# US 2019/0169970 A1 · Remote steam generation and water-hydrocarbon separation in steam-assisted gravity drainage operations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0169970 A1 - Document ID: US20190169970A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/269,005 - Filed: 2019-02-06 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-28 - Assignees: Suncor Energy Inc. - Applicants: Suncor Energy Inc. - Inventors: Andrew Donald; Todd Stewart Pugsley; Gary L. Bunio; Ian Donald Gates - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190169970A1 ## CPC - E21B 43/2408: {SAGD in combination with other methods} - E21B 43/164: {Injecting CO2 or carbonated water (in combination with organic material C09K8/594)} - E21B 43/40: Separation associated with re-injection of separated materials {(E21B43/385 takes precedence)} - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) method for recovering hydrocarbons from a reservoir can include generating steam and CO2 from feedwater, fuel and oxygen; transferring a steam-CO2 mixture comprising at least a portion of the steam and at least a portion of the CO2, to a proximate SAGD injection well; injecting the steam-CO2 mixture into the SAGD injection well; obtaining produced fluids from a SAGD production well underlying the SAGD injection well; transferring the produced fluids for separation proximate to the SAGD production well; separating the produced fluids into a produced gas and a produced emulsion; transferring the produced emulsion for separation proximate to the SAGD production well; separating the produced emulsion to obtain a produced hydrocarbon-containing component and produced water; supplying at least a portion of the produced water as at least part of the feedwater; and supplying the produced hydrocarbon-containing component to a central processing facility. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for recovering hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon recovery operation comprising a well pair that includes an injection well and a production well extending into a reservoir from a well pad that is part of a remote hydrocarbon recovery facility, 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 the remote hydrocarbon recovery facility: recovering produced fluids from the production well; separating the produced fluids into a produced water component and the hydrocarbon mixture comprising an amount of water, in a second water-hydrocarbon separator; generating steam in a steam generator from feedwater comprising the produced water component, wherein the steam generator comprises a Direct-Contact Steam Generator (DCSG); and injecting the steam into the injection well; 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the DCSG is a Direct-Fired Steam Generator (DFSG). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of water in the hydrocarbon mixture is up to about 10 wt %. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: separating the produced fluids recovered from the production well into a produced gas and a produced emulsion; and separating the produced emulsion into the produced water component and the hydrocarbon mixture. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: supplying the produced gas to the processing facility. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the feedwater further comprises makeup water. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the makeup water is at least partially obtained from the processing facility. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising supplying the makeup water to the steam generator from a natural water source. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising supplying the makeup water to the steam generator from a water tank located at the remote hydrocarbon recovery facility. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the concentration of the makeup water in the feedwater is about 0 wt % to about 90 wt %. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the concentration of the makeup water in the feedwater is about 0 wt % to about 20 wt %. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbons are recovered from the reservoir by Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: recycling at least a portion of the produced water component from the second water-hydrocarbon separator as at least part of the feedwater. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein recycling at least a portion of the produced water component comprising recycling all of the produced water component. ### Claim 15 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the feedwater further comprises makeup water transported from a water source. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the water source is a water tank located at the remote hydrocarbon recovery facility. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the water source is a water treatment facility. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the water source is a natural water source. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the step of generating steam further comprises: generating an injection gas mixture comprising steam and CO2 using the DCSG. ### Claim 21 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.