Remote steam generation and water-hydrocarbon separation in steam-assisted gravity drainage operations

A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a reservoir, the method comprising:

• at a processing facility:
• in a first water-hydrocarbon separator, separating a hydrocarbon mixture comprising an amount of water into treated water and produced hydrocarbons;
• at a remote hydrocarbon recovery facility:
• generating steam from feedwater using a steam generator comprising a Direct-Contact Steam Generator (DCSG);
• transferring the steam to an injection well located at a well pad,
• injecting the steam into the injection well;
• obtaining produced fluids from a production well located at the well pad;
• transferring the produced fluids for separation in a second water-hydrocarbon separator;
• separating the produced fluids to obtain a produced gas and a produced emulsion, and separating the produced emulsion to obtain the hydrocarbon mixture comprising an amount of water and a produced water component;
• supplying at least a portion of the produced water component as at least part of the feedwater;
• and
• via a supply line providing fluid communication between the first water-hydrocarbon separator and the second water-hydrocarbon separator:
• supplying the hydrocarbon mixture from the remote hydrocarbon recovery facility to the processing facility without transporting the produced water component to the processing facility.

A Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) method for recovering hydrocarbons from a reservoir, the method comprising:

• at a processing facility:
• in a first water-hydrocarbon separator, separating a hydrocarbon mixture comprising an amount of water into treated water and produced hydrocarbons;
• at a remote hydrocarbon recovery facility:
• generating steam and CO2 from feedwater, fuel and oxygen using a steam generator, wherein the steam generator comprises a Direct-Contact Steam Generator (DOGS);
• transferring a steam-CO2 mixture comprising at least a portion of the steam and at least a portion of the CO2, to a SAGD injection well located at a well pad;
• injecting the steam-CO2 mixture into the SAGD injection well;
• recovering produced fluids at the well pad from a SAGD production well underlying the SAGD injection well;
• transferring the produced fluids to a second water-hydrocarbon separator;
• in the second water-hydrocarbon separator, separating the produced fluids to obtain a produced gas and a produced emulsion, and separating the produced emulsion to obtain a produced water component and the hydrocarbon mixture comprising an amount of water;
• supplying at least a portion of the produced water component as at least part of the feedwater for the steam generator;
• and
• via a supply line providing fluid communication between the first water-hydrocarbon separator and the second water-hydrocarbon separator:
• supplying the hydrocarbon mixture from the remote hydrocarbon recovery facility to the processing facility without transporting the produced water component to the processing facility.