OIL RECOVERY PROCESS INCLUDING A HIGH SOLIDS CRYSTALLIZER FOR TREATING EVAPORATOR BLOWDOWN

摘要

An oil recovery process is provided where an oil-water mixture is recovered from an oil-bearing formation (42). Oil is separated from the oil-water mixture to yield produced water. The produced water is typically subjected to a pre-treatment process (30). After pre-treatment, the produced water is directed to an evaporator (34) that evaporates at least some of the produced water and produces steam and an evaporator blowdown. The evaporator blowdown is directed to a dual stage crystallizer (50) that concentrates the evaporator blowdown.