Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING OIL AND/OR GAS
Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for producing oil
and/or gas.
Background of the Invention
Substantial amounts of sour natural gas are currently being produced from
natural gas wells, oil wells (for example, as associated gas), and from
natural gas
storage reservoirs that have been infected with hydrogen sulfide producing
bacteria. The presence of hydrogen sulfide and other sulfur compounds in fuel
and other gases has long been of concern for both the users and the producers
of
such gases. In addition to the corrosive and other adverse effects that such
impurities have upon equipment and processes, noxious emissions are commonly
produced from combustion of the natural gas as a result of oxidation of the
sulfur
compounds. The resulting sulfur oxides can be a major contributor to air
pollution
and may have a detrimental impact upon the environment. Increasingly stringent
legislation and federal and state regulations have accordingly been
promulgated in
an effort to reduce or eliminate sulfurous emissions, and a concomitant
interest
exists in efficiently removing from petroleum products and natural gas and the
like
the hydrogen sulfide that comprises a significant precursor of noxious
emissions.
In addition, one method of disposing of hydrogen sulfide has been to convert
it into
solid sulfur, for storage. Due to environmental and aesthetic concerns, many
countries are now outlawing the formation of such sulfur stores.
Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) may be used to increase oil recovery in
fields worldwide. There are three main types of EOR: thermal, chemical/polymer
and gas injection, which may be used to increase oil recovery from a
reservoir,
beyond what can be achieved by conventional means - possibly extending the
life
of a field and boosting the oil recovery factor.
Thermal enhanced recovery works by adding heat to the reservoir. The
most widely practiced form is a steamdrive, which reduces oil viscosity so
that it
can flow to the producing wells. Chemical flooding increases recovery by
reducing
the capillary forces that trap residual oil. Polymer flooding improves the
sweep
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efficiency of injected water. Miscible gas injection works in a similar way to
chemical flooding. By injecting a fluid that is miscible with the oil, trapped
residual
oil can be recovered.
Referring to Figure 1, there is illustrated prior art system 100. System 100
includes underground formation 102, underground formation 104, underground
formation 106, and underground formation 108. Production facility 110 is
provided
at the surface. Well 112 traverses formations 102 and 104, and terminates in
formation 106. The portion of formation 106 is shown at 114. Oil and gas are
produced from formation 106 through well 112, to production facility 110. Gas
and
liquid are separated from each other, gas is stored in gas storage 116 and
liquid is
stored in liquid storage 118. Gas in gas storage 116 may contain hydrogen
sulfide, which must be processed, transported, disposed of, or stored.
Co-Pending Patent Application Publication 2006/0254769 discloses a
system including a mechanism for recovering oil and/or gas from an underground
formation, the oil and/or gas comprising one or more sulfur compounds; a
mechanism for converting at least a portion of the sulfur compounds from the
recovered oil and/or gas into a carbon disulfide formulation; and a mechanism
for
releasing at least a portion of the carbon disulfide formulation into a
formation.
Publication 2006/0254769 is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
U.S. Patent Number 6,149,344 discloses that acid gas, containing hydrogen
sulfide, is liquified by compression and cooling, mixed with water under
pressure
and flowed into a disposal well. U.S. Patent Number 6,149,344 is herein
incorporated by reference in its entirety.
There is a need in the art for improved systems and methods for
processing, transportation, disposal, or storage of hydrogen sulfide from a
liquid
and/or gas. There is a need in the art for improved systems and methods for
processing, transportation, disposal, or storage of sulfur from a liquid
and/or gas.
There is a further need in the art for improved systems and methods for
enhanced
oil recovery. There is a further need in the art for improved systems and
methods
for enhanced oil recovery using a sulfur compound, for example through
viscosity
reduction, chemical effects, and miscible flooding. There is a further need in
the
art for improved systems and methods for making sulfur containing enhanced oil
recovery agents.
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Summary of the Invention
In one aspect, the invention provides a system comprising a mechanism for
recovering oil and/or gas from an underground formation, the oil and/or gas
comprising one or more sulfur compounds; a mechanism for converting at least a
portion of the sulfur compounds from the recovered oil and/or gas into a
carbon
oxysulfide formulation; and a mechanism for releasing at least a portion of
the
carbon oxysulfide formulation into the formation.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method comprising recovering
oil and/or gas from an underground formation, the oil and/or gas comprising at
least one sulfur compound; converting at least a portion of the sulfur
compound
from the recovered oil and/or gas into a carbon oxysulfide formulation; and
releasing at least a portion of the carbon oxysulfide formulation into the
formation.
In another aspect, the invention provides a system for producing oil and/or
gas comprising a mechanism for recovering oil and/or gas from a first
underground
formation, the oil and/or gas comprising one or more sulfur compounds; a
mechanism for converting at least a portion of the sulfur compounds from the
recovered oil and/or gas into a carbon oxysulfide formulation; and a mechanism
for
releasing at least a portion of the carbon oxysulfide formulation into a
second
underground formation.
Advantages of the invention include one or more of the following:
Improved systems and methods for disposing of hydrogen sulfide, sulfur,
and/or other sulfur based compounds.
Improved systems and methods for enhanced recovery of hydrocarbons
from a formation with a carbon oxysulfide formulation.
Improved systems and methods for enhanced recovery of hydrocarbons
from a formation with a fluid containing a carbon oxysulfide formulation.
Improved systems and methods for producing a carbon oxysulfide
formulation.
Improved carbon oxysulfide formulations containing compositions for
secondary recovery of hydrocarbons.
Improved systems and methods for processing, transportation, disposal, or
storage of a sulfur compound from a liquid and/or gas.
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Improved systems and methods for enhanced oil recovery.
Improved systems and methods for enhanced oil recovery using a sulfur
compound.
Improved systems and methods for enhanced oil recovery using a
compound which is miscible with oil in place.
Improved systems and methods for making and/or using sulfur containing
enhanced oil recovery agents.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 illustrates an oil and/or gas production system.
Figure 1 illustrates an oil and/or gas production process.
Figures 3a-3d illustrate oil and/or gas production systems.
Figure 4 illustrates a carbon oxysulfide formulation production process.
Figure 5 illustrates a carbon oxysulfide formulation production process.
Figure 6 illustrates an oil and/or gas production system.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Referring now to Figure 2, in one embodiment of the invention, process A
for producing oil and/or gas, which includes disposing of a sulfur compound is
illustrated. Process A includes step 1 where oil and/or gas is recovered from
an
underground formation, the oil and/or gas including a sulfur compound. In step
2,
at least a portion of the sulfur compound from the oil and/or gas is converted
into a
carbon oxysulfide formulation. In step 3, at least a portion of the carbon
oxysulfide
formulation or a mixture comprising a carbon oxysulfide formulation may be
released into a formation.
The recovery of oil and/or gas with a sulfur compound from an underground
formation may be accomplished by any known method. Suitable methods include
subsea production, surface production, primary, secondary, or tertiary
production.
The selection of the method used to recover the oil and/or gas from the
underground formation is not critical.
In one embodiment, oil and/or gas with a sulfur compound may be
recovered from a formation into a well, and flow through the well and flowline
to a
facility. In some embodiments, enhanced oil recovery, with the use of an agent
for
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example steam, water, a surfactant, a polymer flood, and/or a miscible agent
such
as a carbon oxysulfide formulation, may be used to increase the flow of oil
and/or
gas from the formation.
In some embodiments of the invention, the sulfur compound may include
5 hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans, sulfides and disulfides other than hydrogen
disulfide, or heterocyclic sulfur compounds for example thiophenes,
benzothiophenes, or substituted and condensed ring dibenzothiophenes, or
mixtures thereof.
The conversion of at least a portion of the sulfur compound into a carbon
oxysulfide formulation may be accomplished by any known method. Suitable
methods may include oxidation reaction of the sulfur compound to sulfur and/or
sulfur dioxides, and by reaction of sulfur and/or sulfur dioxide with carbon
and/or a
carbon containing compound to form the carbon oxysulfide formulation. The
selection of the method used to convert at least a portion of the sulfur
compound
into a carbon oxysulfide formulation is not critical.
In some embodiments of the invention, the carbon oxysulfide formulation
may include carbon oxysulfide, carbon disulfide, and/or carbon disulfide
derivatives for example, thiocarbonates, xanthates and mixtures thereof; and
optionally one or more of the following: hydrogen sulfide, sulfur, carbon
dioxide,
hydrocarbons, and mixtures thereof.
In some embodiments of the invention, carbon oxysulfide formulation
production may have an input of a sulfur compound, for example directly from
the
formation, or after being separated.
Sulfur Compound Separation:
In some embodiments, at least a portion of the sulfur compound may be
separated from other gases and/or liquids from the formation, prior to the
oxidation
process. Suitable separation processes include solvent extraction, using a
scavenging agent, liquefying and isolating the sulfur compound by compression
and cooling, or other known separation methods. Sulfur compounds recovered
from the oil and/or gas may be sent to a carbon oxysulfide formulation
production
facility, where the sulfur compounds may be converted to a carbon oxysulfide
formulation.
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In some embodiments, the sulfur compound may be removed by solvent
extraction, with possible regeneration and recycle of the solvent. Solvents
for such
extraction include an amine solvent, for example an aqueous solution of
secondary
and tertiary amine, for example diisopropylamine (DIPA), methyldiethanolamine
and triethanolamine (TEA). The oil and/or gas may be contacted with the amine
solvent at relatively low temperatures to remove the sulfur compound. This
step
produces a rich amine portion, loaded with the sulfur compound. This rich
amine
may be passed to a stripper/regenerator, for example a tray type column. The
solvent may then be heated to give off a concentrated sulfur compound gas,
leaving a lean amine portion that may be recycled as fresh amine solvent. The
sulfur compound rich concentrated acid gas may be routed to the oxidation
process. In some embodiments, the sulfur compound may be separated by
liquefying the sulfur compound. U.S. Patent Number 6,149,344 discloses that
acid
gas, containing hydrogen sulfide, may be liquified by compression and cooling,
mixed with water under pressure and flowed into a disposal well. U.S. Patent
Number 6,149,344 is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Sulfur Compound Conversion:
In some embodiments of the invention, the sulfur compound may be
converted into sulfur dioxide and/or sulfur by an oxidation reaction, for
example by
the Claus process, catalytic selective oxidation reaction, or by reaction with
a
metal as described hereinafter.
In some embodiments of the invention, the oxidation reaction may include
reacting a sulfur compound with an oxygen containing gas in a reaction zone to
yield sulfur dioxide and/or sulfur, among other components.
In some embodiments of the invention, the oxygen containing gas may be
oxygen, air, oxygen-enriched air, or oxygen depleted air.
Catalysts:
In some embodiments of the invention, the sulfur compound may be
oxidized in the presence of a catalyst. Suitable catalysts include aluminum,
antimony, bismuth, cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, dysprosium, erbium,
europium, gadolinium, gold, hafnium, holmium, iridium, iron, lanthanum,
luterium,
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magnesium, manganese, mixed metals, molybdenum, neodymium, nickel,
niobium, osmium, palladium, platinum, praseodymium, promethium, rhenium,
rhodium, ruthenium, samarium, scandium, silica, silver, tantalum, technetium,
terbium, thulium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, ytterbium, yttrium, zinc,
zirconium,
in their elemental form, or as compounds, for example oxides, sulfides, or
carbides of the elements, and/or combinations or mixtures of two or more of
the
above.
In some embodiments of the invention, the catalyst may comprise one or
more layers of wire gauze. In some embodiments, the catalyst may comprise a
monolith structure or a packed bed of discrete or divided units or structures
of the
catalyst, for example regularly or irregularly shaped particles, granules,
beads,
pills, pellets, cylinders, trilobes, extrudates or spheres.
In some embodiments of the invention, the catalyst may be dispersed on a
catalyst carrier. Suitable catalyst carriers include acidic mordenite,
alumina, ,
ceria, chromium oxide, iron oxide, laminar phyllosilicate, lanthanide, ,
silica,
titanium dioxides, yttria, zirconium oxides, other refractory oxides, and/or
combinations or mixtures of two or more of the above.
In some embodiments, the catalyst may comprise a vanadium-containing
material and a substance selected from scandium, yttrium, lanthanum and
samarium and optionally an antimony-containing promoter.
In some embodiments, the catalyst may comprise bismuth oxide supported
on alumina.
In some embodiments, the catalyst may comprise an oxide of molybdenum,
nickel, manganese, vanadium, and/or chromium supported on titanium dioxide.
In some embodiments, the catalyst may comprise a multi-component
catalyst containing antimony, vanadium and magnesium materials.
In some embodiments, the catalyst may comprise a mixed metal catalyst
containing vanadium in combination with molybdenum or magnesium.
In some embodiments, the catalyst may comprise an iron oxide supported
on silica or titanium dioxide.
In some embodiments, the catalyst may comprise an iron and zinc oxide
supported on silica.
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In some embodiments, the catalyst may comprise both bismuth and
vanadium oxides and/or V205 supported on acidic mordenite or alumina.
In some embodiments, the catalyst may comprise a vanadium oxide or
sulfide catalyst supported on a non-alkaline porous refractory oxide.
In some embodiments, the catalyst may comprise a mixed metal oxide
catalyst containing titania, for example where the catalyst may contain from
0.1 to
25% by weight nickel oxide and from 0 to 10% by weight aluminum oxide (where
the percentages are based on the supported catalyst).
In some embodiments, the catalyst may comprise a mixture of two or more
of platinum, rhodium, nickel, palladium, ruthenium, and iridium, for example a
platinum-rhodium mixture. In some embodiments the mixture may also contain a
lanthanide metal or metal oxide. The mixture may be supported on a lanthanide,
for example samarium, coated refractory support.
Oxidation Reaction:
In some embodiments of the invention, the oxidation reaction may take
place in a reaction zone having a temperature of less than about 500 C, for
example from about 150 to about 500 C, or from about 200 to about 300 C, or
above the dew point of sulfur, for given process conditions, so that sulfur
does not
condense onto the catalyst or in the reaction zone.
In some embodiments of the invention, the oxidation reaction may take
place in a reaction zone having a pressure from about 100 to about 1000
kilopascals, for example from about 200 to about 500 kilopascals (absolute).
In some embodiments of the invention, the contact time between the
catalytic surfaces of the catalyst and the sulfur compound may be maintained
from
about 1 to about 200 milliseconds, for example from about 5 to about 50
milliseconds, or from about 10 to about 20 milliseconds.
In some embodiments, a sulfur compound may be converted to sulfur
and/or sulfur dioxide, for which processes are disclosed in U.S. patent
application
publication numbers 2004/0096381, 2004/0022721, 2004/0159583,
2003/0194366, 2001/0008619, 2002/0134706, 2004/0096381, 2004/0022721,
2004/0159583, and 2001/0008619, the disclosures of which are herein
incorporated by reference in their entirety.
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In some embodiments, when the sulfur compound is hydrogen sulfide, the
hydrogen sulfide may converted into sulfur by the following reaction sequence:
H2S + (n/2M) -* Mn/2S + H2
Mn/2S -* (n /2M) + S
where M represents a suitable metal, for example iron, cobalt, nickel, bismuth
or
molybdenum. This two-step reaction sequence for producing sulfur is disclosed
in
Chang's U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,434, which is herein incorporated by reference in
its
entirety.
In some embodiments of the invention, oxidation reaction products, for
example sulfur and/or sulfur dioxide, may be removed from the reaction zone,
by
techniques known in the art. For liquid reaction mixtures, oxidation reaction
products may be removed by distillation or stripping. For gaseous reaction
mixtures, oxidation reaction products may be removed by solvent extraction
using
an aqueous amine solution or an alkaline solution, or by absorption on copper,
barium or cerium oxide.
Carbon Oxysulfide Formation:
Sulfur and/or sulfur dioxide may be reacted with carbon or a carbon
containing compound and an oxygen containing compound (as molecular oxygen,
di-hydrogen oxide (such as water), carbon monoxide, or carbon dioxide) in a
reaction zone to produce a carbon oxysulfide formulation.
In some embodiments, the oxygen compound can be reacted in one step
with the sulfur compound producing sulfur dioxide, and the sulfur dioxide may
be
reacted in another with carbon or a carbon containing compound in a reaction
zone to produce a carbon oxysulfide formulation.
In some embodiments, the oxygen compound can be reacted in one step
with the carbon or carbon containing compound producing carbon monoxide
and/or carbon dioxide, and the carbon monoxide/carbon dioxide may be reacted
in
another step with sulfur or sulfur dioxide in a reaction zone to produce a
carbon
oxysulfide formulation
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In some embodiments, the sulfur and/or sulfur oxide may be reacted in one
step with the carbon or carbon containing compound producing a carbon
disulfide
containing mixture, and the carbon disulfide mixture may be reacted in another
step with an oxygen containing compound such as di-hydogen oxide or carbon
5 dioxide in a reaction zone to produce a carbon oxysulfide formulation.
In some embodiments, the products, for example carbon oxysulfide
formulation and other sulfur compounds, may be separated into carbon
oxysulfide
formulation and sulfur compound portions, and the sulfur compound portion
recycled to be oxidized and/or combined with a carbon and/or oxygen compound.
10 In some embodiments, the carbon compound comprises carbon in any
form, for example graphite, coal, charcoal, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons for
example natural gas, methane, ethane, propane, or heavier hydrocarbons.
In some embodiments, sulfur and/or sulfur dioxide may be combined with a
carbon and/or oxygen compound at temperatures from about 500 to about 900 C,
for example from about 550 to 700 C.
In some embodiments, sulfur and/or sulfur dioxide may be combined with a
carbon and/or oxygen compound at a pressure from about 100 to about 500
kilopascals.
In some embodiments, an excess of sulfur and/or sulfur dioxide (e.g. 10-
15% stoichiometric excess) may be used with respect to the carbon and/or
oxygen
compounds.
In some embodiments, the carbon and/or oxygen compound may be fed
countercurrent to the sulfur and/or sulfur dioxide so that the components may
collide head-on.
In some embodiments, sulfur and/or sulfur dioxide may be combined with a
carbon and/or oxygen compound in the presence of a catalyst. Suitable
catalysts
include silica-alumina catalysts, for example those containing from 2 to 10
per cent
by weight of silica; silica gel; fuller's earth; bauxite; activated alumina;
and in
general those types of clay which are effective in the removal of color bodies
and
gum forming bodies from petroleum oils. The catalysts may additionally
comprise
one or more of vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten,
manganese, technetium, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium,
iridium, nickel, palladium, and/or platinum; in their elemental form, as
compounds
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of the metals, or as oxides and sulfides. For example, oxides and sulfides of
iron,
vanadium, chromium, molybdenum, and manganese may be used as promoters in
combination with silica gel, fuller's earth and/or activated alumina
catalysts.
In some embodiments, the product from the reaction zone may be heat
exchanged with the carbon compound, to cool the product and to heat the carbon
compound.
In some embodiments, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide may be reacted
to form a carbon oxysulfide formulation. The process may include a reaction
step
wherein sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide are reacted in the presence of a
catalyst to form carbonyl sulfide and carbon dioxide. The reaction can be
represented by the following equation:
3CO + S02 -* COS + 2CO2
The reaction may be driven to completion by removal of the carbon
oxysulfide formulation. The reaction step may be promoted by a catalyst of the
type containing a reducible metal oxide, for example chromium promoted iron
catalyst, nickel-molybdenum, cobalt-molybdenum, molybdenum or any
combination thereof. The reaction is highly exothermic. A substantial quantity
of
heat may be removed from the reaction to control the temperature. The reaction
may be conducted in a shell-and-tube reactor, a fluidized bed reactor, or a
molten
salt reactor. The heat that is recovered from this reaction step may be
advantageously used in other parts of the process. Carbon oxysulfide
formulation
may be recovered from the reactor effluent. Alternatively, carbon oxysulfide
formulation may be continuously removed by absorption in a solvent, for
example
in a reactor-absorber column. The column may contain catalyst particles which
also serve as the tower packing. Thus, the catalyst not only promotes the
reaction
but in addition may provide the surface area for contact between the liquid
absorbent and the gas phase.
In some embodiments, a carbon oxysulfide formulation may be produced by
reacting elemental carbon and oxygen with sulfur. Elemental carbon may be
obtained from methane, which may be thermally decomposed to carbon and
hydrogen in the absence of oxygen or oxygen-containing compounds, to ensure
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that no methane conversion to oxygenates can take place. The hydrogen may be
collected for separate use. The heat required for this decomposition reaction
could be supplied in any desirable form. It is possible that a catalytic
surface may
be used to enhance the decomposition reaction and thus reduce the fuel
requirements of the reaction. Sulfur may be reacted with the freshly generated
carbon and oxygen so as to produce carbon oxysulfide formulation, for example,
sulfur in the vapor phase may be used for this reaction. The methane
decomposition reaction and the reaction with sulfur may both take place in the
same reaction zone, wherein elemental carbon may be deposited on a solid
surface as a product of the decomposition reaction. After the carbon deposited
by
the decomposition reaction is removed from the reactor by the reaction with
sulfur,
the introduction of sulfur may be stopped and the cycle of methane
decomposition
restarted. The decomposition reaction and the reaction with sulfur could also
be
conducted with a carrier solid in transported bed or fluidized bed reactor
systems.
In some embodiments, sulfur and/or sulfur dioxide and a carbon compound
may be converted to carbon oxysulfide formulation, processes for which are
disclosed in U.S. patent numbers 7,090,818, 4,963,340, 2,636,810, 3,927,185,
4,057,613, and 4,822,938, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by
reference in their entirety.
In some embodiments of the invention, carbon monoxide may be reacted
with sulfur dioxide to form carbon oxysulfide formulation, a process for which
is
disclosed in U.S. Patent 7,090,818, the disclosure of which is herein
incorporated
by reference in its entirety.
In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide is formed as a waste gas stream
in a Claus unit. Such carbon oxysulfide may be separated and used in an
enhanced oil recovery operation.
In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide is obtained in high yield and with
high product selectivity and conversion rates by the sulfurization of methanol
in the
gas phase at elevated temperatures. The starting methanol utilized in the
process
may be advantageously supplied from natural gas generated at petroleum
production sites, a process for which is disclosed in U.S. patent 4,007,254,
the
disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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In some embodiments, suitable systems and processes for forming carbon
oxysulfide or carbonyl sulfide are disclosed in "The Chemistry of Carbonyl
Sulfide"
by Robert J. Ferm, published February 12, 1957 in Chemical Reviews 57 at pages
621-640. For example, carbon oxysulfide may be formed during a coal
gasification
process, as a decomposition product from the distillation of alkali xanthates
or
other organic xanthic esters, by reacting carbon monoxide with sulfur vapors,
by
reacting carbon dioxide with boiling sulfur, by reacting sulfur dioxide,
carbon, and
oxygen, by oxidizing CS2, as a by-product during CS2 formation, by heating
oxides
of carbon with sulfides, by the action of carbonyl chlorides on sulfides, or
by the
action of sulfuric acid on allyl thiocynates, and other suitable methods. "The
Chemistry of Carbonyl Sulfide" by Robert J. Ferm is herein incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
Releasing Carbon Oxysulfide Formulation:
Releasing at least a portion of the carbon oxysulfide formulation and/or
other liquids and/or gases may be accomplished by any known method. One
suitable method is injecting carbon oxysulfide formulation into a single
conduit in a
single well, allowing carbon oxysulfide formulation to soak, and then pumping
out
at least a portion of the carbon oxysulfide formulation with gas and/or
liquids.
Another suitable method is injecting carbon oxysulfide formulation into a
first
conduit in a single well, and pumping out at least a portion of the carbon
oxysulfide
formulation with gas and/or liquids through a second conduit in the single
well.
Another suitable method is injecting carbon oxysulfide formulation into a
first well,
and pumping out at least a portion of the carbon oxysulfide formulation with
gas
and/or liquids through a second well. The selection of the method used to
inject at
least a portion of the carbon oxysulfide formulation and/or other liquids
and/or
gases is not critical.
Carbon oxysulfide formulation and/or other liquids and/or gases may be left
to soak in a formation for a period of time from about 1 hour to about 15
days, for
example from about 5 to about 50 hours.
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In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide formulation and/or other liquids
and/or gases may be pumped into a formation at a pressure above the fracture
pressure of the formation.
In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide formulation or carbon oxysulfide
formulation mixed with other components may be miscible in oil (or other
liquids)
and/or gases in a formation. In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide
formulation
or carbon oxysulfide formulation mixed with other components may be immiscible
in oil and/or gas in formation.
In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide formulation or carbon oxysulfide
formulation mixed with other components may be mixed in with oil and/or gas in
a
formation to form a mixture which may be recovered from a well. In some
embodiments, carbon oxysulfide formulation or carbon oxysulfide formulation
mixed with other components may not mix in with oil and/or gas in formation,
so
that carbon oxysulfide formulation or carbon oxysulfide formulation mixed with
other components travels as a plug across the formation to force oil and/or
gas to
the well. In some embodiments, a quantity of carbon oxysulfide formulation or
carbon oxysulfide formulation mixed with other components may be injected into
a
well, followed by another component to force carbon oxysulfide formulation or
carbon oxysulfide formulation mixed with other components across the
formation.
For example air, water in liquid or vapor form, carbon dioxide, other gases,
other
liquids, and/or mixtures thereof may be used to force carbon oxysulfide
formulation
or carbon oxysulfide formulation mixed with other components across the
formation.
In some embodiments to accomplish Step 3, carbon oxysulfide formulation
is combined with one or more hydrocarbons: such as an aromatic, for example,
benzene, toluene, or xylene; chlorinated hydrocarbons, for example, carbon
tetrachloride or methylene chloride; other C5-C15 hydrocarbons, such as
gasoline;
diesel; mineral oils other naphthenic or paraffinic hydrocarbons; water or
steam; or
other sulfur compounds, for example, carbon disulfide and/or hydrogen sulfide,
and then injected into a formation for enhanced oil recovery. For example, a
mixture of carbon oxysulfide formulation, hydrogen sulfide, and water may be
injected into a formation.
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In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide formulation or a carbon oxysulfide
formulation mixture may be injected into a formation, produced from the
formation,
and then separated from the recovered oil and/or gas, for example, by boiling
and
then condensing, then the carbon oxysulfide formulation or carbon oxysulfide
5 formulation mixture may be re-injected into the formation.
In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide formulation or a carbon oxysulfide
formulation mixture may be heated prior to being injected into the formation
to
lower the viscosity of fluids in the formation, for example heavy oils,
paraffins,
asphaltenes, etc.
10 In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide formulation or a carbon oxysulfide
formulation mixture may be heated and/or boiled while within the formation,
with
the use of a heated fluid or a heater, to lower the viscosity of fluids in the
formation. In some embodiments, heated water and/or steam may be used to heat
and/or vaporize the carbon oxysulfide formulation in the formation.
Alternatively, a
15 nonaqueous fluid could be substituted for steam or hot water as the heat
medium
to vaporize carbon oxysulfide formulation, for example a heavy aromatic
solvent
which may have its own solubilizing effect on reservoir hydrocarbons.
In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide formulation may be removed
from the recovered crude and other liquids by physical separation processes,
so
that the carbon oxysulfide formulation may be reused again leaving the crude
substantially free of carbon oxysulfide formulation.
Figures 3a-3d:
Referring now to Figure 3a, in one embodiment of the invention, system 200
is illustrated. System 200 includes underground formation 202, underground
formation 204, underground formation 206, and underground formation 208.
Production facility 210 is provided at the surface. Well 212 traverses
formations
202 and 204, and has openings in formation 206. Portions 214 of formation 206
may optionally be fractured and/or perforated. Oil and gas from formation 206
is
produced into portions 214, into well 212, and travels up to production
facility 210.
Production facility may then separate gas, which is sent to gas processing
216,
and liquid, which is sent to liquid storage 218. Production facility also
includes
carbon oxysulfide formulation production 230. Hydrogen sulfide and/or other
sulfur
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containing compounds produced from well 212 may be sent to carbon oxysulfide
formulation production 230. Carbon oxysulfide formulation is returned back
down
well 212 that is shown by the down arrow and is pumped into formation 206, and
is
then produced with oil and gas back up well 212 to production facility 210.
Production facility 210 is adapted to recycle carbon oxysulfide formulation,
for
example by boiling the carbon oxysulfide formulation, condensing it or
filtering or
reacting it, then re-injecting the carbon oxysulfide formulation into well
212.
Referring now to Figures 3b and 3c, in some embodiments of the invention,
system 200 is illustrated. System 200 includes underground formation 202,
underground formation 204, underground formation 206, and underground
formation 208. Production facility 210 is provided at the surface. Well 212
traverses formations 202 and 204, and has openings in formation 206. Portions
214 of formation 206 may be optionally fractured and/or perforated. During
primary production, oil and gas from formation 206 is produced into portions
214,
into well 212, and travels up to production facility 210. Production facility
then
separates gas, which is sent to gas processing 216, and liquid, which is sent
to
liquid storage 218. Production facility also includes carbon oxysulfide
formulation
production 230. Hydrogen sulfide and/or other sulfur containing compounds
produced from well 212 may be sent to carbon oxysulfide formulation production
230. As shown in Figure 3b, carbon oxysulfide formulation may be pumped down
well 212 that is shown by the down arrow and pumped into formation 206. Carbon
oxysulfide formulation may be left to soak in formation for a period of time
from
about 1 hour to about 15 days, for example from about 5 to about 50 hours.
After the soaking period, as shown in Figure 3c, carbon oxysulfide
formulation and oil and/or gas is then produced back up well 212 to production
facility 210. Production facility 210 is adapted to separate and/or recycle
carbon
oxysulfide formulation, for example by boiling the carbon oxysulfide
formulation,
condensing it or filtering or reacting it, then re-injecting the carbon
oxysulfide
formulation into well 212, for example by repeating the soaking cycle shown in
Figures 3b and 3c from about 2 to about 5 times.
In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide formulation may be pumped into
formation 206 above the fracture pressure of the formation, for example from
about 120% to about 200% of the fracture pressure.
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Referring now to Figure 3d, in some embodiments of the invention, system
300 is illustrated. System 300 includes underground formation 302, formation
304,
formation 306, and formation 308. Production facility 310 is provided at the
surface. Well 312 traverses formation 302 and 304 has openings at formation
306. Portions of formation 314 may be optionally fractured and/or perforated.
As
oil and gas is produced from formation 306 it enters portions 314, and travels
up
well 312 to production facility 310. Gas and liquid may be separated, and gas
may
be sent to gas storage 316, and liquid may be sent to liquid storage 318.
Production facility 310 is able to produce carbon oxysulfide formulation,
which may
be produced and stored in carbon oxysulfide formulation production 330.
Hydrogen sulfide and/or other sulfur containing compounds from well 312 may be
sent to carbon oxysulfide formulation production 330. Carbon oxysulfide
formulation is pumped down well 332, to portions 334 of formation 306. Carbon
oxysulfide formulation traverses formation 306 to aid in the production of oil
and
gas, and then the carbon oxysulfide formulation, oil and/or gas may all be
produced to well 312, to production facility 310. Carbon oxysulfide
formulation
may then be recycled, for example by boiling the carbon oxysulfide
formulation,
condensing it or filtering or reacting it, then re-injecting the carbon
oxysulfide
formulation into well 332.
In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide formulation or carbon oxysulfide
formulation mixed with other components may be miscible in oil and/or gas in
formation 306.
In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide formulation or carbon oxysulfide
formulation mixed with other components may be immiscible in oil and/or gas in
formation 306.
In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide formulation or carbon oxysulfide
formulation mixed with other components may be mixed in with oil and/or gas in
formation 306 to form a miscible mixture which is produced to well 312.
In some embodiments, carbon oxysulfide formulation or carbon oxysulfide
formulation mixed with other components may not mix in with oil and/or gas in
formation 306, so that carbon oxysulfide formulation or carbon oxysulfide
formulation mixed with other components travels as a plug across formation 306
to
force oil and/or gas to well 312. In some embodiments, a quantity of carbon
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oxysulfide formulation or carbon oxysulfide formulation mixed with other
components may be injected into well 332, followed by another component to
force
carbon oxysulfide formulation or carbon oxysulfide formulation mixed with
other
components across formation 306, for example air; water in gas or liquid form;
water mixed with one or more salts, polymers, and/or surfactants; carbon
dioxide;
other gases; other liquids; and/or mixtures thereof.
Figure 4:
Referring now to Figure 4, in some embodiments of the invention, carbon
oxysulfide formulation production 430 is illustrated. Carbon oxysulfide
formulation
production 430 has an input of hydrogen sulfide and/or other sulfur containing
compounds, for example from a separation step, as discussed above. Hydrogen
sulfide may be converted into sulfur dioxide by oxidation reaction 432.
Hydrogen
sulfide and sulfur dioxide may be converted to sulfur at 434. Sulfur may be
combined with an oygen and a carbon compound to produce carbon oxysulfide
formulation at 436. In some embodiments, at 438, carbon oxysulfide formulation
and hydrogen sulfide produced at 436 may be separated into carbon oxysulfide
formulation and hydrogen sulfide portions, and the hydrogen sulfide recycled
to
oxidation reaction 432. In some embodiments, 438 may be omitted, and the
carbon oxysulfide formulation and hydrogen sulfide produced at 436 may be the
output. Carbon oxysulfide formulation and/or a carbon oxysulfide formulation
containing mixture may be the output from carbon oxysulfide formulation
production 430.
Figure 5:
Referring now to Figure 5, in some embodiments of the invention, carbon
oxysulfide formulation production 530 is illustrated. Production 530 includes
oxidation reaction of hydrogen sulfide and/or other sulfur containing
compounds
into sulfur dioxide at 532, for example by the Claus process, or catalytic
selective
oxidation reaction, as discussed above. At 534, carbon monoxide may be reacted
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with sulfur dioxide to form carbon oxysulfide formulation, a process for which
is
disclosed in U.S. Patent 7,090,818, the disclosure which is herein
incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
Figure 6:
Referring now to Figure 6, in some embodiments of the invention, system
700 is illustrated. System 700 includes underground formation 702, formation
704,
formation 706, and formation 708; and underground formation 802, formation
804,
formation 806, and formation 808. Production facility 710 is provided at the
surface. Well 712 traverses formation 702 and 704 has openings at formation
706. Portions of formation 714 may be optionally fractured and/or perforated.
As
oil and gas is produced from formation 706 it enters portions 714, and travels
up
well 712 to production facility 710. Gas and liquid may be separated, and gas
may
be sent to gas storage 716, and liquid may be sent to liquid storage 718.
Production facility 710 is able to produce carbon oxysulfide formulation,
which may
be produced and stored in carbon oxysulfide formulation production 730.
Hydrogen sulfide and/or other sulfur containing compounds from well 712 may be
sent to carbon oxysulfide formulation production 730. Carbon oxysulfide
formulation is transported to well 732 by pipe 734 and pumped down well 732,
to
formation 806. Carbon oxysulfide formulation may be used in formation 806 to
aid
in the production of oil and gas from formation 806.
Well 732 is separated from well 712 by a distance d 740. In some
embodiments, distance d 740 is from about 1 to about 1000 kilometers, for
example from about 5 to about 250 kilometers, or for example from about 10 to
about 100 kilometers, or for example about 50 to 75 kilometers.
Variations:
In some embodiments of the invention, gas and liquid produced from well
212, 312 and/or 712 may be separated, for example with a gravity separator or
a
centrifuge, or with other methods known in the art. The gas portion may be
sent to
carbon oxysulfide formulation production 230, 330 and/or 730.
In some embodiments of the invention, a gas portion containing hydrogen
sulfide from well 212, 312 and/or 712 may be sent to carbon oxysulfide
formulation
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production 230, 330 and/or 730, to undergo catalytic selective oxidation
reaction
432 and/or 532 of the sulfur compounds by: contacting the gas portion and a
molecular-oxygen containing gas, converting the sulfur containing components
in
the gas portion to sulfur dioxide, and then optionally removing the thus-
formed
5 sulfur dioxide from the gas portion.
In some embodiments of the invention, all of the components of system 200
and/or system 300 may be within about 10 km of each other, for example about
5,
3, or 1 km.
In some embodiments, oil and/or gas produced from well 212, 312 and/or
10 712 may be transported to a refinery and/or a treatment facility. The oil
and/or gas
may be processed to produced to produce commercial products such as
transportation fuels such as gasoline and diesel, heating fuel, lubricants,
chemicals, and/or polymers. Processing may include distilling and/or
fractionally
distilling the oil and/or gas to produce one or more distillate fractions. In
some
15 embodiments, the oil and/or gas, and/or the one or more distillate
fractions may be
subjected to a process of one or more of the following: catalytic cracking,
hydrocracking, hydrotreating, coking, thermal cracking, distilling, reforming,
polymerization, isomerization, alkylation, blending, and dewaxing.
It is to be appreciated that any of the embodiments to complete Step 1 may
20 be combined with any of the embodiments to complete Step 2, which may be
combined with any of the embodiments to complete Step 3.
The selection of a method to complete any of Steps 1-3 is not critical. For
example, Step 1 may be completed with facility 210 and well 212 as shown in
Figure 3a, Step 2 may be completed by the carbon oxysulfide formulation
production 530 shown in Figure 5, and Step 3 may be completed by facility 210
and well 212 as shown in Figure 3a. Alternatively, Steps 1 and/or 3 may be
completed by facility 210 and well 212 as shown in Figures 3b and 3c; or
facility
310 and wells 312 and 332 as shown in Figure 3d. Similarly, Step 2 may be
completed by any known method. Lastly, Step 2 may be completed by the carbon
oxysulfide formulation production 430 shown in Figure 4, carbon oxysulfide
formulation production 530 shown in Figure 5, or any other known carbon
oxysulfide formulation production method.
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Illustrative Embodiments:
In one embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a system comprising
a mechanism for recovering oil and/or gas from an underground formation, the
oil
and/or gas comprising one or more sulfur compounds; a mechanism for converting
at least a portion of the sulfur compounds from the recovered oil and/or gas
into a
carbon oxysulfide formulation; and a mechanism for releasing at least a
portion of
the carbon oxysulfide formulation into the formation. In some embodiments of
the
invention, the mechanism for recovering comprises a well in the underground
formation and a recovery facility at a topside of the well; the mechanism for
converting comprises a converting facility fluidly connected to the recovery
facility;
and/or the converting facility is adapted to produce the carbon oxysulfide
formulation from at least a portion of the sulfur compound recovered from the
well.
In some embodiments of the invention, the mechanism for recovering comprises a
first well drilled in the underground formation for recovering the oil and/or
gas, and
a production facility at a topside of the first well; and/or the mechanism for
releasing the carbon oxysulfide formulation comprises a second well in the
underground formation for releasing the carbon oxysulfide formulation into the
formation. In some embodiments of the invention, the first well is at a
distance of
15 to 2000 meters from the second well, where the range may encompass typical
well spacing of known thermal, miscible gas injection, primary and secondary
waterflood projects worldwide. Enhanced oil recovery projects may also expand
beyond the typical well spacing often tens of kilometers, therefore the range
is
limited only by the extent of hydrocarbon bearing reservoir in the lateral
sense,
typically 1 km to 250 km. In some embodiments of the invention, the
underground
formation is beneath a body of water, and/or the mechanism for converting is
floating on the body of water, such as a production platform. In some
embodiments of the invention, the system also includes a mechanism for
injecting
water, the mechanism adapted to inject water into the underground formation
after
carbon oxysulfide formulation has been released into the formation. In some
embodiments of the invention, the mechanism for recovering comprises at least
one well, the at least one well comprising a casing and/or a perforation. In
some
embodiments of the invention, the mechanism for converting comprises a first
reactor for oxidizing a first portion of the sulfur compound to produce sulfur
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dioxide; a second reactor for reacting a second portion of the sulfur compound
with
at least a portion of the sulfur dioxide to produce sulfur; and a third
reactor for
reacting at least a portion of the sulfur with a hydrocarbon to produce a
carbon
oxysulfide formulation. In some embodiments of the invention, the first
reactor
comprises an apparatus for heating at least a portion of the sulfur from the
second
reactor. In some embodiments of the invention, the system also includes a heat
exchanger for transferring heat from at least a portion of the carbon
oxysulfide
formulation produced in the third reactor to at least a portion of the
hydrocarbon
being fed to the third reactor.
In one embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a method comprising
recovering oil and/or gas from an underground formation, the oil and/or gas
comprising at least one sulfur compound; converting at least a portion of the
sulfur
compound from the recovered oil and/or gas into a carbon oxysulfide
formulation;
and releasing at least a portion of the carbon oxysulfide formulation into the
formation. In some embodiments of the invention, the method also includes
recovering carbon oxysulfide formulation from the oil and/or gas, if present,
and
then injecting at least a portion of the recovered carbon oxysulfide
formulation into
the formation. In some embodiments of the invention, releasing comprises
injecting at least a portion of the carbon oxysulfide formulation into the
formation in
a mixture with one or more of air; hydrocarbons; water in the form of liquid
and/or
vapor; sulfur compounds other than carbon disulfide; carbon dioxide; carbon
monoxide; or mixtures thereof. In some embodiments of the invention, the
method
also includes heating the carbon oxysulfide formulation prior to injecting the
carbon
oxysulfide formulation into the formation, or while within the formation. In
some
embodiments of the invention, converting the sulfur compound into the carbon
oxysulfide formulation comprises oxidizing at least a portion of the sulfur
compound to sulfur, and reacting at least a portion of the sulfur with a
hydrocarbon
to form the carbon oxysulfide formulation. In some embodiments of the
invention,
converting sulfur compound to carbon oxysulfide formulation comprises
oxidizing
at least a portion of the sulfur compound into sulfur dioxide, and then
converting at
least a portion of the sulfur dioxide to sulfur. In some embodiments of the
invention, another material is injected into the formation after the carbon
oxysulfide
formulation is injected, for example the another material selected from the
group
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consisting of air, water in the form of liquid and/or vapor, carbon dioxide,
and/or
mixtures thereof. In some embodiments of the invention, the carbon oxysulfide
formulation is injected at a well head pressure range from 0 to 37,000
kilopascals,
for example 3,500 kPa to 11,000 kPa. In some embodiments of the invention,
oil,
as present in the underground formation prior to the injecting the carbon
disulfide
compound, has an in situ viscosity from 0.14 cp to 6.0 million cp, for example
a
viscosity from 0.3 cp to 30,000 cp. In some embodiments of the invention, the
underground formation comprises an average permeability from 0.0001 to 15
Darcies, for example a permeability from 0.001 to 1 Darcy. In some embodiments
of the invention, any oil, as present in the underground formation prior to
the
injecting the carbon oxysulfide formulation, has a sulfur content from 0.5% to
5%,
for example from 1 % to 3%. In some embodiments of the invention, converting
at
least a portion of the sulfur compound comprises oxidizing a first portion of
the
sulfur compound with air and/or oxygen to produce sulfur dioxide; reacting the
sulfur dioxide with a second portion of the sulfur compound to produce sulfur;
and
reacting the sulfur with a hydrocarbon to produce a carbon oxysulfide
formulation.
In some embodiments of the invention, the method also includes heating the
sulfur
prior to the reaction with the hydrocarbon. In some embodiments of the
invention,
the method also includes transferring heat from the produced carbon oxysulfide
formulation to the hydrocarbon being fed to the reaction.
In one embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a method comprising
oxidizing a first portion of a sulfur compound in a first reaction zone to
yield sulfur
dioxide; reacting at least a portion of the sulfur dioxide with a second
portion of
sulfur compound in a second reaction zone to yield sulfur; and reacting at
least a
portion of the sulfur with one or more hydrocarbons in a third reaction zone
to yield
a carbon oxysulfide formulation. In some embodiments of the invention, the
method also includes heating at least a portion of the sulfur using heat
generated
in the oxidizing of the sulfur compound. In some embodiments of the invention,
the method also includes heat exchanging at least a portion of the carbon
oxysulfide formulation with at least a portion of the hydrocarbons, cooling
the
carbon oxysulfide formulation, and heating the hydrocarbons. In some
embodiments of the invention, at least a portion of the sulfur leaving the
second
reaction zone has a temperature from 100 C to 450 C. In some embodiments of
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the invention, at least a portion of the sulfur after the heating has a
temperature
from 450 C to 1000 C.
In one embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a system for
producing oil and/or gas comprising a mechanism for recovering oil and/or gas
from a first underground formation, the oil and/or gas comprising one or more
sulfur compounds; a mechanism for converting at least a portion of the sulfur
compounds from the recovered oil and/or gas into a carbon oxysulfide
formulation;
and a mechanism for releasing at least a portion of the carbon oxysulfide
formulation into a second underground formation. In some embodiments of the
invention, the first formation is a distance of less than 1000 kilometers from
the
second formation, for example less than 250 kilometers. In some embodiments of
the invention, the system also includes a fluid connection between the
mechanism
for converting and the mechanism for releasing. In some embodiments of the
invention, the fluid connection comprises a pipe. In some embodiments of the
invention, the mechanism for recovering is within a distance of 100 kilometers
from
the mechanism for converting, for example within a distance of 10 kilometers.
Those of skill in the art will appreciate that many modifications and
variations are possible in terms of the disclosed embodiments of the
invention,
configurations, materials and methods without departing from their spirit and
scope. Accordingly, the scope of the claims appended hereafter and their
functional equivalents should not be limited by particular embodiments
described
and illustrated herein, as these are merely exemplary in nature.
