Back to results
US 10,641,481 B2Granted
Systems and methods for generating superheated steam with variable flue gas for enhanced oil recovery
AssigneeEnergy Analyst LLC
InventorsA. Burl Donaldson, Brian Hughes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for producing a superheated steam having a specified ratio of water vapor to combustion gases for injection into a well to enhance heavy oil production. Embodiments comprise indirect-contact steam generators and direct-contact steam generators.
Claims19
A system for generating superheated steam for injection into an oil well comprising:
- a direct-contact superheater performing combustion and operating on feedwater in either a liquid state or a gas state or some combination of both states and generating a superheated steam having a specified ratio of non-condensable combustion gases to steam for injection into the oil well, the superheated steam causing pyrolysis of the oil;
- a boiler heating the feedwater before the feedwater is passed to a separator;
- said separator separating liquid from the feedwater before at least a fraction of vapor phase of the feedwater is passed to the direct-contact superheater;
- and
- returning the liquids separated by said separator to the boiler.
2 more elements
A method for generating superheated steam for injection into a well comprising:
- receiving feedwater;
- producing heated feedwater by heating the feedwater with a boiler, wherein the heated feedwater is either in a liquid state or a gas state or some combination of both states;
- passing at least some of the heated feedwater to a separator that separates liquid-phase feedwater from vapor feedwater;
- passing at least some of the vapor feedwater from the separator to a direct-contact superheater;
- feeding the liquid-phase feedwater from the separator to the boiler;
- generating superheated steam having a specified ratio of non-condensable combustion gases to steam using the direct-contact superheater to perform combustion and operate on the heated feedwater;
- injecting the superheated steam into the well;
- and
- using gas created by pyrolysis of oil in the well as fuel for the boiler.
6 more elements
A method for generating superheated steam for injection into an oil well comprising:
- receiving feedwater;
- generating feedwater vapor from the feedwater using an indirect-contact steam generator, wherein the indirect-contact steam generator comprises fuel and oxidizer inputs for combustion;
- generating superheated steam using the feedwater vapor using a direct-contact superheater, wherein the direct-contact superheater comprises fuel and oxidizer inputs for combustion;
- separating liquid feedwater from the feedwater vapor after the feedwater vapor is generated by the indirect contact steam generator and before passing at least some of the water vapor to the direct contact superheater;
- controlling the fuel and oxidizer inputs on the indirect-contact steam generator and the direct-contact superheater to specify a ratio of non-condensable combustion gases to steam;
- and
- generating gas by pyrolysis of oil in the oil well with heat introduced by the superheated steam.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.