Method for disposal of liquid from gas wells

Abstract

Liquids recovered from a gas well processed in a ground flare for avoiding the expense of offsite disposal. Well gases are burned in first burners to form a primary combustion zone. Liquids for disposal are introduced and atomized through second burners or nozzles into the primary combustion zone. Preferably, a wellhead separator further separates liquids from gas recovered from the well. Liquids are stored in a tank and delivered to the second burners as the heat capacity in the flare permits. Supplementary commercial pilot gas can provide sufficient heat capacity if the well gas is temporarily insufficient. The liquid is incinerated and its combustion or vaporized products are discharged with the burned gas.

The embodiments of the invention for which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A method for the disposal of liquid produced from a gas well comprising the steps of: 
 (a) recovering liquid from the well;    (b) burning combustible gas recovered from the well in flare for producing a combustion zone in the flare; and    (c) incinerating the liquid in the combustion zone of the flare.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the incineration step further comprising the steps of: 
 (a) atomizing the liquid in a nozzle;  
 (b) injecting the atomized liquid into the combustion zone.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the production of the combustion zone is supplemented with the use of commercial gas.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the liquid is recovered periodically from the well.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a temporary liquid storage;  
 (b) periodically recovering liquid from the well and depositing it into the liquid storage;  
 (c) recovering liquid from the liquid storage and incinerating the liquid.  
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing burners and atomizing nozzles in the flare;  
 (b) burning the gas in the burners and forming an upward column of hot gas in the combustion zone;  
 (c) atomizing the liquid in the nozzles and directing atomized liquid into the combustion zone.  
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the combustible gas from the well is supplemented with commercial gas.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus for the disposal of liquid produced from a gas well comprising: 
 (a) a ground flare having a burner, a burn chamber and an atomizing nozzle and an exhaust;    (b) a gas conduit between the burner and the gas well so that gas from the well is burned to form a combustion zone in the burn chamber and flue gas which is discharged at the exhaust; and    (c) a liquid conduit between the liquid recovery means and the atomizing nozzle so that recovered liquid is atomized and directed into the combustion zone and incinerated therein, the incinerated byproducts being discharged with the flue gas.    
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 (a) a first gas burner located upstream of the burn chamber; and  
 (b) a second liquid burner directed into the burn chamber.  
 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising a liquid-gas separator for processing gas from the well and producing 
 i) a gas product for recovery by the gas conduit, and  
 ii) a liquid product for recovery by the liquid conduit.  
 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising 
 (a) a storage tank for storing liquid recovered from the well;  
 (b) means for directing liquid from the tank to the second burner only as the heat capacity combustion zone can accept it.  
 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the burn chamber is formed of a plurality of telescoping shells having annular inlets therebetween.