Method for enhanced oil recovery
AssigneeStandard Oil Company (Indiana)
InventorDavid R. Parrish
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for the enhanced recovery of liquid hydrocarbons from underground formations, said method comprising recovering a mixture comprising carbon dioxide and contaminants comprising hydrocarbon, hydrogen sulfide, or mixtures thereof, from an underground formation; combusting said mixture with an oxygen enriched gas to form a concentrated carbon dioxide stream; and injecting at least a portion of said concentrated carbon dioxide stream into an underground formation to enhance recovery of liquid hydrocarbon.
Claims12
A method for the enhanced recovery of liquid hydrocarbons from underground formations comprising:
- recovering a mixture comprising carbon dioxide and about 5 to about 90 mol percent contaminants comprising hydrocarbon, hydrogen sulfide, or mixtures thereof, from an underground formation;
- combusting said mixture with an oxygen enriched gas to form a concentrated carbon dioxide stream containing less than about 10 mol percent nitrogen, oxygen, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbon, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, or mixtures thereof;
- and
- injecting at least a portion of said concentrated carbon dioxide stream into an underground formation to enhance recovery of liquid hydrocarbon.
A method for the enhanced recovery of liquid hydrocarbons from underground formations comprising:
- recovering a mixture comprising carbon dioxide and about 5 to about 90 mol percent contaminants comprising hydrocarbon, hydrogen sulfide, or mixtures thereof, from an underground formation;
- comusting said mixture with an oxygen enriched gas to form a concentrated carbon dioxide stream containing less than about 10 mol percent nitrogen, oxygen, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbon, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, or mixtures thereof;
- and
- first injecting a stream comprising at least a portion of the carbon dioxide stream into an underground formation and then injecting a stream comprising at least a portion of a nitrogen enriched stream into the underground formation to effectively move the injected carbon dioxide within the formation and enhance recovery of liquid hydrocarbon.
A method for the enhanced recovery of liquid hydrocarbons from underground formations comprising:
- recovering a mixture comprising carbon dioxide and about 5 to about 90 mol percent contaminants comprising hydrocarbon, hydrogen sulfide, or mixtures thereof, from an underground formation;
- combusting said mixture with an oxygen enriched gas to form a concentrated carbon dioxide stream containing less than about 10 mol percent nitrogen, oxygen, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbon, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, or mixtures thereof;
- recovering heat or energy from the combustion of the mixture;
- and
- injecting at least a portion of said concentrated carbon dioxide stream into an underground formation to enhance recovery of liquid hydrocarbon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.