Chevron U.s.a. Inc.

Randall B Pruet

Prakhar Prakash

James Craig Pauley

Richard O Moore, Jr

Roger D Van Gelder

Clive Jones

Grant C Hilton

The invention relates to the treatment of water, including for example treatment in connection with hydrocarbon production operations. Silica in water produces undesirable scaling in processing equipment, which causes excess energy usage and maintenance problems. Electrocoagulation (EC) at relatively high water temperature, followed by any of membrane distillation or forward osmosis (FO), may be combined with a subsequent process of ceramic ultra-filtration (UF filtration) employed to treat water. Water to be treated may be produced water that has been pumped from a subterranean reservoir. The treated water may be employed to generate steam. The treatment units (e.g., EC, forward osmosis, UF filtration, etc) can be configured into one system as an on-site installation or a mobile unit for on-site or off-site water treatment.

Apparatus and process for treatment of water

The invention relates to the treatment of water, including for example treatment in connection with hydrocarbon production operations. Silica in water produces undesirable scaling in processing equipment, which causes excess energy usage and maintenance problems. Electrocoagulation (EC) at relatively high water temperature followed by ultra-filtration (UF filtration) may be combined with forward osmosis (FO) to treat water. Water to be treated may be produced water that has been pumped from a subterranean reservoir. The treated water may be employed to generate steam. The treatment units (e.g., EC, forward osmosis, UF filtration, etc) can be configured into one system as an on-site installation or a mobile unit for on-site or off-site water treatment.

A method for separating water from a Fischer-Tropsch reactor product stream in a cost effective and energy efficient manner which comprises feeding a Fischer-Tropsch product stream to a separation membrane, preferably a ceramic membrane, and recovering water vapor from the downstream permeate side of the membrane.

Separation of water from Fischer-Tropsch product

An integrated Fischer-Tropsch process provides methods for recovering reaction water from a Fischer-Tropsch reactor with minimal adverse environmental effects and with reduced costs compared to traditional methods. Reaction water, preferably separated from an overhead stream from a Fischer-Tropsch reactor, is vaporized and contaminants are thermally oxidized while in the vapor state. The thermal oxidation also produces flue gases, which flue gases may be condensed to recover water.

Treatment of reaction water from a Fischer-Tropsch reactor

An integrated process for improved hydrocarbon recovery from a natural gas resource is disclosed. A methane-rich stream, an LPG stream and optionally a C5&plus;  stream are isolated from a natural gas source in a first separation zone and desulfurized. The methane-rich stream is converted to syngas and subjected to hydrocarbon synthesis, for example, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The products from the hydrocarbon synthesis typically include a C4&minus; fraction, a C5-C20 fraction, and a C20&plus; wax fraction. These fractions are isolated in a second separation zone. The C4&minus; fraction is recycled through the first separation zone to provide methane for conversion to synthesis gas and an additional LPG fraction. The C4&minus; fraction can be treated, for example, with hydrotreating or hydroisomerization catalysts and conditions before or after the separation. The C5-C20 fraction and the C20&plus; wax and heavy fraction are subjected to additional process steps, for example, hydro treatment, hydroisomerization, and/or hydrocracking. The products are sent to a third separation zone, and yield an additional C4&minus; fraction, as well as higher molecular weight products. The additional C4&minus; fraction can also be sent to the first separation zone and treated in an analogous fashion to the C4&minus; fraction from the hydrocarbon synthesis. Any sulfur-containing compounds resulting from the additional processing of the hydrocarbon synthesis products (i.e., hydroconversion reactions) can be treated along with the sulfur-containing compounds in the natural gas, eliminating the need for a second sulfur-treatment plant.

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Katy, TX, United States of America

Randall B Pruet