Systems and methods for producing oil and/or gas

Abstract

A system for producing oil and/or gas from an underground formation including a well above the formation; a mechanism to inject an enhanced oil recovery formulation into the formation, the enhanced oil recovery formulation including dimethyl ether; and a mechanism to produce oil and/or gas from 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 dimethyl ether; 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, naptha 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 5 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 dimethyl ether formulation adjacent to the well. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the underground formation comprises an oil having a viscosity from 0.1 to 10 centipoise. 
     
     
         12 . A method for producing oil and/or gas comprising:
 injecting a dimethyl ether formulation into a formation from a first well; and   producing oil and/or gas from the formation from a second well.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising recovering dimethyl ether formulation from the oil and/or gas, if present, and then injecting at least a portion of the recovered dimethyl ether formulation into the formation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein injecting the dimethyl ether formulation comprises injecting at least a portion of the dimethyl ether formulation into the formation in a mixture with one or more of hydrocarbons other than dimethyl ether; carbon dioxide; carbon monoxide; nitrogen; or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein injecting the dimethyl ether formulation comprises injecting at least a portion of the dimethyl ether formulation into the formation in a mixture, wherein the mixture comprises from 5% to 90% dimethyl ether by weight. 
     
     
         16 . The methods of  claim 12 , further comprising heating the dimethyl ether formulation prior to injecting the dimethyl ether formulation into the formation, or while within the formation. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the dimethyl ether formulation is injected at a pressure from 0 to 37,000 kilopascals above the initial reservoir pressure, measured prior to when dimethyl ether injection begins. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the dimethyl 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 dimethyl ether injection begins. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the underground formation comprises a permeability from 0.0001 to 15 Darcies, for example a permeability from 0.001 to 1 Darcy. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , 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. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising converting at least a portion of the recovered oil and/or gas into dimethyl ether, and injecting the dimethyl ether into an underground formation. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising recovering dimethyl ether formulation from the oil and/or gas, if present, and then transporting the dimethyl ether formulation to another location, for example by a pipeline, pressurized vessel, or chilled vessel. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising converting at least a portion of the recovered oil and/or gas into dimethyl ether, and then transporting the dimethyl ether formulation to another location, for example by a pipeline, pressurized vessel, or chilled vessel. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the underground formation comprises an oil having an API from 10 to 100. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein injecting the dimethyl ether formulation comprises injecting a mixture of dimethyl ether formulation and water. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the water further comprises a water soluble polymer adapted to increase a viscosity of the mixture. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising producing the dimethyl ether formulation on an offshore structure from methanol. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising reducing a bubble point of the oil in the formation with the dimethyl ether formulation. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising increasing a swelling factor of the oil in the formation with the dimethyl ether formulation. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising reducing a viscosity of the oil in the formation with the dimethyl ether formulation.