Waste heat recovery from depleted reservoir

Abstract

Described herein is a method of producing heated water from a hydrocarbon reservoir. The method includes injecting water into at least a portion of the hot bitumen-depleted zone to heat the water; and producing the heated water from a heated water production well. The method can includes generating the hot bitumen-depleted zone using steam-assisted gravity drainage, in situ combustion, steam flooding, cyclic steam stimulation, a solvent aided thermal recovery process, electric heating, electromagnetic heating, or any combination thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing heated water from a hydrocarbon reservoir, the method comprising:
 injecting water into at least a portion of the hot bitumen-depleted zone to heat the water; and   producing the heated water from a heated water production well.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating the hot bitumen-depleted zone using steam-assisted gravity drainage, in situ combustion, steam flooding, cyclic steam stimulation, a solvent aided thermal recovery process, electric heating, electromagnetic heating, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein injecting the water into at least a portion of the hot bitumen-depleted zone heats the water sufficiently to generate steam in situ. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the heated water production well is located above at least a portion of the hot bitumen-depleted zone, and the water is injected into the portion of the hot-bitumen depleted zone below the heated water production well. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein injecting the water into at least a portion of the hot bitumen-depleted zone heats the water sufficiently to generate hot liquid water in situ. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein the heated water production well is located below at least a portion of the hot bitumen-depleted zone, and the water is injected into the portion of the hot-bitumen depleted zone above the heated water production well. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein injecting the water into at least a portion of the hot bitumen-depleted zone heats the water sufficiently to generate both steam and hot liquid water in situ. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the method comprises producing heated water from a first and a second heated water production well, wherein:
 the first heated water production well is located above at least a portion of the hot bitumen-depleted zone; and   the second heated water production well is located below at least a portion of the hot bitumen-depleted zone; and   the water is injected into a portion of the hot-bitumen depleted zone below the first heated water production well and above the heated water production well, and   the first heated water production well produces heated water from the generated steam, and the second heated water production well produces heated water from the generated hot liquid water.