Methods and Systems for Upgrading Hydrocarbon

Abstract

Methods and systems for upgrading hydrocarbon are described. The system can include a combustor and a nozzle reactor. The combustor can be used to produce a motive fluid suitable for use in the nozzle reactor. The motive fluid produced by the combustor and a hydrocarbon stream can be injected into the nozzle reactor to upgrade the hydrocarbon material. The systems and methods can also be integrated with a steam assisted gravity drainage system.

1 . A hydrocarbon upgrading system comprising:
 a combustor, the combustor comprising:
 an oxidant inlet; 
 a fuel inlet; 
 a combustion chamber; and 
 an atomizer nozzle in fluid communication with the combustion chamber; and 
   a nozzle reactor, the nozzle reactor comprising:
 a reactor body having a reactor body passage with an injection end and an ejection end; 
 a first material injector having a first material injection passage and being mounted in the nozzle reactor in material injecting communication with the injection end of the reactor body passage, the first material injection passage having (a) an enlarged volume injection section, an enlarged volume ejection section, and a reduced volume mid-section intermediate the enlarged volume injection section and enlarged volume ejection section, (b) a material injection end in material injecting communication with the combustion chamber, and (c) a material ejection end in material injecting communication with the reactor body passage; and 
 a second material feed port penetrating the reactor body and being (a) adjacent to the material ejection end of the first material injection passage and (b) transverse to a first material injection passage axis extending from the material injection end to the material ejection end in the first material injection passage in the first material injector. 
   
     
     
         2 . The hydrocarbon upgrading system recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a turbine, the turbine comprising:
 an exhaust outlet in fluid communication with the combustor inlet.   
     
     
         3 . The hydrocarbon upgrading system recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a water source, the water source in fluid communication with the atomizer nozzle. 
     
     
         4 . A hydrocarbon recovery and upgrading system comprising:
 a combustor, the combustor comprising:
 an oxidant inlet; 
 a fuel inlet; 
 a combustion chamber; and 
 an atomizer nozzle in fluid communication with the combustion chamber; and 
   a nozzle reactor, the nozzle reactor comprising:
 a reactor body having a reactor body passage with an injection end and an ejection end; 
 a first material injector having a first material injection passage and being mounted in the nozzle reactor in material injecting communication with the injection end of the reactor body passage, the first material injection passage having (a) an enlarged volume injection section, an enlarged volume ejection section, and a reduced volume mid-section intermediate the enlarged volume injection section and enlarged volume ejection section, (b) a material injection end in material injecting communication with the combustion chamber, and (c) a material ejection end in material injecting communication with the reactor body passage; and 
 a second material feed port penetrating the reactor body and being (a) adjacent to the material ejection end of the first material injection passage and (b) transverse to a first material injection passage axis extending from the material injection end to the material ejection end in the first material injection passage in the first material injector; 
   a steam assisted gravity drainage system, the steam assisted gravity drainage system comprising:
 a steam assisted gravity drainage injection well in material injecting communication with the combustion chamber; and 
 a steam assisted gravity drainage production well; and 
   a separation unit, the separation unit comprising:
 an inlet in fluid communication with the steam assisted gravity drainage production well; 
 a fuel outlet in fluid communication with the fuel inlet; and 
 a hydrocarbon outlet in fluid communication with the second material feed port. 
   
     
     
         5 . The hydrocarbon recovery and upgrading system recited in  claim 4 , further comprising a turbine, the turbine comprising:
 an exhaust outlet in fluid communication with the oxidant inlet.   
     
     
         6 . The hydrocarbon recovery and upgrading system recited in  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a nozzle reactor product separator in fluid communication with the ejection end of the reactor body passage and comprising a non-upgraded material outlet in fluid communication with the inlet of the separation unit.   
     
     
         7 . A method of upgrading hydrocarbon material comprising:
 injecting an oxidant stream and a fuel stream into a combustor and producing a combustion flame in a combustion chamber;   injecting atomized pre-motive fluid into the combustion chamber and forming motive fluid;   injecting the motive fluid into a nozzle reactor; and   injecting a hydrocarbon material into the nozzle reactor.   
     
     
         8 . The method of upgrading hydrocarbon material as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the motive fluid is injected into the nozzle reactor at a direction transverse to the direction the hydrocarbon material is injected into the nozzle reactor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of upgrading hydrocarbon material as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the oxidant stream is exhaust from a turbine. 
     
     
         10 . The method of upgrading hydrocarbon material as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the exhaust from the turbine has a temperature of from about 1250 to 1500° F. and a pressure of from about 100 to 550 psig. 
     
     
         11 . The method of upgrading hydrocarbon material as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the fuel stream comprises natural gas. 
     
     
         12 . The method of upgrading hydrocarbon material as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the hydrocarbon material is bitumen. 
     
     
         13 . The method of upgrading hydrocarbon material as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the fuel stream, the atomized pre-motive stream, and the hydrocarbon material are all derived from the same source material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of upgrading hydrocarbon material as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the stoichiometric ratio of fuel injected into the combustor to oxidant injected into the combustor is greater than 1. 
     
     
         15 . A method of recovering and upgrading hydrocarbon material comprising:
 withdrawing a steam assisted gravity drainage product from a steam assisted gravity drainage production well;   separating a fuel stream and a hydrocarbon stream from the gravity assisted drainage product;   injecting an oxidant stream and the fuel stream into a combustor and producing a combustion flame in a combustion chamber;   atomizing a water stream, injecting the atomized water into the combustion chamber, and forming steam;   injecting a first portion of the steam into a nozzle reactor;   injecting the hydrocarbon stream into the nozzle reactor; and   injecting a second portion of the steam into a steam assisted gravity drainage injection well.   
     
     
         16 . The method of recovering and upgrading hydrocarbon material as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the first portion of the steam is injected into the nozzle reactor at a direction transverse to the direction the hydrocarbon stream is injected into the nozzle reactor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of recovering and upgrading hydrocarbon material as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the oxidant stream is exhaust from a turbine. 
     
     
         18 . The method of recovering and upgrading hydrocarbon material as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the exhaust from the turbine has a temperature of from about 1250 to 1500° F. and a pressure of from about 100 to 500 psig. 
     
     
         19 . The method of recovering and upgrading hydrocarbon material as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the fuel stream comprises natural gas. 
     
     
         20 . The method of recovering and upgrading hydrocarbon material as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the hydrocarbon stream comprises bitumen. 
     
     
         21 . The method of recovering and upgrading hydrocarbon material as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the stoichiometric ratio of fuel injected into the combustor to oxidant injected into the combustor is greater than 1.