Oxy-boiler with steam assisted production

Abstract

Methods and systems relate to an oxy-boiler used to generate steam injected into a well for assisting recovery of hydrocarbons. Operating conditions of a burner for the oxy-boiler limits oxygen contamination in a resulting flue gas for carbon dioxide recovery and limits size of the oxy-boiler, which may thus be located proximate the well rather at a central processing facility. In contrast to a direct steam generation approach where resulting carbon dioxide is mixed with steam, the oxy-boiler also enables selection of a desired level of carbon dioxide injection, which may be provided with the flue gas that may be exhausted from the oxy-boiler at an injection pressure.

1 . A method of steam assisted oil recovery with carbon dioxide control, comprising:
 generating steam in an oxy-boiler that combusts fuel with oxygen in an environment pressurized to at least 690 kilopascals for producing the steam separate from flue gas resulting from burning of the fuel;   injecting the steam into a formation to assist in recovering the oil;   processing at least part of the flue gas to provide dehydrated and compressed carbon dioxide; and   transporting the carbon dioxide to a sequestration site different than the formation.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising injecting a portion of the flue gas into the formation. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein quantity of the fuel and oxygen supplied to the oxy-boiler for the burning is stoichiometric. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein quantity of the fuel and oxygen supplied to the oxy-boiler for the burning is fuel-rich. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the flue gas upon emission from the oxy-boiler contains less than 0.001% oxygen by volume. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxy-boiler is disposed within 100 meters of where the steam is introduced into a well for the injecting into the formation. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein quantity of the fuel and oxygen supplied to the oxy-boiler for the burning is one of stoichiometric and fuel-rich and the oxy-boiler is disposed within 100 meters of where the steam is introduced into a well for the injecting into the formation. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising injecting into the formation a portion of the flue gas uncompressed after pressurized emission from the oxy-boiler. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising compressing a portion of the flue gas prior to injection into the formation. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein fluids injected into the formation including the steam and a portion of the flue gas form a mixture containing less than 9% carbon dioxide by weight. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein fluids injected into the formation including the steam and a portion of the flue gas form a mixture containing less than 5% carbon dioxide by weight. 
     
     
         12 . A system for steam assisted oil recovery with carbon dioxide control, comprising:
 an oxy-boiler configured to combust fuel with oxygen in an environment pressurized to at least 690 kilopascals for producing steam separate from flue gas resulting from burning of the fuel;   an injection well coupled to an output of the oxy-boiler for injecting the steam into a formation to assist in recovering the oil; and   a pipeline coupled to an exhaust of the oxy-boiler for transporting carbon dioxide from at least part of the flue gas to a sequestration site different than the formation.   
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the injection well is further coupled to the exhaust of the oxy-boiler for injecting a portion of the flue gas into the formation. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the oxy-boiler is configured to input stoichiometric quantities of the fuel and oxygen for the burning. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the oxy-boiler is configured to input fuel-rich quantities of the fuel and oxygen for the burning. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the oxy-boiler produces the flue gas with less than 0.001% oxygen by volume. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the oxy-boiler is disposed within 100 meters of the injection well. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the injection well is further coupled to the exhaust of the oxy-boiler for injecting into the formation a portion of the flue gas uncompressed after pressurized emission from the oxy-boiler. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the injection well is further coupled to the exhaust of the oxy-boiler such that fluids injected into the formation including the steam and a portion of the flue gas form a mixture containing less than 9% carbon dioxide by weight. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the injection well is further coupled to the exhaust of the oxy-boiler such that fluids injected into the formation including the steam and a portion of the flue gas form a mixture containing less than 5% carbon dioxide by weight.