Produced Water Utilization in Solution Mining
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Solution Overview
Problem
The management of produced water from subterranean hydrocarbon reserves poses significant environmental and cost challenges due to its large volume and varying chemical composition, necessitating effective collection, treatment, and utilization methods to ensure safe and environmentally friendly hydrocarbon production operations.
Innovation Solution
A system for utilizing produced water involves recovering it from well pads, treating it to remove contaminants such as oil, grease, and minerals, and then transporting it to solution mining sites for mineral extraction, specifically potash mining, using a water-gathering, water-treating, and water-distribution system that includes chemical treatment, filtration, and ion exchange processes to prepare the water for injection into subterranean mining operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If produced water is disposed of through traditional methods, then environmental safety is maintained, but operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful waste product (produced water) into a beneficial resource by utilizing it for solution mining operations. The produced water is injected into mineral deposits to dissolve and extract minerals, transforming an environmental liability into an economic asset that generates value while eliminating disposal costs
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of permanently discarding produced water through disposal facilities, the system recovers and reuses it in solution mining operations. The water is injected into mineral deposits, dissolves minerals, and the resulting brine is brought to surface for mineral recovery, allowing the water to be reused or reinjected
2Quantity of substance
If produced water is treated to remove contaminants, then water quality for solution mining is improved, but treatment costs and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment system is designed to address specific local quality requirements of the produced water based on its composition and the requirements of the solution mining operation. Treatment processes are tailored to remove specific contaminants (oil, grease, minerals) that would interfere with mining operations, rather than applying universal treatment to all produced water
Solution Approach 2:
The produced water treatment system serves multiple functions: it prepares water for solution mining, removes contaminants that would interfere with mineral extraction, and can potentially prepare the water for reinjection. The same treatment infrastructure supports both environmental compliance and operational utility
3Productivity
If produced water is transported to solution mining sites, then utilization efficiency is improved, but transportation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges hydrocarbon production operations with solution mining operations by co-locating them or integrating their infrastructure. Produced water from hydrocarbon wells is directly transported to adjacent or nearby solution mining sites, combining two industrial processes that would otherwise be separate and reducing overall system costs
Solution Approach 2:
The produced water itself serves as an intermediary medium that connects hydrocarbon production and solution mining operations. It acts as the vehicle for mineral extraction, carrying dissolved minerals from depth to surface, while the infrastructure for handling it serves both production and mining operations
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 reduces the environmental impact and operational costs by efficiently utilizing produced water, minimizing transportation expenses, and enabling the reuse of treated water in mineral extraction, thereby enhancing the profitability of hydrocarbon production operations.
Implementation Method 1
treating it to remove contaminants such as oil, grease, and minerals
Implementation Method 2
filtration
Implementation Method 3
ion exchange processes to prepare the water for injection
Implementation Method 4
utilized at the solution mining site... in the mining of mineral deposits... mining of potash
Data Source
AI summary
Identifying geographical uses, other than disposal for produced water that is recovered from a well and establishing methods and systems for recovering and handling this water. The produced water is treated so as to render the produced water suitable for solution mining. The produced water is transported to a solution mining site and the produced water is utilized at the solution mining site.