Systems and methods for producing oil and/or gas

Abstract

A method comprising recovering a carbon source from a formation; converting at least a portion of the carbon source to a synthesis gas; converting at least a portion of the synthesis gas to an ether; and injecting at least a portion of the ether into the formation.

1 . A system for producing oil and/or gas from an underground formation comprising:
 a well above the formation;   a mechanism to inject an enhanced oil recovery formulation into the formation, the enhanced oil recovery formulation comprising an ether, the ether comprising from 2 to 20 carbons; and   a mechanism to produce oil and/or gas from the formation.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second well a distance from the first well, wherein the mechanism to produce oil and/or gas from the formation is located at the second well. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism to inject is located at the well, and wherein the mechanism to produce oil and/or gas from the formation is located at the well. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the underground formation is beneath a body of water. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism for injecting an immiscible enhanced oil recovery formulation into the formation, after the enhanced oil recovery formulation has been released into the formation. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced oil recovery formulation further comprises one or more of hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, octane, pentane, LPG, propane, C2-C6 aliphatic hydrocarbons, nitrogen, diesel, mineral spirits, naphtha solvent, asphalt solvent, kerosene, acetone, xylene, trichloroethane, acetals, glycols, polyols, esters, ketones, aldols, alcohols, ammonias, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an immiscible enhanced oil recovery formulation selected from the group consisting of water in gas or liquid form, air, nitrogen, methane, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the well comprises an array of wells from 1 to 500 wells. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism to produce oil and/or gas from the formation is located at the well. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism for producing a carbon source from the formation. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a mechanism to produce a synthesis gas from the carbon source. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a mechanism to produce the ether from the synthesis gas, either directly or with an alcohol intermediate. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism for producing the ether adjacent to the well. 
     
     
         14 . A method for producing oil and/or gas comprising:
 injecting an ether formulation into a formation from a first well; and   producing oil and/or gas from the formation from a second well.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising recovering the ether formulation from the oil and/or gas, if present, and then injecting at least a portion of the recovered ether formulation into the formation. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein injecting the ether formulation comprises injecting at least a portion of the ether formulation into the formation in a mixture with one or more of hydrocarbons other than the ether; carbon dioxide; carbon monoxide; nitrogen; or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of one  claim 14 , wherein injecting the ether formulation comprises injecting at least a portion of the ether formulation into the formation in a mixture, wherein the mixture comprises from 5% to 90% ether by weight. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising heating the ether formulation prior to injecting the ether formulation into the formation, or while within the formation. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the ether formulation is injected at a pressure from 0 to 37,000 kilopascals above the initial reservoir pressure, measured prior to when ether injection begins. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the ether formulation is injected into a reservoir having a reservoir temperature of at least 100 degrees centigrade, for example at least 250 degrees centigrade, measured prior to when ether injection begins. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the underground formation comprises a permeability from 0.0001 to 15 Darcies, for example a permeability from 0.001 to 1 Darcy. 
     
     
         22 . The method of one  claim 14 , further comprising converting at least a portion of the recovered oil and/or gas into a material selected from the group consisting of transportation fuels such as gasoline and diesel, heating fuel, lubricants, chemicals, and/or polymers. 
     
     
         23 . The method  claim 14 , further comprising converting at least a portion of the recovered oil and/or gas into an ether, and injecting the ether into an underground formation. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising recovering an ether formulation from the oil and/or gas, if present, and then transporting the ether formulation to another location, for example by a pipeline, a vessel, a pressurized vessel, or a chilled vessel. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising converting at least a portion of the recovered oil and/or gas into an ether, and then transporting the ether formulation to another location, for example by a pipeline, a vessel, a pressurized vessel, or a chilled vessel. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the underground formation comprises an oil having an API from 10 to 100. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein injecting the ether formulation comprises injecting a mixture of the ether formulation and water. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the water further comprises a water soluble polymer adapted to increase a viscosity of the mixture. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising producing the ether formulation on an offshore structure from a starting material comprising synthesis gas, methanol, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising reducing a bubble point of the oil in the formation with the ether formulation. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising increasing the swelling of the oil in the formation with the ether formulation. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising reducing the viscosity of the oil in the formation with the ether formulation. 
     
     
         33 . A method comprising:
 recovering a carbon source from a formation;   converting at least a portion of the carbon source to a synthesis gas;   converting at least a portion of the synthesis gas to an ether; and   injecting at least a portion of the ether into the formation.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising converting the ether to a material selected from the group consisting of glycols, such as mono-ethylene glycol, di-ethylene glycol, tri-ethylene glycol, and tetra-ethylene glycol; ethanol, methanol, or other alcohols; acetals; polyols; methyl isobutyl carbinol; butyl propionate, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate tertiary butyl acetate, or other esters; methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, or other ketones; and/or one or more methanol derivatives, such as dimethyl carbonate, and/or one or more ethanol derivatives, such as diethyl carbonate.