# US 11,905,805 B2 · Low emissions well pad with integrated enhanced oil recovery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,905,805 B2 - Document ID: US11905805B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/525,901 - Filed: 2021-11-13 - Published: 2022-05-19 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-13 - Assignees: Baker Hughes Oilfield - Applicants: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC - Inventors: Mahendra Joshi; Alireza Shahkarami; Rob Klenner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11905805B2 ## CPC - E21B 43/168: {Injecting a gaseous medium} - E21B 33/12: Packers; Plugs (used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16) - E21B 41/0085: {Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes} - E21B 43/122: {Gas lift} - E21B 43/123: {Gas lift valves} - E21B 43/26: by forming crevices or fractures - E21B 43/40: Separation associated with re-injection of separated materials {(E21B43/385 takes precedence)} - F03G 4/00: Devices for producing mechanical power from geothermal energy - H02K 7/1823: {structurally associated with turbines or similar engines} - F03G 4/035: {of the Organic Rankine Cycle [ORC] type or the Kalina Cycle type} - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - F03G: SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (arrangements in connection with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60K16/00; electric propulsion with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60L8/00) - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## Abstract Systems and methods involve capturing gaseous and liquid byproducts from the recovery of hydrocarbons and then using those captured byproducts for commercially and environmentally advantageous purposes. A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a well includes the steps of placing the well in a first mode of operation in which gases from the well are stored under pressure in a gas storage unit on the surface, and placing the well in a second mode of operation in which gases are transferred from the gas storage unit into an underground gas storage formation through the well. Methods for managing produced water include the steps of storing the produced water in an underground water storage reservoir, heating the produced water with geothermal energy, and transferring the heated water to an energy recovery system to generate electricity from the heated produced water. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a producing formation to surface facilities through a well, the method comprising the steps of: placing the well in a first mode of operation in which gases from the well are stored under pressure in a gas storage unit on the surface; placing the well in a second mode of operation in which gases are transferred from the gas storage unit into an underground gas storage formation through the well where the gases are stored in the underground gas storage formation and prevented from reentering the well; and returning the well to the first mode of operation while the gases remain stored in the underground gas storage formation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of placing the well in the first mode of operation comprises placing a sliding sleeve in a closed position to prevent communication of fluids between the well and the underground gas storage formation through upper perforations. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the step of placing the well in the first mode of operation further comprises the step of closing a gas isolation valve between the gas storage unit and the well. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the step of placing the well in the first mode of operation further comprises the step of increasing the pressure of the gases from the well with a compressor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the step of placing the well in the first mode of operation further comprises the step of ensuring that a packer is in a retracted position to permit hydrocarbons from the producing formation to flow from a lower zone of the well to an upper zone of the well. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the step of placing the well in the first mode of operation further comprises the step of forcing the hydrocarbons from the producing formation to flow to the surface with an artificial lift system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of placing the well in the second mode of operation further comprises placing a sliding sleeve in an open position to permit communication of the pressurized fluids between the well and the underground gas storage formation through upper perforations. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) he method of claim 7, wherein the step of placing the well in the second mode of operation further comprises placing a packer into a deployed position to prevent hydrocarbons from the gas storage unit from entering a lower zone of the well below the packer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the step of placing the well in the second mode of operation further comprises opening a gas isolation valve between the gas storage unit and the well. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of placing the well in the first mode of operation and placing the well in the second mode of operation are repeated until the underground gas storage formation contains a desired amount of gas. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of placing the well in a third mode of operation in which gases stored in the gas storage formation are permitted to enter the well from the gas storage formation through upper perforations. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the step of placing the well in the third mode of operation comprises opening a sliding sleeve to permit gases from the gas storage formation to enter the well through the upper perforations. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the step of placing the well in the third mode of operation further comprises placing a packer located below the upper perforations into a retracted position to permit hydrocarbons from the underground gas storage formation to enter a lower zone of the well. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the step of placing the well in the third mode of operation further comprises using the gases discharged from the gas storage formation to activate a gas lift system in the lower zone of the well to encourage the removal of liquid hydrocarbons from the well. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the step of placing the well in the third mode of operation further comprises using the gases discharged from the gas storage formation to provide an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) function to improve the production of hydrocarbons from the producing formation in the lower zone of the well. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the steps of placing the well in the second and third modes of operation are repeated to optimize the enhanced oil recovery (EOR).