Granted Patent
B2
US 12,421,829 · App. 17/481,082 · Granted Sep 23, 2025
Combined carbon dioxide disposal and freshwater production from a saline aquifer
Assignee:
Saudi Arabian Oil Company
E21B41/0064B01D53/1475B01D53/1493B01D53/18B01F23/2312B01F27/112B01F27/191B65G5/00C02F1/441E03B3/08B01D2252/103C02F2103/10C02F2201/009H02S10/00
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Abstract
A method and a system for sequestering carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) while producing freshwater are provided. An exemplary method includes producing saline water from a saline aquifer, desalinating at least a portion of the saline water, producing freshwater and waste brine, mixing waste CO 2 with the waste brine forming a brine/CO 2 mixture, and injecting the brine/CO 2 mixture into the saline aquifer.
Claims (35)
1. A method for sequestering carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) while producing freshwater, the method comprising:
producing saline water from a saline aquifer using a production well drilled to the saline aquifer;
powering a reverse osmosis desalination plant with electricity from a solar power plant;
desalinating at least a portion of the saline water in the reverse osmosis desalination plant, producing freshwater and waste brine;
mixing waste CO 2 with the waste brine using a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), forming a brine/CO 2 mixture that does not contain another brine or saline water other than the waste brine; and
injecting the brine/CO 2 mixture into the saline aquifer,
wherein the CSTR comprises:
a mixing paddle;
a spray ring disposed within a headspace of the CSTR to drop droplets of the waste brine; and
a CO 2 sparger disposed near the bottom of the CSTR to provide bubbles of the waste CO 2 .
2. The method of claim 1 , comprising providing the freshwater to an agricultural site.
3. The method of claim 1 , comprising providing the freshwater to operators of a plant facility.
4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
providing the electricity from the solar power plant to mix the waste CO 2 with the waste brine to form the brine/CO 2 mixture; and
providing the electricity from the solar plant to inject the brine/CO 2 mixture.
5. The method of claim 1 , comprising dissolving the waste CO 2 into the waste brine, wherein the brine/CO 2 mixture comprises a solution.
6. The method of claim 1 , comprising balancing the pressure in the saline aquifer between a pressure loss from producing the saline water from the saline aquifer and a pressure gain from injecting the brine/CO 2 mixture.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the saline aquifer is under a cap rock.
8. The method of claim 1 , comprising forming a layer of the brine/CO 2 mixture in the saline aquifer under the saline water.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the saline aquifer does not comprise a cap rock.
10. A system for sequestering carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) while producing freshwater, the system comprising:
a production well drilled to a saline aquifer to produce saline water;
a solar power plant providing electricity to a desalination plant and a mixing plant;
the desalination plant to produce freshwater from the saline water produced from the saline aquifer, and form a waste brine;
the mixing plant to mix waste CO 2 with the waste brine, to form a brine/CO 2 mixture, the mixing plant comprising a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), the CSTR comprising a mixing paddle, a spray ring disposed within a headspace of the CSTR to drop droplets of the waste brine, and a CO 2 sparger disposed near the bottom of the CSTR to provide bubbles of the waste CO 2 ; and
an injection well drilled to the saline aquifer to inject the brine/CO 2 mixture into the saline aquifer.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the production well is a pre-existing well in an oilfield.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the injection well is a pre-existing well in an oilfield.
13. The system of claim 10 , comprising an injection pump to inject the brine/CO 2 mixture into the saline aquifer.
14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the solar power plant comprises photovoltaic cells.
15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the solar power plant comprises reflectors that focus sunlight on a boiler.
16. The system of claim 10 , comprising a freshwater distribution system to provide the freshwater to users.
17. The system of claim 10 , comprising a CO 2 pipeline to provide the waste CO 2 to the mixing plant.
18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the mixing plant comprises multiple stages that contact the waste brine with the waste CO 2 .
19. The system of claim 10 , comprising a sparger placed in the saline aquifer.
Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST
Recorded Sep 22, 2021
From: STEWART, SIMON A.
To: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 057556/0227 →
Continuity (1)
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