Treatment for produced and flowback waters from wells
OwnerRobert L. Sloaninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Produced and flowback fluids, and other fluids emanating from oil, mining, and mineral extraction operations, are treated to remove heavy metals by introducing an oxidizing agent and passing the fluid through an electrocoagulator. A cavitation device is used to intensify the oxidation reactions. Coalesced bodies made in the electrocoagulator, including heavy metals such as iron rendered insoluble by elevation of their oxidation states, are separated from the fluids so they may be reused.
Claims20
Method of treating an aqueous fluid emanating from the earth in an oilfield, mining, or mineral extraction operation to remove soluble heavy metals contained therein in preparation for reuse comprising (a) introducing an oxidizing agent to said fluid to elevate the oxidation state of at least some of said soluble heavy metals, thereby converting said at least some soluble heavy metals to insoluble heavy metals, (b) passing said fluid through a cavitation device to mix and heat said fluid containing said oxidizing agent, thereby enhancing the rate of conversion of said soluble heavy metals to insoluble heavy metals, (c) passing said fluid into an electrocoagulator to coalesce at least some of said insoluble heavy metals into coagulant bodies, and (d) separating said coagulant bodies from said fluid.
Method of treating an aqueous fluid emanating from the earth in an oilfield, mining, or mineral extraction operation to remove soluble heavy metals contained therein and to prepare said fluid for reuse comprising (a) introducing an oxidizing agent to said fluid to elevate the oxidation state of at least some of said soluble heavy metals, thereby converting said at least some soluble heavy metals to insoluble heavy metals, (b) passing said fluid into an electrocoagulator to coalesce at least some of said insoluble heavy metals into coagulant bodies, (c) passing said fluid through a cavitation device to mix and heat said fluid, thereby enhancing the rate of conversion of said soluble heavy metals to insoluble heavy metals, thereby forming additional coagulant bodies, and (d) separating said coagulant bodies from said fluid.
12 Method of claim 8 wherein said aqueous fluid comprises produced and flowback fluid in an oilfield operation.
Method of claim 12 wherein said produced and flowback fluid contain alkali metal chlorides, and including the steps of (i) generating alkali metal hypochlorite by electrolysis of said fluid and (ii) utilizing said alkali metal hypochlorite as the oxidizing agent of step (a).
Method of treating aqueous oilfield chloride-containing produced and flowback fluid containing heavy metal components comprising (a) electrolytically generating hypochlorite in a side stream or portion of said fluid, (b) injecting said side stream or portion containing hypochlorite into said fluid, (c) passing said fluid containing said hypochlorite through an electrocoagulator, thereby at least partially oxidizing said heavy metal components, and (d) separating said at least partially oxidized heavy metal components from said fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.