Methane extraction from geopressured-geothermal brine at wellhead conditions
Disposal of geopressured-geothermal brine effluents by injection is expected to be costly, even into shallow aquifers. If injection into the production reservoir becomes necessary to maintain productivity and to minimize subsidence, the injection pumping costs can become overwhelming. An option aimed at reducing injection pump operating costs is to maintain a higher than normal pressure at the production wellhead to reduce the injection pumping load. The crucial element, however, is that a significant portion of CH/sub 4/ remains in solution and must be recovered in order for the pressure maintenance option to be cost effective. A laboratory and field test capability has been established, and several methods for extracting dissolved CH/sub 4/ at high temperature and pressure are being evaluated. Solvent extraction and use of hydraulic motors or turbines coupled to CH/sub 4/ recovery systems are the leading candidate methods.
- Research Organization:
- California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5353927
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-84459; CONF-800920-6
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Geothermal Resource Council annual meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, USA, 9 Sep 1980
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
REINJECTION
METHANE
RECOVERY
BRINES
FIELD TESTS
GEOPRESSURED SYSTEMS
PUMPING
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
WASTE DISPOSAL
WELLHEADS
ALKANES
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
EXTRACTION
FLUIDS
HYDROCARBONS
MANAGEMENT
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TESTING
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Geothermal Legacy
150600* - Geothermal Energy- Environmental Aspects
150700 - Geothermal Energy- Products & By-Products