System for using geopressured-geothermal reservoirs

Abstract

Process of drilling a bore into a geopressured-geothermal reservoir containing a gas-laden fluid, allowing the fluid to escape through the bore, passing the fluid into a rotatable turbine which causes a generator to produce electricity, passing the fluid to means for separating gas from the fluid, and passing the fluid into a multi-effect distillation system to extract fresh water from the fluid to produce fresh water and saturated brine.

What is claimed is: . . 
     
       1.  A method of using a geopressured-geothermal reservoir containing a gas-laden fluid, said method comprising the steps of: (a) drilling a bore into the reservoir;   (b) allowing the fluid within the reservoir to escape through the bore;   (c) passing the fluid into an interior of a turbine such that movement of the fluid causes the turbine to rotate, rotation of the turbine causing a generator to rotate to produce electricity;   (d) passing the fluid from the interior of the turbine to means for separating the gas from the fluid; and   (e) passing the fluid into an interior of a multi-effect distillation system, the multi-effect distillation system extracting fresh water from the fluid to produce fresh water and saturated brine..!.   
     
     
       2. . .The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of.!. .Iadd.A method of using a geopressured-geothermal reservoir containing a gas-laden fluid, the reservoir having a bore therein, said method comprising the steps of.Iaddend.: .Iadd.(a) allowing the fluid within the reservoir to escape through the bore;   (b) passing the fluid into means for separating the gas from the fluid;   (c) passing the fluid into an interior of a multi-effect distillation system having cascading distillation effects, each distillation effect removing water vapor from the fluid and passing the water vapor through a heat exchanger located adjacent to fluid contained within a successive distillation effect, the multi-effect distillation system extracting fresh water from the fluid to produce fresh water and concentrated brine; and   (d) .Iaddend.withdrawing the fluid from the reservoir in such a manner as to . .generate a.!. .Iadd.limit intensity of a controlled .Iaddend.earthquake to relieve stress within an underlying geographical strata.   
     
     
       3. . .The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of.!. .Iadd.A method of using a geopressured-geothermal reservoir containing a gas-laden fluid, the reservoir having a bore therein, said method comprising the steps of.Iaddend.: .Iadd.(a) allowing the fluid within the reservoir to escape through the bore;   (b) passing the fluid into means for separating the gas from the fluid;   (c) passing the fluid into an interior of a multi-effect distillation system having cascading distillation effects, each distillation effect removing water vapor from the fluid and passing the water vapor through a heat exchanger located adjacent to fluid contained within a successive distillation effect, the multi-effect distillation system extracting fresh water from the fluid to produce fresh water and concentrated brine; and   (d) .Iaddend.injecting fluid into the reservoir in such a manner as to generate . .a.!. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.earthquake to relieve stress within an underlying geographical strata.   
     
     
       4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of injecting fluid into the reservoir comprises the injection and disposal of liquid waste. 
     
     
       5. . .The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of.!. .Iadd.A method of using a geopressured-geothermal reservoir containing a gas-laden fluid, the reservoir having a bore therein, said method comprising the steps of: (a) allowing the fluid within the reservoir to escape through the bore;   (b) passing the fluid into means for separating the gas from the fluid;   (c) passing the fluid into an interior of a multi-effect distillation system having cascading distillation effects, each distillation effect removing water vapor from the fluid and passing the water vapor through a heat exchanger located adjacent to fluid contained within a successive distillation effect, the multi-effect distillation system extracting fresh water from the fluid to produce fresh water and concentrated brine; and   (d) .Iaddend.passing the gas to means for extracting moisture from the gas. . .6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of passing the saturated brine to one or more solar ponds..!.. .7. The method of claim 6, wherein said method of passing the saturated brine to one or more solar ponds produces potable water by reverse osmosis desalination of   
     
     
        seawater..!.8. The method of claim 4, wherein said method of injecting liquid waste into the reservoir causes the displacement of unprocessed reservoir fluid from the reservoir through the bore. .Iadd.9. A method of using a geopressured-geothermal reservoir containing a gas-laden fluid, the reservoir having a bore therein, said method comprising the steps of: (a) allowing the fluid within the reservoir to escape through the bore;   (b) passing the fluid into means for separating the gas from the fluid;   (c) passing the fluid into an interior of a multi-effect distillation system having cascading distillation effects, each distillation effect removing water vapor from the fluid and passing the water vapor through a heat exchanger located adjacent to fluid contained within a successive distillation effect, the multi-effect distillation system extracting fresh water from the fluid to produce fresh water and concentrated brine; and   (d) passing the fluid from the bore into an interior of a turbine such that movement of the fluid causes the turbine to rotate, rotation of the turbine causing a generator to rotate to produce   
     
     
        electricity..Iaddend..Iadd.10.  The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of passing the fluid from the interior of the turbine to said means for separating the gas from the fluid..Iaddend..Iadd.11. A method of using a geopressured-geothermal reservoir containing a gas-laden fluid, the reservoir having a bore therein, said method comprising the steps of: (a) allowing the fluid within the reservoir to escape through the bore;   (b) passing the fluid into means for separating the gas from the fluid;   (c) passing the fluid into an interior of a multi-effect distillation system having cascading distillation effects, each distillation effect removing water vapor from the fluid and passing the water vapor through a heat exchanger located adjacent to fluid contained within a successive distillation effect, the multi-effect distillation system extracting fresh water from the fluid to produce fresh water and concentrated brine; and   (d) passing steam from the multi-effect distillation system to an external heat exchanger..Iaddend..Iadd.12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of condensing the steam within the external heat exchanger by transferring latent heat to cooling fluid or seawater..Iaddend..Iadd.13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of passing the concentrated brine to one or more solar ponds..Iaddend..Iadd.14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of using the solar ponds to produce power for the desalination of sea water..Iaddend.