IP Library Granted Patent US 8,678,080
Granted Patent B2
US 8,678,080 · App. 13/901,230 · Granted Mar 25, 2014

Water processing systems and methods

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,678,080
App. No.
13/901,230
Granted
Mar 25, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system comprising a well drilled into an underground formation comprising hydrocarbons; a water supply; a steam production facility, the steam production facility comprising a filter to remove at least 80% of a quantity of divalent cations in the water supply; an exchange resin to remove at least 80% of a quantity of divalent cations in a filtered water stream that has already passed through the filter; a steam injection facility connected to the well and the steam production facility, adapted to inject the steam into the well.

Claims (18)

1. A system comprising:

a well drilled into an underground formation comprising hydrocarbons;

a water supply;

a water production facility, the water production facility comprising:

a filter to remove at least 80% of a quantity of divalent cations in the water supply;

an exchange resin to remove at least 80% of a quantity of divalent cations in a filtered water stream that has already passed through the filter;

a water injection facility connected to the well and the water production facility, adapted to inject the water that has passed through the exchange resin into the well.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second well drilled into the underground formation; and

a hydrocarbon production facility at a topside of the second well.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the exchange resin comprises at least one of a weak acid ion exchange resin or a chelating cation exchange resin.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the underground formation is beneath a body of water.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the water production facility is above a body of water.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a water pumping apparatus, adapted to pump water from the water supply to the water production facility.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the water production facility has an input water having a total dissolved salts value of at least 15,000 parts per million, expressed as sodium chloride dissolved.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the well comprises a diameter from 10 to 25 cm.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter removes at least 95% of the quantity of divalent cations.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter removes at least 99% of the quantity of divalent cations.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 7, 2022
From: SHELL OIL COMPANY
To: SHELL USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 059694/0819 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2013
From: CUROLE, MICHAEL ALVIN; GREENE, EUGENE BRUCE
To: SHELL OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 030477/0450 →