Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G5/00—Storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02C—CAPTURE, STORAGE, SEQUESTRATION OR DISPOSAL OF GREENHOUSE GASES [GHG]
  • Y02C20/00—Capture or disposal of greenhouse gases
  • Y02C20/40—Capture or disposal of greenhouse gases of CO2
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
  • Y10T137/0318—Processes
  • Y10T137/0391—Affecting flow by the addition of material or energy

Definitions

• Okla drocarbon materials in subterranean storage facilities [22] Fil d; F b, 18, 1975 is provided.
• the method comprises the sequential steps of purging the storage facilities with a carbon [2]] Appl' 550891 dioxide-containing fluid to provide a carbon dioxide atmosphere therein, admixing an effective amount of 52] us.
• This invention relates to the storage of high-viscosity, non-pumpable hydrocarbon materials. In one aspect it relates to a method of storing, in subterranean storage facilities, a hydrocarbon material having a viscosity sufficiently high to resist free-flow.
• An object of the present invention is to provide a method of storing high-viscosity, non-pumpable hydrocarbon materials.
• Another object of the invention is to provide a method of storing heavy crude oil in subterranean storage facilities.
• Another object of the invention is to provide a method of storing high-viscosity, non-pumpable hydro-.
• a method of storing heavy crude in subterranean storage facilities More specifically, we have found a method for storing, in subterranean storage facilities, a crude having a viscosity sufficiently high to resist free-flow which comprises the sequential stepsof purging the storage facilities with a carbon dioxide containing fluid DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• the problem of storage of heavy crude and other heavy hydrocarbon materials has long been recognized by the oil industry. The problem has become even more acute due to the large quantities of oil imported.
• heavy crude and/0r heavy hydrocarbon materials as used herein is to be understood to mean petroleum crude oil and hydrocarbon materials which have a viscosity sufficiently high to resist a free-flow.
• a crude or hydrocarbon material having a viscosity of 2,500 centipoises or higher in non-pumpable and thus considered to be resistant to free-flow it is desirable that the crude and- /or hydrocarbon material have a viscosity of less than 600 centipoises so that same is easily pumpable.
• Any suitable underground storage facility capable of receiving the crude or hydrocarbon material without creating problems in recovery of such crude or-hydrocarbon material can be employed.
• suitable storage facilities include solution mined cavities; mined underground caverns; reconverted underground mineral mines, such as iron mines; and the like. It is, of course, necessary that the facility not contain fractures and the like through which the stored product could be lost. Also, since it is desirable to maintain a carbon dioxide atmosphere within the facility, fractures or formations of high permeability and porosity, such as coal mines, would be unsuitable.
• Solution-mixed cavities in salt domes, mineral underground caverns, and reconverted mineral mines are especially suited for use as storage facilities when employing the method of the present invention.
• the facility is equipped with the necessary equipment, such as well bores, compressors,'pumps, pressure control means, and the like. While it is evident that such equipment is necessary to allow one to purge the facility with a carbon dioxide-containing fluid, to inject the mixture of CO and the heavy crude or hydrocarbon material, to maintain a carbon dioxide-enriched atmosphere at the desired pressure in the storage facility, and to recover the material from the facility, such equipment is well known in the oil industry, and, as such, is not considered a part of the present invention.
• the storage facility is then purged with a carbon dioxide-containing fluid for a sufficient period of time to insure that the facility is provided with a carbon dioxideenriched atmosphere.
• the carbon dioxide-containing fluid employed as the purging agent can be gaseous carbon dioxide or a gas containing at least 20 weight percent, preferably-at least about 50 weight percent carbon dioxide. Flue gas materials and other carbon dioxide-containing materials may be used, provided that the ultimate carbon dioxide pressures are reached.
• the heavy crude and/or hydrocarbon material to be stored in the facility is then admixed with an effective amount of gaseous carbon dioxide to reduce the viscosity of the product so that same can readily be injected into the storage facility.
• the carbon dioxide is admixed with the heavy crude and/or hydrocarbon material under pressure to ensure complete dispersement of the carbon dioxide in the heavy product. While the pressure at which the carbon dioxide is maintained during the mixing procedure can vary widely, it is generally desirable that the carbon dioxide be maintained at a pressure from about 800 to 1,000 psi and that suffi- -cient carbon dioxide be employed to saturate the crude or hydrocarbon material.
• the viscosity of the product is substantially reduced.
• the use of carbon dioxide to reduce the viscosity of a crude oil or hydrocarbon material has been found to be much more effective on heavy crude oil or hydrocarbon than on light oils and hydrocarbons.
• the carbon dioxide-containing crude and/or hydrocarbon material is then injected by conventional means, such as pumps, into the subterranean storage faciliity. Since the storage facility has been previously purged with a carbon dioxide-containing fluid, the crude and/or hydrocarbon material is injected into the storage facility under sufficient pressure to overcome the pressure within the facility. The gaseous product displaced by the injected crude and/or hydrocarbon material can be readily collected at the surface for use in subsequent purging or product recovery operations. When carbon dioxide is used as the purging agent, it can be collected, compressed, and admixed with additional heavy crude and/or hydrocarbon material in order to reduce the viscosity of same.
• a carbon dioxide atmosphere is maintained in the facility to insure complete dispersement and solution of carbon dioxide throughout the stored product so that the reduced viscosity of the product can readily be maintained.
• additional carbon dioxide may be required to be dispersed in the storage facility to maintain the desired atmosphere therein.
• the stored petroleum products can readily be removed from the storage facility by any suitable: means such as by pressuring the facility on the upper portion with a carbon dioxide-containing gas or by bottom-hole pumps. Once the crude oil and/or hydrocarbon has been recovered, the carbon dioxide contained therein can be recovered for subsequent use. For instance, the
• carbon dioxide can be recovered by decreasing the pressure on the stored product as it leaves the storage facility, thus allowing the carbon dioxide to be flashed out and collected.
• the collected carbon dioxide can then be used to purge the storage facility, to recover the stored product, or to be admixed with additional heavy crude and/or hydrocarbon material to reduce the viscosity of same.
• the recovered carbon dioxide can readily be stored in the subterranean storage facility.
• A-method of storing in subterranean storage facilities a hydrocarbon material having a viscosity sufficiently high to resist free-flow which comprises:

Landscapes

• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
• Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=24198997

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (3)

• 1975
  • 1975-02-18 US US55089175 patent/US3922863A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1975-09-30 CA CA236,722A patent/CA1027382A/en not_active Expired
  • 1975-10-22 DE DE19752547311 patent/DE2547311A1/de active Pending
  • 1975-10-30 FR FR7533232A patent/FR2301455A1/fr active Granted
  • 1975-12-11 JP JP14696275A patent/JPS5197601A/ja active Pending
• 1976
  • 1976-01-09 IT IT1914876A patent/IT1054765B/it active

Patent Citations (3)

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