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Hydrocarbons recovery

a hydrocarbon recovery and hydrocarbon technology, applied in the field of hydrocarbon recovery, can solve the problem that the primary recovery technique is only capable of producing a small fraction, and achieve the effect of increasing or decreasing salinity, adjusting salinity, and increasing salinity

Inactive Publication Date: 2014-01-09
SHELL OIL CO
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  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention relates to a method for separating hydrocarbons from emulsions using salinity as a state variable. The method is efficient and sustainable, as it allows for the reuse of salt and water. The method can be carried out continuously and provides maximum opportunity for the reuse of the salt-containing aqueous phase. The salinity of the input mixture can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing, depending on the operational considerations. The method also includes a system for washing the hydrocarbon phase and recovering a surfactant recycle stream. Overall, the invention provides an improved process for separating hydrocarbons from emulsions.

Problems solved by technology

However primary recovery techniques are only capable of producing a small fraction of the oil in place in the reservoir.

Method used

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  • Hydrocarbons recovery
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first embodiment

[0046]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a hydrocarbons separation system for separating hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbons recovery mixture according to the invention;

second embodiment

[0047]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a hydrocarbons separation system for separating hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbons recovery mixture according to the invention; and

third embodiment

[0048]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a hydrocarbons separation system for separating hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbons recovery mixture according to the invention.

[0049]With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the hydrocarbons separation systems and methods (or processes) according to three exemplary embodiments of the invention described below each serve to extract or separate a hydrocarbon phase from an input mixture. The input mixture comprises an emulsion of water and hydrocarbons in the presence of a surfactant (surface-active agent). Whilst the input mixture could stem from any suitable source, in practice, such mixtures are most commonly obtained from chemical enhanced oil recovery (cEOR) streams.

[0050]The hydrocarbons separation systems and methods according to the three exemplary embodiments of the invention comprise adjusting, specifically increasing, the salinity of the input mixture to release hydrocarbons and water from the emulsion into a hydrocarbon phase and a salt-containin...

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Abstract

Methods and systems of separating a hydrocarbon phase from a mixture comprising an emulsion of water and hydrocarbons in the presence of a surfactant, comprising adjusting the salinity of the mixture to release hydrocarbons and water from the emulsion into a hydrocarbon phase and a salt-containing aqueous phase respectively; and separating at least a part of the hydrocarbon phase from the salt-containing aqueous phase wherein at least a part of the salt-containing aqueous phase is recovered for further use.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to the recovery of hydrocarbons. In particular, though not exclusively, the invention relates to improved processes and apparatus for separating mixtures comprising an emulsion of hydrocarbons and water.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Hydrocarbons are a large class of organic compounds composed of hydrogen and carbon. For example, crude oils, natural gas, kerogen, bitumen, pyrobitumen and asphaltenes are all mixtures of various hydrocarbons. Though hydrocarbons are generally defined as molecules formed primarily of carbon and hydrogen atoms, they may also include other elements, such as, but not limited to, halogens, metallic elements, nitrogen, oxygen and / or sulfur.[0003]Hydrocarbons are typically recovered or produced from subterranean formations by a variety of methods. “Primary recovery” techniques refer to those techniques that utilise energy from the formation itself to recover the hydrocarbons in the subterranean formation. ...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): C10G33/04E21B43/40
CPCC10G33/04E21B43/40B01D17/0214B01D17/08C10G31/08C10G2300/4081B01D17/085B01D17/047
Inventor MOENE, ROBERTMUL, WILHELMUS PETRUSNIJMEIJER, ARIAN
Owner SHELL OIL CO
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