ZTx™ - Sustainably Hydrocarbon Power Technology

The patented technology enables the enriched hydrocarbon gasses that are released through the flue gas injection assisted crude oil extraction process to be efficiently used as an energy source to power electrical generators whilst at the same time enabling continual flue gas creation and injection in the crude oil recovery process, and the sequestering of green house gases created in the power/flue gas generation process and the sequestering of GHGs sucked in via the engine air intakes.

The patented technology is the ability to burn in engines the enriched, complex hydrocarbon gases that are produced during the crude oil extraction process where flue gas extraction is used. The technical barrier to date has been that gas fueled piston and turbine engines will not run efficiently, sustainably, on the enriched, complex hydrocarbon gases produced from the Flue Gas Injection (FGI) assisted crude oil extraction process.

This process is exothermic (creates more energy than it consumes), is GHG negative, Flue Gas Injection (FGI) increases oil reservoir yields by up to 60%.

The offered technology and the system provide

· on-site production of the inert gas for injection into hydrocarbon-bearing formations in order to improve hydrocarbons recovery;

· generation of energy without emission of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

· The system differs in higher energy efficiency, lower capital cost and quicker installation time. System’s equipment is of modular design. Modules are factory built, pre-tested and adapted for transportation and locating at hydrocarbon fields.

· The system includes:

· a unit for preparation of hydrocarbon-containing gas (such as, associated gas passing, for example, from a separator or from a gas cap) for combustion;

· a power plant (or, several power plants) comprising an internal combustion engine, which is operated by combustion of the prepared hydrocarbon-containing gas;

· a unit for preparation of an exhaust gas (or its part) for injection (the prepared exhaust gas is relatively inert gas, and, consists essentially of nitrogen and carbon dioxide);

· a compressor (or, several compressors) to pressurize the inert gas (the prepared exhaust gas) prior to injection into the formation.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates the system’s embodiment for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) using injection of the inert gas produced on-site.

Fig. 1

The power plant shown in Fig. 1 comprises the internal combustion engine which is operated by combustion of the prepared hydrocarbon-containing gas. The internal combustion engine drives the compressor, which pressurizes the inert gas (i.e. the prepared exhaust gas comprising nitrogen and carbon dioxide) for injection into the formation.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the system’s embodiment for EOR and for generation of electrical energy. The system’s embodiment shown in Fig. 2 provides on-site production of the inert gas for injection into an oil-bearing formation and for generation of electrical energy without emission of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

Fig. 2

The power plant shown in Fig. 2 comprises the internal combustion engine which is operated by combustion of the prepared hydrocarbon-containing gas. The internal combustion engine drives an electric generator to produce electrical energy for EOR process and for sale to outside consumers. The compressor driven by an electric motor pressurizes the inert gas (i.e. the prepared exhaust gas comprising nitrogen and carbon dioxide) for injection into the formation. Thus, the system provides enhanced recovery using injection of the produced inert gas, and, generates “carbon-free electricity” (i.e. electrical energy without emission of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere).

Additionally, the system may comprise the following equipment:

• a pump for injection of water into the formation;
• equipment for heat rejection (such as, waste-heat boilers) to produce heat energy, for example, for heating water intended for injection into the formation

Application purpose of the offered system may be not only to maintain, or, restore formation pressure by injection of the produced inert gas, but, also to improve fluid flow in the formation using miscible (or, immiscible) displacement.

The system operates with high energy efficiency. The power plant of the system is capable of generating electrical and heat energy with up to 90 percent total efficiency without emission of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

System’s components for some EOR techniques are presented in the table.

Table

Techniques	Number of system’s components
	unit for preparation of hydrocarbon-containing gas	power plant, comprising an internal combustion engine	unit for preparation of exhaust gas	compressor	electric generator	equipment for heat rejection	pump
Inert Gas (IG) injection • IG injection • IG injection and production of electrical energy • IG injection and production of heat energy • IG injection and production of electrical and heat energy	1 1 1 1	1 2 1 2	1 1 1 1	1 1 1 1	1 1	1 1
Water Alternating Gas (WAG) injection • WAG injection • WAG injection and production of electrical energy • WAG injection and production of heat energy • WAG injection and production of electrical and heat energy	1 1 1 1	2 3 2 3	1 1 1 1	1 1 1 1	1 1	1 1	1 1 1 1

Note: the compressor, the electric generator and the pump indicated in the table are driven by internal combustion engines of power plants.

Components of the system may be selected from equipment which is manufactured by American, European, Russian and other companies. The range of the manufactured equipment ensures the possibility to create versions of the system which are capable of producing the inert gas from 300 m³/h to more than 300,000 m³/h, and, generating power from 100 kW to more than 100,000 kW. A choice of technological plan and components of the system is based on conditions of application of the offered technology.

Main elements of the technology and the system have been tested in field practice. System’s equipment consists of factory-built and pre-tested modules being adapted for transportation and on-site installation. It makes transportation easy and ensures quicker installation time, lower capital cost and simplified maintenance of the system.

The offered technology and the system can be effectively used to increase hydrocarbons recovery from oil reservoirs including depleted reservoirs, depleted gas condensate reservoirs, depleted natural gas reservoirs and to produce energy without emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

The technology and the system have been patented in Australia, USA, Russia and Japan. Notices of granting the patents have been received from the European Patent Office (Austria, Great Britain, France, Italy and Germany) and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. Examination of patent application is in progress in Norway.

To take this to market it will need a pilot demonstration site, a team that can work with engine/turbine producers (CAT, MAN, RR, etc) to licence them the technology so they
can modify their engines to burn the gasses, work with the oil producers so they specify the system and their contractors so they can implement the system.

If you have any further questions or suggestions in regard to the above, please, do no hesitate to contact us.