Production of nitrogen-rich gas mixtures. [for pressurizing oil well]

Patent · Tue Oct 10 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6769176

Crouch, W B; Fabiero nee Posadas, C P; Robin, A M

A nitrogen-rich inert gas mixture is produced by the partial oxidation of a hydrocarbonaceous feed containing substantially no metals nor noncombustible materials with air in a free-flow, unpacked, refractory-lined gas generator at a temperature in the range of about 1300 to 3000/sup 0/F and a pressure in the range of about 1 to 250 atmospheres. The product gas will comprise a mixture of nitrogen, argon and carbon dioxide and may contain small amounts of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, depending on the O/C atomic ratio selected. The atomic ratio of free oxygen in said air to carbon in said hydrocarbonaceous fuel is in the range of about 1.7 to stoichiometric, or slightly less than stoichiometric. By operating at this level of O/C atomic ratio, the H/sub 2/ + CO content of the product gas may be minimized or deleted, substantially all of the particulate carbon may be oxidized, substantially no NO/sub x/ is produced, and the product gas contains substantially no free oxygen. Further, the sensible heat recovered from the product gas may be used to manufacture by-product high pressure steam for export. The nitrogen-rich product gas may be used for oil formation flooding or as a pressurizing or blanketing gas. Costly gas compressors may be avoided since the product gas may be produced at or above use pressure.

• Assignee: Texaco Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4119566
• OSTI ID: 6769176
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ARGON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
INERT ATMOSPHERE
MIXTURES
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRESSURIZING
PRODUCTION
RARE GASES
WELLS