Method and apparatus for utilization of water produced from subterranean hydrocarbon reserves in mining of associated mineral deposits

Abstract

Identifying geographical uses, other than disposal for produced water that is recovered from a well and establishing methods and systems for recovering and handling this water. The produced water is treated so as to render the produced water suitable for solution mining. The produced water is transported to a solution mining site and the produced water is utilized at the solution mining site

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for utilization of produced water, the method comprising:
 recovering produced water from a well;   treating the produced water so as to render the produced water suitable for solution mining;   transporting the produced and treated water to a solution mining site; and   utilizing the produced water at the solution mining site.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the well is a subterranean hydrocarbon reserve. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution mining site is a potash mine. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the utilizing comprises:
 injecting the produced water into the solution mining site;   dissolving minerals present in the solution mining site with the produced water to create a mineral solution; and   recovering the dissolved minerals from the mineral solution.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treating comprises at least one of chemical oxidation, filtration, chemical precipitation, and solid/liquid separation. 
     
     
         6 . A produced-water utilization system, comprising:
 a water-gathering system fluidly coupled to at least one well pad for recovery of produced water;   a water-treating system fluidly coupled to the water-gathering system;   a water-distribution system fluidly coupled to the water-treating system; and   wherein the water-distribution system transports produced water to a solution mining site.   
     
     
         7 . The produced-water utilization system of  claim 6 , wherein the water-gathering system is fluidly coupled to a plurality of wells in parallel. 
     
     
         8 . The produced-water utilization system of  claim 6 , wherein the water-treatment system includes at least one of an oxidation facility, an oil/water separation facility, a dissolved air floatation unit, a chemical precipitation facility, and a final polishing filter.