Heavy oil recovery process: Conceptual engineering of a downhole methanator and preliminary estimate of facilities cost for application to North Slope Alaska

• Other Authors: United States. Department of Energy. Office of Conservation and Renewable Energy.
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: S-Cal Research Corp., San Rafael, CA (USA) 1990
• Subjects: Oil Wells; Elements; Chemical Reactions; Fuels; Alaska; Fluid Injection; Progress Report; Viscosity; Oxides; Machinery; Drilling; Economic Analysis; Gas Injection; Synthesis Gas; Data; Methanation; Hydrides; Natural Gas; Chalcogenides; Oil Fields; Hydrogen Compounds; Carbon Monoxide; Well Drilling; Clays; Gas Fuels; Enhanced Recovery; Well Completion; Cost Estimation; Geologic Deposits; Drainage; Carbon Compounds; Steam Reformer Processes; On-Site Power Generation; Carbon Oxides; Swelling; Fuel Gas; Mineral Resources; 020700 > Petroleum > Economics; Industrial; & Business Aspects; Control; Petroleum Deposits; Ammonia; Nitrogen Compounds; Nitrogen; Reformer Processes; Recovery; Document Types; Fossil Fuels; Oxygen Compounds; Usa; Power Generation; 02 Petroleum; Federal Region X; Energy Sources; Information; Carbon Dioxide; Nitrogen Hydrides; Turbomachinery; Fluids; Gases; Petroleum; Gas Turbines; Economics; North America; Wells 020300* > Petroleum > Drilling & Production; Turbines; Synthesis; Resources; Nonmetals; north slope
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2172/6304832; https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1211133/

Results from Tasks 8 and 9 are presented. Task 8 addressed the cost of materials and manufacturing of the Downhole Methanator and the cost of drilling and completing the vertical cased well and two horizontal drain holes in the West Sak reservoir. Task 9 addressed the preliminary design of surface facilities to support the enhanced recovery of heavy oil. Auxiliary facilities include steam reformers for carbon dioxide-rich natural gas reforming, emergency electric generators, nitrogen gas generators, and an ammonia synthesis unit. The ammonia is needed to stabilize the swelling of clays in the reservoir. Cost estimations and a description of how they were obtained are given.