Method of using an oxygen stream as an oxidizer feed gas stream

Abstract

A method for producing nitrogen for injection into an enhanced oil recovery operation wherein the nitrogen is produced in an air separation device and the oxygen stream produced is not discarded but recovered and employed with or without an additional air gas stream for feeding to a partial oxidation unit/autothermal reformer and shift conversion to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The carbon dioxide can additionally be used for injection into an enhanced oil recovery operation and the hydrogen can be used as a fuel for a gas turbine driven closed cycle power plant for providing energy to the air separation device.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim is: 
     
         1 . An improved method for producing nitrogen for injection into an enhanced oil recovery operation wherein said nitrogen is produced in an air separation device that also produces an oxygen-rich gas stream, the improvement comprising feeding the oxygen-rich gas stream to a partial oxidation unit/autothermal reformer and shift conversion to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen. 
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said carbon dioxide is injected into an enhanced oil recovery operation. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said air separation device is powered by a closed cycle power plant. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said closed cycle power plant contains a gas turbine. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4  wherein hydrogen is used to fuel said gas turbine. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5  wherein nitrogen is blended with said hydrogen. 
     
     
         7 . An improved process for producing nitrogen for injection into an enhanced oil recovery operation wherein said nitrogen is produced in an air separation device that also produces an oxygen-rich gas stream, the improvement comprising feeding the oxygen-rich gas stream and air to a partial oxidation unit/autothermal reformer and shift conversion to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said carbon dioxide is injected into an enhanced oil recovery operation. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said air separation device is powered by a closed cycle power plant. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said closed cycle power plant contains a gas turbine. 
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10  wherein hydrogen is used to fuel said gas turbine. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said oxygen-rich gas stream and said air are blended prior to being fed to said partial oxidation unit/autothermal reformer.