Method and system for enhancing hydrocarbon production from a hydrocarbon well

Abstract

Production from a hydrocarbon well is facilitated when heat generated by surface equipment used to produce hydrocarbons from the well is continuously injected into the well to heat the well system. The heat may be further concentrated using a vortex tube to separate a hot component from a cold component of compressed gas injected into the well.

1 . A method of enhancing production of hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon well comprising continuously injecting into the hydrocarbon well heat generated by surface equipment used to produce the hydrocarbons from the well or heat generated by surface equipment used to compress the hydrocarbons for injection into a pipeline.  
   
   
       2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the hydrocarbon well is a natural gas well and the method further comprises: 
 compressing the natural gas produced from the well at the wellhead using a compressor; and    continuously diverting a proportion of the compressed natural gas back into the well to heat the well.    
   
   
       3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein diverting a proportion of the compressed natural gas back into the well comprises diverting the compressed natural gas into a production tubing of the well.  
   
   
       4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein diverting a proportion of the compressed natural gas back into the well comprises diverting the compressed natural gas into an annulus between production tubing and a casing of the well.  
   
   
       5 . The method as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising using a vortex tube to separate the compressed natural gas into a hot natural gas component and a cold natural gas component and continuously diverting only the hot natural gas component back into the well.  
   
   
       6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5  further comprising delivering the cold natural gas component to at least one of a natural gas distribution system and a fuel intake of a prime mover used to produce hydrocarbons from the well or to compress natural gas produced by the well.  
   
   
       7 . The method as claimed in  claim 6  wherein delivering the cold natural gas component to the natural gas distribution system comprises injecting the cold natural gas component directly into the gas distribution system.  
   
   
       8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the hydrocarbon well is an oil well, and the method further comprises: 
 continuously collecting heat generated by a prime mover used to pump crude oil from the oil well and transferring the heat to a heat transfer medium; and    continuously recirculating the heat transfer medium through the well to inject the heat into the well.    
   
   
       9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the heat transfer medium comprises a compressed gas.  
   
   
       10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the pump comprises a jack pump and the method further comprises: 
 continuously circulating the compressed gas down a hollow sucker rod string connected to the jack pump;    continuously drawing the compressed gas returned to a wellhead of the well; and    continuously passing the returned compressed gas through a heat exchanger for transferring to the compressed gas the heat generated by the prime mover.    
   
   
       11 . A method of enhancing production from a natural gas well, comprising: 
 flowing natural gas from the well to a compressor and compressing the natural gas;    diverting a proportion of the compressed natural gas back into the well; and    delivering a remainder of the compressed natural gas to a natural gas distribution system.    
   
   
       12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11  wherein compressing the natural gas comprises compressing the natural gas using a compressor driven by an internal combustion engine, and at least a proportion of heat output by the internal combustion engine is used to further heat the compressed natural gas before it is diverted back into the well.  
   
   
       13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12  further comprising recovering exhaust heat from the internal combustion engine using a heat exchanger and further heating the compressed natural gas using the recovered exhaust heat.  
   
   
       14 . The method as claimed in  claim 12  further comprising recovering heat from an engine block of the internal combustion engine using a heat exchanger and further heating the compressed natural gas using the recovered engine block heat.  
   
   
       15 . The method as claimed in  claim 11  further comprising using at least one vortex tube to separate a hot natural gas component of the compressed natural gas from a cold natural gas component of the compressed natural gas, and injecting the hot natural gas component back into the well.  
   
   
       16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising delivering the cold natural gas component to the natural gas distribution system.  
   
   
       17 . The method as claimed in  claim 11  further comprising mixing additives with the compressed natural gas as the compressed natural gas is diverted back into the well.  
   
   
       18 . The method as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the additives comprise at least one of: fresh water, a corrosion inhibitor; a scale inhibitor; a paraffin inhibitor; an asphaltene inhibitor; a salt inhibitor; a surfactant; and, a freeze point depressant.  
   
   
       19 . The method as claimed in  claim 11  wherein diverting the compressed natural gas comprises diverting the compressed natural gas down a production tubing string suspended inside a casing of the well and producing natural gas from an annulus between the production tubing string and the casing of the well.  
   
   
       20 . The method as claimed in  claim 11  wherein diverting the compressed natural gas comprises diverting the compressed natural gas down a casing of the well and producing the natural gas from a production tubing string suspended inside the casing.  
   
   
       21 . A system for enhancing hydrocarbon production from a hydrocarbon well, comprising: 
 a power source for continuously injecting into the well a compressed gas heated by heat generated by surface equipment used to produce the hydrocarbon from the well or to compress the hydrocarbons produced by the well.    
   
   
       22 . The system as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the hydrocarbon well is a natural gas well, and the power source comprises a compressor for compressing natural gas produced from the well, the system further comprising: 
 a diverter line for diverting back into the well a proportion of a hot compressed natural gas stream compressed by the compressor; and    a control valve for controlling the proportion of the hot compressed natural gas stream diverted back into the well.    
   
   
       23 . The system as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the control valve comprises a choke.  
   
   
       24 . The system as claimed in  claim 22  further comprising an additive system for mixing additives with the hot compressed natural gas diverted back into the well.  
   
   
       25 . The system as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the additive system comprises an additive reservoir and an additive pump for pumping an additive from the additive reservoir into the diverter line.  
   
   
       26 . The system as claimed in  claim 21  further comprising a heat exchanger for extracting heat generated by a prime mover used to drive the compressor.  
   
   
       27 . The system as claimed in  claim 26  wherein the prime mover is an internal combustion engine and the heat exchanger recuperates heat from exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine.  
   
   
       28 . The system as claimed in  claim 26  wherein the prime mover is an internal combustion engine and the heat exchanger recuperates heat from an engine block of the internal combustion engine.  
   
   
       29 . The system as claimed in  claim 21  further comprising: 
 a vortex tube connected to the diverter line, the vortex tube separating the compressed gas into a hot gas component and a cold gas component; and    a hot gas injector line for injecting the hot gas component into the well.    
   
   
       30 . The system as claimed in  claim 29  further comprising a cold gas injector line for delivering the cold gas component to a natural gas distribution system.