Water Integration Between An In-Situ Recovery Operation And A Bitumen Mining Operation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for integrating water between an in-situ bitumen recovery operation and a bitumen mining operation for improving efficiencies and synergies there between. A method of integrating water between a bitumen mining and extraction operation and an in-situ bitumen recovery operation comprises a) providing water associated with the bitumen mining and extraction operation; and b) directing the water, or boiler feed water or steam generated therefrom, to the in-situ bitumen recovery operation for use therein. Steam generated is used to assist in bitumen recovery at the in-situ facility. A basic system for integrating water between a bitumen mining and extraction operation and an in-situ bitumen recovery operation comprises a) a bitumen mining and extraction facility having a source of water; b) an in-situ bitumen recovery facility; c) a transporter for transporting the water, or boiler feed water or steam generated therefrom, to the in-situ bitumen recovery facility for use in an in-situ bitumen recovery operation.

1 . A method of integrating water between a bitumen mining and extraction operation and an in-situ bitumen recovery operation, comprising:
 (a) providing water from a water source associated with the bitumen mining and extraction operation; and   (b) directing all or a portion of the water, or all or a portion of boiler feed water or steam generated therefrom, to the in-situ bitumen recovery operation for use therein.   
     
     
         2 . A method of integrating water between a bitumen mining and extraction operation and an in-situ bitumen recovery operation, comprising:
 (a) providing water from a water source associated with the bitumen mining and extraction operation;   (b) processing the water to provide boiler feed water suitable for steam generation;   (c) generating steam from the boiler feed water; and   (d) utilizing all or a portion of the steam generated to support the in-situ bitumen recovery operation.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the in-situ bitumen recovery operation is a thermal in-situ bitumen recovery operation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the thermal in-situ bitumen recovery operation comprises steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), cyclic steam stimulation (CSS), or a derivative thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the derivative thereof is solvent-assisted SAGD (SA-SAGD), steam and gas push (SAGP), combined vapor and steam extraction (SAVEX), expanding solvent SAGD (ES-SAGD), constant steam drainage (CSD), liquid addition to steam enhancing recovery (LASER), water flooding or steam flooding. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the thermal in-situ recovery operation is SAGD. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the water comprises surface water, subsurface water or process affected water associated with the bitumen mining and extraction operation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the water is fresh water or tailings or recycled tailings water associated with the bitumen mining and extraction operation. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the water is tailings or recycled tailings water from a tailings pond, primary separation unit or froth separation unit. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the water processing takes place at a mining and extraction facility, an in-situ bitumen recovery facility, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the steam is generated at a mining and extraction facility, an in-situ bitumen recovery facility, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the water processing comprises primary hardness removal and optionally secondary hardness removal at a mining and extraction facility. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the water processing comprises generating boiler feed water in a single processing step. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the steam is generated at a mining and extraction facility and is subsequently transported to an in-situ bitumen recovery facility. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the water processing takes place at a mining and extraction facility and the processed water is subsequently transported to an in-situ bitumen recovery facility for steam generation. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the steam generated is injected into a reservoir to assist in bitumen recovery in the in-situ bitumen recovery operation. 
     
     
         17 . The method of Claim  2 , further comprising the step of removing residual water from the steam prior to utilizing the steam in the in-situ recovery operation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:
 (e) obtaining a production fluid from the in-situ recovery operation;   (f) obtaining produced water from the production fluid; and   (g) directing the produced water to the mining and extraction operation.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the production fluid is transported from the in-situ recovery operation to the mining and extraction operation and wherein step f) is carried out at a mining and extraction facility. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein in step (g) the mining and extraction operation comprises hydrotransport, primary separation, water treatment, tailings management or tailings disposal. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the produced water is directed to a tailings pond following recovery of heat from the produced water. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the heat is recovered using conventional heat exchange. 
     
     
         23 . A method of integrating water between a mining and bitumen extraction operation and a thermal in-situ bitumen recovery operation, comprising:
 providing water from a water source at the bitumen mining and extraction operation; and   processing the water to produce steam for use in the thermal in-situ bitumen recovery operation.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 obtaining produced water from the in-situ bitumen recovery operation; and   directing the produced water to the bitumen mining and extraction operation for processing, treatment or disposal.   
     
     
         25 . A system for integrating water between a bitumen mining and extraction operation and an in-situ bitumen recovery operation, comprising:
 (a) a bitumen mining and extraction facility having a water source associated therewith;   (b) an in-situ bitumen recovery facility; and   (c) a transporter for transporting water from the water source, or all or a portion of boiler feed water or steam generated therefrom, to the in-situ bitumen recovery facility for use in an in-situ bitumen recovery operation.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the in-situ bitumen recovery operation is a thermal in-situ recovery operation. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the thermal in-situ recovery operation comprises steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), cyclic steam stimulation (CSS), or a derivative thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the derivative thereof is selected from solvent-assisted SAGD (SA-SAGD), steam and gas push (SAGP), combined vapor and steam extraction (SAVEX), expanding solvent SAGD (ES-SAGD), constant steam drainage (CSD), liquid addition to steam enhancing recovery (LASER), water flooding or steam flooding. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the thermal in-situ recovery operation is SAGD. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the water source comprises surface water, subsurface water or process affected water. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the water source comprises fresh water or tailings or recycled tailings water. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the water source comprises tailings or recycled tailings water from a tailings pond, primary separation vessel or froth separation unit. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the mining and extraction facility comprises water treatment facilities. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the mining and extraction facility further comprises steam generating facilities. 
     
     
         35 . The system of any one of  claims 34 , wherein the transporter is a pipeline for transporting steam generated at the steam generating facilities to the in-situ bitumen recovery operation for use in bitumen recovery. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 22 , further comprising a production fluid transporter for transporting production fluid from the in-situ bitumen facility to the bitumen mining and extraction facility. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the production fluid transporter is a pipeline.