Cenovus Energy Inc.

Paulina Morasse

Amos Ben-Zvi

Michael Patrick McKay

Simon D Gittins

Methods are provided for sequestering a pollutant gas of carbon dioxide (CO) gas and/or hydrogen sulfide (HS) gas in a subterranean reservoir. In one method, a carrier gas containing pollutant-sorbent particles (e.g., nanoparticles) is pumped into the subterranean reservoir, the pollutant-sorbent particles attach to the subterranean reservoir, the pollutant gas is pumped into the subterranean reservoir, and the pollutant-sorbent particles attached to the subterranean reservoir adsorb the pollutant gas. In another method, pollutant gas is introduced into a carrier liquid containing pollutant-sorbent particles to produce a pollutant-rich carrier liquid, the pollutant-rich carrier liquid is pumped into the subterranean reservoir, and the pollutant-rich carrier liquid is allowed to remain in the subterranean reservoir. A modifier gas or modifier liquid may be injected into the subterranean reservoir to modify a condition in the subterranean reservoir and thereby cause the pollutant-sorbent particles to release the sequestered pollutant gas.

Methods for carbon dioxide or hydrogen sulfide sequestration in a subterranean reservoir using sorbent particles

A method is provided for producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir. A mixture of steam and HS-sorbent particles (e.g., nanoparticles) is injected into the subterranean reservoir. This may be performed during the steam phase of a steam injection operation, such as steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), steam flooding, or cyclic steam stimulation, which is performed on the reservoir. The injected steam reduces the viscosity of the hydrocarbons in the subterranean formation. The injected HS-sorbent particles attach to the subterranean reservoir and adsorb HS therein. The hydrocarbons are produced to the surface, without producing the HS-sorbent particles with adsorbed HS that remain attached to the subterranean reservoir.

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Calgary, Canada

Paulina Morasse