Produced Oilfield Brine Crystallization for SWD Capacity Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
The management of large volumes of saline and hypersaline brine co-produced with oil is challenging due to limited disposal options, especially in regions like the Delaware basin, where SWD wells are strained and disposal capacity is insufficient, posing environmental and operational risks.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that desalinate and partially crystallize oilfield brine into desalinated water and a salt slurry suspension, which are then used separately for beneficial purposes, such as surface use and stress diversion in hydrocarbon-producing formations, reducing the need for SWD wells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If saltwater disposal wells are used to dispose of oilfield brine, then brine disposal is achieved, but the disposal capacity of SWD wells becomes insufficient and formation stress increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the brine into two distinct streams: a salt-rich stream for reinjection into producing formations and a water stream for surface use or discharge. This segmentation allows the SWD wells to receive only the salt-rich portion, reducing the volume burden on disposal formations while maintaining effective brine management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful high-salinity brine into a beneficial reinjection fluid by crystallizing salts and reinjecting the salt slurry into producing formations. This not only disposed of the brine but also provided stress diversion to improve hydrocarbon recovery, transforming a waste product into a useful resource.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex treatment and desalination operations are implemented, then brine reuse is enabled, but processing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the salts from the brine through crystallization, separating them into a solid phase that can be reinjected. This extraction approach is simpler than full desalination operations, as it only removes salts rather than requiring complete water purification and reuse infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent recovers the salts from the brine through crystallization and reinjection into producing formations. Instead of discarding the entire brine or requiring complex treatment, the salts are recovered and reused, simplifying the overall process while enabling brine management.
3Productivity
If salt slurry suspension is reinjected into producing formations, then stress diversion is achieved for improved hydrocarbon recovery, but formation stress and pressure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically controls the reinjection process by monitoring formation pressure and stress conditions. The salt slurry injection rate and volume are adjusted in real-time to maintain optimal stress diversion while preventing excessive pressure buildup, allowing adaptive management of formation stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms to monitor formation pressure and stress conditions during salt slurry reinjection. This feedback allows real-time adjustment of injection parameters to achieve stress diversion for improved hydrocarbon recovery while preventing excessive stress accumulation that could cause formation damage.
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 effectively isolates salts from the environment, reduces SWD formation stress, and provides stress diversion for improved hydrocarbon recovery, while producing clean water for surface use.
Implementation Method 1
desalinating and at least partially crystallizing a portion of the one or more oilfield brine feedstocks to produce desalinated water and a salt slurry suspension
Implementation Method 2
desalinating and at least partially crystallizing a portion of the one or more oilfield brine feedstocks to produce desalinated water and a salt slurry suspension
Implementation Method 3
reinjecting the salt slurry suspension into the one or more candidate wells
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods presented herein relate to processing produced oilfield brine by deconstructing it into two useful components: (1) desalinated water and (2) a suspension of solid-state salt (e.g., crystallized salt) slurried in a salt-saturated brine, which may be formulated and injected into hydrocarbon-producing formations above hydraulic fracturing pressure to intentionally create regions of localized high stress within the respective formations. In addition, systems and methods presented herein relate to processing oilfield brine received from hydrocarbon-producing wells by: (1) coupling high-pressure desalination technologies with saltwater disposal (SWD) operations, (2) active management of SWD water composition at the rock face through dual stream (e.g., split-stream) injection, and/or (3) coupled SWD injection, flow assurance, and stimulation to minimize SWD formation damage and injection pressures.