Downhole Electrolysis Dewatering for Hydrocarbon Well Back-Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
The ingress of connate water into hydrocarbon production wells increases hydrostatic pressure, displaces hydrocarbons, and requires costly pumping and separation, making hydrocarbon recovery economically unfeasible.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using electrolysis at the distal end of a hydrocarbon production well to decompose downhole water into hydrogen and oxygen, reducing hydrostatic back-pressure and eliminating the need for pumping, with a semi-permeable membrane separating the gases and allowing collection of hydrogen and hydrocarbons for surface transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If connate water is pumped to surface along with hydrocarbons, then hydrocarbon production is maintained, but energy consumption increases and produced water treatment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts water from the hydrocarbon stream at the wellhead using a centrifugal separator, removing it before the fluids reach the surface. This extraction eliminates the need to pump large volumes of produced water to surface, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining hydrocarbon production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a centrifugal separator as an intermediary device between the wellhead and surface facilities. This intermediary device separates water from hydrocarbons based on density differences, enabling efficient water removal without requiring additional pumping energy.
2Productivity
If connate water is pumped to surface, then hydrocarbon flow is maintained, but equipment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts water at the wellhead using a centrifugal separator, removing it before fluids reach surface facilities. This extraction point placement simplifies the overall system by eliminating the need for complex surface-based pumping and separation equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the natural density difference between water and hydrocarbons to enable self-separation in the centrifugal separator. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex mechanically-driven separation equipment at surface facilities.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If produced water is treated and disposed, then environmental compliance is achieved, but treatment and disposal costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts water from the production stream at the wellhead before it can become produced water requiring treatment. By removing water at this early stage, the system eliminates downstream treatment and disposal costs while maintaining environmental compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of water ingress (which requires treatment and disposal) into a beneficial separation process. The centrifugal separator uses density differences to cleanly separate water from hydrocarbons, transforming a problematic mixture into two separable streams with different fates.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances hydrocarbon flow by maintaining a pressure gradient, eliminates the need for pumping and separation equipment, and recoups energy costs through saleable hydrogen production, thereby improving well performance and profitability.
Implementation Method 1
A system and method using electrolysis at the distal end of a hydrocarbon production well to decompose downhole water into hydrogen and oxygen
Implementation Method 2
with a semi-permeable membrane separating the gases and allowing collection of hydrogen and hydrocarbons for surface transport
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for de-watering of hydrocarbon production wells which uses electrolysis of a water fraction in downhole fluids and a reaction chamber at a distal end of a hydrocarbon production well to generate hydrogen and oxygen gases, to improve hydrocarbon inflow into the production well. The produced hydrogen and/or oxygen gases may be used in combination with hydrocarbons produced by the production well to fuel a gas turbine at surface to generate electrical power for the electrolysis, or such gases may be recombined at surface to provide purified water. A first gas collection means surrounds a region above or proximate an anode for collecting the oxygen gas, and a first production tubing extends therefrom to surface. Means are further provided for collecting and producing hydrogen gas at a cathode, either in combination with produced hydrocarbons from the production well, or separately therefrom.