Patent ID: 8047287
Filing Date: 2011-11-01
Classification: B01D,C02F,E21B

Abstract:
1. A method of recovering oil from an oil well and treating produced water comprising: recovering an oil/water mixture from the well; separating oil from the oil/water mixture to produce an oil product and the produced water; mixing a crystallizing reagent with the produced water and precipitating solids from the produced water and forming crystals in the produced water; mixing a caustic with the produced water to adjust the pH to approximately 9.5 to approximately 11.2; after mixing the crystallizing reagent with the produced water, directing the produced water to a ceramic membrane; filtering the produced water with the ceramic membrane and producing a ceramic membrane reject stream and a ceramic membrane permeate stream; after filtering the produced water in the ceramic membrane, directing the ceramic membrane permeate stream to a reverse osmosis unit located downstream from the ceramic membrane; and filtering the ceramic membrane permeate stream in the reverse osmosis unit to produce a reverse osmosis permeate stream and a reverse osmosis reject stream.