Method for production and upgrading of oil

Abstract

An integrated process for production and upgrading of heavy and extra-heavy crude oil, comprising (a) reforming of hydrocarbons such as natural gas to produce hydrogen, CO2 and steam (b) separating the produced hydrogen from the CO2, steam and any other gases to give a hydrogen rich fraction and a CO2 rich fraction and steam, (c) injecting the steam alone or in combination with the CO2 rich fraction into a reservoir containing heavy or extra heavy oil to increase the oil recovery, and (d) upgrading/refining of the heavy or extra heavy oil to finished products by extensive hydroprocessing, comprising several steps of hydrocracking and hydrotreating (sulfur, nitrogen and metals removal as well as hydrogenation of olefins and aromatics), using the hydrogen rich fraction.

1 . An integrated process for production and upgrading of heavy and extra-heavy crude oil, comprising (a) reforming of hydrocarbons to produce gases comprised of hydrogen, CO 2  and steam (b) separating the produced hydrogen from the CO 2 , steam and any other gases to give a hydrogen rich fraction and a CO 2  rich fraction and steam, (c) injecting the steam alone or in combination with the CO 2  rich fraction into a reservoir containing one of heavy or extra heavy oil to increase the oil recovery, and (d) one or both of upgrading and refining of the heavy or extra heavy oil to finished products by extensive hydroprocessing, comprising a plurality of steps of hydrocracking and hydrotreating, using the hydrogen rich fraction.  
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the reforming in step (a) is steam reforming.  
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the reforming is performed under supercritical conditions.  
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the reforming in step (a) is one of autothermal reforming or partial oxidation.  
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 4 , wherein air is used as oxidizer in the autothermal reformer or in the partial oxidation reactor.  
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 3 , comprising the additional step of air separation to produce purified oxygen comprising more than 95%, oxygen, that is used as oxidizer in the reforming.  
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein purified nitrogen co-produced with the purified oxygen is injected into the reservoir together with the CO 2  rich fraction in step (d) to stimulate the oil production.  
   
   
       8 . The process according to  claim 7  wherein CO 2  produced during the reforming process is reacted in a water gas shift reaction to produce additional CO 2  and H 2 .  
   
   
       9 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the heavy or extra heavy oil is partially upgraded in the reservoir by hydrogen injection.  
   
   
       10 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the heavy or extra heavy oil is partially upgraded in a downhole upgrading unit.  
   
   
       11 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the heavy or extra heavy oil is upgraded on one of an offshore or onshore upgrading facility, employing particular compact process unit design.  
   
   
       12 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein at least a part of the heat to increase recovery of the heavy or extra heavy oil is generated by in-situ combustion.  
   
   
       13 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein geothermal heat is used to increase recovery and transport of the heavy or extra heavy oil.  
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 3  comprising the additional step of air separation to produce purified oxygen comprising more than 98% oxygen that is used as oxidizer in the reforming.  
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the hydrocarbon reformed is natural gas.  
   
   
       16 . The process according to  claim 15  wherein CO 2  produced during the reforming process is reacted in a water gas shift reaction to produce additional CO 2  and H 2 .  
   
   
       17 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein CO 2  produced during the reforming process is reacted in a water gas shift reaction to produce additional CO 2  and H 2 .  
   
   
       18 . The process according to  claim 5  wherein CO 2  produced during the reforming process is reacted in a water gas shift reaction to produce additional CO 2  and H 2 .  
   
   
       19 . The process according to  claim 7  wherein the heavy or extra heavy oil is partially upgraded in the reservoir by hydrogen injection.  
   
   
       20 . The process according to  claim 19  wherein the heavy or extra heavy oil is partially upgraded in a downhole upgrading unit.  
   
   
       21 . The process according to  claim 8  wherein the heavy or extra heavy oil is partially upgraded in a downhole upgrading unit.  
   
   
       22 . The process according to  claim 7  wherein the heavy or extra heavy oil is upgraded on one of an offshore or onshore upgrading facility employing a compact process unit design.  
   
   
       23 . The process according to  claim 21  wherein the heavy or extra heavy oil is upgraded on one of an offshore or onshore upgrading facility employing a compact process unit design.  
   
   
       24 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the compact process unit design is compact gas reforming.  
   
   
       25 . The process according to  claim 23  wherein at least a part of the heat to increase recovery of the heavy or extra heavy oil is generated by in-situ combustion.  
   
   
       26 . The process according to  claim 25  wherein geothermal heat is used to increase recovery and transport of the heavy or extra heavy oil.  
   
   
       27 . The process according to  claim 7  wherein at least a part of the heat to increase recovery of the heavy or extra heavy oil is generated by in-situ combustion.  
   
   
       28 . The process according to  claim 7  wherein geothermal heat is used to increase recovery and transport of the heavy or extra heavy oil.  
   
   
       29 . The process according to  claim 11  wherein the particular compact process unit design is compact gas reforming.