Nitrogen Management at the East Binger Unit Using an Integrated Cryogenic Process

Abstract

Emmons, Fred R., Phillips Petroleum Company; Phillips Petroleum Company; Hudspeth, Lon D., Phillips Petroleum Company; Phillips Petroleum Company; Clancy, James P., Niject Services Company; Zornes, David R., Phillips Petroleum Company; Phillips Petroleum Company; Philcox, John E., Philcox, John E., Niject Services Company Abstract The East Binger Field located in Caddo County, Oklahoma had an expected primary recovery of only 10.7%. After extensive reservoir, laboratory, and model studies, a plan of unitization was approved an inert gas miscible displacement project was initiated in 1977. Unanticipated operational problems, such as leaks in casings, tubing and packers, plugging of low permeability sand, and other problems were analyzed and solved. Oil and gas production to date is consistent with the production to date is consistent with the predictive models. An anticipated predictive models. An anticipated problem of inert gas breakthrough has been problem of inert gas breakthrough has been handled to date by planned interim methods. In 1984, as a result of engineering and economic studies of several viable alternatives, a decision was made by the East Binger Unit (EBU) to switch to a nitrogen management concept. Under construction, with a late 1986 startup date, is a nitrogen management facility which will replace the existing inert gas supply system as well as replace the interim method of handling produced gas. The facility which is integrated to reduce capital, energy and other operating costs, will provide cryogenically-produced nitrogen from both nitrogen rejection and air separation, 985 Btu/SCF [3.48 × 10(4) MJ/m3] residue gas, pipe-line quality natural gas liquids and pipe-line quality natural gas liquids and 18,000 MSCFD (thousand standard cubic feet per day) [5.1 × 10(5) m3/D] of 5,000 psig [3.45 mPa] nitrogen. With nitrogen management, higher hydrocarbon recoveries and lower lifting costs are expected. Introduction The EBU is located in Caddo County near Binger, Oklahoma. See Figure 1. In 1986, nine years after unitization and initiation of a miscible inert gas EOR project in the EBU, an average of 13,300 project in the EBU, an average of 13,300 MSCFD [3.8 × 10(5) m3/D] of inert gas, obtained from engine exhaust gas, has been injected into the Marchand Sand reservoir. The inert gas consists of about 85% nitrogen, 12% carbon dioxide, 3% carbon monoxide, and a trace of other components. When nitrogen breaks through to a production well, it reduces the heating value production well, it reduces the heating value of the produced gas, eventually rendering it unmarketable. An operator has to consider the alternatives of reinjection of the diluted gas resulting in a loss of income from the unrecovered hydrocarbons versus the installation, of facilities to separate (reject) the nitrogen from the produced gas. Brown and Aberle give produced gas. Brown and Aberle give a good overall discussion of nitrogen rejection facilities. Price, et al. and also Looney, et al. specifically describe the nitrogen rejection facility designed to handle the separation of nitrogen from the produced gas, and installed at the University Block 31 Field in Crane County, Texas, a nitrogen/ hydrocarbon miscible displacement project.