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US 2012/0074041 A1Published application
Processing oil from steam assisted production
AssigneeConocoPhillips Company
InventorsChris R. Copeland, Cory B. Phillips, Roland Schmidt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus relate to treating hydrocarbons recovered with steam condensate from a formation. The treating removes particulates from the hydrocarbons by addition of a flocculant to produced fluids containing the hydrocarbons and an aqueous phase with the condensate. The flocculant causes the particulates suspended in the hydrocarbons to agglomerate and be transferred to the aqueous phase, which is then separated from the hydrocarbons.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- injecting steam into a formation containing hydrocarbons;
- recovering products including the hydrocarbons and condensate from the steam;
- mixing a flocculant with the products, wherein particles suspended in the hydrocarbons agglomerate due to the flocculant and are transferred to an aqueous phase that includes the condensate;
- and
- separating the aqueous phase from the hydrocarbons, which have the particles removed to facilitate further processing of the hydrocarbons.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- mixing a polymeric flocculant with products recovered from a wellbore and while still above 100° C., wherein particles suspended in hydrocarbons of the products agglomerate due to the flocculant and are transferred to an aqueous phase of the products;
- and
- separating the aqueous phase from the hydrocarbons, which have the particles removed to facilitate further processing of the hydrocarbons.
A method, comprising:
- recovering fluid products removed by a wellbore from solids of a formation;
- mixing a flocculant with the products that are recovered, wherein particles suspended in hydrocarbons of the products agglomerate due to the flocculant and are transferred to an aqueous phase of the products;
- and
- separating the aqueous phase from the hydrocarbons, which have the particles removed to facilitate further processing of the hydrocarbons.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.