Underwater scrubbing of CO2 from CO2-containing hydrocarbon...

Details Underwater scrubbing of CO2 from CO2-containing hydrocarbon... Underwater scrubbing of CO2 from CO2-containing hydrocarbon...

2001-09-14

2003-09-16

Shackelford, Heather (Department: 3673)

Hazardous or toxic waste destruction or containment

Containment

Geologic, marine, or extraterrestrial storage and containment

C405S129100, C095S236000, C166S367000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06620091

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to producing CO
2
-depleted hydrocarbons from CO
2
-rich hydrocarbon resources. In particular, the present invention is directed to underwater scrubbing of CO
2
-containing hydrocarbon resources with an aqueous stream to produce a CO
2
-depleted hydrocarbon resource and a CO
2
-enriched aqueous stream.
2. Description of the Related Art
CO
2
is a well known environmental pollutant that contributes to atmospheric warming via the Greenhouse effect. CO
2
is a common contaminant in hydrocarbon resources such as, for example, natural gas. Generally, only a minimal amount, typically less than about 10 mole %, preferably less than about 5 mole %, of CO
2
can be tolerated in a natural gas feed to a synthesis gas generating process. Unfortunately, in instances where CO
2
-rich hydrocarbon resources have CO
2
levels higher than about 10 mole %, no economic method exists for removing the CO
2
from the hydrocarbon resources. In addition, when the CO
2
is removed, disposal of the CO
2
is problematic.
Efforts have been made to dispose of CO
2
by injecting it as a compressed gas into underground reservoirs. Also, studies have been done to determine whether CO
2
can be disposed of in deep marine environments. However, in existing CO
2
disposal methods, CO
2
is obtained in a relatively pure state by compressing it and/or condensing it. Thus, a disadvantage of such disposal techniques is that they require costly compressors and/or refrigerators to compress and/or condense CO
2
.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,301, to Murray, describes a process and vehicle for disposal of CO
2
. In Murray, gaseous CO
2
is first solidified and allowed to free fall in a marine environment through open water where it at least partially embeds itself into sedimentary formations. Sedimentation of the CO
2
ensures that the marine environment serves as a carbon sink through carbonate sequestration. Accordingly, Murray describes converting gaseous CO
2
into a solid, requiring the use of expensive refrigeration and compression processes.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,264 to Viteri, describes a low or no pollution engine for delivering power to vehicles or for other power applications. In the engine of Viteri, fuel and oxygen are combusted within a gas generator, generating water and CO
2
with carbon-containing fuels. The combustion products, steam, carbon-containing fuels and CO
2
are then passed through a condenser where the steam is condensed and the CO
2
is collected or discharged. The CO
2
is compressed and cooled so that it is in a liquid phase or super critical state. The dense phase CO
2
is then further pressurized to a pressure matching a pressure, less hydrostatic head, existing deep within a porous geological formation, a deep aquifer, a deep ocean location or a terrestrial formation from which return of the CO
2
into the atmosphere is inhibited. Accordingly, Viteri describes disposing of CO
2
from a power generation plant into the ocean or a terrestrial formation, wherein CO
2
gas is first compressed and cooled to form a liquid phase which is then further compressed to match the hydrostatic head.
As a result, there is an urgent need for a process and apparatus that can economically remove CO
2
from hydrocarbon resources, without having to employ costly compression and/or condensation processes, and that can dispose of the removed CO
2
in a manner that isolates the CO
2
from the environment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention satisfies the above objectives by providing a process that not only economically removes CO
2
from hydrocarbon resources, but also disposes of the removed CO
2
in a manner that isolates the CO
2
from the environment.
The process of the present invention removes CO
2
from hydrocarbon resources by contacting a hydrocarbon resource with an aqueous stream, preferably at an elevated pressure. More specifically, processes of the present invention separate CO
2
from a hydrocarbon resource by scrubbing the resource with an aqueous stream at elevated pressure, producing a CO
2
-containing aqueous stream that can be disposed of, for example, in at least one of a marine environment, a terrestrial formation or combination thereof. Thus, one important advantage of the present invention is that it can remove CO
2
from hydrocarbon resources without having to use costly compression and/or condensation processes. An additional advantage, is that the present invention can dispose of removed CO
2
in an aqueous stream in, for example, a marine environment, a terrestrial formation or combination thereof, thereby effectively isolating the CO
2
from the environment.
In particular, a process, according to the present invention, for removing CO
2
from a CO
2
-containing hydrocarbon asset can include contacting the hydrocarbon asset with an aqueous stream at an underwater location so that at least a portion of the CO
2
in the hydrocarbon asset is dissolved into the aqueous stream, creating a CO
2
-depleted hydrocarbon asset and a CO
2
-enriched aqueous stream. The CO
2
-enriched aqueous stream is then separated from the hydrocarbon asset. Finally the CO
2
-enriched aqueous stream is disposed of in at least one of a marine environment, a terrestrial formation or combination thereof.
In addition, a method, according to the present invention, for producing a CO
2
-depleted hydrocarbon gas from a hydrocarbon/CO
2
gas mixture can include contacting a hydrocarbon/CO
2
gas mixture underwater with an aqueous stream, so that at least a portion of the CO
2
in the gas mixture is dissolved into the aqueous stream, creating a CO
2
-depleted hydrocarbon gas and a CO
2
-enriched aqueous stream. Next, the CO
2
-enriched aqueous stream is separated from the gas stream. Finally, a CO
2
-depleted hydrocarbon gas is produced.


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