A method of for producing oil, comprising:providing an inert gas oil production system, the inert gas oil production system having an exhaust gas processing system to purify exhaust gases before injection into an injection well, an injection system to deliver the purified exhaust gas from the exhaust gas processing system to a reservoir via the injection well, an oil production system to produce crude oil from the reservoir after the injection system delivers purified exhaust gas to the reservoir, and a fuel gas generator for extracting natural gas from the crude oil under production, the natural gas being useable as fuel for an engine utilized in the inert gas oil production system,purifying exhaust gases with the exhaust gas processing system;injecting the purified exhaust gas into an injection well;producing crude oil from the reservoir; andgenerating natural gas from the crude oil under production. 40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:injecting water into a water injection well to block the flow of exhaust gas from the reservoir.
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