SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY AND WELL ABANDONMENT
This disclosure relates to methods and systems for injecting and/or sequestering carbon-containing materials in underground wells, and, in some examples, for using the carbon-containing materials for enhanced oil recovery and well abandonment. An example method includes: obtaining a material comprising a carbon-containing liquid; optionally testing the material for compatibility with an underground well; optionally adjusting a property of the material to improve the compatibility; and providing the material for injection into the underground well.
1 . A method of enhancing oil recovery, the method comprising:
injecting bio-oil into an underground well at an injection site; and
obtaining crude oil from the underground well at a production site.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein injecting the bio-oil comprises pumping bio-oil into a casing that extends from a surface location to the underground well.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein injecting the bio-oil further comprises injecting at least one of water, a dispersant, or a solidification accelerator into the underground well.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the injected bio-oil sweeps the crude oil through the underground well.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bio-oil acts as a stimulation fluid in the well.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bio-oil comprises an acid content that reduces a build-up of scale in or around a casing associated with the injection site or the production site.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bio-oil modifies a wettability of the underground well.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bio-oil plugs high-permeability pathways in the underground well.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the crude oil comprises pumping the crude oil into a casing that extends from the underground well to a surface location.
10 . A system for enhancing oil recovery, the system comprising:
an injection site for injecting bio-oil into an underground well, the injection site comprising a bio-oil source, a first pump, and a first casing that extends from a surface location at the injection site to the underground well; and
a production site for obtaining crude oil from the underground well, the production site comprising a second pump and a second casing that extends from a surface location at the production site to the underground well.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the injection site further comprises at least one of water, a dispersant, or a solidification accelerator for injection into the underground well along with the bio-oil.
12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the injected bio-oil sweeps the crude oil through the underground well.
13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the bio-oil acts as a stimulation fluid in the well.
14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the bio-oil comprises an acid content that reduces a build-up of scale in or around the first casing or the second casing.
15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the bio-oil modifies a wettability of the underground well.
16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the bio-oil plugs high-permeability pathways in the underground well.
17 . A method of abandoning an underground well, the method comprising:
injecting bio-oil into an underground well; and
plugging at least a portion of a casing that extends from a surface location to the underground well.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein injecting the bio-oil comprises pumping the bio-oil into the casing.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein plugging the at least a portion of the casing comprises forming a plug with cement.
20 . A system for abandoning an underground well, the system comprising:
a bio-oil source;
a cement source;
a casing that extends from a surface location to an underground well; and
at least one pump configured to (i) receive bio-oil from the bio-oil source and inject the bio-oil through the casing and into the underground well and (ii) receive cement from the cement source and pump the cement into the casing.
21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the cement forms a plug in the casing.
22 . A composition obtained from an underground well, the composition comprising a mixture of crude oil and bio-oil.
23 . The composition of claim 22 , wherein the composition comprises the bio-oil in an amount less than about 20%, by weight.