Using Advanced Small Modular Reactors in Oilfield Operations

Abstract

A method including utilizing an advanced small modular reactor (SMR) to produce energy for one or more oilfield operations and a system having: an advanced small modular reactor (SMR); apparatus for the production of electricity and/or hydrogen from steam and/or heat produced in the SMR; and one or more oilfield equipment powered at least in part with the electricity and/or powered via the hydrogen.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 utilizing an advanced small modular reactor (SMR) to produce energy for one or more oilfield operations.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein utilizing the SMR to produce energy for oilfield operations further comprises utilizing the SMR to provide steam and utilizing the steam to produce electricity, and utilizing the electricity in the one or more oilfield operations. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein utilizing the steam to produce electricity further comprises producing rotational energy by introducing the steam into one or more steam turbines and converting the rotational energy to electricity in electrical generation equipment. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein utilizing the electricity in the one or more oilfield operations further comprises utilizing the electricity for electrolysis of water to produce product hydrogen, and utilizing the hydrogen in the one or more oilfield operations. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein utilizing the hydrogen in the one or more oilfield operations further comprises combusting the hydrogen, utilizing the hydrogen in one or more fuel cells, storing the hydrogen for later use, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein utilizing the advanced small modular reactor (SMR) to produce energy for one or more oilfield operations further comprises utilizing the SMR to provide steam, and utilizing the steam in steam methane reforming to produce hydrogen and utilizing the hydrogen in the one or more oilfield operations. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein utilizing the hydrogen in the one or more oilfield operations further comprises combusting the hydrogen, utilizing the hydrogen in one or more fuel cells, storing the hydrogen for later use, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein utilizing the advanced small modular reactor (SMR) to produce energy for one or more oilfield operations further comprises utilizing an SMR to provide steam, and utilizing the steam in one or more oilfield operations comprising production enhancement, enhanced oil recovery, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein utilizing the advanced small modular reactor (SMR) to produce energy for one or more oilfield operations further comprises utilizing an SMR to provide steam, heat, or a combination thereof, and utilizing the steam, heat, or the combination thereof in a thermoelectric generator to produce electricity, and utilizing the electricity to power the one or more oilfield operations. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising transporting the SMR to a location proximate a location of the one or more oilfield operations and/or producing the SMR onsite at the location of the one or more oilfield operations. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 utilizing an advanced small modular reactor (SMR) to produce heat and/or steam; and   utilizing the heat and/or steam to power an oilfield operation.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein utilizing the heat and/or steam to power an oilfield operation further comprises:
 converting the steam to rotational energy and using the rotational energy to produce electricity and/or utilizing the steam in a thermoelectric generator to produce electricity, and utilizing the electricity to power the oilfield operation;   utilizing the steam to produce hydrogen via reforming, and utilizing the hydrogen to power the oilfield operation;   utilizing the heat in a thermoelectric generator to produce electricity and utilizing the electricity to power the oilfield operation; and/or   converting the steam to rotational energy and using the rotational energy to produce electricity and utilizing the electricity to produce hydrogen via electrolysis, and utilizing the hydrogen to power the oilfield operation.   
     
     
         13 . A system comprising:
 an advanced small modular reactor (SMR);   apparatus for the production of electricity and/or hydrogen from steam and/or heat produced in the SMR; and   one or more oilfield equipment powered at least in part with the electricity and/or powered via the hydrogen.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , comprising the apparatus for the production of electricity from steam produced in the SMR, wherein the apparatus for the production of electricity further comprises one or more steam turbines configured to produce rotational energy from the steam produced in the SMR, and electrical generation equipment configured to produce electricity from the rotational energy. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising a power management apparatus configured to condition the electricity prior to use in the one or more oilfield equipment. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising electrolysis equipment powered by the electricity and operable to produce hydrogen from water electrolysis, and further comprising hydrogen usage equipment providing mechanical or electrical power to the one or more oilfield equipment. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the hydrogen usage equipment comprises hydrogen combustion equipment, hydrogen fuel cell(s), hydrogen storage equipment, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13  comprising the apparatus for the production of hydrogen from steam produced in the SMR, wherein the apparatus comprises reforming apparatus configured to produce hydrogen from the steam produced in the SMR, and wherein the system further comprises hydrogen usage apparatus configured to provide mechanical or electrical power to the one or more oilfield equipment. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the apparatus for the production of electricity and/or hydrogen from steam and/or heat produced in the SMR comprises a thermoelectric generator configured to produce electricity from the steam and/or the heat produced in the SMR. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the SMR is an SMR in a range of from about 5 to 1000 MWe.