CA1136565A - Geothermal petroleum refining - Google Patents
Geothermal petroleum refiningInfo
- Publication number
- CA1136565A CA1136565A CA000348421A CA348421A CA1136565A CA 1136565 A CA1136565 A CA 1136565A CA 000348421 A CA000348421 A CA 000348421A CA 348421 A CA348421 A CA 348421A CA 1136565 A CA1136565 A CA 1136565A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- unit
- zone
- oil
- geothermal
- steam
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 238000005504 petroleum refining Methods 0.000 title description 7
- 239000003208 petroleum Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 15
- 239000003921 oil Substances 0.000 claims description 33
- 239000010779 crude oil Substances 0.000 claims description 16
- 238000007670 refining Methods 0.000 claims description 14
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 14
- 238000005336 cracking Methods 0.000 claims description 13
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 10
- 239000003054 catalyst Substances 0.000 claims description 9
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000011949 solid catalyst Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000010793 Steam injection (oil industry) Methods 0.000 claims 2
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 238000004821 distillation Methods 0.000 abstract description 9
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 abstract description 2
- 101000583218 Drosophila melanogaster Protein krasavietz Proteins 0.000 abstract 1
- 238000009835 boiling Methods 0.000 description 9
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 6
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 4
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 4
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 4
- 239000003502 gasoline Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 3
- TVMXDCGIABBOFY-UHFFFAOYSA-N octane Chemical compound CCCCCCCC TVMXDCGIABBOFY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 238000004227 thermal cracking Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000011282 treatment Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000008186 active pharmaceutical agent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 150000001336 alkenes Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 150000004945 aromatic hydrocarbons Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 238000004523 catalytic cracking Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229930195733 hydrocarbon Natural products 0.000 description 2
- 150000002430 hydrocarbons Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- YKTSYUJCYHOUJP-UHFFFAOYSA-N [O--].[Al+3].[Al+3].[O-][Si]([O-])([O-])[O-] Chemical compound [O--].[Al+3].[Al+3].[O-][Si]([O-])([O-])[O-] YKTSYUJCYHOUJP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000002159 abnormal effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000009471 action Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004075 alteration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000011203 carbon fibre reinforced carbon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003197 catalytic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004568 cement Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000571 coke Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000011010 flushing procedure Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005194 fractionation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000295 fuel oil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003350 kerosene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000007791 liquid phase Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000010687 lubricating oil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000029052 metamorphosis Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 150000002894 organic compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000012188 paraffin wax Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000005120 petroleum cracking Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004525 petroleum distillation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000036647 reaction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000002407 reforming Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001172 regenerating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000630 rising effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- VYPSYNLAJGMNEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N silicon dioxide Inorganic materials O=[Si]=O VYPSYNLAJGMNEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000000377 silicon dioxide Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000001256 steam distillation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000006467 substitution reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
Landscapes
- Production Of Liquid Hydrocarbon Mixture For Refining Petroleum (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Petroleum is distilled into fractions and/or cracked to form gas and/or lighter oil fractions by pumping the oil into the boiler section of a unit disposed in a hot, decp, subterranean geothermal zone. The distillation can be aided by forming steam from the geothermal heat as a thermal carrier.
Petroleum is distilled into fractions and/or cracked to form gas and/or lighter oil fractions by pumping the oil into the boiler section of a unit disposed in a hot, decp, subterranean geothermal zone. The distillation can be aided by forming steam from the geothermal heat as a thermal carrier.
Description
` 113~S65 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to petroleum refining and, more particularly, to petroleum distillation and/or cracking conducted in a unit disposed in a geothermally heated subsurface zone.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Petroleum is a complex liquid mixture of organic com-pounds obtained from certain points in the upper strata of the earth. The chief components of this very complex mixture are hydrocarbonds. Petroleum is refined that is separated into useful products by dividing the petroleum into fractions of different boiling ranges by distillation and by special treat-ments of the fraction to remove undesirable components. The main fractions are gas, light, naphtha (240F), heavy naphtha (340F), Kerosene (420F), gas oil (50QF), paraffin (600F) and high boiling residue (800F). The residue can be dis-tilled under reduced pressure for the recovery of an overhead product suitable for refining into lubricating oils or for use of a feed stock for cracking or used directly -1- ' .~, ' 0 1~.36565 as fuel. Thermal cracking results not only in smaller molecules of higher volatility, but also in the production of olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons. The cracking process results in not only a higher yield of gasoline but also in a product with higher octane number. Thermal cracking is carried out at temperatures between 400 and 600C at increased pressure of 175-250 psi. The amount of material in the liquid phase is increased. The cracking reac-tion is accelerated in presence of solid catalyst such as natural clays or synthetic aluminum silicate mixtures and catalytic cracXing can be carried out at 450-500C, at relatively low pressures of 10-50 psi.
Though both of these processes result in the conversion of a larger portion of the petroleum to commercially useful fuels, both processes suffer an energy penalty in requiring an addition of significant amounts of high thermal energies to the crude oil to effect conversion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
' -' ' ~ou~
It has ~ been discovered in accordance with this invention that crude petroleum oil can be distilled into fractions and/or cracked to form gas or lighter oil fractions by pumping the ~ eo,J~ierm~l /
oil into a refining unit disposed in hot subsurface gas tho~mal zone. The upwardly rising product gases and distillate fractions heat the downwardly flowing crude oil. The refining un~t6 is housed in a cased geothermal well and in the portion of the casing disposed in a hot geothermal zone having a temperature of at least 300, preferably 500-800 or higher. Means for delivering crude rcf/~"79 oil to the rofin~r~y unit are provided and li~uid products and gas outlets are provided to recover the desired fractions. The viscous bottom residue oil can be removed to the surface for further treatment or use as fuel or cracked therein to lighter li~uid and/or gaseous fuel products.
' ''' 113~565 ~ The process of this invention can be practiced close to _, ~
the source of crude oil, if~ geothermal zone having an appropriate temperature is located nearby. If not, the crude oil can be delivered to a location where high geothermal temperatures are reached in fairly shallow depths. Other aspects of the invention relate to generation of steam within the geothermal well for use in the distillation reaction either directly or to remove certain molecules from the petroleum feed or to aid in delivering portions of the fractions to the surface.
These and many other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will become apparent as the invention becomes better understood_ ~ reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic view, partly in section of a first embodiment of a geothermal petroleum refining distillation system;
Fig. 2 is a schematic view partly in section of a pipe still embodiment of a geothermal petroleum refining unit;
Fig. 3 is a schematic view partly in section of a geothermal petroleum refining system utilizing geothermal steam;
Fig. 4 is a schema~ic view of an embodiment in which water is injected into the geothermal zone to generate steam; and Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a geothermal petroleum refining system incorporating catalytic cracking ass~mhly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Xeferring now to Figure 1, the geothermal petroleum refining system of the inventîon generally includes a geothermal well 10 extending from the surfa~e into a geothermal zone 13 having a temperature of at least 300F, preferably at least 500F.
The zone 13 is preferably a wet geothermal zone containing pressurized ` ~ 113~565 ~
hot water which acts as an efficient thermal carrier for the geothermal heat. Wet pressurized zones are usually disposed ~etween impervious layers 17, 19, such as shale.
The normal geothermal gradient is about 3C for each 330 feet of depth. Abnormal gradients occur in many instances due to faulting, volcanism, metamorphosis, chemical and radio-logical action. Petroleum fields are entrapments usually asso-ciated with faults in which the hot magna invades upper strata providing hot geothermal temperatures close to the surface.
Thus, it is very likely that a feasible geothermal refining system can be located near to a petroleum production field minimizing storaqe and transportation costs.
The well 10 includes an outer layer 27, suitably cement, which seals the surfaces of the well extending through porous stxata 11. The well 10 is usually provided with a metal casing 12 which is terminated with a plug 14 and a well head 22.
The lower portion of the well 10 extending into the geothermal zone 13 includes a refining section 18 for receiving a flow of crude oil. The crude oil is supplied through inlet 20 and flows through the annulus 24 surrounding vapor duct 16 and through opening 21 into the refining section 18 to form a body of oil 59. As the oil is geothermally heated, vapors rise through duct 16 and heat the downwardly flowing oil in annulus 24 and proceed to the surface for further treatment such as fractionation. Non-boiling residue is removed through pipe 30 by ~eans of pump 31. If the temperature in the unit 18 is high, suitably above 700F, some thermal cracking may occur.
In the geothermal refining unit of Figure 2 distillation of the crude oil S9 is conducted by means of a pipe still 32.
The well head 42 contains ports for sealingly receiving a water conduit 34, crude conduit 36 and vapor stack 47 communicating with outlet 40. The outlet 35 of the water conduit extends .` C~ 1~36iS6S 0 into a steam boiler section 37. The steam generated by the geothermal heat from zone 13 enters the pipe still and heats the body of oil 59 to vaporize`fractions having a boiling point below the temperature in the zone 13. The still 32 may have S a steam outlet 44. The steam injected into the oil 59 can extract some miscible components by steam distillation and serves to entrain higher boiling residue components. The generated vapors and the steam and entrained liquid rise through the annulus 38 through outlet 40 and stack 47 into separator 46 from which steam and water are removed and then into fractionator-condenser 48.
Referring now to Figure 3, generation of steam by injecting water from the surface may not be reguired if the bottom portion of well 10 containing the distillation unit is disposed in a wet, pressurized ~eothermal zone 50. Geothermal heat and geo-thermal steam from the zone entering perforations 52 distill fractions from the oil 59. The distilled vapors 55 heat the downwardly falling crude in cond~it 54 and rise and are recovered through vapor outlet 56 provided in well head 58.
In the case a dry, fractured geothermal zone, the steam necessary for distillation and to aid in removing residue can be provided by injecting water into the zone to generate steam.
The water can be injected adjacent the well into the zone below the end of the casing or can be injected through the plug.
~eferring now to Figure 4, a central water injection pipe 64 is surrounded with a crude delivery pipe 68 extends through the oil 59 in the refining section and then through the plug 14 surrounded by steam delivery conduit 76. The lower end of pipe 64 is below the end of conduit 76. Crude is delivered to inlet 70 and flows through the annulus of the the concentric assembly of pipes 64, 66 and out outlet 72 into the refining unit to form the distillable body of oil 59. The `` `` 113~565 water injected into the lower portion of zone 60 is vaporizedto form steam which flows through annulus 74, into the body of oil 59, causes distillation thereof to form vapors 55 which are recovered through outlet 62.
Though some cracking may occur due to thermal causes, additional cracking of the larger, less volatile components of the crude can be effected by disposing a cracking catalyst within the portion of the geothermal well within the hot zone 13.
Referring now to Figure 5, a perforated basket 80 con-taining solid, particulate cracking catalyst 82 is disposed within the zone 13. The walls 84 of the basket contain per-forations 86. As the oil 59 enters the perforations and con-tacts the particles 82 of catalyst carbon-carbon bonds are broken to form smaller more volatile molecules. The distilled vapors rise through the annular space in casing 12, heat the crude in pipe 88 and are recovered through outlet 90 for fur-ther processing. The basket 90 can be removed periodically to replace or regenerate the catalyst or the crude flow to the well can be interrupted to regenerate the catalyst thermally within the zone 13 to burn off coke deposits or by flushing regenerating fluids onto the catalyst through conduit 88.
Cracking catalysts are generally natural clays or synthetic alumina-silica mixtures. Catalytic cracking can be carried out at relatively low pressures of 10-50 psi and at temper-atures as low as 450 to 500F. Cracking also increases octane number due to the formation of olefins and aromatic hydrocar-bons. Straight run gasoline can be run through the unit of Figure 5 to increase octane number, an operation known as reforming.
Grade #2 fuel oil is the designation give~ to the heating oil commonly used for home heating and much commercial space heating. This is a distillate product, normally fractionated ~9 1136i565 0 to a boiling range of 350 degrees to 650 degrees F, (177 to 343 degrees C). Texas, Mississippi, New Mexico and Louisiana crude oils have API gravities between approximately . 35 and 40 (American Petroleum Institute-API) and yields from 25 to 35 percent gasoline (this fraction boiling below about 400 degree F.) by volume.
Major fractions which are subject to later separations and ideal for geothermal energy distillation as envisioned in this invention are: (1) a light straight-run fraction, con-sisting of primarily C4, C5 and C6 hydrocarbons and lighter gaseous hydrocarbons dissolved in the crude; (2) a naphtha fraction having a nominal boiling range of 200 to 400 degrees F.; (3) light distillate with a boiling range of 400 to 650 degrees F.
It is to be understood that only preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and that numerous substi-tutions, modifications and alterations are permissible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
The present invention relates to petroleum refining and, more particularly, to petroleum distillation and/or cracking conducted in a unit disposed in a geothermally heated subsurface zone.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Petroleum is a complex liquid mixture of organic com-pounds obtained from certain points in the upper strata of the earth. The chief components of this very complex mixture are hydrocarbonds. Petroleum is refined that is separated into useful products by dividing the petroleum into fractions of different boiling ranges by distillation and by special treat-ments of the fraction to remove undesirable components. The main fractions are gas, light, naphtha (240F), heavy naphtha (340F), Kerosene (420F), gas oil (50QF), paraffin (600F) and high boiling residue (800F). The residue can be dis-tilled under reduced pressure for the recovery of an overhead product suitable for refining into lubricating oils or for use of a feed stock for cracking or used directly -1- ' .~, ' 0 1~.36565 as fuel. Thermal cracking results not only in smaller molecules of higher volatility, but also in the production of olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons. The cracking process results in not only a higher yield of gasoline but also in a product with higher octane number. Thermal cracking is carried out at temperatures between 400 and 600C at increased pressure of 175-250 psi. The amount of material in the liquid phase is increased. The cracking reac-tion is accelerated in presence of solid catalyst such as natural clays or synthetic aluminum silicate mixtures and catalytic cracXing can be carried out at 450-500C, at relatively low pressures of 10-50 psi.
Though both of these processes result in the conversion of a larger portion of the petroleum to commercially useful fuels, both processes suffer an energy penalty in requiring an addition of significant amounts of high thermal energies to the crude oil to effect conversion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
' -' ' ~ou~
It has ~ been discovered in accordance with this invention that crude petroleum oil can be distilled into fractions and/or cracked to form gas or lighter oil fractions by pumping the ~ eo,J~ierm~l /
oil into a refining unit disposed in hot subsurface gas tho~mal zone. The upwardly rising product gases and distillate fractions heat the downwardly flowing crude oil. The refining un~t6 is housed in a cased geothermal well and in the portion of the casing disposed in a hot geothermal zone having a temperature of at least 300, preferably 500-800 or higher. Means for delivering crude rcf/~"79 oil to the rofin~r~y unit are provided and li~uid products and gas outlets are provided to recover the desired fractions. The viscous bottom residue oil can be removed to the surface for further treatment or use as fuel or cracked therein to lighter li~uid and/or gaseous fuel products.
' ''' 113~565 ~ The process of this invention can be practiced close to _, ~
the source of crude oil, if~ geothermal zone having an appropriate temperature is located nearby. If not, the crude oil can be delivered to a location where high geothermal temperatures are reached in fairly shallow depths. Other aspects of the invention relate to generation of steam within the geothermal well for use in the distillation reaction either directly or to remove certain molecules from the petroleum feed or to aid in delivering portions of the fractions to the surface.
These and many other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will become apparent as the invention becomes better understood_ ~ reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic view, partly in section of a first embodiment of a geothermal petroleum refining distillation system;
Fig. 2 is a schematic view partly in section of a pipe still embodiment of a geothermal petroleum refining unit;
Fig. 3 is a schematic view partly in section of a geothermal petroleum refining system utilizing geothermal steam;
Fig. 4 is a schema~ic view of an embodiment in which water is injected into the geothermal zone to generate steam; and Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a geothermal petroleum refining system incorporating catalytic cracking ass~mhly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Xeferring now to Figure 1, the geothermal petroleum refining system of the inventîon generally includes a geothermal well 10 extending from the surfa~e into a geothermal zone 13 having a temperature of at least 300F, preferably at least 500F.
The zone 13 is preferably a wet geothermal zone containing pressurized ` ~ 113~565 ~
hot water which acts as an efficient thermal carrier for the geothermal heat. Wet pressurized zones are usually disposed ~etween impervious layers 17, 19, such as shale.
The normal geothermal gradient is about 3C for each 330 feet of depth. Abnormal gradients occur in many instances due to faulting, volcanism, metamorphosis, chemical and radio-logical action. Petroleum fields are entrapments usually asso-ciated with faults in which the hot magna invades upper strata providing hot geothermal temperatures close to the surface.
Thus, it is very likely that a feasible geothermal refining system can be located near to a petroleum production field minimizing storaqe and transportation costs.
The well 10 includes an outer layer 27, suitably cement, which seals the surfaces of the well extending through porous stxata 11. The well 10 is usually provided with a metal casing 12 which is terminated with a plug 14 and a well head 22.
The lower portion of the well 10 extending into the geothermal zone 13 includes a refining section 18 for receiving a flow of crude oil. The crude oil is supplied through inlet 20 and flows through the annulus 24 surrounding vapor duct 16 and through opening 21 into the refining section 18 to form a body of oil 59. As the oil is geothermally heated, vapors rise through duct 16 and heat the downwardly flowing oil in annulus 24 and proceed to the surface for further treatment such as fractionation. Non-boiling residue is removed through pipe 30 by ~eans of pump 31. If the temperature in the unit 18 is high, suitably above 700F, some thermal cracking may occur.
In the geothermal refining unit of Figure 2 distillation of the crude oil S9 is conducted by means of a pipe still 32.
The well head 42 contains ports for sealingly receiving a water conduit 34, crude conduit 36 and vapor stack 47 communicating with outlet 40. The outlet 35 of the water conduit extends .` C~ 1~36iS6S 0 into a steam boiler section 37. The steam generated by the geothermal heat from zone 13 enters the pipe still and heats the body of oil 59 to vaporize`fractions having a boiling point below the temperature in the zone 13. The still 32 may have S a steam outlet 44. The steam injected into the oil 59 can extract some miscible components by steam distillation and serves to entrain higher boiling residue components. The generated vapors and the steam and entrained liquid rise through the annulus 38 through outlet 40 and stack 47 into separator 46 from which steam and water are removed and then into fractionator-condenser 48.
Referring now to Figure 3, generation of steam by injecting water from the surface may not be reguired if the bottom portion of well 10 containing the distillation unit is disposed in a wet, pressurized ~eothermal zone 50. Geothermal heat and geo-thermal steam from the zone entering perforations 52 distill fractions from the oil 59. The distilled vapors 55 heat the downwardly falling crude in cond~it 54 and rise and are recovered through vapor outlet 56 provided in well head 58.
In the case a dry, fractured geothermal zone, the steam necessary for distillation and to aid in removing residue can be provided by injecting water into the zone to generate steam.
The water can be injected adjacent the well into the zone below the end of the casing or can be injected through the plug.
~eferring now to Figure 4, a central water injection pipe 64 is surrounded with a crude delivery pipe 68 extends through the oil 59 in the refining section and then through the plug 14 surrounded by steam delivery conduit 76. The lower end of pipe 64 is below the end of conduit 76. Crude is delivered to inlet 70 and flows through the annulus of the the concentric assembly of pipes 64, 66 and out outlet 72 into the refining unit to form the distillable body of oil 59. The `` `` 113~565 water injected into the lower portion of zone 60 is vaporizedto form steam which flows through annulus 74, into the body of oil 59, causes distillation thereof to form vapors 55 which are recovered through outlet 62.
Though some cracking may occur due to thermal causes, additional cracking of the larger, less volatile components of the crude can be effected by disposing a cracking catalyst within the portion of the geothermal well within the hot zone 13.
Referring now to Figure 5, a perforated basket 80 con-taining solid, particulate cracking catalyst 82 is disposed within the zone 13. The walls 84 of the basket contain per-forations 86. As the oil 59 enters the perforations and con-tacts the particles 82 of catalyst carbon-carbon bonds are broken to form smaller more volatile molecules. The distilled vapors rise through the annular space in casing 12, heat the crude in pipe 88 and are recovered through outlet 90 for fur-ther processing. The basket 90 can be removed periodically to replace or regenerate the catalyst or the crude flow to the well can be interrupted to regenerate the catalyst thermally within the zone 13 to burn off coke deposits or by flushing regenerating fluids onto the catalyst through conduit 88.
Cracking catalysts are generally natural clays or synthetic alumina-silica mixtures. Catalytic cracking can be carried out at relatively low pressures of 10-50 psi and at temper-atures as low as 450 to 500F. Cracking also increases octane number due to the formation of olefins and aromatic hydrocar-bons. Straight run gasoline can be run through the unit of Figure 5 to increase octane number, an operation known as reforming.
Grade #2 fuel oil is the designation give~ to the heating oil commonly used for home heating and much commercial space heating. This is a distillate product, normally fractionated ~9 1136i565 0 to a boiling range of 350 degrees to 650 degrees F, (177 to 343 degrees C). Texas, Mississippi, New Mexico and Louisiana crude oils have API gravities between approximately . 35 and 40 (American Petroleum Institute-API) and yields from 25 to 35 percent gasoline (this fraction boiling below about 400 degree F.) by volume.
Major fractions which are subject to later separations and ideal for geothermal energy distillation as envisioned in this invention are: (1) a light straight-run fraction, con-sisting of primarily C4, C5 and C6 hydrocarbons and lighter gaseous hydrocarbons dissolved in the crude; (2) a naphtha fraction having a nominal boiling range of 200 to 400 degrees F.; (3) light distillate with a boiling range of 400 to 650 degrees F.
It is to be understood that only preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and that numerous substi-tutions, modifications and alterations are permissible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
Claims (14)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A geothermal system for refining petroleum oils comprising in combination:
a geological formation including a subsurface geo-thermal zone having a temperature of at least 300 F;
well means extending from the surface into the zone;
a unit for crude oil disposed within the portion of the well disposed in the zone and for distilling the oil therein;
cracking means including solid catalyst retained in a perforated container included within the unit; and means for delivering crude oil to the unit and means for recovering vapors from the unit.
a geological formation including a subsurface geo-thermal zone having a temperature of at least 300 F;
well means extending from the surface into the zone;
a unit for crude oil disposed within the portion of the well disposed in the zone and for distilling the oil therein;
cracking means including solid catalyst retained in a perforated container included within the unit; and means for delivering crude oil to the unit and means for recovering vapors from the unit.
2. A system according to claim 1, further includ-ing means for recovering non-distillate fraction of oil from the unit.
3. A geothermal system for refining petroleum oils comprising in combination:
a geological formation including a subsurface geothermal zone having a temperature of at least 300 F;
well means extending from the surface into the zone;
a unit for receiving crude oil disposed within the portion of the well disposed in the zone and for distilling the oil therein;
means for generating steam within the unit and for re-jecting steam into the oil; and means for delivering crude oil to the unit and means for recovering vapors from the unit.
a geological formation including a subsurface geothermal zone having a temperature of at least 300 F;
well means extending from the surface into the zone;
a unit for receiving crude oil disposed within the portion of the well disposed in the zone and for distilling the oil therein;
means for generating steam within the unit and for re-jecting steam into the oil; and means for delivering crude oil to the unit and means for recovering vapors from the unit.
4. A geothermal system for refining petroleum oils comprising in combination:
a geological formation including a subsurface zone having a temperature of at least 300°F;
well means extending from the surface into the zone;
a unit for receiving crude oil disposed within the por-tion of the well disposed in the zone and for distilling the oil therein;
means for injecting steam into oil contained in the unit from the zone; and means for delivering crude oil to the unit and means for recovering vapors from the unit.
a geological formation including a subsurface zone having a temperature of at least 300°F;
well means extending from the surface into the zone;
a unit for receiving crude oil disposed within the por-tion of the well disposed in the zone and for distilling the oil therein;
means for injecting steam into oil contained in the unit from the zone; and means for delivering crude oil to the unit and means for recovering vapors from the unit.
5. A system according to claim 3 in which the unit includes a pipe still and means for delivering water to the pipe still.
6. A system according to claim 4, in which the zone is a pressurized wet geothermal zone, the well includes a metal casing and the steam injection means includes perforations in the casing communicating with the unit.
7. A system according to claim 4, in which the zone is a fractured dry geothermal zone and the steam injection means includes means for injecting water from the surface into the zone below the end of the well for generating steam in the zone and inlet means provided in the well for injecting the geother-mally generated steam into the unit.
8. A system according to claim 7, in which the water injection means is concentric with the crude delivery means and steam inlet means.
9. A method of refining petroleum oil comprising the steps of:
injecting crude oil from the surface into a unit disposed in a subsurface geothermal zone having a temperature of at least 300 F;
generating steam within the unit;
injecting said steam into the oil contained in said unit;
distilling fractions from the oil in said unit; and delivering the distilled vapors from the unit to the surface.
injecting crude oil from the surface into a unit disposed in a subsurface geothermal zone having a temperature of at least 300 F;
generating steam within the unit;
injecting said steam into the oil contained in said unit;
distilling fractions from the oil in said unit; and delivering the distilled vapors from the unit to the surface.
10. A method according to claim 9 in which the zone has a temperatute of at least 500°F. and further including the step of thermally cracking the oil in said unit.
11. A method according to claim 9, further including the steps of delivering cracking catalyst in the unit, contact-ing the oil with the catalyst and catalytica-ly cracking the oil.
12. A method according to claim 9, further including the step of recovering non-distillable oil from said unit.
13. A method of refining petroleum oil comprising the steps of:
injecting crude oil from the surface into a unit dis-posed in a pressurized, wet, geothermal zone having a tempera-ture of at least 300°F;
injecting geothermal steam from the zone into the oil contained in said unit;
distilling fractions from the oil in said unit; and delivering the distilled vapors from the unit to surface.
injecting crude oil from the surface into a unit dis-posed in a pressurized, wet, geothermal zone having a tempera-ture of at least 300°F;
injecting geothermal steam from the zone into the oil contained in said unit;
distilling fractions from the oil in said unit; and delivering the distilled vapors from the unit to surface.
14. A method according to claim 13, in which the zone is dry and further including the step of injecting water into the zone to generate said steam.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US06/025,735 US4249157A (en) | 1978-03-30 | 1979-03-30 | Variable impedance device |
| US025,735 | 1979-04-02 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1136565A true CA1136565A (en) | 1982-11-30 |
Family
ID=21827785
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000348421A Expired CA1136565A (en) | 1979-03-30 | 1980-03-26 | Geothermal petroleum refining |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1136565A (en) |
-
1980
- 1980-03-26 CA CA000348421A patent/CA1136565A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry | ||
| MKEX | Expiry |
Effective date: 19991130 |