Steam drive non-direct contact steam generation

Abstract

The present invention is a system and method for steam production for oil production. The method includes generating hot driving fluid, indirectly using the hot driving fluid to heat water containing solids and organics, separating solids, and using the steam for generating hot process water or for underground injection. The system includes a non-direct contact heat exchanger connected to a separator for collecting and separating the solids from the gas. The water feed of the present invention can be water separated from produced oil and/or low quality water salvaged from industrial plants, such as refineries and tailings from an oilsands mine.

1 . A method for oil extraction, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) generating hot driving fluid through indirect heat exchange;   (b) indirectly heating liquid water having solids and organics contaminates, like oilsands fine tailings, brine or brackish water, so as to transfer said liquid water from a liquid phase to a gas phase;   (c) removing solids from said gas phase to produce a solids free steam;   (d) condensing the steam to heat oilsands process water;   (e) mixing the heated process water with oilsands ore to generate a slurry; and   (f) recycling the driving steam back to the step of generating hot driving fluid through indirect heat exchange.   
     
     
         2 . A system for producing steam for extraction of heavy bitumen, the system comprising:
 a boiler mixing fuel with oxidation gases and therein forming a mixture, combusting the mixture, and recovering combustion heat to generate steam;   a longitude steam generator means comprised of an enclosure with an internal rotating element capable of moving slurry and solids to a discharge outlet, wherein the longitude enclosure is externally heated with steam, generated at said boiler. The enclosure further includes an inlet means to feed solids rich water, like Oilsands Mature Fine Tailings, at one end of the longitude enclosure and an outlet means at the other end for discharging solids and steam, where the rotating element is located between the feed and the discharge ends;   a steam and solids separator with a solids discharge outlet and a steam discharge outlet in fluid connection to said longitude steam generator; and   a heat exchanger in fluid connection to said separator, heating process water to generate hot process water and steam condensate.   
     
     
         3 . A method for recovering solvents and generating hot process water from oilsands tailings containing the following steps:
 (a) Separating bitumen from sand using water and solvent mixture where generating solvent rich water tailings;   (b) indirectly heating the solvent rich water tailings to evaporate portion of the solvents from the water phase.   (c) directly heating said tailings after portion of the solvents were removed to combust any solvent remains and evaporate the liquid water within the tailings;   (d) using the combustion gas and steam as the heat source to indirectly heat said solvent rich tailings.   (e) mixing said dry solids from the direct contact combustion heater with water based tailings and air to use the hot solids heat to evaporate additional water.   
     
     
         4 . A method for oil extraction, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) recovering oil water steam and other contaminates from produce well;   (b) Separating the products to oil rich flow and water rice flow, said water rich flow contains hydrocarbon solvents and solid contaminates;   (c) indirectly heating said water rich flow, so as to transfer portion of the liquid water and solvent to gas phase;   (d) separating the gas phase that include steam and hydrocarbon solvents from the liquid phase;   (e) removing solids from said gas phase to produce a solids free steam; and   (f) injecting said solids free steam into an underground formation.