Systems and methods for producing dimethyl sulfide from sour gas

Abstract

Dimethyl sulfide is produced from sour gas. The dimethyl sulfide is utilized in an oil recovery formulation introduced into a petroleum-bearing formation to enhance recovery of petroleum from the formation.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 separating methane and separating hydrogen sulfide from a sour gas comprised of methane and hydrogen sulfide;   producing carbon monoxide and hydrogen from at least a portion of the separated methane;   producing methanol from at least a portion of the produced carbon monoxide and at least a portion of the produced hydrogen;   producing a dimethyl sulfide from at least a portion of the produced methanol and at least a portion of the separated hydrogen sulfide;   producing an oil recovery formulation that comprises at least 75 mol % dimethyl sulfide from at least a portion of the produced dimethyl sulfide;   introducing the oil recovery formulation into a petroleum-bearing formation comprising petroleum;   contacting the oil recovery formulation with petroleum in the petroleum-bearing formation; and   subsequent to contacting the oil recovery formulation with petroleum in the petroleum-bearing formation, producing a fluid from the petroleum-bearing formation, wherein the produced fluid comprises at least a portion of the petroleum from the petroleum-bearing formation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the produced fluid further comprises sour gas. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 separating petroleum and separating sour gas from the produced fluid, wherein at least a portion of the separated sour gas is a portion of the sour gas separated into methane and hydrogen sulfide. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the produced fluid further comprises dimethyl sulfide. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 separating petroleum and separating dimethyl sulfide from the produced fluid; and 
 producing at least a portion of the oil recovery formulation with the dimethyl sulfide separated from the produced fluid, 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 separating petroleum from the produced fluid, wherein the petroleum has a viscosity greater than 350 cP; and 
 mixing an amount of dimethyl sulfide with the petroleum separated from the produced fluid effective to reduce the viscosity of the mixture to less than 350 cP. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dimethyl sulfide is produced at a well-site where the oil recovery formulation is introduced into the petroleum-bearing formation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oil recovery formulation is introduced into the petroleum-bearing formation by injection via a first well extending into the petroleum-bearing formation. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the fluid comprising petroleum is produced from the petroleum-bearing formation via the first well. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the fluid comprising petroleum is produced from the petroleum-bearing formation via a second well extending into the petroleum-bearing formation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the petroleum-bearing formation is a subterranean formation located at a depth of at least 75 meters below the surface of the earth. 
     
     
         12 . A system comprising:
 a first separator structured and arranged to receive a sour gas comprised of methane and hydrogen sulfide, wherein the first separator is structured and arranged to separate methane and hydrogen sulfide from the sour gas;   a methane reactor fluidly operatively coupled to the first separator to receive at least a portion of the separated methane from the first separator, wherein the methane reactor is structured and arranged to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen from the methane received therein;   a methanol reactor fluidly operatively coupled to the methane reactor to receive carbon monoxide and hydrogen from the methane reactor, wherein the methanol reactor is structured and arranged to produce methanol from the carbon monoxide and hydrogen received therein;   a dimethyl sulfide reactor fluidly operatively coupled to the methanol reactor to receive methanol from the methanol reactor and fluidly operatively coupled to the first separator to receive hydrogen sulfide from the first separator, wherein the dimethyl sulfide reactor is structured and arranged to produce dimethyl sulfide from the methanol and the hydrogen sulfide received therein;   an injecting mechanism fluidly operatively coupled to the dimethyl sulfide reactor to receive dimethyl sulfide from the dimethyl sulfide reactor, wherein the injecting mechanism is structured and arranged to introduce an oil recovery formulation comprised of dimethyl sulfide received from the dimethyl sulfide reactor into a petroleum-bearing formation;   a producing mechanism that is structured and arranged to produce a fluid comprised of petroleum from the petroleum-bearing formation.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the petroleum-bearing formation further comprises sour gas comprised of methane and hydrogen sulfide, and wherein the produced fluid further comprises sour gas comprised of methane and hydrogen sulfide. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a second separator fluidly operatively coupled to the producing mechanism to receive the produced fluid from the producing mechanism, wherein the second separator is structured and arranged to separate the produced fluid into sour gas and petroleum; 
 wherein the second separator is fluidly operatively coupled to the first separator and at least a portion of the sour gas separated in the second separator is provided to the first separator. 
 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the produced fluid further comprises dimethyl sulfide, the second separator is structured and arranged to separate dimethyl sulfide from the produced fluid, the second separator is fluidly operatively coupled to the injecting mechanism to provide the separated dimethyl sulfide to the injecting mechanism, and wherein the injecting mechanism is structured and arranged to introduce the separated dimethyl sulfide into the petroleum-bearing formation. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the injecting mechanism is located at a first well extending into the petroleum-bearing formation. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the producing mechanism is located at the first well extending into the petroleum-bearing formation. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the producing mechanism is located at a second well extending into the petroleum-bearing formation.