Process for recovering oil and treating resulting produced water with ceramic membranes

摘要

A method for cleaning a ceramic membrane used in an oil recovery process. The cleaning method includes online and offline modes. In the online mode, the method includes periodically backflushing the ceramic membrane with an aqueous media. In the offline mode, the method includes backpulsing or statically cleaning the ceramic membrane by utilizing an aqueous alkaline media, an aqueous acidic media, and a liquid hydrocarbon solution.

主权项

1. A method of recovering oil from an oil well and treating resulting produced water, comprising:
recovering an oil-water mixture from the oil well; separating the produced water from the oil-water mixture; directing the produced water to and through a ceramic membrane having a porous structure; filtering the produced water with the ceramic membrane to produce a permeate stream and a retentate stream; cleaning the ceramic membrane in online and offline modes comprising:
a. in the online mode periodically backflushing the ceramic membrane with an aqueous media having a pH of 13 or greater and a temperature of 60° C. or greater:b. in the offline mode, backpulsing or statically cleaning the ceramic membrane by performing:
i. one or more clean-in-place operations utilizing an aqueous alkaline media having a pH of 13 or greater and a temperature of 60° C. or greater;ii. one or more clean-in-place operations utilizing an aqueous acidic media containing approximately 0.25% to approximately 2.0% dissolved citric acid; andiii. one or more clean-in-place operations utilizing a liquid hydrocarbon solution.