pH modification of geothermal brine with sulfur-containing acid
AssigneeUnion Oil Company of California
InventorsKevin R. Kitz, Darrell L. Gallup
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Sulfurous acid and/or sulfurous acid precursors, such as sulfur dioxide, are introduced into a hydrogen sulfide-containing geothermal brine or fluid prior to extracting energy from the resulting mixture by, e.g., passing the mixture through a flash vessel or a heat exchanger. The introduction of the sulfurous acid or its precursors into the geothermal brine or fluid inhibits scale formation and/or removes previously formed scale during processing of the brine or fluid.
Claims31
A method for inhibiting formation of silica-containing scale and/or removing previously formed silica-containing scale during the production of energy from a H.sub.2 S-containing geothermal brine or fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) introducing into the H.sub.2 S-containing geothermal brine or fluid a composition selected from the group consisting of sulfurous acid, sulfurous acid precursors, and mixtures thereof to form a resulting composition;
- and
- (b) extracting energy from the resulting composition.
A method for inhibiting of silica-containing scale formation and/or removing previously formed silica-containing scale during the production of energy from a H.sub.2 S-containing geothermal brine or fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) separating the H.sub.2 S-containing geothermal brine or fluid into an H.sub.2 S-containing effluent and a brine effluent;
- (b) introducing into the brine effluent a composition selected from the group consisting of sulfurous acid, sulfurous acid precursors, and mixtures thereof to form a resulting composition;
- and
- (c) extracting energy from the resulting composition.
A method for inhibiting formation of silica-containing scale and/or removing previously formed silica-containing scale during the production of energy from a H.sub.2 S-containing geothermal brine or fluid which comprises:
- (a) introducing sulfite and/or bisulfite anions into the brine or fluid to form a resulting composition;
- and
- (b) extracting energy from the resulting composition.
A method for inhibiting formation of silica-containing scale and/or removing previously formed silica-containing scale during the production of energy from a H.sub.2 S-containing brine or fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) separating the H.sub.2 S-containing brine or fluid into an H.sub.2 S-containing steam and a brine effluent;
- (b) introducing sulfite and/or bisulfite anions into the brine effluent to form a resulting composition;
- and
- (c) extracting energy from the resulting composition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.