Situ hydrocarbon upgrading with fluid generated to provide steam and hydrogen

Abstract

Methods and apparatus relate to recovery of in situ upgraded hydrocarbons by injecting steam and hydrogen into a reservoir containing the hydrocarbons. A mixture output generated as water is vaporized by direct contact with flow from fuel-rich combustion provides the steam and hydrogen. The steam heats the hydrocarbons facilitating flow of the hydrocarbons and reaction of the hydrogen with the hydrocarbons to enable hydroprocessing prior to recovery of the hydrocarbons to surface.

1 . A method, comprising:
 generating a hydrogen and steam containing injection stream by vaporization of water contacted with flow from combustion of a gaseous hydrocarbon fuel with an oxidant and at an oxygen:fuel equivalence ratio less than 1;   introducing the injection stream into a formation to contact, heat and hydroprocess hydrocarbons in the formation;   recovering to surface the hydrocarbons that have been upgraded.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen:fuel equivalence ratio is less than 0.95. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the injection stream contains at least 5 volume percent hydrogen on a dry basis. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the injection stream contains at least 15 volume percent hydrogen on a dry basis. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising disposing a hydroprocessing catalyst in a flow path of the hydrocarbons from the formation to the surface. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising disposing a water-gas shift catalyst in a flow path of the injection stream. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising subsurface heating of the hydrocarbons with a non-steam based heat source. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the introducing and the recovering are through a steam assisted gravity drainage well pair. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising disposing a hydroprocessing catalyst along a producer wellbore through which the hydrocarbons are recovered and heating the hydrocarbons in contact with the catalyst to a reaction temperature above an injection temperature that the injection stream enters the formation. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising disposing a water-gas shift catalyst in a flow path of the injection stream and disposing a hydroprocessing catalyst that is different from the water-gas shift catalyst in a flow path of the hydrocarbons from the formation to the surface. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising subsurface heating of the hydrocarbons to above 300° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising subsurface heating of the hydrocarbons to above 400° C. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen facilitates hydroprocessing reactions that include desulfurization, olefin and aromatic saturation and hydrocracking 
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 a hydrogen and steam generator having an output of an injection stream produced by vaporization of water contacted with flow from combustion of a gaseous hydrocarbon fuel with an oxidant and at an oxygen:fuel equivalence ratio less than 1;   an injector configured to convey the injection stream into a formation to contact, heat and hydroprocess hydrocarbons in the formation, and   a recovery assembly that produces to surface the hydrocarbons that are upgraded.   
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , further comprising a hydroprocessing catalyst disposed in a flow path of the hydrocarbons from the formation to the surface. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 14 , further comprising a non-steam based heat source for subsurface heating of the hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 injecting hydrogen and steam into a first wellbore of a steam assisted gravity drainage well pair, wherein the steam and hydrogen are generated by operation of a direct steam generator under fuel-rich conditions; and   recovering upgraded hydrocarbons to surface through a second wellbore of the steam assisted gravity drainage well pair.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the first wellbore extends horizontal spaced from the second wellbore that extends horizontal deeper in the formation than the first wellbore. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising heating the hydrocarbons to a reaction temperature above an injection temperature that the injection stream enters the formation. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising disposing a hydroprocessing catalyst in a flow path of the hydrocarbons from the formation to the surface.