Fluid injection filtration system

Abstract

A method of injecting fluid into an injection well comprises receiving, by an input device, an input, verifying an authorization to use a filter assembly in response to receiving the input, opening an actuator valve in response to the verifying, actuating a pump in fluid communication with the actuator valve in response to the verifying, receiving a fluid within a filter assembly in response to opening the actuator valve and actuating the pump, wherein the fluid comprises suspended solids, and separating at least a portion of the suspended solids in the fluid within the filter assembly. The pump may be disposed downstream of the filter assembly, and receiving fluid within the filter assembly may comprise drawing fluid into the filter assembly in response to actuating the pump.

1 . A method of injecting fluid into an injection well, the method comprising:
 receiving, by an input device, an input comprising an identification;   comparing, by a processor, the input with a list of authorized users, wherein the list is stored in a memory;   matching the identification with an entry in the list;   verifying an authorization to use a filter assembly in response to matching the identification with the entry;   generating, by the processor, an actuation signal in response to the verifying;   opening a liquid flow actuator valve in response to the actuation signal;   filling a filter assembly with a liquid in response to opening the liquid flow actuator valve, wherein the liquid comprises suspended solids;   purging a gas within the filter assembly through a valve while filling the filter assembly with the liquid;   actuating a pump in fluid communication with the liquid flow actuator, wherein fluid flow through the filter assembly is substantially restricted prior to actuation of the pump or opening of the liquid flow actuator valve;   passing the liquid through the filter assembly;   retaining at least a portion of the suspended solids in the liquid within the filter assembly;   receiving a signal indicating a restricted flow between a fluid inlet of the filter assembly and a fluid outlet of the filter assembly; and   transferring the portion of the suspended solids retained in the filter assembly to a solids collection vessel through a drain in the filter assembly in response to the signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is disposed downstream of the filter assembly, and wherein filling the filter assembly with the liquid comprises drawing the liquid into the filter assembly in response to actuating the pump. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein retaining at least the portion of the suspended solids in the liquid produces a filtered fluid, and wherein the method further comprises:
 separating a hydrocarbon from the filtered fluid to provide a hydrocarbon fluid and an aqueous fluid;   storing the hydrocarbon in a hydrocarbon storage tank; and   storing the aqueous fluid in a water storage tank.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising injecting the aqueous fluid into an injection well. 
     
     
         5 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: separating, within the solids collection vessel, a second fluid from the solids in the solids collection vessel, passing the second fluid to the filter assembly; and separating at least a portion of the suspended solids in the second fluid within the filter assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 separating, within the solids collection vessel, a second fluid from the solids in the solids collection vessel;   opening a second actuator valve;   actuating a second pump in fluid communication with the second actuator valve;   passing the second fluid to a second filter assembly; and   separating at least a portion of any suspended solids in the second fluid within the second filter assembly.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing a cleaning cycle in response to the signal, wherein performing the cleaning cycle comprises:
 closing the liquid flow actuator valve;   opening a drain actuator valve disposed in a drain line;   spraying a cleaning fluid within the filter assembly; removing the portion of the suspended solids from the filter assembly; and   wherein transferring the portion of the suspended solids retained in the filter assembly comprises passing the cleaning fluid and the portion of the suspended solids out of the filter assembly through the drain line.   
     
     
         10 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid flow actuator valve is disposed upstream of the filter assembly. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein retaining at least the portion of the suspended solids in the liquid comprises retaining a portion of the solids having a size larger than an amount ranging from about 1,000 microns to about 5 microns. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the filter assembly comprises:
 a housing defining a chamber;   a filtration device disposed within the chamber, wherein the filtration device divides the chamber into an inlet portion and an outlet portion;   a fluid inlet disposed in the housing and configured to receive the liquid comprising suspended solids into the inlet portion;   a fluid outlet disposed in the housing and configured to pass the liquid out of the housing from the outlet portion; and   a drain configured to pass a portion of the liquid comprising at least a portion of the suspended solids out of the inlet portion of the housing.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein filling the filter assembly comprises: receiving the liquid through the fluid inlet, and wherein retaining at least the portion of the suspended solids in the liquid comprises separating at least the portion of the suspended solids using the filtration device. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the filter assembly further comprises a catch basin formed in the bottom of the housing, wherein the drain is disposed in the catch basin, and wherein the method further comprises: collecting at least the portion of the suspended solids separated from the liquid within the catch basin, and removing the portion of the suspended solids through the drain. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the filter assembly further comprises one or more nozzles disposed within the housing, and wherein the method further comprises spraying a cleaning fluid on the filtration device within the filter assembly using the nozzles, and cleaning the filtration device in response to spraying the cleaning fluid. 
     
     
         40 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the housing has a rectangular cross-section, and wherein the filtration device comprises a screen with four or more sides. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising: retaining a second portion of the suspended solids in the liquid within a second filter assembly, wherein the second filter assembly comprises:
 a second housing defining a second chamber;   a second filtration device disposed within the second chamber, wherein the second filtration device divides the chamber into a second inlet portion and a second outlet portion, and wherein the second filtration device is configured to filter a smaller particle size than the filtration device in the housing;   a second fluid inlet disposed in the second housing and coupled to the fluid outlet;   a second fluid outlet disposed in the second housing and configured to pass a liquid out of the second housing from the second outlet portion; and   a second drain disposed in a lower portion of the housing and configured to pass a liquid comprising at least a portion of the suspended solids out of the inlet portion of the housing.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the filter assembly further comprises a second filtration device disposed within the chamber, wherein the filtration device and the second filtration device are disposed in series within the chamber, and wherein separating at least the portion of the suspended solids in the liquid within the filter assembly comprises: separating a first portion of the suspended solids using the filtration device, and separating a second portion of the suspended solids using the second filtration device. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the filtration device and the second filtration device divide the chamber into the inlet portion, a second portion, and the outlet portion, and wherein the filter system further comprises: a second drain disposed in the lower portion of the housing that is configured to pass a second portion of the liquid comprising at least a second portion of the suspended solids out of the second portion of the housing. 
     
     
         46 . The filter system of  claim 44 , wherein the pore size of the second filtration device is smaller than the pore size of the filtration device, and wherein the first portion of the suspended solids separated using the filtration device has a larger average diameter than the second portion of the suspended solids separated using the second filtration device. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the filter assembly, the liquid flow actuator valve, the pump, and the input device are disposed within a portable unit. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising transporting the portable unit to a well site using a transportation device. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising:
 transporting the portable unit to a first location on a transportation device, wherein the filter assembly within the portable unit comprises a housing, a filtration device disposed within the housing, a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a drain, and wherein the solids collection vessel is in fluid communication with the drain, and   wherein retaining at least the portion of the suspended solids in the liquid within the filter assembly comprises:
 passing the liquid comprising the suspended solids through the fluid inlet; 
 passing the liquid through the filtration device within the housing; 
 separating at least the portion of the suspended solids from the liquid using the filtration device to produce a filtered liquid; 
 passing the filtered liquid out of the housing through the fluid outlet; 
   passing at least a portion of the separated suspended solids through the drain; and
 receiving the portion of the separated suspended solids within the solids collection vessel. 
   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein retaining at least the portion of the suspended solids from the liquid within the filter assembly further comprises: retaining the suspended solids comprising a particle size larger than about 75 microns. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein passing the liquid comprising the suspended solids through the fluid inlet occurs in response to opening the liquid flow actuator valve. 
     
     
         52 . A method of injecting fluid into an injection well, the method comprising:
 receiving, by an input device, an input comprising an identification;   verifying an authorization to use a filter assembly in response to receiving the identification;   opening a liquid flow actuator valve in response to the verifying;   filling the filter assembly with a liquid in response to opening the liquid flow actuator valve, wherein the liquid comprises suspended solids;   actuating a pump in fluid communication with the liquid flow actuator valve, wherein fluid flow through the filter assembly is substantially restricted prior to actuation of the pump or opening of the liquid flow actuator valve;   passing the liquid through the filter assembly;   retaining at least a portion of the suspended solids in the liquid within the filter assembly;   receiving a signal indicating a restricted flow between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet of the filter assembly;   transferring the portion of the suspended solids in the liquid to a solids collection vessel in response to the signal;   decanting, within the solids collection vessel, a second fluid from the portion of the suspended solids transferred to the solids collection vessel;   removing the second fluid from the solids in the solids collection vessel;   retaining the portion of the suspended solids within the solids collection vessel while removing the second fluid;   filtering the second fluid;   separating at least a portion of any suspended solids in the second fluid; and   discharging the second fluid with at least the portion of the suspended solids separated.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein filtering the second fluid comprises:
 passing the second fluid to the filter assembly; and   retaining at least the portion of any suspended solids in the second fluid within the filter assembly.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein filtering the second fluid comprises:
 passing at least a portion of the second fluid to a second filter assembly; and   retaining at least the portion of any suspended solids in at least the portion of the second fluid within the second filter assembly.   
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification comprises at least one of a key code, a Personal Identification Number (PIN), a company identification number, an authorization code, or a biometric indicator. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 substantially restricting fluid flow between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet in response to the signal, wherein transferring the portion of the suspended solids retained in the filter assembly to the solids collection vessel occurs while the fluid flow between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet is substantially restricted.   
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising:
 substantially restricting fluid flow between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet in response to the signal, wherein transferring the portion of the suspended solids retained in the filter assembly to the solids collection vessel occurs while the fluid flow between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet is substantially restricted.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising:
 purging a gas within the filter assembly through a valve while filling the filter assembly with the liquid.