Geothermal power systems and methods for subsea systems
AssigneeOneSubsea IP UK Limited
InventorDavid Kitchen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system includes a subsea geothermal power system. The subsea geothermal power system includes a well connection configured to couple to a hydrocarbon well. The subsea geothermal power system also includes a geothermal power plant fluidly coupled to the well connection. The geothermal power plant is configured to receive thermal energy from a well fluid received from the hydrocarbon well and convert the thermal energy into at least one of electrical energy and mechanical energy. The system also includes a subsea equipment at least partially powered by at least one of the electrical energy and the mechanical energy produced by the subsea geothermal power system.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a subsea geothermal power system comprising:
- a well connection configured to couple to a hydrocarbon well;
- and
- a geothermal power plant fluidly coupled to the well connection, wherein the geothermal power plant is configured to receive thermal energy from a well fluid received from the hydrocarbon well and convert the thermal energy into at least one of electrical energy or mechanical energy;
- and
- a subsea equipment at least partially powered by at least one of the electrical energy or the mechanical energy produced by the subsea geothermal power system, wherein the subsea equipment is configured to internally re-route the well fluid to:
- flow into the subsea geothermal power system via a first valve;
- and
- flow out of the subsea geothermal power system via a second valve;
- wherein the geothermal power plant is directly coupled to the subsea equipment;
- and
- wherein the geothermal power plant comprises:
- one or more releasable connections configured to directly couple the geothermal power plant to the subsea equipment;
- and
- one or more remotely operated vehicle (ROV) connectors configured to couple the geothermal power plant to an ROV.
A system comprising:
- a subsea equipment;
- and
- a subsea retrievable module configured to directly couple to the subsea equipment, the subsea retrievable module comprising:
- a fluid connection configured to receive a well fluid;
- one or more releasable connections configured to directly couple the subsea retrievable module to the subsea equipment;
- one or more remotely operated vehicle (ROV) connectors configured to couple the subsea retrievable module to an ROV;
- and
- a geothermal power plant fluidly coupled to the fluid connection, wherein the geothermal power plant comprises a fluid circuit having a first heat exchanger configured to transfer thermal energy from the well fluid to a thermal fluid circulating in the fluid circuit, and a turbine driven by the thermal fluid;
- wherein the subsea equipment is configured to internally re-route the well fluid to:
- flow into the subsea retrievable module via a first valve;
- and
- flow out of the subsea retrievable module via a second valve;
- wherein the geothermal power plant is configured to power the subsea equipment with at least one of mechanical energy generated by the turbine or electrical energy generated by an electrical generator driven by the turbine.
A method of controlling a subsea system, comprising:
- directly coupling a subsea retrievable module to a subsea equipment associated with a hydrocarbon well via one or more releasable connectors, wherein the subsea retrievable module comprises:
- a geothermal power plant;
- the one or more releasable connectors;
- and
- one or more remotely operated vehicle (ROV) connectors;
- adjusting a first valve to cause a well fluid extracted from the hydrocarbon well to flow from the subsea equipment into the subsea retrievable module;
- adjusting a second valve to cause the well fluid to flow out of the subsea retrievable module;
- receiving thermal energy from the well fluid received from the hydrocarbon well in the geothermal power plant fluidly coupled to a well connection;
- converting the thermal energy into at least one of electrical energy or mechanical energy;
- and
- at least partially powering the subsea equipment with at least one of the electrical energy or the mechanical energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.